ขาว — Page 3

English → Chinese Frangipani Blooms Without Waiting Level 5/10

"He knew," her mother said, simply, the way she said things that were completely certain.

「他知道的，」她母亲平静地说，就像她说那些毋庸置疑的事情时一样。

Outside, the frangipani was doing its slow, indifferent dropping of flowers onto the path.

屋外，鸡蛋花树正漫不经心地将花朵一朵朵缓缓落在小路上。

A bird landed in the mango tree and then left again.

一只鸟落在芒果树上，随即又飞走了。

The afternoon was the long kind, the light going golden over the garden in the way it did at this hour in this season, and Nipa thought of all the evenings she had spent somewhere else while the light did exactly this over the gate and the flowers and the old tree, while her mother sat on the porch and talked quietly to a white dog about things that did not need to be kept from him.

这是那种漫长的下午，光线以这个季节这个时辰特有的方式在园中染成金色，尼帕想起了她在别处度过的所有傍晚，而就在那些傍晚，同样的光也这样洒在门扉、花丛和老树上，她的母亲坐在门廊里，轻声对一只白狗说着那些无需对它隐瞒的事情。

"Did it help?" Nipa asked.

「有没有用呢？」尼帕问道。

"Saying it to him. That she would come home."

「跟他说她会回来。」

Her mother considered this with the same seriousness she gave to every question Nipa had ever asked her.

她的母亲认真思量着这个问题，一如她对待尼帕每一个问题时的郑重态度。

"I think he already knew," she said.

「我想他早就知道了，」她说。

"I think I was saying it for myself."

「我想我是说给自己听的。」

After dinner they sat on the porch together as the dark came, not talking much.

晚饭后，她们一同坐在门廊上，看着夜色渐渐降临，话语不多。

The garden went from gold to grey to the blue-black of a provincial evening with no city glow to soften it, and the stars appeared the way they always appeared here — suddenly, as if they had been there all along.

园子的颜色从金色变为灰色，再变为没有城市光晕柔化的乡间夜晚特有的蓝黑色，星星以这里一贯的方式出现——猝然间，仿佛它们一直都在那里。

Nipa looked at the gate.

尼帕望着那道门。

She had walked through it so many times.

她曾无数次穿过它。

As a child running back from school, calling his name before she had even pushed it open, already hearing his feet on the concrete.

小时候从学校跑回来，门还没推开就已经在喊他的名字，耳边仿佛已经听见他的爪子踏在水泥地上的声响。

As a young woman coming home from Bangkok with gifts she'd chosen on the train, watching him appear from wherever he had been sleeping and come to her with his whole body expressing something beyond welcome.

年轻时从曼谷回来，带着她在火车上挑好的礼物，看着他从某个他睡觉的地方出现，朝她走来，用整个身体表达着一种超越欢迎的情感。

Vocabulary

他: tā — Third-person singular masculine pronoun: he, him.
知道: zhīdào — To know a fact or piece of information.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
她: tā — Third-person singular feminine pronoun: she, her.
母亲: mǔqīn — Mother; a formal or literary word for mother.
平静: píngjìng — Calm, tranquil; without agitation or disturbance.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb or adjective to verb.
说: shuō — To speak, say, or tell something to someone.
就像: jiù xiàng — Just like; used to draw a comparison between things.
那些: nàxiē — Those; referring to a plural set of distant things.
毋庸置疑: wú yōng zhì yí — Beyond doubt; absolutely certain, not open to question.
事情: shìqing — Matter, affair, or thing that happens or is done.
时: shí — When; at the time of a particular moment or event.
一样: yīyàng — The same; identical or similar in manner or degree.
屋外: wū wài — Outside the house or building; outdoors.
正: zhèng — Just; indicating an action currently in progress.
漫不经心: màn bù jīng xīn — Casually, carelessly, without paying any attention.
将: jiāng — Preposition or formal marker indicating an upcoming action.
花朵: huāduǒ — Flower; a blossom or individual flowering unit of a plant.
一朵朵: yī duǒ duǒ — One by one (flowers); each blossom falling individually.
缓缓: huǎnhuǎn — Slowly, gently; moving at a leisurely, unhurried pace.
落: luò — To fall, drop, or descend from a higher position.
在: zài — At, in, on; indicating location or ongoing action.
小路: xiǎolù — Small path or narrow lane; a minor walkway.
上: shàng — On top of; surface location particle or direction.
一只: yī zhī — One (used as measure word for birds or animals).
鸟: niǎo — Bird; a feathered, winged animal.
芒果树: mángguǒ shù — Mango tree; tropical tree bearing sweet mango fruit.
随即: suí jí — Immediately afterward; right after a preceding action.
又: yòu — Again; once more; indicating repetition of an action.
飞走: fēi zǒu — To fly away; to depart by flying.
了: le — Particle indicating completion of an action or change.
这: zhè — This; referring to something nearby or just mentioned.
是: shì — To be; linking subject with predicate or identity.
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind or type of; referring to a specific sort.
漫长: màncháng — Long and drawn-out; seemingly endless stretch of time.
下午: xiàwǔ — Afternoon; the period from noon to evening.
光线: guāngxiàn — Light rays; the quality or direction of illumination.
以: yǐ — With; by means of; using a particular method or way.
这个: zhège — This one; referring to a specific nearby object or idea.
季节: jìjié — Season; one of the four natural divisions of the year.
时辰: shíchén — Hour or time of day; traditional Chinese time unit.
特有: tè yǒu — Unique to; exclusively characteristic of something specific.
方式: fāngshì — Way, manner, or method of doing something.
园中: yuán zhōng — In the garden; within the enclosed garden space.
染成: rǎn chéng — To dye into; to color something until it becomes a shade.
金色: jīnsè — Golden color; a warm yellow hue resembling gold.
想起: xiǎng qǐ — To recall, to think of or remember something past.
别处: bié chù — Elsewhere; another place different from the current one.
度过: dùguò — To spend or pass a period of time somewhere.
所有: suǒyǒu — All; every one of a particular set of things.
傍晚: bàngwǎn — Dusk, early evening; the time just before nightfall.
而: ér — And yet, but; conjunction linking contrasting clauses.
就在: jiù zài — Right at; exactly at a certain place or moment.
同样: tóngyàng — Same, identical; in the same way or manner.
光: guāng — Light; brightness emitted by the sun or other sources.
也: yě — Also, too; indicating inclusion or similarity.
这样: zhèyàng — Like this; in this way or manner.
洒: sǎ — To sprinkle or scatter; light spreading over a surface.
花丛: huācóng — Flower cluster; a group or patch of growing flowers.
和: hé — And; connecting two or more nouns or elements.
老树: lǎo shù — Old tree; an aged, long-standing tree.
坐: zuò — To sit; to take a seated position.
门廊: ménláng — Porch, veranda; covered passage or entrance area.
里: lǐ — Inside, within; indicating interior location.
轻声: qīng shēng — Softly, in a low voice; speaking quietly or gently.
对: duì — To, toward; directed at a person or thing.
说着: shuō zhe — Speaking, in the midst of saying something to someone.
无需: wú xū — No need to; unnecessary to do a certain thing.
对它: duì tā — Toward it; in relation to that particular thing or animal.
隐瞒: yǐnmán — To conceal, hide, or keep something secret from someone.
有没有: yǒu méiyǒu — Is there or isn't there; asking whether something exists.
用: yòng — Use; to make use of something; to need or require.
呢: ne — Modal particle expressing a question or mild inquiry.
问道: wèn dào — To ask; to put a question to someone.
跟他: gēn tā — With him; together with that male person.
会: huì — Will; expressing possibility or future likelihood of action.
回来: huí lái — To come back, return to the original place.
认真: rènzhēn — Seriously, earnestly; taking something with full attention.
思量: sīliang — To ponder, weigh carefully, or deliberate over something.
着: zhe — Ongoing action particle; indicating a continuing state.
问题: wèntí — Question or problem; an issue requiring thought or answer.
一如: yī rú — Just as; exactly as; in the same way as before.
对待: duìdài — To treat or deal with someone or something in a way.
每一个: měi yī gè — Every single one; each individual item or person.
郑重: zhèngzhòng — Solemn, serious; treating something with great gravity.
态度: tàidu — Attitude, manner, or approach toward someone or something.
我想: wǒ xiǎng — I think; I believe; expressing the speaker's opinion.
早就: zǎo jiù — Long ago, already; something happened much earlier.
我: wǒ — I, me; first-person singular pronoun.
说给: shuō gěi — To tell or say something to a particular person.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself; referring back to the subject of the sentence.
听: tīng — To listen, to hear; receiving spoken words or sounds.
晚饭后: wǎnfàn hòu — After dinner; following the evening meal.
她们: tāmen — They, them (female); third-person plural feminine pronoun.
一同: yītóng — Together; doing something jointly at the same time.
看着: kàn zhe — Watching, gazing at; observing something continuously.
夜色: yèsè — The color or appearance of night; nighttime atmosphere.
渐渐: jiànjiàn — Gradually, little by little; slowly increasing or changing.
降临: jiànglín — To descend, arrive, or fall upon; nightfall approaching.
话语: huàyǔ — Words, speech; what is expressed through spoken language.
不多: bù duō — Not many, not much; few in number or amount.
园子: yuánzi — Garden; a small enclosed outdoor garden space.
颜色: yánsè — Color; the visual property produced by different wavelengths.
从: cóng — From; indicating a starting point in time or space.
变为: biàn wéi — To change into; to transform or become something else.
灰色: huīsè — Gray color; a neutral color between black and white.
再: zài — Again; once more; also used for subsequent actions.
没有: méiyǒu — To not have; there is no; negation of existence.
城市: chéngshì — City, urban area; a large inhabited metropolitan center.
光晕: guāngyùn — Halo or glow; diffused light surrounding a bright source.
柔化: róu huà — To soften; to make something gentler or less harsh.
乡间: xiāng jiān — Countryside, rural area; land away from the city.
夜晚: yèwǎn — Night, nighttime; the dark period after sunset.
蓝黑色: lán hēi sè — Blue-black color; a dark shade combining blue and black.
星星: xīngxing — Stars; small bright points of light seen in the night sky.
这里: zhèlǐ — Here; at this place or location.
一贯: yīguàn — Consistently, always; in a habitual or unchanging manner.
出现: chūxiàn — To appear, emerge; to become visible or come into existence.
猝然间: cù rán jiān — Suddenly, all at once; without warning in an instant.
仿佛: fǎngfú — As if, seemingly; giving the impression of something.
它们: tāmen — They, them (non-human); third-person plural for objects or animals.
一直: yīzhí — Always, continuously, all along; without interruption.
都: dōu — All, both; indicating totality or inclusiveness.
那里: nàlǐ — There; at that place or location.
望着: wàng zhe — Gazing at; looking steadily toward something or somewhere.
那道: nà dào — That (measure word for doors, walls); that particular one.
门: mén — Door, gate; an entrance or barrier that opens and closes.
曾: céng — Once, formerly; indicating something happened in the past.
无数次: wúshù cì — Countless times; an innumerable number of occasions.
穿过: chuān guò — To pass through or go through a space or opening.
它: tā — It; third-person singular pronoun for objects or animals.
小时候: xiǎo shíhou — Childhood; when one was young, during early years.
学校: xuéxiào — School; an institution where students receive education.
跑: pǎo — To run; to move quickly on foot.
还没: hái méi — Not yet; something has not happened up to this point.
推开: tuī kāi — To push open; to open something by pushing it outward.
就: jiù — Then, already; indicating immediacy or logical consequence.
已经: yǐjīng — Already; indicating something has occurred before now.
喊: hǎn — To shout, call out; to cry someone's name loudly.
名字: míngzi — Name; the word or words a person or thing is called.
耳边: ěr biān — Beside the ear; near one's ear, within hearing range.
听见: tīng jiàn — To hear, to catch a sound; perceiving something audibly.
爪子: zhuǎzi — Claws or paws; the feet of an animal with claws.
踏: tà — To step on, tread on; placing a foot upon a surface.
水泥地: shuǐní dì — Concrete floor or ground; a surface made of cement.
声响: shēngxiǎng — Sound, noise; an audible vibration or acoustic event.
年轻时: niánqīng shí — When (one was) young; during one's youth or early years.
带着: dài zhe — Carrying, bringing along; having something with oneself.
火车上: huǒchē shàng — On the train; aboard a railway vehicle.
挑好: tiāo hǎo — To carefully select and pick out the best items.
礼物: lǐwù — Gift, present; something given to another person.
某个: mǒu gè — A certain, some particular; an unspecified individual thing.
睡觉: shuìjiào — To sleep; to rest in a state of unconsciousness.
地方: dìfang — Place, location; a particular area or spot.
朝: cháo — Toward; in the direction of something or someone.
走来: zǒu lái — To walk over, to come toward the speaker.
整个: zhěnggè — Entire, whole; the complete totality of something.
身体: shēntǐ — Body; the physical form of a person or animal.
表达: biǎodá — To express; to convey feelings, thoughts, or meaning.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of, a type of; referring to one particular sort.
超越: chāoyuè — To surpass, transcend; to go beyond a limit or boundary.
欢迎: huānyíng — Welcome; warmly receiving or greeting someone's arrival.
情感: qínggǎn — Emotion, feeling; an inner affective state or sentiment.

← Previous Next →

Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.

Create free account →