短视频时代 The Short Video Era

晚上wǎnshang睡觉shuìjiào前qián，我wǒ告诉gàosu自己zìjǐ：只zhǐ看kàn十shí分钟fēnzhōng短视频duǎnshìpín。

Before going to sleep at night, I tell myself: only ten minutes of short videos.

等děng我wǒ再zài看kàn时间shíjiān的de时候shíhou，已经yǐjīng是shì半夜bànyè一yì点diǎn了le。

By the time I look at the clock again, it is already one in the morning.

我wǒ相信xiāngxìn，很多hěnduō人rén都dōu有yǒu和hé我wǒ一样yíyàng的de经历jīnglì。

I believe many people have had the same experience as me.

短视频duǎnshìpín确实quèshí给gěi了le我们wǒmen很多hěnduō：三sān分钟fēnzhōng学会xuéhuì一yí道dào菜cài，一yì分钟fēnzhōng了解liǎojiě一yì条tiáo新闻xīnwén，还有háiyǒu无数wúshù让ràng人rén大笑dàxiào的de瞬间shùnjiān。

Short videos have indeed given us a lot: learn a dish in three minutes, catch up on a news story in one minute, and countless moments that make us laugh out loud.

可是kěshì它tā也yě悄悄qiāoqiāo改变gǎibiàn了le我们wǒmen：我wǒ发现fāxiàn自己zìjǐ越来越yuèláiyuè难nán读完dúwán一yì本běn书shū，甚至shènzhì觉得juéde一yí部bù两liǎng个gè小时xiǎoshí的de电影diànyǐng太tài长cháng。

But they have also quietly changed us: I find it harder and harder to finish a book, and even a two-hour movie feels too long.

我们wǒmen的de耐心nàixīn，好像hǎoxiàng被bèi一yì秒miǎo一yì秒miǎo地de刷shuā掉diào了le。

Our patience seems to have been swiped away, one second at a time.

有人yǒurén说shuō应该yīnggāi删掉shāndiào这些zhèxiē软件ruǎnjiàn，我wǒ试过shìguo三sān次cì，每次měicì都dōu失败shībài了le。

Some people say we should delete these apps; I have tried three times, and failed every time.

后来hòulái我wǒ换huàn了le一yí个gè办法bànfǎ：不是búshì完全wánquán不bú看kàn，而是érshì规定guīdìng自己zìjǐ只zhǐ在zài晚饭wǎnfàn以后yǐhòu看kàn半bàn个gè小时xiǎoshí。

Later I switched to another method: not quitting completely, but setting a rule to watch only half an hour after dinner.

哪怕nǎpà只zhǐ能néng做到zuòdào一半yíbàn，也yě比bǐ躺tǎng在zài床chuáng上shang刷shuā到dào半夜bànyè好hǎo。

Even if I only manage half of it, it is still better than lying in bed scrolling until midnight.

工具gōngjù没有méiyǒu好坏hǎohuài，关键guānjiàn是shì：到底dàodǐ是shì我们wǒmen在zài用yòng它tā，还是háishi它tā在zài用yòng我们wǒmen？

Tools are neither good nor bad; the key question is: in the end, are we using them, or are they using us?

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

Key words 生词

短视频duǎnshìpínshort video

刷shuāto swipe; to scroll (a phone)

瞬间shùnjiānmoment; instant

删掉shāndiàoto delete

规定guīdìngto set a rule; regulation

关键guānjiànkey point; crucial

Grammar note 语法点

哪怕…也… (even if…, still…)

哪怕 concedes an extreme or imperfect situation, and 也 states that the conclusion still holds: 哪怕只能做到一半，也比刷到半夜好。

哪怕明天下大雨，我也要去。— Even if it pours tomorrow, I will still go.

到底 (after all; in the end)

In a question, 到底 presses for the real answer: 到底是我们在用它，还是它在用我们？

你到底想说什么？— What exactly are you trying to say?

Check yourself 小测验

1. What happened when the writer planned to watch only ten minutes before bed?

2. How many times did the writer try to delete the apps?

3. What method finally worked better for the writer?

短视频时代Duǎnshìpín shídàiThe Short Video Era

Key words 生词

Grammar note 语法点

Check yourself 小测验

More HSK 5 reading practice