北京的四季 Beijing's Four Seasons

我wǒ在zài北京Běijīng住zhù了le两年liǎng nián了le，发现fāxiàn这里zhèlǐ的de四季sìjì很hěn不bù一样yíyàng。

I've lived in Beijing for two years now, and I've found the four seasons here are all very different.

春天chūntiān，公园gōngyuán里lǐ的de花huā都dōu开kāi了le，可是kěshì风fēng有点儿yǒudiǎnr大dà。

In spring, the flowers in the parks all bloom, but the wind is a bit strong.

夏天xiàtiān特别tèbié热rè，晚上wǎnshang人们rénmen喜欢xǐhuan坐zuò在zài外面wàimiàn吃饭chīfàn、聊天liáotiān。

Summer is especially hot; in the evenings people like to sit outside eating and chatting.

秋天qiūtiān是shì北京Běijīng最zuì好hǎo的de季节jìjié，天tiān很hěn蓝lán，不bù冷lěng也yě不bú热rè。

Autumn is Beijing's best season — the sky is blue, and it's neither cold nor hot.

很多hěn duō人rén秋天qiūtiān去qù公园gōngyuán看kàn变biàn红hóng的de树叶shùyè。

In autumn, many people go to the parks to see the leaves that have turned red.

冬天dōngtiān很hěn冷lěng，常常chángcháng刮风guā fēng，有时候yǒu shíhou还hái会huì下雪xià xuě。

Winter is very cold; it's often windy, and sometimes it even snows.

去年qùnián冬天dōngtiān我wǒ第一次dì yī cì看见kànjiàn下雪xià xuě，高兴gāoxìng得de像xiàng个ge孩子háizi一样yíyàng。

Last winter I saw snow for the first time and was as happy as a child.

如果rúguǒ你nǐ想xiǎng来lái北京Běijīng玩儿wánr，我wǒ告诉gàosu你nǐ：秋天qiūtiān来lái最zuì好hǎo！

If you want to visit Beijing, let me tell you: autumn is the best time to come!

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

四季sìjìthe four seasons

季节jìjiéseason

蓝lánblue

树叶shùyètree leaves

刮风guā fēngto be windy

像xiàngto be like

不 A 也不 B — neither A nor B

Puts two opposite adjectives together, often meaning "just right": 不冷也不热。

这个房间不大也不小。 — This room is neither big nor small.

Adjective + 得 + description — so… that…

得 links an adjective to how strong it is: 高兴得像个孩子一样。

他累得不想说话。 — He was so tired he didn't want to talk.

1. Which season does the writer say is the best in Beijing?

2. What do people like to do on summer evenings?

3. What did the writer see for the first time last winter?

After this reading

I'm Fei, and I teach Mandarin one-on-one on Preply. Bring this text to a trial lesson — we'll fix your tones and turn it into a real conversation.