HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

北京地铁的早高峰 · Beijing Subway Rush Hour

Běijīng Dìtiě de Zǎo Gāofēng — Eight in the morning on Line 10 — a city in motion.

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Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.

早上zǎoshang八点,bā diǎn北京Běijīng地铁dìtiě每měi节jié车厢chēxiāng都dōu挤满了jǐ mǎn le人。rén

At eight in the morning on the Beijing subway, every car is packed.

有的人yǒu de rén在zài看kàn手机,shǒujī有的人yǒu de rén还hái没méi完全wánquán睡醒。shuìxǐng

Some are checking phones, some are still half asleep.

列车lièchē到dào换乘huànchéng站zhàn时,shí大家dàjiā一下子yíxiàzi都dōu往wǎng前qián挤。jǐ

When the train arrives at a transfer station, everyone surges forward at once.

我wǒ紧紧jǐnjǐn抱住bàozhù包,bāo怕pà和hé东西dōngxi分开。fēnkāi

I held my bag tightly, afraid of being separated from my belongings.

广播guǎngbō里lǐ反复fǎnfù提醒:tíxǐng"看好kānhǎo随身suíshēn物品,wùpǐn站zhàn稳wěn扶fú好。"hǎo

The voice on the speaker repeats: "Mind your belongings, please stand firm."

虽然suīrán拥挤,yōngjǐ却què没有méiyǒu人rén抱怨。bàoyuàn

Although crowded, no one complains.

这zhè就是jiùshì城市chéngshì的de节奏,jiézòu既jì是shì压力,yālì也yě是shì一种yì zhǒng丰富fēngfù的de活力。huólì

This is the rhythm of the city — both pressure and a kind of rich vitality.

十号线shí hào xiàn是shì北京Běijīng最忙zuì máng的de线路xiànlù之一。zhī yī

Line 10 is one of the busiest lines in Beijing.

有时候yǒu shíhou要yào等děng两三趟liǎng sān tàng车chē才能cái néng挤上去。jǐ shàngqù

Sometimes you have to wait for two or three trains before you can squeeze on.

站台上zhàntái shàng有yǒu工作人员gōngzuò rényuán帮忙bāngmáng把bǎ乘客chéngkè推进tuī jìn车厢。chēxiāng

On the platform, staff help push passengers into the carriage.

车厢里chēxiāng lǐ几乎jīhū没有人méiyǒu rén说话。shuōhuà

Inside the carriage almost nobody speaks.

只zhǐ听得见tīng de jiàn广播guǎngbō和hé手机shǒujī的de声音。shēngyīn

You can hear only the announcements and the sound of phones.

到dào了le国贸站,Guómào zhàn一大半yí dà bàn人rén同时tóngshí下车。xià chē

At Guomao station, well over half the people get off at once.

车厢chēxiāng忽然hūrán空kōng了下来,le xiàlái我wǒ终于zhōngyú找到zhǎo dào座位。zuòwèi

The carriage suddenly empties, and I finally find a seat.

可是kěshì再过zài guò两站,liǎng zhàn我wǒ也yě该gāi下车xià chē了。le

But two stops later, it is my turn to get off as well.

Vocabulary in this story (103 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
早上zǎoshangmorning
八点bā diǎneight o'clock
北京BěijīngBeijing
地铁dìtiěsubway
每měievery
节jié(measure for cars)
车厢chēxiāngcarriage
都dōuall
挤满了jǐ mǎn lepacked full of
人rénpeople
有的人yǒu de rénsome people
在zài(progressive)
看kànchecking
手机shǒujīphones
还háistill
没méinot yet
完全wánquánfully
睡醒shuìxǐngawake
列车lièchēthe train
到dàoarrives at
换乘huànchéngtransfer
站zhànstation
时shíwhen
大家dàjiāeveryone
一下子yíxiàziall at once
往wǎngtoward
前qiánforward
挤jǐsqueeze
我wǒI
紧紧jǐnjǐntightly
抱住bàozhùhold onto
包bāobag
怕pàafraid
和héwith
东西dōngxibelongings
分开fēnkāibe separated
广播guǎngbōbroadcast
里lǐin
反复fǎnfùrepeatedly
提醒tíxǐngreminds
看好kānhǎowatch carefully
随身suíshēnon-person
物品wùpǐnitems
稳wěnfirm
扶fúhold on
好hǎowell
虽然suīránalthough
拥挤yōngjǐcrowded
却quèyet
没有méiyǒuno one
抱怨bàoyuàncomplains
这zhèthis
就是jiùshìis exactly
城市chéngshìcity
的de(of)
节奏jiézòurhythm
既jìboth
是shìis
压力yālìpressure
也yěalso
一种yì zhǒnga kind of
丰富fēngfùrich
活力huólìvitality
十号线shí hào xiànLine 10
最忙zuì mángbusiest
线路xiànlùlines
之一zhī yīone of
有时候yǒu shíhousometimes
要yàoyou have to
等děngwait for
两三趟liǎng sān tàngtwo or three
车chētrains
才能cái néngbefore you can
挤上去jǐ shàngqùsqueeze on
站台上zhàntái shàngon the platform
有yǒuthere are
工作人员gōngzuò rényuánstaff
帮忙bāngmángwho help
把bǎ(object marker)
乘客chéngkèpassengers
推进tuī jìnpush into
车厢里chēxiāng lǐinside the carriage
几乎jīhūalmost
没有人méiyǒu rénnobody
说话shuōhuàspeaks
只zhǐonly
听得见tīng de jiàncan be heard
声音shēngyīnthe sound
了le(past)
国贸站Guómào zhànGuomao station
一大半yí dà bànwell over half
同时tóngshíat once
下车xià chēget off
忽然hūránsuddenly
空kōngempties
了下来le xiàláiout
终于zhōngyúfinally
找到zhǎo dàofind
座位zuòwèia seat
可是kěshìbut
再过zài guòafter another
两站liǎng zhàntwo stops
该gāiought

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