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Life in Mainland China

Heilongjiang: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

China's northernmost province, where winter lasts half the year and the cold is a festival.

The conversation

Speakers: Haoran and Xiaoyu.

  1. Haoran

    往(wǎng)窗(chuāng)外(wài)看(kàn)。看(kan)见(jiàn)那(nà)个(ge)戴(dài)蓝(lán)色(sè)帽(mào)子(zi)的(de)人(rén)没(méi)?那(nà)就(jiù)是(shì)我(wǒ)。

    Look out the window. See that guy in the blue hat? That's me.

  2. Xiaoyu

    你(nǐ)裹(guǒ)得(de)跟(gēn)个(gè)带(dài)腿(tuǐ)的(de)饺(jiǎo)子(zi)似(shì)的(de)。

    You're wrapped up like a dumpling on legs.

  3. Haoran

    欢(huān)迎(yíng)来(lái)到(dào)哈(hā)尔(ěr)滨(bīn)。在(zài)这(zhè)儿(r)活(huó)下(xià)来(lái)全(quán)靠(kào)这(zhè)么(me)穿(chuān)。

    Welcome to Harbin. Surviving here is all about dressing like this.

  4. Xiaoyu

    我(wǒ)的(de)铅(qiān)笔(bǐ)都(dōu)快(kuài)拿(ná)不(bú)住(zhù)了(le),手(shǒu)指(zhǐ)头(tou)冻(dòng)木(mù)了(le)。

    I can barely hold my pencil, my fingers are completely numb.

  5. Haoran

    黑(hēi)龙(lóng)江(jiāng)冬(dōng)天(tiān)足(zú)足(zú)有(yǒu)半(bàn)年(nián),所(suǒ)以(yǐ)我(wǒ)们(men)直(zhí)接(jiē)把(bǎ)这(zhè)过(guò)成(chéng)了(le)个(gè)大(dà)节(jié)。

    Winter in Heilongjiang lasts a full six months, so we pretty much treat it like one giant festival.

  6. Xiaoyu

    你(nǐ)们(men)居(jū)然(rán)用(yòng)松(sōng)花(huā)江(jiāng)的(de)冰(bīng)直(zhí)接(jiē)凿(záo)出(chū)了(le)一(yì)整(zhěng)座(zuò)城(chéng)?

    You guys actually carved an entire city straight out of the frozen Songhua River?

  7. Haoran

    冰(bīng)雪(xuě)大(dà)世(shì)界(jiè)。这(zhè)可(kě)是(shì)我(wǒ)这(zhè)辈(bèi)子(zi)最(zuì)爱(ài)的(de)地(dì)方(fang)。

    The Ice and Snow World. Hands down my favorite place on earth.

  8. Xiaoyu

    行(xíng)吧(ba),我(wǒ)承(chéng)认(rèn)确(què)实(shí)好(hǎo)看(kàn),不(bú)过(guò)我(wǒ)的(de)手(shǒu)还(hái)是(shi)快(kuài)冻(dòng)掉(diào)了(le)。

    All right, I admit it looks amazing, but my hands are still about to freeze off.

  9. Haoran

    走(zǒu),中(zhōng)央(yāng)大(dà)街(jiē)带(dài)你(nǐ)暖(nuǎn)和(huo)暖(nuǎn)和(huo)去(qù),瞧(qiáo)瞧(qiao)两(liǎng)边(bian)的(de)俄(é)式(shì)圆(yuán)顶(dǐng)。

    Come on, let's head over to Central Street to warm up and check out the Russian domes on both sides.

  10. Haoran

    来(lái),上(shàng)硬(yìng)菜(cài)。酸(suān)甜(tián)酥(sū)脆(cuì),本(běn)地(dì)发(fā)明(míng)的(de)这(zhè)道(dào)菜(cài)叫(jiào)什(shén)么(me)来(lái)着(zhe)?

    Here, let's get some real food. Sweet, sour, and crispy, what's this local invention called again?

    1. 锅(guō)包(bāo)肉(ròu) guobaorou
    2. 东(dōng)坡(pō)肉(ròu) Dongpo pork
    3. 叉(chā)烧(shāo)肉(ròu) char siu
    Answer

    锅(guō)包(bāo)肉(ròu) guobaorou

  11. Xiaoyu

    锅(guō)包(bāo)肉(ròu)!外(wài)皮(pí)跟(gēn)玻(bō)璃(li)似(shì)的(de),咬(yǎo)下(xià)去(qù)直(zhí)掉(diào)渣(zhā)。

    Guobaorou! The crust is like glass, it shatters when you bite into it.

  12. Haoran

    再(zài)来(lái)根(gēn)俄(é)式(shì)熏(xūn)法(fǎ)的(de)哈(hā)尔(ěr)滨(bīn)红(hóng)肠(cháng)。

    Have some Russian-style smoked Harbin red sausage too.

  13. Xiaoyu

    怪(guài)不(bu)得(de)零(líng)下(xià)二(èr)十(shí)度(dù)你(nǐ)还(hái)能(néng)笑(xiào)得(de)这(zhè)么(me)开(kāi)心(xīn)。

    No wonder you can still smile like that at twenty below.

  14. Haoran

    早(zǎo)跟(gēn)你(nǐ)说(shuō)了(le)吧(ba),一(yì)根(gēn)辣(là)椒(jiāo)都(dōu)找(zhǎo)不(bù)着(zháo)。

    Told you so, you won't find a single chili pepper around here.

Hear it read aloud in the app

Words in the conversation

Notes

Kind
Province
Capital
Harbin
Region
Northeast China

China's northernmost province, where winter lasts half the year and the cold is a festival.

Known for

Its dish

Guobaorou

Harbin, HeilongjiangNot spicy

Thin slices of pork fried twice until they are glassy and crisp, then tossed in a sweet and sour sauce with shreds of carrot and coriander. Created in Harbin for Russian guests who liked their food sweet.

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