Intermediate - Giving Red Envelopes (C2369)

A: 结婚了真麻烦,以前收红包就行了,今年还得给红包。
jiéhūn le zhēn máfan, yǐqián shōu hóngbāo jiù xíng le, jīnnián hái dě gěi hóngbāo.
Getting married is so annoying. Before receiving red envelopes was just fine. This year I also have to give red envelopes.
B: 呵呵,老婆大人,这个艰巨的任务就交给你了。
hēhē, lǎopó dàren, zhège jiānjù de rènwu jiù jiāogěi nǐ le.
Hehe, honey, this immense task has been handed over to you.
A: 要准备多少呢?
yào zhǔnbèi duōshao ne?
How much do I need to prepare?
B: 看关系吧。
kàn guānxi ba.
It depends on your relationship.
A: 你最亲的是你姐姐的小孩,五百行不行?
nǐ zuì qīn de shì nǐ jiějie de xiǎohái, wǔbǎi xíngbuxíng?
Your closest relative is your older sister's child. Is 500 okay?
B: 行。
xíng.
It's okay.
A: 那我也给我弟弟的小孩五百。
nà wǒ yě gěi wǒ dìdi de xiǎohái wǔbǎi.
Then I'll give your younger brother's child 500.
B: 通过。
tōngguò.
That's fine.
A: 表哥表姐家的小孩儿,一人一百行不行?
biǎogē biǎojiě jiā de xiǎoháir5, yī rén yībǎi xíngbuxíng?
For your cousin's children is 100 each okay?
B: 可以吧。
kěyǐ ba.
That's alright.
A: 其他的怎么办呢?
qítā de zěnmebàn ne?
What about the others?
B: 五十块的也准备几个。
wǔshí kuài de yě zhǔnbèi jǐ ge.
Prepare a few with 50.
A: 说起红包,我小时候还有伤心事呢!
shuōqǐ hóngbāo, wǒ xiǎoshíhou hái yǒu shāngxīn shì ne!
Speaking of red envelopes, when I was little I had an upsetting experience.
B: 怎么了?
zěnmele?
What happened?
A: 过年爷爷奶奶给红包,居然给我弟弟100块,给我50块。
guònián yéye nǎinai gěi hóngbāo, jūrán gěi wǒ dìdi yībǎi kuài, gěi wǒ wǔshí kuài.
Over the New Year my grandparents gave out red envelopes, and to my surprise they gave my younger brother 100 kuai and me 50 kuai.
B: 为什么?重男轻女?
wèishénme? zhòngnánqīngnǚ?
Why? Favoring boys over girls?
A: 是啊!气死我了!
shì a! qìsǐ wǒ le!
Yes! It made me so angry!
B: 老婆别气了,我的年终奖都给你!
lǎopó bié qì le, wǒ de niánzhōngjiǎng dōu gěi nǐ!
Don't be angry, honey. I'm giving you all of my year end bonus!

Key Vocabulary

红包 hóngbāo red envelope
艰巨 jiānjù extremely difficult
任务 rènwu task
准备 zhǔnbèi to prepare
关系 guānxi relationship
qīn intimate
行不行 xíngbuxíng all right or not
伤心 shāngxīn to be hurt
过年 guònián to celebrate the New Year
居然 jūrán unexpectedly
重男轻女 zhòngnánqīngnǚ to favor boys over girls
bié don’t
年终奖 niánzhōngjiǎng year-end bonus

Supplementary Vocabulary

春节 chūnjié Spring Festival, Chinese New Year
尊敬 zūnjìng to respect
开玩笑 kāiwánxiào to make a joke
越……越…… yuè......yuè...... the more... the more...

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