能不能不提核桃
“Can you not mention the walnut?”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
你为什么 你为什么要给你妹妹 吃核桃啊
“Why, why did you give the walnut to your sister?”
能不能不提 核桃
“Can you not mention the walnut?”
能不能
“Can you?”
“Please stop rubbing salt in my wound!”
Repeatedly interrogating someone about a past family tragedy is seen as uncomfortably cruel ('uncovering scars'), prompting strong defensive reactions to preserve mental sanity.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
can we please not / could you stop
A strong rhetorical request used when someone is fed up with an ongoing action or repetitive topic.
to mention; to bring up
Commonly used in sensitive contexts meaning to touch upon a painful or taboo subject.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“But can it not be now?”
“Then try some of this. - Have this. - Don't trouble yourself.”
“Discuss what?”
“This is what we're eating?”
“can't be ignored altogether.”
“I was hesitant about whether to mention it.”