C: A lot of people email these days Yajie… myself included, of course, but we still need to go to the post office for all kinds of things!
Y:  Right, and that’s what we’re learning about this week on Chinese Studio.  So what do you go to the post office for?
C:  Well, sometimes I need to cash a money order, or pick up a package. 

Key words of the day
Money order. 汇款单. I’d like to cash this money order. 我要取汇款。  I’d like to pick up a package. 我要取包裹。 identification card, 身份证 passport, 护照  All in today’s Chinese studio.

C:  Okay, so sometimes I get paid through a money order in the mail. And I want to cash them! 
Y: You would go to the you2 ju2, get in line, and say wo3 yao4 qu3 hui4 kuan3.
C:  wo3 yao4 qu3 hui4 kuan3. 
Y: wo3 yao4 means I’d like to do something, 
C: wo3 yao4. 
Y: qu3 means draw the money, 
C: qu3, 3rd tone.
Y: hui4 kuan3 means the sum of money sent. 
C: hui4 kuan3. 
Y: wo3 yao4 qu3 hui4 kuan3.
C: wo3 yao4 qu3 hui4 kuan3. I’d like to cash this money order, so Yajie, what’s the Chinese for money order?  
Y: it’s hui4 kuan3 dan1. 
C: hui4 kuan3 dan1. as hui4 kuan3 is the sum of the money sent, 
Y: You got it. And dan1 means order. 
C: dan1. 
Y: hui4 kuan3 dan1
C: hui4 kuan3 dan1, money order

Conversation1:
A: 我要取汇款。
B: 请给我看一下你的汇款单和身份证。

C: I haven’t received the package yet, but I certainly love to get one. What do I say if I am going to pick it up?
Y:  First let’s review how to say package in Chinese.
C: Great, what is it? 
Y: it’s bao1 guo3. 
C: bao1 guo3. 
Y: bao1 and guo3 both have the meaning of wrap. 
C: and package means the wrapped and boxed object sent by mail. 
Y: so package in Chinese is bao1 guo3. 
C: bao1 guo3.
Y: Good, and then you can say to the clerk “wo3 yao4 qu3 bao1 guo3”
C: wo3 yao4 qu3 bao1 guo3. 
Y: wo3 yao4 I’d like to do something, 
C: wo3 yao4,
Y: qu3 means take,   
C: qu3. and package bao1 guo3. 
Y: yes. Wo3 yao4 qu3 bao1 guo3.
C: Wo3 yao4 qu3 bao1 guo3. I’d like to pick up a package.

Conversation2:
A：我要取包裹。
B：请给我看一下你的包裹单和身份证。

Y: Then when you pick up a package at the post office, you need to bring some identificaton.
C: Right. Which in Chinese is…
Y: shen1 fen1 zheng4. 
C: shen1 fen1 zheng4. 
Y: shen1 fen1, identification,
C: shen1 fen1, 
Y: zheng4 means card, 
C: zheng4. 
Y: shen1 fen1 zheng4.
C: shen1 fen1 zheng4. identification card. Then what shall I bring if I go to pick up my package? 
Y: I think you need to bring your passport, and in Chinese it’s hu4 zhao4. 
C: hu4 zhao4.

Conversation3:
A: 外国人取包裹要带什么证件？
B: 应该带上护照。

Key words reminder

Money order. 汇款单，I’d like to cash this money order. 我要取汇款。  I’d like to pick up a package. 我要取包裹。 identification card, 身份证 passport, 护照   All in today’s Chinese studio.