A Chinese podcast · Same story, 4 levels
蒂芙尼告艾芙尼：一个卖钻石，一个卖卫生巾，名字却太像
Tiffany Sues Alffany: Diamonds vs. Sanitary Pads, but Nearly the Same Name
About this story
Tiffany Sues Alffany: Diamonds vs. Sanitary Pads, but Nearly the Same Name. HSK 2 Chinese listening practice.
This is an HSK 2 Chinese listening episode that runs about 2 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 9 key vocabulary words such as 公司、一样、贵 and walks through 2 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
Today, we're talking about something really interesting.
It has to do with two companies.
One company is in America, and it's very famous.
Its name is Tiffany.
Tiffany sells jewelry.
It sells diamonds, and it sells rings.
Its products are all very expensive.
Even a small ring costs a lot of money.
Many people want to buy Tiffany when they get married.
So Tiffany is a very famous brand.
OK, now let's talk about a Chinese company.
This Chinese company also has a name.
Its name is Alffany.
Listen: Tiffany, Alffany.
Aren't these two names very similar?
They really do sound almost the same.
But Alffany doesn't sell jewelry.
What it sells is sanitary pads.
Sanitary pads are something women use every month.
One sells diamonds, one sells sanitary pads.
These two companies are not alike at all.
Yet their names are too similar.
After Tiffany found out, it was very unhappy.
Tiffany said: your name is too much like mine.
Tiffany said: won't people get them mixed up?
In China, a company's name is called a "trademark."
Each company can only use its own trademark.
Tiffany wanted Alffany to stop using this name.
Alffany said: we're different.
Alffany said: I sell sanitary pads, you sell jewelry.
Alffany said: people won't buy the wrong one.
Alffany also said: we never meant to copy Tiffany.
Neither company would back down.
In the end, the matter went to court.
The court has to decide whether these two trademarks are too similar.
For now, the case still has no outcome.
Many Chinese people are talking about it too.
Some say: the names really are similar.
Others say: but the products are different, so it's fine.
What do you think?
Listen again
Try it without the transcript and notice what sounds clearer.
What vocabulary does this episode teach?
词汇这件事，和两个公司有关 — the story involves two companies.
这两个公司，一点也不一样 — these two companies are not alike at all.
它的东西，都很贵 — its products are all very expensive.
一件很有意思的事 — a really interesting matter.
它们的名字，太像了 — their names are too similar.
Beyond HSK 1-2. 蒂芙尼是卖珠宝的 — Tiffany sells jewelry.
Beyond HSK 1-2. 它卖钻石，也卖戒指 — it sells diamonds and rings.
Beyond HSK 1-2. 公司的名字，叫"商标" — a company’s name is its "trademark."
Beyond HSK 1-2. 它卖的，是卫生巾 — what Alffany sells is sanitary pads.
* beyond level超纲词
What grammar patterns appear in this episode?
语法一点也不 + Adj
"not... in the slightest" — emphatic negation.
这两个公司，一点也不一样。
想让 + sb + do
"want someone to do something" — 让 introduces the person made/asked to act.
蒂芙尼想让艾芙尼，别用这个名字。
Proper Nouns
专有名词Free account
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