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How to translate so much for.... into Chinese?

For instance:

If you were going to go to a restaurant that you really like to eat and when you get there it is close. so much for eating here today

If someone says that the weather is going to be really good the next day & then it rains. so much for the good weather

Is there a good equivalent for for so much for.... in these situations?!

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  • see e.g. iciba: 4. Now it's started raining ; so much for my idea of taking a walk. 既然开始下雨了, 我去散步的念头只好作罢.
    – user6065
    Commented Oct 31, 2014 at 7:32
  • @S.Rhee You could totally post your comment as an answer.
    – Wang Dingwei
    Commented Oct 31, 2014 at 8:04
  • 谢谢你的鼓励。searching internet leads to ２ more possibilities （网上搜索会发现另一些选择）：tw.websaru.com/so%20much%20for.html 就到此為止 This rain looks as if it will continue all the afternoon． So much for our game of tennis．看來整個下午雨都停不了，咱們的網球就打到這裡為止吧。（confirming answer below 证实以下的回复） so much for my happy ending 这就是我的快乐结局 so much for my excuse 是什么意思？ 是表示 看来我是没接口不去了？
    – user6065
    Commented Oct 31, 2014 at 13:50
  • @S.Rhee You say "So much for my happy ending" when your prince is devoured by the dragon, 美好结局和我无缘了。You say "So much for my excuse" when your excuse is busted, 这下我没借口了。These are all workarounds...
    – Wang Dingwei
    Commented Oct 31, 2014 at 15:49
  • 翻译该英语习语成汉语似乎和翻译成西、法、俄，德等若干＂西方／欧美＂言语一样。是翻译中经常遇到的情况。变通方法（甚至绕过操作）有什么不对？
    – user6065
    Commented Oct 31, 2014 at 17:36

3 Answers 3

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This one puzzled me for quite some time. My high school ESL teacher used to say "So much for today" when she finished a class, then I always took it literally and thought to my self "Yeah, you really taught so much today. I see." Then one day I saw from somewhere that it means "Today's class is over." Now it looks like it's not the proper usage, is it?

Then I googled and I found Japanese teachers say "So much for today" as well. So much for the proper usage of "so much for".

It's difficult to get it right for east Asians because there is no equivalent in Chinese or Japanese. You will need workarounds.

so much for eating here today. 今天在这里吃不成了。

so much for the good weather. 好天气泡汤了。/好天气就到此为止了。

No, no, no. These translations doesn't work at all. You can do the Chinese with a disgruntled or sarcastic voice if you say it. On paper it's just plain dull.

English, you win again.

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"So much for..." can mean

  1. indicating that one has finished talking about something. e.g. So much for Lesson 1. Let's turn our attention to Lesson 2.

--OR--

  1. suggesting that something has not been successful or useful. e.g. So much for that idea!

There is noting wrong with the expression "so much for today" in 1. but the host is really asking for a translation for 2.

The question to ask is whether "so much for" carries a sarcastic voice. If so then enough context should be given.

In pouring rain, one commented, "So much for the good weather". 今天天氣還真好啊~
When expressed with proper tones, it carries a sarcastic voice.

Similarly, if one travelled miles to eat at a restaurant but only found out that it was closed. "So much for (the idea of) eating here today" would be （決定)來這吃飯還真是個好主意啊~

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In my family we say 白. For example, the sentence "so much for eating here" would be 白在这里吃.

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  • In fact it should be "白跑一趟了". This translation works sometimes. 白...吃 usually means free meal. Please correct it.
    – Wang Dingwei
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 2:23
  • Sorry. This is how my family says it
    – Registered User
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 23:41
  • you shouldn't downvote someone's answer because of this.
    – Registered User
    Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 23:43
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    I don't think you should have changed your answer if that's really how your family say it, but it would be very helpful if you can reveal which Chinese speaking region are your family from and which dialect are they speaking.
    – NS.X.
    Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 0:01
  • Dad from Beijing Putong Hua, Mom from Wuxi, and Wuxi dialect, but we speak Putong Hua at home
    – Registered User
    Commented Nov 4, 2014 at 0:02

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