网络交友 Making Friends Online

很多hěn duō人rén觉得juéde网上wǎngshàng认识rènshi的de朋友péngyou都dōu是shì假jiǎ的de，我wǒ以前yǐqián也yě这样zhèyàng想xiǎng。

Many people think friends made online are all fake, and I used to think so too.

去年qùnián我wǒ参加cānjiā了le一个yí ge网上wǎngshàng的de读书dúshū小组xiǎozǔ，认识rènshi了le一个yí ge叫jiào“小鱼Xiǎo Yú”的de人rén。

Last year I joined an online reading group and got to know someone called 'Little Fish'.

我们wǒmen每个měi ge星期xīngqī讨论tǎolùn同tóng一本yì běn书shū，聊liáo得de越yuè多duō，我wǒ越yuè发现fāxiàn我们wǒmen的de性格xìnggé特别tèbié像xiàng。

Every week we discussed the same book, and the more we chatted, the more I found our personalities to be remarkably alike.

当然dāngrán，在zài网上wǎngshàng交jiāo朋友péngyou也yě有yǒu危险wēixiǎn：你nǐ看不见kàn bu jiàn和hé你nǐ聊天liáotiān的de人rén，也yě不bù知道zhīdào他tā说shuō的de话huà是shì真zhēn是shì假jiǎ。

Of course, making friends online has its dangers: you cannot see the person you are chatting with, and you don't know whether what they say is true or false.

所以suǒyǐ我wǒ从来cónglái不bù告诉gàosu网上wǎngshàng的de朋友péngyou自己zìjǐ的de地址dìzhǐ，也yě从来cónglái不bù随便suíbiàn借jiè钱qián给gěi别人biéren。

That is why I never tell online friends my address, and never casually lend anyone money.

半年bàn nián以后yǐhòu，小鱼Xiǎo Yú来lái我wǒ的de城市chéngshì出差chūchāi，我们wǒmen约yuē在zài一家yì jiā咖啡馆kāfēiguǎn见面jiànmiàn。

Six months later, Little Fish came to my city on a business trip, and we arranged to meet at a café.

见面jiànmiàn以前yǐqián我wǒ特别tèbié紧张jǐnzhāng，怕pà真正zhēnzhèng的de她tā和hé网上wǎngshàng的de完全wánquán不bù一样yíyàng，结果jiéguǒ她tā竟然jìngrán和hé我wǒ想xiǎng的de一模一样yì mú yí yàng。

Before we met I was really nervous, afraid the real her would be completely different from the online her — but it turned out she was, amazingly, exactly as I had imagined.

我们wǒmen聊liáo了le整整zhěngzhěng一个yí ge下午xiàwǔ，从cóng书shū聊liáo到dào工作gōngzuò，从cóng工作gōngzuò聊liáo到dào生活shēnghuó。

We chatted for an entire afternoon, from books to work, and from work to life.

我wǒ觉得juéde，网络wǎngluò只是zhǐshì认识rènshi朋友péngyou的de一种yì zhǒng方式fāngshì，一段yí duàn友谊yǒuyì是不是shì bu shì真zhēn的de，最后zuìhòu还是háishi要yào看kàn两个liǎng ge人rén诚实chéngshí不bù诚实chéngshí。

I think the internet is just one way of meeting people; whether a friendship is real depends, in the end, on whether both people are honest.

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

Key words 生词

网络wǎngluòinternet; network

性格xìnggépersonality

危险wēixiǎndanger; dangerous

诚实chéngshíhonest

友谊yǒuyìfriendship

一模一样yì mú yí yàngexactly the same

Grammar note 语法点

越……越……

"The more..., the more..." — two 越 clauses show that one thing increases along with another, as in 聊得越多，我越发现我们的性格特别像.

聊得越多，我越发现我们的性格特别像。 — The more we chatted, the more I found our personalities to be alike.

竟然

竟然 marks that something is unexpected or surprising to the speaker, like "amazingly" or "to my surprise", as in 她竟然和我想的一模一样.

结果她竟然和我想的一模一样。 — It turned out she was, amazingly, exactly as I had imagined.

从来不 + verb

从来不 means "never (as a habit)" and describes something the speaker has never done and does not do, as in 我从来不告诉网上的朋友自己的地址.

我从来不告诉网上的朋友自己的地址。 — I never tell online friends my address.

Check yourself 小测验

1. How did the author get to know Little Fish?

2. What does the author never do with online friends?

3. How did the author feel before meeting Little Fish in person?

网络交友Wǎngluò jiāoyǒuMaking Friends Online

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 4 reading practice