Shanxi: a Chinese conversation with pinyin and English

The conversation

Speakers: Xiaoyu and Guoliang.

1. Xiaoyu

   国(guó)良(liáng)，我(wǒ)刚(gāng)才(cái)看(kàn)见(jiàn)一(yí)个(ge)师(shī)傅(fu)抱(bào)着(zhe)面(miàn)团(tuán)，飞(fēi)刀(dāo)削(xiāo)面(miàn)呢(ne)。

   Guoliang, I just saw a guy holding a ball of dough and shaving noodles off with a flying knife!

2. Guoliang

   刀(dāo)削(xiāo)面(miàn)呗(bei)！你(nǐ)这(zhè)是(shì)到(dào)山(shān)西(xī)了(le)。

   That's daoxianmian for you! You've definitely made it to Shanxi.

3. Xiaoyu

   用(yòng)带(dài)弧(hú)度(dù)的(de)刀(dāo)片(piàn)削(xiāo)，面(miàn)片(piàn)直(zhí)飞(fēi)！我(wǒ)都(dōu)画(huà)了(le)四(sì)回(huí)了(le)，看(kàn)着(zhe)还(hái)像(xiàng)只(zhī)鸟(niǎo)。

   He shaves them off with a curved blade and the noodle strips just fly through the air! I've sketched it four times now, and mine still looks like a bird.

4. Guoliang

   搁(gē)醋(cù)了(le)吗(ma)？

   Did you add vinegar?

5. Xiaoyu

   老(lǎo)陈(chén)醋(cù)，陈(chén)年(nián)深(shēn)色(sè)那(nà)种(zhǒng)。我(wǒ)这(zhè)回(huí)算(suàn)懂(dǒng)这(zhè)个(ge)省(shěng)了(le)。

   Aged mature vinegar, that dark, well-aged kind. I finally get this province now.

6. Guoliang

   去(qù)过(guò)平(píng)遥(yáo)古(gǔ)城(chéng)了(le)吧(ba)？

   Been to Pingyao Ancient City yet?

7. Xiaoyu

   今(jīn)晚(wǎn)就(jiù)睡(shuì)那(nà)儿(r)。古(gǔ)城(chéng)墙(qiáng)围(wéi)着(zhe)，全(quán)是(shì)当(dāng)年(nián)的(de)票(piào)号(hào)和(hé)大(dà)商(shāng)人(rén)的(de)大(dà)院(yuàn)。

   Sleeping there tonight. It's surrounded by ancient city walls, and it's all old banks and massive courtyard mansions belonging to big merchants from back in the day.

8. Xiaoyu

   接(jiē)着(zhe)我(wǒ)要(yào)去(qù)大(dà)同(tóng)那(nà)边(bian)。大(dà)约(yuē)1500年(nián)前(qián)，那(nà)儿(r)的(de)悬(xuán)崖(yá)上(shàng)凿(záo)了(le)什(shén)么(me)？

   Next up, I'm heading over toward Datong. What was carved into the cliffs there about 1500 years ago?

   1. 佛(fó)像(xiàng) Buddha statues
   2. 皇(huáng)帝(dì)画(huà)像(xiàng) Imperial portraits
   3. 丝(sī)绸(chóu)之(zhī)路(lù)地(dì)图(tú) Silk Road map

   Answer

   佛(fó)像(xiàng) Buddha statues

9. Guoliang

   佛(fó)像(xiàng)啊(a)！云(yún)冈(gāng)石(shí)窟(kū)嘛(ma)。

   Buddha statues, of course! That's the Yungang Grottoes.

10. Xiaoyu

    然(rán)后(hòu)还(hái)得(děi)去(qù)五(wǔ)台(tái)山(shān)，佛(fó)教(jiào)四(sì)大(dà)名(míng)山(shān)之(zhī)一(yī)。

    Then I've got to visit Mount Wutai, one of the four great Buddhist mountains.

11. Guoliang

    吃(chī)饱(bǎo)了(le)面(miàn)条(tiáo)爬(pá)山(shān)，够(gòu)你(nǐ)受(shòu)的(de)。

    Climbing a mountain on a belly full of noodles is going to kick your butt.

12. Xiaoyu

    面(miàn)条(tiáo)吃(chī)得(de)正(zhèng)合(hé)适(shì)，谢(xiè)谢(xie)您(nín)。

    My noodle intake is right on point, thank you very much.

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