熬夜的代价 The Cost of Staying Up Late — HSK 4 Reading

很多hěn duō年轻人niánqīngrén白天báitiān很hěn忙máng，只有zhǐyǒu晚上wǎnshang的de时间shíjiān是shì自己zìjǐ的de。

Many young people are busy all day; only the evening hours belong to themselves.

所以suǒyǐ他们tāmen不bú愿意yuànyì睡觉shuìjiào，一边yìbiān看kàn手机shǒujī，一边yìbiān告诉gàosu自己zìjǐ：“再zài玩wán十shí分钟fēnzhōng。”

So they don't want to sleep; they scroll on their phones while telling themselves, "Just ten more minutes."

结果jiéguǒ，十shí分钟fēnzhōng变成biànchéng了le两liǎng个ge小时xiǎoshí，睡觉shuìjiào的de时候shíhou已经yǐjīng是shì半夜bànyè了le。

As a result, ten minutes turns into two hours, and by the time they go to bed it is already the middle of the night.

熬夜áoyè好像hǎoxiàng给gěi了le我们wǒmen一点儿yìdiǎnr自由zìyóu，其实qíshí是shì向xiàng身体shēntǐ借jiè时间shíjiān。

Staying up late seems to give us a little freedom, but really it is borrowing time from our own body.

借jiè的de东西dōngxi总zǒng要yào还huán：第二天dì èr tiān头疼tóuténg，上班shàngbān没有méiyǒu精神jīngshen，什么shénme都dōu做不好zuò bu hǎo。

What you borrow must always be paid back: the next day your head hurts, you have no energy at work, and you can't do anything well.

我wǒ以前yǐqián也yě常常chángcháng熬夜áoyè，直到zhídào有yǒu一次yí cì生病shēngbìng住院zhùyuàn，才cái明白míngbai健康jiànkāng有yǒu多duō重要zhòngyào。

I used to stay up late all the time too; not until I got sick and was hospitalized did I understand how important health is.

现在xiànzài我wǒ每天měitiān十一shíyī点diǎn睡觉shuìjiào，早上zǎoshang起来qǐlai觉得juéde世界shìjiè都dōu变biàn新xīn了le。

Now I go to bed at eleven every night, and when I get up in the morning the whole world feels brand new.

晚上wǎnshang早点儿zǎodiǎnr睡shuì吧ba，明天míngtiān的de你nǐ会huì感谢gǎnxiè今天jīntiān的de你nǐ。

Go to bed a little earlier tonight — tomorrow's you will thank today's you.

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

Key words 生词

熬夜áoyèto stay up late

半夜bànyèmidnight

自由zìyóufreedom

精神jīngshenenergy; spirit

健康jiànkānghealth

感谢gǎnxièto thank

直到……才……

"Not until A did B happen." 直到 marks the turning point, 才 stresses that B happened late: 直到生病住院，我才明白健康有多重要。

直到晚上十二点，他才回家。— He didn't come home until twelve at night.

一边……一边……

Describes two actions happening at the same time: 一边看手机，一边告诉自己。

她一边吃饭，一边看电视。— She watches TV while eating.

1. According to the text, what is staying up late really doing?

2. What finally made the author understand how important health is?

3. What time does the author go to bed now?