Practice your Mandarin with a chilling Chinese ghost story 空无一人的巷子! Learn spooky new words like 纸钱 (zhǐqián) “ghost money,” 低语 (dīyǔ) “whisper,” and 门缝 (ménfèng) “crack of a door” as you follow 小王 (Xiǎo Wáng) through a deserted alley late at night.
🎧 Listen for comprehension, build vocabulary, and test yourself with our mini-quiz at the end! Perfect for intermediate learners who love stories, culture, and a little bit of creepiness in their study routine.

Story:

深夜，小王下班回家，经过一条空无一人的小巷。
Shēnyè, Xiǎo Wáng xiàbān huí jiā, jīngguò yì tiáo kōng wú yī rénde xiǎoxiàng.
Late at night, Xiao Wang washeading home from work, passing through a deserted alley.

风吹过，纸钱飘舞。
Fēng chuī guò, zhǐqián piāowǔ.
The wind blew, andghost money fluttered in the air.

他忽然听见身后有人轻声喊他的名字。
Tā hūrán tīngjiàn shēnhòu yǒu rén qīngshēng hǎn tā demíngzi.
Suddenly, he heard someone softly callinghis name from behind.

回头，却什么也没有。
Huítóu, què shénme yě méiyǒu.
He turned around, butnothing was there.

加快脚步时，耳边又传来低语：“别走那么快……”
Jiākuài jiǎobù shí, ěrbiān yòu chuánlái dīyǔ: “Bié zǒu nàmekuài……”
As he quickened his pace, a whisperbrushed past his ear: “Don’t walk so fast…”

小王吓得跑回家，猛地关上门，透过门缝，却看到一双苍白的手，缓缓拍着门板。
Xiǎo Wáng xià de pǎo huí jiā, měng de guān shàng mén, tòuguò ménfèng, què kàndào yì shuāng cāngbái de shǒu, huǎnhuǎn pāizhe ménbǎn.
Terrified, Xiao Wang ran home andslammed the door shut. Through the crack, he saw a pair of pale hands slowly tapping on the door.

Mini-Quiz:

1. 故事发生在什么时候？
(When does the story take place?)

2. 小王在什么地方听见有人叫他？
(Where was Xiao Wang when he heard someone call his name?)

3. 小王回到家后，从门缝里看到了什么？
(What did Xiao Wang see through the crack of the door?)