有钱就吃苍蝇馆子 没钱就吃方便面
“If you have money, you'll eat in a restaurant. If you don't, you'll eat instant noodles.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
要么就是老破小 合租房
“or a small shared rental unit.”
有钱 就吃 苍蝇馆子 没钱 就吃 方便面
“If you have money, you'll eat in a restaurant. If you don't, you'll eat instant noodles.”
“After giving your family money, you'll be worried about your utility bills.”
“Life is tough and we are barely scraping by day to day.”
Contrasting 'hole-in-the-wall diners' with 'instant noodles' captures the precarious budget of young people trying to survive in big Chinese cities.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
fly-by-night diner; hole-in-the-wall joint
A popular slang term for small, cheap, unpretentious, and slightly unhygienic eateries known for delicious local flavors.
instant noodles
Commonly invoked metaphorically in Chinese to symbolize penny-pinching or difficult times.
