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Tongue Twister-Counting the Dates

Mar. 13, 2014

Chū dōngmén, guò dà qiáo, dà qiáo dǐ xià yí shù zǎo,

出     东门,      过   大  桥, 大  桥   底 下 一  树  枣,

 

Going across the bridge after getting out of the eastern gate. There are a lot of dates on the tree.

Názhe gānzi qù dǎ zǎo, qīng de duō hóng de shǎo.
拿着    竿子  去  打 枣,    青   的  多    红     的  少。

 

Picking up the dates with the pole and the green ones outnumber the red ones.

Yìgè zǎo, liǎng zǎo, sān zǎo, sì zǎo, wǔ zǎo,
  枣, 两     枣, 三   枣,四 枣, 五  枣,

 

One date, two dates, three dates, four dates, five dates,

Liù zǎo, qī zǎo, bā zǎo,  jiǔ zǎo, shí zǎo.
  枣,七 枣, 八  枣,  九 枣,十   枣。

 

Six dates, seven dates, eight dates, nine dates, ten dates,

Shí zǎo, jiǔ zǎo, bā zǎo,  qī zǎo, liù zǎo,
   枣, 九 枣, 八 枣,  七 枣,六  枣,

 

Ten dates, nine dates, eight dates, seven dates, six dates,

zǎo, sì zǎo, sān zǎo,  liǎng zǎo, yì zǎo.
   枣, 四 枣,三   枣,   两    枣, 一个 枣,

 

Five dates, four dates, three dates, two dates, one date,

Zhè shì yíduàn ràokǒulìng, yí qì shuō wán cái suàn hǎo.
这    是  一段     绕口令,    一 气 说      完   才  算     好。

 

This is a tongue twister and you should say it from beginning to end without stopping.

Vocabulary

1. 红 (hóng): a. red

Wǒ xǐhuan hóngsè!
我   喜欢    红色!

 

I like red!

2. 青 (qīng): a. green

Zhè shì yígè qīng píngguǒ.
这    是  一个 青    苹果。

 

This is a green apple.

3. 枣 (zǎo): n. date

Nǐ xǐhuan chī zǎo ma?
你 喜欢    吃  枣   吗?

 

Do you like to eat dates?

Exercises

1. If you feel shy, then your face may turn___?

A. 青(qīng)

B. 白(bái)

C. 红(hóng)

2. What is it in the picture?

 
 
 
 
 

 

A. 枣(zǎo)

B. 苹果(píngguǒ)

C. 梨()

See answers

Chinese for Kids 

HSK Test

General Chinese (Beginner Level)

General Chinese (Intermediate Level)

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