Jilin: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Haoran.

1. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)在(zài)长(cháng)白(bái)山(shān)呢(ne)。山(shān)顶(dǐng)上(shàng)居(jū)然(rán)有(yǒu)个(gè)天(tiān)池(chí)。

   I'm up at Changbaishan. There's actually a crater lake right at the top.

2. Haoran

   水(shuǐ)真(zhēn)的(de)跟(gēn)传(chuán)说(shuō)里(lǐ)一(yí)样(yàng)蓝(lán)吗(ma)？

   Is the water really as blue as the legends say?

3. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)调(tiáo)了(le)三(sān)次(cì)色(sè)都(dōu)没(méi)对(duì)上(shàng)，太(tài)难(nán)拿(ná)捏(niē)了(le)。

   I tried adjusting my color balance three times and still couldn't get it right. It's so tricky to capture.

4. Haoran

   吉(jí)林(lín)这(zhè)地(dì)方(fang)就(jiù)这(zhè)样(yàng)。冬(dōng)天(tiān)去(qù)吉(jí)林(lín)市(shì)看(kàn)雾(wù)凇(sōng)去(qù)。

   That's just how Jilin is. You gotta head over to Jilin City in the winter to see the rime frost.

5. Xiaoyu

   松(sōng)花(huā)江(jiāng)边(biān)上(shàng)那(nèi)种(zhǒng)树(shù)挂(guà)？

   You mean those ice-encrusted trees along the Songhua River?

6. Haoran

   整(zhěng)条(tiáo)江(jiāng)岸(àn)像(xiàng)裹(guǒ)了(le)一(yì)层(céng)白(bái)糖(táng)霜(shuāng)。

   The whole riverbank looks like it's coated in white powdered sugar.

7. Xiaoyu

   哟(yō)，你(nǐ)还(hái)能(néng)整(zhěng)这(zhè)文(wén)艺(yì)词(cí)儿(r)？发(fā)烧(shāo)啦(la)？

   Well, look at you getting all poetic. Running a fever or something?

8. Haoran

   到(dào)延(yán)边(biān)大(dà)冬(dōng)天(tiān)不(bù)吃(chī)点(diǎn)啥(shá)？考(kǎo)考(kao)你(nǐ)。

   What's the one thing you've gotta eat when you're in Yanbian in the dead of winter? Let's test you.

   1. 冰(bīng)凉(liáng)酸(suān)甜(tián)的(de)冷(lěng)面(miàn) icy-cold sweet and sour naengmyeon
   2. 热(rè)气(qì)腾(téng)腾(téng)的(de)羊(yáng)肉(ròu)锅(guō) piping hot mutton hotpot
   3. 麻(má)酱(jiàng)拌(bàn)热(rè)面(miàn) hot noodles tossed in sesame paste

   Answer

   冰(bīng)凉(liáng)酸(suān)甜(tián)的(de)冷(lěng)面(miàn) icy-cold sweet and sour naengmyeon

9. Xiaoyu

   当(dāng)地(dì)朝(cháo)鲜(xiǎn)族(zú)的(de)冷(lěng)面(miàn)呗(bēi)！冰(bīng)得(de)酸(suān)爽(shuǎng)，我(wǒ)裹(guǒ)着(zhe)两(liǎng)件(jiàn)大(dà)衣(yī)呢(ne)。

   The local Korean-style naengmyeon, duh! It's freezing and tangy, and I'm sitting here wrapped in two coats.

10. Haoran

    这(zhè)才(cái)是(shì)旅(lǚ)行(xíng)该(gāi)有(yǒu)的(de)样(yàng)子(zi)。

    Now that's what a proper trip is all about.

11. Xiaoyu

    居(jū)然(rán)还(hái)给(gěi)加(jiā)了(le)苹(píng)果(guǒ)梨(lí)片(piàn)，竟(jìng)然(rán)挺(tǐng)搭(dā)！

    They even throw in slices of apple pear, and somehow it actually works!

12. Haoran

    市(shì)集(jí)上(shàng)看(kàn)见(jiàn)野(yě)山(shān)参(shēn)了(le)吗(ma)？

    Did you spot any wild mountain ginseng at the market?

13. Xiaoyu

    从(cóng)深(shēn)山(shān)里(lǐ)挖(wā)出(chu)来(lai)的(de)。我(wǒ)刚(gāng)画(huà)了(le)一(yì)根(gēn)，看(kàn)着(zhe)像(xiàng)个(gè)迈(mài)开(kāi)腿(tuǐ)逃(táo)跑(pǎo)的(de)小(xiǎo)人(rén)儿(r)。

    They dig 'em straight out of the deep mountains. I just sketched one, and it looks like a little guy running away with his legs spread.

Hear it read aloud in the app