Chinese Short Dialogue | 听中文会话 | 中国語リスニング

A man went to a government office to use the restroom but was scolded by a staff member. The staff member was later required to apologize.

厕所为什么吵架？ - Why Did an Argument Break Out Over a Restroom? [HSK 4]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

小宝: Big brother, I saw a news story. Someone went to use the restroom and got scolded!
小刚: Yeah. An uncle went to a government office looking for a restroom, but the staff at the entrance spoke very rudely.
小宝: Why? Isn’t using the restroom normal?
小刚: Exactly, and there was even a sign saying “Restroom open to the public.” So the man felt very wronged.
小宝: What happened afterward?
小刚: Later, the government investigated and said the incident was basically true, and required the staff member to publicly apologize.
小宝: Oh, I see. We should speak politely to others.
小刚: That’s right. No matter where we are, we should respect others.

“Guzi shops” sell anime merchandise, but unclear labeling, borderline content, and purchases by minors have raised concerns.

什么是“谷子店”？ - What Is a “Guzi Shop”? [HSK 4]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

优子: Teacher Liu, I saw a new term in the news yesterday called “Guzi shop.” What does it mean?
刘娜: A “Guzi shop” is actually a store that sells anime merchandise, such as badges, keychains, plush toys, and character standees.
优子: Oh, I see. So they are things related to anime and game characters, right?
刘娜: Exactly. Many young people like them and buy merchandise of their favorite characters.
优子: Then why does the news say there are problems?
刘娜: Because some products don’t have Chinese labels, and it’s unclear whether they are authentic. Also, some content may not be suitable for children.
优子: Can minors buy them too?
刘娜: Right now, many shops don’t have age restrictions, so students can easily purchase them.
优子: I understand. It seems that liking anime is not a problem, but the shops should be more standardized.

A girl born after 2000 returned from studying abroad and chose to work as a professional grave sweeper, earning about 4,000 yuan a month while sincerely conveying families’ remembrance for the deceased.

留学生回国当扫墓人 - An Overseas Student Returns Home to Work as a Grave Sweeper [HSK 5]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

小潘: Teacher Liu, I saw a very unusual piece of news online—a Chinese girl who studied in the UK returned home and works at a cemetery helping people clean graves. Is that true?
刘娜: Yes, it’s true! Her name is Xiao Bai, and she’s from the post-2000 generation. With Qingming Festival approaching, she visits about ten graves a day and bows hundreds of times.
小潘: Bowing hundreds of times… that sounds exhausting. How much does she earn per month? I heard jobs like this pay a lot.
刘娜: Actually, it’s not as much as people think—around 4,000 yuan a month. But she says money isn’t the most important thing. She treats every deceased person as if they were her own family.
小潘: We also have ancestor worship traditions in Vietnam, so I can understand the meaning of this work. But she lives alone in the mountains—doesn’t she feel scared?
刘娜: She says she’s not scared at all. She believes in this idea: the ones you fear might be someone others miss day and night but can never see again.
小潘: That’s a very powerful statement. In China, Qingming Festival is very important for families, right?
刘娜: Yes, Qingming is an important traditional Chinese festival. People return to their hometowns to sweep graves and honor their ancestors. But some people are abroad or too busy, so they ask someone like Xiao Bai to do it for them. Xiao Bai says, ‘Every act of remembrance deserves to be treated with care.’
小潘: I think her work is very meaningful. Languages and cultures may differ, but missing one’s family is the same everywhere.
刘娜: Well said, Xiaopan! What you said reminds me of an ancient poem: ‘A stranger alone in a foreign land, I miss my family even more during festivals.’ This is a shared human emotion.

A discussion on the conflict between the aesthetic of costume romance dramas and historical realism, as well as the logic behind such creative choices.

粉底液将军冤吗？ - Is the “Foundation General” Unfairly Criticized? [HSK 5]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

刘娜: Have you watched “Zhu Yu” recently? The male lead nicknamed the “Foundation General” has sparked a lot of discussion.
陈花: Yes, I have. At first I thought it looked pretty good, but later I also felt something was a bit off. How could a general on the battlefield be so refined?
刘娜: Right, this actually reflects the difference between costume romance dramas and historical dramas. Costume romance is more like a romantic fantasy and doesn’t fully pursue realism.
陈花: But the audience’s criticism makes sense too, right? After all, generals in Chinese history, like Xiang Yu and Yue Fei, all have a strong and powerful image.
刘娜: Exactly. Ancient poetry also often describes scenes like “iron horses and icy rivers” or “troops assembling on the autumn battlefield,” emphasizing the harshness of war rather than beauty.
陈花: But many viewers nowadays just want to see characters who are ‘beautiful, strong, and tragic’—handsome yet pitiful, which easily evokes sympathy.
刘娜: This is a kind of formulaic creation. As long as characters meet audience expectations, it’s easy to succeed, but the content may become hollow.
陈花: Hearing you say that, I think the “Foundation General” is both unfairly criticized and not. Unfair because of genre limitations, but not unfair because the creation does feel a bit lazy.

小美 and 小宝 see many beautiful natural sights in the park.

公园里的美景 - Beautiful Scenery in the Park [HSK 2]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
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Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

小宝: 小美, look! The sky is very blue today.
小美: Yes, the sky looks great. Look at the mountains over there.
小宝: The mountains are very tall! There are many trees on them.
小美: These trees are very green. There are also flowers under the trees.
小宝: The flowers are very beautiful! Some are red, and some are yellow.
小美: Look, there is water over there.
小宝: The water is very clear. I can see little fish!
小美: The little fish are swimming in the water. They look very happy.
小宝: I like the sky, mountains, trees, flowers, and water here.
小美: I like it too! Let’s play here.
小宝: Okay! We can look at the flowers and also watch the fish in the water.
小美: The park is really beautiful! Let’s come here often!

People feel that strawberries today are less fragrant than before, possibly due to both changes in varieties and the influence of memory.

草莓味真的变了吗？ - Has the Taste of Strawberries Really Changed? [HSK 4]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

陈花: Honey, have you noticed that strawberries nowadays are getting bigger and redder, but they don’t seem as fragrant as when we were kids?
黄刚: I feel the same way. But I read an article a couple of days ago saying it might not just be about the strawberries—it could also be related to our memory.
陈花: Memory? Does that mean strawberries in the past weren’t actually that tasty either?
黄刚: That’s possible. Older strawberry varieties were indeed more fragrant, but they were smaller and harder to transport. Nowadays, many new varieties focus on size and appearance, so the flavor is sometimes ‘diluted.’
陈花: I see. No wonder strawberries today look like the ones in ads, but taste kind of ordinary.
黄刚: Another reason is that we ourselves have changed. When we were kids, strawberries were rare, so they tasted especially sweet and fragrant. Now there are so many fruits, and our taste standards have been ‘raised.’
陈花: Hearing you say that, I suddenly feel that what we miss might not just be the taste of strawberries, but the feeling of childhood.
黄刚: Yeah. But the good news is that scientists are now developing new varieties that are both good-looking and tasty. Maybe we’ll find a new ‘strawberry surprise’ in the future.

Two brands named “MUJI” have appeared in the Chinese market, causing many consumers to buy the wrong one.

两个“无印良品”？ - Two “MUJI” Brands? [HSK 4]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

优子: Teacher Liu, I bought something online yesterday. I thought it was MUJI, but when I received the package, it didn’t seem to be that brand.
刘娜: Did you buy “MUJI Natural Mill”? There are now two brands with very similar names in China, so many people get confused.
优子: Really? The shop’s colors and style looked very similar—white and simple designs. I didn’t notice at all.
刘娜: Yes, that’s the issue. One is the Japanese MUJI brand, and the other is a trademark registered by a Chinese company, so it can use the name “MUJI” on some products.
优子: No wonder so many people online say they bought the wrong one. I thought it was the same store, just with a slightly different name.
刘娜: So when shopping, you should check the brand name carefully, for example whether it has the English word “MUJI.” That way you won’t get confused.
优子: I see. When shopping in China, you really need to check brand names carefully, or it’s easy to buy the wrong thing.

Xiaopan asks the teacher for advice on applying for a cultural exchange internship with the Culture and Tourism Bureau targeting Vietnam.

文旅局实习怎么申请？ - How to Apply for an Internship at the Culture and Tourism Bureau? [HSK 3]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

小潘: Teacher Liu Na, the school recommended an internship at the Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau, doing cultural promotion for Vietnam. I really want to apply, but I don’t know how to prepare.
刘娜: This opportunity suits you very well. You study history and understand Vietnamese culture, which is a big advantage. What materials does the school require?
小潘: I need to write a self-introduction and explain why I want to participate. I’m worried my Chinese writing isn’t good enough.
刘娜: Don’t worry, we can revise it together. First, use simple words to explain why you want to go.
小潘: I really like Chinese history and culture, and I want more young Vietnamese people to learn about Chinese festivals and ancient city culture, so I want to join this internship.
刘娜: That’s very well said. You can include this idea. It will make them feel you are sincere and have your own goals.
小潘: Thank you, teacher! Then I’ll write a draft today and ask you to check it after I finish.
刘娜: Of course. Take your time and make it clear. I think you have a good chance.

Qingming Festival is both a time for tomb-sweeping and remembrance, and a time for spring outings and welcoming spring, so whether to say “Happy Holiday” depends on the occasion.

清明节能说快乐吗 - Can You Say “Happy Qingming Festival”? [HSK 5]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

刘娜: Yuko, yesterday in class a student asked me, "Can we actually say 'Happy Qingming Festival'?" When I heard that, I thought it was a very interesting question.
优子: I’ve been wanting to ask that too! Because when I watch Chinese dramas, some people look very solemn when they go tomb-sweeping, but on social media some people write "Peace and health on Qingming," and others even say "Happy Qingming Festival."
刘娜: Actually, Qingming Festival is very special. It is half a festival and half a solar term. In ancient times, people did not just sweep tombs; whole families would also go on spring outings and fly kites, because they did not want to miss the best time of spring.
优子: So it is not only about sadness. I used to think Qingming Festival was just about going to cemeteries, and that the atmosphere had to be very heavy. I did not expect it to have such a springlike side too.
刘娜: That’s right. So experts say that when sweeping tombs and honoring ancestors, of course you should be more solemn; but when going on outings and enjoying spring, saying "Happy Qingming Festival" is not necessarily wrong either. It depends on the occasion, and you cannot apply one rule to everything.
优子: That reminds me of a saying: when you speak, you should consider the time and the place. If someone smiled and loudly offered cheerful greetings in front of a grave, that probably would not be very appropriate.
刘娜: You understand it very well. Qingming Festival places remembrance and new life together. On the one hand, it reminds people where they come from; on the other hand, it reminds them that spring has arrived. This feeling is very much like what Chinese people often call "慎终追远".
优子: No wonder this festival is so special. It is not simply about being happy, nor is it only about sadness. It lets people remember the past while living the present seriously. I think that is exactly what is most worth learning from Qingming Festival.

Centered on the spring break system in universities, this dialogue discusses the balance between study and life as well as its educational significance.

春假引发的教育思考 - Educational Reflections Sparked by Spring Break [HSK 5]Download the app here:

• Chinese Short Dialogue | App Store
• Chinese Short Dialogue | Google Play

Available in 8 languages on the app:

Chinese Listening | 중국어 리스닝 | 中国語リスニング | Аудирование по китайскому языку | Nghe tiếng Trung | Mendengarkan bahasa Mandarin | Escucha en chino | การฟังภาษาจีน | Chinesisches Hören | Écoute du chinois | Ascolto cinese | Audição em chinês | चीनी सुनना | الاستماع إلى اللغة الصينية

《English Translation》

陈花: I just saw a news story saying that a university in Sichuan is giving six days of spring break and even encouraging students to go flower-viewing and fall in love. I laughed, but at the same time I wondered, is that really a good idea?
黄刚: I saw that too. This arrangement is actually quite interesting. It is not simply giving time off, but combining the Qingming Festival with the weekend so students can have a concentrated break. You could say it is adapted to local conditions.
陈花: But saying "go fall in love" sounds a bit bold. As a teacher, I would worry that students might get distracted. After all, studying should still come first.
黄刚: That is true, but the ancients also said, "Read ten thousand books and travel ten thousand miles." Staying in the classroom all the time may not be the best form of education. Experiencing life appropriately is also a kind of growth.
陈花: Hmm, now that you put it that way, I think that makes sense too. The news mentioned practical assignments as well, such as writing travel journals and making videos. That is actually helping develop well-rounded abilities.
黄刚: Right, and nowadays society places a lot of value on emotional intelligence and practical ability. Schools combining life education and emotional education can also be seen as keeping up with the times.
陈花: Still, the key is to keep it within proper limits. If students only focus on having fun, then the priorities are reversed. Education cannot pursue lively form over substance.
黄刚: Exactly. Excess is as bad as deficiency. Spring break itself is a good thing, but how to guide students so they truly gain something from it is the question schools most need to think about.