Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese

168 Routledge Course in Modern Mandarin Chinese Level 1

8. Translation challenge I

Xiao Zhang’s mom is calling him to see how he is doing in college. The following is part of
their conversation. Rewrite what his mom says in English and rewrite what Xiao Zhang
says in Chinese. Use Chinese characters whenever you can, and pay attention to the tone
marks when you write Pinyin.

中文 YCng 文

MAma：你 jCntiAn wFnshang zuò 甚麼？

小張： I am going to dinner with my

classmates at 7:00. At 8:30 we are going

singing and dancing.

MAma：你幾 diFn zhDng zuò gDngkè？

小張： I am going to do my course work at 11:30.

MAma：那你 wFnshang 幾 diFn shuì jiào？

小張： I am not going to sleep in the evening.

I am going to sleep in the morning.

(Use cái.) I will go to sleep at 2:30 in the

morning.

MAma：你早 shang 幾 diFn shàng kè？

小張： I have class at 10:00.

MAma：那你幾 diFn 起 chuáng， 

    幾 diFn chC 早 fàn？

小張： I get up at 9:30 and take a shower. I do

not eat breakfast.

MAma：你不 chC 早 fàn 嗎？那很不好。

小張： Mom, I am student.