Looking for trouble

Question 1

to admit wrongdoing

Answer 1

认错 rèncuò

Question 2

to acknowledge; to admit

Answer 2

承认 chéngrèn

Question 3

with one’s own eyes / ears / mouth

It can’t be wrong, he told me himself.

I saw him throw his classmate’s textbook out the window with my own eyes.

I need to hear you tell me you don’t love me anymore with my own ears

Answer 3

亲眼 qīnyǎn (measure word) a time 亲耳 / 亲口

错不了的，这消息是他亲口告诉我的
cuò bùliǎo de zhè xiāoxi shì tā qīnkǒu gàosu wǒ de

我亲眼看到他把他的同学的课本丢到窗
wǒ qīnyǎn kàndào tā bǎ tā de tóngxué de kèběn diū dào chuāngwài

我要亲耳听你说你已经不爱我了。
wǒ yào qīněr tīng nǐ shuō nǐ yǐjīng bù ài wǒ le

Question 4

(measure word) a time

Answer 4

遍 biàn

Question 5

reason

Answer 5

理由 lǐyóu

Question 6

the truth

Answer 6

事实 shìshí

Question 7

to cheat

Answer 7

作弊 zuòbì

Question 8

to quibble

Answer 8

狡辩 jiǎobiàn

Question 9

to misunderstand

Answer 9

误会 wùhuì

Question 10

deliberately

Answer 10

故意 gùyì

Question 11

excuse

Answer 11

借口 jièkǒu

Question 12

to provoke

Answer 12

惹 rě

Question 13

(measure word) pile

I don’t know if he’s really read every one of the big pile of books in his room.

Did you really wash and dry the whole pile of laundry?

He bought a load of food back home with him and plans not to leave the house for the next week.

Answer 13

堆 duī

他房里成堆的书，不知道他是不是真的都看过了。
tā fáng lǐ chéngduī de shū bù zhīdào tā shì bùshì zhēnde dōu kàn guò le

你真的把整堆的衣服都洗完晒好了？
nǐ zhēn de bǎ zhěng duī de yīfu dōu xǐ wán shài hǎo le

他买了一大堆食物回家，打算接下来的一星期都不出门。
tā mǎi le yīdàduī shíwù huíjiā dǎsuàn jiē xiàlái de yī xīngqī dōu bù chūmén

Question 14

to be at the tail end

Answer 14

吊车尾 diàochēwěi

Question 15

talk back

Answer 15

顶嘴 dǐngzuǐ

Question 16

to lable (someone) as (something)

Answer 16

贴标签 tiē biāoqiān

Question 17

deserve / to be fit to / to not be good enough for

Don’t be sad, he’s doesn’t deserve you.

He really didn’t deserve that prize, he doesn’t even make his own pieces.

Do you think you’re fit to be called a master chef if you have to think about a dish for so long?

Answer 17

配 pèi 配不上

别难过了，是他配不上你
bié nánguò le shì tā pèi bù shàng nǐ

他根本不配得到那个奖，他的作品都不是他自己做的。
tā gēnběn bù pèi dédào nàge jiǎng tā de zuòpǐn dōu bù shì tā zìjǐ zuò de

一道菜想这么久，你这样怎么配被称为天才厨师呢
yī dào cài xiǎng zhème jiǔ nǐ zhèyàng zěnme pèi bèichēngwéi tiāncái chúshī ne



Question 18

to not have respect

He never has any respect, don’t take any notice, he’s not targeting you in particular.

Relax, under no circumstances would I be disrespectful to customers.

How can you be so disrespectful to your parents? However close you are, you should still have a little respect, no?

Answer 18

没大没小 méidàméixiǎo

他这个人总是没大没小的，你就别介意了，他不是特别针对你。
tā zhè ge rén zǒngshì méidàméixiǎo de nǐ jiù bié jièyì le tā bù shì tèbié zhēnduì nǐ

放心，我绝不会对客人没大没小的。
fàngxīn wǒ juébù huì duì kèrén méidàméixiǎo de

怎能对父母这么没大没小？再亲还是要有点尊重吧？
zěnnéng duì fùmǔ zhème méidàméixiǎo zài qīn háishì yàoyǒu diǎn zūnzhòng ba

Question 19

to accuse falsely

Answer 19

诬赖 wūlài

Question 20

steal a look

Answer 20

偷看 tōukàn

Question 21

naughty

Answer 21

顽皮 wánpí

Question 22

lie

Answer 22

谎话 huǎnghuà

Question 23

to hamper students’ progress

Answer 23

误人子弟 wù rén zǐdì

Question 24

to be unable to reason with

Answer 24

有理说不清 yǒulǐ shuōbuqīng

Question 25

Cheat

Answer 25

作弊 zuo4bi4

Question 26

Evidence

Answer 26

证据 zheng4ju4

Question 27

heard with one’s own ears

Answer 27

亲耳听到 qīněr tīngdào

Question 28

said with one’s own mouth

Answer 28

亲口说过 qīnkǒu shuōguò

Question 29

to use…as an example

Answer 29

拿…当例子 ná…dāng lìzi

Question 30

when a scholar meets a soldier, even the clearest logic cannot be explained; when people are coming from completely different perspectives it’s very difficult to explain an argument

Answer 30

秀才遇到兵，有理说不清 xiùcái yùdào bīng, yǒulǐ shuōbùqīng

Question 31

Expresses “throughout,” “from the beginning to end,” or “entirely”. It is usually followed by something in the negative, and it makes the statement more emphatic.

I simply can’t buy shoes in China.

You’re so thin. You simply don’t need to lose weight.

I’ve simply never been to that place.

Don’t ask anymore. He simply doesn’t know about this matter.

Answer 31

根本 (gēnběn)

我在中国根本买不到鞋。
wǒ zài Zhōngguó gēnběn mǎi bu dào xié

你这么瘦，根本不用减。
nǐ zhème shòu gēnběn bùyòng jiǎn

我根本没去过那个地方。
wǒ gēnběn méi qù guo nàge dìfang

别问了，他根本不知道那件事。
bié wèn le tā gēnběn bù zhīdào nà jiàn shì

Question 32

These are both often translated as “only” or “that’s all,” but the later is more colloquial while the first is more formal.

I’m still not considered an ‘old China hand’. I can only speak a few sentences of Chinese at best.

I’m only kidding, that’s all. Why do you have to be so serious?

I only opened a little company, that’s all. I really haven’t made a ton of money.

I was only a few minutes late, that’s all. Why are you getting so angry?

She and I are just friends, that’s all. Don’t go assuming anything.

Answer 32

而已(éryǐ)/罢了(bàle)

我还算不上是中国通，顶多会说几句中文罢了
wǒ hái suàn bu shàng shì Zhōngguó tōng dǐngduō huì shuō jǐ jù Zhōngwén bà le

我只不过开玩笑罢了，你何必当真呢？
wǒ zhǐ bùguò kāi wánxiào bà le nǐ hébì dàngzhēn ne

我只是开了个小公司而已，并没有发大财
wǒ zhǐshì kāi le gè xiǎo gōngsī éryǐ bìng méiyǒu fādàcái

我只迟到了几分钟而已，你干嘛生这么大的气？
wǒ zhǐ chídào le jǐ fēnzhōng éryǐ nǐ gànmá shēng zhème dà de qì

我跟她只是普通朋友而已，你们别瞎猜了
wǒ gēn tā zhǐ shì pǔtōng péngyou éryǐ nǐmen bié xiā cāi le

Question 33

Conflict / clash

Answer 33

冲突 chong1tu1