HSK 3Lesson 7
Annie visits Yixue’s family for dinner. You will see the warm welcome, a dumpling that is much too hot, a drawer of childhood pictures that leaves Annie homesick, and an offer to treat the family next time.
You will learn to be a good guest, say how you feel, and answer with “of course” when a host asks if you are satisfied.
Part 1 · 15 new words
Contains 6 words
to be a guest or visitor
to give a dinner party; to entertain guests
visitor; guest
cordial; enthusiastic
father's younger brother; uncle
maternal aunt; step-mother
Contains 7 words
to feel happy; to rejoice
satisfied; pleased
Contains 2 words
sisters; siblings
among; in; within
Part 2
Part 3 · 10 phrases
我第一次去朋友家做客，他的妈妈很热情。
The first time I visited a friend’s home, his mother was very warm.
这次我请客，你们想吃什么都行。
It’s my treat this time. Order whatever you like.
家里来客人了，你快去给客人拿点儿水。
We have a guest. Quick, go and get the guest some water.
老师说我们写得好，大家都很开心。
The teacher said we wrote well, and everyone was happy.
这个房子我不太满意，因为太小了。
I’m not very satisfied with this house because it’s too small.
他忘记我的生日，我很生气，也有点儿难过。
He forgot my birthday, so I’m angry and a bit sad too.
Part 4 · 4 conversations
On Saturday evening Annie arrives at Yixue's family apartment. Yixue's mother opens the door, with her father right behind her.
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
安妮来了！快进来，快进来！今天你是客人，什么都不用做。
Annie’s here! Come in, come in! Today you’re our guest, so you don’t need to do anything.
安妮Annie
Part 5 · 2 points
当然、其实、终于、才2、才3、就4
当然dāngrán says something is certain; 就jiù before a verb says it happened early or at once.
Of course
当然dāngrán goes before the verb to agree firmly.
to get angry; to take offense
to feel sad; to feel unwell
to cry; to weep
only natural; as it should be
to feel; to sense; to perceive
有时候——爸爸常说
Sometimes—Dad kept saying:
“又错？又错？怎么还不会？”
“Wrong again? Wrong again? How can you still not know how?”
“这么容易，怎么还不对？”
“It is this easy—how are you still not getting it right?”
我没有开口，心里早说：
I did not open my mouth; inside, I had already said:
等我变成大人——我不会这样
When I become an adult—I will not be like this.
我越大，怎么越像他？
The older I get, why do I resemble him more?
我说不会这样，今天又这样说
I said I would not be like this; today I speak this way again.
小时候我最怕听见的
What I was most afraid to hear as a child
现在——从我这里说出来
Now—comes out through me.
孩子才错一次
The child only got it wrong once.
我已经说：“你总是这样”
I had already said, “You are always like this.”
一次，怎么变成“总是”？
How does once become “always”?
我说完，自己安静下来
After I finish speaking, I go quiet.
我看着孩子
I look at the child.
怎么听见爸爸？
How do I hear Dad?
他不在这里
He is not here.
说话的人是我
I am the one speaking.
小时候爸爸说，现在我说
When I was little, Dad spoke; now I speak.
人变了，这叫变化吗？
The person changed—is that called change?
说的人变了，说的没有变
The person speaking changed; what was said did not change.
我总说我跟他不同
I always say I am different from him.
今天——哪里不同？
Today—where is the difference?
我越大，怎么越像他？
The older I get, why do I resemble him more?
我说不会这样，今天又这样说
I said I would not be like this; today I speak this way again.
小时候我最怕听见的
What I was most afraid to hear as a child
现在——从我这里说出来
Now—comes out through me.
大人常用“因为爱你”
Adults commonly use “because I love you.”
后面常常跟着“不行”
Behind it, “you cannot do it” often follows.
前面说“爱你”，后面说“不行”
First comes “I love you”; after comes “you cannot do it.”
这样的爱，太常见
This kind of love is too common.
孩子听见什么？只听见“不行”
What does the child hear? Only “you cannot do it.”
我听了好多年
I listened for many years.
今天才听清楚
Only today did I hear it clearly.
现在怕的，不是爸爸
What I am afraid of now is not Dad.
是孩子也怕我
It is that the child is afraid of me too.
我总说“我不会像他”
I always say, “I will not be like him.”
不久，孩子也会这样说
Soon, the child will say the same thing.
爸爸这样对我，我又这样对孩子
Dad treated me this way; I treat the child this way again.
谁变了？谁没有变？
Who changed? Who did not change?
“你怎么又——”
“How could you again—”
我说到一半
I get halfway through.
孩子看着我
The child looks at me.
我也看着他
I look at him too.
这次我说：
This time I say:
“对不起，这次爸爸错了”
“I am sorry. This time Dad was wrong.”
我越大，怎么越像他？
The older I get, why do I resemble him more?
我说不会这样，今天又这样说
I said I would not be like this; today I speak this way again.
小时候我最怕听见的
What I was most afraid to hear as a child
现在——从我这里说出来
Now—comes out through me.
孩子没有说话
The child does not speak.
我说“对不起”
I say, “I am sorry.”
孩子不用变
The child does not need to change.
这次——爸爸变
This time—Dad changes.
孩子哭了，你快去看看他怎么了。
The child is crying. Go and see what’s wrong.
我当然想去，但是明天我要上班。
Of course I want to go, but I have to work tomorrow.
过年的时候，我一个人在外地，感到很想家。
At New Year I was alone away from home and felt very homesick.
我叫他们叔叔、阿姨，因为他们是爸爸妈妈的朋友。
I call them uncle and auntie because they are my parents’ friends.
您好，我是安妮。谢谢您请我来做客。
Hello, I’m Annie. Thank you for inviting me over.
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
不客气！一雪说你爱吃饺子，我们早上就开始做了。叫我阿姨吧，一雪的爸爸，你叫他叔叔。
You’re welcome! Yixue said you love dumplings, so we started making them this morning. Call me Auntie, and call Yixue’s dad Uncle.
安妮Annie
阿姨好！叔叔好！
Hello, Auntie! Hello, Uncle!
王爸爸Yixue’s dad
欢迎欢迎！那天你问我多少钱，我笑了一个晚上！
Welcome, welcome! The night you asked me how much it cost, I laughed all evening!
安妮Annie
叔叔，对不起！我那天太累了。
I’m so sorry, Uncle! I was exhausted that day.
王一雪Wang Yixue
我妈妈就是这么热情。爸爸，别说那个了，安妮是客人呢。
My mom is just this warm. Dad, stop talking about that. Annie is our guest!
At the dinner table, Yixue's mother puts a dumpling on Annie's plate and waits for her to taste it.
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
安妮，吃饺子吧！我做了三十个呢。
Annie, have some dumplings! I made thirty.
安妮Annie
谢谢阿姨！……啊！
Thank you, Auntie! ...Ah!
王一雪Wang Yixue
怎么了？你哭了？
What happened? Are you crying?
安妮Annie
没、没事。饺子里面太热了！
I’m, I’m fine. It’s so hot inside!
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
是不是太热了？对不起！饺子你满意吗？
Was it too hot? Sorry! Are you happy with the dumplings?
安妮Annie
当然满意！我是哭了，但是我很开心，真的！
Of course! I did cry, but I’m really happy, truly!
王爸爸Yixue’s dad
哭了也要吃！我们家的客人，每个人都要吃三十个！
Even if you cry, you must eat! Every guest in our home has to eat thirty!
After dinner, Yixue's mother opens the computer to show Annie pictures of Yixue and Jiayue as little girls.
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
安妮，你看，这是一雪和家月小时候。
Annie, look, this is Yixue and Jiayue when they were little.
安妮Annie
真可爱！这是一雪？她那时候好小啊。
So cute! Is this Yixue? She was so tiny then.
王一雪Wang Yixue
妈妈！你怎么给她看这个！我要生气了！
Mom! Why are you showing her that? I’m getting mad!
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
你急什么啊？你和家月小时候睡在一起，像姐妹一样。
What’s the rush? You and Jiayue slept side by side when you were little, like sisters.
安妮Annie
你们真的像姐妹！在我认识的朋友中，你们最像姐妹！
You really are like sisters! Of all the friends I know, you two are most like sisters!
王一雪Wang Yixue
安妮，你怎么不说话了？
Annie, why did you go quiet?
安妮Annie
我感到有点儿难过……我妈妈的电脑里也有我小时候的……我想她了。
I feel a little sad... my mom’s computer has ones of me when I was little too... and I miss her.
Yixue's mother puts an arm around Annie. Annie wants to give something back to the family.
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
安妮，别难过。想家的时候，就来我们家吃饭。
Annie, don’t be sad. When you’re homesick, come to our home for a meal.
安妮Annie
谢谢阿姨。下次我请客吧！你们看，我有银行卡了！
Thank you, Auntie. Next time it’s my treat! Look, I have a bank card now!
王爸爸Yixue’s dad
说什么呢？你是客人，客人怎么能请客？
What are you saying? You’re a guest. How can a guest treat us?
安妮Annie
但是你们请了我，我也想请你们。我的卡里有钱！
But you invited me, so I want to invite you too. My card has money in it!
王妈妈Yixue’s mom
好孩子。这样吧，下次你来，我们一起包饺子，你去买菜。
Good girl. Tell you what, next time you come, we’ll make dumplings together and you go buy the groceries.
王一雪Wang Yixue
对，买菜用你的新卡，饺子我们来包！
Right, buy the groceries with your new card, and we’ll make the dumplings!
安妮Annie
说好了！在你们的帮助下，我已经不难过了！
It’s a deal! With your help, I’m not sad anymore!
Annie answers 当然满意dāngrán mǎnyì when Yixue’s mother asks if she likes the dumplings.
Early or quick
就jiù after a time word says it happened early.
Yixue’s mother says 我们早上就开始做了wǒmen zǎoshang jiù kāishǐ zuò le: they started early in the morning.
In sentences
Of course
你会来吗？当然会！
Will you come? Of course!
当然dāngrán answers alone or before a verb.
Early
他六点就起床了。
He was already up at six.
就jiù follows the time word.
A：这个菜你会做吗？ B：当然会，我妈妈教过我。
A: Can you cook this dish? B: Of course. My mom taught me.
他想吃的东西，妈妈当然会做。
Whatever he wants to eat, his mom will of course cook.
明天考试，我今天晚上就开始读书了。
The exam is tomorrow, so I’m starting to study tonight already.
火车八点开，他七点就到车站了。
The train leaves at eight, and he reached the station at seven.
王爸爸觉得客人当然不用请客，所以安妮下次只能去买菜。
Yixue’s dad thinks a guest of course doesn’t have to treat, so next time Annie can only buy the groceries.
当然dāngrán means of course. It can answer a question alone, 当然！dāngrán!, or it can go before the verb: 我当然想去wǒ dāngrán xiǎng qù. With 不bù you say 当然不dāngrán bù, of course not. 就jiù before a verb, after a time word, says it happened early, quickly or sooner than expected: 我们早上就开始做了wǒmen zǎoshang jiù kāishǐ zuò le, we started that morning already. The time word comes first and 就jiù sits right in front of the verb. Key constraint: 当然dāngrán goes before the verb, not after, and 就jiù cannot lead the sentence in this sense. A common mistake is to move them: ✗ 我会当然wǒ huì dāngrán, ✓ 我当然会wǒ dāngrán huì; ✗ 就我早上来了jiù wǒ zǎoshang lái le, ✓ 我早上就来了wǒ zǎoshang jiù lái le. Compare 当然dāngrán, certain with 可能kěnéng, maybe: 他当然来tā dāngrán lái is a sure yes, and 他可能来tā kěnéng lái is a maybe.
在……上/下/中
在zài + group + 中zhōng picks out one among many; 在zài … 下xià and … 上shàng set the conditions or the area.
Among
The group sits between 在zài and 中zhōng.
Annie says 在我认识的人中，你们最像zài wǒ rènshi de rén zhōng, nǐmen zuì xiàng about Yixue and Jiayue.
In sentences
Among
在我们班中，李文最爱踢球。
In our class, Li Wen loves soccer most.
中zhōng closes the frame.
With help
在朋友的帮助下，我找到了工作。
With my friend’s help, I found a job.
下xià is part of the set phrase.
A：在这些菜中，你最喜欢哪个？ B：我最喜欢鱼。
A: Of these dishes, which do you like best? B: I like the fish best.
在王老师的帮助下，安妮的汉字写得好多了。
With Teacher Wang’s help, Annie’s characters have got much better.
在学习汉语上，他花了很多时间，所以说得很好。
In learning Chinese he spent a lot of time, so he speaks very well.
在安妮认识的人中，一雪和家月最像姐妹。
Of everyone Annie knows, Yixue and Jiayue are most like sisters.
在……中zài… zhōng means among or within a group: 在我认识的人中zài wǒ rènshi de rén zhōng, among the people I know. Put the group between 在zài and 中zhōng and then say what is true of one member, often with 最zuì: 在我们班中，他最高zài wǒmen bān zhōng, tā zuì gāo. 在……下zài… xià gives the condition for what follows: 在老师的帮助下zài lǎoshī de bāngzhù xià, with the teacher’s help. 在……上zài… shàng names the area: 在学习上zài xuéxí shàng, in studying. The phrase comes at the start of the sentence, before the subject. Key constraint: the closing word 中zhōng,
It’s a deal! With your help, I’m not sad anymore!
Why it matters · 在你们的帮助下zài nǐmen de bāngzhù xià: the help is the condition for Annie’s feeling better.
