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.
小明去海边。
Xiao Ming goes to the beach.
妈妈也去。
Mom goes too.
今天天气很好。
The weather is nice today.
小明很高兴。
Xiao Ming is happy.
他喜欢海。
He loves the ocean.
海很大。
The ocean is big.
海里都是水。
The ocean is full of water.
水是蓝色的。
The water is blue.
小明想下水。
Xiao Ming wants to get in the water.
他想游泳。
He wants to swim.
但是不行。
But he can't.
为什么不行？
Why can't he?
今天不能下水。
Today you can't go in the water.
妈妈说：不能。
Mom says: no.
小明问：为什么？
Xiao Ming asks: why?
妈妈说：你看。
Mom says: look.
妈妈指着前面。
Mom points ahead.
前面有什么？
What's up ahead?
前面有一条鱼。
Up ahead, there's a fish.
不是小鱼。
Not a small fish.
是很大的鱼。
A really big fish.
非常非常大。
Very, very big.
比小明大。
Bigger than Xiao Ming.
比妈妈大。
Bigger than Mom.
比汽车也大。
Bigger than a car too.
多大呢？
How big?
有八米长。
It's eight meters long.
八米是什么？
What is eight meters?
八米很长。
Eight meters is long.
八米比五米长。
Eight meters is longer than five meters.
比十米短。
Shorter than ten meters.
这条大鱼叫鲸鱼。
This big fish is called a whale.
鲸鱼就是海里最大的动物。
A whale is the biggest animal in the ocean.
我们叫它"大鱼"。
We call it "big fish."
其实它不是鱼。
Actually, it's not a fish.
是动物。
It's a mammal.
但是大家都叫它大鱼。
But everyone calls it a big fish.
也叫鲸鱼。
Also called a whale.
小明说：哇！
Xiao Ming says: wow!
小明走过去。
Xiao Ming walks over.
他想看。
He wants to look.
妈妈说：别走太近。
Mom says: don't go too close.
小明说：好。
Xiao Ming says: okay.
小明站着看。
Xiao Ming stands and looks.
这条鲸鱼很大。
This whale is big.
但是它不动。
But it isn't moving.
它一点也不动。
It isn't moving at all.
为什么不动？
Why isn't it moving?
因为它死了。
Because it's dead.
死了就是不能动了。
Dead means it can't move anymore.
不会呼吸了。
It can't breathe.
不会吃东西。
It can't eat.
不会游泳。
It can't swim.
就是不再活着。
It just isn't alive anymore.
这条鲸鱼为什么会死？
Why did this whale die?
我们也不知道。
We don't know either.
它在海里死了。
It died in the ocean.
然后水把它送来。
Then the water carried it here.
送到海边。
Brought it to the shore.
现在它在石头上。
Now it's on the rocks.
石头很硬。
The rocks are hard.
鲸鱼很大。
The whale is big.
人拿不动它。
People can't move it.
小明说：好可怜。
Xiao Ming says: that's so sad.
妈妈说：是啊。
Mom says: yeah.
小明说：我闻到了。
Xiao Ming says: I can smell it.
妈妈问：什么味道？
Mom asks: what does it smell like?
小明说：不好闻。
Xiao Ming says: not good.
非常非常不好闻。
Very, very not good.
非常臭。
Very stinky.
为什么这么臭？
Why is it so stinky?
因为它死了很久了。
Because it has been dead for a long time.
里面有很多气。
Inside it there's a lot of gas.
气就是看不见的东西。
Gas is something you can't see.
气越来越多。
There's more and more gas.
肚子越来越大。
Its belly gets bigger and bigger.
非常非常大。
Very, very big.
有一天，可能会"砰"。
One day, it might go "pop."
"砰"就是大声音。
"Pop" means a loud sound.
就像气球破了。
Like a balloon bursting.
小明说：哇，会爆吗？
Xiao Ming says: wow, will it explode?
妈妈说：可能。
Mom says: maybe.
所以不能走太近。
So you can't go too close.
小明说：好。
Xiao Ming says: okay.
我不去。
I won't go.
然后小明又问。
Then Xiao Ming asks again.
水里也不能去吗？
Can't I go in the water either?
妈妈说：不能。
Mom says: no.
今天水里很危险。
Today the water is dangerous.
为什么危险？
Why dangerous?
因为水里有鲨鱼。
Because there are sharks in the water.
鲨鱼是什么？
What are sharks?
鲨鱼也是大鱼。
Sharks are also big fish.
真的鱼。
Real fish.
但是它们牙很大。
But their teeth are big.
牙很多。
And there are many teeth.
它们很饿。
They are hungry.
它们闻到鲸鱼了。
They smell the whale.
所以它们都来了。
So they all came.
游来游去。
Swimming back and forth.
吃这条鲸鱼。
Eating this whale.
鲨鱼很多。
There are many sharks.
有大白鲨。
There are great white sharks.
还有别的鲨鱼。
And other sharks too.
都是大鲨鱼。
All big sharks.
人不能下水。
People can't go in the water.
下水太危险。
Going in the water is too dangerous.
鲨鱼会咬人。
Sharks will bite people.
小明说：我不去。
Xiao Ming says: I won't go.
小明听妈妈的话。
Xiao Ming listens to Mom.
他离开了。
He left.
他往后走。
He walks back.
他离鲸鱼远远的。
He stays far away from the whale.
今天不能游泳。
Today he can't swim.
今天不能下海。
Today he can't go in the ocean.
但是没关系。
But it doesn't matter.
今天还可以看一看。
Today he can still take a look.
也可以拍照。
He can also take photos.
也可以学新东西。
He can also learn something new.
小明今天学了什么？
What did Xiao Ming learn today?
他学了"鲸鱼"这个词。
He learned the word "whale."
鲸鱼很大。
Whales are big.
鲸鱼是动物。
A whale is an animal.
他也学了"鲨鱼"。
He also learned "shark."
鲨鱼很危险。
Sharks are dangerous.
他还学了一件事。
He also learned one more thing.
看到死的动物，
When you see a dead animal,
不要走太近。
don't go too close.
为什么？
Why?
因为不安全。
Because it's not safe.
也很臭。
And it stinks.
也可能会爆。
And it might explode.
小明记住了。
Xiao Ming remembered.
妈妈很高兴。
Mom is happy.
现在说说真的事。
Now let's talk about a real story.
这件事是真的。
This story is real.
就是几天前的事。
It happened just a few days ago.
地方在一个国家。
The place is a country.
这个国家叫澳大利亚。
This country is called Australia.
澳大利亚很远。
Australia is far away.
那边有很多海。
There are a lot of seas there.
有一天，
One day,
一条死鲸鱼来了海边。
a dead whale arrived at the beach.
有八米长。
It was eight meters long.
有二十五吨重。
It was twenty-five tons heavy.
就像三十辆小汽车。
That's like thirty small cars.
非常非常重。
Very, very heavy.
人不能拿走它。
People can't take it away.
人也不能动它。
People can't move it either.
现在还在那里。
It's still there now.
那里的海有四个海滩。
The sea there has four beaches.
四个海滩都关了。
All four beaches are closed.
没有人能下水。
No one can go in the water.
因为水里有鲨鱼。
Because there are sharks in the water.
也因为鲸鱼太大。
Also because the whale is too big.
也因为味道太不好。
Also because the smell is too bad.
人在等。
People are waiting.
等什么？
Waiting for what?
等大家想办法。
Waiting for someone to figure out a plan.
怎么办呢？
What can be done?
也许把鲸鱼推回海里。
Maybe push the whale back into the sea.
也许把鲸鱼送去别的地方。
Maybe take the whale somewhere else.
但是要时间。
But it takes time.
现在大家都等。
Right now, everyone is waiting.
小明听妈妈说完。
Xiao Ming finishes listening to Mom.
他点点头。
He nods.
他说：我懂了。
He says: I get it.
我今天学了很多。
I learned a lot today.
小明很乖。
Xiao Ming is a good boy.
妈妈很高兴。
Mom is happy.
两个人回家了。
The two of them go home.
回到家。
Back home.
小明告诉爸爸。
Xiao Ming tells Dad.
爸爸说：好。
Dad says: good.
爸爸说：你真聪明。
Dad says: you're really smart.
小明笑了。
Xiao Ming smiles.
他今天很开心。
He's happy today.
虽然不能下水。
Even though he couldn't go in the water,
但是他学了新东西。
he learned something new.
新东西也是好东西。
New things are also good things.
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。