An old bracelet

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

HSK 6 About 10 minutes

一只旧镯子

Yì zhī jiù zhuózi

An old bracelet

Story

，。
Yú Háng dài Sūfēi huí lǎojiā guò Chūnjié de shíhou, xīnli yìzhí qīshàng-bāxià.
When Yu Hang took Sophie home for the Spring Festival, he was on edge the whole time.
Words in this sentence
于航 Yú Háng
Yu Hang (name)
带 dài
to take (someone), to bring Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
回 huí
to return, to go back Dictionary
老家 lǎojiā
hometown Dictionary
过 guò
to celebrate, to spend (a holiday) Dictionary
春节 Chūnjié
Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
时候 shíhou
time, moment (……的时候: when …) Dictionary
心里 xīnli
in one's heart Dictionary
一直 yìzhí
all along, always Dictionary
七上八下 qīshàng-bāxià
anxious, on edge Dictionary
，，，。
tā de nǎinai jīnnián bāshíliù suì, zhǐ huì shuō Wēnzhōuhuà, lián pǔtōnghuà dōu tīng bú tài dǒng, gèng bié shuō Fǎyǔ le.
His grandmother was eighty-six and spoke only Wenzhou dialect; she barely understood Mandarin, let alone French.
Words in this sentence
他 tā
he, him Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
今年 jīnnián
this year Dictionary
八十六 bāshíliù
eighty-six
岁 suì
years old Dictionary
只 zhǐ
only Dictionary
会 huì
can (a learned skill) Dictionary
说 shuō
to say, to speak Dictionary
温州话 Wēnzhōuhuà
Wenzhou dialect
连 lián
even (连……都……) Dictionary
普通话 pǔtōnghuà
Mandarin (standard Chinese) Dictionary
都 dōu
all, both Dictionary
听 tīng
to listen, to hear Dictionary
不 bú
not Dictionary
太 tài
too, excessively Dictionary
懂 dǒng
to understand Dictionary
更别说 gèng bié shuō
let alone
法语 Fǎyǔ
French (language) Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
，，，。
dì-yī tiān chīfàn, nǎinai yìzhí dī zhe tóu, zhǐ gēn Yú Háng shuōhuà, hǎoxiàng zhuōzi biān méiyǒu Sūfēi zhè gè rén.
At the first meal Grandma kept her head down and spoke only to Yu Hang, as if Sophie weren't at the table at all.
Words in this sentence
第一 dì-yī
first Dictionary
天 tiān
day Dictionary
吃饭 chīfàn
to eat Dictionary
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
一直 yìzhí
all along, always Dictionary
低 dī
to lower (the head) Dictionary
着 zhe
(-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary
头 tóu
head Dictionary
只 zhǐ
only Dictionary
跟 gēn
with; as Dictionary
于航 Yú Háng
Yu Hang (name)
说话 shuōhuà
to speak, to talk Dictionary
好像 hǎoxiàng
as if Dictionary
桌子 zhuōzi
table Dictionary
边 biān
side, bank Dictionary
没有 méiyǒu
there is not; does not have Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
这 zhè
this Dictionary
个 gè
(measure word for people and things) Dictionary
人 rén
person, people Dictionary
，：“，。”
wǎnshang, Yú Háng ānwèi Sūfēi:“ nǎinai bú shì bù xǐhuan nǐ, tā zhǐshì bù zhīdao gāi zěnme gēn nǐ shuōhuà.”
That evening Yu Hang comforted Sophie: "It's not that Grandma doesn't like you. She just doesn't know how to talk to you."
Words in this sentence
晚上 wǎnshang
evening Dictionary
于航 Yú Háng
Yu Hang (name)
安慰 ānwèi
to comfort Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
不是 bú shì
is not (不是……就是……: either … or …) Dictionary
不 bù
not Dictionary
喜欢 xǐhuan
to like Dictionary
你 nǐ
you Dictionary
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
只是 zhǐshì
merely, just Dictionary
不 bù
not Dictionary
知道 zhīdao
to know Dictionary
该 gāi
should Dictionary
怎么 zěnme
how Dictionary
跟 gēn
with; as Dictionary
你 nǐ
you Dictionary
说话 shuōhuà
to speak, to talk Dictionary
，。，：，。
dì-èr tiān yídàzǎo, Sūfēi jiù bú jiàn le. Yú Háng zhǎo le bàntiān, cái zài chúfáng lǐ zhǎodào tā: tā zhèng gēn línjū de āpó xué bāo tāngyuán, zuǐ lǐ hái yí biàn biàn de niàn zhe shénme.
Early the next morning Sophie had vanished. Yu Hang searched for ages before finding her in the kitchen, learning to make sweet rice dumplings from the old lady next door and repeating something under her breath.
Words in this sentence
第二 dì-èr
second Dictionary
天 tiān
day Dictionary
一大早 yídàzǎo
first thing in the morning Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
就 jiù
then, right away Dictionary
不 bú
not Dictionary
见 jiàn
to see, to meet Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
于航 Yú Háng
Yu Hang (name)
找 zhǎo
to look for Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
半天 bàntiān
a long time Dictionary
才 cái
only then Dictionary
在 zài
at, in; to be at Dictionary
厨房 chúfáng
kitchen Dictionary
里 lǐ
in, inside Dictionary
找到 zhǎodào
to find Dictionary
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
正 zhèng
just (正……着: just as) Dictionary
跟 gēn
with; as Dictionary
邻居 línjū
neighbour Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
阿婆 āpó
granny Dictionary
学 xué
to study, to learn Dictionary
包 bāo
bag Dictionary
汤圆 tāngyuán
sweet rice dumplings Dictionary
嘴 zuǐ
mouth Dictionary
里 lǐ
in, inside Dictionary
还 hái
also, in addition Dictionary
一 yí
one, a Dictionary
遍 biàn
time (from start to finish) Dictionary
遍 biàn
time (from start to finish) Dictionary
地 de
(turns a description into how something is done) Dictionary
念 niàn
to repeat, to say aloud Dictionary
着 zhe
(-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary
什么 shénme
what Dictionary
，，：“，，。”
wǔfàn de shíhou, Sūfēi duān zhe yì wǎn tāngyuán zǒu dào nǎinai miànqián, yòng gāng xué de Wēnzhōuhuà shuō le yí jù:“ āpó, chī tāngyuán, tiántián-mìmì.”
At lunch Sophie carried a bowl of dumplings to Grandma and said in her newly learned Wenzhou dialect, "Granny, have some tangyuan. Sweet as honey."
Words in this sentence
午饭 wǔfàn
lunch Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
时候 shíhou
time, moment (……的时候: when …) Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
端 duān
to carry, to bring out Dictionary
着 zhe
(-ing: an ongoing state) Dictionary
一 yì
one, a Dictionary
碗 wǎn
bowl Dictionary
汤圆 tāngyuán
sweet rice dumplings Dictionary
走 zǒu
to walk, to go; to leave Dictionary
到 dào
to arrive Dictionary
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
面前 miànqián
in front of Dictionary
用 yòng
to use Dictionary
刚 gāng
just Dictionary
学 xué
to study, to learn Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
温州话 Wēnzhōuhuà
Wenzhou dialect
说 shuō
to say, to speak Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
一 yí
one, a Dictionary
句 jù
(measure word for sentences) Dictionary
阿婆 āpó
granny Dictionary
吃 chī
to eat Dictionary
汤圆 tāngyuán
sweet rice dumplings Dictionary
甜甜蜜蜜 tiántián-mìmì
sweet as honey
，。
tā de fāyīn guàiguài de, quán jiā rén dōu rěnbuzhù xiào le.
Her pronunciation was so odd that the whole family burst out laughing.
Words in this sentence
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
发音 fāyīn
pronunciation Dictionary
怪怪 guàiguài
odd
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
全 quán
completely Dictionary
家 jiā
home, family Dictionary
人 rén
person, people Dictionary
都 dōu
all, both Dictionary
忍不住 rěnbuzhù
cannot help (doing) Dictionary
笑 xiào
to laugh, to smile Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
。，，。
nǎinai què méiyǒu xiào. tā kàn le Sūfēi hěn jiǔ, mànmàn de cóng shǒuwàn shàng qǔ xià yì zhī jiù yù zhuózi, dài zài le Sūfēi de shǒu shàng.
But Grandma didn't laugh. She looked at Sophie for a long time, then slowly slipped an old jade bracelet off her wrist and put it on Sophie's.
Words in this sentence
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
却 què
but, yet Dictionary
没有 méiyǒu
there is not; does not have Dictionary
笑 xiào
to laugh, to smile Dictionary
她 tā
she, her Dictionary
看 kàn
to look, to watch, to read Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
很 hěn
very Dictionary
久 jiǔ
a long time Dictionary
慢慢 mànmàn
slowly Dictionary
地 de
(turns a description into how something is done) Dictionary
从 cóng
from Dictionary
手腕 shǒuwàn
wrist Dictionary
上 shàng
on, above Dictionary
取 qǔ
to take Dictionary
下 xià
next; down Dictionary
一 yì
one, a Dictionary
只 zhī
(measure word for animals and some objects) Dictionary
旧 jiù
old (not new) Dictionary
玉 yù
jade Dictionary
镯子 zhuózi
bracelet Dictionary
戴 dài
to wear (glasses) Dictionary
在 zài
at, in; to be at Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
苏菲 Sūfēi
Sophie (name) Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
手 shǒu
hand Dictionary
上 shàng
on, above Dictionary
——，。
Yú Háng lèng zhù le—— nà zhī zhuózi, shì yéye dāngnián sònggěi nǎinai de.
Yu Hang was stunned: that bracelet was the one Grandpa had given Grandma all those years ago.
Words in this sentence
于航 Yú Háng
Yu Hang (name)
愣 lèng
to be stunned Dictionary
住 zhù
to stay, to live Dictionary
了 le
(marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
那 nà
that Dictionary
只 zhī
(measure word for animals and some objects) Dictionary
镯子 zhuózi
bracelet Dictionary
是 shì
to be Dictionary
爷爷 yéye
grandpa (father's father) Dictionary
当年 dāngnián
in those years Dictionary
送给 sònggěi
to give (as a present) Dictionary
奶奶 nǎinai
grandma (father's mother) Dictionary
的 de
(possessive or describing particle) Dictionary

Grammar focus

更别说 "let alone"
不是……只是…… "not that … it's just that …"

Vocabulary

安慰ānwèito comfort Dictionary
发音fāyīnpronunciation Dictionary

Questions

Writing task

你有没有在语言不通的时候跟别人交流的经历？写一写。

Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu zài yǔyán bù tōng de shíhou gēn biérén jiāoliú de jīnglì? Xiě yì xiě.

Have you ever communicated with someone without a shared language? Write about it.

Tips

就…… here means "so (I did this)".

Try it yourself first, then show the model answer

去年在日本，我迷路了。我不会说日语，就画了一张地图，一位老太太看懂了，带我走了十分钟。

Qùnián zài Rìběn, wǒ mílù le. Wǒ bú huì shuō Rìyǔ, jiù huà le yì zhāng dìtú, yí wèi lǎo tàitai kàn dǒng le, dài wǒ zǒu le shí fēnzhōng.

Last year in Japan I got lost. I couldn't speak Japanese, so I drew a map; an old lady understood it and walked me there, ten minutes away.

About the HSK 6 level