Laba Festival: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Zhiyuan.

1. Xiaoyu

   闻(wén)着(zhe)了(le)吗(ma)？我(wǒ)妈(mā)天(tiān)还(hái)没(méi)亮(liàng)就(jiù)起(qǐ)火(huǒ)熬(áo)粥(zhōu)了(le)。

   Smell that? My mom was up before dawn getting the fire going to simmer some congee.

2. Zhiyuan

   都(dōu)到(dào)腊(là)八(bā)啦(la)？农(nóng)历(lì)腊(là)月(yuè)初(chū)八(bā)了(le)？

   Is it Laba already? Eighth day of the twelfth lunar month?

3. Xiaoyu

   大(dà)米(mǐ)、豆(dòu)子(zi)、干(gān)果(guǒ)还(hái)有(yǒu)果(guǒ)脯(fǔ)，全(quán)在(zài)一(yì)锅(guō)里(lǐ)咕(gū)嘟(dū)呢(ne)。

   Rice, beans, dried fruit, and preserved fruit, all bubbling away in one big pot.

4. Zhiyuan

   街(jiē)坊(fāng)邻(lín)居(jū)挨(āi)家(jiā)挨(āi)户(hù)都(dōu)得(děi)送(sòng)一(yì)碗(wǎn)吧(ba)？

   You're supposed to send a bowl to every single neighbor on the street, right?

5. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)这(zhe)儿(r)还(hái)留(liú)了(le)三(sān)罐(guàn)给(gěi)你(nǐ)，我(wǒ)妈(mā)老(lǎo)念(niàn)叨(dao)让(ràng)你(nǐ)多(duō)注(zhù)意(yì)身(shēn)体(tǐ)。

   I've saved three jars for you right here, and my mom keeps saying you need to take better care of yourself.

6. Zhiyuan

   我(wǒ)妈(mā)这(zhè)会(huì)儿(r)正(zhèng)忙(máng)着(zhe)弄(nòng)北(běi)边(biān)那(nà)罐(guàn)醋(cù)泡(pào)的(de)呢(ne)，那(nà)里(lǐ)面(miàn)到(dào)底(dǐ)泡(pào)的(de)是(shì)啥(shá)？

   My mom's super busy making that vinegar-soaked jar up north right now. What on earth is actually soaking in that?

   1. 大(dà)蒜(suàn)，泡(pào)绿(lǜ)了(le) Garlic, turned green
   2. 李(lǐ)子(zi)，泡(pào)黑(hēi)了(le) Plums, turned black
   3. 萝(luó)卜(bo)，泡(pào)红(hóng)了(le) Radishes, turned red

   Answer

   大(dà)蒜(suàn)，泡(pào)绿(lǜ)了(le) Garlic, turned green

7. Xiaoyu

   大(dà)蒜(suàn)！泡(pào)在(zài)醋(cù)里(lǐ)变(biàn)绿(lǜ)了(le)，等(děng)着(zhe)过(guò)年(nián)就(jiù)着(zhe)饺(jiǎo)子(zi)吃(chī)呢(ne)。

   Garlic! Soaking in vinegar turns it green, waiting to be eaten with dumplings for Chinese New Year.

8. Zhiyuan

   这(zhè)可(kě)是(shì)大(dà)冬(dōng)天(tiān)里(lǐ)难(nán)得(dé)见(jiàn)到(dào)的(de)绿(lǜ)色(sè)。

   That's a rare splash of green in the dead of winter.

9. Xiaoyu

   那(nà)可(kě)不(bù)，过(guò)了(le)腊(là)八(bā)这(zhè)就(jiù)是(shì)年(nián)味(wèi)儿(r)了(le)。

   Totally, once Laba hits, you can really feel the New Year spirit.

10. Zhiyuan

    我(wǒ)是(shì)不(bú)是(shì)该(gāi)赶(gǎn)紧(jǐn)抢(qiǎng)火(huǒ)车(chē)票(piào)了(le)。

    Should I hurry up and grab my train tickets?

11. Xiaoyu

    你(nǐ)手(shǒu)机(jī)上(shàng)肯(kěn)定(dìng)早(zǎo)定(dìng)好(hǎo)闹(nào)钟(zhōng)提(tí)醒(xǐng)了(le)吧(ba)？

    I bet you set an alarm on your phone ages ago to remind you.

12. Zhiyuan

    我(wǒ)设(shè)了(le)四(sì)个(gè)。

    I set four.

Hear it read aloud in the app