儿子 你为什么不早点说呢
“Son... Why didn't you say so earlier?”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
要升职了 你要升职啊 真的 那 那就是副科了
“A promotion? You're getting a promotion? Really? Then, that would make you a deputy section chief.”
儿子 你 为什么不早点说 呢
“Son... Why didn't you say so earlier?”
你弄得我瞎猜疑成天在那儿 累死我了你真是
“You had me guessing and worrying all day. You're exhausting me.”
“I was worrying myself sick about you, you should have relieved my anxiety earlier!”
Chinese children often conceal career updates until fully finalized to avoid disappointing parents (报喜不报忧), which sometimes leads parents to feel excluded or unnecessarily anxious.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
say it sooner; mention it earlier
A ubiquitous colloquial chunk used to chide someone gently for keeping news or essential information to themselves.
why didn't you / why not
A rhetorical device used in spoken Chinese to pose a question loaded with mild reproach or suggestion.
Softens the interrogative question into an affectionate, slightly plaintive inquiry rather than an aggressive accusation.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?”
“Then why didn't you tell me earlier?”
“Why couldn't you have just told me sooner?”
“W-Why didn't you tell us sooner?”
“why didn't you tell me sooner?”
“Why didn't you say it earlier?”
“Come on, sit. Why have you gotten so thin, child? ♪ All the love I've given can't be measured ♪ No, I haven't. Sit.”
“Why didn't you tell us earlier?”