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Online shopping and parcels: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

Taobao, Tmall, JD and Pinduoduo sell by app, Double 11 began in 2009, and China handled about 199 billion express parcels in 2025.

Play: Online shopping and parcels

The conversation

Speakers: Yichen and Xiuying.

  1. Yichen

    你(nǐ)这(zhè)门(mén)口(kǒu)怎(zěn)么(me)堆(duī)了(le)十(shí)一(yī)个(gè)快(kuài)递(dì)箱(xiāng)?

    Why do you have eleven delivery boxes piled up outside your door?

  2. Xiuying

    十(shí)一(yī)月(yuè)中(zhōng)旬(xún)嘛(ma),别(bié)用(yòng)那(nà)种(zhǒng)眼(yǎn)神(shén)看(kàn)着(zhe)我(wǒ)。

    It's mid-November, so stop looking at me like that.

  3. Yichen

    双(shuāng)十(shí)一(yī)。你(nǐ)知(zhī)道(dào)这(zhè)最(zuì)早(zǎo)只(zhǐ)是(shì)个(gè)玩(wán)笑(xiào)吧(ba)?

    Singles' Day. You know that started as a joke, right?

  4. Yichen

    九(jiǔ)十(shí)年(nián)代(dài)在(zài)大(dà)学(xué)校(xiào)园(yuán)里(lǐ)兴(xīng)起(qǐ)的(de)。十(shí)一(yī)月(yuè)十(shí)一(yī)号(hào)对(duì)学(xué)生(sheng)来(lái)说(shuō)是(shì)什(shén)么(me)日(rì)子(zi)?

    It started on college campuses in the nineties. What did November 11th mean to students back then?

    1. 光(guāng)棍(gùn)节(jié),因(yīn)为(wèi)日(rì)期(qī)有(yǒu)四(sì)个(gè)一(yī) Singles' Day, because the date has four ones
    2. 期(qī)末(mò)考(kǎo)试(shì)成(chéng)绩(jì)公(gōng)布(bù)日(rì) Final exam results release day
    3. 北(běi)方(fāng)正(zhèng)式(shì)入(rù)冬(dōng)的(de)第(dì)一(yī)天(tiān) The first official day of winter in the north
    Answer

    光(guāng)棍(gùn)节(jié),因(yīn)为(wèi)日(rì)期(qī)有(yǒu)四(sì)个(gè)一(yī) Singles' Day, because the date has four ones

  5. Xiuying

    光(guāng)棍(gùn)节(jié)嘛(ma)!日(rì)期(qī)里(lǐ)有(yǒu)四(sì)个(gè)一(yī)。然(rán)后(hòu)到(dào)了(le)2009年(nián),第(dì)一(yī)场(chǎng)大(dà)促(cù)销(xiāo)就(jiù)来(lái)了(le)。

    Singles' Day! The date has four ones. Then in 2009, the first big sale happened.

  6. Yichen

    大(dà)约(yuē)27家(jiā)店(diàn)铺(pù),成(chéng)交(jiāo)额(é)5000万(wàn)元(yuán)。

    About 27 shops and 50 million yuan in sales.

  7. Xiuying

    结(jié)果(guǒ)到(dào)了(le)2025年(nián),全(quán)国(guó)处(chǔ)理(lǐ)的(de)快(kuài)递(dì)包(bāo)裹(guǒ)都(dōu)快(kuài)到(dào)1990亿(yì)件(jiàn)了(le)。

    And by 2025, delivery volumes nationwide hit almost 190 billion parcels.

  8. Yichen

    看(kàn)这(zhè)架(jià)势(shi),大(dà)半(bàn)都(dōu)是(shì)你(nǐ)贡(gòng)献(xiàn)的(de)吧(ba)。

    Judging by this pile, you must've contributed a good chunk of that.

  9. Xiuying

    我(wǒ)昨(zuó)晚(wǎn)看(kàn)直(zhí)播(bō)呢(ne),主(zhǔ)播(bō)一(yì)展(zhǎn)示(shì)那(nà)条(tiáo)毯(tǎn)子(zi),我(wǒ)顺(shùn)手(shǒu)就(jiù)点(diǎn)进(jìn)去(qù)买(mǎi)了(le)。

    I was watching a livestream last night, and as soon as the host showed that blanket, I just tapped and bought it.

  10. Yichen

    直(zhí)播(bō)带(dài)货(huò)真(zhēn)厉(lì)害(hai),你(nǐ)连(lián)直(zhí)播(bō)间(jiān)都(dōu)没(méi)出(chū)吧(ba)?

    Livestream shopping is crazy. You didn't even leave the stream, did you?

  11. Xiuying

    我(wǒ)现(xiàn)在(zài)也(yě)是(shì)有(yǒu)两(liǎng)条(tiáo)毯(tǎn)子(zi)的(de)人(rén)了(le)。

    Well, now I'm the proud owner of two blankets.

  12. Yichen

    你(nǐ)的(de)取(qǔ)件(jiàn)码(mǎ)呢(ne)?剩(shèng)下(xia)的(de)肯(kěn)定(dìng)都(dōu)在(zài)驿(yì)站(zhàn)放(fàng)着(zhe)呢(ne)。

    Where are your pickup codes? The rest of them are definitely still sitting at the collection point.

  13. Xiuying

    菜(cài)鸟(niǎo)驿(yì)站(zhàn)或(huò)者(zhě)智(zhì)能(néng)快(kuài)递(dì)柜(guì),收(shōu)到(dào)短(duǎn)信(xìn)输(shū)个(gè)密(mì)码(mǎ)就(jiù)行(xíng)。

    Cainiao Post or a smart locker—just get the text and punch in the code.

  14. Yichen

    走(zǒu)吧(ba),我(wǒ)帮(bāng)你(nǐ)搬(bān)上(shàng)去(qù)。但(dàn)说(shuō)好(hǎo)不(bù)准(zhǔn)再(zài)买(mǎi)第(dì)三(sān)条(tiáo)了(le)啊(ā)。

    Come on, I'll help you carry them up. But you promised, no buying a third one.

Hear it read aloud in the app

Words in the conversation

Notes

The main platforms

Taobao and Tmall belong to Alibaba. JD.com runs its own warehouses and couriers. Pinduoduo is known for group buying and low prices.

Where 11.11 comes from

Double 11 (Shuang Shiyi, 11.11) began as a campus joke from the 1990s. The date has four ones, so 11 November was Singles' Day among students.

The first sale

Alibaba held the first 11.11 sale in 2009 to promote Taobao Mall, later renamed Tmall. It offered 50% off with free shipping nationwide. About 27 merchants took part (sources give 25 to 27) and about 50 million yuan of goods sold.

Live-stream selling

Zhibo daihuo is selling on live video. A host shows the goods, and viewers tap a link and buy without leaving the stream. It runs on Taobao Live, Douyin, Kuaishou and WeChat Channels.

Parcels in 2025

The State Post Bureau counted about 199 billion express parcels (kuaidi) in 2025, up 13.7%, with express revenue of 1.5 trillion yuan.

Milestones

The 100 billionth parcel of 2025 passed on 9 July, 35 days earlier than in 2024. The 150 billion mark passed by 11 October.

Pickup stations

Parcels often go to a neighbourhood station (Cainiao Station is Alibaba's network) or a locker. A pickup code arrives by text, and you type or scan it to collect.

Play

Online shopping and parcels

Taobao, Tmall, JD and Pinduoduo sell by app, Double 11 began in 2009, and China handled about 199 billion express parcels in 2025.

  1. In which year was the first Alibaba Double 11 sale?

    Answer

    2009. Alibaba used it to promote Taobao Mall.

  2. Taobao Mall was later renamed:

    Answer

    Tmall. Tmall is Alibaba's brand-store platform.

  3. About how many merchants joined the first 11.11?

    Answer

    27. Quartz cites 27; some sources say about 25.

  4. Express parcels in China in 2025 numbered about:

    Answer

    199 billion. State Post Bureau figures, January 2026.

  5. Zhibo daihuo is:

    Answer

    Selling on live video. Viewers buy from a link without leaving the stream.

  6. Pinduoduo is best known for:

    Answer

    Group buying and low prices. Groups of buyers unlock a lower price.

  7. Where does a pickup code usually get used?

    Answer

    A station or locker. The code arrives by text and releases your parcel.

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