又中又英｜Dai pai dongs

When you have the desire, you will make it happen. I hope Environment Secretary Tse Chin-wan makes this expression his motto (rule, slogan). It means that if you really want to achieve something difficult, you will find a way to do it. The expression “where there is a will, there is a way” has a similar meaning. I am sure Tse Chin-wan knows both expressions. Legislator Judy Chan Ka-pui recently suggested during a Legco meeting that the government should revive dai pai dongs to attract tourists. It’s an excellent suggestion but Tse Chin-wan told her he had faced challenges finding suitable sites.

The public expects highly paid officials like Tse Chin-wan to overcome challenges. Why should taxpayers pay high salaries to officials who are unable to do that? I loved going to tai tat tei in Sheung Wan for char siu rice when I was growing up. It was a big night bazaar with dai pai dongs and hawker carts, but the government closed it for hygiene reasons. Dai pai dongs are now a dying breed with just 17 left. A dying breed means a type of person or thing that is becoming rare. They will soon be as dead as a dodo.

A dodo is a type of bird from Mauritius that cannot fly. These birds became extinct (ceased to exist) in 1662. As dead as a dodo means completely dead. Tse Chin-wan has already failed in convincing the public to pay for garbage disposal. But many Hong Kong people love dai pai dongs. Tse Chin-wan should rise to the challenge, which means to make the effort to succeed despite difficulties.

When you have the desire, you will make it happen. 我希望环境局局长谢展寰可以记着这句格言（motto）。它的意思是，当你真的渴望成就某样困难的事的时候，你怎样也会找方法去办成。习语“where there is a will, there is a way”都是类近的意思。这两句习语我肯定谢展寰也知道。立法会议员陈家佩最近在一个立法会会议中建议，政府应该振兴大牌档，以吸引游客。这是一个绝佳的建议，但谢展寰跟她说他在找寻合适的位置上面临挑战。

公众会期望像谢展寰般拿着高薪的官员们可以克服种种挑战。官员们无法办到，纳税人又为何要支付他们这么高的薪水？我童年长大的时候，喜爱去上环的大笪地吃叉烧饭。那是一个很大的夜市，有大牌档有小贩车，但政府因为卫生原因关闭了它。大牌档现在俨然成为dying breed，仅余17间。A dying breed是濒危物种，或愈来愈稀有的某一种人或事物。它们很快会是 as dead as a dodo。

A dodo是渡渡鸟，是毛里求斯一种不会飞的鸟。这种鸟于1662年绝种（extinct）了。As dead as a dodo是指死翘翘的。谢展寰在游说公众为垃圾弃置付费一事上，已经失败了一次。但许多香港人也爱大牌档。谢展寰好应 rise to the challenge，意即迎难而上，即使面对困难也竭力去取得成功。

mickchug@gmail.com
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻