7:03
海边的大鱼
A Big Dead Whale on a Sydney Beach in Australia
HSK 1 Chinese listening practice. A simple story about a big dead whale that washed up on a beach in Sydney, Australia.
This is an HSK 1 Chinese listening episode that runs about 7 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 18 key vocabulary words such as 海、大、鱼 and walks through 7 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.
HSK 1. 海 = sea. 海边 = seaside. 大海 = the open sea. The whole story happens at the 海边.
HSK 1. The most basic adjective for size. 大鱼 = big fish. 很大 = very big. Used over 30 times in this episode.
HSK 1. 一条鱼 = one fish (measure word 条 for long things). The episode keeps calling the whale 大鱼 = 'big fish' before introducing 鲸鱼.
HSK 1. 妈妈 explains everything to 小明. Pair with 爸爸 (dad).
HSK 1. 你看 = look! 看一看 = take a quick look. The mom keeps telling Xiao Ming 看一看 (just look) instead of 走太近 (go too close).
HSK 1. 想 + verb = want to V. 小明想下水 = Xiao Ming wants to get in the water. Also means 'think'.
HSK 1. 好 = good. 不好 = not good. As a one-word reply: 'okay.' 小明说：好 = Xiao Ming says: okay.
HSK 1. 他喜欢海 = he likes the sea. Used for things you enjoy.
HSK 1. 走 = walk. 走太近 = walk too close. 别走太近 = don't go too close — the mom's main warning in this episode.
Beyond HSK 1. 鲸 (whale) + 鱼 (fish). The episode glosses it inline: 鲸鱼就是海里最大的动物 = a whale is the biggest animal in the sea. Keyword of the whole episode.
Beyond HSK 1. 鲨 (shark) + 鱼 (fish). The reason the beaches are closed. Note: 大白鲨 = great white shark.
HSK 4 but introduced inline: 死了就是不能动了 = 'dead means it can't move anymore.' Central to the episode.
HSK 4. 我闻到了 = I smell something. 闻到 = smell + 到 (perception complement).
HSK 5. The opposite of 香 (fragrant). 非常臭 = very stinky. The mom uses it to explain why you can't go near the whale.
Beyond HSK 1. 气 (gas) + 球 (ball). The story compares the whale's belly to a 气球 because both can pop.
HSK 4. 很危险 = very dangerous. The opposite is 安全 (safe).
HSK 2. 一个国家 = one country. The story takes place in a 国家 called Australia.
Beyond HSK 1. 海 (sea) + 滩 (shore). Specifically a sandy/rocky beach. The story has 四个海滩 (four beaches) closed.
* beyond level超纲词
X 比 Y + Adj (comparison)
A 比 B + adjective = A is more X than B. The basic comparison structure.
比小明大。
比汽车也大。
八米比五米长。
因为 ... + clause
Because + reason. At HSK 1 level often used alone (without 所以).
因为它死了。
因为水里有鲨鱼。
因为不安全。
想 + Verb (want to V)
Modal of desire: 想 + verb = want to V. Subject + 想 + verb.
小明想下水。
他想游泳。
他想看。
X 就是 Y (definition)
The teaching pattern. Used to define a new word inline using simpler words.
鲸鱼就是海里最大的动物。
死了就是不能动了。
气就是看不见的东西。
越来越 + Adj (more and more)
越来越 + adjective = increasingly X. Describes a state that keeps changing.
气越来越多。
肚子越来越大。
把 + Object + Verb (BA construction)
把 fronts the object so the verb can carry a result/disposal. 'Took A and did Y to it.'
水把它送来。
也许把鲸鱼推回海里。
也许把鲸鱼送去别的地方。
虽然 ... 但是 ...
Concession structure. The 但是 clause is the main point.
虽然不能下水。
但是他学了新东西。