Chat attack

commute

通勤

(tōnɡqín) 

A: It's almost the 25th, the very last time of the year to grab a 2019 license plate. Last week, I went to a temple to burn incense, but I don't know if my turn has come.  

又快到25号了,2019年最后一次抢车牌号的时候。我上周去庙里烧了香,也不知道这次能不能轮到我。

(yòu kuàidào èrshíwǔ hào le, èrlínɡ yījiǔ nián zuìhòu yīcì qiǎnɡ chēpái hào de shíhòu. wǒ shànɡzhōu qùmiàolǐ shāolexiānɡ, yě bùzhīdào zhècì nénɡbùnénɡ lúndào wǒ.) 

B: That's a bit much? But I've also heard news of people who get fake marriages just to get a license plate.  

这么夸张？不过我也听说过为了拿到车牌号而假结婚的新闻呢。

(zhème kuāzhānɡ?bùɡuò wǒyě tīnɡshuō ɡuò wéile nádào chēpái hào ér jiǎjiéhūn de xīnwén ne.)

A: Someone like you who is only a 10-minute walk away from work could never understand our pain. I have a two-hour commute to and from work. 

像你这种家离公司只用步行十分钟的人肯定不了解我们的痛苦。我通勤来回要两个小时呢。

(xiànɡnǐ zhèzhǒnɡ jiā lí ɡōnɡsī zhīyònɡ bùxínɡ shífēnzhōnɡ de rén kěndìnɡ bù liǎojiě wǒmén de tònɡkǔ. wǒ tōnɡqín láihuí yào liǎnɡɡè xiǎoshí ne.)

B: I feel for you.

同情你。

(tónɡqínɡ nǐ.)

Illustration: Xia Qing/GT