HSK 3Lesson 25
On a Saturday afternoon in early November, Annie visits Li Wen and Liu Ming's rented flat. The lift is broken, the stair light is out, a neighbor complains about the music, and Liu Ming has lost his door card. You will hear how they get in.
You will learn to find your way around a housing complex: say which side something is on, climb to a floor, and talk about the rooms and the neighbors.
Part 1 · 13 new words
Contains 2 words
housing complex; neighborhood
neighbor
Contains 4 words
stairs
lift; elevator
Contains 3 words
room
bathroom; toilet
Contains 4 words
east
south
Part 2 · 7 phrases
我们小区的邻居都很热情，常常一起聊天儿。
The neighbors in our complex are friendly, and we often chat together.
这个楼没有电梯，爷爷爬楼梯很累。
This building has no lift, so climbing the stairs is hard for Grandpa.
我住十二层，每次出门都要坐电梯。
I live on the twelfth floor, so I take the lift every time I go out.
房间里的灯坏了，晚上看书很不方便。
The light in the room is broken, so it's hard to read at night.
屋子里很热，我们出去走走吧。
It's hot in the room, so let's go out for a walk.
请问，这儿的卫生间在哪边？我想洗手。
Excuse me, which way is the restroom here? I'd like to wash my hands.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Saturday afternoon at the east gate of a big housing complex. Annie is on her way to Li Wen and Liu Ming's flat. Yixue has been there before and tells Annie which way to go. Annie does not know east from west.
安妮Annie
这个小区真大啊！刘明他们住在哪儿？
This complex is so big! Where do Liu Ming and Li Wen live?
王一雪Wang Yixue
我们在东门，他们住在南边，从这儿往南走就到了。
We're at the east gate. They live on the south side, so just walk south from here.
Part 4 · 1 point
东、南、西、北、北方、东方、南方、西方、中间
Use 东Dōng, 南Nán, 西Xī, 北Běi with 边Biān or 门Mén for a side or a gate, and with 往Wǎng to give a direction.
Say where something is
A direction word plus 边Biān names a side; 往Wǎng
floor; storey
light; lamp
room
west
north
出了门，往东走是超市，往西走是地铁站。
Go out the door and east is the supermarket and west is the subway station.
安妮Annie
南边？哪边是南？我只知道左边和右边。
South? Which way is south? I only know left and right.
王一雪Wang Yixue
你看那边的太阳，太阳那边是南，你后面就是北。
Look at the sun over there. That's south, and north is behind you.
安妮Annie
我知道了！那我往东走，对不对？
I get it! Then I walk east, right?
王一雪Wang Yixue
不对不对，往东是出小区！跟我来。
No, no, east is out of the complex! Follow me.
安妮Annie
东南西北，我还要多学学。
East, south, west, north: I still need to practice.
Outside the building, Liu Ming meets his guests and tells them the lift is out of order. They have to climb to the sixth floor, and the light on the third floor is also broken.
刘明Liu Ming
欢迎欢迎！不好意思，电梯坏了，我们只好走楼梯。
Welcome, welcome! Sorry, the lift is broken, so we'll have to take the stairs.
安妮Annie
你们住几层啊？
Which floor are you on?
刘明Liu Ming
六层。不高，走一会儿就到了。
The sixth. It's not high. We'll be there in a moment.
王一雪Wang Yixue
到三层了。这层的灯也坏了，什么都看不见。
Third floor. The light here is broken too, and I can't see anything.
刘明Liu Ming
别怕，我有手机，我来给你们照路。
Don't be scared. I have my phone and I'll light the way for you.
安妮Annie
刘明，你的手机比楼里的灯有用！
Liu Ming, your phone is more useful than the lights in this building!
刘明Liu Ming
对吧？走吧，快到了。
Right? Come on, we're almost there.
On the sixth floor. Li Wen is inside with loud music while he fixes the bathroom, and the others are outside because Liu Ming has lost his door card. A neighbor comes up to complain about the music.
邻居Neighbor
你们是六层的吧？你们家的歌，我在楼下都听见了，没办法休息。
You're from the sixth floor, right? I can hear your music all the way downstairs, and I can't rest.
刘明Liu Ming
对不起对不起！可是我们在外边，是李文一个人在屋子里。
Sorry, sorry! But we're outside. It's only Li Wen in the room.
邻居Neighbor
那你们进去跟他说一下啊。
Then go in and tell him.
刘明Liu Ming
我给他打了电话，他不接，我的卡又不见了……
I called him and he won't pick up, and my card is lost again...
安妮Annie
怎么办？
What do we do?
邻居Neighbor
李文以前把他的卡给过我，说有事可以用。你们等一下，我去拿。
Li Wen once gave me his card, saying I could use it if anything came up. Wait here and I'll go get it.
刘明Liu Ming
太好了！谢谢您！
That's great! Thank you!
Inside the flat. It is small, and Liu Ming and Li Wen share one room. Li Wen is working on the bathroom, and the friends talk about the climb up the stairs.
安妮Annie
你们的屋子比一雪家小多了，可是很干净。
Your place is much smaller than Yixue's home, but it's very clean.
刘明Liu Ming
东西不多，所以看起来干净。我们两个人住一个屋子。
We don't have much stuff, so it looks clean. The two of us share one room.
李文Li Wen
卫生间又没水了，我先去看看。
There's no water in the bathroom again. Let me go take a look.
安妮Annie
你们每天要爬六层楼，累不累啊？
You climb six floors every day. Aren't you tired?
刘明Liu Ming
累极了！
Exhausted!
李文Li Wen
这个月咱们就找一个有电梯的房子吧。
Let's find a place with a lift this month.
刘明Liu Ming
同意！这次我一定把卡带好。
Agreed! This time I'll be sure to keep my card with me.
At the east gate, Yixue says 他们住在南边Tāmen zhù zài nánbian: the flat is on the south side of the complex. Then she says 往南走Wǎng nán zǒu to tell Annie which way to go.
In sentences
Giving directions
往西走，路口的右边就是地铁站。
Go west, and the subway station is on the right at the intersection.
往Wǎng + direction + 走Zǒu gives a direction.
Opposite sides
我在小区的东边，他在小区的西边。
I'm on the east side of the complex and he's on the west side.
东边Dōngbian and 西边Xībian are opposite sides; 南边Nánbian and 北边Běibian are the other pair.
太阳从东边出来，从西边下去。
The sun comes up in the east and goes down in the west.
A：请问，地铁站在哪边？ B：往东走，路口的右边就是。
A: Excuse me, which way is the subway station? B: Go east. It's on the right at the intersection.
我家在学校的南边，我每天往北走去上课。
My home is south of the school, so I walk north to class every day.
安妮说往东走，可是一雪说，往东是出小区。
Annie said to go east, but Yixue said that east leads out of the complex.
The four directions are 东Dōng, 南Nán, 西Xī and 北Běi, always said in the order 东南西北Dōngnán xīběi. To name a side, add 边Biān: 东边Dōngbian, 南边Nánbian, 西边Xībian, 北边Běibian. To name a gate, add 门Mén: 东门Dōng mén. To give a direction, put 往Wǎng before the direction and 走Zǒu after it: 往南走Wǎng nán zǒu. You can also say where something is by putting the place first: 学校在小区的北边Xuéxiào zài xiǎoqū de běibian. The key constraint is that the direction word does not stand alone as a place: it needs 边Biān, 门Mén or a similar word after it. A common mistake is to leave it out: ✗ 学校在小区的东。Xuéxiào zài xiǎoqū de dōng. ✓ 学校在小区的东边。Xuéxiào zài xiǎoqū de dōngbian.
