墨坊要紧 这宅子里这么多人的身家性命
“The ink workshop surely matters. But don't the lives of these many people”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
“You two are really backing each other up.”
墨坊 要紧 这宅子里 这么多 人的 身家性命
“The ink workshop surely matters. But don't the lives of these many people”
就不要紧了吗
“in the mansion also matter?”
“How dare you care about your business when all our lives are at stake!”
In Chinese moral discourse, endangering household lives (身家性命) for commercial property (like an ink workshop) is considered an egregious ethical failing.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
critical; important
Common in spoken northern and central Chinese to mean urgent or mattering a great deal.
life and family livelihood; one's all
A strong idiom emphasizing total survival and personal safety in grave peril.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“I have other things to do at the ink workshop. I will get back to work.”
“No one in the entire ink workshop can compare to me. Of course I know.”
“Please take good care of the family and the ink workshop.”
“a thief broke into the ink workshop. Are you okay? I'm okay. Manager Zhen.”
“the ink workshop rules are clearly written”
“the master craftsmen at the ink workshop couldn't sit still.”