HSK 4Lesson 68
Bai Jiayue's eighty-year-old grandmother is learning to go online, which reminds Teacher Wang of an old saying. Anne compares it with a saying from her country, Li Wen and Liu Ming look for a book of sayings, and two classmates find a saying that fits their plan to study together.
You will learn to quote and explain an old saying, say that two sayings mean the same, compare one thing with another, and suggest helping each other.
Part 1 · 9 new words
Contains 3 words
life
to be born; to give birth to
to live; to be alive
Contains 2 words
way; method
to be called; to be known as
Contains 4 words
the same; identical
to compare (with)
Part 2 · 8 phrases
我们俩的爱好相同，都喜欢爬山和拍照。
The two of us have the same interests; we both like hiking and taking photos.
跟去年相比，今年的冬天暖和多了。
Compared with last year, this winter is much warmer.
同样的问题，他问了三次。
The same question, he asked three times.
住在一起的人，要相互关心，相互理解。
People who live together should care about each other and understand each other.
手机没电了，我没法给你打电话。
My phone's dead, so I can't call you.
没有水，任何生命都活不下去。
Without water, no life can live on.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Bai Jiayue tells Teacher Wang that her eighty-year-old grandmother is learning to use the internet, and the teacher quotes an old saying.
白家月Bai Jiayue
王老师，我奶奶今年八十岁了，最近在学用手机上网。
Teacher Wang, my grandmother is eighty this year, and she's learning to go online with her phone.
王老师Teacher Wang
真不简单！她怎么想起来学这个？
That's impressive! What made her decide to learn that?
Part 4 · 3 points
跟……相比
Use 跟gēn + A + 相比xiāngbǐ to name what you are comparing with, then say how the other thing is different.
Compared with ...
Set the standard first with 跟gēn + A + 相比xiāngbǐ, then give the result for B.
same; similar
each other; mutually
他生在上海，长在北京。
He was born in Shanghai and grew up in Beijing.
朋友们都把他叫作“大个子”。
His friends all call him "Big Guy."
白家月Bai Jiayue
她是在山里生的，小时候家里什么都没有。她说她活了八十年，还有很多东西没见过，所以想学。
She was born in the mountains, and her family had nothing when she was little. She says that after eighty years of life there's still a lot she hasn't seen, so she wants to learn.
王老师Teacher Wang
中国有句老话，叫作“活到老，学到老”，说的就是你奶奶这样的人。
There's an old Chinese saying: 'Live to old age, learn to old age.' It's about people just like your grandmother.
白家月Bai Jiayue
这句话我听过很多次，可是今天才真正明白它的意思。
I've heard that saying many times, but only today do I really understand what it means.
王老师Teacher Wang
是啊，人只要活着，就可以学习新东西。学习是生命中很重要的一部分。
Yes. As long as you're alive, you can learn new things. Learning is a very important part of life.
Liu Xiaoxue asks Anne whether her country has a saying like 'live and learn', and they compare the two.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
安妮，你们国家有没有跟“活到老，学到老”意思相同的话？
Anne, does your country have a saying with the same meaning as 'live to old age, learn to old age'?
安妮Anne
有一句，意思是“学习什么时候都不晚”。
There's one that means 'it's never too late to learn'.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
同样的意思，说法不一样。
The same meaning, worded differently.
安妮Anne
对。不过跟中文的说法相比，我们那句没有那么好记。
Right. But compared with the Chinese version, ours isn't as easy to remember.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
为什么？
Why not?
安妮Anne
中文那句前后两半差不多一样，说起来很好听，一听就记住了。
The two halves of the Chinese one are almost the same, so it sounds nice and you remember it the moment you hear it.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
你说得对，很多老话都是这样，所以几百年以后大家还在说。
You're right. Lots of old sayings are like that, which is why people still say them hundreds of years later.
In a bookshop, Li Wen and Liu Ming look for a book of old sayings that Liu Ming can actually finish.
李文Li Wen
刘明，这儿有很多讲老话的书。你看，一本比一本厚。
Liu Ming, there are lots of books on old sayings here. Look, each one is thicker than the last.
刘明Liu Ming
这么厚，我没法看完。有没有简单一点儿的？
They're so thick there's no way I'll finish one. Is there anything simpler?
李文Li Wen
这本不错，每句老话后面都有一个小故事。跟那几本相比，这本容易多了。
This one's good: every saying is followed by a short story. Compared with those, this one is much easier.
刘明Liu Ming
好，那我就买这本。你呢？
OK, I'll buy this one then. What about you?
李文Li Wen
我还想再看看。你买你的吧，不用等我。
I want to look around a bit more. You go ahead and buy yours; don't wait for me.
刘明Liu Ming
那我先去买，在门口等你。
Then I'll go and pay first and wait for you at the door.
Before an exam, Wang Yixue and Bai Jiayue agree to help each other, and Bai Jiayue explains a saying her grandmother uses.
王一雪Wang Yixue
家月，下星期就考英语了，我的听力还是不行。
Jiayue, the English exam is next week, and my listening still isn't good enough.
白家月Bai Jiayue
我听力还可以，可是语法总出错。我们相互帮助怎么样？
My listening is OK, but I keep making grammar mistakes. How about we help each other?
王一雪Wang Yixue
好主意！你帮我练听力，我帮你看语法。
Good idea! You help me practice listening, and I'll help you with grammar.
白家月Bai Jiayue
我奶奶常说：“多个朋友多条路。”
My grandmother always says, 'One more friend, one more road.'
王一雪Wang Yixue
我第一次听说。这句话是什么意思？
That's the first I've heard of it. What does this saying mean?
白家月Bai Jiayue
就是朋友多了，遇到问题的时候，办法也多。
It means the more friends you have, the more ways you have to solve a problem.
王一雪Wang Yixue
说得好。那从今天开始，我们每天晚上一起学一个小时。
Well put. Then starting today, let's study together for an hour every evening.
In 跟那几本相比，这本容易多了gēn nà jǐ běn xiāngbǐ, zhè běn róngyì duō le, the thick books are the standard and 多了duō le shows a big difference.
Not as ... as
Use 没有méiyǒu in the result clause to say B does not reach A's level.
In 跟中文的说法相比，我们那句没有那么好记gēn Zhōngwén de shuōfǎ xiāngbǐ, wǒmen nà jù méiyǒu nàme hǎo jì, the Chinese saying is easier to remember.
In sentences
Much more
跟那几本相比，这本容易多了。
Compared with those, this one is much easier.
多了duō le marks a big difference.
Not as
跟中文的说法相比，我们那句没有那么好记。
Compared with the Chinese version, ours isn't as easy to remember.
没有méiyǒu says B falls short.
A little
跟北京相比，上海的冬天暖和一些。
Compared with Beijing, Shanghai's winter is a little warmer.
一些yìxiē marks a small difference.
After the subject
我们学校跟十年前相比，大了很多。
Compared with ten years ago, our school is a lot bigger.
The frame can follow the subject.
A：跟上个星期相比，你今天看起来好多了。 B：是啊，我昨天睡了十个小时。
A: Compared with last week, you look much better today. B: Yes, I slept ten hours yesterday.
跟奶奶刚学上网的时候相比，她现在发消息快多了。
Compared with when Grandma first learned to go online, she sends messages much faster now.
跟……相比gēn … xiāngbǐ means 'compared with ...'. It puts the standard of comparison first, as a separate phrase, and the next clause gives the result: 跟那几本相比，这本容易多了gēn nà jǐ běn xiāngbǐ, zhè běn róngyì duō le. The phrase usually opens the sentence, but it can also follow the subject: 这本跟那几本相比，容易多了zhè běn gēn nà jǐ běn xiāngbǐ, róngyì duō le. The result clause often has 多了duō le, 一些yìxiē or 更gèng, or a negative with 没有méiyǒu: 跟中文的说法相比，我们那句没有那么好记gēn Zhōngwén de shuōfǎ xiāngbǐ, wǒmen nà jù méiyǒu nàme hǎo jì. Compared with the 比bǐ pattern, it is a little more formal and lets the speaker set up the comparison before making the point. Do not drop 相比xiāngbǐ after the standard, and do not put 比bǐ inside the frame as well.
一+量词+比+一+量词
Use 一yī + measure word + 比bǐ + 一yī + the same measure word + adjective to say that each item, or each time, is more so than the one before.
Each one more so
一yī + measure word + 比bǐ + 一yī + measure word + adjective.
Li Wen looks along the shelf: each book is thicker than the one before.
In sentences
On a shelf
你看，一本比一本厚。
Look, each one is thicker than the last.
Things in a row.
Over time
天气一天比一天冷了。
The weather is getting colder day by day.
A steady change; 了le marks the change.
After 得
他的汉字写得一次比一次好。
His characters get better every time he writes them.
Describes how something is done.
A：这个星期的作业多吗？ B：一天比一天多，我都做不完了。
A: Is there a lot of homework this week? B: More every day; I can't finish it all.
白家月的奶奶学上网，一天比一天快，现在已经会发照片了。
Bai Jiayue's grandmother is learning to go online and gets faster every day; now she can send photos.
一本比一本厚yì běn bǐ yì běn hòu literally means one book is thicker than one book: as you go along a row of things, or along time, each one is more so than the last. The measure word is the same on both sides of 比bǐ, and it fits what is counted: 一本比一本yì běn bǐ yì běn for books, 一次比一次yí cì bǐ yí cì for tries, 一年比一年yì nián bǐ yì nián for years, 一天比一天yì tiān bǐ yì tiān for days. With time words it describes a steady change: 天气一天比一天冷了tiānqì yì tiān bǐ yì tiān lěng le. The whole phrase goes before the adjective, or after 得de to describe how something is done: 他的汉字写得一次比一次好tā de Hànzì xiě de yí cì bǐ yí cì hǎo. As in other 比bǐ sentences, the adjective cannot take
你X你的吧
Use 你nǐ + verb + 你的nǐ de + 吧ba to tell someone to carry on with their own thing without waiting for you or worrying about you.
Don't wait for me
你nǐ + verb + 你的nǐ de + 吧ba，(不用等我).
Li Wen wants to keep looking, so he lets Liu Ming go and pay first.
In sentences
Shopping
你买你的吧，不用等我。
You go ahead and buy yours; don't wait for me.
Lets a friend go ahead.
Busy friend
你忙你的吧，我自己看看就行。
You carry on with your work; I'll just look around on my own.
Tells a host not to worry about you.
At dinner
你们吃你们的，别等我了。
You all go ahead and eat; don't wait for me.
Works with 你们nǐmen too.
A：我帮你拿吧。 B：不用，你看你的书吧，我自己来。
A: Let me carry it for you. B: No need, you go on reading your book; I'll manage.
考试以前，白家月说：你学你的，我学我的，晚上再对答案。
Before the exam Bai Jiayue said: You study your way, I'll study mine, and we'll check the answers tonight.
In 你买你的吧nǐ mǎi nǐ de ba, the second 你的nǐ de means your own thing: go ahead and buy yours. The pattern tells the listener to carry on with what they are doing and not to wait for you or change their plans because of you, so it is friendly and considerate: 你买你的吧，不用等我nǐ mǎi nǐ de ba, bú yòng děng wǒ. It is often followed by a reason or by 不用等我bú yòng děng wǒ. The verb is usually one syllable, such as 买mǎi, 忙máng, 吃chī or 看kàn, and the same person appears twice: 你们吃你们的nǐmen chī nǐmen de, 我看我的wǒ kàn wǒ de. With 我wǒ it means I'll do my own thing. Said sharply, especially as
