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拼豆：漂亮的小珠子，为什么这么火？
Pindou: Why Are These Little Beads So Popular?
HSK 1 Chinese listening practice. A simple story about pindou pixel beads — the pretty little beads young people in China love to make together.
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 朋友、做、看 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.
今天，小明去看朋友。
Today, Xiao Ming goes to see a friend.
朋友是小红。
The friend is Xiao Hong.
小红是女生。
Xiao Hong is a girl.
她在家里。
She's at home.
小明走进家。
Xiao Ming walks into the house.
小红坐在桌子前面。
Xiao Hong is sitting at a table.
桌子上有什么？
What's on the table?
桌子上有很多珠子。
There are lots of beads on the table.
珠子很小。
The beads are small.
也很漂亮。
And very pretty.
有红色，黄色，蓝色，绿色。
There's red, yellow, blue, green.
有粉色，白色，黑色。
There's pink, white, black.
颜色非常多。
So many colors.
小明说：哇！
Xiao Ming says: wow!
这是什么？
What is this?
小红说：这是珠子。
Xiao Hong says: these are beads.
小明说：很多。
Xiao Ming says: a lot.
小红说：是的。
Xiao Hong says: yes.
我在做一个东西。
I'm making something.
小明说：什么东西？
Xiao Ming says: what?
小红说：你看。
Xiao Hong says: look.
小红拿起一个板。
Xiao Hong picks up a board.
板上有很多小洞。
The board has lots of small holes.
小红把一个珠子放进一个洞。
Xiao Hong puts one bead into one hole.
她把红色珠子放进一个洞。
She puts a red bead into one hole.
然后把黄色珠子放进另一个洞。
Then a yellow bead into another hole.
然后蓝色珠子。
Then a blue bead.
然后绿色。
Then a green one.
她一个一个放。
She places them one by one.
慢慢地放。
Slowly placing them.
珠子越来越多。
There are more and more beads.
板上越来越漂亮。
The board gets prettier and prettier.
小明说：这是图画？
Xiao Ming says: is this a picture?
小红说：对。
Xiao Hong says: yes.
是用珠子做的图画。
It's a picture made with beads.
你看。
Look.
做完以后，
After it's done,
是一个小猫。
it'll be a little cat.
也可以是一只兔子。
It could also be a rabbit.
也可以是一朵花。
It could also be a flower.
什么都可以。
Anything is fine.
小明说：太好了。
Xiao Ming says: that's great.
那做完了，怎么办？
So once it's done, what next?
小红说：做完以后，
Xiao Hong says: after it's done,
要用一个东西。
you use a tool.
小红说：叫熨斗。
Xiao Hong says: it's called an iron.
熨斗是热的。
The iron is hot.
你把熨斗放在珠子上面。
You put the iron on top of the beads.
珠子会变软。
The beads will become soft.
然后，珠子会粘在一起。
Then, the beads will stick together.
就成了一块。
Becoming one solid piece.
就不会散。
It won't fall apart.
小明说：哦。
Xiao Ming says: oh.
小红说：然后，
Xiao Hong says: then,
你可以拿着它走。
you can take it with you.
你可以放在书包上。
You can put it on your backpack.
你可以放在桌子上。
You can put it on your desk.
你可以送给朋友。
You can give it to a friend.
小明说：这个真好。
Xiao Ming says: that's really nice.
你做了多久？
How long have you been making it?
小红说：一个小时了。
Xiao Hong says: one hour now.
还要再做一个小时。
And about another hour to go.
小明说：要那么久？
Xiao Ming says: that long?
小红说：是的。
Xiao Hong says: yes.
但是没关系。
But that's okay.
我喜欢做。
I love making it.
做的时候，
While I'm making it,
我什么都不想。
I'm not thinking about anything.
就放珠子。
Just placing beads.
一个，又一个。
One, then another.
心里很安静。
My heart is very quiet.
小明说：哦。
Xiao Ming says: oh.
我懂了。
I get it.
是不是有点像睡前看星星？
Is it kind of like watching stars before sleep?
小红说：是。
Xiao Hong says: yes.
就是这种感觉。
That's exactly the feeling.
做完，心里很舒服。
After finishing, the heart is very comfortable.
小明说：可不可以教我？
Xiao Ming says: can you teach me?
小红说：可以。
Xiao Hong says: sure.
你来。
Come here.
小明坐下来。
Xiao Ming sits down.
小红给他一个板。
Xiao Hong gives him a board.
小红说：你想做什么？
Xiao Hong says: what do you want to make?
小明说：我想做一只小狗。
Xiao Ming says: I want to make a little dog.
小红说：好。
Xiao Hong says: okay.
你先放黑色。
First put black.
做眼睛。
Make the eyes.
小明放了。
Xiao Ming places them.
小红说：再放白色。
Xiao Hong says: now put white.
做脸。
Make the face.
小明也放了。
Xiao Ming places those too.
两个人慢慢做。
The two of them work slowly.
他们一起放珠子。
They place beads together.
他们没说话。
They don't talk.
但是都很高兴。
But both are happy.
时间过得很快。
Time goes by quickly.
小明说：哇，已经一个小时了？
Xiao Ming says: wow, has it been an hour already?
小红说：是的。
Xiao Hong says: yes.
现在我们一起熨。
Now we'll iron together.
两个人一起做完了。
The two of them finish together.
他们做了一只小狗。
They've made a little dog.
还有一只小猫。
And a little cat.
都很可爱。
Both are cute.
小明说：太好了。
Xiao Ming says: great.
我想再做一个。
I want to make another.
小红笑了。
Xiao Hong laughs.
她说：你也喜欢上了。
She says: you're hooked too.
现在说说真的事。
Now let's talk about the real story.
这个珠子叫拼豆。
These beads are called pindou.
拼豆，就是把珠子拼起来。
Pindou — putting beads together.
最近一年，
In the past year,
拼豆在中国非常火。
pindou has become extremely popular in China.
很多年轻人在玩。
Many young people are doing it.
不只是小孩子。
Not only children.
还有大学生。
But also college students.
还有上班的人。
And office workers.
他们去店里。
They go to stores.
店里有很多珠子。
The stores have many beads.
有桌子，有板，有熨斗。
They have tables, boards, and irons.
他们坐着，慢慢做。
They sit there and slowly make things.
有的人做一个小时。
Some people make for an hour.
有的人做一天。
Some make all day.
都可以。
Either is fine.
一次大概八九十块钱。
One session is about eighty or ninety yuan.
不太贵。
Not too expensive.
为什么这么多人喜欢？
Why do so many people love it?
有几个原因。
There are a few reasons.
第一，珠子很漂亮。
First, the beads are pretty.
颜色很多。
Many colors.
看着就开心。
Just looking at them makes you happy.
第二，做的时候，心里安静。
Second, while you're making, your heart is quiet.
你不用想工作。
You don't have to think about work.
也不用想别的事。
Or about anything else.
就放珠子，一个，再一个。
Just placing beads, one, then another.
很慢，很舒服。
Very slow, very comfortable.
第三，做完以后有东西。
Third, after finishing you have something.
有一个真的东西。
A real thing.
你可以拍照。
You can take photos.
也可以送给朋友。
You can also give it to a friend.
也可以放在家里。
Or put it at home.
所以年轻人都喜欢。
So young people all love it.
最近一年，
In the past year,
他们在小红书上发了很多照片。
they've posted many photos on Xiaohongshu.
一共有三百多亿次看。
Over thirty billion views in total.
非常多。
That's a lot.
有一些店，
Some shops
一年卖了两万多份。
sold over twenty thousand sets in one year.
也非常多。
Also a lot.
所以小明今天学了一个新东西。
So today Xiao Ming learned something new.
他学了拼豆。
He learned about pindou.
他现在也喜欢上了。
He's hooked too now.
他想下个星期再来。
He wants to come back next week.
他想再做一个。
He wants to make another.
小红说：好。
Xiao Hong says: okay.
我们一起做。
We'll do it together.
两个人都很高兴。
Both are happy.
这就是今天的事。
That's the story for today.
拼豆是小东西。
Pindou is a small thing.
但是，可以让人很开心。
But it can make a person happy.
也可以让人安静。
And quiet.
也可以让朋友一起做。
And let friends do something together.
这就够了。
And that's enough.
HSK 1. 我的朋友 = my friend. The story is two friends, 小明 and 小红.
HSK 1. 做拼豆 = make pindou. The episode's action verb.
HSK 1. 你看 = look! Used many times.
HSK 1. 我想做一只小狗 = I want to make a little dog. 想 + verb.
HSK 1. 很漂亮 = very pretty. The most basic intensifier.
HSK 1-2. 颜色很漂亮 = the colors are pretty. Common compliment.
HSK 2. The episode lists many 颜色: 红, 黄, 蓝, 绿, 粉, 白, 黑.
HSK 1. 一起做 = do it together. Repeated word in the friendship scenario.
HSK 1. 都很高兴 = both very happy. The emotional anchor of the story.
Beyond. 珠 (bead/pearl) + 子 (suffix). The thing the whole episode is about.
HSK 4. 一个板 = one board. The pegboard you put beads on.
HSK 5 but glossed inline. 一个小洞 = one small hole. Each pegboard hole holds one bead.
Beyond. 熨 (to iron) + 斗 (a tool). 熨斗是热的 = the iron is hot. Used to fuse beads.
HSK 5. 珠子会粘在一起 = the beads will stick together.
HSK 4. 用珠子做的图画 = a picture made with beads. The result of pindou.
HSK 3. 都很可爱 = all are cute. Common reaction to pindou pieces.
HSK 4. 心里很安静 = the heart is quiet. The core feeling of doing pindou.
HSK 3. 可不可以教我？= can you teach me? 小红 教 小明 in this episode.
* beyond level超纲词
X 把 + Object + Verb (BA construction)
把 fronts the object so the verb can carry a result. 'Took A and did Y to it.'
小红把一个珠子放进一个洞。
你把熨斗放在珠子上面。
想 + Verb (want to V)
Modal of desire. 想 + verb = 'want to V.' Subject + 想 + verb.
我想做一只小狗。
我想再做一个。
他想下个星期再来。
X 也是 ... 也是 ...
'X is also A and also B.' Used to layer descriptions.
也可以拍照。
也可以送给朋友。
也可以放在家里。
X 就是 Y (definition)
The teaching pattern. Used to define a new word inline.
拼豆，就是把珠子拼起来。
板上有很多小洞。
熨斗是热的。
因为 + reason
Because + reason. Often used alone at HSK 1.
因为珠子很漂亮。
因为做完以后有东西。
Verb + 完 (resultative complement)
Verb + 完 = finish doing V. Indicates completion.
做完以后，要用一个东西。
做完以后，心里很舒服。
两个人一起做完了。
一个 ... 又一个 ...
'One after another.' Describes a repeating, calming sequence.
一个，又一个。
她一个一个放。