早先你姑姑还没嫁人的时候
“Before your aunt got married,”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
自从姑姑搬走了 家里吃肉就好少好少的
“Ever since Aunt Mei moved out, we haven't had meat often.”
早先你姑姑还没嫁人 的时候
“Before your aunt got married,”
“she brought her meat and textile coupons back home for our family to use.”
“Remember how much better off we were when we had her ration coupons to share?”
In 20th-century socialist China, staple goods like meat and cloth were strictly rationed per person via state coupons; an unmarried daughter living at home pooled vital resources with her natal family.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
in earlier times; previously; back then
A colloquial northern temporal word commonly used by elders to introduce past historical or personal eras.
not yet married off (of a woman)
Specific cultural phrasing referring to a woman before she leaves her natal home to marry into another family.
VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“I knew my aunt was nearing the end.”
“She insisted on marrying Fei Ting.”
“I'll be going then, Aunt. I won't bother you anymore.”
“Back then my aunt knew”
“I've long suspected your aunt loved another.”
“Aunt has to marry someone with connections.”