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The Crane Among Chickens

↶ HSK 2 reading practice

The Crane Among Chickens

很久hěn jiǔ以前yǐ qián,在zài中国zhōng guó有yǒu一个yī gè农夫nóng fū,他tā家jiā里lǐ养yǎng了le很多hěn duō鸡jī。

A long time ago, there was a farmer in China who raised many chickens at home.

这些zhè xiē鸡jī每天měi tiān在zài农场nóng chǎng里lǐ走来走去zǒu lái zǒu qù,一起yī qǐ吃chī东西dōng xi、玩耍wán shuǎ。

These chickens walked around the farm every day, eating and playing together.

有一天yǒu yī tiān,有人yǒu rén送sòng给gěi农夫nóng fū一只yī zhī非常fēi cháng漂亮piào liang的de鹤hè。

One day, someone gave the farmer a very beautiful crane. *note: Cranes symbolize nobility/immortality in Chinese culture (vs. chickens' commonness)

那nà是shì一种yī zhǒng又yòu高gāo又yòu优雅yōu yǎ的de鸟niǎo,长长cháng cháng的de腿tuǐ、纯白chún bái的de羽毛yǔ máo十分shí fēn迷人mí rén。

It was a tall and elegant bird with long legs and pure white feathers that were very charming.

当dāng这只zhè zhī鹤hè站zhàn在zài一群yī qún鸡jī中zhōng时shí,它tā看起来kàn qǐ lai比bǐ其他qí tā所有suǒ yǒu的de鸡jī都dōu高gāo,也yě更gèng漂亮piào liang、更gèng特别tè bié。

When this crane stood among the chickens, it looked taller, prettier, and more special than all the other chickens.

每个měi gè来lái农场nóng chǎng的de人rén,一眼yī yǎn就jiù能néng看见kàn jiàn它tā。

Everyone who came to the farm could see it at a glance.

鹤hè什么shén me特别tè bié的de事shì都dōu不用bù yòng做zuò,就jiù已经yǐ jīng很hěn突出tū chū,因为yīn wèi它tā实在shí zài跟gēn鸡jī太tài不bù一样yī yàng了le。

The crane didn't need to do anything special to stand out, because it was simply too different from the chickens.

现在xiàn zài,人们rén men用yòng成语chéng yǔ「鹤hè立lì鸡jī群qún」来lái形容xíng róng一个yī gè人rén在zài一群yī qún人rén中zhōng非常fēi cháng突出tū chū、特别tè bié优秀yōu xiù或huò有yǒu才能cái néng,一看yī kàn就jiù与众不同yǔ zhòng bù tóng。

Now, people use the idiom '鹤立鸡群' to describe someone who is very outstanding, particularly excellent, or talented in a group, standing out at first glance.

例如lì rú,有个yǒu gè男生nán shēng叫jiào大卫Dà wèi,他的tā de篮球lán qiú打dǎ得de特别tè bié好hǎo。

For example, there is a boy named Dawei who plays basketball particularly well.

当dāng他tā和hé一些yī xiē普通pǔ tōng球员qiú yuán一起yī qǐ比赛bǐ sài时shí,大卫Dà wèi的de表现biǎo xiàn总是zǒng shì特别tè bié抢眼qiǎng yǎn。

When he played with some ordinary players, Dawei's performance was always particularly eye-catching.

我们wǒ men就jiù可以kě yǐ说shuō大卫Dà wèi是shì「鹤hè立lì鸡jī群qún」,因为yīn wèi他的tā de才能cái néng让ràng他tā在zài一群yī qún普通pǔ tōng球员qiú yuán里lǐ显得xiǎn de特别tè bié突出tū chū。

We can say that Dawei is '鹤立鸡群' because his talent makes him stand out among a group of ordinary players.

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

Vocabulary 114 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
很久 hěn jiǔA long time
以前 yǐ qiánbefore; formerly
在 zàito be (located); at; in
中国 zhōng guóChina
有 yǒuto have; there is, there are
一个 yī gèa; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
农夫 nóng fūpeasant; farmer
他 tāhe; him
家 jiāhome; family
里 lǐinside; interior; within
养 yǎngto raise; to keep
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
很多 hěn duōMany; a lot
鸡 jīchicken; fowl
这些 zhè xiēthese
每天 měi tiānevery day
农场 nóng chǎngfarm
走来走去 zǒu lái zǒu qùTo walk back and forth; to pace around
一起 yī qǐtogether
吃 chīto eat
东西 dōng xithing; stuff; object
玩耍 wán shuǎto play (as children do); to amuse oneself
有一天 yǒu yī tiānOne day; someday
有人 yǒu rénsomeone; there is someone
送 sòngto give (as a gift); to send; to deliver; to escort or see off
给 gěito give; for, to (sb)
一只 yī zhīA measure word for animals, meaning 'one' or 'a single'
非常 fēi chángvery; extremely
漂亮 piào liangpretty; beautiful
的 depossessive particle
鹤 hècrane
那 nàthat; those
是 shìto be; correct
一种 yī zhǒngone kind of; one type of
又 yòuagain; also
高 gāotall; high; surname Gao
优雅 yōu yǎgrace; graceful
鸟 niǎobird
长长 cháng chángLong; lengthy
腿 tuǐleg
纯白 chún báipure white
羽毛 yǔ máofeather; plumage; plume
十分 shí fēnvery; extremely; absolutely
迷人 mí réncharming; enchanting; fascinating
当 dāngto serve as; to act as
这只 zhè zhīThis one (for animals or objects using the measure word '只')
站 zhànstation; to stand
一群 yī qúnA group; a flock
中 zhōngmiddle; center
时 shítime; hour; period
它 tāit
看起来 kàn qǐ laiseemingly; apparently; looks as if; appear to be; gives the impression that; seems on the face of it to be
比 bǐcompared to; than
其他 qí tāother; the rest
所有 suǒ yǒuall; every
都 dōuall; both
也 yěalso
更 gèngmore; even more; further; still; additionally
特别 tè biéspecial; especially
每个 měi gèeach; every
来 láito come; to arrive
人 rénperson; people
一眼 yī yǎna glance; a quick look; a glimpse
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
能 néngcan; to be able to
看见 kàn jiànto see; to catch sight of
什么 shén mewhat
事 shìmatter; thing
不用 bù yòngdon't need to
做 zuòto do; to make
已经 yǐ jīngalready
很 hěnvery
突出 tū chūto protrude; prominent
因为 yīn wèibecause
实在 shí zàireally; truly; actually
跟 gēnwith; and; as (in 跟…一样); to follow
太 tàitoo; very
不 bùno; not
一样 yī yàngsame
现在 xiàn zàinow
人们 rén menpeople
用 yòngto use
成语 chéng yǔidiom; set expression
立 lìto stand; to be erected; to establish; upright; vertical
群 qúngroup; crowd
形容 xíng róngto describe
优秀 yōu xiùoutstanding; excellent
或 huòmaybe; possibly; or
才能 cái néngtalent; ability
一看 yī kànTo take a look; as soon as one looks
与众不同 yǔ zhòng bù tóngto stand out from the masses (idiom)
例如 lì rúfor example
有个 yǒu gèThere is a; there exists one
男生 nán shēngboy; guy
叫 jiàoto call; to be called
大卫 Dà wèiDavid (name); Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825), French neoclassical painter
他的 tā deHis
篮球 lán qiúbasketball
打 dǎto hit; to play
得 deused after a verb to indicate degree
好 hǎogood
和 héand; with
一些 yī xiēsome
普通 pǔ tōngordinary; common
球员 qiú yuánplayer (in ball sports)
比赛 bǐ sàicompetition; match
表现 biǎo xiànto perform; behavior; performance
总是 zǒng shìalways
抢眼 qiǎng yǎneye-catching; striking
我们 wǒ menwe; us
可以 kě yǐcan; may; possible; allowed
说 shuōto speak; to say
让 ràngto let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something
显得 xiǎn deto seem; to appear