HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

网上购物 · Online Shopping

Wǎngshàng Gòuwù — Why China's e-commerce changed daily life so completely.

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

现在,xiànzài越来越多yuèláiyuè duōderén喜欢xǐhuanzài网上wǎngshàng购物。gòuwù

These days, more and more people prefer to shop online.

无论是wúlùn shì衣服、yīfu食品shípǐn还是háishi电子diànzǐ产品,chǎnpǐn几乎jīhūdōunéngzài网上wǎngshàngmǎi到。dào

Whether it's clothes, food, or electronics — almost everything can be bought online.

网购wǎnggòude优点yōudiǎnhěn明显:míngxiǎn方便、fāngbiàn快速,kuàisùhái可以kěyǐ比较bǐjiào价格。jiàgé

The advantages of online shopping are obvious: convenient, fast, and you can compare prices.

不过búguòyǒu一些yìxiē问题。wèntí

But it also has some problems.

有时候,yǒu shíhou实物shíwù图片túpiàn一样。yíyàng

Sometimes the actual product doesn't match the picture.

退货tuìhuòhěn麻烦,máfanyào打包dǎbāozài回去。huíqù

Returns are also a hassle — you have to package and ship it.

即便jíbiàn如此,rúcǐ仍然réngrán觉得juéde方便fāngbiàn大于dàyú不便。búbiàn

Even so, I still think the convenience outweighs the inconvenience.

记得jìde第一次dì yī cì网购wǎnggòushì十年前。shí nián qián

I remember my first online purchase, ten years ago.

那时候nà shíhou付款fùkuǎnyào银行,yínháng快递kuàidìyàoděng一个星期。yí ge xīngqī

Back then paying meant going to the bank, and delivery took a week.

现在xiànzài付款fùkuǎn只要zhǐ yàoshuā一下yíxià脸,liǎn第二天dì èr tiān东西dōngxijiù到了。dào le

Now paying takes one scan of your face, and the goods arrive the next day.

双十一Shuāng Shíyī更是gèng shì变成biàn chéngle全民quánmínde购物节。gòuwù jié

Double Eleven has even turned into a nationwide shopping festival.

那一天,nà yì tiān很多人hěn duō rén熬夜áoyè等着děng zhe零点líng diǎn下单。xià dān

On that day many people stay up waiting for midnight to place orders.

商家shāngjiā提前tíqián一个月yí ge yuèjiù开始kāishǐ做广告。zuò guǎnggào

Merchants start advertising a full month ahead.

不过búguò这几年zhè jǐ nián慢慢mànmàn学会xuéhuìle少买shǎo mǎi一些。yìxiē

In recent years, though, I have gradually learned to buy less.

便宜piányide东西dōngxi买回来mǎi huílái不用,bú yòng也是yě shì浪费。làngfèi

Cheap things bought and never used are a waste too.

Vocabulary in this story (100 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
现在xiànzàinow
越来越多yuèláiyuè duōmore and more
de(of)
rénpeople
喜欢xǐhuanlike
zàion
网上wǎngshàngthe internet
购物gòuwùto shop
无论是wúlùn shìwhether it's
衣服yīfuclothes
食品shípǐnfood
还是háishior
电子diànzǐelectronic
产品chǎnpǐnproducts
几乎jīhūalmost
dōuall
néngcan
mǎibuy
dàoreach
网购wǎnggòuonline shopping
优点yōudiǎnadvantages
hěnvery
明显míngxiǎnobvious
方便fāngbiànconvenient
快速kuàisùfast
háialso
可以kěyǐcan
比较bǐjiàocompare
价格jiàgéprices
不过búguòbut
it
also
yǒuhas
一些yìxiēsome
问题wèntíproblems
有时候yǒu shíhousometimes
实物shíwùthe actual item
and
图片túpiànpicture
not
一样yíyàngthe same
退货tuìhuòreturning items
麻烦máfantroublesome
yàohave to
打包dǎbāopackage
zàithen
mail
回去huíqùback
即便jíbiàneven
如此rúcǐso
I
仍然réngránstill
觉得juédefeel
大于dàyúgreater than
不便búbiàninconvenience
记得jìderemember
第一次dì yī cìthe first time
shìwas
十年前shí nián qiánten years ago
那时候nà shíhouback then
付款fùkuǎnpaying
going to
银行yínhángthe bank
快递kuàidìdelivery
děngwaiting
一个星期yí ge xīngqīa week
只要zhǐ yàoonly takes
shuāscanning
一下yíxiàonce
liǎnyour face
第二天dì èr tiānthe next day
东西dōngxithe goods
jiùalready
到了dào learrive
双十一Shuāng ShíyīDouble Eleven
更是gèng shìhas even
变成biàn chéngturned into
le(past)
全民quánmínnationwide
购物节gòuwù jiéshopping festival
那一天nà yì tiānon that day
很多人hěn duō rénmany people
熬夜áoyèstay up late
等着děng zhewaiting for
零点líng diǎnmidnight
下单xià dānto place orders
商家shāngjiāmerchants
提前tíqiánahead of time
一个月yí ge yuèa month
开始kāishǐstart
做广告zuò guǎnggàoadvertising
这几年zhè jǐ niánin recent years
慢慢mànmàngradually
学会xuéhuìlearned
少买shǎo mǎito buy less
便宜piányicheap
买回来mǎi huíláibought home
不用bú yòngand never used
也是yě shìare also
浪费làngfèia waste

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