Conversation : 错失良机 (To miss the boat) – Part I

  • Let’s learn some Chinese from this conversation:

Finn: Come on, Feifei! We are going to be late. This party is my big chance!

Feifei: I’m almost ready, Finn! 大家好,我是冯菲菲。Finn 邀请我和他一起去他那个特有钱的叔叔搞的聚会,听说他还请了好多名流。

Finn: Come on! And lots of musicians… Well, I’m a bit of a rocker myself, and this might just be my chance to meet someone famous… Come on!

Feifei: 原来 Finn 想借这个聚会显示一下自己的摇滚天赋!Ha! Coming!

Finn: Maybe I can join a band… live the rock star life… oh, this is my one big chance! Come on or I’ll miss the boat!

Feifei: Miss the boat? 你赶不上船了?怎么不早说!?

(Hurried steps, sound of rummaging in a wardrobe and a lifejacket inflating)

Feifei: Here I am.

Finn: A lifejacket!?

Feifei: 当然得戴上救生衣,以防万一!We are going on a boat! 我其实有点儿怕水,因为我不会游泳。

Finn: But Feifei, there’s no real boat. In English, we use the expression ‘to miss the boat’ to mean we are too late to take advantage of a good opportunity.

Feifei: What? 又没有船了?To miss the boat 船已经开走了,其实是个英语成语,比喻错过机会了,坐失良机?

Finn: That’s it. Listen to these examples.

  • If I hadn’t bought a new flat last year I would have missed the boat. Properties are more expensive now.
  • I should have travelled the world when I was young. Now I have a family to take care of. I might have missed the boat.

Feifei: 这个短语其实是用船离港这个动作来表示错过了一个机会。

Finn: Well, we’re not going to make it on time now, unless… we take my uncle’s helicopter! It’s parked in a field nearby. Come on!

Feifei: Helicopter! 你叔叔还有自己的直升飞机?那不成我们还真的坐飞机去参加这个聚会?等一下 Finn.

(Hurried steps, rummaging in the wardrobe again)

Feifei: 这次我可是完全做好了飞行准备。

Finn: Feifei, is that what I think it is? A parachute?!

Feifei: 坐飞机当然得带降落伞了,我不会游泳就更别提会飞了。再说了,我有恐高症。

Finn: OK. Feifei, don’t worry. Let’s just go to the party. We don’t want to miss the boat, do we?

Feifei: 不要 miss the boat, 也不能错过直升飞机!Bye.

Finn: Bye.

(Helicopter taking off)

  • Here are the first part Chinese sentences of the conversation:
错失良机 cuò shī liáng jī miss the boat
大家好,我是冯菲菲。Finn 邀请我和他一起去他那个特有钱的叔叔搞的聚会,听说他还请了好多名流。

邀请 yāo qǐng invite
特有(钱) tè yǒu (qián ) 特别有钱extremely (rich)
聚会 jù huì party  
名流 míng liú a person who is famously recognized in a society or culture  
原来 Finn 想借这个聚会显示一下自己的摇滚天赋!

jiè use … as a means of; make use of (this opportunity)
显示 xiǎn shì to show
摇滚 yáo gǔn rock and roll  
天赋 tiān fù talent  
你赶不上船了?怎么不早说!?

gǎn catch
chuán boat
怎么不 zěn me bú why not
早说 zǎo shuō tell earlier

Source :
BBC Learning English (Chinese Version)

 

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