2:34
蒂芙尼把"艾芙尼"告上法院：一场关于名字的商标之争
Tiffany Takes 'Alffany' to Court: A Trademark Fight Over a Name
This is an HSK 3-4 Chinese listening episode that runs about 3 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 9 key vocabulary words such as 认为、决定、客人 and walks through 2 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
今天，我们聊一件挺有意思的事：一个大牌子，把一个小牌子告上了法院。
Today let's chat about something pretty interesting: a big brand took a small brand to court.
事情，和两个公司有关。
The story involves two companies.
第一个，是美国的蒂芙尼，一个很有名的珠宝牌子。
The first is Tiffany, an American company and a very famous jewelry brand.
它卖钻石、卖戒指，东西都特别贵。
It sells diamonds and rings, and everything is really expensive.
很多人结婚，都想买一个蒂芙尼的戒指。
Many people getting married want to buy a Tiffany ring.
在全世界，蒂芙尼都是"有钱、高级"的意思。
Around the world, Tiffany means "wealthy and high-end."
第二个公司，在中国，名字叫艾芙尼。
The second company is in China, and it's called Alffany.
你听一下：蒂芙尼，艾芙尼。
Have a listen: Tiffany, Alffany.
这两个名字，念起来，是不是特别像？
Said out loud, aren't these two names extremely alike?
不过，艾芙尼卖的东西，和珠宝一点关系都没有。
But what Alffany sells has nothing to do with jewelry.
它卖的，是卫生巾。
What it sells is sanitary pads.
一个卖钻石，一个卖卫生巾，这两家公司，差得也太远了。
One sells diamonds, one sells sanitary pads — these two companies couldn't be further apart.
可是，就因为名字太像，蒂芙尼很不高兴。
Yet simply because the names are so alike, Tiffany is very unhappy.
在做生意里，公司的名字，其实就是它的"商标"。
In business, a company's name is really its "trademark."
商标很重要，别的公司不能随便用。
A trademark is important, and other companies can't just use it freely.
蒂芙尼觉得：你这个名字，和我的太像了，会让人搞错。
Tiffany feels: your name is too much like mine, and it'll confuse people.
所以，蒂芙尼就想办法，不让艾芙尼用这个名字。
So Tiffany is trying to find a way to stop Alffany from using this name.
这件事，两家已经打了好几年了。
The two sides have been fighting over this for several years now.
早在几年前，艾芙尼的一个商标，就被认为和蒂芙尼太像，不能用。
Years ago, one of Alffany's trademarks was deemed too similar to Tiffany's and couldn't be used.
可是后来，艾芙尼又有一个新的商标，通过了。
But later, another new Alffany trademark was approved.
蒂芙尼当然不服气，又去告。
Tiffany, unwilling to accept that, of course took it to court again.
现在，这个案子，到了北京的一个高级法院。
Now the case has reached a high court in Beijing.
法院要决定：这个商标，到底能不能留下。
The court has to decide whether this trademark can stay.
艾芙尼那边说：我们从来没想过要学蒂芙尼。
Alffany's side says: we never once meant to imitate Tiffany.
他们说：我们卖的是卫生巾，客人根本不会买错。
They say: we sell sanitary pads — customers simply won't buy one thinking it's the other.
这件事，在网上也吵得很热闹。
The matter has also stirred up a lively debate online.
有的人站蒂芙尼：名字这么像，确实不太好。
Some side with Tiffany: names this similar really aren't okay.
也有的人站艾芙尼：两家东西完全不一样，一个大牌子，为什么要为难一个小公司？
Others side with Alffany: the two sell completely different things — why would a big brand pick on a small company?
其实，这样的事，这些年越来越多。
In fact, cases like this have grown more and more common in recent years.
很多有名的外国牌子，都在中国保护自己的名字。
Many famous foreign brands are protecting their names in China.
一个名字，能值多少钱？
How much can a name be worth?
这件事，让很多人开始想这个问题。
This case has gotten many people thinking about that question.
到底谁对谁错，还得等法院最后的结果。
Who's right and who's wrong — we'll still have to wait for the court's final decision.
好，今天就聊到这儿，我们下次再见。
OK, that's it for today — see you next time.
被认为和蒂芙尼太像 — was deemed too similar to Tiffany.
法院要决定：这个商标能不能留下 — the court must decide whether the trademark can stay.
客人根本不会买错 — customers simply won’t buy the wrong one.
蒂芙尼就想办法 — Tiffany is trying to find a way.
商标很重要 — a trademark is important.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 公司的名字，其实就是它的"商标" — a company’s name is really its trademark.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 蒂芙尼是一个很有名的珠宝牌子 — Tiffany is a famous jewelry brand.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 这个案子，到了北京的一个高级法院 — the case reached a high court in Beijing.
Beyond HSK 1-3. 为什么要为难一个小公司？— why pick on a small company?
* beyond level超纲词
就因为...
"simply / just because..." — stresses a single cause.
可是，就因为名字太像，蒂芙尼很不高兴。
被 + 认为/判 + ...
Passive voice — the subject "is deemed / is judged to be..." by others.
艾芙尼的一个商标，就被认为和蒂芙尼太像。
Free account
You just read the story — hear it next. A free account saves your level, the words you keep from this episode, and the line you stop at, so you can pick the story back up on any device.