A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels

为什么下班后我们需要好好玩
Why Chinese Workers Need to Play Properly After Work — Tang Xudong's Advice
About this story
Why China's Tang Xudong says tired workers need real play after hours — rest, exercise, and protecting your health. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 2 Chinese listening episode that runs about 6 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 15 key vocabulary words such as 休息、公司、生病 and walks through 6 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 the time after work, many people actually don't truly rest.
People nowadays are working every day.
Some people go to the company at eight in the morning.
They eat breakfast at the company.
Then they start looking at the computer.
At noon, they are also working.
They look at work problems while eating.
In the afternoon, they have a lot of things to do.
They have to answer many phone calls.
They have to write a lot of words.
They don't go home until nine at night.
They work for a long time every day.
When working, everyone is very busy.
Everyone feels very tired.
Because there is too much work.
The body is tired, and the mind is also tired.
After getting off work, everyone wants to rest.
Resting is a very important thing.
If you don't rest, your body will get sick.
We will need to take medicine and go to the hospital.
Therefore, everyone knows they need to rest.
However, many people don't know how to rest.
They think sleeping is resting.
Actually, things are not like this.
Next, let's talk about what "fake rest" is.
Fake means it isn't real.
Many people go home after work.
They sit on a chair.
Or lie on a bed.
Their bodies are resting.
But what are they doing?
They are looking at their phones.
They are looking at messages in work groups.
The boss sends them messages.
They also have to answer the boss's questions.
Although they are no longer in the office.
But their minds are still working.
They are still thinking about what to do tomorrow.
They are still thinking about what they did wrong today.
This kind of rest is not true rest.
This is called "fake rest".
Because your mind is not resting.
You still feel very tired.
Even more tired than when you are working.
Because you are constantly worrying.
You worry that your work is not finished.
You worry that tomorrow will be very busy.
You don't have a single minute of relaxation.
Your eyes are looking at the phone.
Your hands are writing.
This is not resting.
Besides, what should we do?
We need true rest.
True rest means not looking at work.
Put down your phone.
Do not look at work messages.
Do not answer work phone calls.
You need to find a little time every day.
It doesn't need to be a long time.
Half an hour a day is fine.
This half hour is very important.
What are you going to do in this half hour?
You need to play.
Yes, just go play.
Play like a child.
You can play anything.
As long as you feel happy.
Playing is a very good thing.
It can help you forget about work.
Forget about those things that make you angry.
Make you laugh, make you happy.
For example, you can play games.
Many people like to play games on the computer.
When playing games, you are very happy.
You won't think about work matters.
You can also play together with friends.
You can go play football together.
Or go play basketball together.
Exercise is also a very good rest.
Because when you exercise, your body is moving.
But your mind is resting.
You can also sing, or dance.
Listen to beautiful sounds.
Some people like to shop.
You can go to the store to buy beautiful clothes.
Some people like small animals.
You can play with your cat.
You can give it some delicious fish.
Or take your dog to the park for a run.
Run on the grass with the dog.
This is also a very good rest.
Some people like to read books.
You can read an interesting book.
Not a work book.
It is a book that makes you happy.
These are all very good ways to rest.
Also, why is playing so important?
Because your mind needs to stop working.
Just like a computer.
When a computer works for a long time, it gets very hot.
If the computer gets too hot, it will break.
You need to turn it off.
Let it rest for a bit.
People are the same.
Half an hour of playing every day is like turning off the computer.
You turn off work problems.
You turn on happy time.
This way, your body has rested.
Your mind has also rested.
When you go to the company the next day.
You will feel very good.
You will do your work faster.
You will also do it better.
Therefore, playing is not a bad thing.
Playing is to work better.
Playing is for a healthier life.
Finally, we want to talk about today's news.
What we just said is actually a new suggestion in China.
There is a gentleman in China named Tang Xudong.
He is a very important committee member.
He observed the lives of many young people.
He feels that young people nowadays are too tired.
They are working every day and have no time to play.
So he suggested that everyone must play for half an hour every day after work.
He told everyone not to have "fake rest".
Go find true happiness.
He believes that only by playing seriously can you live better.
This is also what many Chinese companies are doing now.
Some companies have prepared a place to play games next to the office.
They bought many fun toys.
To let everyone rest a bit when they are tired.
Go into that room and play for ten minutes.
Then come back to work.
Everyone thinks this method is very good.
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇A common verb meaning to rest or take a break. Can also be used as a noun.
Refers to a business or workplace. Measure word: 家 (jiā).
A verb-object compound meaning to fall ill.
Means to feel anxious or troubled about something.
An adjective describing a state of being relaxed, light, or without pressure.
Can be used as a noun for sports/athletics, or a verb for exercising physically.
An adjective/verb indicating something is broken, out of order, or bad.
HSK 1-2. to play soccer.
Used to describe something that is not genuine or real.
Refers to information, news, or messages (like in a chat group). Measure word: 条 (tiáo).
The physical room or place where administrative or professional work is done.
A more formal or descriptive two-character word for playing or frolicking.
Can be used as both a noun (a proposal/advice) and a verb (to recommend).
Refers to a member of a formal committee or council.
An adjective or adverb emphasizing that something is real, authentic, or true.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法一边...一边... (yìbiān... yìbiān...)
Used to express two actions happening simultaneously (doing A while doing B).
他们一边吃饭一边看工作的问题。
才 (cái)
An adverb used to indicate that an action happened later than expected, or took a long time to happen.
晚上九点才回家。
虽然...但是... (suīrán... dànshì...)
A paired conjunction meaning 'Although... but...'. Used to express a transition or contrast between two clauses.
虽然他们不在办公室了。但是他们的头脑还在工作。
只要... (zhǐyào...)
A conjunction meaning 'as long as'. It introduces a necessary condition for a specific result to happen.
只要你觉得高兴。
为了 (wèile)
A preposition meaning 'in order to' or 'for the purpose of', indicating the goal of an action.
玩是为了更好地工作。
玩是为了更健康的生活。
只有...才... (zhǐyǒu... cái...)
A paired conjunction meaning 'Only if... then...'. It emphasizes that a result can only be achieved under one specific condition.
他认为,只有认真地玩,才能更好地生活。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Sources
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