HSK 5 · Advanced stories

独生子女的一代 · The Only-Child Generation

Dúshēng Zǐnǚ de Yí Dài — What outsiders got wrong about a generation raised without brothers or sisters.

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

cóng上世纪shàng shìjì八十年代bāshí niándài开始,kāishǐ中国Zhōngguó实行shíxíngle三十多年sānshí duō niánde独生子女dúshēng zǐnǚ政策。zhèngcè

From the 1980s onward, China carried out the one-child policy for more than thirty years.

因此yīncǐ出现chūxiànle世界上shìjiè shàng规模guīmó最大zuì dàde一代yí dài独生子女。dúshēng zǐnǚ

As a result there appeared the largest generation of only children in the world.

就是jiùshì其中之一,qízhōng zhī yī家里jiā lǐ只有zhǐ yǒu一个yí ge孩子。háizi

I am one of them; there was only me at home.

小时候,xiǎo shíhou几乎jīhū得到dédàole父母fùmǔ全部quánbùde关注guānzhù资源。zīyuán

As a child I received almost all of my parents' attention and resources.

yǒu自己的zìjǐ de房间,fángjiān自己的zìjǐ de书桌,shūzhuō不用búyònggēn任何人rènhé rén分。fēn

I had my own room and my own desk, and shared them with nobody.

外人wàirén常说,cháng shuō独生子女dúshēng zǐnǚbèi宠坏了,chǒng huài le自私zìsīyòu任性。rènxìng

Outsiders often said only children were spoiled, selfish and willful.

可是kěshì他们tāmen很少hěn shǎo看到kàndào硬币yìngbìde另一面。lìng yí miàn

But they rarely saw the other side of the coin.

没有méiyǒu兄弟姐妹,xiōngdì jiěmèi意味着yìwèi zhe所有suǒyǒude期望qīwàngdōuzài一个人yí ge rén身上。shēn shàng

Having no siblings meant every expectation pressed down on one person.

考试kǎoshì考砸了,kǎo zá le没有人méiyǒu rén可以kěyǐ分担fēndān父母fùmǔde失望。shīwàng

If you failed an exam, there was nobody to share your parents' disappointment.

长大zhǎng dà以后,yǐhòu压力yālì变得biàn de更加gèngjiā具体。jùtǐ

Once we grew up, the pressure became more concrete.

一对yí duì夫妻,fūqī可能kěnéngyào照顾zhàogù四位sì wèi老人,lǎorén还要hái yàoyǎng自己的zìjǐ de孩子。háizi

One couple may have to care for four elderly parents and raise their own child.

zhèbèi称为chēngwéi"四二一"sì èr yī结构,jiégòuxiàng一座yí zuò倒过来dào guòláide金字塔。jīnzìtǎ

This is called the "four-two-one" structure, like an upside-down pyramid.

父母fùmǔ生病shēngbìng的时候,de shíhoucái真正zhēnzhèng明白míngbai独生dúshēngde意思。yìsi

Only when your parents fall ill do you truly understand what being an only child means.

病房bìngfáng外面wàimiànde走廊上,zǒuláng shàng只有zhǐ yǒu一个人yí ge rénzài打电话。dǎ diànhuà

In the corridor outside the ward, you are the only one making phone calls.

现在xiànzài政策zhèngcè已经yǐjīng放开了,fàng kāi le可以kěyǐshēng两个liǎng ge甚至shènzhì三个sān ge孩子。háizi

The policy has now been relaxed, and people may have two or even three children.

dànduì我们wǒmen这一代zhè yí dài来说,lái shuō有些yǒu xiē东西dōngxi已经yǐjīng无法wúfǎ重来。chóng lái

But for our generation, some things can never be lived over again.

Vocabulary in this story (120 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
cóngfrom
上世纪shàng shìjìthe last century's
八十年代bāshí niándài1980s
开始kāishǐonward
中国ZhōngguóChina
实行shíxíngcarried out
le(past)
三十多年sānshí duō niánmore than thirty years
de(of)
独生子女dúshēng zǐnǚone-child
政策zhèngcèpolicy
因此yīncǐas a result
出现chūxiànthere appeared
世界上shìjiè shàngin the world
规模guīmóin scale
最大zuì dàthe largest
一代yí dàigeneration
I
就是jiùshìam
其中之一qízhōng zhī yīone of them
家里jiā lǐat home
只有zhǐ yǒuthere was only
一个yí geone
孩子háizichild
小时候xiǎo shíhouas a child
几乎jīhūalmost
得到dédàoreceived
父母fùmǔmy parents'
全部quánbùentire
关注guānzhùattention
and
资源zīyuánresources
yǒuhad
自己的zìjǐ demy own
房间fángjiānroom
书桌shūzhuōdesk
不用búyòngand did not have to
gēnwith
任何人rènhé rénanyone
fēnshare
外人wàirénoutsiders
常说cháng shuōoften said
bèiwere
宠坏了chǒng huài lespoiled
自私zìsīselfish
yòuand
任性rènxìngwillful
可是kěshìbut
他们tāmenthey
很少hěn shǎorarely
看到kàndàosaw
硬币yìngbìthe coin's
另一面lìng yí miànother side
没有méiyǒuhaving no
兄弟姐妹xiōngdì jiěmèisiblings
意味着yìwèi zhemeant
所有suǒyǒuall
期望qīwàngexpectations
dōuall
pressed
zàion
一个人yí ge rénone person
身上shēn shàng(upon)
考试kǎoshìan exam
考砸了kǎo zá leif you failed
没有人méiyǒu rénthere was nobody
可以kěyǐwho could
分担fēndānshare
失望shīwàngdisappointment
长大zhǎng dàgrowing up
以后yǐhòuafter
压力yālìthe pressure
变得biàn debecame
更加gèngjiāeven more
具体jùtǐconcrete
一对yí duìone
夫妻fūqīcouple
可能kěnéngmay
yàohave to
照顾zhàogùcare for
四位sì wèifour
老人lǎorénelderly parents
还要hái yàoand also
yǎngraise
zhèthis
称为chēngwéicalled
四二一sì èr yīfour-two-one
结构jiégòustructure
xiànglike
一座yí zuòan
倒过来dào guòláiupside-down
金字塔jīnzìtǎpyramid
生病shēngbìngfall ill
的时候de shíhouwhen
you
cáionly then
真正zhēnzhèngtruly
明白míngbaiunderstand
独生dúshēngbeing an only child
意思yìsithe meaning
病房bìngfángthe ward
外面wàimiànoutside
走廊上zǒuláng shàngin the corridor
打电话dǎ diànhuàmaking phone calls
现在xiànzàinow
已经yǐjīnghas already
放开了fàng kāi lebeen relaxed
shēnghave
两个liǎng getwo
甚至shènzhìor even
三个sān gethree
dànbut
duìfor
我们wǒmenour
这一代zhè yí dàigeneration
来说lái shuōspeaking
有些yǒu xiēsome
东西dōngxithings
无法wúfǎcannot
重来chóng láibe done over

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