老外最想聊的100個(gè)英語口語話題（54)：茶色茶香

　　Tea culture 茶色茶香

　　dialogue 1

　　Zhao: in China at least, coffee is often associated with an exotic, well-to-do bourgeois lifestyle. Coffee is often considered a hobby of the well-educated, middle-class people.

　　在中國,說起咖啡,人們往往會想到異國情調(diào),小資的優(yōu)越生活方式.喝咖啡通常被認(rèn)為是有修養(yǎng)的中產(chǎn)階級的習(xí)慣.

　　Tony: maybe that's why some young chaps often spend a whole afternoon in a coffee bar, surfing the net or just typewriting something with laptop. While they are savoring a coffee at a leisured pace, they are actually showing off!

　　也許,這便是有些年輕人動不動就花一整個(gè)下午泡在咖啡吧,擺開筆記本電腦,上上網(wǎng),或者只是打打文件的原因吧.他們悠閑地品著咖啡,其實(shí)也是在炫耀自己.

　　Z: yes. Behind a lifestyle, there is a culture. Young people easily become blind worshippers of a Westernized life. While they may not really life coffee, they think it desirable and enviable to be lavish with money in those high-consumption places.

　　嗯.生活方式背后就是文化.年輕人很容易就迷信西式生活.他們也一定喜歡咖啡,但堅(jiān)信,在那些高消費(fèi)場所花錢至少令人羨慕.

　　T: then what about tea? We need to bear in mind in the first place that tea, rather than coffee, jas been the most popular drink for the Chinese people.

　　那你說喝茶怎么樣?要知道,中國人最喜歡的飲料不是咖啡,而是茶.

　　Z: well. Tea reprements another facet of popular culture. While a coffee bar is usually quiet and resonates with soft, elegant music, a teahouse is often a noisy, crowded, public space. People visit teahouses to associate with others, playing chess, chatting, or simply listening to operas.

　　嗯,茶大概是代表了大眾文化的另一個(gè)側(cè)面.咖啡吧是那種安靜,高雅,余音繚繞的地方,茶館則往往是嘈雜,擁擠的公共空間.人們?nèi)ゲ桊^是想跟人說說話,下下棋,或者只是聽聽?wèi)?

　　T: what a pity that the traditional teahouses, as depicted Lao She, keep fading away so quickly in this metroplis. It is not easy to find an old-fashioned teahouse that suits the ordinary people's spending powerm either. Teahouses of today all feature a cozy, comfortable environment, and high-quality services, but can easily cost you a good deal—just like a coffee bar.

　　可惜啊,在北京這個(gè)大都市,老舍筆下那種傳統(tǒng)茶館正在迅速地銷聲匿跡.普通人去的起的那種老茶館再也難找到了.如今的茶館都是那種舒適,愜意的環(huán)境,還有高檔的服務(wù),但是太貴了,跟咖啡廳幾乎不相上下.

　　Z: well, that's true. In a sense, it is not so much what you drink that really counts, as where and how you drink.

　　這是實(shí)話,在某種意義上,重要的仿佛不再是喝什么了,而是在哪兒喝,怎么喝.

　　dialogue 2

　　G: does tea-serving follow any special etiquette in China? Each time I dropped in at my Chinese frineds' homes, their parents would offer me a cup of hot, strong tea, though they never inquired of me about whether I want it.

　　在中國,給人上茶有什么特別的禮節(jié)沒有?每次我上朋友家串門,他們總是給我泡上一杯熱騰騰的濃茶,可是他們從來也不問我需不需要.

　　Z: you've got the point there. It is a custom and good manners to serve tea to a guest who comes to pay a visit. There is no need to ask if he needs it or not, or if he wants something else. It might be an insult to the guest if he is left sitting there without being served tea.

　　你說到點(diǎn)子上了.給上門拜訪的客人上茶確實(shí)是風(fēng)俗禮節(jié),不需要問他們要不要茶,或者要不要別的東西.要是把客人冷落在一邊,連茶都不端一杯,會被認(rèn)為是在侮辱人家的.

　　G: so the guest is presumed to be thirsty and in need of some drink after the trip. In that case, I guess, in return, the guest doesn't have to drink it if he wouldn't like it.

　　這么說來,我們就得客人趕路后,口渴了,需要喝點(diǎn)什么.那樣的話,我想,客人如果不喜歡茶,也可以不喝它吧?

　　Z: it wouldn't be considered rude behavior if he doesn't even take a single drop. But he'd better receive the teacup with both hands and bow his thanks when the cup is brought before his face. When the host pours hot water into his cup, he may also choose to tap his index finger on the table, meaning "Thanks". No matter if he likes it or not, it is impolite if he doesn't even lay a finger on the cup.

　　如果一滴都不喝,確實(shí)也算不上無禮.但是茶端到他面前時(shí),他最好雙手接住茶杯,欠身致謝.主人給他倒茶時(shí),他也可以在桌面上輕叩下食指,表示”叩首謝謝”.不管他喜不喜歡,要是連碰都不碰一下茶杯,那就有失禮貌了.

　　G: so next time, I'd better take a few sips, to 'save face' at least, right?

　　所以,下次我還是喝幾口,”給面子”,對吧?

　　Z: sure. The guest is welcomed by being served tea. But if after chatting for a while, the host asks servants or family memners to serve a new cup of tea, or add some hot water, he is giving another signal.

　　當(dāng)然啦.上茶是表示歡迎.但是,如果聊了一會兒后,主人叫仆人或者家人重新給你沏茶,或者加點(diǎn)開水,他的意思可就變了.

　　G: what does that imply, then?

　　那他是想說什么呢?

　　Z: more often than not, the understatement is 'I'm afraid it's time you leave'.

　　很可能是,”不早了,你是不是該走了啊?”