Complexities of Life

老师一进教室，同学们很快安静了下来。

Lǎoshī yí jìn jiàoshì, tóngxuémen hěn kuài ānjìng le xiàlái.

As soon as the teacher entered the classroom, the students quickly quieted down.

他对工作的兴趣渐渐淡了下去。

Tā duì gōngzuò de xìngqù jiànjiàn dàn le xiàqù.

His interest in work gradually faded away.

我们先把礼物藏起来。

Wǒmen xiān bǎ lǐwù cáng qǐlái.

Let's hide the gifts first.

这双鞋把脚磨破了。

Zhè shuāng xié bǎ jiǎo mó pò le.

These shoes rubbed my feet raw.

外面的声音把我吵醒了。

Wàimiàn de shēngyīn bǎ wǒ chǎo xǐng le.

The noise outside woke me up.

他把大伙儿笑得肚子疼。

Tā bǎ dàhuǒr xiào de dùzi téng.

He made everyone laugh until their stomachs hurt.

杯子被她不小心给摔碎了。

Bēizi bèi tā bù xiǎoxīn gěi shuāi suì le.

The cup was accidentally smashed by her.

自行车叫小偷儿给偷走了。

Zìxíngchē jiào xiǎotōur gěi tōu zǒu le.

The bicycle was stolen by a thief.

这件事差点儿让我给忘了。

Zhè jiàn shì chàdiǎnr ràng wǒ gěi wàng le.

I almost forgot about this matter.

这儿的天气变来变去，时而晴天，时而下雨。

Zhèr de tiānqì biàn lái biàn qù, shí'ér qíngtiān, shí'ér xiàyǔ.

The weather here keeps changing — now sunny, now rainy.

生活就是这样，时而让人失望，时而让人充满信心。

Shēnghuó jiùshì zhèyàng, shí'ér ràng rén shīwàng, shí'ér ràng rén chōngmǎn xìnxīn.

Life is just like this — sometimes disappointing, sometimes filling you with confidence.

她的情绪很不稳定，时而积极，时而消沉。

Tā de qíngxù hěn bù wěndìng, shí'ér jījí, shí'ér xiāochén.

Her emotions are very unstable — sometimes positive, sometimes depressed.

年纪太大了，身体一时好一时坏。

Niánjì tài dà le, shēntǐ yīshí hǎo yīshí huài.

Getting too old — the body is good one moment and bad the next.

这家公司的产量一时上升一时下降。

Zhè jiā gōngsī de chǎnliàng yīshí shàngshēng yīshí xiàjiàng.

This company's output rises one moment and falls the next.

他的情绪有波动，一时高兴一时悲伤。

Tā de qíngxù yǒu bōdòng, yīshí gāoxìng yīshí bēishāng.

His emotions fluctuate — happy one moment, sad the next.

我一走出校门，抬头便看见了她。

Wǒ yī zǒu chū xiào mén, táitóu biàn kànjiàn le tā.

As soon as I walked out of the school gate, I looked up and saw her.

她放下电话，衣服没换便往医院赶。

Tā fàng xià diànhuà, yīfu méi huàn biàn wǎng yīyuàn gǎn.

She put down the phone and rushed to the hospital without even changing clothes.

一回到家，他便看到了桌子上的饭菜。

Yī huí dào jiā, tā biàn kàn dào le zhuōzi shàng de fàncài.

As soon as he got home, he saw the food on the table.

他不但不帮我，反而还给我添麻烦。

Tā búdàn bù bāng wǒ, fǎn'ér hái gěi wǒ tiān máfan.

Not only did he not help me, he actually caused me more trouble.

夏天过去了，天气不但没有凉快，反而更热了。

Xiàtiān guòqù le, tiānqì búdàn méiyǒu liángkuai, fǎn'ér gèng rè le.

Summer has passed, but the weather not only hasn't cooled down — it's gotten even hotter.

他不但没有鼓励我，反而还批评了我一顿。

Tā búdàn méiyǒu gǔlì wǒ, fǎn'ér hái pīpíng le wǒ yī dùn.

Not only did he not encourage me, he actually gave me a scolding.