竟连前往赴任的路费都凑不齐
“he couldn't even afford the travel to take up his post.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
却因两袖清风
“But as an incorruptible official,”
竟连前往赴任的路费都 凑不齐
“he couldn't even afford the travel to take up his post.”
Direct spoken expression in this communicative setting.
In Chinese historical lore, upright officials (Qingguan) are famously depicted as so incorruptible that they cannot even afford travel costs or decent garments.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
to travel to assume an official post
A formal, historical-bureaucratic phrase referring to an official departing to start an assigned administrative role.
unable to scrape together or pool enough (funds)
A common spoken and written complement expressing failure to assemble the necessary amount of money or resources.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“trying to gather money to return to Nanzhao,”
“you were exhausted from traveling”
“to ask for some travel expenses. That's not too much to ask, is it?”
“He lost all their travel expenses in a short time.”
“you're on a paid business trip. You must have money. Give it to me.”
“She's even too busy to have meals.”