Delivery and instant retail: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

The conversation

Speakers: Yating and Haoran.

1. Yating

   我(wǒ)点(diǎn)的(de)那(nà)碗(wǎn)汤(tāng)这(zhè)就(jiù)送(sòng)到(dào)了(le)，我(wǒ)鞋(xié)还(hái)没(méi)来(lái)得(de)及(jí)放(fàng)好(hǎo)呢(ne)。

   The soup I ordered is already here, and I haven't even had a chance to put my shoes away yet.

2. Haoran

   外(wài)卖(mài)呗(bei)。你(nǐ)这(zhè)单(dān)外(wài)卖(mài)的(de)骑(qí)手(shǒu)可(kě)真(zhēn)够(gòu)有(yǒu)耐(nài)心(xīn)的(de)。

   Food delivery for you. The delivery driver on this order must be super patient.

3. Yating

   骑(qí)手(shǒu)，这(zhè)个(ge)词(cí)我(wǒ)都(dōu)学(xué)会(huì)了(le)。还(hái)有(yǒu)即(jí)时(shí)零(líng)售(shòu)，一(yì)小(xiǎo)时(shí)就(jiù)能(néng)送(sòng)到(dào)。

   Delivery driver, I've even learned that word now. Plus instant retail, where it gets delivered in an hour.

4. Haoran

   即(jí)时(shí)零(líng)售(shòu)。我(wǒ)上(shàng)周(zhōu)还(hái)就(jiù)真(zhēn)买(mǎi)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)柠(níng)檬(méng)。

   Instant retail. I actually bought a single lemon that way last week.

5. Yating

   你(nǐ)特(tè)意(yì)花(huā)钱(qián)请(qǐng)人(rén)跑(pǎo)一(yí)趟(tàng)就(jiù)为(wèi)了(le)送(sòng)一(yí)个(ge)柠(níng)檬(méng)？

   You paid someone to make a special trip just to deliver one lemon?

6. Haoran

   美(měi)团(tuán)在(zài)2025年(nián)7月(yuè)创(chuàng)了(le)纪(jì)录(lù)，一(yì)天(tiān)有(yǒu)多(duō)少(shao)单(dān)？

   Meituan set a record in July 2025—how many orders did they get in a single day?

   1. 1.5亿(yì)单(dān) 150 million orders
   2. 1500万(wàn)单(dān) 15 million orders
   3. 15亿(yì)单(dān) 1.5 billion orders

   Answer

   1.5亿(yì)单(dān) 150 million orders

7. Yating

   1.5亿(yì)单(dān)！就(jiù)一(yì)天(tiān)时(shí)间(jiān)！而(ér)且(qiě)有(yǒu)些(xiē)还(hái)是(shi)飞(fēi)过(guò)来(lái)的(de)。

   150 million orders! In just one day! And some of them even flew in.

8. Haoran

   到(dào)2025年(nián)底(dǐ)，他(tā)们(men)的(de)无(wú)人(rén)机(jī)都(dōu)飞(fēi)了(le)78万(wàn)多(duō)单(dān)了(le)。

   By the end of 2025, their drones had already flown over 780,000 orders.

9. Yating

   那(nà)你(nǐ)的(de)柠(níng)檬(méng)说(shuō)不(bu)定(dìng)也(yě)能(néng)坐(zuò)趟(tàng)无(wú)人(rén)机(jī)呢(ne)。

   Then your lemon might've caught a drone ride, who knows.

10. Haoran

    我(wǒ)那(nà)单(dān)不(bú)在(zài)航(háng)线(xiàn)上(shàng)。不(bú)过(guò)深(shēn)圳(zhèn)福(fú)田(tián)口(kǒu)岸(àn)那(nà)倒(dào)是(shì)有(yǒu)常(cháng)规(guī)航(háng)线(xiàn)。

    My order wasn't on a flight route. Though they do have regular routes over at the Futian Port in Shenzhen.

11. Yating

    还(hái)有(yǒu)淘(táo)宝(bǎo)闪(shǎn)购(gòu)，以(yǐ)前(qián)是(shì)饿(è)了(le)么(me)，连(lián)京(jīng)东(dōng)也(yě)插(chā)了(le)一(yì)脚(jiǎo)。

    Then there's Taobao Flash Sale, which used to be Ele.me, and even JD.com has jumped into the mix.

12. Haoran

    大(dà)家(jiā)伙(huǒ)儿(r)都(dōu)抢(qiǎng)着(zhe)给(gěi)你(nǐ)送(sòng)柠(níng)檬(méng)呢(ne)。

    Everyone's practically fighting to deliver lemons to you.

13. Yating

    行(xíng)，下(xià)次(cì)送(sòng)柠(níng)檬(méng)的(de)时(shí)候(hou)麻(má)烦(fan)顺(shùn)便(biàn)带(dài)碗(wǎn)汤(tāng)。

    Fine, next time you send a lemon, do me a favor and bring a bowl of soup with it.

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