送月饼 Giving Mooncakes

中秋节Zhōngqiūjié快kuài到dào了le，商店shāngdiàn里lǐ都dōu在zài卖mài月饼yuèbing。

Mid-Autumn Festival was coming, and all the shops were selling mooncakes.

中国Zhōngguó同事tóngshì告诉gàosu我wǒ，中秋节Zhōngqiūjié的de时候shíhou，人们rénmen会huì送sòng月饼yuèbing给gěi家人jiārén和hé朋友péngyou。

My Chinese colleague told me that at Mid-Autumn Festival, people give mooncakes to family and friends.

我wǒ买mǎi了le两liǎng盒hé月饼yuèbing，一yì盒hé给gěi汉语Hànyǔ老师lǎoshī，一yì盒hé给gěi楼下lóuxià的de邻居línjū。

I bought two boxes of mooncakes — one for my Chinese teacher, and one for the neighbor downstairs.

月饼yuèbing有yǒu很hěn多duō种zhǒng，有的yǒude是shì甜tián的de，里面lǐmiàn有yǒu水果shuǐguǒ，有的yǒude里面lǐmiàn还hái有yǒu鸡蛋jīdàn。

There are many kinds of mooncakes: some are sweet with fruit inside, and some even have egg inside.

我wǒ把bǎ月饼yuèbing送给sòng gěi老师lǎoshī的de时候shíhou，她tā笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“你nǐ越来越yuè lái yuè像xiàng中国人Zhōngguórén了le！”

When I gave the mooncakes to my teacher, she said with a smile, "You're becoming more and more like a Chinese person!"

楼下lóuxià的de邻居línjū阿姨āyí也yě很hěn高兴gāoxìng，第二天dì èr tiān她tā送sòng了le我们wǒmen一些yìxiē苹果píngguǒ。

The auntie downstairs was also very happy; the next day she gave us some apples.

同事tóngshì说shuō，送sòng月饼yuèbing的de意思yìsi是shì：虽然suīrán不bù能néng常常chángcháng见面jiànmiàn，但是dànshì我wǒ想xiǎng着zhe你nǐ。

My colleague said that giving mooncakes means: although we can't meet often, you are on my mind.

我wǒ觉得juéde这个zhège文化wénhuà真zhēn有意思yǒu yìsi，明年míngnián中秋节Zhōngqiūjié我wǒ还hái要yào送sòng月饼yuèbing。

I think this custom is really lovely — next Mid-Autumn Festival I want to give mooncakes again.

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Key words 生词

月饼yuèbingmooncake

中秋节ZhōngqiūjiéMid-Autumn Festival

盒hébox (measure word)

邻居línjūneighbor

像xiàngto be like; to resemble

文化wénhuàculture

有的……有的…… — some… others…

Talks about different members of a group: 有的月饼是甜的，有的里面还有鸡蛋。

有的人喜欢喝茶，有的人喜欢喝咖啡。 — Some people like tea; others like coffee.

把 + object + verb — the 把 sentence

把 moves the object before the verb to show what you do with it: 我把月饼送给老师。

请把门开开。 — Please open the door.

1. How many boxes of mooncakes did the writer buy?

2. Who received the mooncakes?

3. What did the neighbor give back the next day?

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.