我们只是一起长大的朋友
“we were just childhood friends.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
在我的记忆里
“In my memory,”
我们只是 一起长大的朋友
“we were just childhood friends.”
而你不是我女朋友
“You were never my girlfriend.”
“Do not mistake our long history for romance; you are only a childhood friend to me.”
In Chinese culture, childhood familiarity can easily blur into unreciprocated romantic expectations, requiring explicit boundary-setting.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
grown up together / childhood companions
Frequently used to describe childhood friends or neighborhood peers.
just / only friends
A standard phrase for setting boundaries and friend-zoning someone.