外卖与快递 · Takeout and Parcels
Wàimài yǔ Kuàidì — Everything arrives in thirty minutes — and what that convenience rests on.
Read the story
Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.
在中国生活,最方便的事情之一就是点外卖。
One of the most convenient things about living in China is ordering takeout.
不管你想吃什么,手机上点几下就行了。
Whatever you want to eat, a few taps on your phone is enough.
早上的豆浆油条,晚上的火锅,都可以送到家门口。
Soy milk and fried dough sticks in the morning, hot pot at night — all delivered to your door.
常常等不到三十分钟,外卖员就到了。
Often the delivery rider arrives in under thirty minutes.
快递也一样快,有时候上午下单,下午就收到了。
Parcels are just as fast — sometimes you order in the morning and get it that afternoon.
我住的楼下有一排快递柜。
There is a row of parcel lockers downstairs from where I live.
每天下班回家,我都会顺便看看有没有我的包裹。
Every day on my way home from work, I check whether any parcel is mine.
这种方便当然有它的代价。
This kind of convenience naturally has its price.
外卖员为了赶时间,在路上骑得很快。
To save time, delivery riders ride very fast on the road.
一次下大雨,我看见一个外卖员浑身都湿透了。
Once during heavy rain, I saw a rider soaked from head to toe.
他把餐盒抱在怀里,自己却站在雨里。
He held the food box against his chest while standing in the rain himself.
我接过来的时候,盒子还是热的。
When I took it from him, the box was still warm.
从那以后,我总会多说一句"谢谢,辛苦了"。
Ever since then, I always add a line: "Thank you, that was hard work."
方便的背后,是很多人跑出来的时间。
Behind the convenience is a great deal of time that other people ran for you.
Vocabulary in this story (101 words)
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 在 | zài | in |
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | China |
| 生活 | shēnghuó | living |
| 最 | zuì | the most |
| 方便 | fāngbiàn | convenient |
| 的 | de | (of) |
| 事情 | shìqing | things |
| 之一 | zhī yī | one of |
| 就是 | jiùshì | is |
| 点 | diǎn | ordering |
| 外卖 | wàimài | takeout |
| 不管 | bùguǎn | whatever |
| 你 | nǐ | you |
| 想 | xiǎng | want |
| 吃 | chī | to eat |
| 什么 | shénme | (what) |
| 手机上 | shǒujī shàng | on your phone |
| 几下 | jǐ xià | a few times |
| 就行了 | jiù xíng le | is enough |
| 早上 | zǎoshang | morning |
| 豆浆 | dòujiāng | soy milk |
| 油条 | yóutiáo | and fried dough sticks |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | night |
| 火锅 | huǒguō | hot pot |
| 都 | dōu | all |
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can be |
| 送到 | sòng dào | delivered to |
| 家门口 | jiā ménkǒu | your door |
| 常常 | chángcháng | often |
| 等不到 | děng bú dào | before you have waited |
| 三十 | sānshí | thirty |
| 分钟 | fēnzhōng | minutes |
| 外卖员 | wàimài yuán | the delivery rider |
| 就 | jiù | already |
| 到了 | dào le | has arrived |
| 快递 | kuàidì | parcels |
| 也 | yě | also |
| 一样 | yíyàng | equally |
| 快 | kuài | fast |
| 有时候 | yǒu shíhou | sometimes |
| 上午 | shàngwǔ | in the morning |
| 下单 | xià dān | you place an order |
| 下午 | xiàwǔ | in the afternoon |
| 收到了 | shōudào le | you receive it |
| 我 | wǒ | I |
| 住 | zhù | live |
| 楼下 | lóu xià | downstairs |
| 有 | yǒu | there is |
| 一排 | yì pái | a row of |
| 快递柜 | kuàidì guì | parcel lockers |
| 每天 | měitiān | every day |
| 下班 | xiàbān | off work |
| 回家 | huí jiā | heading home |
| 都会 | dōu huì | always |
| 顺便 | shùnbiàn | on the way |
| 看看 | kànkan | check |
| 有没有 | yǒu méi yǒu | whether there is |
| 我的 | wǒ de | my |
| 包裹 | bāoguǒ | parcel |
| 这种 | zhè zhǒng | this kind of |
| 当然 | dāngrán | naturally |
| 它的 | tā de | its |
| 代价 | dàijià | price |
| 为了 | wèile | in order to |
| 赶时间 | gǎn shíjiān | save time |
| 路上 | lù shàng | the road |
| 骑 | qí | ride |
| 得 | de | (manner) |
| 很快 | hěn kuài | very fast |
| 一次 | yí cì | once |
| 下大雨 | xià dà yǔ | during heavy rain |
| 看见 | kànjiàn | saw |
| 一个 | yí ge | a |
| 浑身 | húnshēn | from head to toe |
| 湿透了 | shī tòu le | soaked |
| 他 | tā | he |
| 把 | bǎ | (object marker) |
| 餐盒 | cān hé | the food box |
| 抱 | bào | held |
| 怀里 | huái lǐ | his chest |
| 自己 | zìjǐ | himself |
| 却 | què | yet |
| 站 | zhàn | stood |
| 雨里 | yǔ lǐ | the rain |
| 接过来 | jiē guòlái | took it |
| 的时候 | de shíhou | when |
| 盒子 | hézi | the box |
| 还是 | háishi | was still |
| 热的 | rè de | warm |
| 从那以后 | cóng nà yǐhòu | ever since then |
| 总会 | zǒng huì | always |
| 多 | duō | additionally |
| 说 | shuō | say |
| 一句 | yí jù | a line |
| 谢谢 | xièxie | thank you |
| 辛苦了 | xīnkǔ le | that was hard work |
| 背后 | bèihòu | behind |
| 是 | shì | is |
| 很多人 | hěn duō rén | many people |
| 跑出来 | pǎo chūlái | ran out |
| 时间 | shíjiān | the time |