不知怎么搞的 · 先来后到 · 打退堂鼓 · 傻眼 · 将错就错 · 一五一十
Lessons 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26: Idioms and fixed expressions (注释 notes and vocabulary exercises)
Some idioms and fixed expressions explained in the 注释 notes and appearing in the exercises of Lessons 15–26.
Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 15 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 16 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 17 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 18 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 19 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 20 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 21 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 22 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 26
不知怎么搞的，我吃什么都发胖。
I don't know why, but I put on weight whatever I eat.
Explanation
不知怎么搞的，…… (I don't know how it happened...; "no one knows what happened")
indicates that one does not know, or cannot clearly say, the cause of something (表示对事情的原因不清楚或说不清楚).
七手八脚
describes the busy, flustered look of many people all working at something at once (everyone pitching in with hands and feet).
话说
话说 means 讲述, 说说 (to tell, to speak). 话说 + ……: speaking of, talking about.
先来后到 (in the order of arrival)
按照来的先后确定次序 — arranging the order according to who arrived earlier or later. The meaning of the whole sentence in the book: "You're not the only one here; whoever comes first lines up first, and whoever comes later lines up later."
慢腾腾
a vivid form of the adjective 慢 (slow). Similar expressions include 绿油油 (lush green), 冷清清 (cold and deserted), 红通通 (bright red), 亮晶晶 (sparkling)...
完了
failed, hopeless, finished. 打退堂鼓: 比喻做事中途退缩 — literally "beating the drum to end the court session", figuratively backing out halfway through something. The meaning of the whole sentence: "I knew there was no way out like this, and in my heart I had already started to want to give up."
出洋相
出丑，闹笑话 — to make a fool of oneself, to be laughed at. 台阶: 避免受尴尬的途径或机会 — a chance or way to avoid awkwardness or embarrassment. The meaning of the whole sentence: "Rather than make a fool of myself on the platform like this, I'd better find a way out for myself."
傻眼
因出现某种意外情况而目瞪口呆，不知怎么办 — to be dumbstruck by an unexpected situation and not know what to do (stunned by an unexpected occurrence, at a loss what to do).
将错就错 (in for a penny, in for a pound)
事情既然错了，就顺着错的做下去 — since something has gone wrong, carry on along the wrong path.
开不了口
因某种原因不好意思开口说 — unable to bring oneself to speak because of some reason.
美籍华人
入了美国国籍的中国人 — a Chinese person who has taken American citizenship, i.e. a Chinese American.
由 = 从 ("from")
多年前的一场意外，使我由正常人变成了一个残疾人.
人情冷暖
冷暖 originally means cold and warm; 人情冷暖 refers to how close or distant relationships between people are, or whether others treat you warmly or coldly.
说心里话
used as a parenthetical phrase (插入语) in a sentence, indicating that the words come from the heart; sincere words from the bottom of one's heart.
道
to say (= 说). Used in written language.
头一天
头 means first (= 第一); 头一天 is the first day. 把心都提到嗓子眼儿了: expresses worry and fear (one's heart in one's mouth); 把提到嗓子眼的心一下子放到了肚里 is a humorous way of saying 放心 (to feel relieved). 算账: originally to calculate, to settle accounts; here it means going to argue with someone because one has suffered a loss (找他们算账去).
一五一十
when counting, people usually take 5 as the unit (one five, one ten, fifteen, twenty...), so 一五一十 is used figuratively for giving a clear account without missing a single detail, telling everything.
In addition, the 注释 section also explains: 打石膏 (to put in a plaster cast, a method of treating fractures), 网络学校 (a school that uses computer networks for teaching and learning), 夏令营 (summer camp: a campsite by the sea, in the mountains or forests, etc. in summer where young people or groups rest and play), 《海伦·凯勒》 (a novel in biographical form introducing the legendary life of the disabled girl Helen Keller).
Structure
不知怎么搞的，……
Indicates that one does not know, or cannot clearly say, the cause of something.
不知怎么搞的，老师一叫我回答问题，我就特别紧张。
I don't know why, but every time the teacher calls on me to answer, I get extremely nervous.
不知怎么搞的，我吃什么都发胖。
I don't know why, but I put on weight whatever I eat.
先来后到 | 打退堂鼓 | 出洋相 | 找台阶
先来后到: arranging the order by who arrived earlier or later. 打退堂鼓: figuratively, backing out halfway through something. 出洋相: to make a fool of oneself, to be embarrassed. 台阶: a way/chance to avoid awkwardness or embarrassment. 完了: failed, hopeless.
这儿又不是你一个人，总得有个先来后到吧。
You're not the only one here; there has to be an order of who came first and who came later.
我知道这下完了，心中已开始打退堂鼓。
I knew this time it was over, and I had already started to want to give up.
与其在讲台上出洋相，还不如趁早给自己找个台阶下去。
Rather than make a fool of myself on the platform, I'd better find a way out for myself early.
傻眼 | 将错就错 | 开不了口
傻眼: dumbstruck, not knowing what to do because of an unexpected situation. 将错就错: in for a penny, in for a pound; since it has gone wrong, carry on along the wrong path. 开不了口: unable to bring oneself to say it because of some reason.
……可总也开不了口
...... but I just couldn't bring myself to say it
我一下子傻眼了。
I was dumbstruck for a moment.
我只好将错就错地说了一回谎。
I had no choice but to go along with the mistake and tell a lie just this once.
- ABB (慢腾腾, 绿油油, 冷清清, 红通通, 亮晶晶) | 头一天 | 找……算账去 | 美籍华人
慢腾腾 and words of the same pattern are vivid forms of adjectives (慢 → 慢腾腾). 头 = 第一 (头一天 = the first day). 算账: here it means going to argue with, or settle accounts with, someone because one has suffered a loss. 美籍华人: a Chinese person who has taken American citizenship.
我一看他那慢腾腾的样子
I saw how slow and sluggish he was
丈夫是一位美籍华人
My husband is a Chinese American
- 人情冷暖 | 说心里话，…… | 道 (= 说) | 一五一十地Vverb
人情冷暖: how close or distant relationships between people are, and whether people treat you warmly or coldly. 说心里话: a parenthetical phrase, sincere words from the heart. 道: to say (= 说), used in written language. 一五一十: to recount clearly without missing any detail.
其中的人情冷暖常常让我流泪。
The warmth and coldness of human relationships there often brought tears to my eyes.
说心里话，我对人性是有些失望的。
To be honest, I was a little disappointed in human nature.
您在书里曾写道：“行为治疗的目的……”
In your book you once wrote: "The purpose of behavior therapy is..."
我这才把事情的经过一五一十地说了出来。
Only then did I recount clearly how the story had happened.
Practice
26 questions in 3 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.