The train to Xi’an

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

HSK 3 About 7 minutes

去西安的高铁

Qù Xī'ān de gāotiě

The train to Xi'an

Story

，。
fàng shǔjià le, Zhào Lè yí gè rén zuò gāotiě qù Xī'ān.
The summer holidays have begun, and Zhao Le is taking the high-speed train to Xi'an on his own.
Words in this sentence
放 fàng
to put Dictionary
暑假 shǔjià
summer holidays Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
赵乐 Zhào Lè
Zhao Le (name)
一个人 yí gè rén
alone, on one's own Dictionary
坐 zuò
to sit; to travel by Dictionary
高铁 gāotiě
high-speed train Dictionary
去 qù
to go Dictionary
西安 Xī'ān
Xi'an Dictionary
，。
shàng chē yǐhòu, tā fāxiàn zìjǐ de zuòwèi shàng yǐjīng zuò zhe yí wèi lǎoyéye.
When he gets on, he finds an old man already sitting in his seat.
Words in this sentence
上 shàng
on, above Dictionary
车 chē
car, vehicle Dictionary
以后 yǐhòu
after, later Dictionary
他 tā
he, him Dictionary
发现 fāxiàn
to find, to discover Dictionary
自己 zìjǐ
oneself Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
座位 zuòwèi
seat Dictionary
上 shàng
on, above Dictionary
已经 yǐjīng
already Dictionary
坐 zuò
to sit; to travel by Dictionary
着 zhe
(-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary
一 yí
one, a Dictionary
位 wèi
(polite measure word for people) Dictionary
老爷爷 lǎoyéye
old man, grandpa Dictionary
：“，。”
lǎoyéye bù hǎoyìsi de shuō:“ wǒ de tuǐ bú tài hǎo, kào chuāng de zuòwèi tài nán jìn le.”
The old man says apologetically, "My leg isn't very good, and the window seat is too hard to get into."
Words in this sentence
老爷爷 lǎoyéye
old man, grandpa Dictionary
不好意思 bù hǎoyìsi
embarrassed Dictionary
地 de
(turns a description into how something is done) Dictionary
说 shuō
to say, to speak Dictionary
我 wǒ
I, me Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
腿 tuǐ
leg Dictionary
不 bú
not Dictionary
太 tài
too, excessively Dictionary
好 hǎo
good; OK Dictionary
靠 kào
next to, by Dictionary
窗 chuāng
window Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
座位 zuòwèi
seat Dictionary
太 tài
too, excessively Dictionary
难 nán
hard, difficult Dictionary
进 jìn
into; to enter Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
：“，。”
Zhào Lè xiào le xiào:“ méi guānxi, wǒ zuò lǐmiàn jiù xíng.”
Zhao Le smiles: "No problem, I'll take the inside seat."
Words in this sentence
赵乐 Zhào Lè
Zhao Le (name)
笑 xiào
to laugh, to smile Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
笑 xiào
to laugh, to smile Dictionary
没关系 méi guānxi
never mind, it doesn't matter Dictionary
我 wǒ
I, me Dictionary
坐 zuò
to sit; to travel by Dictionary
里面 lǐmiàn
inside Dictionary
就行 jiù xíng
… will do, … is fine
，，。
yílùshang, lǎoyéye gěi tā jiǎng le hěn duō Xī'ān de gùshi, hái gàosu tā nǎr de yángròu pàomó zuì hǎochī.
All the way, the old man tells him stories about Xi'an and where to find the best lamb and bread soup.
Words in this sentence
一路上 yílùshang
all the way, along the way Dictionary
老爷爷 lǎoyéye
old man, grandpa Dictionary
给 gěi
to give; for Dictionary
他 tā
he, him Dictionary
讲 jiǎng
to tell, to explain Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
很 hěn
very Dictionary
多 duō
many, a lot Dictionary
西安 Xī'ān
Xi'an Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
故事 gùshi
story Dictionary
还 hái
also, in addition Dictionary
告诉 gàosu
to tell Dictionary
他 tā
he, him Dictionary
哪儿 nǎr
where Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
羊肉泡馍 yángròu pàomó
lamb soup with bread (a Xi'an dish)
最 zuì
most Dictionary
好吃 hǎochī
tasty (food) Dictionary
。
sì gè duō xiǎoshí hěn kuài jiù guòqu le.
The four-plus hours fly by.
Words in this sentence
四 sì
four Dictionary
个 gè
(measure word for people and things) Dictionary
多 duō
many, a lot Dictionary
小时 xiǎoshí
hour Dictionary
很 hěn
very Dictionary
快 kuài
fast Dictionary
就 jiù
then, right away Dictionary
过去 guòqu
to pass, to go by Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
，。
xià chē de shíhou, lǎoyéye de érzi lái jiē tā.
When they get off, the old man's son is there to meet him.
Words in this sentence
下 xià
next; down Dictionary
车 chē
car, vehicle Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
时候 shíhou
time, moment (……的时候: when …) Dictionary
老爷爷 lǎoyéye
old man, grandpa Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
儿子 érzi
son Dictionary
来 lái
to come Dictionary
接 jiē
to meet, to pick up (someone arriving) Dictionary
他 tā
he, him Dictionary
：“，！”
lǎoyéye shuō:“ míngtiān lái wǒ jiā chī fàn ba, wǒ qǐng nǐ chī yángròu pàomó!”
The old man says, "Come to my home for a meal tomorrow. The lamb soup is on me!"
Words in this sentence
老爷爷 lǎoyéye
old man, grandpa Dictionary
说 shuō
to say, to speak Dictionary
明天 míngtiān
tomorrow Dictionary
来 lái
to come Dictionary
我 wǒ
I, me Dictionary
家 jiā
home, family Dictionary
吃 chī
to eat Dictionary
饭 fàn
meal; cooked rice Dictionary
吧 ba
(suggests or softens: "let's …", "OK") Dictionary
我 wǒ
I, me Dictionary
请 qǐng
to treat, to invite; please Dictionary
你 nǐ
you Dictionary
吃 chī
to eat Dictionary
羊肉泡馍 yángròu pàomó
lamb soup with bread (a Xi'an dish)

Grammar focus

着 a continuing state: 座位上坐着一位老爷爷
就行 "… is fine, … will do"

Vocabulary

暑假shǔjiàsummer holidays Dictionary
高铁gāotiěhigh-speed train Dictionary
发现fāxiànto find, to discover Dictionary
座位zuòwèiseat Dictionary
腿tuǐleg Dictionary
讲jiǎngto tell, to explain Dictionary
请qǐngto treat, to invite; please Dictionary

Questions

Writing task

你坐火车或者飞机的时候，遇到过有意思的人吗？写三四句话。

Nǐ zuò huǒchē huòzhě fēijī de shíhou, yùdào guò yǒuyìsi de rén ma? Xiě sān sì jù huà.

Have you ever met an interesting person on a train or plane? Write three or four sentences.

Tips

有一次…… begins a short story about the past.

Try it yourself first, then show the model answer

有一次坐火车，我旁边是一个小女孩。她给我看了她画的画儿，我们聊了两个小时。

Yǒu yí cì zuò huǒchē, wǒ pángbiān shì yí gè xiǎo nǚhái. Tā gěi wǒ kàn le tā huà de huàr, wǒmen liáo le liǎng gè xiǎoshí.

Once on a train I sat next to a little girl. She showed me her drawings, and we chatted for two hours.

About the HSK 3 level