Three perspectives on a missed-appointment situation: the late person, the waiting friend, and the staff member.
LEVEL/WORDCOUNT: HSK2 / ~500 words
多视角迷你故事
我：今天约了朋友三点见面，但我迟到了二十分钟。 他：我在咖啡馆等了三十分钟，有点着急。 服务员：有人来约会，但是迟到了。我们给他打了电话提醒。 我：收到提醒后，马上出发。 他：看到我来了松了一口气。 服务员：他们最终见面了，都开心。 我：以后不会再迟到了。
Multi-Perspective Mini Story
I: Today I planned to meet a friend at 3:00, but I was 20 minutes late.
He/She: I waited at the café for 30 minutes and was a bit anxious.
Staff: Someone was coming for a meeting but was late. We called to remind him.
I: After receiving the reminder, I left right away.
He/She: Seeing me arrive, he/she felt relieved.
Staff: They finally met, and everyone was happy.
I: I will not be late again in the future.
Audio help
How to Use the Audio
The audio is designed to help you improve your Chinese listening skills and pronunciation. You can use it in two ways:
- Before reading the text: Listen first to practice understanding spoken Chinese. Focus on pronunciation, rhythm, and listening comprehension.
- After reading the text: Listen again to compare your own pronunciation with the native speaker. Improve fluency and speaking skills.
Vocabulary
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 迟到 | Chídào | Be late |
| 提醒 | Tíxǐng | Reminder |
| 出发 | Chūfā | Leave / depart |
| 松了一口气 | Sōngle yī kǒuqì | Relieved |
| 咖啡馆 | Kāfēiguǎn | Café |
| 约会 | Yuēhuì | Appointment / meeting |
| 开心 | Kāixīn | Happy |
| 二十分钟 | Èrshí fēnzhōng | 20 minutes |
| 三十分钟 | Sānshí fēnzhōng | 30 minutes |
| 服务员 | Fúwùyuán | Staff / waiter |
Grammar
- Sequence of events using numbers + 分钟: 二十分钟, 三十分钟
- Expressing future intention: 不会再迟到
- Past action with result: 松了一口气
- Reporting actions of others: 服务员给他打了电话
- Expressing cause-effect subtly: 收到提醒后，马上出发
Idiomatic Expressions
| Mandarin | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 一言为定 | Yī yán wéi dìng | It’s settled |
| 分秒必争 | Fēn miǎo bì zhēng | Every second counts |
| 心急如焚 | Xīn jí rú fén | Anxious / burning with impatience |
| 如释重负 | Rú shì zhòng fù | Relieved / a weight lifted |
| 错过良机 | Cuòguò liáng jī | Miss a good opportunity |
Cultural Insights
- Being punctual is valued; staff may remind late customers politely.
- Multiple perspectives help learners understand social interactions in China.
- Small delays are common, but polite communication prevents misunderstandings.
- Chinese often use precise minutes to describe waiting times and delays.
10 Questions
- 迟到是什么意思？ 💡
- 第一个人迟到了几分钟？ 💡
- 朋友在哪里等？ 💡
- 工作人员做了什么帮助？ 💡
- 哪句话表示松了一口气？ 💡
- 他们最后见面了吗？ 💡
- 哪句话意思是“马上出发”？ 💡
- 以后迟到的人不会做什么？ 💡
- 提到的准确等待时间是多少？ 💡
- 故事中提供多视角的人有哪些？ 💡
Multiple Choice
| 1. 松了一口气 💡 a) Anxious b) Relieved c) Angry | 2. 提醒 💡 a) Reminder b) Delay c) Hurry |
| 3. 服务员 💡 a) Customer b) Staff / waiter c) Friend | 4. 出发 💡 a) Arrive b) Leave / depart c) Wait |
| 5. 二十分钟 💡 a) 20 minutes b) 30 minutes c) 15 minutes | 6. 咖啡馆 💡 a) Restaurant b) Café c) Library |
True or False
- 迟到的人迟到了二十分钟。 💡 True
- 朋友在咖啡馆等候。 💡 True
- 工作人员没有做任何帮助。 💡 False
- 会议最终没有成功。 💡 False
- 迟到的人承诺以后不会迟到。 💡 True
- 松了一口气意思是紧张。 💡 False
Retell the Story
用你自己的话写这个故事。
Include the perspectives of the late person, the waiting friend, and the staff. Use time words and expressions like 迟到, 马上, and 松了一口气.