Bridges, planes and buses: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

The conversation

Speakers: Jiahao and Dawa.

1. Jiahao

   高(gāo)铁(tiě)和(hé)汽(qì)车(chē)都(dōu)坐(zuò)过(guò)了(le)，还(hái)有(yǒu)什(shén)么(me)没(méi)聊(liáo)的(de)？

   We've talked about high-speed trains and buses, what else is left?

2. Dawa

   你(nǐ)还(hái)没(méi)走(zǒu)过(guò)大(dà)湾(wān)区(qū)那(nà)座(zuò)跨(kuà)海(hǎi)大(dà)桥(qiáo)呢(ne)。

   You haven't talked about that cross-sea bridge in the Greater Bay Area yet.

3. Jiahao

   横(héng)跨(kuà)珠(zhū)江(jiāng)口(kǒu)的(de)那(nà)座(zuò)？连(lián)着(zhe)珠(zhū)海(hǎi)、香(xiāng)港(gǎng)和(hé)澳(ào)门(mén)的(de)？

   The one spanning the Pearl River Estuary? Connecting Zhuhai, Hong Kong, and Macau?

4. Dawa

   全(quán)长(cháng)五(wǔ)十(shí)五(wǔ)公(gōng)里(lǐ)，桥(qiáo)、岛(dǎo)、隧(suì)一(yì)体(tǐ)，二(èr)〇(líng)一(yī)八(bā)年(nián)开(kāi)通(tōng)的(de)。

   It's 55 kilometers long, combining a bridge, islands, and a tunnel, and opened in 2018.

5. Jiahao

   等(děng)等(děng)，它(tā)怎(zěn)么(me)还(hái)潜(qián)到(dào)水(shuǐ)底(dǐ)去(qù)了(le)？

   Wait, how does it dive underwater?

6. Dawa

   海(hǎi)底(dǐ)有(yǒu)一(yí)段(duàn)六(liù)点(diǎn)七(qī)公(gōng)里(lǐ)的(de)沉(chén)管(guǎn)隧(suì)道(dào)，两(liǎng)头(tóu)靠(kào)什(shén)么(me)连(lián)着(zhe)？

   There's a 6.7-kilometer immersed tunnel on the seabed. What connects the two ends?

   1. 人(rén)工(gōng)岛(dǎo) artificial islands
   2. 老(lǎo)灯(dēng)塔(tǎ) old lighthouses
   3. 海(hǎi)上(shàng)钻(zuān)井(jǐng)平(píng)台(tái) offshore drilling platforms

   Answer

   人(rén)工(gōng)岛(dǎo) artificial islands

7. Jiahao

   人(rén)工(gōng)岛(dǎo)！连(lián)岛(dǎo)都(dōu)是(shì)凭(píng)空(kōng)填(tián)出(chu)来(lai)的(de)？

   Artificial islands! They built entire islands from scratch?

8. Dawa

   这(zhè)工(gōng)程(chéng)确(què)实(shí)值(zhí)得(dé)你(nǐ)好(hǎo)好(hǎo)惊(jīng)叹(tàn)一(yí)下(xià)。

   That project is definitely worth being amazed by.

9. Jiahao

   我(wǒ)是(shì)挺(tǐng)佩(pèi)服(fú)的(de)。不(bú)过(guò)我(wǒ)更(gèng)想(xiǎng)去(qù)看(kàn)看(kan)青(qīng)藏(zàng)铁(tiě)路(lù)。

   I'm pretty impressed. But I'd rather check out the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

10. Dawa

    最(zuì)高(gāo)点(diǎn)唐(táng)古(gǔ)拉(lā)山(shān)口(kǒu)有(yǒu)五(wǔ)千(qiān)零(líng)七(qī)十(shí)二(èr)米(mǐ)，是(shì)世(shì)界(jiè)海(hǎi)拔(bá)最(zuì)高(gāo)的(de)铁(tiě)路(lù)。

    The highest point at Tanggula Pass is 5,072 meters, making it the highest railway in the world.

11. Jiahao

    这(zhè)景(jǐng)致(zhì)我(wǒ)肯(kěn)定(dìng)画(huà)得(de)下(xià)来(lái)，前(qián)提(tí)是(shì)我(wǒ)别(bié)在(zài)高(gāo)海(hǎi)拔(bá)缺(quē)氧(yǎng)。

    I could definitely paint that scenery, provided I don't get altitude sickness.

12. Dawa

    那(nà)你(nǐ)也(yě)可(kě)以(yǐ)选(xuǎn)择(zé)坐(zuò)飞(fēi)机(jī)，二(èr)〇(líng)二(èr)五(wǔ)年(nián)的(de)国(guó)内(nèi)民(mín)航(háng)客(kè)运(yùn)量(liàng)可(kě)是(shì)超(chāo)过(guò)七(qī)亿(yì)七(qī)千(qiān)万(wàn)次(cì)了(le)。

    Well, you could always fly. Domestic commercial passenger trips exceeded 770 million in 2025.

13. Jiahao

    或(huò)者(zhě)去(qù)坐(zuò)黄(huáng)浦(pǔ)江(jiāng)上(shàng)的(de)轮(lún)渡(dù)，慢(màn)悠(yōu)悠(yōu)的(de)正(zhèng)好(hǎo)够(gòu)画(huà)上(shàng)几(jǐ)笔(bǐ)。

    Or take a ferry across the Huangpu River, nice and slow so I've got enough time to sketch.

14. Dawa

    全(quán)中(zhōng)国(guó)大(dà)概(gài)也(yě)就(jiù)只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)你(nǐ)会(huì)按(àn)能(néng)不(bù)能(néng)画(huà)画(huà)来(lái)选(xuǎn)交(jiāo)通(tōng)工(gōng)具(jù)了(le)。

    You're probably the only person in China who picks transport based on whether they can paint on it.

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