A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
中国年轻人：下班后，要好好玩
Chinese Youth: After Work, Play Hard
About this story
A simple story about a Beijing office worker who is tired after work and learns to rest, play games, and have fun. HSK 1 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 9 minutes. The full Mandarin script is shown with tap-for-pinyin and a line-by-line English translation, so you can listen and read at once — comprehensible input in the sense of Stephen Krashen's i+1 theory. It teaches 14 key vocabulary words such as 休息、工作、累 and walks through 5 grammar patterns, each explained in English with examples. The same news story is retold at 4 difficulty levels — use the level selector above to find the version that is challenging but still understandable for you.
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原文Read the complete story in Chinese. Reveal pinyin and English only when you need them.
English transcript reference
Speaking of how to rest after work, let us look at Xiaoming's story.
Xiaoming is a person.
Xiaoming is in China.
Xiaoming lives in Beijing.
Xiaoming has a job.
Xiaoming goes to work every day.
Xiaoming works in the morning.
Xiaoming also works at noon.
Xiaoming also works in the afternoon.
Xiaoming works a lot.
Xiaoming is very busy.
Xiaoming is very tired.
Xiaoming is not happy.
Today is Monday.
Today is a workday.
Xiaoming is at the company.
Xiaoming sits on a chair.
Xiaoming looks at the computer.
Xiaoming writes characters.
Xiaoming makes phone calls.
Xiaoming does many things.
It is six o'clock in the afternoon.
Xiaoming is going home now.
Xiaoming takes a taxi.
The taxi is very fast.
Xiaoming has arrived home.
Xiaoming is at home.
Xiaoming is very tired.
Xiaoming wants to sleep.
Xiaoming sits on a chair.
Xiaoming looks at his phone.
Xiaoming looks at work things.
Xiaoming looks at work calls.
Xiaoming is still thinking about work.
Is it good for Xiaoming to be like this?
This is not good.
Xiaoming did not rest.
Xiaoming's body is at home.
Xiaoming's mind is at work.
This is not right.
Xiaoming needs to rest.
How should Xiaoming rest?
Xiaoming's friend came.
The friend is called Xiaohong.
Xiaohong looks at Xiaoming.
Xiaohong says Xiaoming is very tired.
Xiaoming says yes.
Xiaoming says he is very tired.
Xiaohong says Xiaoming needs to play.
Xiaoming asks play what.
Xiaohong says play games.
Xiaoming does not want to play.
Xiaohong says he must play.
Playing games is very good.
Playing games can be a rest.
Xiaoming listens to Xiaohong's words.
Xiaoming turned off his phone.
Xiaoming does not look at the phone.
Xiaoming does not look at work.
Xiaoming turns on the computer.
Xiaoming plays computer games.
Xiaoming likes playing games.
Xiaoming is very happy.
How long did Xiaoming play?
Xiaoming played for thirty minutes.
Which is half an hour.
Half an hour is not long.
Half an hour is also not short.
This half hour is very good.
Xiaoming did not think about work.
Xiaoming was only playing.
Xiaoming smiled.
Xiaoming is very happy.
Xiaoming is no longer tired.
Xiaoming feels very good.
Xiaoming thanks Xiaohong.
Then Xiaoming eats dinner.
Xiaoming eats rice.
Xiaoming eats dishes.
Xiaoming drinks water.
Xiaoming eats a lot.
After eating, Xiaoming reads a book.
Xiaoming reads a book.
There are many words in the book.
The pictures in the book are very pretty.
Xiaoming likes reading books.
This is also playing.
This is also resting.
Xiaoming did not think about work.
Xiaoming's mind is resting.
It is ten o'clock.
Xiaoming goes to sleep.
Xiaoming sleeps very well.
Tomorrow is Tuesday.
Xiaoming gets up.
Xiaoming gets up in the morning.
Xiaoming feels very good.
Xiaoming is not tired.
Xiaoming is very happy.
Xiaoming goes to work.
Xiaoming works very fast.
Xiaoming works very well.
Because Xiaoming rested.
Because Xiaoming played.
Playing is very important.
You need to play after work.
Playing for half an hour is very good.
Many people are like Xiaoming.
Many people are very tired from work.
Many people do not play when they go home.
They only look at their phones.
They think about work.
They did not rest well.
They will be very tired tomorrow.
This is not good.
We need to play.
What can we play?
We can play with things.
We can play on the computer.
We can read books.
We can watch movies.
We can run.
We can walk.
We can play with friends.
Playing with friends is very happy.
Playing with family is very happy.
These are all playing.
When playing, do not work.
Do not make phone calls.
Do not look at the computer.
You must focus on playing.
Play for half an hour.
This half hour is yours.
It is not the boss's.
It is your own.
This is called true resting.
Resting is very good.
Resting makes you happy.
Resting makes you not tired.
You can do very well.
Play a little every day.
Be a little happier every day.
Both work and life are good.
Work is work.
Life is life.
There must be play in life.
Let us look at Xiaohong again.
Xiaohong also has a job.
Xiaohong works in a store.
The store is in front of the school.
There are many things in the store.
There are clothes.
There are cups.
There are computers.
There are TVs.
There are apples.
There is tea.
There is water.
Xiaohong sells things every day.
Xiaohong stands every day.
Xiaohong is also very tired.
But Xiaohong is very happy.
Why is Xiaohong happy?
Because Xiaohong knows how to rest.
Xiaohong gets off work and goes home.
Xiaohong plays after going home.
Xiaohong likes watching movies.
Xiaohong watches a movie.
The movie is very good to watch.
There are cats in the movie.
There are dogs in the movie.
When Xiaohong watches a movie.
Xiaohong does not think about work.
Xiaohong does not think about the store.
Xiaohong does not think about clothes.
Xiaohong only watches the movie.
Xiaohong is very happy.
Xiaohong also likes reading books.
Xiaohong reads many books.
Xiaohong reads Chinese books.
Reading books is also playing.
When Xiaohong reads a book.
Xiaohong does not look at her phone.
Xiaohong does not answer phone calls.
Xiaohong is very quiet.
Xiaohong rests very well.
Then there are Xiaoming and Xiaohong.
They play together.
What do they play?
They play with things.
They build a house.
The house is very pretty.
They played for half an hour.
Xiaoming forgot about work.
Xiaoming only had happiness.
Then they go outside.
The weather outside is very good.
It is neither cold nor hot.
They walk outside.
They see a cat.
The cat is sleeping.
They see a dog.
The dog is running.
Xiaoming and Xiaohong also run.
They run very slowly.
This is also playing.
Exercise is also playing.
The body is moving.
But the heart is resting.
The heart is no longer tired.
Returning home in the evening.
Xiaoming drank a cup of tea.
The tea is very hot.
The tea is very good to drink.
Xiaoming feels very good.
What is the story about?
It is about playing after work.
China has an expert.
What did the expert say?
He said you need to play after work.
We need to play well.
Play for half an hour every day.
Do not think about work when playing.
This is called true resting.
Only in this way will we not be tired.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇A common verb and noun for taking a break or resting.
Used as both a noun (a job) and a verb (to work).
An adjective describing physical or mental exhaustion.
Literally 'electric brain'. Used with the measure word 台 (tái).
A common adjective used to describe a joyful mood or feeling.
A separable verb (verb-object structure) meaning to go to bed or sleep.
Usually paired with the verb 看 (kàn - to watch). Measure word is 部 (bù).
Refers to games in general, including computer games (电脑游戏). Paired with the verb 玩 (wán).
An adverb or adjective indicating doing something with undivided attention.
An adjective used to emphasize that something is real or authentic, like 'true resting' (真正的休息).
A noun referring to a specialist or professional in a particular field.
A verb meaning to fail to remember something.
A common noun for a business owner, employer, or manager.
An adjective describing a silent environment or a calm state of mind.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法Indicates the location where someone or something is, or where an action takes place.
小明在公司。
小明在家里。
小红在商店工作。
The particle 得 (de) connects a verb to a degree complement, describing how well or in what manner the action is performed.
小明睡得很好。
小明工作得很好。
他们跑得很慢。
A common time phrase equivalent to 'when...' or 'while...'. It is placed after a verb phrase or sentence.
小红看电影的时候。
小红看书的时候。
玩的时候不工作。
The character 完 (wán) acts as a result complement indicating that an action has been completed.
吃完饭小明看书。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
来源Free account
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