都是些粗茶淡饭
“in a humble place.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
小地方招待不周
“A humble meal”
都是些 粗茶淡饭
“in a humble place.”
“Please pardon my humble hospitality; it may not match your royal standard.”
Traditional Chinese etiquette requires a host to belittle their own offerings as crude or meager (粗茶淡饭), regardless of how lavish they are, to elevate the guest's dignity and avoid boastfulness.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
simple meal; plain food; coarse tea and light food
A conventional humble idiom used by hosts to downplay the feast they offer to honored guests.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“They were all mediocre.”
“was far too simple.”
“The same goes for cigarettes, alcohol, and fatty meat.”
“People just wanted enough food and warm clothes.”
“Nothing, just some food.”
“The sort of face one forgets.”