Back to: Xiao Bei in Beijing
Xiaobei settles into her new room in Beijing. She puts her bag on the table, rests in the chair, and calls her mother to share the good news that she now has a home. Character count: 115.
新家
今天，小北在新房子里。她有一个新家。家里有床，有桌子，也有椅子。她把包放在桌子上。她坐在椅子上休息。
房子不大，但是很安静。小北很喜欢。她看房间，说：”这儿是我的家。”她很高兴。
晚上，她给妈妈打电话。她说：”妈妈，我有家。”妈妈说：”房子大吗？”小北说：”不大，但是很好。”妈妈说：”你高兴吗？”小北说：”我很高兴！”
Xīn Jiā
Jīntiān, Xiǎo Běi zài xīn fángzi lǐ. Tā yǒu yī gè xīn jiā. Jiā lǐ yǒu chuáng, yǒu zhuōzi, yě yǒu yǐzi. Tā bǎ bāo fàng zài zhuōzi shàng. Tā zuò zài yǐzi shàng xiūxi.
Fángzi bù dà, dànshì hěn ānjìng. Xiǎo Běi hěn xǐhuān. Tā kàn fángjiān, shuō: “Zhèr shì wǒ de jiā.” Tā hěn gāoxìng.
Wǎnshang, tā gěi māma dǎ diànhuà. Tā shuō: “Māma, wǒ yǒu jiā.” Māma shuō: “Fángzi dà ma?” Xiǎo Běi shuō: “Bù dà, dànshì hěn hǎo.” Māma shuō: “Nǐ gāoxìng ma?” Xiǎo Běi shuō: “Wǒ hěn gāoxìng!”
A New Home
Today, Xiaobei is in her new house. She has a new home. Inside the home there is a bed, a table, and also a chair. She puts her bag on the table. She sits on the chair and rests.
The house is not big, but it is very quiet. Xiaobei likes it very much. She looks around the room and says: “This place is my home.” She is very happy.
In the evening, she calls her mother. She says: “Mum, I have a home.” Mum says: “Is the house big?” Xiaobei says: “Not big, but very nice.” Mum says: “Are you happy?” Xiaobei says: “I am very happy!”
Help
How to Use the Audio
The audio is designed to help you improve your Mandarin Chinese listening skills and pronunciation. You can use it in two ways:
- Before reading: Listen to understand rhythm, intonation, and natural speech.
- After reading: Listen again to compare pronunciation and improve fluency.
Vocabulary
| Characters | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 家 | jiā | home / family |
| 里面 | lǐmiàn | inside |
| 安静 | ānjìng | quiet |
| 新 | xīn | new |
| 放 | fàng | to put / to place |
| 坐 | zuò | to sit |
| 休息 | xiūxi | to rest |
| 房间 | fángjiān | room |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | evening / night |
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy |
Grammar
把 (bǎ) — The Disposal Construction 把 is used to move the object before the verb, emphasising what is done to it and how. The pattern is: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + Result/Direction. It is commonly used with verbs like 放 (put), 拿 (take), and 送 (send). Think of it as highlighting the fate or destination of something. 她把包放在桌子上。 她把书放在床上。 我把手机放在桌子上。
在 + Place + 上/里 — Expressing Precise Location To say exactly where something is, combine 在 with a place noun and a location word like 上 (on top), 下 (below), or 里 (inside). This three-part pattern is very common in everyday Chinese when describing where objects or people are. 她坐在椅子上。 包在桌子上。 床在房子里。
但是 (dànshì) — Expressing Contrast 但是 means “but” and connects two contrasting ideas. The first clause presents a limitation or negative, and 但是 introduces a positive or surprising follow-up. It is one of the most useful connectors at beginner level and appears frequently in both spoken and written Chinese. 房子不大，但是很安静。 我累，但是很高兴。 它不大，但是很好。
Idiomatic Expressions
我有家 In Chinese, 家 means both “home” and “family.” Saying 我有家 carries emotional weight beyond simply having a place to sleep — it means belonging somewhere. For someone who has just moved to a new city alone, this simple phrase expresses a deep sense of relief and connection. 小北说：”妈妈，我有家。”
这儿是我的家 This phrase is used to claim ownership and belonging. In Chinese culture, calling a place 我的家 (my home) is meaningful — it signals that you feel settled and at ease. Xiaobei saying this aloud to herself reflects a personal milestone in her new life in Beijing. 她看房间，说：”这儿是我的家。”
The Meaning of 家 in Chinese Culture
家 is one of the most culturally loaded words in Mandarin. It refers to both the physical home and the family unit itself. In Chinese society, the home is a symbol of stability, warmth, and identity. For young people who move away from their families, finding a new 家 is both a practical and emotional achievement.
Calling Home in the Evening
Evening phone calls to parents are a deeply ingrained habit in Chinese family life. After a long day, especially during a period of transition, calling 妈妈 to share news is a way of maintaining closeness across distance. This ritual reinforces the idea that family bonds remain central even when children live far away.
10 Questions
- 小北今天在哪儿？ (答案)
- 家里有什么？ (答案)
- 小北把包放在哪儿？ (答案)
- 小北坐在哪儿休息？ (答案)
- 房子怎么样？ (答案)
- 小北喜欢房子吗？ (答案)
- 小北看房间说什么？ (答案)
- 小北什么时候给妈妈打电话？ (答案)
- 妈妈问什么？ (答案)
- 小北高兴吗？ (答案)
Multiple Choice
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True or False
- 小北在新房子里。 (答案)
- 家里没有床。 (答案)
- 小北把包放在床上。 (答案)
- 房子很安静。 (答案)
- 小北不喜欢新房子。 (答案)
- 小北说：”这儿是我的家。” (答案)
- 小北早上给妈妈打电话。 (答案)
- 妈妈问：”你高兴吗？” (答案)
- 小北说房子很大。 (答案)
- 小北很高兴。 (答案)
Retell the Story
请用你自己的话讲这个故事。
Writing Guidance: Speak to a language partner or write 5–8 sentences in Chinese. Include these key elements:
- Say where 小北 is and what her new home has inside
- Describe what she does with her bag and where she sits
- Say what she thinks of the room and how she feels
- Explain who she calls in the evening and what she says
- Describe what her mother asks and how Xiaobei answers