Beijing: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Zhiyuan.

1. Xiaoyu

   第(dì)一(yī)站(zhàn)，速(sù)写(xiě)本(běn)翻(fān)开(kāi)第(dì)一(yī)页(yè)。猜(cāi)猜(cai)我(wǒ)在(zài)哪(nǎ)儿(r)？

   First stop, page one of the sketchbook. Guess where I am.

2. Zhiyuan

   怎(zěn)么(me)说(shuō)话(huà)跟(gēn)做(zuò)贼(zéi)似(shì)的(de)？跑(pǎo)国(guó)家(jiā)图(tú)书(shū)馆(guǎn)去(qù)了(le)？

   Why are you whispering like a thief? Did you sneak into the National Library?

3. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)在(zài)故(gù)宫(gōng)呢(ne)！总(zǒng)觉(jué)得(de)在(zài)这(zhè)儿(r)说(shuō)话(huà)得(děi)压(yā)着(zhe)点(diǎn)儿(r)声(shēng)。

   I'm in the Forbidden City! It just feels like the kind of place where you ought to keep your voice down.

4. Zhiyuan

   明(míng)清(qīng)两(liǎng)朝(cháo)的(de)皇(huáng)宫(gōng)，气(qì)场(chǎng)能(néng)不(bù)强(qiáng)吗(ma)？动(dòng)笔(bǐ)了(le)没(méi)？

   Home to the Ming and Qing emperors—of course it's got presence. Started sketching yet?

5. Xiaoyu

   刚(gāng)画(huà)完(wán)一(yí)个(gè)屋(wū)顶(dǐng)。志(zhì)远(yuǎn)，这(zhè)儿(r)的(de)屋(wū)顶(dǐng)也(yě)太(tài)多(duō)了(le)吧(ba)。

   Just finished one roof. Zhiyuan, there are way too many roofs in here.

6. Zhiyuan

   嫌(xián)多(duō)就(jiù)钻(zuān)胡(hú)同(tòng)儿(r)去(qù)。窄(zhǎi)巷(xiàng)子(zi)、四(sì)合(hé)院(yuàn)，好(hǎo)些(xiē)都(dōu)几(jǐ)百(bǎi)年(nián)的(de)老(lǎo)底(dǐ)子(zi)了(le)。

   Then duck into a hutong instead. Narrow lanes and courtyard homes, plenty of them centuries old.

7. Xiaoyu

   早(zǎo)去(qù)了(le)！上(shàng)午(wǔ)还(hái)在(zài)里(lǐ)头(tou)转(zhuàn)晕(yūn)了(le)呢(ne)，全(quán)靠(kào)一(yí)位(wèi)大(dà)爷(yé)给(gěi)我(wǒ)指(zhǐ)了(le)条(tiáo)觅(mì)食(shí)的(de)明(míng)路(lù)。

   Way ahead of you! I got completely turned around in one this morning until a local grandpa pointed me toward lunch.

8. Zhiyuan

   那(nà)肯(kěn)定(dìng)吃(chī)上(shàng)烤(kǎo)鸭(yā)了(le)。考(kǎo)考(kao)你(nǐ)，地(dì)道(dao)北(běi)京(jīng)烤(kǎo)鸭(yā)怎(zěn)么(me)个(gè)吃(chī)法(fǎ)？

   Then you definitely had roast duck. Pop quiz: how do they serve proper Peking duck?

   1. 师(shī)傅(fu)当(dāng)桌(zhuō)片(piàn)好(hǎo)，拿(ná)薄(báo)荷(hé)叶(yè)饼(bǐng)卷(juǎn)着(zhe)吃(chī) Carved right at the table and rolled up in thin pancakes
   2. 连(lián)骨(gǔ)剁(duò)块(kuài)，搁(gē)砂(shā)锅(guō)里(lǐ)焖(mèn)着(zhe)吃(chī) Chopped on the bone and braised in a clay pot
   3. 晾(liàng)凉(liáng)了(le)撕(sī)成(chéng)丝(sī)，拌(bàn)在(zài)面(miàn)条(tiáo)上(shàng)吃(chī) Shredded cold and tossed over noodles

   Answer

   师(shī)傅(fu)当(dāng)桌(zhuō)片(piàn)好(hǎo)，拿(ná)薄(báo)荷(hé)叶(yè)饼(bǐng)卷(juǎn)着(zhe)吃(chī) Carved right at the table and rolled up in thin pancakes

9. Xiaoyu

   师(shī)傅(fu)推(tuī)车(chē)到(dào)跟(gēn)前(qián)现(xiàn)片(piàn)，拿(ná)薄(báo)饼(bǐng)抹(mǒ)上(shàng)甜(tián)面(miàn)酱(jiàng)，裹(guǒ)着(zhe)葱(cōng)丝(sī)、黄(huáng)瓜(guā)条(tiáo)一(yí)块(kuài)儿(r)卷(juǎn)起(qǐ)来(lái)。

   The chef carves it tableside, and you roll it into a paper-thin pancake with sweet bean sauce, shredded scallion, and cucumber.

10. Zhiyuan

    那(nà)鸭(yā)皮(pí)呢(ne)？到(dào)位(wèi)吗(ma)？

    And the skin? Did it hit the mark?

11. Xiaoyu

    又(yòu)薄(báo)又(yòu)亮(liàng)，枣(zǎo)红(hóng)色(sè)的(de)，一(yì)口(kǒu)下(xià)去(qù)咔(kā)嚓(chā)脆(cuì)。我(wǒ)当(dāng)场(chǎng)差(chà)点(diǎn)儿(r)没(méi)忍(rěn)住(zhù)叫(jiào)出(chū)声(shēng)。

    Paper-thin, glossy jujube-red, and it shattered on the first bite. I audibly gasped in the middle of the restaurant.

12. Zhiyuan

    明(míng)儿(r)再(zài)去(qù)来(lái)碗(wǎn)炸(zhá)酱(jiàng)面(miàn)，那(nà)才(cái)是(shì)老(lǎo)北(běi)京(jīng)夏(xià)天(tiān)的(de)命(mìng)根(gēn)子(zi)。

    Tomorrow, go grab a bowl of zhajiangmian—noodles with fried soybean paste. That's old Beijing's summer lifeblood.

13. Xiaoyu

    明(míng)天(tiān)我(wǒ)还(hái)得(děi)先(xiān)找(zhǎo)个(gè)能(néng)让(ràng)我(wǒ)画(huà)得(de)完(wán)的(de)屋(wū)顶(dǐng)。

    Tomorrow I also need to find a roof I can actually finish drawing.

Hear it read aloud in the app