HSK 3 · Article · 335 characters · Listen: mandarinthewild.com/library/read/why-chinese-eat-noodles-on-birthdays

生日为什么吃长寿面?

Why do Chinese people eat noodles on birthdays?

Name: ________________ Date: ________

我wǒ第一次dìyīcì在zài中国zhōngguó过生日guòshēngrì的de时候shíhou,以为yǐwéi朋友péngyǒu会huì给gěi我wǒ买mǎi一个yígè大dà蛋糕dàngāo。可是kěshì那天nàtiān晚上wǎnshang,她tā给gěi我wǒ做zuò了le一yì碗wǎn面条miàntiáo,上边shàngbian还有háiyǒu一yí个gè鸡蛋jīdàn。她tā说shuō:“生日快乐shēngrì-kuàilè!快kuài吃chī吧ba,这zhè是shì长寿面chángshòumiàn。”

“长寿chángshòu”的de意思yìsi是shì活huó得de很hěn久jiǔ。面条miàntiáo很hěn长cháng,所以suóyǐ很hěn多duō中国zhōngguó人rén觉得juéde,过生日guòshēngrì的de时候shíhou吃chī一yì碗wǎn很hěn长cháng的de面条miàntiáo,就jiù能néng活huó得de很hěn久jiǔ。

吃chī长寿面chángshòumiàn的de时候shíhou,有yǒu一yí件jiàn事shì很hěn重要zhòngyào:面条miàntiáo不能bùnéng切断qiēduàn。最好zuìhǎo也yě不要búyào咬yǎo断duàn,要yào一口yìkǒu一口yìkǒu地de吃chī。有的yǒude地方dìfang,一yí个gè碗wǎn里只zhǐ放fàng一yì根gēn面条miàntiáo,很hěn长cháng很hěn长cháng。

这样zhèyàng的de面miàn一般yìbān不bù难nán做zuò:一yì碗wǎn面条miàntiáo,一点儿yìdiǎnr汤tāng,一点儿yìdiǎnr菜cài,上边shàngbian再zài放fàng一yí个gè鸡蛋jīdàn。在zài北京běijīng,很hěn多duō人rén都dōu是shì这样zhèyàng做zuò的de。

给gěi老人lǎorén过生日guòshēngrì的de时候shíhou,长寿面chángshòumiàn就jiù更gèng重要zhòngyào了le。孩子háizi给gěi爸爸bàba妈妈māma、爷爷yéye奶奶nǎinai做zuò一yì碗wǎn面条miàntiáo,是shì希望xīwàng他们tāmen身体shēntǐ好hǎo,活huó得de久jiǔ。在zài中国zhōngguó,有的yǒude饭馆fànguǎn也yě会huì在zài客人kèren过生日guòshēngrì的de时候shíhou,送sòng上shàng一yì碗wǎn长寿面chángshòumiàn。

这zhè个gè习惯xíguàn是shì什么shénme时候shíhou有yǒu的de?有人yǒurén说shuō是shì从cóng唐朝tángcháo开始kāishǐ的de,可是kěshì谁shéi也yě说不清楚shuōbuqīngchu。

那天nàtiān晚上wǎnshang,我wǒ吃chī得de很hěn慢màn很hěn慢màn,一yì根gēn面条miàntiáo也yě没有méiyǒu断duàn。朋友péngyǒu在zài旁边pángbiān看kàn着zhe,笑xiào着zhe说shuō:“很hěn好hǎo!你nǐ能néng活huó到dào一百yìbǎi岁suì!”

Key words

WordPinyinMeaning
快kuàifast; quick
意思yìsimeaning; idea
长chánglong; length
这样zhèyànglike this; this way
面miànnoodles; flour
爷爷yéyegrandpa; paternal grandfather
奶奶nǎinaigrandmother (father's mother); grandma
希望xīwàngto hope; to wish; hope; expectation
身体shēntǐbody
饭馆fànguǎnrestaurant; eatery
慢mànslow; to slow down
旁边pángbiānbeside; next to; nearby

English (for the teacher)

The first time I had a birthday in China, I thought my friend would buy me a big cake. But that evening she made me a bowl of noodles, with an egg on top. She said: “Happy birthday! Eat up, these are longevity noodles.”

“Longevity” means living a long time. Noodles are long, so many Chinese people feel that if you eat a bowl of long noodles on your birthday, you will live a long life.

When you eat longevity noodles, one thing matters: the noodles must not be cut. Better not to bite through them either; eat them one mouthful at a time. In some places a bowl holds just one single noodle, very, very long.

These noodles are usually easy to make: a bowl of noodles, a little soup, a few vegetables, and an egg on top. In Beijing, that’s how a lot of people make them.

On an older person’s birthday, longevity noodles matter even more. When children make a bowl for their parents or grandparents, it is a wish for good health and a long life. In China, some restaurants also bring a bowl of longevity noodles to a customer on their birthday.

When did this custom start? Some say it started in the Tang dynasty, but nobody can say for sure.

That night I ate very, very slowly, and didn’t break a single noodle. My friend watched from beside me and laughed: “Very good! Now you’ll live to a hundred!”