Fluentide · Chinese Listening — HSK 1

Top Chefs Cook Fine Food and Reach for Taco Bell After Work

Top Chefs Cook Fine Food and Reach for Taco Bell After Work

HSK 1 level · 1:11

• 菜 (cài) — dish; vegetable
• 做 (zuò) — to make; to do
• 吃 (chī) — to eat
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — work; job
• 钱 (qián) — money
• 东西 (dōngxi) — thing; stuff
• 贵 (guì) — expensive
• 美元 (měiyuán) — US dollar

• 是 + Noun — Use 是 to identify what someone is or describe their job. The noun phrase can include 的 to describe the person or work.
• 要 + number + 钱 — cost / need to pay — 要 (yào) here means 'requires' or 'costs'. It is used with money amounts: 要九十九美元 (costs ninety-nine dollars) and 要给很多钱 (need to give a lot of money).
• 有……也有…… — there is ... and also ... — Used to list two things that both exist. 有 introduces the first item, and 也有 adds the second: '有热的东西，也有冷的东西'.

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Must You Walk 10,000 Steps? Research Finds Benefits Around 7,000

Must You Walk 10,000 Steps? Research Finds Benefits Around 7,000

HSK 1 level · 3:04

• 走 (zǒu) — to walk; to go
• 看 (kàn) — to look at; to watch; to read
• 好 (hǎo) — good; well; healthy
• 说 (shuō) — to say; to speak
• 可以 (kěyǐ) — can; may
• 知道 (zhīdào) — to know
• 出租车 (chūzūchē) — taxi
• 计步器 (jìbùqì) — pedometer; step counter

• 多少 + Noun — 多少 means how many/how much and comes before a noun to ask about quantity.
• 是……的 — The 是……的 pattern highlights or asks about the source or doer of an action, often in the past.
• 有的人……，有的人…… — This pattern contrasts different groups of people: some do one thing, some do another.

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A Hubei Man Copies Tomb-Robbing Novels and Gets Twelve Years in Prison

A Hubei Man Copies Tomb-Robbing Novels and Gets Twelve Years in Prison

HSK 1 level · 1:42

• 看 (kàn) — to look at; to read; to watch
• 东西 (dōngxi) — thing; things
• 去 (qù) — to go
• 人 (rén) — person; people
• 书 (shū) — book
• 年 (nián) — year
• 小说 (xiǎoshuō) — novel; fiction
• 古墓 (gǔmù) — ancient tomb

• 了 for completed action — 了 after a verb shows that an action is completed or a change has happened.
• 是……的 structure for identification — 是……的 is used to identify or explain something, often giving a definition or category.
• 要 + verb — 要 before a verb expresses intention, need, or a future action.

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A Runner Trains on a Gym Treadmill and Wins His First Marathon

A Runner Trains on a Gym Treadmill and Wins His First Marathon

HSK 1 level · 1:33

• 跑 (pǎo) — to run
• 冷 (lěng) — cold
• 快 (kuài) — fast; quick
• 可以 (kěyǐ) — can; may
• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like
• 哪 (nǎ) — where; which
• 健身房 (jiànshēnfáng) — gym; fitness center
• 跑步机 (pǎobùjī) — treadmill

• 有 + Person + 叫 + Name — Used to introduce someone's name: 'There is a person called...'
• Subject + 在 + Place + Verb — Expresses where an action takes place: 'He runs at the gym.'
• Verb + 得 + Adverb — Describes how an action is performed: 'He runs very fast.'

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A Senator Pays a Bakery Bill After Six Years and a Viral Post

A Senator Pays a Bakery Bill After Six Years and a Viral Post

HSK 1 level · 2:32

• 钱 (qián) — money
• 说 (shuō) — to say; to speak
• 写 (xiě) — to write
• 买 (mǎi) — to buy
• 看 (kàn) — to look; to read; to watch
• 认识 (rènshi) — to know; to recognize
• 对不起 (duìbuqǐ) — sorry; I'm sorry
• 欠钱 (qiàn qián) — to owe money

• 有 + Object — Expresses existence: there is/are. Used to introduce people or things.
• 是 + Noun — Simple equational sentence pattern: A is B. Used to identify or define something.
• 可是 + Clause — Expresses contrast: but; however. Used to show a difference from what was expected.

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Hospital Booking Bots Lead to Convictions

Hospital Booking Bots Lead to Convictions

HSK 1 level · 1:44

• 号 (hào) — number; appointment number
• 医生 (yīshēng) — doctor
• 电脑 (diànnǎo) — computer
• 医院 (yīyuàn) — hospital
• 朋友 (péngyou) — friend; girlfriend
• 可以 (kěyǐ) — can; may
• 软件 (ruǎnjiàn) — software
• 挂号 (guàhào) — to register for a hospital appointment

• 会 + Verb — 会 before a verb shows ability or skill, meaning 'can' or 'know how to'.
• 有 + Object + 了 — 有了 + object + 了 shows that something has been obtained or has appeared, marking a change of state.
• 是 + Noun + 的 + 地方 — A 是 B 的地方 defines A as a place for B. It is used to explain what a place is.

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Walmart Robots Struggle With Everyday Goods

Walmart Robots Struggle With Everyday Goods

HSK 1 level · 3:33

• 东西 (dōngxi) — thing; things; stuff
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — work; job; to work
• 可以 (kěyǐ) — can; may
• 商店 (shāngdiàn) — store; shop
• 电脑 (diànnǎo) — computer
• 认识 (rènshi) — to know; to recognize
• 仓库 (cāngkù) — warehouse
• 机器人 (jīqìrén) — robot

• 要 + Verb + 来 + Verb — Expresses necessity: something must be done in order to achieve a goal. 要 means 'need to', and 来 connects the means to the purpose.
• 是 + Noun + 的 + Noun — A simple definition pattern: 'A is a B that...' Used to explain what something is.
• Noun + 里，有 + Noun — Expresses existence: 'In [place], there is/are [thing].' 里 means 'inside'.

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Former NFL Player Proves a Maths Conjecture

Former NFL Player Proves a Maths Conjecture

HSK 1 level · 3:33

• 学习 (xuéxí) — to study; to learn
• 学校 (xuéxiào) — school
• 老师 (lǎoshī) — teacher
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — to work; work; job
• 学生 (xuésheng) — student
• 知道 (zhīdào) — to know
• 时候 (shíhou) — time; moment
• 喜欢 (xǐhuan) — to like

• 了 (completed action) — 了 after a verb shows an action is completed or a change of state.
• 以前 / 后来 (time sequence) — 以前 means before, 后来 means later; they order events in a story.
• 也 (also) — 也 links two similar facts: A is true, and B is also true.

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Coffee Shops Turn Tote Bags Into Branding

Coffee Shops Turn Tote Bags Into Branding

HSK 1 level · 1:37

• 商店 (shāngdiàn) — store; shop
• 买 (mǎi) — to buy
• 想 (xiǎng) — to want; to think
• 小 (xiǎo) — small; little
• 多 (duō) — many; much
• 名字 (míngzi) — name
• 东西 (dōngxi) — thing; stuff
• 看见 (kànjiàn) — to see; to catch sight of

• 是……的 — Used to identify or explain something. Here it links a noun to its category or definition.
• 因为…… — Introduces a reason or cause. It answers 'why' for the previous statement.
• 让 + person + verb — The causative pattern 让 means 'to let/make someone do something' or 'to cause someone to see/know'.

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Fast Plane Wi-Fi Brings Noisy Work Calls

Fast Plane Wi-Fi Brings Noisy Work Calls

HSK 1 level · 3:13

• 飞机 (fēijī) — airplane
• 睡觉 (shuìjiào) — to sleep
• 工作 (gōngzuò) — work; job
• 电话 (diànhuà) — telephone; phone call
• 可以 (kěyǐ) — can; may
• 听 (tīng) — to listen; to hear
• 网络 (wǎngluò) — internet; network
• 开会 (kāihuì) — to have a meeting

• 有 + Person + 想 + Verb — Expresses that someone wants to do something. 有 here introduces an indefinite person or people.
• 可是 + Clause — Used to contrast two clauses, meaning 'but' or 'however'.
• 可以 + Verb — Expresses permission or possibility, meaning 'can' or 'may'.

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