HSK 2 · Article · 200 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/fruits-in-chinese-meanings

送什么水果？

Fruits in Chinese: why apples, and why never share a pear

Name: ________________ Date: ________

去年qùnián十二月shí’èryuè，我wǒ在zài北京běijīng学习xuéxí中文zhōngwén。二十四èrshísì日rì晚上wǎnshang，我wǒ的de中国zhōngguó同学tóngxué们men都dōu送sòng了le我wǒ一yí个gè苹果píngguǒ。

我wǒ很hěn高兴gāoxìng。我wǒ问wèn：“怎么zěnme都dōu送sòng这个zhège？”一yí个gè同学tóngxué笑xiào着zhe说shuō：“今天jīntiān晚上wǎnshang是shì‘平安夜píng’ānyè’！”

在zài中文zhōngwén里，“苹píng”和hé“平安píng’ān”的de第一dìyī个gè字zì读dú起来qǐlai一样yíyàng。所以suóyǐ，这个zhège晚上wǎnshang送sòng朋友péngyǒu一yí个gè苹果píngguǒ，是shì在zài说shuō：“你nǐ要yào平安píng’ān！”

在zài中国zhōngguó，有的yǒude水果shuíguǒ很hěn好吃hǎochī，还hái会huì“说话shuōhuà”。

第二天dì’èrtiān，我wǒ买mǎi了le一yí个gè梨lí，想xiǎng和hé一yí个gè同学tóngxué一起yìqǐ吃chī。她tā马上mǎshàng说shuō：“别bié！两liǎng个gè人rén不能bùnéng分一yí个gè梨lí吃chī。”“分fēn梨lí”和hé“分离fēnlí”读dú起来qǐlai一样yíyàng。“分离fēnlí”，是shì说shuō两liǎng个gè人rén不bú在zài一起yìqǐ了le。

下次xiàcì你nǐ去qù中国zhōngguó朋友péngyǒu家jiā，买mǎi什么shénme水果shuíguǒ好hǎo呢ne？苹果píngguǒ就jiù很hěn好hǎo。梨lí呢？你nǐ在zài家里jiālǐ一yí个gè人rén吃chī吧ba！

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
去年qùniánlast year
学习xuéxíto learn; to study; study; learning
中文zhōngwénChinese (language)
日rìday
晚上wǎnshangevening; night
中国zhōngguóChina
同学tóngxuéclassmate; fellow student
高兴gāoxìnghappy; glad; pleased
问wènto ask
说shuōto speak; to say
今天jīntiāntoday
字zìcharacter; 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!