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Answer to the Chinese Test
Learn Chinese Phrases-“泼冷水 (Pō Lěng Shuǐ)”
The correct answer for this quiz is B.
Analysis:
Wáng Lì: Zuótiān wǒ zhǔnbèi le jiǔ bǎi jiǔ shí jiǔ duǒ méiguī xiàng wǒ nǚ péngyou qiúhūn.
王 力：昨天 我 准备 了 999 朵 玫瑰 向 我 女 朋友 求婚。
Wang Li: I made a marriage proposal to my girlfriend with 999 roses yesterday.
Lǐ Míng: Tā dāyìng le ma?
李 明：她 答应 了 吗？
Li Ming: Did she accept your proposal?
Wáng Lì: Wǒ bèi pō lěng shuǐ le.
王 力：我 被 泼 冷 水 了。
Wang Li: I was doused in cold water.
“泼冷水 (Pō lěng shuǐ)” literally means to pour cold water. It is often used in spoken language to indicate refusing someone or dampening one’s enthusiasm.
For example:
If you are excited about your new business plan, but it is still declined by your boss, you can say,
Ài, zhēn yùmèn, wǒ yòu bèi pō lěng shuǐ le.
哎，真 郁闷，我 又 被 泼 冷 水 了。
Ah, it is really depressing. I was doused in cold water again.
You can also put name of a person or a personal pronoun between “泼 (pō)” and “冷水 (lěng shuǐ).”
For example:
If you want to date a girl, but you are afraid of being refused, you can say,
Xīwàng tā bú yào pō wǒ lěng shuǐ.
希望 她 不 要 泼 我 冷 水。
I hope she will not pour cold water on me.
Notes: “9 (jiǔ) nine” is a lucky number in Chinese culture. It represents eternity. So Chinese people think the 99 or 999 roses is a good sign for everlasting love.
