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Mandarin Articles

Short factual readings with the original source notes.

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Every reading sits at the level where most of its words are taught

HSK 167 readings HSK 232 readings HSK 328 readings HSK 435 readings HSK 519 readings HSK 620 readings

73 readings

Article · 1 min audio雨后的气味从哪里来？Why rain has a smellA familiar smell. A tiny bubble. A closer look at the ground beneath your feet.HSK 6

Article · 1 min audio为什么中国人见面总问“吃了吗”？Why do Chinese people ask “Have you eaten?”Every morning, the same question on the stairs: “Have you eaten?” Mark answers it honestly. That is his first mistake.HSK 3

Article · 2 min audio中国人为什么怕数字四？Why is 4 unlucky in China?A lift with no fourth floor. A phone number that sold for 2.33 million yuan. And a message that just says 88.HSK 5

Article · 3 min audio为什么中国只有一个时区？Why does China have only one time zone?Nine in the morning, and the stars are still out. One country, one clock, and a sun that keeps its own hours.HSK 6

Article · 1 min audio为什么中国人过年要给红包？Why do Chinese people give red envelopes?Money in a little red envelope. A monster scared off by red paper. And Mum, who will just “look after it” for you.HSK 3

Article · 2 min audio中国人为什么爱喝热水？Why do Chinese people drink hot water?Got a cold? Drink more hot water. Had a row? Drink more hot water. China’s favourite four words, from tiger stoves to a rock drummer’s thermos.HSK 5

Article · 2 min audio中国人的名字有什么讲究？How do Chinese names work?Shout “Zhang Wei” in China and heads turn. Five surnames cover nearly a third of the country. And “Old Zhang” is no insult.HSK 5

Article · 3 min audio什么是春运？What is Chunyun, China’s Spring Festival travel rush?Over nine billion trips in forty days. One train ticket everyone wants. And a suitcase that goes home half full and comes back stuffed.HSK 6

Article · 2 min audio广场舞为什么这么火？Why do Chinese aunties dance in public squares?After dinner, the music starts downstairs. Dozens of aunties, one small speaker, every step in time. Upstairs, not everyone is dancing.HSK 5

Article · 2 min audio双十一是怎么来的？Where did Singles Day come from?Four 1s in a row. A joke among single students in Nanjing that grew into China’s biggest shopping festival.HSK 4

Article · 3 min audio在太空能看见长城吗？Can you see the Great Wall of China from space?A famous fact, older than spaceflight itself. Then China’s first astronaut went up, looked down, and didn’t see it.HSK 6

Article · 3 min audio汉字没有字母，中国人怎么打字？How do Chinese people type without an alphabet?Thousands of characters. The same twenty-six keys as English. How Chinese gets typed, looked up and put in order, and why so many people forget how to write it by hand.HSK 6