HSK 3 · Intermediate stories

春节回家 · Spring Festival Homecoming

Chūnjié huí jiā — The long train ride home for the most important holiday.

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

春节Chūnjié是shì中国Zhōngguó最zuì重要的zhòngyào de节日。jiérì

Spring Festival is China's most important holiday.

每年měi nián春节,Chūnjié我wǒ都dōu回huí老家。lǎojiā

Every Spring Festival I go back to my hometown.

我的wǒ de家jiā在zài南方的nánfāng de一个yí gè小xiǎo城市。chéngshì

My home is in a small city in the south.

坐zuò火车huǒchē要yào十几shí jǐ个gè小时。xiǎoshí

The train takes more than ten hours.

火车票huǒchē piào很hěn难nán买。mǎi

Train tickets are hard to get.

但是dànshì我wǒ一定yídìng要yào回家。huí jiā

But I definitely have to go home.

除夕chúxī晚上,wǎnshang全家人quán jiā rén一起yìqǐ吃饭。chī fàn

On New Year's Eve the whole family eats together.

妈妈māma准备了zhǔnbèi le很多hěn duō好吃的。hǎo chī de

Mom prepares a lot of delicious food.

我们wǒmen一边yìbiān吃饭,chī fàn一边yìbiān看kàn电视。diànshì

We eat and watch TV at the same time.

十二点的shí èr diǎn de时候,shíhou外面wàimiàn开始kāishǐ放fàng烟花。yānhuā

At midnight fireworks start outside.

我wǒ给gěi爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai拜年。bàinián

I wish my grandparents a happy new year.

他们tāmen给gěi我wǒ红包。hóngbāo

They give me red envelopes.

和hé家人jiārén一起yìqǐ过年,guònián我wǒ觉得juéde最zuì幸福。xìngfú

Celebrating with family feels like the greatest happiness.

Vocabulary in this story (61 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
春节ChūnjiéSpring Festival
是shìis
中国ZhōngguóChina
最zuìmost
重要的zhòngyào deimportant
节日jiérìholiday
每年měi niánevery year
我wǒI
都dōualways
回huíreturn to
老家lǎojiāmy hometown
我的wǒ demy
家jiāhome
在zàiis in
南方的nánfāng dethe south's
一个yí gèa
小xiǎosmall
城市chéngshìcity
坐zuòtaking
火车huǒchēthe train
要yàotakes
十几shí jǐmore than ten
个gè(measure)
小时xiǎoshíhours
火车票huǒchē piàotrain tickets
很hěnvery
难nánhard
买mǎito buy
但是dànshìbut
一定yídìngdefinitely
回家huí jiāgo home
除夕chúxīNew Year's Eve
晚上wǎnshangevening
全家人quán jiā rénthe whole family
一起yìqǐtogether
吃饭chī fàneats
妈妈māmamom
准备了zhǔnbèi leprepares
很多hěn duōa lot of
好吃的hǎo chī dedelicious food
我们wǒmenwe
一边yìbiān(at the same time)
看kànwatch
电视diànshìTV
十二点的shí èr diǎn detwelve o'clock's
时候shíhoutime
外面wàimiànoutside
开始kāishǐstarts
放fàngsetting off
烟花yānhuāfireworks
给gěito
爷爷yéyegrandpa
奶奶nǎinaigrandma
拜年bàiniángive new-year greetings
他们tāmenthey
红包hóngbāored envelopes
和héwith
家人jiārénfamily
过年guòniáncelebrating the new year
觉得juédefeel
幸福xìngfúhappy

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