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Mythic Mandarin

The little carp’s decision

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

HSK 3 About 7 minutes

小鲤鱼的决定

Xiǎo lǐyú de juédìng

The little carp's decision

Story

  1. ，，。

    xiǎo lǐyú tīngshuō, zhǐyào tiàoguò Lóngmén, jiù néng biànchéng lóng.

    The little carp heard that as long as it leaped over the Dragon Gate, it could become a dragon.

    Words in this sentence
    小 xiǎo
    small, little, young Dictionary
    鲤鱼 lǐyú
    carp Dictionary
    听说 tīngshuō
    to hear (that) Dictionary
    只要 zhǐyào
    as long as Dictionary
    跳过 tiàoguò
    to jump over Dictionary
    龙门 Lóngmén
    the Dragon Gate Dictionary
    就 jiù
    then, right away Dictionary
    能 néng
    can, be able to Dictionary
    变成 biànchéng
    to turn into, to become Dictionary
    龙 lóng
    dragon Dictionary

  2. ，，。

    Lóngmén zài Huáng Hé shàng, hěn gāo hěn gāo, shuǐ yě hěn jí.

    The Dragon Gate is on the Yellow River: very, very high, with a fast current.

    Words in this sentence
    龙门 Lóngmén
    the Dragon Gate Dictionary
    在 zài
    at, in; to be at Dictionary
    黄河 Huáng Hé
    the Yellow River Dictionary
    上 shàng
    on, above Dictionary
    很 hěn
    very Dictionary
    高 gāo
    tall, high Dictionary
    很 hěn
    very Dictionary
    高 gāo
    tall, high Dictionary
    水 shuǐ
    water Dictionary
    也 yě
    also, too Dictionary
    很 hěn
    very Dictionary
    急 jí
    fast-flowing; urgent Dictionary

  3. ：“，。”

    biéde yú dōu shuō:“ tài nán le, wǒmen tiào bú guòqu.”

    The other fish all said, "It's too hard. We can't jump over it."

    Words in this sentence
    别的 biéde
    other Dictionary
    鱼 yú
    fish Dictionary
    都 dōu
    all, both Dictionary
    说 shuō
    to say, to speak Dictionary
    太 tài
    too, excessively Dictionary
    难 nán
    hard, difficult Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    我们 wǒmen
    we, us Dictionary
    跳 tiào
    to jump Dictionary
    不 bú
    not Dictionary
    过去 guòqu
    to pass, to go by Dictionary

  4. 。

    xiǎo lǐyú juédìng shì yí shì.

    The little carp decided to give it a try.

    Words in this sentence
    小 xiǎo
    small, little, young Dictionary
    鲤鱼 lǐyú
    carp Dictionary
    决定 juédìng
    to decide Dictionary
    试 shì
    to try Dictionary
    一 yí
    one, a Dictionary
    试 shì
    to try Dictionary

  5. ，；，。

    dì-yī cì, tā bèi shuǐ chōng le huílai; dì-èr cì, tā zhuàng dào le shítou shàng.

    The first time, the water swept it back; the second time, it hit a rock.

    Words in this sentence
    第一 dì-yī
    first Dictionary
    次 cì
    time (occurrence) Dictionary
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    被 bèi
    (passive: by) Dictionary
    水 shuǐ
    water Dictionary
    冲 chōng
    to wash, to sweep (of water) Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    回来 huílai
    to come back Dictionary
    第二 dì-èr
    second Dictionary
    次 cì
    time (occurrence) Dictionary
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    撞 zhuàng
    to hit, to crash into Dictionary
    到 dào
    to arrive Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    石头 shítou
    rock, stone Dictionary
    上 shàng
    on, above Dictionary

  6. ，。

    tā lèi de yóu bú dòng le, kěshì háishi méiyǒu huí jiā.

    It was too tired to swim, but it still didn't go home.

    Words in this sentence
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    累 lèi
    tired Dictionary
    得 de
    (links a verb to how it is done) Dictionary
    游 yóu
    to swim Dictionary
    不 bú
    not Dictionary
    动 dòng
    to move Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    可是 kěshì
    but Dictionary
    还是 háishi
    or (in questions) Dictionary
    没有 méiyǒu
    there is not; does not have Dictionary
    回 huí
    to return, to go back Dictionary
    家 jiā
    home, family Dictionary

  7. ，。

    xiūxi le yí yè yǐhòu, tā yòng zuì dà de lìqi yòu tiào le yí cì.

    After resting for a night, it jumped once more with all its strength.

    Words in this sentence
    休息 xiūxi
    to rest Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    一 yí
    one, a Dictionary
    夜 yè
    night Dictionary
    以后 yǐhòu
    after, later Dictionary
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    用 yòng
    to use Dictionary
    最 zuì
    most Dictionary
    大 dà
    big, loud Dictionary
    的 de
    (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
    力气 lìqi
    strength Dictionary
    又 yòu
    and also, on top of that Dictionary
    跳 tiào
    to jump Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    一 yí
    one, a Dictionary
    次 cì
    time (occurrence) Dictionary

  8. ，，，。

    zhè yí cì, tā fēi guò le Lóngmén, tiān shàng xiǎngqǐ le léishēng, tā zhēnde biànchéng le yì tiáo lóng.

    This time it flew over the Dragon Gate, thunder rolled across the sky, and it really did become a dragon.

    Words in this sentence
    这 zhè
    this Dictionary
    一 yí
    one, a Dictionary
    次 cì
    time (occurrence) Dictionary
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    飞 fēi
    to fly Dictionary
    过 guò
    to celebrate, to spend (a holiday) Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    龙门 Lóngmén
    the Dragon Gate Dictionary
    天 tiān
    day Dictionary
    上 shàng
    on, above Dictionary
    响起 xiǎngqǐ
    to ring out, to sound Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    雷声 léishēng
    thunder Dictionary
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    真的 zhēnde
    really Dictionary
    变成 biànchéng
    to turn into, to become Dictionary
    了 le
    (marks a completed action or a change) Dictionary
    一 yì
    one, a Dictionary
    条 tiáo
    (measure word for long things: dragons, rivers) Dictionary
    龙 lóng
    dragon Dictionary

Grammar focus

  • 只要……就…… "as long as … then …"
  • 被 the passive: 被水冲了回来

Vocabulary

Questions

1小鲤鱼为什么想跳过龙门？Xiǎo lǐyú wèishénme xiǎng tiàoguò Lóngmén?Why does the little carp want to leap over the Dragon Gate?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. 只要……就…… gives the condition (leaping the gate) and the result (becoming a dragon), sentence 1.

  • B: It does not go home even when it is exhausted (sentence 6).
  • C: Friends are not its reason; the other fish don't even try.
2第一次跳的时候，发生了什么？Dì-yī cì tiào de shíhou, fāshēng le shénme?What happened on the first jump?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: C. Sentence 5: 第一次，它被水冲了回来.

  • A: That was the second time (第二次).
  • B: That happened only after the night's rest (sentence 8).
3别的鱼觉得自己能跳过龙门。Biéde yú juéde zìjǐ néng tiàoguò Lóngmén.The other fish think they can jump over the Dragon Gate.
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: B. False. Sentence 3: the other fish say 太难了，我们跳不过去, "too hard, we can't jump over it."

  • A: They say it is too hard and that they cannot jump over it (sentence 3); the story does not say whether they would like to.
4“累得游不动了”是什么意思？"Lèi de yóu bú dòng le" shì shénme yìsi?What does 累得游不动了 mean?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. Adjective + 得 + result: tired to the point of not being able to swim.

  • B: The sentence is about exhaustion.
  • C: 游不动 means unable, and it still doesn't go home.
5只要跳过龙门，＿＿能变成龙。Zhǐyào tiàoguò Lóngmén, __ néng biànchéng lóng.As long as it leaps over the Dragon Gate, it ___ can become a dragon.
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: C. 只要 pairs with 就: 只要……就…….

  • A: 才 pairs with 只有 (只有……才……), not with 只要.
  • B: 也 does not complete the 只要 pattern.

Writing task

你有没有试了很多次才做成的事？写一写。

Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu shì le hěn duō cì cái zuò chéng de shì? Xiě yì xiě.

Is there something you managed only after many tries? Write about it.

Tips

  • 才 after a number of tries shows it took a lot of effort.
Try it yourself first, then show the model answer

我学游泳的时候，试了很多次。第十次，我终于游过去了。

Wǒ xué yóuyǒng de shíhou, shì le hěn duō cì. Dì-shí cì, wǒ zhōngyú yóu guòqu le.

When I learned to swim I tried many times. On the tenth try I finally made it across.

About the HSK 3 level