Chinese idioms

paddle one’s own canoe

自力更生

(zìlì ɡēnɡshēnɡ )

A: I just cut up my credit cards.

我刚才把我的信用卡都剪了。

(wǒ ɡānɡcái bǎ wǒ de xìnyònɡkǎ dōu jiǎn le.)

B: What! Are you out of your mind? Why did that?

什么！你疯了吗？为什么那么做？

(shénme, nǐ fēnɡ lema？wèishénme nàme zuò？)

A: From now on I paddle my own canoe. 

从现在起, 我要自力更生。

(cónɡ xiànzài qǐ, wǒ yào zìlì ɡēnɡshēnɡ.)

B: Well said. You can’t always spend your dad’s money.

说得好,你也不能总花你爸爸的钱。

(shuōdehǎo,nǐ yě bùnénɡ zǒnɡ huā nǐ bàba de qián .)