Travel in Chinese Lesson 25 Donghuamen Night Fair

小杰：爸爸，我的同学说王府井有一个地方，专门卖小吃，他们都去过，你也带我去吧。

黄：你说的是王府井夜市吧，行啊，我今天就带你去。

小杰：太好了，我一定得好好看看，省得同学们说的好多小吃我都不懂。

黄：小杰，看，前边人多的地方就是王府井夜市了。

小杰：我已经闻到香味儿了，爸爸，快走，快走。

黄：看你急的。

小杰：陕西凉皮、新疆羊肉串……

黄：小杰，这儿好吃的东西多吧，你想吃什么？

小杰：我口水都快流出来了。我每样都要吃。

黄：哈哈，你有那么大的肚子吗？

小杰：啊，爸爸，你看，这是什么？

黄：哦，这是煎饼果子。

小杰：什么果子？和水果有关系吗？

黄：没有，是一种饼，用鸡蛋做的，里边加上其他的东西卷起来吃。要尝尝吗？

小杰：要。

黄：（买东西）来，烫，慢点儿吃。

小杰：好吃。（边吃边走）爸爸，这儿还有卖粥的呢，我要喝豆粥。

黄：好，给你买。豆粥不仅好喝，对身体还有好处呢。应该多喝点儿。

服务员：您想要绿豆粥还是红豆粥？

小杰：爸爸，它们有什么不同吗？

黄：绿豆粥一般夏天喝，因为绿豆不仅可以清凉败火，还可以解毒消暑。

小杰：那红豆粥呢？

黄：红豆和绿豆不一样，怎么说呢，这就像葡萄和苹果，都是水果吧，但是葡萄是凉性的，苹果却是温性的。

小杰：哎，水果不都是凉的吗？怎么还有温性的呢？

黄：你还真把我当成专家了，这我可不知道了。

小杰：这么复杂，一碗豆粥还有这么多讲究，像吃药一样。

黄：你还别说，中国人是很重视“食补”、“食疗”的，也许这就是中国的饮食文化吧。

小杰：我知道，姑姑跟我说过，叫“药补不如食补”，就是说，生病的时候，有时候吃饭比吃药对人的帮助还大。

黄：小杰，连这你都知道，看来，我可不能小瞧了你啊！

小杰：那当然。爸爸，我还要吃那个。

黄：还吃啊，一会儿该肚子疼了。
 

Translation

Xiao Jie: Dad, my schoolmates say there’ s a place on Wangfujing that sells snacks, and they’ ve all been there. Why don ’ t you take me there too?

Huang: You’ re talking about the Wangfujing night market. Sure. I’ ll take you there today.

Xiao Jie: That’ s great! I have to check it out. It’ll save me being told by my friends that I know hardly any snacks.

Huang: Xiao Jie, look! That’ s the Wangfujing night market, wher there’ s a lot of people.

Xiao Jie: I can already smell the food. Dad, hurry up. Walk faster!

Huang: You’re keen.

Xiao Jie: Shaanxi jelly slices, Xinjiang lamb skewers…

Huang: Xiao Jie, there’ s so much tasty stuff here. What would you like?

Xiao Jie: My mouth is watering. I want to eat everything.

Huang: Haha! Is your stomach big enough?

Xiao Jie: Oh, dad, look! What’ s this?

Huang: It’s Jianbing Guzi--Chinese pancake.

Xiao Jie: What’s Guozi? Does it have something to do with fruit?

Huang: No, it’ s a type of pancake, made with egg, then rolled up with stuffing inside. Want to try some?

Xiao Jie: Yes.

Huang: It ’s hot. Eat it slowly.

Xiao Jie: Yum. Dad, they have porridge here. I want some bean porridge.

Huang: OK, I’ ll buy you some. Bean porridge is not just tasty, it’ s healthy, too. You should eat more of it.

Waiter: Would you like mung bean porridge or red bean porridge?

Xiao Jie: Are they different, dad?

Huang: Mung bean porridge is usually drunk in summer, because mung beans are cooling and they release toxins from the body.

Xiao Jie: What about red bean porridge?

Huang: Red beans are different to mung beans. It’ s like grapes and apples. They’ re both fruit, but grapes are cool by nature, while apples have warming properties.

Xiao Jie: Hey, aren’ t all fruit cold? How can it be warm?

Huang: You think I’ m really an expert? I don’ t know.

Xiao Jie: It’s so complicated, even a bowl of bean porridge has so much science to it. It’ s like taking medicine.

Huang: You’ re right, the Chinese are very big on “food therapy”, and “nutritional treatment”. Maybe this is part of the Chinese food culture.

Xiao Jie: I know. My aunt told me that eating food for health beats medicine, which means when you’ re sick, sometimes eating the right foods is better for you than taking medicine.

Huang: Xiao Jie, I’m surprised you even know that. I shouldn’t underestimate you！

Xiao Jie: Of course. Dad, I want to have some of that, too.

Huang: More? You’ ll get a stomachache.
 

Bookmarks

1）省得 to avoid something

（例）到家后给我打个电话，省得我担心。

When you get home, give me a phone call; otherwise I'll be worried.

（例）你应该提前订票，省得到时候着急。

You should reserve a ticket in advance; otherwise you'll be anxious when the time comes.

Sign Posts

Nutritional Treatment

One very interesting thing about Chinese cooking is the link to traditional Chinese medicine and even to philosophy. For example, dishes and even ingredients can be divided into yin and yang depending on whether they have a "warming" or "cooling" effect. That doesn't just mean that hot foods are warming and cold foods are cooling. For example, we heard in today's dialogue: 葡萄是凉性的，苹果却是温性的 grapes and apples are both fruit, but grapes have a cooling effect while apples are warming. Grapes would represent yin while apples are yang. This might sound strange in English, but these are all commonly accepted concepts from Chinese medicine.

We also heard a bit about 食补 meaning "to supplement by eating". For example, if your body is short of calcium, you should eat more of foods that are high in calcium. 食疗 is the whole concept of affecting your general health through eating habits. 疗 is a treatment or therapy. 食疗 treatment through eating. For example, we all know about having home-made chicken soup when you're sick. In China, they often add ginseng or other medicinal ingredients. And this isn't only for eating when you're sick, but as a tonic or health supplement in your daily life.

Substitution and Extension

1）连……都even something, to show an exaggeration

（例）这首歌很受欢迎，连小孩子都喜欢。

This song is really popular; even little children like it.

2）不仅…，还… not only this, but also that

（例）坐飞机不仅安全，而且还很方便。

Not only is it safe to take a plane, it's also very convenient.

3）把A当（看、想、听、写）成B: to take one thing and consider it as something else

（例）他把老师当成朋友。

He considered his teacher to be a friend.

（例）他把“剧场”听成“机场”了。

He thought he heard the word "机场" (airport) but really what was said was "剧场" (theatre).