↶ Graded Readers

The Iron Rod and the Needle

↶ HSK 2 reading practice

The Iron Rod and the Needle

李白lǐ bái小时候xiǎo shí hou不bù爱ài读书dú shū。

When Li Bai was little, he did not like to study.

一天yī tiān,他tā从cóng学校xué xiào跑pǎo了le出去chū qù。

One day, he ran out of school.

他tā在zài河边hé biān看到kàn dào一位yī wèi老奶奶lǎo nǎi nai。

By the river, he saw an old woman.

老奶奶lǎo nǎi nai在zài石头shí tou上shàng磨mó一根yī gēn铁棒tiě bàng。

The old woman was grinding an iron rod on a stone.

李白lǐ bái问wèn:“奶奶nǎi nai,您nín在zài做zuò什么shén me?”

Li Bai asked, "Grandma, what are you doing?"

老奶奶lǎo nǎi nai说shuō:“我要wǒ yào把bǎ它tā磨mó成chéng一根yī gēn针zhēn。”

The old woman said, "I am going to grind it into a needle."

李白lǐ bái说shuō:“铁棒tiě bàng这么zhè me大dà,怎么zěn me可能kě néng?”

Li Bai said, "The iron rod is so big — how is that possible?"

老奶奶lǎo nǎi nai说shuō:“我wǒ天天tiān tiān磨mó,它tā就jiù会huì变biàn小xiǎo。”

The old woman said, "I grind it every day, so it will get smaller."

李白lǐ bái听了tīng le,回到huí dào学校xué xiào好好hǎo hǎo读书dú shū。

When Li Bai heard this, he went back to school and studied hard.

后来hòu lái,他tā成了chéng le很hěn有名yǒu míng的de诗人shī rén。

Later, he became a very famous poet.

这个zhè ge成语chéng yǔ是shì“磨杵成针mó chǔ chéng zhēn”。

This idiom is "grinding an iron rod into a needle."

意思yì si是shì:只要zhǐ yào天天tiān tiān做zuò,难nán的de事shì也yě能néng做zuò成chéng。

It means: if you keep at it every day, even hard things can be done.

例句lì jù:别bié怕pà难nán,磨杵成针mó chǔ chéng zhēn,天天tiān tiān练就liàn jiù行xíng。

Example: Don't fear hard things — keep grinding, just practice every day.

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

Vocabulary 67 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
李白 lǐ báiLi Bai (701-762), famous Tang Dynasty poet
小时候 xiǎo shí houin one's childhood
不 bùno; not
爱 àito love; to like
读书 dú shūto study; to read
一天 yī tiānOne day
他 tāhe; him
从 cóngfrom
学校 xué xiàoschool
跑 pǎoto run
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
出去 chū qùto go out
在 zàito be (located); at; in
河边 hé biānriver bank
看到 kàn dàoto see
一位 yī wèiOne person (polite measure word)
老奶奶 lǎo nǎi nai(coll.) father's father's mother; paternal great-grandmother; respectful form of address for an old woman
石头 shí toustone
上 shàngup; on
磨 móto grind; to polish
一根 yī gēnone (measure word for long, thin objects)
铁棒 tiě bàngiron club; steel rod
问 wènto ask
奶奶 nǎi naipaternal grandmother
您 nínyou (polite)
做 zuòto do; to make
什么 shén mewhat
说 shuōto speak; to say
我要 wǒ yàoI want; I’m going to (do something)
把 bǎto hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb)
它 tāit
成 chéngto succeed; to complete; to become
针 zhēnneedle; pin
这么 zhè meso; in this way
大 dàbig; large
怎么 zěn mehow?; what?
可能 kě néngpossible; might; perhaps
我 wǒI; me
天天 tiān tiānevery day
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
会 huìcan; to know how to; meeting
变 biànto change; to transform
小 xiǎosmall; little
听了 tīng lelistened; heard
回到 huí dàoto return to
好好 hǎo hǎoproperly; well; carefully
后来 hòu láiafterwards; later
成了 chéng leto be done; to be ready; that's enough!; that will do!
很 hěnvery
有名 yǒu míngfamous
的 depossessive particle
诗人 shī rénpoet
这个 zhè ge(pronoun) this; (adjective) this
成语 chéng yǔidiom; set expression
是 shìto be; correct
磨杵成针 mó chǔ chéng zhēnto grind an iron bar down to a fine needle (idiom); fig. to persevere in a difficult task; to study diligently
意思 yì simeaning; idea
只要 zhǐ yàoas long as; provided that
难 nándifficult
事 shìmatter; thing
也 yěalso
能 néngcan; to be able to
例句 lì jùexample sentence
别 biédon't; other; do not
怕 pàto be afraid; to fear
练就 liàn jiùto master (a skill)
行 xíngokay, all right; to do, to carry out; to walk, to travel