Wenli Zhu Time Is Money

YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO8bKwa467M

Traditional Chinese

記得我們才開始開始認字的時候，老師就告訴我們“一寸光陰一寸金，寸金難買寸光陰。”ok，從那個時候開始，我們就知道它時間對我們來說是非常重要的。就從我們可以從兩方面來說，第一方面是啊從一般的正式的約會來說，那人們都在中國呢，人們都覺得最好是要準時的去參加那些比較正式的約會，或者是要提前幾分鐘達到是最禮貌的。然後就一般普通的約會來說，比如說象男女朋友之間就很有意思。女孩子總是要遲到幾分鐘，好表示一種矜持。關於這個時間的效率性來說呢，也是分為在公司還有就是在啊機關單位。在公司的話呢，因為就是要面對著和其他公司進行競爭，然後人們就會有效率的去抓緊時間，但是在機關的話呢，就是會出現一種啊大家都會比較拖，然後呢到到最後非到最後才把事情給做完，不過這個現象呢政府已經慢慢的意識到了，然後也會比起以前來說有所改改進。

Simplified Chinese

记得我们才开始开始认字的时候，老师就告诉我们“一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴。”ok，从那个时候开始，我们就知道它时间对我们来说是非常重要的。就从我们可以从两方面来说，第一方面是啊从一般的正式的约会来说，那人们都在中国呢，人们都觉得最好是要准时的去参加那些比较正式的约会，或者是要提前几分钟达到是最礼貌的。然后就一般普通的约会来说，比如说象男女朋友之间就很有意思。女孩子总是要迟到几分钟，好表示一种矜持。关于这个时间的效率性来说呢，也是分为在公司还有就是在啊机关单位。在公司的话呢，因为就是要面对着和其它公司进行竞争，然后人们就会有效率的去抓紧时间，但是在机关的话呢，就是会出现一种啊大家都会比较拖，然后呢到到最后非到最后才把事情给做完，不过这个现象呢政府已经慢慢的意识到了，然后也会比起以前来说有所改改进。

Pinyin

Jìdé wǒmén cái kāishǐ kāishǐ rènzì de shíhòu，lǎoshī jiù gàosù wǒmén“yícùn guāngyīn yícùnjīn，cùnjīn nánmǎi cùnguāngyīn。”ok，cóng nàgè shíhòu kāishǐ，wǒmén jiù zhīdào tā shíjiān duì wǒmén láishuō shì fēicháng zhòngyào de。Jiù cóng wǒmén kěyǐ cóng liǎngfāngmiàn láishuō，dìyī fāngmiàn shì ah cóng yìbān de zhèngshì de yuēhuì láishuō，nà rénmén dōu zài zhōngguó ne，rénmén dōu juédé zuìhǎoshì yào zhǔnshí de qù cānjiā nàxiē bǐjiào zhèngshì de yuēhuì，huòzhěshì yào tíqián jǐfēnzhōng dádào shì zuìlǐmào de。Ránhòu jiù yìbān pǔtōng de yuēhuì láishuō，bǐrúshuō xiàng nánnǚ péngyǒu zhījiān jiù hěnyǒu yìsī。Nǚháizi zǒngshì yào chídào jǐfēnzhōng，hǎo biǎoshì yìzhǒng jīnchí。Guānyú zhègè shíjiān de xiàolǜxìng láishuō ne，yěshì fēnwéi zài gōngsī háiyǒu jiùshì zài ah jīguān dānwèi。Zài gōngsī de huà ne，yīnwéi jiùshì yào miànduì zhe hé qítā gōngsī jìnxíng jìngzhēng，ránhòu rénmén jiùhuì yǒuxiàolǜ de qù zhuājǐn shíjiān. Dànshì zài jīguān de huà ne，jiùshì huì chūxiàn yìzhǒng ah dàjiā dōuhuì bǐjiào tuō，ránhòu ne dào dàozuìhòu fēidào zuìhòu cáibǎ shìqíng gěi zuòwán，búguò zhègè xiànxiàng ne zhèngfǔ yǐjīng mànmàn de yìshídào le，ránhòu yěhuì bǐqǐ yǐqián láishuō yǒusuǒ gǎi gǎijìn.

English

I remember when we were first learning to read, [our] teacher told us “Time is money, [but] money can’t buy time.” Since that time, we’ve been aware that time is very important to us. We can look at this in two ways. The first is from the standpoint of a typical formal engagements. Now people in China, people feel that it’s best to be punctual for relatively formal engagements, or that it’s most polite to arrive a few minutes early. Now as for ordinary get togethers, for example a boyfriend and girlfriend [getting together], things get very interesting. Girls always want to be a few minutes late to demonstrate a kind of reserve. As for the efficient use of time, you have to distinguish between corporations and government bodies. In the corporate setting, because people are facing competition from other companies, they use their time effectively. But people in government are more inclined to drag their feet; they only finish up [the task at hand] when they reach a deadline. But the government is gradually becoming aware of this problem, and it will improve things from how they used to be.

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Authors: LouisPM, h.brinsko, orkelm.