HSK 3 · Article · 333 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-food-delivery-works-in-china

一碗面的三十分钟

How does food delivery work in China?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

在zài中国zhōngguó,很hěn多duō人rén中午zhōngwǔ不想bùxiǎng出门chūmén吃饭chīfàn,就jiù点diǎn外卖wàimài。外卖wàimài就是jiùshì在zài手机shǒujī上shàng买mǎi饭fàn,有人yǒurén把bǎ饭fàn送sòng到dào你nǐ的de门口ménkǒu。你nǐ点diǎn的de面miàn,是shì怎么zěnme用yòng三十sānshí分钟fēnzhōng送sòng到dào你nǐ手里shǒuli的de?我们wǒmen来lái看看kànkan。

十二shí’èr点diǎn整zhěng。你nǐ在zài公司gōngsī工作gōngzuò,饿è了le。你nǐ打开dǎkāi手机shǒujī,找到zhǎodào一yì家jiā面馆miànguǎn,点diǎn了le一yì碗wǎn牛肉面niúròumiàn,又yòu在zài手机shǒujī上shàng付fù了le钱qián。

十二点零一分shí’èrdiǎnlíngyīfēn。面馆miànguǎn的de手机shǒujī响xiǎng了le:“您nín有yǒu新xīn的de外卖wàimài订单dìngdān!”老板láobǎn马上mǎshàng开始kāishǐ做zuò这zhè碗wǎn牛肉面niúròumiàn。

十二点零五分shí’èrdiǎnlíngwǔfēn。离lí面馆miànguǎn不bù远yuǎn的de路上lùshang,一yí个gè骑手qíshǒu看到kàndào了le这zhè个gè订单dìngdān。骑手qíshǒu就是jiùshì送sòng外卖wàimài的de人rén。他们tāmen大多dàduō穿chuān着zhe黄色huángsè或者huòzhě蓝色lánsè的de衣服yīfu,骑qí着zhe电动车diàndòngchē,每天měitiān在zài路上lùshang跑来跑去pǎolái-pǎoqù。

十二点十五分shí’èrdiǎnshíwǔfēn。面miàn做zuò好hǎo了le。外卖wàimài骑手qíshǒu走进zǒujìn面馆miànguǎn,拿起náqǐ这zhè碗wǎn牛肉面niúròumiàn,马上mǎshàng出发chūfā。

十二点二十五分shí’èrdiǎn’èrshíwǔfēn。路上lùshang车chē很hěn多duō,可是kěshì电动车diàndòngchē很hěn快kuài。你nǐ在zài手机shǒujī上shàng能néng看到kàndào骑手qíshǒu在zài哪儿nǎr,还hái要yào几jǐ分钟fēnzhōng到dào。

十二点半shí’èr-diǎnbàn。电话diànhuà响xiǎng了le:“您好nínhǎo,您nín的de外卖wàimài到dào了le!”你nǐ下楼xiàlóu一yí看kàn,面miàn还是háishi热rè的de。

点diǎn外卖wàimài很hěn方便fāngbiàn,也yě不太bútài贵guì,所以suóyǐ很hěn多duō年轻人niánqīngrén常常chángcháng点diǎn外卖wàimài。不过búguò,也yě有人yǒurén说shuō:“外卖wàimài好吃hǎochī,可是kěshì自己zìjǐ做饭zuòfàn更gèng健康jiànkāng。”你nǐ觉得juéde呢ne?

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
出门chūménto go out
送sòngto give (as a present)
门口ménkǒudoorway; entrance; gate
开始kāishǐto begin; to start; beginning
离líto leave; to part from
远yuǎnfar; distant
路上lùshangon the way; on the road; en route
快kuàifast; quick
外卖wàimàitakeout; food delivery
饿èhungry
碗wǎnbowl
黄色huángsèyellow

English (for the teacher)

In China, lots of people don’t want to go out for lunch, so they order takeaway. Food delivery means buying a meal on your phone, and someone brings it to your door. How do the noodles you order reach your hands in thirty minutes? Let’s take a look.

12:00 sharp. You’re working at the office, and you’re hungry. You open your phone, find a noodle shop, order a bowl of beef noodles and pay on your phone.

12:01. The noodle shop’s phone rings: “You have a new delivery order!” The owner starts making the beef noodles right away.

12:05. On a road not far from the shop, a rider sees the order. A rider is a person who delivers takeaway. Most of them wear yellow or blue, ride electric scooters and dash around the streets every day.

12:15. The noodles are ready. The delivery rider walks into the shop, picks up the bowl of beef noodles and sets off at once.

12:25. There’s a lot of traffic, but electric scooters are fast. On your phone you can see where the rider is and how many minutes are left.

12:30. The phone rings: “Hello, your delivery is here!” You go downstairs and look: the noodles are still hot.

Ordering takeaway is convenient and not too expensive, so lots of young people order it often. Still, some people say: “Takeaway tastes good, but cooking for yourself is healthier.” What do you think?