Intermediate - Lao Wang in the Doghouse (C1166)

A 王根宝,家里快没钱了,你打算怎么办?
Wáng Gēnbǎo, jiālǐ kuài méi qián le, nǐ dǎsuàn zěnme bàn?
We are nearly out of money. What do you plan to do, Wang Genbao?
B 老婆,我在谈好几个项目呢。
lǎopó, wǒ zài tán hǎo jǐ ge xiàngmù ne.
Darling, I'm talking over a few projects.
A 去、去、去,不要跟我说项目。没一次有结果。
qù, qù, qù, bù yào gēn wǒ shuō xiàngmù. méi yīcì yǒu jiéguǒ.
Go on, go on. Don't tell me about projects. Not a single one has come to anything.
B 这次真的有人要投资。我已经谈得差不多了。
zhècì zhēnde yǒurén yào tóuzī. wǒ yǐjīng tán de chàbuduō le.
This time, there's really someone who wants to invest. I've already basically got it done.
A 你去骗三岁小孩子吧。你有那个本事?
nǐ qù piàn sān suì xiǎo háizi ba. nǐ yǒu nàge běnshì?
Go try and trick a three-year old child! Can you do that?
B 你支持我一下行不行?结婚到现在,我什么都听你的。现在你就别跟我闹了。
nǐ zhīchí wǒ yīxià xíng bu xíng? jiéhūn dào xiànzài, wǒ shénme dōu tīng nǐ de. xiànzài nǐ jiù bié gēn wǒ nào le.
How about supporting me a little? Ever since we got married, I've always done what you wanted. Don't go making a fuss with me now!
A 我怎么闹了?你这个人就知道混日子,混到现在,我看你怎么办!
wǒ zěnme nào le? nǐ zhè ge rén jiù zhīdào hùn rìzi, hùn dào xiànzài, wǒ kàn nǐ zěnme bàn!
How have I been making a fuss?! You just know how to coast along. Well, you've coasted along this far. Let's see what you do now!
B 你给我闭嘴!
nǐ gěi wǒ bìzuǐ!
Shut up!
A 你说什么?再说一遍!
nǐ shuō shénme? zài shuō yī biàn!
What did you say? Say it again!
B 我叫你闭嘴。我王根宝不是没用的男人!
wǒ jiào nǐ bìzuǐ. wǒ Wáng Gēnbǎo bù shì méiyòng de nánrén!
I told you to shut up! I'm Wang Genbao, not some useless guy.
A 好啊,你有用!那你出去挣钱。在家里叫,有个屁用啊?我当初怎么会嫁给你?
hǎo a, nǐ yǒuyòng! nà nǐ chūqù zhèngqián. zài jiā lǐ jiào, yǒu ge pìyòng a? wǒ dāngchū zénme huì jiàgěi nǐ?
OK, then, you're good for something. Go out and make money! Carrying on like this at home is completely pointless! Why did I ever get married to you?
B 我也受够你了。谁的老婆像你这样?
wǒ yě shòugòu nǐ le. shéi de lǎopó xiàng nǐ zhèyàng?
I've had just about enough of you, too. Who else has a wife like you?
A 好啊,那我们不过了!
hǎo a, nà wǒmen bù guò le!
Fine. Then that's it!
B 不过就不过!
bù guò jiù bù guò!
Fine!

Key Vocabulary

tán to discuss
项目 xiàngmù project
结果 jiéguǒ result
投资 tóuzī to invest
差不多 chàbuduō more or less
piàn to deceive
本事 běnshì ability
支持 zhīchí to support
nào to make a big fuss
混日子 hùn rìzi to get by
闭嘴 bìzuǐ to shut up
挣钱 zhèngqián to make money
有个屁用 yǒu ge pìyòng to be utterly useless
当初 dāngchū at that time
受够 shòugòu to have had enough of

Supplementary Vocabulary

过日子 guò rìzi to live, to get by
谈生意 tán shēngyi to talk about one's business (arranging contracts, partners, etc.)
当时 dāngshí at that time
严重 yánzhòng serious
吵架 chǎojià to argue
妻管严 qīguǎnyán hen-pecked