It is one of the hottest TV series so far in 2009. In this series, you will see a lot of issues facing young people in China today. How does a 17-year-old girl struggle to assume her responsibility and finally successfully escape from her mother's strict protection? How does a 20-years-old girl develop her relationship with her boyfriend under her parents' great pressures? How does a young business man bravely face the mistakes he made before? No matter how many stories have happened to these vigorous young people, 我的青春谁做主(wŏ de qīng chūn shuí zuò zhŭ) has brought a great topic to us: 我的青春谁做主(wŏ de qīng chūn shuí zuò zhŭ), that is, who is the Master of my own youth?

This TV series also has some very thoughtful and humorous lines. Understanding of these lines is helpful for your Chinese study. Below is a conversation between Qian Xiaoyang (21-year-old) and her boyfriend Fang Yu when they met for the first time.

小样：我叫钱小样，大小的小，样子的样。虽然不大气，但是很可爱。
            wŏ jiào qián xiăo yàng, dà xiăo de xiăo, yàng zi de yàng. suī rán bú dà qì, dàn shì hěn kě ài .
Xiaoyang :My name is Qian Xiaoyang. "xiao" refers to the meaning of small size and "yang" means look. The name may not show a big-heart, but it is very lovely.

小样：你猜我爸叫什么？
            nĭ cāi wŏ bà jiào shén me?
Xiaoyang :Can you guess my dad's name?

方宇：钱串子。
            qián chuàn zĭ.
Fang Yu :Coin strings. ("qián" has the same pronunciation with "money" in Chinese, "chuàn" means "string". In ancient time, people used the strings to put the money "coins" together.)

小样：少来！你爸才叫钱串子呢！
            shăo lái! nĭ bà cái jiào qián chuàn zĭ ne!
Xiaoyang :Come on! Your dad is coin strings.

方宇：那你爸叫什么？
            nà nĭ bà jiào shén me?
Fang Yu : So what is his name?

小样：钱进来。
            qián jìn lái.
Xiaoyang :The money is coming.

青春 qīng chūn： n youth
钱 qián： n money
进来 jìn lái：v come
串 chuàn： n string

Usage of "小样儿(xiăo yàng ér)"
"小样儿(xiăo yàng ér)" comes from northeast dialect "看你那小样(kàn nĭ nà xiăo yàng)" and it becomes "小样儿(xiăo yàng ér)" as a widely used slang. There are several uses of "小样儿(xiăo yàng ér)":

a. People use it to describe those whom they look down.
e.g. 看你那小样儿，就知道你搞不定！
        kàn nĭ nà xiăo yàng ér, jiù zhī dào nĭ găo bú dìng!
        Look at you; I know you can't handle it.

b. It is used to call the other party in a relationship.
e.g. 男：宝贝，想你了，你想我吗？
        nán: băo bèi, xiăng nǐ le, nǐ xiăng wŏ ma?
        Men: I miss you, baby. What about you?

       女：小样儿。
       nŭ: xiăo yàng ér.  
       Women: You little guy.

c. It is used to express loveliness in some situations.
e.g. 你瞧你美得那小样儿。
       nĭ qiáo nĭ měi dé nà xiăo yàng ér.
       See how happy you are.

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