HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

外卖与快递 · Takeout and Parcels

Wàimài yǔ Kuàidì — Everything arrives in thirty minutes — and what that convenience rests on.

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

zài中国Zhōngguó生活,shēnghuózuì方便fāngbiànde事情shìqing之一zhī yī就是jiùshìdiǎn外卖。wàimài

One of the most convenient things about living in China is ordering takeout.

不管bùguǎnxiǎngchī什么,shénme手机上shǒujī shàngdiǎn几下jǐ xià就行了。jiù xíng le

Whatever you want to eat, a few taps on your phone is enough.

早上zǎoshangde豆浆dòujiāng油条,yóutiáo晚上wǎnshangde火锅,huǒguōdōu可以kěyǐ送到sòng dào家门口。jiā ménkǒu

Soy milk and fried dough sticks in the morning, hot pot at night — all delivered to your door.

常常chángcháng等不到děng bú dào三十sānshí分钟,fēnzhōng外卖员wàimài yuánjiù到了。dào le

Often the delivery rider arrives in under thirty minutes.

快递kuàidì一样yíyàng快,kuài有时候yǒu shíhou上午shàngwǔ下单,xià dān下午xiàwǔjiù收到了。shōudào le

Parcels are just as fast — sometimes you order in the morning and get it that afternoon.

zhùde楼下lóu xiàyǒu一排yì pái快递柜。kuàidì guì

There is a row of parcel lockers downstairs from where I live.

每天měitiān下班xiàbān回家,huí jiā都会dōu huì顺便shùnbiàn看看kànkan有没有yǒu méi yǒu我的wǒ de包裹。bāoguǒ

Every day on my way home from work, I check whether any parcel is mine.

这种zhè zhǒng方便fāngbiàn当然dāngrányǒu它的tā de代价。dàijià

This kind of convenience naturally has its price.

外卖员wàimài yuán为了wèile赶时间,gǎn shíjiānzài路上lù shàngde很快。hěn kuài

To save time, delivery riders ride very fast on the road.

一次yí cì下大雨,xià dà yǔ看见kànjiàn一个yí ge外卖员wàimài yuán浑身húnshēndōu湿透了。shī tòu le

Once during heavy rain, I saw a rider soaked from head to toe.

餐盒cān hébàozài怀里,huái lǐ自己zìjǐquèzhànzài雨里。yǔ lǐ

He held the food box against his chest while standing in the rain himself.

接过来jiē guòlái的时候,de shíhou盒子hézi还是háishi热的。rè de

When I took it from him, the box was still warm.

从那以后,cóng nà yǐhòu总会zǒng huìduōshuō一句yí jù"谢谢,xièxie辛苦了"。xīnkǔ le

Ever since then, I always add a line: "Thank you, that was hard work."

方便fāngbiànde背后,bèihòushì很多人hěn duō rén跑出来pǎo chūláide时间。shíjiān

Behind the convenience is a great deal of time that other people ran for you.

Vocabulary in this story (101 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
zàiin
中国ZhōngguóChina
生活shēnghuóliving
zuìthe most
方便fāngbiànconvenient
de(of)
事情shìqingthings
之一zhī yīone of
就是jiùshìis
diǎnordering
外卖wàimàitakeout
不管bùguǎnwhatever
you
xiǎngwant
chīto eat
什么shénme(what)
手机上shǒujī shàngon your phone
几下jǐ xiàa few times
就行了jiù xíng leis enough
早上zǎoshangmorning
豆浆dòujiāngsoy milk
油条yóutiáoand fried dough sticks
晚上wǎnshangnight
火锅huǒguōhot pot
dōuall
可以kěyǐcan be
送到sòng dàodelivered to
家门口jiā ménkǒuyour door
常常chángchángoften
等不到děng bú dàobefore you have waited
三十sānshíthirty
分钟fēnzhōngminutes
外卖员wàimài yuánthe delivery rider
jiùalready
到了dào lehas arrived
快递kuàidìparcels
also
一样yíyàngequally
kuàifast
有时候yǒu shíhousometimes
上午shàngwǔin the morning
下单xià dānyou place an order
下午xiàwǔin the afternoon
收到了shōudào leyou receive it
I
zhùlive
楼下lóu xiàdownstairs
yǒuthere is
一排yì páia row of
快递柜kuàidì guìparcel lockers
每天měitiānevery day
下班xiàbānoff work
回家huí jiāheading home
都会dōu huìalways
顺便shùnbiànon the way
看看kànkancheck
有没有yǒu méi yǒuwhether there is
我的wǒ demy
包裹bāoguǒparcel
这种zhè zhǒngthis kind of
当然dāngránnaturally
它的tā deits
代价dàijiàprice
为了wèilein order to
赶时间gǎn shíjiānsave time
路上lù shàngthe road
ride
de(manner)
很快hěn kuàivery fast
一次yí cìonce
下大雨xià dà yǔduring heavy rain
看见kànjiànsaw
一个yí gea
浑身húnshēnfrom head to toe
湿透了shī tòu lesoaked
he
(object marker)
餐盒cān héthe food box
bàoheld
怀里huái lǐhis chest
自己zìjǐhimself
quèyet
zhànstood
雨里yǔ lǐthe rain
接过来jiē guòláitook it
的时候de shíhouwhen
盒子hézithe box
还是háishiwas still
热的rè dewarm
从那以后cóng nà yǐhòuever since then
总会zǒng huìalways
duōadditionally
shuōsay
一句yí jùa line
谢谢xièxiethank you
辛苦了xīnkǔ lethat was hard work
背后bèihòubehind
shìis
很多人hěn duō rénmany people
跑出来pǎo chūláiran out
时间shíjiānthe time

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