有两只老虎，一只在笼子里，一只在森林里。
在笼子里的老虎很安逸，在森林里的老虎很自由。
两只老虎经常一起聊天，笼子里的老虎总是羡慕森林里老虎的自由，森林里的老虎却羡慕笼子里老虎的安逸。
一天，一只老虎对另一只老虎说：“咱们换一换，怎么样？
”另一只老虎同意了。
于是，笼子里的老虎走进了大自然，森林里的老虎走进了笼子。
从笼子里走出的老虎很高兴，在森林里拼命地奔跑；
走进笼子的老虎也十分快乐，他再也不用为食物而发愁。
但不久，两只老虎都死了。
一只老虎饥饿而死，另一只忧郁而亡。
从笼子里走出的老虎获得了自由，却没有获得捕食的本领；
走进笼子的老虎获得了安逸，却没有获得在狭小空间生活的心境。
Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.
narration saved locally, offline — from https://download.mandarinbean.com/audio?source=aHR0cHM6Ly90cmFmZmljLmxpYnN5bi5jb20vbGVhcm5jaGluZXNlL1RpZ2VyXy1fNDAzOS5tcDM&filename=Tiger.mp3&signature=556ed37f9078afe5b6b1986363f201d32ffdb4ee64a8bc78406cfb2b5cbd1996
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 有 | yǒu | to have; there is |
| 两 | liǎng | two / both / some / a few |
| 只 | zhī | classifier for birds and certain animals, one of a pair, some utensils, vessels etc |
| 老虎 | lǎo hǔ | tiger |
| 一 | yī | one / single / a (article) |
| 在 | zài | (of sb or sth) to be (located) at |
| 笼子 | lóng zi | cage; basket; container |
| 里 | lǐ | lining / interior / inside |
| 森林 | sēn lín | forest |
| 的 | de | possessive particle (of; 's) / modifying particle (used after an attribute to modify a noun or to form a nominal expression) |
| 很 | hěn | very; quite |
| 安逸 | ān yì | easy and comfortable / easy |
| 自由 | zì yóu | free; unrestricted |
| 经常 | jīng cháng | frequently; constantly; regularly; often |
| 一起 | yī qǐ | together; in company (with) |
| 聊天 | liáo tiān | to chat; to gossip |
| 总是 | zǒng shì | always |
| 羡慕 | xiàn mù | to envy / to admire |
| 却 | què | but / yet / however / while / nevertheless / even though |
| 一天 | yī tiān | one day; a day |
| 对 | duì | towards; at; for / concerning; regarding |
| 另 | lìng | other / another / separate |
| 说 | shuō | to speak; to talk; to say |
| 咱们 | zán men | we or us (including both the speaker and the person(s) spoken to) / (dialect) I or me / (dialect) (in a coaxing or familiar way) you |
| 换 | huàn | to exchange / to change / to substitute / to switch / to convert (currency) |
| 怎么样 | zěn me yàng | how? / how about? / how was it? / how are things? |
| 同意 | tóng yì | to agree / to consent / to approve |
| 了 | le | (completed action marker) / (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) |
| 于是 | yú shì | thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence |
| 走 | zǒu | to walk / to go / to run / to move (of vehicle) / to visit / to leave / to go away / to die (euph.) / to change (shape, form, meaning) |
| 进 | jìn | to go in / to enter / to put in / to submit / to take in / to admit |
| 大自然 | dà zì rán | nature (the natural world) |
| 从 | cóng | from; through; via / (bound form) retainer; attendant / (bound form) assistant; auxiliary; subordinate / (bound form) related by common paternal grandfather or earlier ancestor |
| 出 | chū | (used after a verb to indicate an outward direction or a positive result) |
| 高兴 | gāo xìng | happy / glad / in a cheerful mood |
| 拼命 | pīn mìng | to do one's utmost; with all one's might; at all costs; (to work or fight) as if one's life depends on it |
| 地 | de | -ly / structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct |
| 奔跑 | bēn pǎo | to run |
| 也 | yě | also; too; as well; (not ...) either |
| 十分 | shí fēn | very / completely / utterly / extremely / absolutely / hundred percent |
| 快乐 | kuài lè | happy; joyful |
| 他 | tā | he; him; his |
| 再 | zài | again; once more; re- |
| 不 | bù | no; not so |
| 用 | yòng | to need; to have to (usu. used in the negative or in questions) |
| 为 | wèi | because of / for / to |
| 食物 | shí wù | food |
| 而 | ér | and so / (indicates causal relation) |
| 发愁 | fā chóu | to worry / to fret / to be anxious / to become sad |
| 但 | dàn | but; yet; however; still |
| 久 | jiǔ | (of a period of time) long |
| 都 | dōu | all; both; entirely |
| 死 | sǐ | to die |
| 饥饿 | jī è | hunger / starvation / famine |
| 忧郁 | yōu yù | sullen; depressed; melancholy; dejected |
| 亡 | wáng | to die / to lose / to be gone / to flee |
| 获得 | huò dé | to obtain; to receive; to get |
| 没有 | méi yǒu | haven't / hasn't |
| 捕食 | bǔ shí | to prey on / to catch and feed on / to hunt for food |
| 本领 | běn lǐng | skill / ability / capability |
| 狭小 | xiá xiǎo | narrow |
| 空间 | kōng jiān | space; room |
| 生活 | shēng huó | to live |
| 心境 | xīn jìng | mood / mental state / frame of mind |