HSK 1 · Article · 135 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/what-is-a-chinese-id-card

十八个数字

What is a Chinese ID card?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

在zài中国zhōngguó，十六shíliù岁suì的de时候shíhou，大家dàjiā都dōu要yào有yǒu“身份证shēnfènzhèng”。

身份证shēnfènzhèng上shàng有yǒu什么shénme？有yǒu你nǐ的de名字míngzi，你nǐ的de生日shēngrì，你nǐ住zhù在zài哪里nálǐ，还有háiyǒu你nǐ的de照片zhàopiàn。还有háiyǒu十八shíbā个gè数字shùzì，是shì你nǐ一yí个gè人rén的de。

你nǐ什么shénme时候shíhou要yào它tā？坐zuò火车huǒchē、坐zuò飞机fēijī的de时候shíhou要yào。住zhù饭店fàndiàn的de时候shíhou要yào。去qù医院yīyuàn看病kànbìng的de时候shíhou，也yě要yào。买mǎi新xīn手机shǒujī号hào的de时候shíhou，也yě要yào。

外国人wàiguórén在zài中国zhōngguó没有méiyǒu身份证shēnfènzhèng。他们tāmen坐zuò火车huǒchē、住zhù饭店fàndiàn的de时候shíhou，要yào有yǒu护照hùzhào。

你nǐ那里nàlǐ有yǒu身份证shēnfènzhèng吗ma？

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
中国zhōngguóChina
岁suìyears old; year (of age)
上shàngup; above; on
名字míngziname
住zhùto live; to stay
人rénperson; people
什么shénmewhat; anything
时候shíhoutime; moment; when
坐zuòto sit
火车huǒchētrain
飞机fēijīairplane; aircraft
饭店fàndiànhotel

English (for the teacher)

In China, at sixteen, everyone must have an ID card.

What’s on an ID card? Your name, your birthday, where you live, and your photo. And eighteen digits, which belong to you alone.

When do you need it? When you take a train or a plane. When you stay in a hotel. When you see a doctor at a hospital, too. And when you get a new phone number.

Foreigners in China don’t have ID cards. When they take a train or stay in a hotel, they need their passports.

Do people have ID cards where you live?