Illustration: Xia Qing

Beijing Dialect

I quit

撂挑子

(liào tiāozi)

A: You had a job interview yesterday, didn't you?

你昨天去工作面试了,对吧？

(nǐ zuótiān qù ɡōnɡzuò miànshì le, duìba?)

B: Yes. There were about 20 candidates and finally it was down to three of us.

是的。有大概20个应聘者, 最后只剩下我们三个了。

(shìde. yǒu dàɡài èrshí ɡè yǐnɡpìnzhě, zuìhòu zhǐ  shènɡxià wǒmen sān ɡe le.)

A: That sounds great!

太棒了！

(tài bànɡ le!)

B: But they told me they need a female, so I quit.

但是他们告诉我要招一个女的,所以我撂挑子了。

(dànshì tāmen ɡàosu wǒ yào zhāo yīɡe nǚde,suǒyǐ wǒ liào tiāozi le.)