Chat attack

tiger-head shoes / 虎头鞋 / (hǔtóu xié)

A: Let me show you the new shoes I bought for my daughter today. 

给你看看我今天给我女儿买的新鞋。

(ɡěi nǐ kànkàn wǒ jīntiān ɡěi wǒ nǚér mǎide xīnxié.)

B: Okay. What's special about them?  

好啊,有什么特别的吗？

(hǎoā, yǒu shemme tèbié de ma?)

A: Of course, since we are celebrating the Chinese New Year, I bought her a pair of hand-made tiger-head shoes. I hope she can be healthy and grow up happily.  

当然,要过年了,我给她买了一双手工做的虎头鞋,希望她能身体健康,快乐成长。

(dānɡrán, yào ɡuònián le, wǒ ɡěitā mǎile yīshuānɡ shǒuɡōnɡ zuòde hǔtóu xié, xīwànɡ tā nénɡ shēntǐ jiànkānɡ, kuàilè hénɡchánɡ.)

B: You saying this reminds me of something. From my understanding, tiger-head shoes are a type of traditional Chinese handicraft. The tiger embroidery elements have auspicious meaning, so when an adult buys them for a child, it represents good blessings.

你这么一说提醒了我。据我了解,虎头鞋是中国传统手工艺品,其运用的老虎刺绣元素有吉祥之意,大人送给孩子是为了祝福他们。

(nǐ zhème yīshuō tíxǐnɡ le wǒ.jùwǒ liaojiě, hǔtóu xié shì zhōnɡɡuó chuántǒnɡ shǒuɡōnɡyì pǐn, qí yùnyònɡ de lǎohǔ cìxiù yuánsù yǒu jíxiánɡ zhīyì, dàrén sònɡɡěi háizǐ shì wéile zhùfú tāmén.)

A: You've got a point. I feel that this type of gift that contains beneficial hopes will never go out of style.

你说到点上啦。我觉得这种蕴含美好希望的礼物永远不会过时。

(nǐ shuō dào diǎn shànɡlā.wǒ juédé zhèzhǒnɡ yùnhán měihǎo xīwànɡ de lǐwù yǒnɡyuǎn bùhuì ɡuòshí.)

B: You're right. I want to buy a pair for my nephew too. 

说的没错,我也想给我的小侄儿买一双。

(shuōde méicuò, wǒ yěxiǎnɡ ɡěi wǒ de xiǎo zhíér mǎi yīshuānɡ.)

Illustration: Liu Xidan/GT