我没想让你当逃兵
“I wasn't asking you to be a deserter.”
THE DIALOGUE REEL
“I'm afraid she has to be punished under military law.”
我没想让你当逃兵
“I wasn't asking you to be a deserter.”
“I said it wrong, as I was worried sick.”
“Don't pin such a serious crime on me; that's not what I meant!”
In traditional Chinese military culture, desertion carried immediate summary execution, making the accusation of urging someone to flee an exceptionally dangerous offense.
LEARNING CHUNKS & PARTICLES
to become a deserter; to chicken out
Literally refers to deserting military duty, but frequently used metaphorically in daily life for quitting or backing out under pressure.
Parallel Spoken Cinema Scenes (语义近邻切片)
“You have the nerve to call me a deserter?”
“You are the deserter.”
“I don't want to be a soldier.”
“If you do, you're a deserter.”
“If I'm not a deserter, should I be cannon fodder?”
“I don't want to escape anymore.”