Back to: Xiao Bei in Beijing
Xiaobei, a twenty-three-year-old woman, arrives alone in Beijing. She checks her phone, feels a little tired and happy, and calls her mother in Shanghai to say she has arrived safely. Character count: 118.
在北京
今天，小北在北京。她是王北。她是中国人。她二十三岁。她的妈妈在上海。小北一个人在北京。
北京很大，人很多。她有一个手机，也有一个包。她看手机，看时间。现在是下午三点。
她想：我的家在哪儿？她有一点儿累，也有一点儿高兴。她给妈妈打电话。
她说：”妈妈，我在北京。”妈妈说：”好！你在哪儿？”小北说：”我在北京，我很好。”她说：”我想你。”妈妈说：”我也想你。”
Zài Běijīng
Jīntiān, Xiǎo Běi zài Běijīng. Tā shì Wáng Běi. Tā shì Zhōngguó rén. Tā èrshísān suì. Tā de māma zài Shànghǎi. Xiǎo Běi yī gè rén zài Běijīng.
Běijīng hěn dà, rén hěn duō. Tā yǒu yī gè shǒujī, yě yǒu yī gè bāo. Tā kàn shǒujī, kàn shíjiān. Xiànzài shì xiàwǔ sān diǎn.
Tā xiǎng: wǒ de jiā zài nǎr? Tā yǒu yīdiǎnr lèi, yě yǒu yīdiǎnr gāoxìng. Tā gěi māma dǎ diànhuà.
Tā shuō: “Māma, wǒ zài Běijīng.” Māma shuō: “Hǎo! Nǐ zài nǎr?” Xiǎo Běi shuō: “Wǒ zài Běijīng, wǒ hěn hǎo.” Tā shuō: “Wǒ xiǎng nǐ.” Māma shuō: “Wǒ yě xiǎng nǐ.”
In Beijing
Today, Xiaobei is in Beijing. Her name is Wang Bei. She is Chinese. She is twenty-three years old. Her mother is in Shanghai. Xiaobei is in Beijing alone.
Beijing is very big, and there are many people. She has a mobile phone and also a bag. She looks at her phone and checks the time. It is now three in the afternoon.
She wonders: where is my home? She feels a little tired, and also a little happy. She calls her mother.
She says: “Mum, I am in Beijing.” Mum says: “Good! Where are you?” Xiaobei says: “I am in Beijing, I am well.” She says: “I miss you.” Mum says: “I miss you too.”
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 北京 | Běijīng | Beijing |
| 手机 | shǒujī | mobile phone |
| 时间 | shíjiān | time |
| 累 | lèi | tired |
| 包 | bāo | bag |
| 现在 | xiànzài | now |
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy |
| 打电话 | dǎ diànhuà | to make a phone call |
| 想 | xiǎng | to miss / to think |
| 一个人 | yī gè rén | alone / by oneself |
Grammar
Using 是 (shì) to Identify People and Nationality The verb 是 connects a subject to an identity, name, nationality, or role. It works like “is/am/are” in English but is only used for identity statements, not descriptions. It does not need a separate word for “a” or “an.” 她是王北。 她是中国人。 我是学生。
Using 在 (zài) to Express Location 在 tells us where someone or something is located. It comes directly before the place name. Unlike English, no extra verb like “is” is needed alongside it — 在 does both jobs at once. 小北在北京。 她的妈妈在上海。 你在哪儿？
Using 很 (hěn) with Adjectives In Chinese, adjectives used as predicates (describing the subject) almost always need 很 before them, even when the meaning is simply neutral. Without 很, the sentence can sound like a comparison. Think of 很 as a required grammatical link rather than always meaning “very.” 北京很大。 她很高兴。 我很好。
Idiomatic Expressions
有一点儿 有一点儿 is used before adjectives or verbs to soften a feeling — “a little bit” or “slightly.” It is often used when the feeling is not fully positive or when the speaker wants to sound modest. It is more natural in spoken Chinese than simply saying 很 (very). 她有一点儿累。
我想你 想 has two main meanings: “to think / to want” and “to miss someone.” In this story, 我想你 means “I miss you.” Context makes the meaning clear. This is a common and warm expression used between family members and close friends when separated. 妈妈说：”我也想你。”
Moving to a Big City Alone
It is very common in China for young people to leave their hometown and move to a major city like 北京 or 上海 for work or study. This is sometimes called the experience of being a 漂泊者 (piāobó zhě) — someone who drifts far from home. Xiaobei’s story is one that millions of young Chinese people recognise.
Calling Home
Staying connected with family is deeply important in Chinese culture. Calling parents regularly — especially after arriving somewhere new — is considered a basic sign of respect and care. The phrase 给妈妈打电话 reflects this strong family bond that runs throughout Chinese society.
10 Questions
- 小北今天在哪儿？ (答案)
- 小北的名字是什么？ (答案)
- 小北几岁？ (答案)
- 小北的妈妈在哪儿？ (答案)
- 小北有什么东西？ (答案)
- 现在几点？ (答案)
- 小北怎么样？ (答案)
- 小北给谁打电话？ (答案)
- 小北对妈妈说什么？ (答案)
- 小北是哪国人？ (答案)
Multiple Choice
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True or False
- 小北在上海。 (答案)
- 小北是中国人。 (答案)
- 小北二十岁。 (答案)
- 小北的妈妈在上海。 (答案)
- 小北有一个手机。 (答案)
- 现在是上午三点。 (答案)
- 小北很高兴，不累。 (答案)
- 小北给妈妈打电话。 (答案)
- 妈妈说她不想小北。 (答案)
- 小北一个人在北京。 (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:
- Introduce 小北 and where she is
- Describe what she has with her
- Mention what time it is and how she feels
- Explain who she calls and why
- Describe what she and her mother say to each other