Chat attack

team building/ 团建/ (tuánjiàn)

A: Aren't you going to the team building today?

你们今天不是团建吗？

(nǐmén jīntiān búshì tuánjiànma?)

B: Yes, my colleagues in our company will gather at the north gate of the park at 9 o'clock.

对, 我们公司9点在公园北门集合。

(duì, wǒmén ɡōnɡsī jiǔdiǎnzài ɡōnɡyuán běimén jíhé.)

A: It's only a quarter of an hour left, why are you still dawdling?

就剩一刻钟了, 你怎么还在磨蹭？

(jiùshènɡ yíkèzhōnɡle, nǐzěnme háizài mócenɡ?)

B: But it's the weekend, I want to sleep late. 

大周末的, 我要睡懒觉。

(dàzhōumòde, wǒyào shuìlǎnjiào.)

A: Well, when team building takes up personal time, I don't like such scheduling either.

要说团建占用个人时间, 我也不喜欢这种时间安排。

(yàoshuō tuánjiàn zhànyònɡ ɡèrén shíjiān, wǒyě bùxǐhuān zhèzhǒnɡ shíjiān ānpái.)

B: Team building should be easy and enjoyable. As a result, today I can't have a lazy morning, and I have to listen to colleagues complaining. No one is allowed to ask for leave.

团建应该是轻松愉快的, 结果今天先是没有懒觉可睡, 还要听同事们发牢骚。又不准请假。

(tuánjiàn yīnɡɡāi shìqīnɡsōnɡ yúkuàide, jiéɡuǒ jīntiān xiānshì méiyǒu lǎnjiào kěshuì, háiyào tīnɡtónɡshìmen fāláosāo. yòubùzhǔn qǐnɡjiǎ.)

A: No wonder you said before that team building is even worse than working overtime, I understand now. But time wise, you'd still be on time if you go now.

难怪你之前说团建比加班还难受, 我现在才明白。你现在出门还来得及。

(nánɡuài nǐzhīqián shuōtuánjiàn bǐjiābān háinánshòu, wǒxiànzài cáimínɡbái. nǐxiànzài chūmén háiláidéjí.)

Illustrations: Liu Xidan/GT