四大发明 The Four Great Inventions

你nǐ每天měitiān用yòng的de纸zhǐ、手机shǒujī里li的de地图dìtú，其实qíshí都dōu和hé一千yìqiān多duō年nián前qián的de中国Zhōngguó发明fāmíng有yǒu关系guānxi。

The paper you use every day and the map in your phone are actually connected to Chinese inventions from more than a thousand years ago.

中国Zhōngguó古代gǔdài的de四sì大dà发明fāmíng，是shì由yóu造纸术zàozhǐshù、印刷术yìnshuāshù、火药huǒyào和hé指南针zhǐnánzhēn组成zǔchéng的de。

China's Four Great Inventions of ancient times are made up of papermaking, printing, gunpowder, and the compass.

在zài纸zhǐ发明fāmíng以前yǐqián，人们rénmen把bǎ字zì写xiě在zài竹子zhúzi上shang，一yì本běn书shū重zhòng得de要yào用yòng车chē来lái拉lā。

Before paper was invented, people wrote characters on bamboo, and a single book was so heavy that a cart was needed to pull it.

汉代Hàndài的de蔡伦Cài Lún改进gǎijìn了le造纸术zàozhǐshù，从此cóngcǐ普通pǔtōng人rén也yě读dú得起deqǐ书shū了le。

Cai Lun of the Han dynasty improved papermaking, and from then on ordinary people could also afford to read books.

印刷术yìnshuāshù出现chūxiàn以后yǐhòu，书shū变biàn得de越来越yuèláiyuè便宜piányi，知识zhīshi也yě很hěn快kuài传chuán到dào了le更gèng多duō人rén的de手shǒu里li。

After printing appeared, books became cheaper and cheaper, and knowledge quickly spread into the hands of more people.

火药huǒyào是shì人们rénmen找zhǎo药yào的de时候shíhou偶然ǒurán发现fāxiàn的de，后来hòulái却què变成biànchéng了le节日jiérì里li美丽měilì的de烟花yānhuā。

Gunpowder was discovered by chance while people were searching for medicine, yet later it turned into the beautiful fireworks of festivals.

指南针zhǐnánzhēn帮助bāngzhù船chuán在zài大海dàhǎi上shang找到zhǎodào方向fāngxiàng，凡是fánshì去qù远方yuǎnfāng的de船chuán，都dōu离不开líbukāi它tā。

The compass helped ships find their direction on the sea; every ship that sailed far away could not do without it.

今天jīntiān手机shǒujī里li的de地图dìtú，其实qíshí就jiù是shì指南针zhǐnánzhēn的de“孙子sūnzi”。

The map in today's mobile phone is really the compass's "grandson".

一yì张zhāng纸zhǐ、一yì本běn书shū、一yí次cì旅行lǚxíng，都dōu在zài提醒tíxǐng我们wǒmen：伟大wěidà的de发明fāmíng往往wǎngwǎng来自láizì生活shēnghuó中zhōng的de小xiǎo问题wèntí。

A sheet of paper, a book, a trip — they all remind us that great inventions often come from small problems in daily life.

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

Key words 生词

造纸术zàozhǐshùpapermaking

印刷术yìnshuāshùprinting

火药huǒyàogunpowder

指南针zhǐnánzhēncompass

蔡伦Cài LúnCai Lun (Han dynasty inventor)

烟花yānhuāfireworks

由…组成 (to be made up of…)

由 introduces the parts, and 组成 states that they form the whole: 四大发明是由造纸术、印刷术、火药和指南针组成的。

这个班由二十个学生组成。 — This class is made up of twenty students.

凡是…都… (every…, all without exception)

凡是 marks a whole category, and 都 confirms that the statement covers every member: 凡是去远方的船，都离不开它。

凡是来过这里的人，都喜欢这个城市。 — Everyone who has been here loves this city.

V + 得起 (can afford to)

A potential complement showing one has the money or ability for the action: 普通人也读得起书了。

现在大家都买得起手机了。 — Now everyone can afford to buy a mobile phone.

1. What are the Four Great Inventions made up of?

2. What changed after Cai Lun improved papermaking?

3. How was gunpowder discovered?