Key Learning Point (Preview): 隔墙有耳 (géqiángyǒu’ěr): walls have ears
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Cóngqián, yǒu yíge hàoqíxīn hěn zhòng de rén.
从前， 有 一个 好奇心 很 重 的 人。
Once upon a time, there was a curious man.
Tā zǒngshì xǐhuan sìchù dǎting biérén de mìmi.
他 总是 喜欢 四处 打听 别人 的 秘密。
He liked to invade other peoples’ privacy.
Tā zhīdào de mìmi tài duō le, biē zài xīnlǐ hěn nánshòu.
他 知道 的 秘密 太 多 了，憋 在 心里 很 难受。
He knew too many secrets and found it hard to keep them all.
Yì tiān, tā hē le jǐ bēi jiǔ, jiéguǒ bǎ zìjǐ dǎting dào de shìqing quánbù shuōle chūlái.
一 天，他 喝了几 杯 酒，结果 把 自己 打听 到 的 事情 全部 说了 出来。
One day he drank several cups of wine, and while drunk spilled all the secrets.
Tā méi xiǎng dào, gébì fángjiān lǐ de rén tīngjiàn le tā shuō de huà.
他 没 想 到，隔壁 房间 里 的 人 听见 了 他 说 的 话。
To his surprise, the man next door heard all he said.
Méi guò duōjiǔ, suǒyǒu rén dōu zhīdào le tā duōzuǐ de huài máobìng.
没 过 多久， 所有 人 都 知道 了 他 多嘴 的 坏 毛病。
Very soon, everyone knew of his bad habit of gossiping.
The walls may not have ears, but the person next door does.
At least that’s true in this story. “隔墙有耳 (Géqiángyǒu’ěr)” is a phrase used to alert people to be careful about their words, as someone may be listening in from the other side of the wall.
Key Learning Point:
隔墙有耳 (géqiángyǒu’ěr) walls have ears
“隔 (gé)” means “next to;” “墙 (qiáng)” means “wall;” “有 (yǒu)” means “have;” “耳 (ěr)” means “ear.”
Examples:
Zài gōnggòng chǎnghé shuōhuà xiǎoxīndiǎnr, géqiángyǒu’ěr a!
在 公共 场合 说话 小心点儿， 隔墙有耳 啊！
Be careful of what you say in public, the walls have ears.
Xū, xiǎoshēng diǎnr, nǐ zhīdào, géqiángyǒu’ěr.
嘘，小声 点儿，你 知道， 隔墙有耳。
Ssh! Be careful! There may be eavesdroppers you know.
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