站着说话不腰疼 It’s easier said than done (Advanced)

Key Learning Points (Preview):

站着说话不腰疼(zhànzhe shuōhuà bù yāo téng) It’s easier said than done

黄昏(huánghūn): n. dusk

跪(guì): v. to kneel

打断(dǎduàn): v. to interrupt

Qíncháo de shíhou, Xiào Gōng de chǒngchén Jǐng Jiān jiāng Shāng Yāng yǐnjiàn gěi Qín Xiào Gōng.
秦朝       的   时候， 孝      公   的       宠臣      景   监     将     商      鞅    引荐    给   秦   孝   公。
In the Qin dynasty, Jing Jian, the King’s minion, recommended Shang Yang to Qin Xiaogong.

Xiào Gōng zài cháodiàn yǔ Shāng Yāng tǎolùn zhìguó cèlüè, Jǐng Jiān zuòpéi.
孝      公    在     朝殿    与     商     鞅     讨论    治国    策略，景   监   作陪。
Qin Xiaogong discussed the strategy of governing the country with Shang Yang in the palace. And Jing Jian accompanied.

Dāngshí Xiào Gōng duān zuò, Shāng Yāng hé Jǐng Jiān bǎ xīgài guì yú dì, shuāngzú diàn yú tún xià.
当时        孝      公     端    坐，   商     鞅   和   景    监 把 膝盖  跪  于 地， 双足      垫  于   臀  下。
At that time, Qin Xiaogong was sitting on the seat, Shang Yang and Jing Jian were kneeling on the ground and their buttocks were sitting on the back of the feet.  

Shāng Yāng cóng zǎochén chàngtán zhì huánghūn, shuō dào jīyáng zhī chù, qǐshēn lì yú diàn zhōng jìxù 
商          鞅     从     早晨        畅谈    至    黄昏，       说    到   激扬  之   处，  起身 立 于  殿     中   继续
chàngtán, húnránbùjué.
畅谈，       浑然不觉。
Shang Yang talked from the morning till nightfall. When he became excited, he stood up and talked continuously.

Jǐng Jiān cháng guì yí rì,  shēnxīn jù pí,  jiàn Xiào Gōng hé Shāng Yāng bìng wú jiéshù zhī yì,  suǒyǐ 
景     监     长    跪 一 日，身心  俱 疲，见   孝     公    和     商      鞅    并   无   结束  之 意，所以
búduàn xiàng Shāng Yāng àn shǐ yǎnsè, xiǎng ràng tā tíngxià. 
不断       向       商       鞅   暗 使  眼色，  想     让   他  停下。
Jing Jian was exhausted for kneeling for the entire day; it seemed that there was no ending to the discussion between Qin Xiaogong and Shang Yang. So Jing Jian secretly winked at Shang Yang continually, hoping him to stop.

Dàn Shāng Yāng bìng bú lǐhuì,  zhí zhì shēnyè cái bèi Xiào Gōng dǎduàn, Xiào Gōng shǎngcì tāmen
但       商      鞅     并  不 理会，直  至   深夜   才  被   孝     公     打断，  孝     公      赏赐     他们 
yùshàn, bìng líqù le.
御膳，   并   离去了。
But Shang Yang ignored him. Qin Xiaogong interrupted Shang Yang in the midnight and bestowed a sumptuous meal to them, and then the King left.　

Xíjiān Shāng Yāng wèn Jǐng Jiān wèihé pín shǐ yǎnsè, Jǐng Jiān dào: “wǒ guì dé húnshēn dōu mámù le, 
席间    商        鞅   问    景   监   为何   频  使   眼色，景   监   道： “我  跪  得     浑身    都    麻木  了，
suānruǎn rúní,  nǐ dǎo zhàn zhe shuōhuà bù yāo téng.”
酸软       如泥，你 倒    站   着      说话     不  腰    疼”。  
During the meal, Shang Yang asked Jing Jian why he winked at him continually. Jing Jian said: “my body was numb and sore from kneeling for the entire day. It’s much easier for you to speak while standing.” 　

Key learning points
站着说话不腰疼 (zhànzhe shuōhuà bù yāo téng) It’s easier said than done

“站 (zhàn)” means to stand, “着 (zhe)” here hasn’t special meaning, “说 (shuō)” means to say, “话 (huà)” means words, “不 (bù)” means no, “腰 (yāo)” means waist and “疼 (téng)” means pain. People can also use this phrase to describe people who are boastful.

Example:

Nǐ bié zhàn zhe shuōhuà bù yāo téng ā,  zhège wèntí  shíjì cāozuò yào bǐ xiǎngxiàng zhōng fùzá hěnduō. 
你 别    站   着     说话     不  腰    疼  啊，这个  问题   实际  操作   要  比     想象         中   复杂   很多。
It is easy said than done–this issue is much complex in real practice than you have imagined.

生词 (shēngcí) Vocabulary

引荐 (yǐnjiàn): v to recommend

腰 (yāo): n waist

黄昏 (huánghūn): n nightfall

The phrase “黄昏 (huánghūn)” means nightfall, the character “黄 (huáng)” refers to yellow and the character “昏 (hūn)” means twilight.

Example:

Lìlì xǐhuan huánghūn shí de jǐngsè.
莉莉 喜欢     黄昏      时  的  景色。
Lily enjoys the scenery of nightfall.  

跪 (guì): v to kneel

The character “跪 (guì)” means to kneel.

Example:

Quán jiārén guìzài guìdiàn shàng qídǎo.
全      家人   跪在    跪垫      上     祈祷。
The whole family knelt on cushions to pray.  

打断 (dǎduàn): v to interrupt

“打断 (dǎduàn)” means to interrupt. The character “打 (dǎ)” means to beat and the character “断 (duàn)” means to break.

Example:

Wǒ zài fángjiān sīkǎo wèntí, tā jìnlái bǎ wǒ dǎduàn le.
我   在   房间     思考 问题，他 进来 把 我   打断   了。
I was thinking in the room when he came in, and he interrupted me.　

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