HSK 4 · Story · 294 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/how-to-bargain-in-chinese

怎么砍价

How to bargain in Chinese

Name: ________________ Date: ________

大卫dàwèi来lái中国zhōngguó半年bànnián了le，买mǎi东西dōngxī从来不cóngláibù砍价kǎnjià。老板láobǎn说shuō多少duōshao，他tā就jiù给gěi多少duōshao。

今天jīntiān，中国zhōngguó朋友péngyǒu带dài他tā去qù逛guàng市场shìchǎng，路上lùshang教jiāo了le他tā三sān句jù话huà：“第一dìyī句jù：‘太tài贵guì了le！’第二dì’èr句jù：‘便宜piányi一点儿yìdiǎnr吧ba。’第dì三sān句jù：‘最zuì低dī多少duōshao钱qián？’要是yàoshì老板láobǎn还hái不bù同意tóngyì，你nǐ就jiù走zǒu。他tā一定yídìng会huì叫jiào住zhù你nǐ。”

在zài一yì家jiā小店xiǎodiàn里，大卫dàwèi看见kànjiàn一个yígè熊猫xióngmāo杯子bēizi，非常fēicháng喜欢xǐhuān。他tā放下fàngxià手机shǒujī，拿起náqǐ杯子bēizi问wèn：“老板láobǎn，这个zhège多少duōshao钱qián？”

“一百yìbǎi。”

“太tài贵guì了le！”

“好吧hǎoba，九十jiǔshí。”

“便宜piányi一点儿yìdiǎnr吧ba。”

“八十bāshí。”

“最zuì低dī多少duōshao钱qián？”

老板láobǎn看kàn了le看kàn他tā：“七十qīshí，不能bùnéng再zài便宜piányi了le。”

“五十wǔshí吧ba。”

“不行bùxíng，不行bùxíng。”

大卫dàwèi放下fàngxià杯子bēizi，转身zhuǎnshēn就jiù走zǒu。一yí步bù，两liǎng步bù，三sān步bù，老板láobǎn没有méiyǒu叫jiào他tā。他tā走zǒu得de越来越yuèláiyuè慢màn。十shí步bù，二十èrshí步bù，老板láobǎn还是háishi没有méiyǒu叫jiào他tā。

终于zhōngyú，他tā听见tīngjiàn老板láobǎn在zài后面hòumiàn大声dàshēng叫jiào：“哎āi，你nǐ等děng一下yíxià！”

大卫dàwèi笑xiào了le：朋友péngyǒu说shuō得de没错méicuò！他tā马上mǎshàng走zǒu回huí小店xiǎodiàn。

老板láobǎn拿起náqǐ一yí个gè手机shǒujī：“你nǐ的de手机shǒujī忘wàng在zài这儿zhèr了le。”

大卫dàwèi接过jiēguò手机shǒujī，又yòu看kàn了le看kàn那个nàge熊猫xióngmāo杯子bēizi，小声xiǎoshēng说shuō：“七十qīshí，行xíng吗ma？”

老板láobǎn笑xiào了le：“现在xiànzài，最zuì低dī一百yìbǎi。”

Key words

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
句	jù	classifier for phrases and lines of speech or verse
同意	tóngyì	to agree; to consent; to approve
一定	yídìng	surely; certainly; must
行	xíng	to walk; to go
逛	guàng	to stroll; to wander around
市场	shìchǎng	market; marketplace
低	dī	low; to lower (one's head)
步	bù	step; pace
老板	láobǎn	boss; owner (of a shop or business)
哎	āi	(interjection) hey; oh (surprise, regret or calling attention)
转身	zhuǎnshēn	to turn around
好吧	hǎoba	OK then; fine (reluctant agreement)

English (for the teacher)

David had been in China for six months, and he never haggled when he went shopping. Whatever the seller asked, he paid.

Today a Chinese friend took him round a market and taught him three phrases on the way. “One: ‘That’s too expensive!’ Two: ‘Make it a bit cheaper.’ Three: ‘What’s your lowest price?’ If the seller still says no, just walk away. He’s sure to call you back.”

In a little shop, David spotted a panda mug and loved it. He put down his phone, picked up the mug and asked, “How much is this one, boss?”

“A hundred.”

“That’s too expensive!”

“Fine, ninety.”

“Make it a bit cheaper.”

“Eighty.”

“What’s your lowest price?”

The owner looked him over. “Seventy. I can’t go any lower.”

“How about fifty?”

“No, no.”

David put the mug down, turned and walked away. One step, two steps, three. The owner didn’t call him back. He walked slower and slower. Ten steps, twenty. The owner still didn’t call him back.

At last he heard the owner shout behind him, “Hey, wait a minute!”

David smiled. His friend was right! He went straight back to the shop.

The owner held up a phone. “You left your phone here.”

David took the phone, looked at the panda mug again and asked quietly, “Seventy, OK?”

The owner smiled. “Now my lowest is a hundred.”