Upper-Intermediate - Long-Distance Romance (D2551)

A: 姐,你怎么闷闷不乐的?姐夫出差到现在还没回来啊?
jiě, nǐ zěnme mènmènbùlè de? jiěfu chūchāi dào xiànzài hái méi huílai a?
Sister, why are you depressed? My brother-in-law still hasn't come back from his business trip?
B: 是啊,他公司接了个外地的工程项目,让你姐夫全权负责。
shì a, tā gōngsī jiē le gè wàidì de gōngchéng xiàngmù, ràng nǐ jiěfu quánquán fùzé.
Yeah. His company has taken over an engineering project in another part of the country and they have let your brother-in-law have full responsibility for it.
A: 哦,幸好你们已经结婚了,否则就变成异地恋了,呵呵。
ò, xìnghǎo nǐmen yǐjīng jiéhūn le, fǒuzé jiù biànchéng yìdì liàn le, hēhē.
Oh. Fortunately you two are already married, otherwise it would become a long-distance relationship. Hee-hee.
B: 是啊,我和你姐夫十年了从没分开过,现在才三个月还真的不太适应。异地恋的那些情侣们真是不容易啊。
shì a, wǒ hé nǐ jiěfu shí nián le cóngméi fēnkāi guò, xiànzài cái sān gè yuè hái zhēnde bùtài shìyìng. yìdì liàn de nàxiē qínglǚ men zhēn shì bù róngyì a.
Yeah, your brother-in-law and I haven't been apart for ten years and now it's only been three months and I am not that used to it. It's really not that easy for those lovers who have long-distance relationships.
A: 那也没办法,很多人因为求学和深造,工作等各种原因而不得不“背井离乡”。因此势必造成分离……
nà yě méi bànfǎ, hěn duō rén yīnwèi qiúxué hé shēnzào, gōngzuò děng gèzhǒng yuányīn ér bùdébù" bèijǐnglíxiāng”. yīncǐ shìbì zàochéng fēnlí……
There's nothing to be done about it. A lot of people have no choice but to "be away from home" because of all kinds of reasons such as going to school, pursuing advanced studies and work etc. Therefore, it is bound to cause a separation.....
B: 你觉得这样相隔两地的恋爱能长久吗?你能接受吗?
nǐ juéde zhèyàng xiānggéliǎngdì de liàn'ài néng chángjiǔ ma? nǐ néng jiēshòu ma?
Do you feel that it's possible to be in love, but be apart in two different places for the long-term? Can you accept it?
A: 这个嘛,因人而异。有些人感情基础比较好的话,加上及时的沟通和充分的信任,应该还是能维持的。但是爱情总是抵不住时间和距离的考验,有些人在新的环境和诱惑下,把持不住的也很多的。
zhè ge ma, yīnrénéryì. yǒuxiērén gǎnqíng jīchǔ bǐjiào hǎo dehuà, jiāshàng jíshí de gōutōng hé chōngfèn de xìnrèn, yīnggāi háishì néng wéichí de. dànshì àiqíng zǒngshì dǐbùzhù shíjiān hé jùlí de kǎoyàn, yǒuxiērén zài xīn de huánjìng hé yòuhuò xià, bǎchíbùzhù de yě hěn duō de.
As for this, it's different for every person. For some if their attachment is deeper and in addition they communicate in a timely manner and have ample trust, they should still be able to preserve their relationship. But love can never withstand the test of time and distance. There are many that can't control themselves in a new environment and under temptation.
B: 唉,你姐夫不在,都没人陪我吃饭看电影,又寂寞又没安全感。
ài, nǐ jiěfu bùzài, dōu méi rén péi wǒ chīfàn kàn diànyǐng, yòu jìmò yòu méi ānquán gǎn.
Oh, when your brother-in-law is not here, I don't have anyone to eat with and go to the movies with. I am not only lonely but also I don't feel a sense of security.
A: 你们都老夫老妻了,姐夫这么稳重,这么有家庭责任感,你就别胡思乱想了。
nǐmen dōu lǎofūlǎoqī le, jiěfu zhème wěnzhòng, zhème yǒu jiātíng zérèngǎn, nǐ jiù bié húsīluànxiǎng le.
You have already been married awhile, and my brother-in-law is so steady and has a sense of responsibility to his family. Don't let your imagination run wild.
B: 你也老大不小了,怎么还不找个男朋友?和谁发微信呢?给姐看看。
nǐ yě lǎodàbùxiǎo le, zěnme hái bù zhǎo gè nán péngyou? hé shuí fā wēixìn ne? gěi jiě kàn kan.
You are not a child either. How come you haven't found a boyfriend yet? Who are you chatting with on Wechat? Let me see.
A: 啊呀,网上认识的一个朋友。
āya, wǎngshàng rènshi de yī gè péngyou.
Oh my, I have met someone online.
B: 你不会在网恋吧?我可警告你啊,网恋比异地恋还不靠谱,都没见过面,谁知道对方为人如何?
nǐ bùhuì zài wǎngliàn ba? wǒ kě jǐnggào nǐ a, wǎngliàn bǐ yìdì liàn hái bù kàopǔ, dōu méi jiàn guo miàn, shuízhīdào duìfāng wèirén rúhé?
You are not dating online, are you? I am warning you, online dating is even more unreliable than long-distance relationships. You have never met face-to face, so how do you know what the other person is like?
A: 都什么时代啦?姐,你先帮我保密,千万别告诉我妈啊!
dōu shénme shídài la? jiě, nǐ xiān bāng wǒ bǎomì, qiānwàn bié gàosu wǒ mā a!
What age are you living in? Keep it a secret for me and whatever you do, don't tell my mom!

Key Vocabulary

闷闷不乐 mènmènbùlè depressed, in low spirits
jiē to take over
工程 gōngchéng engineering
项目 xiàngmù project
全权 quánquán full responsibility, total authority
幸好 xìnghǎo fortunately
异地恋 yìdì liàn long-distance relationship
适应 shìyìng to adapt
情侣 qínglǚ lovers
求学 qiúxué to go to school
深造 shēnzào to pursue advanced studies
背井离乡 bèijǐnglíxiāng to be away from home
势必 shìbì to be bound to
相隔两地 xiānggéliǎngdì be apart in two different places
因人而异 yīnrénéryì different for each individual
感情 gǎnqíng feelings, attachment
基础 jīchǔ base, foundation
维持 wéichí to maintain
抵不住 dǐbùzhù can't withstand
考验 kǎoyàn test, trial
诱惑 yòuhuò temptation
把持不住 bǎchíbùzhù can't control
寂寞 jìmò lonely
安全感 ānquán gǎn feeling of security
老夫老妻 lǎofūlǎoqī have been married for awhile
稳重 wěnzhòng steady
家庭 jiātíng family
责任感 zérèngǎn sense of responsibility
胡思乱想 húsīluànxiǎng to let imagination run wild
老大不小 lǎodàbùxiǎo not be a child anymore
警告 jǐnggào to warn
靠谱 kàopǔ reliable
为人 wèirén character
时代 shídài era, age
保密 bǎomì to keep a secret

Supplementary Vocabulary

远距离恋爱 yuǎnjùlíliànài long-distance romance
小别胜新婚 xiǎobiéshèngxīnhūn being apart for a few days causes a couple to be more in love, even more than when they were first married
抵挡 dǐdǎng to withstand, to ward off
剩女 shèngnǚ "leftover woman" (successful career woman who has remained single)

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