↶ Graded Readers

Little Habits (Part 1)

↶ HSK 2 reading practice

Little Habits (Part 1)

我们wǒ men家jiā每个人měi ge rén都dōu有一点yǒu yī diǎn自己的zì jǐ de小xiǎo习惯xí guàn。

Everyone in our family has their own little habits.

爷爷yé ye每天měi tiān下午xià wǔ都dōu要yào睡shuì很hěn长时间cháng shí jiān,妈妈mā ma说shuō:“别bié叫醒jiào xǐng他tā,毕竟bì jìng他tā已经yǐ jīng八十bā shí岁suì了le。”

Grandpa takes a long nap every afternoon, and Mom says, "Don't wake him — after all, he's already eighty."

妹妹mèi mei吃饭chī fàn总是zǒng shì很hěn慢màn,爸爸bà ba说shuō:“让ràng她tā慢慢吃màn màn chī吧ba,毕竟bì jìng她tā才cái五wǔ岁suì。”

My little sister always eats slowly, and Dad says, "Let her take her time — after all, she's only five."

爸爸bà ba做的zuò de菜cài有时候yǒu shí hou太tài咸xián,妈妈mā ma笑着xiào zhe说shuō:“毕竟bì jìng他tā是shì跟gēn奶奶nǎi nai学xué的de,奶奶nǎi nai就jiù喜欢xǐ huan咸xián的de。”

Dad's cooking is sometimes too salty, and Mom says with a laugh, "After all, he learned from Grandma, and Grandma loves salty food."

妈妈mā ma买东西mǎi dōng xi总要zǒng yào看kàn很久hěn jiǔ才cái决定jué dìng,爸爸bà ba说shuō:“毕竟bì jìng家里jiā lǐ的de钱qián都是dōu shì她tā管guǎn的de。”

Mom always looks forever before deciding to buy anything, and Dad says, "After all, she's the one who manages the family's money."

那nà我wǒ呢ne?我wǒ周末zhōu mò喜欢xǐ huan睡shuì到dào很hěn晚wǎn才cái起床qǐ chuáng。

And me? On weekends I like to sleep in really late.

奶奶nǎi nai总是zǒng shì帮bāng我wǒ说话shuō huà:“让ràng孩子hái zi多duō睡shuì一会儿yī huìr吧ba,毕竟bì jìng他tā每天měi tiān学习xué xí那么nà me累lèi。”

Grandma always sticks up for me: "Let the boy sleep a little longer — after all, he studies so hard every day."

昨天zuó tiān吃chī晚饭wǎn fàn的de时候shí hou,我wǒ说shuō:“我wǒ发现fā xiàn我们wǒ men家jiā的de人rén总是zǒng shì互相hù xiāng找zhǎo理由lǐ yóu。”

At dinner yesterday, I said, "I've noticed that in our family, everyone is always making excuses for each other."

爷爷yé ye笑了xiào le:“这zhè不是bù shì找zhǎo理由lǐ yóu,这是zhè shì爱ài。”

Grandpa smiled: "That's not making excuses — that's love."

妈妈mā ma点点头diǎn diǎn tóu说shuō:“毕竟bì jìng我们wǒ men是shì一家人yī jiā rén啊ā。”

Mom nodded and said, "After all, we're family."

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 90 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
我们 wǒ menwe; us
家 jiāhome; family
每个人 měi ge réneverybody; everyone
都 dōuall; both
有一点 yǒu yī diǎna little; somewhat
自己的 zì jǐ deone's own
小 xiǎosmall; little
习惯 xí guànhabit; to be used to
爷爷 yé yepaternal grandfather
每天 měi tiānevery day
下午 xià wǔafternoon; p.m.
要 yàoto want; will
睡 shuìto sleep
很 hěnvery
长时间 cháng shí jiāna long time; for a long time
妈妈 mā mamom
说 shuōto speak; to say
别 biédon't; other; do not
叫醒 jiào xǐngto awaken; to wake sb up; to rouse
他 tāhe; him
毕竟 bì jìngafter all; when all is said and done
已经 yǐ jīngalready
八十 bā shíeighty; 80
岁 suìyears old
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
妹妹 mèi meiyounger sister
吃饭 chī fànto eat (a meal)
总是 zǒng shìalways
慢 mànslow
爸爸 bà ba(coll.) father; dad
让 ràngto let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something
她 tāshe
慢慢吃 màn màn chīEnjoy your meal!; Bon appetit!
吧 bamodal particle indicating suggestion
才 cáionly; just (indicating a late occurrence)
五 wǔfive
做的 zuò demade, done
菜 càidish; vegetable
有时候 yǒu shí housometimes
太 tàitoo; very
咸 xiánsalty
笑着 xiào zheSmiling; laughing (as an action)
是 shìto be; correct
跟 gēnwith; and; as (in 跟…一样); to follow
奶奶 nǎi naipaternal grandmother
学 xuéto learn
的 depossessive particle
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
喜欢 xǐ huanto like
买东西 mǎi dōng xito do one's shopping
总要 zǒng yàonevertheless
看 kànto look; to watch; to see
很久 hěn jiǔA long time
决定 jué dìngto decide; decision
家里 jiā lǐat home; inside the house
钱 qiánmoney
都是 dōu shìall are; both are; it’s all (because of)
管 guǎnto care about; to manage
那 nàthat; those
我 wǒI; me
呢 nequestion particle
周末 zhōu mòweekend
到 dàoto arrive; to reach
晚 wǎnlate
起床 qǐ chuángto get up; to get out of bed
帮 bāngto help
说话 shuō huàto speak; to talk
孩子 hái zichild
多 duōmany; much
一会儿 yī huìra while
学习 xué xíto study
那么 nà mein that way; so; like that
累 lèitired; weary
昨天 zuó tiānyesterday
吃 chīto eat
晚饭 wǎn fàndinner
时候 shí houtime; when
发现 fā xiànto discover; to find out
人 rénperson; people
互相 hù xiāngeach other; mutually
找 zhǎoto look for; to seek
理由 lǐ yóureason; justification
笑了 xiào lesmiled; laughed
这 zhèthis
不是 bù shìno; is not; not
这是 zhè shìThis is
爱 àito love; to like
点点头 diǎn diǎn tóuto nod one's head
一家人 yī jiā rénhousehold; the whole family
啊 āAh!; interjection expressing surprise or agreement