Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 16 Drinking Tea

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lì li: nĭ xĭ huān hē chá ma?
丽丽： 你喜欢喝茶吗？ 
Lili:  Do you like drinking tea? 
   
mài kè: wŏ fēi cháng xĭ huān.
麦克： 我非常喜欢。 
Mike:  I like it very much. 
   
lì li: zhōng guó de chá tōng cháng fēn wéi wŭ zhŏng.
丽丽： 中国的茶通常分为五种。 
Lili:  Chinese tea may be classified into five categories.
   
mài kè: nă wŭ zhŏng?
麦克： 哪五种？ 
Mike:  which five?
   
lì li: lǜ chá, hóng chá, wū lóng chá, huā chá,jĭn yā chá.
丽丽： 绿茶、红茶、乌龙茶、花茶、紧压茶。 
Lili:  green tea, black tea, Wulong tea, scented tea, and compressed tea.
   
mài kè: wŏ xĭ huān dào chá guăn lĭ hē chá.
麦克： 我喜欢到茶馆里喝茶。 
Mike:  I like drinking tea at teahouses.
   
lì li: wŏ yĕ shì. zài zhè lĭ kĕ yĭ biān liáo tiān biān xīn shăng chá wén huà. 
丽丽： 我也是。在这里可以边聊天边欣赏茶文化。 
Lili:  So do I. We can chat while enjoying Chinese tea culture here.
   
mài kè: chá qĭ yuán yú zhōng guó. rén men rì cháng shēng huó zhōng lí bù kāi chá. 
麦克： 茶起源于中国。人们日常生活中离不开茶。 
Mike:  Tea originated from China. It is the center of attention in Chinese daily life.

 

Background

 

China is the homeland of tea. Chinese tea may be classified into five categories according to the different methods by which it is processed. It includes green tea, black tea, Wulong tea, compressed tea and scented tea. Teahouses scattered in cities are most worthwhile to visit. One may come in the early morning and order a pot of tea, chat and enjoy the warm sunshine at the same time, until it closes in twilight.

 

New Words

茶 chá: tea

喝 hē: drink

种类 zhŏng lèi: category

绿茶 lǜ chá: green tea

红茶 hóng chá: black tea

乌龙茶 wū lóng chá: Wulong tea

花茶 huā chá: scented tea

紧压茶 jĭn yā chá: compressed tea

茶馆 chá guăn: teahouse

聊天 liáo tiān: chat

欣赏 xīn shăng: enjoy

文化 wén huà: culture

起源 qĭ yuán: originate

日常生活 rì cháng shēng huó: daily life

Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 15 Talking About Study and Work

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lì li: nĭ shì xué shén me zhuān yè de?
丽丽： 你是学什么专业的？ 
Lili:  What’s your major? 
   
mài kè: wŏ shì zhuān mén lái zhōng guó xué xí hàn yŭ de.
麦克： 我是专门来中国学习汉语的。 
Mike:  I come to China just to study Chinese. 
   
lì li: nĭ zài năr xué xí?
丽丽： 你在哪儿学习？ 
Lili:  Where are you studying now?
   
mài kè: wŏ zài bĕi jīng yŭ yán wén huà dà xué xué xí.
麦克： 我在北京语言文化大学学习。 
Mike:  At the Beijing Language and Culture University.
   
lì li: nĭ xué xí jĭ nián le?
丽丽： 你学习几年了？ 
Lili:  How many years have you studied?
   
mài kè: yĭ jīng sān nián le, hái chà yī nián jiù bì yè le.
麦克： 已经三年了，还差一年就毕业了。 
Mike:  I’ve already studied for three years. I’ll graduate in a year.
   
lì li: bì yè yĭ hòu huí guó ma? 
丽丽： 毕业以后回国吗？ 
Lili:  Are you going back to your country after graduation?
   
mài kè: shì de, wŏ yào huí qù gōng zuò. 
麦克： 是的，我要回去工作。 
Mike:  Yes, I’ll return to my country and find a job.
   
lì li: huí guó zhăo gōng zuò kùn nán ma?
丽丽： 回国找工作困难吗？ 
Lili:  Is it difficult to find a job?
   
mài kè: bú tài kùn nán, yīn wéi wŏ de guó jiā dŏng hàn yŭ de rén bú tài duō.
麦克： 不太困难，因为我的国家懂汉语的人不太多。 
Mike:  Not very difficult, because there are not so many people in my country who know Chinese.
   
lì li: zhù nĭ hăo yùn.
丽丽： 祝你好运。 
Lili: Whish you good luck.
   
mài kè: xiè xiè.
麦克： 谢谢。 
Mike:  Thanks.


Background

朋友之间，特别是志向、兴趣、爱好相同的朋友之间，时常进行一种定期和定向的交谈，很有点研讨的意味。交谈的时间和内容，一般为事先约好，并有初步准备。交谈时，就学习或工作的某一方面进行深入的探讨，以交流思想，达成共识。

Sometimes among friends, especially among those who have the same aspirations and interests, a periodical talk is held and it’s somewhat an academic discussion. A periodical talk is usually prearranged and requires some preparations. People would talk about a certain aspect of work and study so as to exchange thoughts and share common ideas.


New Words

学习 xué xí: to study

专业 zhuān yè: major

汉语 hàn yŭ: Chinese

年 nián: year

差 chà: to be short of

毕业 bì yè: to graduate

困难 kùn nán: difficult

好运 hăo yùn: good luck

Chinese Idioms -- xiāzi mō xiàng

瞎子摸象 (xiāzi mō xiàng )

The blind men feel an elephant ─ To take a part for the whole

Long ago, a king of India raised a lot of elephants. One day, when he was riding an elephant to go sight-seeing, he saw some blind men resting on the roadside. He told them to come to him, and said: “Do you know what an elephant looks like?” The blind men shook their heads and replied: “No, we don’t, Your Majesty.” The king laughed, “You can feel it with your hands, and then tell me what shape you think it is.”

So the blind men gathered round the elephant, and began to feel it. After a while, they came back to report to the king.

One of them felt the elephant’s tusk and said, “The elephant is like a thick, long turnip.”

“No,” the one who touched the elephant’s ear said, “The elephant is like a dustpan.”

“You’re both wrong,” said the third man, who felt one of the elephant’s legs, “The elephant is just like a pillar!”

“You’re mistaken, too!” The fourth blind man felt the elephant’s foot. He said, “The elephant is like a stone mortar.”

“You’re not correct, either.” The fifth man confidently said that the elephant is like a bed, because he felt the elephant’s back.

“None of you got it right,” said the last one. Pulling on the elephant’s tail, he said, “Clearly, the elephant is just like a piece of rope!”

Hearing their reports, the king roared with laugher. They had all made a silly mistake because they took the part they felt as the whole elephant.

From that story comes the idiom 瞎子摸象(xiāzi mō xiàng). People use it to describe those who take a one-sided, simplistic approach to problems.

Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 14 Sports Activities

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lì li: sì diăn bàn le, dào yùn dòng chăng qù duàn liàn ba.
丽丽： 四点半了，到运动场去锻炼吧。 
Lili:  It is half past four. Let's go to do some exercises in the playground.
   
mài kè: hăo de. dă qiú hái shì păo bù?
麦克： 好的。打球还是跑步？ 
Mike:  All right. Play ball or go running? 
   
lì li: tī zú qiú ba.
丽丽： 踢足球吧。 
Lili:  Let's play football.
   
mài kè: hái shì qù liū bīng ba.
麦克： 还是去溜冰吧。 
Mike:  Let's go skating.
   
lì li: yĕ hăo. nĭ kàn, dào chù dōu yŏu rén zài duàn liàn.
丽丽： 也好。你看，到处都有人在锻炼。 
Lili:  All right. Look, there are people doing exercises everywhere.
   
mài kè: nà liăng wèi tóng xué de yŭ máo qiú dă de zhēn hăo.
麦克： 那两位同学的羽毛球打得真好。 
Mike:  Those two classmates are playing badminton very well.
   
lì li: nà biān zhèng zài jìn xíng pái qiú bĭ sài, zhè biān zài jìn xíng wăng qiú bĭ sài. 
丽丽： 那边正在进行排球比赛，这边在进行网球比赛。 
Lili:  A volleyball match is going on there, and a tennis match is going on here.
   
mài kè: zhè biān hái yŏu lán qiú bĭ sài, bĭ fēn shì shí bā bĭ èr shí. 
麦克： 这边还有篮球比赛，比分是18比20。 
Mike:  A basketball is match is going on here, and the score is 18:20.
   
lì li: wŏ men guò qù kàn kàn hăo ma?
丽丽： 我们过去看看好吗？ 
Lili:  Let's go and have a look.
   
mài kè:  hăo ba.
麦克： 好吧。 
Mike:  Okay.

Background

In recent years, some new sports, such as rock climbing, horse racing, bungee jumping, bowling, skateboard, woman's boxing, and golf are becoming popular among Chinese people, especially young urban people. There are also many roller-skating rinks in Beijing. A lot of people also play table tennis and tennis.    

New Words

tĭ yù 体育: sport

huó dòng 活动: activity

yùn dòng chăng 运动场: playground

duàn liàn 锻炼: to do exercises

dă qiú 打球: to play ball

păo bù 跑步: to run; running

liū bīng 溜冰: skating

dào chù 到处: everywhere

tóng xué 同学: classmate

yŭ máo qiú 羽毛球: badminton 

pái qiú 排球: volleyball

wăng qiú 网球: tennis

lán qiú 篮球: basketbal

jìn xíng 进行: to be in progress

bĭ sài 比赛: match

bĭ fēn 比分: score

Learn Chinese -- Dialogue -- Lesson 13 Riding a Bicycle

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mài kè: wǒ zū le liàng zì xíng chē.
麦克： 我租了辆自行车。 
Mike:  I've rented a bicycle. 
   
xiăo wáng: shì ma? zhè xiàr nĭ fāng biàn duō le.
小王： 是吗？这下儿你方便多了。 
Xiao Wang: Really? So now you can go wherever you want to. 
   
mài kè: zài běi jīng qí chē yīng gāi zhù yì shén me?
麦克： 在北京骑车应该注意什么？ 
Mike:  What should I be careful of riding in Beijing? 
   
xiăo wáng: zǒu zì xíng chē zhuān yòng dào, zhù yì hóng lǜ dēng hé xíng rén.
小王： 走自行车专用道，注意红绿灯和行人。 
Xiao Wang:  Keep on going in the special lane for bicycle, and take care of the traffic lights and pedestrians.
   
mài kè: wǒ xiăng qí chē qù yí hé yuán.
麦克： 我想骑车去颐和园。 
Mike:  I'd like to go to the Summer Palace by bicycle.
   
xiăo wáng: hăo a, bú guò shí jiān cháng diănr.
小王： 好啊，不过时间长点儿。 
Xiao Wang:  Good. But it will take you a bit long time.
   
mài kè: cóng chéng lĭ qí dào yí hé yuán děi yòng duō cháng shí jiān? 
麦克： 从城里骑到颐和园得用多长时间？ 
Mike:  How long does it take from the urban area to the Summer Palace?
   
xiăo wáng: dà yuē yī gè bàn xiăo shí. 
小王： 大约一个半小时。 
Xiao Wang:  About one and half hours.

 

Background

 

中国是自行车王国。自行车已成为中国人最流行的代步工具。到北京旅游的外国人，可以到专门出租自行车的地方租用自行车。在华长期工作的外国人，有不少还购买了自行车。 

Thousands upon thousands of bicycles in the whole country make China a "Kingdom of Bicycles". Bicycles have become the most popular conveyance for Chinese people. Foreigners traveling in Beijing may go to some places where hired bikes are especially provided. Many of those who work in China in long period have also bought bicycles. 

New Words

qí 骑：ride 

zì xíng chē 自行车：bicycle 

zū 租：rent 

xiăo shí 小时：hour 

zhù yì 注意：be care of 

zhuān yòng dào 专用道：special lane 

hóng lǜ dēng 红绿灯：traffic
　　　　　　lights 

xíng rén 行人：pedestrian 

yí hé yuán 颐和园：Summer Palace 

dà yuē 大约：about