火锅与朋友 Hotpot and Friends

在zài中国Zhōngguó，火锅huǒguō不仅bùjǐn是shì一yì种zhǒng吃饭chīfàn的de方式fāngshì，而且érqiě是shì和hé朋友péngyou见面jiànmiàn的de好hǎo机会jīhuì。

In China, hotpot is not only a way of eating, but also a great chance to get together with friends.

天气tiānqì一yì冷lěng，我wǒ就jiù想xiǎng找zhǎo几jǐ个ge老lǎo朋友péngyou，一起yìqǐ去qù吃chī火锅huǒguō。

As soon as the weather turns cold, I want to round up a few old friends and go eat hotpot together.

一yì张zhāng桌子zhuōzi，一yí个ge热热rèrè的de锅guō，大家dàjiā把bǎ肉ròu和hé菜cài放fàng进去jìnqu，边biān吃chī边biān聊天liáotiān。

One table, one steaming pot — everyone drops in meat and vegetables, eating and chatting at the same time.

吃chī火锅huǒguō的de时候shíhou，几乎jīhū没有méiyǒu人rén看kàn手机shǒujī，因为yīnwèi大家dàjiā都dōu忙着mángzhe从cóng锅guō里li找zhǎo好吃hǎochī的de。

While eating hotpot, almost nobody looks at their phone, because everyone is busy fishing tasty things out of the pot.

有人yǒurén喜欢xǐhuan辣là的de，有人yǒurén怕pà辣là，没关系méi guānxi，锅guō可以kěyǐ分成fēnchéng两liǎng半bàn，一半yíbàn辣là，一半yíbàn不bú辣là。

Some people love spicy food and some are afraid of it — no problem, the pot can be split in two: one half spicy, one half mild.

对duì我wǒ来说lái shuō，火锅huǒguō的de味道wèidao就jiù是shì朋友péngyou的de味道wèidao，桌子zhuōzi上shang越yuè热闹rènao，心里xīnli越yuè暖和nuǎnhuo。

For me, the taste of hotpot is the taste of friendship — the livelier the table, the warmer my heart.

即使jíshǐ工作gōngzuò再zài忙máng，我们wǒmen也yě应该yīnggāi常常chángcháng和hé朋友péngyou坐下来zuò xiàlai，慢慢mànmàn吃chī一yí顿dùn火锅huǒguō。

Even if work is ever so busy, we should still sit down with friends often and enjoy a slow hotpot meal.

因为yīnwèi最zuì好吃hǎochī的de，从来cónglái不bú是shì锅guō里li的de东西dōngxi，而是érshì坐zuò在zài你nǐ旁边pángbiān的de人rén。

Because the most delicious thing has never been what's in the pot, but the people sitting beside 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

火锅huǒguōhotpot

锅guōpot

方式fāngshìway; method

热闹rènaolively; bustling

暖和nuǎnhuowarm

顿dùn(measure word for meals)

不仅……而且……

"Not only ... but also ..." links two qualities of the same topic: 火锅不仅是一种吃饭的方式，而且是和朋友见面的好机会。

他不仅会说汉语，而且说得很流利。 — He not only speaks Chinese, but also speaks it fluently.

一……就……

"As soon as A happens, B happens" — the second thing follows the first immediately: 天气一冷，我就想找几个老朋友吃火锅。

我一到家就给妈妈打电话。 — As soon as I get home, I call my mom.

不是……而是……

"Not A, but B" corrects a wrong idea and replaces it with the right one: 最好吃的不是锅里的东西，而是坐在你旁边的人。

他不是不想来，而是太忙了。 — It's not that he doesn't want to come; it's that he is too busy.

1. According to the text, what do people rarely do while eating hotpot?

2. What solution does the text give for friends who cannot eat spicy food?

3. What does the author say is the most delicious part of hotpot?