Learning Chinese through Stories

The Mid-Autumn's Day (Zhongqiu jie) is around the corner. As a traditional food for the festival, Chinese mooncakes are notorious for being overpackaging as well as for their skyrocketing prices. This year, a mooncake king produced in Chongqing is priced at 8888 Yuan, which equals 1333 USD. Check out this news story and find out more about this mooncake. And find the transcript and glossary at www.learningchinesethroughstories.com 装满海鲜馅 重庆直径一米"月饼王"标价8888元 2016年9月6日下午2点，重庆市陈家坪第10届（重庆）月饼节在陈家坪展览 中心 开幕，来自广州、上海、四川、云南等 十余个省市、400多个品牌的月饼参加了本次月饼节。在这次月饼节上，200公斤"月饼王"与市民见面。据负责人介绍，这个"月饼王"里面的馅都是包的海鲜。月饼王重200公斤，厚30厘米，直径1.2米，耗用 面粉80公斤，由6个师傅 日夜赶工2天完成。 ——摘自http://news.qq.com/a/20160907/015856.htm#p=1

This is a fable story about a little monkey's adventure of going downhill. During the monkey's trip down the hill, he saw many things that interested him. He could have brought everything home, but he did not. Find out more about the story in this episode. The transcript of our stories can be found at www.learningchinesethroughstories.com. They are free for you to download. Enjoy learning with 听故事学中文！ 有一天，小猴子下山来，走到一块 玉米地里。他看见玉米结得 又大又多，非常高兴，就掰了一个，扛着往前走。 小猴子扛着玉米，走到一棵 桃树 底下。他看见满树的桃子又大又红，非常高兴，就扔了玉米，去摘桃子。 小猴子捧着几个桃子，走到一片 瓜地里。他看见满地的西瓜又大又圆，非常高兴，就扔了桃子，去摘西瓜。 小猴子抱着一个大西瓜往回走。走着走着，他看见一只小兔子蹦蹦跳跳的，真 可爱，就扔了西瓜，去追小兔子。 小兔子跑进 树林里，不见了。小猴子只好 空着手回家去。 ——摘自人教版小学一年级语文课本

下山 xiàshān Verb phrase, to go downhill 上山，to go uphill 块 kuài Measure word for "farming field", a square unit of a farming field 一块巧克力,a piece of chocolate 玉米 yùmǐ Noun, corn 地 dì Noun, farming field 玉米地，corn field 结 jiē Verb, (fruit, flower) grow(s) 玉米结得又大又好。The corn is big and good. 又……又…… yòu……yòu…… ...(adj) and …(adj) 又大又红,big and red 掰 bāi Verb, to break in the middle with one's hands 掰玉米，to pick up corns(break off corn cobs) 扛 káng Verb, to carry on one's shoulder 扛着枪， to carry the gun on the shoulder 着 zhe Particle word, verb+ 着， it means some action is taking place at that moment 吃着饭，while someone is eating meal 扛着枪， while someone is carrying the gun 棵 kē Measure word for tree(s) 桃树 táo shù Noun, peach tree 底下 dǐxia Noun, the place that is underneath; the place that is under… 桃树底下有很多桃子。 Under the peach tree, there are a lot of peaches. （桌子）底下有一本书。 There is a book under the table. 满树 mǎn shù Noun phrase, the whole tree 满天，the whole sky 满眼，the whole vision 扔 rēng Verb, to throw 摘 zhāi Verb, to pick up (fruit, flower) 摘草莓，to pick strawberries 捧 pěng Verb, to hold or carry with both hands 捧腹大笑，to laugh one's head off 片 piàn Measure word for "farming field", an area of a farming filed 瓜 guā Noun, melon 西瓜，water melon 哈密瓜，honey kiss melon 抱 bào Verb, to hold with one's upper body and both hands; to hug 蹦蹦跳跳 bèng bèng tiào tiào Verb phrase, bouncing and vivacious 真 zhēn Adv, really. 真+adv 可爱 kě'ài Adj, cute 追 zhuī Verb, to chase 跑（进） pǎo (jìn) Verb, to run (into) 树林 shùlín Noun, forest 不见了! bú jiàn le Gone! (Cannot be seen!) 只好 zhǐhǎo One has not choice but… 小猴子只好回家。The little monkey has no choice but to go home. 空 kōng Verb, to empty; adj, empty 空手， empty hands New words and grammatical structures in the story are being taught in this episode. A lot of repetitions are used so that our learners can get master this story in no time! Enjoy the lesson and please find the new word list on our website: www.learningchinesethroughstories.com

乌鸦 wūyā Noun, crow 口渴 kǒu kě Adj, (mouth is) thirsty or 渴 到处 dàochù Adv, everywhere 瓶子 píngzi Noun, bottle 可是 kěshì Conjunction word, but; however. Or 但是，然而 瓶口 píng kǒu Noun, the mouth of a bottle 着 zháo Particle word, an action to be complete. Verb + (不 )+着。 喝(得)着,can get to drink… 喝不着，cannot get to drink… 怎么办 zěnme bàn What should (I/he/she/they) do now? 呢 ne Question particle word, at the end of this sentence softens it and makes it more polite. 你喝水呢还是喝可乐呢？Would you like to drink water or coca? 旁边 pángbiān Noun, (someone or some object's )side 她在我的旁边。She is next to me. 小石子 xiǎo shízǐ Noun, pebble(s) Or 小石子儿 办法 bànfǎ Noun, solution 放（进） fàng (jìn) Verb, to put… ( inside…) 把小石子放进瓶子里。Put pebbles inside the bottle. 渐渐 jiànjiàn Adv, gradually; little by little 升高 shēng gāo Verb, to go up 降低(jiàngdī)is the anonym New words and grammatical structures in the story are being taught in this episode. A lot of repetitions are used so that our learners can get master this story in no time! Please find the new word list on our website: www.learningchinesethroughstories.com

This is a classic fable story about a thirsty crow trying to figure out how to get a drink from a water bottle that only has a little bit water inside. 一只乌鸦 口渴了，到处找水喝。乌鸦看见一个瓶子，瓶子里有水。可是，瓶子里水不多，瓶口又小，乌鸦喝不着水。怎么办呢？ 乌鸦看见旁边有许多小石子，想出办法来了。 乌鸦把小石子一个一个地放进瓶子里。瓶子里的水渐渐升高，乌鸦就喝着水了。 ——摘自小学一年级语文课本

从前 cóngqián Noun, long time ago 挂着 guàzhe Verb phrase, (something) is hanging on (somewhere) 门上挂着一个铃铛。 墙上挂着一幅画。 铃铛 língdāng Noun, bell 偷 tōu Verb, to steal 小偷，thief 明明 míngmíng Adv, (someone knows something)clearly 她明明知道吃巧克力会发胖，晚上还吃了两包巧克力。 碰 pèng Verb, to touch (usually without permission) 别碰我！Don't touch me! 丁零丁零 dīngling dīngling Onomatopoeia, the sound of a bell 铃铛"丁零丁零"地响。 响 xiǎng Verb, (alarm, instrument) make a certain sound 被 bèi Passive word, Object + 被 + subject + verb/verb phrase. 铃铛被人偷了。The bell is stole by someone. 发觉 fājué Verb, to come to know; to be aware that… 掩 yǎn Verb, to cover 伸 shēn Verb, to stick out 捂 wǔ Verb, to cover 比喻 bǐyù Verb, to analogize; Noun, analogy 这个成语比喻做事要实事求是。This idiom analogizes that one should seek the truth from facts. 欺骗 qīpiàn Verb, to lie to; to cheat or 骗 却 què Conjunction word, but; however or 可是，但是 了 liǎo Particle word, action is complete 去得了，can go(the action of going can be complete) 去不了, cannot go(the action of going cannot be complete) 自欺欺人 zìqīqīrén Chengyu, deceive oneself and [as well as] others New words and grammatical structures in the story are being taught in this episode. A lot of repetitions are used so that our learners can get master this story in no time! Please find the new word list on our website: www.learningchinesethroughstories.com

This Chengyu (Chinese idiom) story is about a thief who was stealing a bell with a hand covering his ear. He thought if he covered his ear, then the bell owner would not hear the bell ring either. This Chengyu is used to describe someone who is being dishonest with himself/herself. 从前，有一个人，看见人家大门上挂着一个铃铛，想把它偷走。他明明知道，那个铃铛只要用手一碰，就会丁零丁零地响起来，就会被人发觉。可是他想：响声要耳朵才能听见，如果把耳朵掩起来，不是就听不见了吗？他掩住了自己的 耳朵，伸手去偷那个铃铛。谁知手刚碰到铃铛，就被人发觉了。 掩耳盗铃：捂住耳朵去偷铃。比喻自己欺骗自己，却骗不了别人。做人、做事都不能自欺欺人。

古时候 gǔ shíhòu Noun phrase, ancient times 古代的时候 朝代 cháodài, noun,dynasty 矛 máo Noun, spear 长矛, long spear 盾 dùn Noun, shield the same with 盾牌(pái) 街上 jiē shàng On the street 街上，有人卖水果，有人卖衣服。 叫卖 jiàomài Verb, to announce publicly as for sale 举 jǔ Verb, to hold up 举手，have one's hand up 举起…来， to raise…up 夸口 kuākǒu Verb, to brag; to boast or夸下海口 锐利 ruìlì Adj, sharp (this word is used to describe sharp weapons, such as spear, knife and etc.) 不论什么……都…… búlùn shénme……dōu…… Conjunction, all of …(noun) apply to ...(verb/adj phrase) 不论什么巧克力我都吃过。I have tasted all sorts of chocolates. 戳穿 chuōchuān Verb phrase, to pierce through 戳得穿, can be pierced through 戳不穿，cannot be pierced through 坚固 jiāngù Adj, sturdy 哑口无言 yǎ kǒu wú yán Chengyu, speechless 比喻 bǐyù Verb, to analogize; Noun, analogy 这个成语比喻做事要实事求是。This idiom analogizes that one should seek the truth from facts. 前后不符 qiánhòu bùfú Verb phrase, the latter statement does not correspond with the former statement 你说的这些前后不符。What you said has not been consistent. 互相 hùxiāng Adv, Multually or 相互 抵触 dǐchù Verb, to be in conflict 实事求是 shíshìqiúshì Chengyu, be honest about what one's doing/working on; seek the truth from facts 夸大其词 kuādàqící Chengyu, to extravagate what one is talking about boast; to brag 否则 fǒuzé Conjunction, or else… New words and grammatical structures in the story are being taught in this episode. A lot of repetitions are used so that our learners can get master this story in no time!

This is an Chengyu (Chinese idiom) story about an ancient street vendor who was being inconsistent while advertising for his spear and shield. Spear and shield were thus used to describe contradictions since then. 古时候，有一个人，一手拿着矛， 一手拿着盾，在街上叫卖。他举起矛，向人夸口说："我的矛 锐利得很，不论什么盾都戳得穿！"接着又举起盾，向人夸口说："我的盾坚 固得很，不论什么矛都戳不穿它！" 有人问他："用你的矛戳你的 盾，会怎么样呢？"他哑口无言， 回答不出来了。自相矛盾：用自己的矛戳自己的盾。 比喻说话、做事前后不符，互相抵触。说话、做事要实事求是， 不能夸大其词，否则只会自相矛盾。

上海 Shànghǎi Chinese metropolitan city, Shanghai 70后 70 hòu Noun phrase, people who were born during 1970-1979 80后，90后，00后，10后 城管 chéngguǎn Noun, Chinese urban management officer 次 cì Noun, time(s) 一次，once 两次， twice 三次， three times 无偿 wúcháng Adv, voluntarily 献血 xiànxiě Verb phrase, to donate blood 救 jiù Verb, to save one's life "救命(mìng)！"means "Help!" 眭 Suī Noun, surname (uncommonly seen) 区 qū Noun, district 土生土长 tǔshēngtǔzhǎng Adj, to be born and grow up in the local community 个头 gètóu Noun, a person's height synonym or 个子 黝黑 yǒuhēi Adj, tanned skin color (usually caused by outdoor physical work) 话语 huàyǔ Noun, utterance 话语不多， quiet 留着 liúzhe Verb phrase, 留着 +name of hair style 留着长发/短发/平头 小平头 xiǎo píngtóu Noun phrase, flat(hair style) or平头 坚持 jiānchí Verb, to persist; to keep doing without quitting 再坚持一下! Be persistent, you will finish it soon. 来 lái Particle word, a period of time word+来 : in the past a period of time 10年来，in the past ten years 捐献 juānxiàn Verb, to donate 这个公司给学校捐献了10万元钱。This company donated 100,000 dollars to the school. 全血 quánxiě Noun, whole blood 累计 lěijì Verb, to add up 毫升 Háoshēng Noun, milliliter 升，liter 血小板 xuèxiǎobǎn Noun,Blood platelet 人份 rénfèn Noun, serving 5人份，servings for 5 people 熟悉 shúxī Adj, familiar 我和他不熟悉。I am not familiar with him. 传为佳话 chuán wèi jiāhuà chengyu，to become a favorite tale 制服 zhìfú Noun, uniform 穿梭 chuānsuō Verb, to walk through 穿梭在城市里, to walk through the city 街头 jiētóu Noun, street 队员 duìyuán Noun, team player 脱下 tuō xià Verb phrase, to take off (clothing items) 瘦小 shòuxiǎo Adj, skinny and small (use to describe a figure) 微不足道 wēibùzúdào 成语，too tiny/ordinary to be noticed/mentioned 普普通通 pǔ pǔtōng tōng Adj, orginal form is 普通，ordinary 啥 shá Pronoun, (colloquial form) what? Origins from dialect word in northeast part of China 做什么？=干啥？ 憨厚 hānhòu Adj, simple and honest New words, sayings and grammatical structures in the story are being taught in this episode. A lot of repetitions are used so that our learners can get master this story in no time!