中秋节的月亮 The Mid-Autumn Moon

昨天zuótiān是shì中秋节Zhōngqiūjié，我wǒ的de中国Zhōngguó朋友péngyou请qǐng我wǒ去qù他tā家jiā吃饭chīfàn。

Yesterday was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and my Chinese friend invited me to his home for dinner.

晚饭wǎnfàn以后yǐhòu，我们wǒmen坐zuò在zài外面wàimiàn，一边yìbiān吃chī月饼yuèbing，一边yìbiān看kàn月亮yuèliang。

After dinner, we sat outside, eating mooncakes while watching the moon.

朋友péngyou的de奶奶nǎinai说shuō：“一年yì nián里lǐ，中秋节Zhōngqiūjié的de月亮yuèliang最zuì圆yuán。”

My friend's grandma said, "In the whole year, the Mid-Autumn moon is the roundest."

她tā还hái给gěi我们wǒmen讲jiǎng了le一个yí ge月亮yuèliang上shàng的de老lǎo故事gùshi，非常fēicháng有意思yǒu yìsi。

She also told us an old story about the moon; it was really interesting.

月饼yuèbing有点儿yǒudiǎnr甜tián，我wǒ吃chī了le两liǎng块kuài，还hái喝hē了le一杯yì bēi热rè茶chá。

The mooncakes were a little sweet; I ate two pieces and also drank a cup of hot tea.

朋友péngyou告诉gàosu我wǒ，中秋节Zhōngqiūjié的de时候shíhou，家人jiārén要yào在zài一起yìqǐ，这zhè叫jiào“团圆tuányuán”。

My friend told me that at Mid-Autumn Festival, the family should be together — this is called "tuanyuan", reunion.

看kàn着zhe又yòu大dà又yòu圆yuán的de月亮yuèliang，我wǒ也yě想xiǎng家jiā了le，就jiù给gěi妈妈māma打dǎ了le一个yí ge电话diànhuà。

Looking at the big, round moon, I started to miss home too, so I gave my mom a call.

妈妈māma笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“虽然suīrán你nǐ离lí家jiā很hěn远yuǎn，但是dànshì我们wǒmen看kàn的de月亮yuèliang是shì一样yíyàng的de。”

Mom said with a smile, "Although you are far from home, the moon we see is the same one."

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Key words 生词

中秋节ZhōngqiūjiéMid-Autumn Festival

月亮yuèliangmoon

月饼yuèbingmooncake

圆yuánround

团圆tuányuánfamily reunion

讲jiǎngto tell (a story)

一边 A 一边 B — doing A and B at the same time

Two actions happening together: 我们一边吃月饼，一边看月亮。

他一边走路，一边听音乐。 — He listens to music while walking.

Verb + 着 — ongoing state or manner

着 shows a continuing state, often describing how another action is done: 妈妈笑着说……

他站着看书。 — He reads standing up.

1. According to Grandma, when is the moon the roundest?

2. How many pieces of mooncake did the writer eat?

3. Who did the writer call that evening?

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.