HSK 4 • Lesson 10大手大脚还是精打细算
HSK 4 • 提高篇Lesson 10 / 24

大手大脚还是精打细算

Dà shǒu dà jiǎo háishì jīng dǎ xì suàn
Spend Lavishly or Budget Carefully
Pattern 1

动词 + 下来 / 动词 + 不下来

'下来' indicates the completion and retention/fixing of an action, or carrying something through to the end; '不下来' indicates inability to retain, record, or endure to the end.

Examples
我已经把他的电话号码记下来了。
Wǒ yǐjīng bǎ tā de diànhuà hàomǎ jì xiàlai le.
I have already written down his phone number.
这篇课文这么长，我背不下来。
Zhè piān kèwén zhème cháng, wǒ bèi bu xiàlai.
This text is so long that I cannot memorize it.
A: 5000米你跑得下来吗？ B: 跑得下来，我还跑过10000米呢。
A: Wǔqiān mǐ nǐ pǎo de xiàlai ma? B: Pǎo de xiàlai, wǒ hái pǎoguo yíwàn mǐ ne.
A: Can you manage to run 5,000 meters? B: Yes, I can; I've even run 10,000 meters before.
Pattern 2

干吗 (Gànmá)

Used in spoken Chinese, equivalent to '干什么' (why / what for), asking for reason or purpose, often with a rhetorical or mildly reproaching tone.

Examples
A: 小王，你来一下。 B: 干吗？
A: Xiǎo Wáng, nǐ lái yíxià. B: Gànmá?
A: Xiao Wang, come here for a second. B: What is it?
你早就知道这件事，干吗不告诉我？
Nǐ zǎo jiù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, gànmá bù gàosu wǒ?
You knew about this long ago, why didn't you tell me?
那儿的菜又好吃又便宜，我们干吗不去吃一次呢？
Nàr de cài yòu hǎochī yòu piányi, wǒmen gànmá bù qù chī yí cì ne?
The food there is both delicious and cheap, why on earth shouldn't we go try it?
Pattern 3

跟……过不去 (Gēn... guòbuqù)

Used colloquially to mean deliberately making things difficult for someone or causing embarrassment; '别跟自己过不去' means 'don't be hard on yourself / don't make yourself miserable'.

Examples
别人迟到领导不批评，为什么专门批评我呢？这不是跟我过不去吗？
Biérén chídào lǐngdǎo bù pīpíng, wèishénme zhuānmén pīpíng wǒ ne? Zhè bú shì gēn wǒ guòbuqù ma?
When others are late the boss says nothing, so why criticize only me? Isn't he deliberately giving me a hard time?
这并不是你一个人的错，忘了它吧，别跟自己过不去。
Zhè bìng bù shì nǐ yí ge rén de cuò, wàng le tā ba, bié gēn zìjǐ guòbuqù.
This really wasn't your fault alone; forget about it and don't be so hard on yourself.
辛辛苦苦挣了钱就是为了享受生活，何必在吃穿上跟自己过不去呢？
Xīnxīn-kǔkǔ zhèng le qián jiù shì wèile xiǎngshòu shēnghuó, hébì zài chīchuān shang gēn zìjǐ guòbuqù ne?
We work hard to earn money in order to enjoy life; why make things difficult for yourself in what you eat and wear?
Pattern 4

靠…… (Kào...)

Indicates relying or depending on a certain condition, means, or person to sustain life or accomplish a goal.

Examples
结婚后她就不工作了，靠丈夫生活。
Jiéhūn hòu tā jiù bù gōngzuò le, kào zhàngfu shēnghuó.
After getting married she stopped working, relying on her husband for a living.
俗话说得好：“在家靠父母，出门靠朋友。”
Súhuà shuō de hǎo: 'Zàijiā kào fùmǔ, chūmén kào péngyou.'
As the saying goes: 'At home rely on parents, away from home rely on friends.'
买房子光靠攒工资是不行的，得考虑贷款。
Mǎi fángzi guāng kào zǎn gōngzī shì bù xíng de, děi kǎolǜ dàikuǎn.
Buying a house solely relying on saving one's salary won't work; you have to consider getting a loan.
Pattern 5

动词 + 上 / 动词 + 不上

'上' as a complement indicates achieving a goal, realizing a wish, or attaining a certain status/standard; '不上' means failing to attain the goal or missing out on enjoying it.

Examples
他用买股票赚的钱开上了法拉利跑车。
Tā yòng mǎi gǔpiào zhuàn de qián kāi shang le Fǎlālì pǎochē.
With the money earned from stocks, he managed to drive a Ferrari sports car.
你要是不努力工作，什么时候才能坐上经理的位子呢？
Nǐ yàoshi bù nǔlì gōngzuò, shénme shíhou cái néng zuò shang jīnglǐ de wèizi ne?
If you don't work hard, when will you ever get to sit in the manager's chair?
房价涨得这么快，要不你永远住不上自己的房子。
Fángjià zhǎng de zhème kuài, yàobù nǐ yǒngyuǎn zhù bu shang zìjǐ de fángzi.
House prices are rising so fast; otherwise you'll never get to live in your own house.
Pattern 6

即使……也…… (Jíshǐ... yě...)

Expresses a hypothetical concession (even if... still...), indicating that the conclusion in the second clause still holds true even under extreme hypothetical conditions.

Examples
A: 我们再给你们一个星期的时间，能完成吗？ B: 即使再给我们两个星期也无法完成。
A: Wǒmen zài gěi nǐmen yí ge xīngqī de shíjiān, néng wánchéng ma? B: Jíshǐ zài gěi wǒmen liǎng ge xīngqī yě wúfǎ wánchéng.
A: If we give you one more week, can you finish? B: Even if you give us two more weeks, we won't be able to finish.
即使你们给我再多的钱，我也不接受这个工作。
Jíshǐ nǐmen gěi wǒ zài duō de qián, wǒ yě bù jiēshòu zhè ge gōngzuò.
Even if you offer me more money, I still won't accept this job.
即使将来我们收入下降或者失业，孩子也能靠保险金完成高等教育。
Jíshǐ jiānglái wǒmen shōurù xiàjiàng huòzhě shīyè, háizi yě néng kào bǎoxiǎnjīn wánchéng gāoděng jiàoyù.
Even if our income declines or we lose our jobs in the future, our child will still be able to complete higher education through insurance payouts.
Pattern 7

此外 (Cǐwài)

Means 'in addition to what has been mentioned', used to introduce supplementary situations, facts, or reasons.

Examples
他在市中心有一套住房，此外郊区还有一套别墅。
Tā zài shìzhōngxīn yǒu yí tào zhùfáng, cǐwài jiāoqū hái yǒu yí tào biéshù.
He owns an apartment in the city center; in addition, he has a villa in the suburbs.
我每月的工资两千元，此外还有一部分稿费收入。
Wǒ měiyuè de gōngzī liǎngqiān yuán, cǐwài hái yǒu yí bùfen gǎofèi shōurù.
My monthly salary is 2,000 yuan; in addition, I have some income from writing royalties.
今天我抽不出时间，此外我也没带那么多现金。
Jīntiān wǒ chōubuchū shíjiān, cǐwài wǒ yě méi dài nàme duō xiànjīn.
I can't spare any time today; moreover, I didn't bring that much cash with me.