Mid-Autumn Festival: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

The conversation

Speakers: Haoran and Xiaoyu.

1. Haoran

   你(nǐ)桌(zhuō)上(shàng)怎(zěn)么(me)堆(duī)了(le)足(zú)足(zú)九(jiǔ)盒(hé)月(yuè)饼(bing)？

   Why do you have a full nine boxes of mooncakes piled up on your desk?

2. Xiaoyu

   亲(qīn)戚(qi)、朋(péng)友(you)、同(tóng)事(shì)送(sòng)的(de)。好(hǎo)几(jǐ)周(zhōu)前(qián)就(jiù)开(kāi)始(shǐ)收(shōu)到(dào)了(le)，你(nǐ)快(kuài)帮(bāng)我(wǒ)吃(chī)点(diǎn)。

   They're from relatives, friends, and coworkers. I've been getting them for weeks—help me eat some, please.

3. Haoran

   这(zhè)盒(hé)是(shì)双(shuāng)黄(huáng)白(bái)莲(lián)蓉(róng)的(de)吧(ba)？里(lǐ)面(miàn)还(hái)带(dài)着(zhe)咸(xián)蛋(dàn)黄(huáng)。

   Is this box white lotus seed paste with two egg yolks? There's a salted egg yolk right inside.

4. Xiaoyu

   蛋(dàn)黄(huáng)象(xiàng)征(zhēng)着(zhe)月(yuè)亮(liang)呢(ne)。你(nǐ)拿(ná)两(liǎng)个(gè)去(qù)。

   The yolk represents the moon. Take a couple with you.

5. Haoran

   今(jīn)晚(wǎn)我(wǒ)们(men)全(quán)家(jiā)去(qù)我(wǒ)爸(bà)妈(mā)阳(yáng)台(tái)上(shàng)赏(shǎng)月(yuè)。

   My whole family is heading over to my parents' balcony tonight to moon-gaze.

6. Xiaoyu

   看(kàn)真(zhēn)月(yuè)亮(liang)去(qù)。都(dōu)说(shuō)中(zhōng)秋(qiū)节(jié)的(de)月(yuè)亮(liang)是(shì)一(yì)年(nián)里(lǐ)最(zuì)亮(liàng)的(de)。

   Go see the real moon. People always say the Mid-Autumn Festival moon is the brightest of the year.

7. Haoran

   那(nà)你(nǐ)说(shuō)月(yuè)亮(liang)上(shàng)到(dào)底(dǐ)住(zhù)着(zhe)谁(shuí)？

   So who do you think actually lives up there on the moon?

   1. 嫦(cháng)娥(é)与(yǔ)玉(yù)兔(tù) Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit
   2. 织(zhī)女(nǚ)与(yǔ)喜(xǐ)鹊(què) The Weaver Girl and the magpies
   3. 玉(yù)皇(huáng)大(dà)帝(dì)与(yǔ)龙(lóng) The Jade Emperor and dragons

   Answer

   嫦(cháng)娥(é)与(yǔ)玉(yù)兔(tù) Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit

8. Xiaoyu

   当(dāng)然(rán)是(shì)嫦(cháng)娥(é)。她(tā)偷(tōu)吃(chī)了(le)长(cháng)生(shēng)不(bù)老(lǎo)药(yào)飘(piāo)到(dào)了(le)月(yuè)宫(gōng)，身(shēn)边(biān)还(hái)有(yǒu)只(zhǐ)玉(yù)兔(tù)。

   Chang'e, obviously. She stole the elixir of immortality and drifted up to the lunar palace, and she's got a jade rabbit keeping her company.

9. Haoran

   咱(zán)们(men)国(guó)家(jiā)的(de)嫦(cháng)娥(é)探(tàn)月(yuè)工(gōng)程(chéng)就(jiù)是(shì)用(yòng)她(tā)名(míng)字(zi)命(mìng)名(míng)的(de)。

   Our country's Chang'e lunar exploration project is even named after her.

10. Xiaoyu

    这(zhè)名(míng)字(zi)挺(tǐng)浪(làng)漫(màn)的(de)，想(xiǎng)象(xiàng)一(yí)下(xià)有(yǒu)人(rén)在(zài)孤(gū)单(dān)那(nà)么(me)久(jiǔ)后(hòu)给(gěi)你(nǐ)送(sòng)个(gè)机(jī)器(qì)人(rén)去(qù)。

    It's a pretty romantic name—just imagine someone sending you a robot after you've been stuck up there all alone for so long.

11. Haoran

    换(huàn)作(zuò)你(nǐ)，你(nǐ)愿(yuàn)意(yì)吃(chī)那(nà)药(yào)吗(ma)？

    Would you take that pill if you were in her shoes?

12. Xiaoyu

    去(qù)月(yuè)亮(liang)上(shàng)住(zhù)而(ér)且(qiě)还(hái)没(méi)有(yǒu)辣(là)椒(jiāo)吃(chī)？我(wǒ)绝(jué)对(duì)不(bú)干(gàn)。

    Move to the moon and have no spicy food to eat? No way in hell.

13. Haoran

    那(nà)你(nǐ)也(yě)得(děi)带(dài)一(yí)块(kuài)月(yuè)饼(bing)上(shàng)去(qù)。

    Well, you'd still have to bring a mooncake up there with you.

14. Xiaoyu

    我(wǒ)这(zhè)里(lǐ)正(zhèng)好(hǎo)有(yǒu)九(jiǔ)盒(hé)，全(quán)送(sòng)她(tā)吃(chī)好(hǎo)了(le)。

    I've got nine boxes right here, she can have all of them.

Hear it read aloud in the app