Space and big science: a Chinese conversation with pinyin

The conversation

Speakers: Haoran and Xiaoyu.

1. Haoran

   你(nǐ)看(kàn)月(yuè)亮(liang)多(duō)亮(liàng)，我(wǒ)一(yì)直(zhí)在(zài)琢(zuó)磨(mo)个(gè)事(shì)儿(r)。

   Look how bright the moon is. I've been pondering something.

2. Xiaoyu

   哟(yō)，难(nán)得(dé)听(tīng)你(nǐ)这(zhè)么(me)温(wēn)柔(róu)。什(shén)么(me)事(shì)呀(ya)？

   Well, aren't you surprisingly soft tonight. What is it?

3. Haoran

   嫦(cháng)娥(é)六(liù)号(hào)从(cóng)月(yuè)球(qiú)背(bèi)面(miàn)带(dài)回(huí)了(le)大(dà)约(yuē)1935克(kè)样(yàng)品(pǐn)。

   Chang'e 6 brought back about 1,935 grams of samples from the far side of the moon.

4. Xiaoyu

   我(wǒ)就(jiù)知(zhī)道(dào)你(nǐ)心(xīn)里(lǐ)只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)你(nǐ)的(de)航(háng)天(tiān)器(qì)。

   I knew you only had space probes on the brain.

5. Haoran

   人(rén)类(lèi)第(dì)一(yī)次(cì)从(cóng)月(yuè)背(bèi)采(cǎi)样(yàng)回(huí)来(lai)。你(nǐ)知(zhī)道(dào)地(dì)面(miàn)怎(zěn)么(me)跟(gēn)着(zhuó)陆(lù)器(qì)联(lián)系(xì)吗(ma)？

   It's humanity's first time sampling the lunar far side. Do you know how mission control stays in touch with the lander?

   1. 靠(kào)中(zhōng)继(jì)卫(wèi)星(xīng) Using a relay satellite
   2. 通(tōng)过(guò)地(dì)面(miàn)直(zhí)接(jiē)无(wú)线(xiàn)电(diàn) Through direct ground radio
   3. 无(wú)法(fǎ)联(lián)系(xì)，只(zhǐ)能(néng)自(zì)主(zhǔ)运(yùn)行(xíng) No connection, it operates autonomously

   Answer

   靠(kào)中(zhōng)继(jì)卫(wèi)星(xīng) Using a relay satellite

6. Xiaoyu

   靠(kào)中(zhōng)继(jì)卫(wèi)星(xīng)呗(bei)，因(yīn)为(wèi)月(yuè)球(qiú)背(bèi)面(miàn)根(gēn)本(běn)对(duì)不(bú)到(dào)地(dì)球(qiú)。

   Using a relay satellite, obviously, since the far side never faces Earth.

7. Haoran

   你(nǐ)是(shì)不(bú)是(shì)偷(tōu)看(kàn)我(wǒ)写(xiě)的(de)技(jì)术(shù)笔(bǐ)记(jì)了(le)？

   Have you been snooping through my tech notes?

8. Xiaoyu

   发(fā)射(shè)、环(huán)月(yuè)、着(zhuó)陆(lù)、钻(zuān)取(qǔ)、上(shàng)升(shēng)、对(duì)接(jiē)、返(fǎn)回(huí)。

   Launch, lunar orbit, landing, drilling, ascent, docking, return.

9. Haoran

   最(zuì)后(hòu)在(zài)2024年(nián)6月(yuè)25日(rì)顺(shùn)利(lì)着(zhuó)陆(lù)回(huí)地(dì)球(qiú)。

   And it finally touched down safely back on Earth on June 25, 2024.

10. Xiaoyu

    将(jiāng)近(jìn)两(liǎng)公(gōng)斤(jīn)的(de)石(shí)头(tou)大(dà)老(lǎo)远(yuǎn)运(yùn)回(huí)来(lai)，到(dào)底(dǐ)长(zhǎng)啥(shá)样(yàng)？

    They hauled nearly two kilograms of rocks all that way—what do they actually look like?

11. Haoran

    石(shí)头(tou)呗(bei)，灰(huī)扑(pū)扑(pū)的(de)，可(kě)太(tài)迷(mí)人(rén)了(le)。

    Rocks, just dull gray, but completely fascinating.

12. Xiaoyu

    那(nà)贵(guì)州(zhōu)的(de)那(nà)个(ge)呢(ne)？我(wǒ)画(huà)过(guò)草(cǎo)图(tú)的(de)那(nà)个(ge)。

    What about the one in Guizhou? The one I sketched.

13. Haoran

    贵(guì)州(zhōu)望(wàng)谟(mó)的(de)500米(mǐ)口(kǒu)径(jìng)球(qiú)面(miàn)射(shè)电(diàn)望(wàng)远(yuǎn)镜(jìng)，到(dào)2025年(nián)10月(yuè)已(yǐ)经(jīng)发(fā)现(xiàn)了(le)1152颗(kē)脉(mài)冲(chōng)星(xīng)。

    The 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope in Wangmo, Guizhou, has discovered 1,152 pulsars as of October 2025.

14. Xiaoyu

    浩(hào)然(rán)啊(a)，你(nǐ)连(lián)那(nà)么(me)远(yuǎn)的(de)外(wài)太(tài)空(kōng)都(dōu)懂(dǒng)，怎(zěn)么(me)就(jiù)吃(chī)不(bù)了(liǎo)一(yì)点(diǎn)辣(là)。

    Haoran, you know all about deep space, so why can't you handle even a hint of spice?

15. Haoran

    每(měi)个(gè)人(rén)心(xīn)里(lǐ)都(dōu)有(yǒu)自(zì)己(jǐ)的(de)一(yí)面(miàn)背(bèi)向(xiàng)月(yuè)球(qiú)。

    Everyone's got a far side to their own moon.

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