Intermediate - International Women's Day (C0449)

今天又不是周末，你怎么会休息？
jīntiān yòu bù shì zhōumò ，nǐ zénme huì xiūxi ？
It’s not the weekend today, how come you’re off work?

今天是三八妇女节呀。难道国外不庆祝吗？
jīntiān shì sān bā fùnǚjié yā 。nándào guówài bù qìngzhù ma ？
Today is International Women's Day. Are you saying that they don’t celebrate it overseas?

我从来没听说过这个节日。为什么三月八号是妇女节啊？
wǒ cónglái méi tīngshuō guo zhège jiérì 。wèishénme sānyuè bā hào shì fùnǚjié ā ？
I have never heard of that holiday. Why is March 8th International Women’s Day?

这是为了纪念一百多年前三月八日，纽约女工游行，为自己争取平等的工作待遇。久而久之，全世界很多国家的妇女都在这天举行类似的活动。1949 年新中国一成立，政府就把三月八日定为妇女节，全国女性放假半天。在这一天还有各种庆祝和纪念活动呢。
zhè shì wèile jìniàn yībǎiduō nián qián sānyuè bārì ，Niǔyuē nǚgōng yóuxíng ，wèi zìjǐ zhēngqǔ píngděng de gōngzuò dàiyù 。jiǔérjiǔzhī ，quán shìjiè hěn duō guójiā de fùnǚ dōu zài zhè tiān jǔxíng lèisì de huódòng 。yī jiǔ sì jiǔ nián xīn Zhōngguó yī chénglì ，zhèngfǔ jiù bǎ sānyuè bārì dìngwèi fùnǚjié ，quánguó nǚxìng fàngjià bàntiān 。zài zhè yī tiān hái yǒu gèzhǒng qìngzhù hé jìniàn huódòng ne 。
It’s to commemorate March 8th, over 100 years ago, when female workers marched in their quest for equal treatment in the workforce. Over time, many women of countries all around the world would hold similar activities on this day. In 1949, as soon as China’s new government was established, it declared March 8th to be Women’s Day. All women in the country get a half-day holiday. On this day there are also all kinds of celebrations and commemorative activities.

那你们公司有什么活动？
nà nǐmen gōngsī yǒu shénme huódòng ？
So, what activities does your company have?

有聚餐，还发奖金。
yǒu jùcān ，hái fā jiǎngjīn 。
They hold a dinner, and give out bonuses.

你们实在是太幸福了! 真羡慕你们。
nǐmen shízài shì tài xìngfú le ! zhēn xiànmù nǐmen 。
You’re so lucky! I really envy you.

Vocabulary

三八妇女节	sān bā fùnǚjié	International Women\'s Day
庆祝	qìngzhù	celebrate
游行	yóuxíng	march
争取	zhēngqǔ	to strive for
平等	píngděng	equality
待遇	dàiyù	treatment
久而久之	jiǔérjiǔzhī	as time went on
类似	lèisì	similar
聚餐	jùcān	have dinner
奖金	jiǎngjīn	bonus; money award
羡慕	xiànmù	to envy
地位	dìwèi	position
叙述	xùshù	description
戏剧性	xìjùxìng	dramatic
强调	qiángdiào	emphasize
否定	fǒudìng	negate
诞生	dànshēng	be born; come into being
居然	jūrán	unexpectedly
薪水	xīnshuǐ	salary
场合	chǎnghé	occasion
举行婚礼	jǔxíng hūnlǐ	hold a wedding
举行展览会	jǔxíng zhǎnlǎnhuì	hold an expo
后续	hòuxù	following
性别平等	xìngbié píngděng	sexual equality
一群人	yī qún rén	a group of people
母亲节	Mǔqīnjié	Mother’s Day
情人节	Qíngrénjié	Valentine’s Day