↶ Graded Readers

The Farmer and the Rabbit

↶ HSK 3 reading practice

The Farmer and the Rabbit

很久hěn jiǔ以前yǐ qián,在zài中国zhōng guó有yǒu一yī个gè农夫nóng fū,他tā每天měi tiān都dōu努力nǔ lì在zài田tián里lǐ工作gōng zuò。

A long time ago, there was a farmer in China who worked hard in the fields every day.

一天yī tiān,他tā正在zhèng zài忙máng着zhe,突然tū rán看到kàn dào一yī只zhī兔子tù zi从cóng远处yuǎn chù飞快fēi kuài地de跑来pǎo lái,一yī不bù小心xiǎo xīn撞zhuàng在zài田tián边biān的de大树dà shù上shàng,当场dāng chǎng撞死zhuàng sǐ了le。

One day, while he was busy working, he suddenly saw a rabbit running quickly from a distance, accidentally hitting a big tree by the field and dying on the spot.

农夫nóng fū大喜dà xǐ,心想xīn xiǎng:「太好了tài hǎo le!不用bù yòng辛苦xīn kǔ工作gōng zuò,就jiù有yǒu兔肉tù ròu吃chī了le!」

The farmer was overjoyed, thinking: 'Great! I don't have to work hard, and I can eat rabbit meat!'

那天nà tiān晚上wǎn shang,他tā开心kāi xīn地de煮zhǔ了le一yī锅guō美味měi wèi的de兔子肉tù zi ròu,吃chī得de很hěn满足mǎn zú。

That evening, he happily cooked a pot of delicious rabbit meat and ate with great satisfaction.

第二天dì èr tiān,农夫nóng fū决定jué dìng不再bù zài耕田gēng tián,便biàn坐zuò在zài那nà棵kē大树dà shù旁páng,等着děng zhe看kàn会huì不会bù huì再zài有yǒu兔子tù zi撞zhuàng过来guò lái。

The next day, the farmer decided not to farm anymore and sat beside that big tree, waiting to see if another rabbit would come crashing into it.

他tā等děng了le一yī整天zhěng tiān,却què什么shén me也yě没méi等到děng dào。

He waited the whole day, but he didn't get anything.

从cóng那nà以后yǐ hòu,农夫nóng fū天天tiān tiān什么shén me也yě不bù做zuò,只zhǐ坐zuò在zài树shù旁páng等děng兔子tù zi。

From then on, the farmer did nothing every day, only sitting by the tree waiting for rabbits.

当然dāng rán,再zài也yě没有méi yǒu兔子tù zi撞zhuàng到dào树shù上shàng。

Of course, no more rabbits crashed into the tree.

他tā的de田地tián dì长满zhǎng mǎn野草yě cǎo,农作物nóng zuò wù也yě枯死kū sǐ了le。

His fields became overgrown with weeds, and the crops withered away.

现在xiàn zài,人们rén men用yòng成语chéng yǔ「守株待兔shǒu zhū dài tù」来lái比喻bǐ yù一yī个gè人rén很hěn懒惰lǎn duò,只zhǐ想xiǎng不劳而获bù láo ér huò地de再zài走zǒu一yī次cì运yùn,却què不愿bù yuàn付出fù chū努力nǔ lì。

Now, people use the idiom 'waiting by a stump for a rabbit' to describe someone who is very lazy, only wanting to gain without effort by getting lucky again, yet unwilling to work hard.

例如lì rú,有yǒu个gè人rén叫jiào麦克Mài kè,有yǒu一yī次cì买mǎi乐透lè tòu中zhòng了le奖jiǎng。

For example, there was a person named Maike who once won the lottery.

从此cóng cǐ他tā不再bù zài认真rèn zhēn工作gōng zuò,每天měi tiān只zhǐ买mǎi彩券cǎi quàn,希望xī wàng能néng再zài中zhòng一yī次cì大奖dà jiǎng。

From then on, he no longer worked seriously, only buying lottery tickets every day, hoping to win a big prize again.

这zhè就是jiù shì「守株待兔shǒu zhū dài tù」——靠kào运气yùn qi,不肯bù kěn努力nǔ lì。

This is 'waiting by a stump for a rabbit'—relying on luck, unwilling to work hard.

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

Vocabulary 124 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 yīone
个 gègeneral measure word
农夫 nóng fūpeasant; farmer
他 tāhe; him
每天 měi tiānevery day
都 dōuall; both
努力 nǔ lìto work hard; to strive
田 tiánfield; farmland; (surname) Tian
里 lǐinside; interior; within
工作 gōng zuòto work; job
一天 yī tiānOne day
正在 zhèng zàiin the middle of (an action)
忙 mángbusy
着 zhe(aspect particle) indicating ongoing action
突然 tū ránsudden; abrupt; unexpected
看到 kàn dàoto see
只 zhīgrain that has begun to ripen
兔子 tù zihare; rabbit
从 cóngfrom
远处 yuǎn chùa distant place; far away
飞快 fēi kuàivery fast; at lightning speed; (coll.) razor-sharp
地 de-ly (adverb particle)
跑来 pǎo láiTo run over; to come running
不 bùno; not
小心 xiǎo xīnto be careful
撞 zhuàngto bump into; to knock against
边 biānside; edge
的 depossessive particle
大树 dà shùBig tree
上 shàngup; on
当场 dāng chǎngon the spot; at the scene
撞死 zhuàng sǐto knock down and kill (with a car, train etc)
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
大喜 dà xǐexultation
心想 xīn xiǎngto think to oneself; to think
太好了 tài hǎo levery good
不用 bù yòngdon't need to
辛苦 xīn kǔarduous; to work hard; exhausting
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
兔肉 tù ròuRabbit meat
吃 chīto eat
那天 nà tiānthat day; the other day
晚上 wǎn shangevening
开心 kāi xīnhappy; joyful
煮 zhǔto cook; to boil
锅 guōpot; wok
美味 měi wèidelicious; tasty; a delicacy
兔子肉 tù zi ròuRabbit meat
得 deused after a verb to indicate degree
很 hěnvery
满足 mǎn zúto satisfy; to meet needs
第二天 dì èr tiānnext day; the morrow
决定 jué dìngto decide; decision
不再 bù zàino longer; not anymore
耕田 gēng tiánto cultivate soil; to till fields
便 biànconvenient; simply; then (as a structural particle)
坐 zuòto sit; to take (a bus, etc.)
那 nàthat; those
棵 kēclassifier for trees and plants
旁 pángside; beside; the lateral component (in a character)
等着 děng zheWaiting; awaiting
看 kànto look; to watch; to see
会 huìcan; to know how to; meeting
不会 bù huìimprobable; unlikely; will not (act, happen etc); not able; not having learned to do sth
再 zàiagain
过来 guò láito come over; to approach
等 děngto wait; (after a list) and so on, etc.
整天 zhěng tiānall day long; the whole day
却 quèbut; yet; however
什么 shén mewhat
也 yěalso
没 méinot; have not
等到 děng dàoto wait until; until
以后 yǐ hòuin the future; later
天天 tiān tiānevery day
做 zuòto do; to make
树 shùtree
当然 dāng ránof course; certainly
没有 méi yǒudon't have; haven't
到 dàoto arrive; to reach
田地 tián dìfield; farmland; cropland; plight; extent
长满 zhǎng mǎnto grow all over
野草 yě cǎoweeds; mistress or prostitute (old)
农作物 nóng zuò wùcrops; farm produce
枯死 kū sǐTo wither and die
现在 xiàn zàinow
人们 rén menpeople
用 yòngto use
成语 chéng yǔidiom; set expression
守株待兔 shǒu zhū dài tùlit. to guard a tree-stump, waiting for rabbits (idiom); to wait idly for opportunities
来 láito come; to arrive
比喻 bǐ yùto compare figuratively; a metaphor or simile
人 rénperson; people
懒惰 lǎn duòlazy
想 xiǎngto think; to want
不劳而获 bù láo ér huò(idiom) to reap without sowing; to get sth without working for it; to sponge off others
走 zǒuto walk; to go
次 cìtime (occurrence)
运 yùnto transport; to move; (also) luck or fortune
不愿 bù yuànunwilling
付出 fù chūto pay; to devote (time, energy, etc.)
例如 lì rúfor example
叫 jiàoto call; to be called
麦克 Mài kè(name) Mike; Michael; (prefix) Mac-; Mc-
买 mǎito buy
乐透 lè tòu(loanword) lotto
中 zhòngto hit (a target); to be struck by (a bullet, illness etc); to win (a prize or l
奖 jiǎngprize; award; recognition
从此 cóng cǐfrom then on; thereafter
认真 rèn zhēnserious; earnest
彩券 cǎi quànlottery ticket
希望 xī wàngto hope; a wish
能 néngcan; to be able to
大奖 dà jiǎngprize; award
这 zhèthis
就是 jiù shìexactly; simply
靠 kàoto lean on; to rely on
运气 yùn qiluck (good or bad)
不肯 bù kěnto refuse; unwilling to