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Mythic Mandarin

The story of Nian

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

HSK 1 About 4 minutes

“年”的故事

"Nián" de gùshi

The story of Nian

Story

  1. ，，“”。

    yǐqián, yǒu yí gè guàiwu, jiào“ Nián”.

    Long ago there was a monster called Nian.

    Words in this sentence
    以前 yǐqián
    before, ago Dictionary
    有 yǒu
    to have; there is Dictionary
    一 yí
    one, a Dictionary
    个 gè
    (measure word for people and things) Dictionary
    怪物 guàiwu
    monster Dictionary
    叫 jiào
    to be called; to call Dictionary
    年 Nián
    Nian (the monster) Dictionary

  2. ，。

    xīnnián de shíhou, Nián lái chī dōngxi.

    At New Year Nian came to eat.

    Words in this sentence
    新年 xīnnián
    New Year Dictionary
    的 de
    (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
    时候 shíhou
    time, moment (……的时候: when …) Dictionary
    年 Nián
    Nian (the monster) Dictionary
    来 lái
    to come Dictionary
    吃 chī
    to eat Dictionary
    东西 dōngxi
    thing(s) Dictionary

  3. 。

    rénmen hěn pà tā.

    People were very afraid of it.

    Words in this sentence
    人们 rénmen
    people Dictionary
    很 hěn
    very Dictionary
    怕 pà
    to be afraid of Dictionary
    它 tā
    it Dictionary

  4. ：“。”

    yí gè lǎorén shuō:“ Nián pà hóngsè.”

    An old man said, "Nian is afraid of red."

    Words in this sentence
    一 yí
    one, a Dictionary
    个 gè
    (measure word for people and things) Dictionary
    老人 lǎorén
    old person Dictionary
    说 shuō
    to say, to speak Dictionary
    年 Nián
    Nian (the monster) Dictionary
    怕 pà
    to be afraid of Dictionary
    红色 hóngsè
    red (colour) Dictionary

  5. 。

    rénmen dōu chuān hóngsè de yīfu.

    Everyone wore red clothes.

    Words in this sentence
    人们 rénmen
    people Dictionary
    都 dōu
    all, both Dictionary
    穿 chuān
    to wear Dictionary
    红色 hóngsè
    red (colour) Dictionary
    的 de
    (possessive or describing particle) Dictionary
    衣服 yīfu
    clothes Dictionary

  6. ，。

    Nián lái, kàn dào hóngsè.

    Nian came and saw red everywhere.

    Words in this sentence
    年 Nián
    Nian (the monster) Dictionary
    来 lái
    to come Dictionary
    看 kàn
    to look, to watch, to read Dictionary
    到 dào
    to arrive Dictionary
    红色 hóngsè
    red (colour) Dictionary

  7. ，。

    tā hěn pà, pǎo zǒu.

    It was very afraid and ran away.

    Words in this sentence
    它 tā
    it Dictionary
    很 hěn
    very Dictionary
    怕 pà
    to be afraid of Dictionary
    跑 pǎo
    to run Dictionary
    走 zǒu
    to walk, to go; to leave Dictionary

  8. ，。

    xiànzài, rénmen xīnnián yě chuān hóngsè.

    Today people still wear red at New Year.

    Words in this sentence
    现在 xiànzài
    now Dictionary
    人们 rénmen
    people Dictionary
    新年 xīnnián
    New Year Dictionary
    也 yě
    also, too Dictionary
    穿 chuān
    to wear Dictionary
    红色 hóngsè
    red (colour) Dictionary

Grammar focus

  • 怕 "to be afraid of": 年怕红色
  • 都 "all": 人们都穿红色的衣服

Vocabulary

Questions

1年怕什么？Nián pà shénme?What is Nian afraid of?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. Sentence 4: the old man says 年怕红色, "Nian is afraid of red."

  • B: People are afraid of Nian (sentence 3), not the other way round.
  • C: New Year is when Nian comes; it is afraid of 红色.
2人们很怕年。Rénmen hěn pà Nián.People are very afraid of Nian.
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. True. Sentence 3: 人们很怕它, "People were very afraid of it."

  • B: Sentence 3 says 人们很怕它, so the statement is true.
3人们做什么？Rénmen zuò shénme?What do the people do?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: B. Sentence 5: 人们都穿红色的衣服, "Everyone wore red clothes."

  • A: Nian is the one who comes to eat (sentence 2).
  • C: Nian runs away at the end (sentence 7), not the people.
4“以前”是什么意思？"Yǐqián" shì shénme yìsi?What does 以前 mean?
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: A. 以前 means "before, in the past"; old stories often start with it.

  • B: "Now" is 现在 (sentence 8), the opposite of 以前.
  • C: 明天 is in the future; 以前 is in the past.
5现在，人们新年也穿＿＿。Xiànzài, rénmen xīnnián yě chuān __.Today people still wear ___ at New Year.
Show the answer and explanations

Answer: C. Sentence 8: 人们新年也穿红色. That is why red is the New Year colour.

  • A: You do not wear 东西; the story is about red clothes.
  • B: 怪物 is the monster Nian, not something people wear.

Writing task

新年的时候，你穿什么颜色？

Xīnnián de shíhou, nǐ chuān shénme yánsè?

What colour do you wear at New Year?

Tips

  • Use 新年的时候 for "at New Year".
  • Say the colour with 红色的衣服, "red clothes".
Try it yourself first, then show the model answer

新年的时候，我穿红色的衣服。我很高兴。

Xīnnián de shíhou, wǒ chuān hóngsè de yīfu. Wǒ hěn gāoxìng.

At New Year I wear red clothes. I'm very happy.

About the HSK 1 level