幸福是什么 What Is Happiness? — HSK 5 Reading

小时候xiǎoshíhou，我wǒ以为yǐwéi幸福xìngfú就是jiùshì考kǎo一百yìbǎi分fēn，妈妈māma会huì给gěi我wǒ买mǎi糖táng。

As a child, I thought happiness was simply scoring one hundred on a test, so Mom would buy me candy.

长大zhǎngdà以后yǐhòu，幸福xìngfú好像hǎoxiàng变成biànchéng了le一yì场chǎng比赛bǐsài：更gèng好hǎo的de工作gōngzuò、更gèng大dà的de房子fángzi、更gèng贵guì的de车chē。

After growing up, happiness seemed to turn into a competition: a better job, a bigger house, a more expensive car.

可是kěshì奇怪qíguài的de是shì，得到dédào的de越yuè多duō，我们wǒmen反而fǎn'ér越yuè焦虑jiāolǜ。

But strangely, the more we obtain, the more anxious we become instead.

去年qùnián我wǒ生shēng了le一yì场chǎng病bìng，在zài医院yīyuàn住zhù了le两liǎng个gè星期xīngqī。

Last year I fell ill and stayed in the hospital for two weeks.

躺tǎng在zài病床bìngchuáng上shang，我wǒ突然tūrán明白míngbai：能néng自己zìjǐ走路zǒulù，能néng好好hǎohǎo吃chī一yí顿dùn饭fàn，能néng睡shuì一yí个gè安稳ānwěn的de觉jiào，原来yuánlái都dōu是shì幸福xìngfú。

Lying in the hospital bed, I suddenly understood: being able to walk on my own, eat a proper meal, sleep a sound night's sleep — it turns out these are all happiness.

出院chūyuàn那天nàtiān，阳光yángguāng照zhào在zài脸liǎn上shang，我wǒ差点儿chàdiǎnr哭kū了le。

The day I left the hospital, the sunshine fell on my face and I almost cried.

科学家kēxuéjiā说shuō，人rén对duì幸福xìngfú的de感觉gǎnjué很hěn快kuài就jiù会huì习惯xíguàn，这zhè叫jiào“适应shìyìng”。

Scientists say people quickly get used to the feeling of happiness; this is called "adaptation".

所以suǒyǐ幸福xìngfú不是búshì一yí个gè结果jiéguǒ，而是érshì一yì种zhǒng能力nénglì：发现fāxiàn生活shēnghuó里li那些nàxiē小小xiǎoxiǎo的de好hǎo。

So happiness is not a result, but an ability: the ability to notice the small good things in life.

与其yǔqí羡慕xiànmù别人biéren的de生活shēnghuó，不如bùrú认真rènzhēn过好guòhǎo自己zìjǐ的de今天jīntiān。

Rather than envying other people's lives, it is better to earnestly live your own today well.

幸福xìngfú是shì什么shénme？也许yěxǔ它tā就jiù藏cáng在zài你nǐ今天jīntiān喝hē的de那nà杯bēi热rè茶chá里li。

What is happiness? Perhaps it is hiding in the cup of hot tea you drink today.

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

Key words 生词

幸福xìngfúhappiness

反而fǎn'éron the contrary; instead

焦虑jiāolǜanxious

安稳ānwěnsound; peaceful

适应shìyìngto adapt; adaptation

藏cángto hide

Grammar note 语法点

反而 (on the contrary)

反而 marks a result opposite to what one would expect: 得到的越多，我们反而越焦虑。

吃了药，他的病反而更重了。— After taking the medicine, his illness got worse instead.

与其…不如… (rather than A, better B)

Weighs two choices and recommends the second: 与其羡慕别人的生活，不如认真过好自己的今天。

与其抱怨，不如改变。— Rather than complaining, it is better to change.

Check yourself 小测验

1. What made the writer suddenly see happiness differently?

2. According to the scientists mentioned, why does the feeling of happiness fade?

3. In the end, what does the writer say happiness is?

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