Time and Seasons

她跳舞跳得不怎么样。

Tā tiàowǔ tiào de bù zěnmeyàng.

She doesn't dance very well.

甲：这件衣服怎么样？乙：不怎么样。

Jiǎ: Zhè jiàn yīfu zěnmeyàng? Yǐ: Bù zěnmeyàng.

A: How is this outfit? B: Not so great.

这家餐厅的菜不怎么样，下次别来了。

Zhè jiā cāntīng de cài bù zěnmeyàng, xià cì bié lái le.

The food at this restaurant is not so great — let's not come again next time.

我好不容易给你争取来这个机会，你怎么能不抓住呢？

Wǒ hǎo bù róngyì gěi nǐ zhēngqǔ lái zhège jīhuì, nǐ zěnme néng bù zhuā zhù ne?

I went through so much trouble to get you this opportunity — how can you not seize it?

你好容易走到这一步，怎么能说放弃就放弃呢？

Nǐ hǎo róngyì zǒu dào zhè yí bù, zěnme néng shuō fàngqì jiù fàngqì ne?

You've come this far with such difficulty — how can you just give up like that?

我好不容易说服他来参加比赛，你不能让他走。

Wǒ hǎo bù róngyì shuōfú tā lái cānjiā bǐsài, nǐ bù néng ràng tā zǒu.

I had such a hard time convincing him to join the competition — you can't let him leave.

现在看来，那倒是个很好的办法。

Xiànzài kàn lái, nà dào shì gè hěn hǎo de bànfǎ.

Looking at it now, that is indeed a very good method.

实在没办法，那倒也是个办法。

Shízài méi bànfǎ, nà dào yě shì gè bànfǎ.

If there's really no other way, that is a solution too.

甲：如果能找到失败的原因，那倒是件值得高兴的事。乙：那倒也是。

Jiǎ: Rúguǒ néng zhǎo dào shībài de yuányīn, nà dào shì jiàn zhíde gāoxìng de shì. Yǐ: Nà dào yě shì.

A: If we can find the reason for the failure, that's actually something to be happy about. B: That's true.

就是说，他是一个不诚实的人。

Jiùshì shuō, tā shì yí gè bù chéngshí de rén.

In other words, he is a dishonest person.

这就是说，责任不在你，你千万不要怪自己。

Zhè jiùshì shuō, zérèn bú zài nǐ, nǐ qiānwàn bú yào guài zìjǐ.

What this means is that the responsibility is not on you — you must not blame yourself.

他没有通过面试，就是说他还需要再努力。

Tā méiyǒu tōngguò miànshì, jiùshì shuō tā hái xūyào zài nǔlì.

He didn't pass the interview — in other words, he still needs to work harder.