August 29, 2017
Mini-story (no. 5) with Chinese characters at HSK2 level
警察:好的。让我问你几个问题。她一直都很守时吗?
妈妈:是的。
警察:你以前会经常联系不到她吗?
妈妈:从来没有过。
警察:她最近打算出远门吗?
妈妈:没有。她在大学里很忙的。她少有出去。
警察:她最近过的是不是不快乐?她有什么未来的计划吗?
妈妈:她很快乐。她的学习成绩很好。她希望有一天能自己开店。她很有上进心的。
警察:好的。她看来没有自杀的倾向。是否有人不喜欢她,恨她?她和人有过矛盾吗?
妈妈:没有。大家都很喜欢她。
警察:她有男朋友吗?
妈妈:没有。她现在还没有遇到特别感兴趣的男孩子。她觉得现在工作最重要。
警察:我知道了。你可以把你们家人,她的朋友,还有她工作的饭店老板的名字和联系方式写下来吗?我们也需要问他们一些问题。
警察/ jǐngchá / police
一直/ yīzhí / so far
守时 / shǒushí / on time,
punctual
以前 / yǐqián / before
经常/ jīngcháng / normally
联系 / liánxì / contact
从来没有/ cónglái méi yǒu /
never
最近 / zuìjìn / recently
打算 / dǎsuàn / to plan, to intend
未来的计划 / wèilái de jìhuà / plans for the future
成绩 / chéngjì/ mark,
grade
自己 / zìjǐ / oneself, here:herself
上进心 / shàngjìnxīn /
ambition
看来/ kànlái / seems
like
自杀 / zìshā/ suicide
倾向 / qīngxiàng /
tendency
否/ fǒu / no
恨/ hèn / hate
矛盾/ máodùn / difference, antagonism, conflict
遇 / yù / to meet
特别 / tèbié/ special, extraordinary
感兴趣 / gǎn xìngqù / to be
interested in
重要 / zhòngyào / important
把 / bǎ / to hold
老板 / lǎobǎn / boss
联系方式 / fāngshì liánxì
/ way to contact
需要/ xūyào / to need
Fruit salad: what is a typical Chinese fruit?
Not only apples are from Asia, but also many less commonly known fruits that can be purchased in Chinese supermarkets. But which fruits are typically Chinese?
For sure the dragon fruit must be Chinese? According to a legend, a
dragon breathed out its last fire and afterwards the dragon fruit when being
killed. Another very plausible explanation for the name of the dragon fruit is
the look of the dragon fruit’s flowers: they look like a fire breathing dragon
(see pictures)! Clearly these stories and associations must
come from the land of dragons? Although the story might, the dragon fruit (Pitaya)
itself doesn’t: it is from Central America, most likely Mexico.
Dragon fruit. (Image source: Snapwire /Pexels) |
Fruits that are commonly and rightly associated with China are Lychees. They are native to the tropical climate of the Guangdong and Fujian provinces in South China. The name of the fruit “Longan”, which is similar to Lychees, means “dragon eye” because the dark core seems like the iris of an eye shimmering through the translucent pulp. Also similar to Lychees are the fruits Rambutan and Pulasan, which originate from the Malay Peninsula and which have a more hairy (Rambutan) or spiky (Pulasan) appearance.
Lychee. (Image source: Nikiko / Pixabay) |
If discovering a new, unknown fruit, it is easiest to relate it to
something known. This might be the reason why there seem to be some “Chinese
versions” of fruits that are common in other places of the world with the names:
Chinese pear, Chinese dates, Chinese plums or Chinese strawberries.
Nashi pear. (Image source: 41330 / Pixabay) |
Chinese dates (Jujube). (Image source: xbeing/ Pixabay) |
Dates. (Image source: jackmac34 / Pixabay) |
Chinese dates (Jujube) grow in southern Asia including southern and
central China. In contrast to the dates originating from the Middle East, which
are brownish and rod-shaped fruits that grow from palm trees, Chinese dates are
red and more oval to round fruits that grow from thorny shrubs.
Chinese plums (Prunus mume, 梅子/ méizi) originated in the
south of China around the Yangtze River and are related to plum and apricot
trees. Besides culinary uses they are used in traditional Chinese medicine and
their blossoms are regarded as symbols for perseverance, hope and purity but
also the transitoriness of life. Also called “Chinese plums” are Loquats (枇杷 / pípa), which look different from plums as they contain several seeds
in one fruit. Loquats are, besides their culinary use, also used in traditional
Chinese medicine and as an ingredient of cough drops.
The Chinese strawberry (Myrica rubra or杨梅/ yángméi) originates from
south-central China and besides eating them freshly they are often processed to
juice or alcoholic beverages. Attention, in contrast to strawberries they
contain a seed inside!
Chinese fruits that seem not to have been compared to pears, dates,
plums or strawberries are Wampee (Chinese provinces Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan,
Sichuan, part of Yunnan), Asian Persimmon (柿子/ shìzi, Japan,
China, Korea, Burma, Nepal) or the monk fruit (罗汉果/ luóhàn guǒ, Chinese province Guangxi,
Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi), which can be
used to produce a natural sweetener.
Typically Chinese is also the mulberry, which doesn’t only feed fruit
eaters but also the silkworm, for which mulberry leaves are the only food
source.
Mulberry. (Image source: janaprusova / Pixabay) |
The origin of Goji berries (枸杞 / gǒuqǐ) is not exactly known because they are so widely spread, but dried Gojiberries are a popular ingredient in some Chinese dishes, such as soup. Goji berries are said to lead to particular health benefits but may under certain conditions also lead to unwanted side effects.
Because China comprises several climate zones, many fruits that originate from other countries can be planted in China such as watermelons (originally from Africa, grow e.g. in Gansu province), Physalis / lantern fruit (originally from Peru, grows in northeastern China e.g. Heilongjiang). A fruit with a long history in China is the pomegranate, which originates from Iran and the Middle East and was introduced during Tang dynasty (618-907 AD). Due to the many seeds they contain, pomegranates were considered as a symbol for fertility.
Fruits that are popular in China or in parts of China but originate from other Asian countries:
Mangosteen (native to Malaysia, Indonesia), wax apples (莲雾/ liánwù, native to Malaysia) and starfruit (Philippines, Malaysia,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Seychelles)
are not originally from but have become popular in China.
Mangosteen. (Image source: taboty / Pixabay) |
Wax apples. (Image source: gkgegk / Pixabay) |
Starfruit. (Image source: chrisad85 / Pixabay) |
Durian (Malaysia, Indonesia), a fruit that may also be sold in Chinese
supermarkets is loved by some and hated by others. Please note: Because its
smell might disturb other readers who are not used to it, it is not allowed to
eat Durian on this blog. There is a balcony connected to this blog, where you
are allowed to consume Durian. Enjoy! go to balcony
Noni fruits, native to Australasia were brought by seafarers from Polynesia
to Hawaii more than 2400 years ago. Noni fruits are said to be very healthy.
For consuming Noni fruits please go to the balcony, thank you.
Mango, a less controversial and widely known fruit grows e.g. in India
and the Philippines. Also from India are Jackfruits, which can be eaten as a
fruit but interestingly, unripe Jackfruits can also be processed to become a
meat-substitute.
水果 / shuǐguǒ / fruit
Sources and further reading:
A video teaching names of fruits in Chinese:
Dragon fruit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya
Image of dragon fruit flowers looking like fire
breathing dragons:
Kiwifruit:
Lychee, Longan, Rambutan, Pulasan:
Chinese pear, pear:
Dates:
Plum:
Chinese Strawberries:
Wampee:
Monk fruit:
Goji berries:
Asian Persimmon/Kaki:
Mulberry:
Watermelon:
Physalis:
Pomegranate:
Mangosteen:
Wax apple:
Starfruit/Carambola:
Durian:
Noni:
Mango:
Jackfruit:
Chinese and Asian fruits:
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