ChinesePod

1 lit. when one beats a dog, one must answer to its master (idiom)
2 fig. before punishing sb, one should consider how that would affect others associated with him

看人下菜碟儿

kàn rén xià cài dié r

1 (dialect) to treat sb according to their social status, relationship with them etc (idiom)
2 not to treat everyone equally favorably

Sample Sentences

我醒来后做两三个平板，冥想十分钟，出卧室后干搓脸半分钟，头脑清晰后，马上投入到看书、写文、锻炼或做早餐中去，那开了个好头的一天就有好彩头。

wǒ xǐnglái hòu zuò liǎng sān gè píngbǎn ，míngxiǎng shí fēnzhōng ，chū wòshì hòu gān cuō liǎn bàn fēnzhōng ，tóunǎo qīngxī hòu ，mǎshàng tóurù dào kànshū 、xiěwén 、duànliàn huò zuò zǎocān zhōng qù ，nà kāi le gè hǎo tóu de yītiān jiù yǒu hǎocǎitóu 。

When I wake up, I do a couple of planks and meditate for ten minutes. I leave my bedroom and give myself a face massage for half a minute. When I'm fully awake, I launch myself into either reading, writing or breakfast making. With such a great start to the day, it's inevitable that I'm going to have a great day ahead of me.

Go to Lesson

我想想，我去年几乎没空看书，只顾着打手游，因为换了工作没什么钱和时间，只去了香港玩了三天，至于新朋友，你们懂的，如果我有新朋友的话，现在也不会跟你们鬼混了。

wǒ xiǎngxiang ，wǒ qùnián jīhū méikòng kànshū ，zhǐgù zhe dǎ shǒuyóu ，yīnwèi huàn le gōngzuò méi shénme qián hé shíjiān ，zhī qù le Xiānggǎng wán le sān tiān ，zhìyú xīn péngyou ，nǐmen dǒng de ，rúguǒ wǒ yǒu xīn péngyou dehuà ，xiànzài yě bù huì gēn nǐmen guǐhùn le 。

Let me think. I had almost no time for reading last year and mostly just busied myself with mobile phone games. As I switched jobs, I didn't have that much money or time, so I just went to Hong Kong on holiday for three days. As to new friends, you must understand, if I had new friends, I wouldn't still be slumming it with you guys.

Go to Lesson

你喜欢看书吗？

nǐ xǐhuan kànshū ma ？

Do you like to read?

Go to Lesson

我不喜欢看书，我喜欢看电影。

wǒ bù xǐhuan kànshū ，wǒ xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng 。

I don't like to read books, I like to watch movies.

Go to Lesson

我在家看书。

wǒ zài jiā kànshū 。

I am reading at home.