Learn Chinese in 3 Minutes with Micro-drama, Nothing But Breaking Up
It will only take 15 minutes to read this post!
(bù guò shì fēn shǒu) or Nothing But Breaking Up is a ‘micro-drama’ made up of eight 3-minute long episode. The series is fast paced, extremely engaging and also a great tool for learning Chinese!
These super short mini shows are the newest novelty to come out of China’s video streaming app (dǒu yīn). Unfortunately, 抖音 (dǒu yīn) Douyin is not available for people not using a Chinese app store, but luckily, it can be accessed on both iQiyi and YouTube!
不过是分手 (bùguò shì fēnshǒu) Nothing But Breaking Uptells the story of (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian, a young man who feels trapped in a relationship with his college sweetheart, (xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu, who is constantly ‘breaking up’ with him. When she goes to Shanghai on a business trip, Sixian decides to go out with an old flame but gets caught out. After suffering a tragedy, Sixian goes on a journey to try and turn back time and change that regrettable night.
Using 不过是分手 to Learn Chinese in 3 Minutes
Although some of the narration is quite fast, most video streaming services, including YouTube and iQiyi allow you to change the speed of the video so that, if needed, you can take more time to watch the subtitles.
Watch the whole series on iQiyi
Tips For Watching:
1. Learn or review the words in the vocabulary list below:
I have created a list of words to learn that you may not be familiar with for the following episode. You can click on each of them and (if you’re logged on to your Written Chinese account online) add them as a flashcard to learn
2. Watch with subtitles turned on
To get a better understanding of what’s been said, turn on the subtitles for the episode so that you can follow along.
3. Slow down the speed of the show
The speed is quite fast, especially of Chen Si Xian’s opening monologue. There are options to slow the speed to half or even a quarter of the speed in order for you to read the subtitles.
4. Test your understanding of the English translation
You can watch the show with English subtitles on Youtube, or you can read the script below! You can also download the script and read it along with the show.
Let’s get started…
不过是分手 Nothing But Breaking Up
Episode 1 Vocabulary
- (fēnshǒu) to break up
- (gāozhōng nǚshén) high school ‘goddess’ / sweetheart
- (jiě shì) explain / explanation
- (zhǔnbèi jiéhūn) prepare to get married
- (zhuīyì) reminisce
- (shú xī) familiar
- GG – used to express ‘game over’ to praise the opponent.
- (lěngjìng) cool-headed/calm
- (sǒng) ‘terrified’ but in this situation means ‘to give in’
- (yìng qì) firm / strong willed
- (hòu huǐ) to regret
- (bì jìng) after all
- (gēnzōng) to follow
- (fān lái fù qù) to toss and turn (sleeplessly)
- (zhì piàn rén) producer
- (dǎo yǎn) director
- (biān jù) screenwriter
- (shè yǐng shī) camera operator
(jùběn) Script
Please note, the English translation is not a word-for-word translation of the Chinese, but has been modified slightly to sound more natural. Click on the Chinese linked text to see each character and their meaning.
。(wǒ de jǐnggào shì zuìhòu yī biàn, rúguǒ nǐ yào fēnshǒu wǒ yě suíbiàn) It’s my last warning, if you want to break up, I will do as you want.
(Wáng Zǐjùn dǎoyǎn zuòpǐn) The work of the director, Wang Zijun
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
，(wǒ de nǚpéng you xiǎo yǔ yǒu yī gè huán máobìng)My girlfriend, Xiao Yu has a bad habit:
。(tài ài jiǎng fēnshǒu) she loves to say ‘let’s break up’.
，(nǚháizǐ ma) Girls…
，(ài shēngqì) become angry easily
，(kě yǐ lǐjiě) this, I can understand…
? (kěshì tiāntiān tí fēnshǒu yě bùhǎo ba) But threatening to break up every day isn’t good, right?
，(jīnnián zhǔnbèi jiéhūn) This year, we’re planning to get married,
。(shì shí houhǎohǎo tán yī tán le) so it’s time to talk about it.
。(bùguò búshì bù shi xiànzài) Only not right now.
。(xiànzài xiǎo yǔ yīnggāi zài fēijī shàng) Right now, Xiao Yu should be on a flight.
，(zhè shì wǒ gāozhōng de nǚshén) This my high school sweetheart
，(péng you quān lǐ jiàn lái le shēnzhèn) I saw on my friend ‘moments’ that she was in Shenzhen
，(jiǎndān liú le gè yán) so I just left (her) a message,
，(tā yuē wǒ chī wǎnfàn) and she invited me to dinner.
，(wǒ hái zài yóuyù de shíhòu) I hesitated,
。(jiù yǐjīng dào zhèlǐ le) but I’m here now.
，(wǒ men zhuīyì le měihǎo de guò qu) We reminisce about good times,
，(gǎnkǎi le bùkān de xiànzài) sighing over the hardships of nowadays.
，(bù jì de yǒu méiyǒu zhǎnwàng wèilái) I forget if we talked about the future.
，(ránhòu jiù shén me dōu bù jì de le) Then, I don’t remember anything.
… (zhí dào wǒ tīngdào yī gè shúxī de shēngyīn) Until I heard a familiar voice…
(xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu：
陈思贤! (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian!
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
小羽…(xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu…
GG Game over
。(bù zhī dao wèishén me xiǎo yǔ huì chūxiàn) I don’t know why Xiao Yu appeared…
。(wèishén me huì bào zhe Jiā qí) or why I’m hugging Jia Qi
。(lěng jìng, lěngjìng) Stay calm, Stay calm.
。(wǒ xiǎng wǒ shì kěyǐ jiěshì qīng chu de) I think I can explain clearly.
小羽… (xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu…
(xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu：
。(wǒ yěbù zhī dao zhè yī bāzhǎng huìbúhuì tài guòfèn) I don’t know if the slap was too much.
，(yīn wèi shànghǎi shànghǎi xià le bàoyǔ) Because there was torrential rain in Shanghai
，(háng bān qǔxiāo le) the flight was cancelled.
，(méi dài yào shi) I didn’t have my key,
，(huí bùliǎo jiā) so I couldn’t go back home.
，(diàn huà tā bù jiē) He didn’t pick up the phone
，(zài ménkǒu děng de dù zi è) I waited at the door until I got hungry
，(chūqù zhǎo chī de) then I went to find food.
(jiù zài wǒ liǎ jīngcháng qù de cāntīng ménkǒu) I was just at the entrance of the restaurant we often go to.
陈思贤！(chén sī xián) Chen Sixian!
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
。 (xiǎo yǔ, nǐ tīng wǒ jiě shì) Xiao Yu, I can explain (listen to my explanation).
(xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu：
。(nǐ zuìhǎo gěi wǒ jiě shì qīng chu) You had better explain
?！(yǒu shén me hǎo jiěshì de) What’s the explanation?!
！(fēnshǒu ba) We’re breaking up!
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
。(yòu shuō fēnshǒu) Again, you say let’s breakup
，(qī nián le) It’s been 7 years
。(měi cì nǐ yī shuō fēnshǒu wǒ jiù sǒng) and every time you say ‘let’s break up’ I give in.
。(zhècì wǒ yào yìng qì yī huí) This time I won’t give in. (I’ll be firm)
。(fēnshǒu jiù fēnshǒu) Let’s break up
。(yǒu wán méi wán) I’m done with this.
(xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu：
？(chén sī xián, nǐ shuō shén me a) Chen Sixian，what did you say?!
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
，(měicì nǐ yī shēngqì) Every time you get angry
，(nǐ jiù shuō fēnshǒu) you say ‘let’s break up’,
？ (wǒ hái bùnéng shēngqì yī cì le) and I can’t get angry once?
(xiǎo yǔ) Xiao Yu：
。(xíng. nǐ bié hòuhuǐ)OK, then don’t regret this.
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
。(bùnéng sǒng, bùnéng sǒng)Don’t give in, don’t give in
。(chènjī huì, ràng tā yě fǎnxǐng xià zǒng shuō fēnshǒu zhè jiàn shì) This is an opportunity，for her to reflect on the mistake of always saying ‘let’s break up’.
，(nǐ měicì shuō fēnshǒu) Every time you say ‘let’s break up’
？(nǐ hòuhuǐ guò ma) did you regret it?
！(lǐsī yǔ, nǐ zǒu le kě bié hòuhuǐ) Li Siyu, don’t regret walking away!
Jiaqi’s MSG：
！(lǎo tóngxué, yùzhù xīnhūn kuàilè bùyào rě sǎo zi shēngqì ó) Old classmate, congratulations beforehand on your happy wedding. Don’t make sister-in-law (Xiao Yu) angry!
陈思贤 (chén sī xián) Chen Sixian:
. (zhèxià chèdǐ GG le) This is completely game over.
(kuài shí yī diǎn le hái bù huíjiā) It’s almost 11 and she’s still not home
？(tā huì qù nǎr) Where did she go?
。(bùxíng, shéi xiān dǎdiànhuà jiù shū le) No, I lose if I call first.
。(wǒ yòu méi zuòcuò shén me) I didn’t do anything wrong.
，(bì jìng bào le biérén) After all… I was hugging someone else,
。(tā yě yīnggāi shēngqì) so she has the right to be angry.
，(dànshì tā jūrán gēnzōng wǒ) But she was stalking me!
。(hái piàn wǒ qù shànghǎi gěi wǒ xià tào) She tricked me with her trip to Shanghai.
(zhè jiù jiù duì le ba) That’s not right.
(kě shì wúlùn hérú) But no matter what
(bìjìng yī qǐ qī nián le) we’ve been together for 7 years.
(bù guò) But…
，(āi, bù xiǎng le, bù xiǎng le) Forget about it
。(dōu lěngjìng xià yě hǎo) (Let’s) both calm down
。(shuì jiào, shuìjiào) and go to bed.
(fānláifùqù shuì bùzháo) I Tossed and turned, but can’t sleep.
。(háishì hé tā jiěshì yī xià ba) Nevertheless, let me explain to her.
… (nínhǎo, nín bō jiào de yònghù zànshí) Sorry, the user you are calling……
。 (āi, yī chǎojià jiù guānjī) She turned off the phone because we fought.
(nínhǎo, nín bō jiào de yònghù zànshí wúfǎ jiētōng) Sorry, the user you are calling cannot be connected
？ (hái zài shēng qì) (She’s) still angry？
(nínhǎo, nín bō jiào de yònghù zànshí wúfǎ jiētōng) Sorry, the user you are calling cannot be connected.
X Fuck
。(yòu búshì zhǐyǒu nǐ huì kuài shēngqì)You’re not the only one who’s angry.
您好，您拨叫的用… (nínhǎo, nín bō jiào de yòng) Sorry, the u…
。(hǎodǎi jiē gè diànhuà bào gè píngān) It doesn’t matter how just answer the phone to say everything is ok.
(nínhǎo, nín bō jiào de yònghù zànshí wúfǎ jiētōng) Sorry, the user you are calling cannot be connected.
？(háishì bùkěn jiē, bùhuì chūshì le ba) (She) still doesn’t answer the phone, has there been an accident？
。 (bú shì ba, zhèxià chèdǐ GG le) Oh no，it’s completely game over…
(xià jí yùgào) In the next episode…
，(zhè lǐ shì nánshān jiāojǐng zhōng duì) This is Nanshan traffic police,
(wǎn shang shí diǎn sì shí fēn zuǒyòu) At about 11:40 in the evening…
(běi huán fù jìn fāshēng le yī qǐ jiāotōng shìgù) …there was an accident near Beihuan (Avenue)
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