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🇨🇳 Mandarin Chinese · Fluency Level 2

PART 2 · LESSON 14 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

Never Share a Pear

Learn the homophones behind the taboos with Mister Guo: be asked if you can give a clock at New Year, say no but ask why, hear that it sounds like seeing someone to the grave, ask what other taboos there are, hear a pear is never shared, work out why, and say why there is fish at New Year.

Audio instruction: English

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THE STORY

A bench outside the crosstalk teahouse on a cold afternoon, a bag of pears between Mister Guo and Owen, the market's loudspeakers somewhere behind them.

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Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
欧文， 新年 能 送 钟 吗？ōuwén, xīnnián néng sòng zhōng maOwen, can you give a clock at New Year?
不 能！ 但是 为什么？bù néng! dànshì wèishénmeNo! But why?
答 对 了！dá duì leRight answer!
谐音！xiéyīna homophone, word for word harmonious sound
送终。sòngzhōngto see a parent to the grave, word for word send off the end
谐音！ 送 钟 像 送终。xiéyīn! sòng zhōng xiàng sòngzhōngA homophone! Giving a clock sounds like seeing someone to the grave.
忌讳。jìhuìa taboo, a thing one never says or gives; falling, then falling
还 有 什么 忌讳？hái yǒu shénme jìhuìWhat other taboos are there?
忌讳 多 着 呢！jìhuì duō zhe neThere are plenty of taboos!
那 送 什么 好？nà sòng shénme hǎoThen what's good to give?

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