送什么水果？
Fruits in Chinese: why apples, and why never share a pear
Name: ________________ Date: ________
去年十二月，我在北京学习中文。二十四日晚上，我的中国同学们都送了我一个苹果。
我很高兴。我问：“怎么都送这个？”一个同学笑着说：“今天晚上是‘平安夜’！”
在中文里，“苹”和“平安”的第一个字读起来一样。所以，这个晚上送朋友一个苹果，是在说：“你要平安！”
在中国，有的水果很好吃，还会“说话”。
第二天，我买了一个梨，想和一个同学一起吃。她马上说：“别！两个人不能分一个梨吃。”“分梨”和“分离”读起来一样。“分离”，是说两个人不在一起了。
下次你去中国朋友家，买什么水果好呢？苹果就很好。梨呢？你在家里一个人吃吧！
Key words
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 去年 | qùnián | last year |
| 学习 | xuéxí | to learn; to study; study; learning |
| 中文 | zhōngwén | Chinese (language) |
| 日 | rì | day |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | evening; night |
| 中国 | zhōngguó | China |
| 同学 | tóngxué | classmate; fellow student |
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy; glad; pleased |
| 问 | wèn | to ask |
| 说 | shuō | to speak; to say |
| 今天 | jīntiān | today |
| 字 | zì | character; written word |
English (for the teacher)
Last December I was studying Chinese in Beijing. On the evening of the 24th, every one of my Chinese classmates gave me an apple.
I was happy. I asked, “Why does everyone give me this?” One of them laughed: “It's Christmas Eve! In Chinese we call it Píng'ān Yè, the ‘safe and peaceful night’.”
In Chinese, 苹, the first sound of “apple”, is said just like the first sound of 平安, “safe and well”. So giving a friend an apple tonight is like saying, “Stay safe and well!”
In China, some fruit is tasty, and it can “talk” too.
The next day I bought a pear and wanted to share it with a classmate. She said at once, “Don’t! Two people must never share a pear.” “Sharing a pear”, fēn lí, sounds exactly like fēn lí, “to part”. And “to part” means two people aren't together any more.
So next time you visit a Chinese friend, what fruit should you buy? Apples are perfect. And pears? Eat those at home, by yourself!