The Path Under the Bridge

1. Zhiwei

   午wǔ饭fàn我wǒ想xiǎng吃chī面miàn，附fù近jìn有yǒu面miàn馆guǎn吗ma？

   I feel like noodles for lunch. Is there a noodle shop nearby?

   Word meanings

   午饭

   lunch · The midday meal; here it sets the meal being discussed.

   我

   I · First-person pronoun.

   想

   feel like · Before a verb, expresses a wish or intention.

   吃

   eat · To eat.

   面

   noodles · Short for 面条 in this food context.

   附近

   nearby · The area close to the current location.

   有

   there is · Introduces something that exists in a place.

   面馆

   noodle shop · 面 means noodles; 馆 here means an eating establishment.

   吗

   Turns a statement into a yes-or-no question.

2. Jianguo

   有yǒu，东dōng门mén外wài有yǒu一yì家jiā。你nǐ要yào一yì起qǐ去qù吗ma？

   Yes, there's one outside the east gate. Want to go together?

   Word meanings

   有

   yes · Repeats 有 to confirm that such a shop exists.

   东门

   east gate · 东 means east; 门 means gate.

   外

   outside · After a place, indicates its outside area.

   有

   there is · Introduces the shop at that location.

   一家

   one · 一 plus 家 counts one shop or business.

   你

   you · Second-person pronoun.

   要

   want to · Here asks about willingness to do something.

   一起

   together · Doing something with another person.

   去

   go · To go to the place being discussed.

   吗

   Marks a yes-or-no question.

3. Zhiwei

   好hǎo，不bú过guò东dōng门mén怎zěn么me走zǒu？

   Sure, but how do we get to the east gate?

   Word meanings

   好

   sure · Accepts the invitation.

   不过

   but · Introduces a reservation or further question.

   东门

   east gate · The park's gate on its eastern side.

   怎么

   how · Asks about the way to do something.

   走

   get there · In directions, asks which route to take.

4. Jianguo

   先xiān沿yán着zhe河hé走zǒu，到dào桥qiáo下xià面mian。

   First walk along the river to the space under the bridge.

   Word meanings

   先

   first · Marks the first step in a sequence.

   沿着

   along · 沿 plus 着 describes following the course of something.

   河

   river · The river beside the park.

   走

   walk · To travel on foot.

   到

   to · Introduces the destination or endpoint.

   桥

   bridge · The bridge along their route.

   下面

   underneath · 下 plus 面 names the area below something.

5. Zhiwei

   到dào了le桥qiáo下xià面mian，要yào上shàng桥qiáo吗ma？

   Once we reach the bridge, do we go up onto it?

   Word meanings

   到了

   reach · 到 plus 了 presents reaching the location before the next step.

   桥

   bridge · The bridge just mentioned.

   下面

   underneath · The space below the bridge.

   要

   need to · Here asks whether an action is required.

   上桥

   go onto it · 上 plus 桥 means going up onto the bridge.

   吗

   Marks a yes-or-no question.

6. Jianguo

   不bú用yòng上shàng桥qiáo，从cóng桥qiáo下xià面mian穿chuān过guò去qu。

   No need to go onto the bridge. Go through underneath it.

   Word meanings

   不用

   no need · 不 plus 用 means an action is not necessary.

   上桥

   go onto bridge · 上 plus 桥 means going up onto the bridge.

   从

   through · Introduces the place through which the route passes.

   桥

   bridge · The bridge on their route.

   下面

   underneath · Names the area below the bridge.

   穿过去

   go through · 穿 plus 过去 means passing through to the other side.

7. Zhiwei

   那nà边biān有yǒu两liǎng条tiáo路lù，走zǒu哪nǎ条tiáo？

   There are two paths there. Which one do we take?

   Word meanings

   那边

   there · Refers to the area near the bridge.

   有

   there are · Indicates that something exists in that area.

   两

   two · The usual form of two before a classifier.

   条

   Classifier used for roads and paths.

   路

   paths · Routes or paths to walk along.

   走

   take · With a route, means choosing and following it.

   哪

   which · Asks which member of a set is meant.

   条

   Classifier for the understood noun 路.

8. Jianguo

   走zǒu靠kào河hé的de那nà条tiáo，别bié走zǒu上shàng坡pō的de。

   Take the one beside the river, not the uphill one.

   Word meanings

   走

   take · Means following the specified path.

   靠河

   beside the river · 靠 plus 河 describes being close to the river.

   的

   Makes the preceding description modify the understood path.

   那

   that · Points to the path being described.

   条

   Classifier standing with the understood noun 路.

   别

   don't · Tells someone not to do an action.

   走

   take · Means following a route.

   上坡

   uphill · 上 plus 坡 means going up a slope.

   的

   Refers to the path with the preceding characteristic.

9. Zhiwei

   就jiù是shì一yì直zhí让ràng河hé在zài左zuǒ边bian，对duì吧ba？

   So we keep the river on our left, right?

   Word meanings

   就是

   so · Here introduces a restatement to check understanding.

   一直

   all the way · Indicates continuing without changing.

   让

   keep · Here means maintaining something in a particular position.

   河

   river · The river beside their route.

   在

   on · Indicates location.

   左边

   the left · 左 plus 边 names the left-hand side.

   对

   right · Asks whether the interpretation is correct.

   吧

   Invites confirmation of an assumption.

10. Jianguo

    对duì，过guò了le桥qiáo再zài右yòu转zhuǎn，东dōng门mén就jiù在zài前qián面mian。

    Right. After passing the bridge, turn right. The east gate is just ahead.

    Word meanings

    对

    right · Confirms the neighbour's understanding.

    过了

    after passing · 过 plus 了 places the next action after passing something.

    桥

    the bridge · The bridge they pass beneath.

    再

    then · Marks the next action in order.

    右转

    turn right · 右 plus 转 means turning to the right.

    东门

    east gate · Their destination within the park.

    就

    just · Emphasizes that the location is nearby.

    在

    is · Indicates where something is located.

    前面

    ahead · 前 plus 面 names the area in front.

11. Zhiwei

    明míng白bai了le，那nà走zǒu吧ba，我wǒ请qǐng你nǐ吃chī面miàn。

    Got it. Let's go, then. I'll treat you to noodles.

    Word meanings

    明白了

    got it · 明白 plus 了 signals that understanding has now been reached.

    那

    then · Introduces a decision based on what was just said.

    走

    let's go · Here proposes setting off together.

    吧

    Softens the suggestion.

    我

    I · First-person pronoun.

    请

    treat · 请 someone to eat means paying for their meal.

    你

    you · The neighbour receiving the offer.

    吃

    eat · To eat, within the expression for treating someone.

    面

    noodles · Short for 面条.

12. Jianguo

    行xíng，下xià次cì我wǒ请qǐng你nǐ。

    Okay, next time it's my treat.

    Word meanings

    行

    okay · Spoken acceptance; read xíng here.

    下次

    next time · 下 plus 次 refers to the next occasion.

    我

    I · First-person pronoun.

    请

    will treat · Here means paying for the other person's meal.

    你

    you · The neighbour being offered a future treat.

Scripts, translations and voices are AI-generated and may contain mistakes. Pinyin is generated with each script, reading every character in context, with tone marks as the words are spoken: 一 and 不 change tone before another syllable, and light syllables carry no mark. Readings may occasionally differ from what you hear; they are a guide, not a pronunciation reference.