Chinese · Upper intermediate (B2) · Chapter 12 of 12
Final review
老朋友又见面了Lǎo péngyou yòu jiànmiàn le
Review B2 Chinese in one long conversation: catching up with an old friend, telling a long story, and switching to formal language for a work call.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Catch up with an old friend and tell a long story in brief
- Switch between casual and formal Chinese mid-conversation
- Sum up with 说到底, 不管怎么说 and 总之
- Use the B2 connectors, nuance words and idioms together
Listen
In a Shanghai café, university friends Chen Jing and Zhou Yang meet after twelve years; in the middle, he takes a work call. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Chen Jing
周洋！真是你啊！十二年没见了，你一点儿变化都没有。
Zhōu Yáng! Zhēn shì nǐ a! Shí'èr nián méi jiàn le, nǐ yìdiǎnr biànhuà dōu méiyǒu.
Zhou Yang! It really is you! Twelve years, and you haven't changed a bit.
Zhou Yang
哪里哪里，头发都少了一半了。你倒是老样子，还是那么爱笑。这些年怎么样？
Nǎli nǎli, tóufa dōu shǎole yíbàn le. Nǐ dàoshì lǎo yàngzi, háishi nàme ài xiào. Zhèxiē nián zěnmeyàng?
Oh, come on, I've lost half my hair. You, on the other hand, are just the same, always smiling. How have these years been?
Chen Jing
唉，一言难尽。毕业以后我在报社当了八年记者，后来辞职了，跟两个朋友一起创业，做了一个教老人用手机的平台。
Āi, yì yán nán jìn. Bìyè yǐhòu wǒ zài bàoshè dāngle bā nián jìzhě, hòulái cízhí le, gēn liǎng ge péngyou yìqǐ chuàngyè, zuòle yí ge jiāo lǎorén yòng shǒujī de píngtái.
Oh, where do I start? After graduating I was a journalist at a newspaper for eight years. Then I quit and started a business with two friends: a platform that teaches older people to use their smartphones.
Zhou Yang
真的假的？当年你可是说过，你要当一辈子记者。怎么放弃了？
Zhēn de jiǎ de? Dāngnián nǐ kě shì shuōguo, nǐ yào dāng yíbèizi jìzhě. Zěnme fàngqì le?
Seriously? Back then you said you'd be a journalist all your life. Why did you give it up?
Chen Jing
说来话长。简单地说，不是我不喜欢当记者了，而是我采访了很多老人，发现他们连在网上挂号都要找人帮忙，于是就想做点儿什么。尽管创业很辛苦，我还是不后悔。
Shuō lái huà cháng. Jiǎndān de shuō, bú shì wǒ bù xǐhuan dāng jìzhě le, ér shì wǒ cǎifǎngle hěn duō lǎorén, fāxiàn tāmen lián zài wǎngshang guàhào dōu yào zhǎo rén bāngmáng, yúshì jiù xiǎng zuò diǎnr shénme. Jǐnguǎn chuàngyè hěn xīnkǔ, wǒ háishi bú hòuhuǐ.
It's a long story. In short, it's not that I stopped liking journalism. I interviewed lots of older people and found that they needed help even to book a hospital appointment online, so I wanted to do something about it. Even though running a start-up is hard, I don't regret it.
Zhou Yang
厉害！要是当初我也有你这个勇气就好了。我还在那家公司，一干就是十二年。不过毕竟工作稳定……哎，不好意思，我接个电话。
Lìhai! Yàoshi dāngchū wǒ yě yǒu nǐ zhège yǒngqì jiù hǎo le. Wǒ hái zài nà jiā gōngsī, yí gàn jiù shì shí'èr nián. Búguò bìjìng gōngzuò wěndìng … Āi, bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ jiē ge diànhuà.
Impressive! If only I'd had your courage back then. I'm still at the same company, twelve years now. But then again, the job is secure … Oh, sorry, I need to take this call.
Zhou Yang
喂，王总，您好。……是的，合同我已经看过了，这次合作我们非常重视。……明白，麻烦您把修改后的版本发到我邮箱，我今天下午就给您答复。……好的，不耽误您时间了，再见。
Wéi, Wáng zǒng, nín hǎo. … Shì de, hétong wǒ yǐjīng kànguo le, zhè cì hézuò wǒmen fēicháng zhòngshì. … Míngbai, máfan nín bǎ xiūgǎi hòu de bǎnběn fā dào wǒ yóuxiāng, wǒ jīntiān xiàwǔ jiù gěi nín dáfù. … Hǎo de, bù dānwu nín shíjiān le, zàijiàn.
Hello, Mr Wang. … Yes, I've read the contract; we take this partnership very seriously. … Understood. Could I trouble you to send the revised version to my email? I'll get back to you this afternoon. … Very good, I won't take up any more of your time. Goodbye.
Chen Jing
哈哈，跟我说话还挺随便的，一接电话就“您”啊“麻烦您”的，变得真快。
Hāhā, gēn wǒ shuōhuà hái tǐng suíbiàn de, yì jiē diànhuà jiù “nín” a “máfan nín” de, biàn de zhēn kuài.
Ha ha! You're so relaxed with me, and the moment you pick up the phone it's all “nín” and “could I trouble you”. What a quick change!
Zhou Yang
没办法，客户嘛。说到底，工作就是工作。不管怎么说，今天见到你真高兴。对了，我们公司正好在做一个给老人用的健康软件，说不定我们可以合作。
Méi bànfǎ, kèhù ma. Shuōdàodǐ, gōngzuò jiù shì gōngzuò. Bùguǎn zěnme shuō, jīntiān jiàndào nǐ zhēn gāoxìng. Duìle, wǒmen gōngsī zhènghǎo zài zuò yí ge gěi lǎorén yòng de jiànkāng ruǎnjiàn, shuōbudìng wǒmen kěyǐ hézuò.
It can't be helped, he's a client. At the end of the day, work is work. Anyway, it's so good to see you today. By the way, my company happens to be making a health app for older people. Maybe we could work together.
Chen Jing
好啊！即使合作不成，我们也可以多聊聊天嘛。你把资料发给我，回头我们再详细谈。
Hǎo a! Jíshǐ hézuò bù chéng, wǒmen yě kěyǐ duō liáoliao tiān ma. Nǐ bǎ zīliào fā gěi wǒ, huítóu wǒmen zài xiángxì tán.
Great! Even if nothing comes of it, we can still get together and chat more. Send me the details and we'll discuss it properly later.
Zhou Yang
就这么说定了。这次可别再十二年不联系了。
Jiù zhème shuōdìng le. Zhè cì kě bié zài shí'èr nián bù liánxì le.
It's a deal. And this time, let's not go another twelve years without being in touch.
Chen Jing
不会的。人到了这个年纪才明白，老朋友真的要珍惜。早知道你也在上海，我早就来找你了！
Bú huì de. Rén dàole zhège niánjì cái míngbai, lǎo péngyou zhēn de yào zhēnxī. Zǎo zhīdào nǐ yě zài Shànghǎi, wǒ zǎo jiù lái zhǎo nǐ le!
We won't. Only at our age do you realise how much old friends are worth. If I'd known you were in Shanghai too, I'd have come to find you long ago!
Understand
Switching register
Zhou Yang talks to his old friend in relaxed everyday Chinese, then answers a client's call in polite business Chinese, and back again. At B2 you can do the same: the words change, and so does the tone of voice.
On the formal side: (nín), a title such as (Wáng zǒng), requests with (máfan nín …), promises with (gěi nín dáfù), and a polite goodbye, (bù dānwu nín shíjiān le), I won't take up any more of your time. On the casual side: (nǐ), (huítóu zài liáo), talk later, and short answers.
| With a friend | With a client |
|---|---|
| (nǐ hǎo!) / (āi!) | (Wéi, Wáng zǒng, nín hǎo.) |
| (Nǐ fā gěi wǒ ba.) | (Máfan nín fā dào wǒ yóuxiāng.) |
| (Huítóu zài liáo.) | (Wǒ jīntiān xiàwǔ jiù gěi nín dáfù.) |
| (Nà wǒ xiān zǒu le a.) | (Bù dānwu nín shíjiān le.) |
| (Báibái!) | (Zàijiàn.) |
Telling a long story in short
When someone asks what you've been doing for twelve years, two set phrases buy you time. (yì yán nán jìn), “hard to say in one word”, means it's complicated; (shuō lái huà cháng), “to tell it, the words are long”, means it's a long story. Then shorten it with (jiǎndān de shuō), in short.
To sum up an argument or a feeling, use (shuōdàodǐ), at the end of the day; (bùguǎn zěnme shuō), anyway, whatever the case; or (zǒngzhī), in short.
| Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (Yì yán nán jìn.) | It's hard to explain. Where do I start? |
| (Shuō lái huà cháng.) | It's a long story. |
| (jiǎndān de shuō …) | in short, to put it simply … |
| (shuōdàodǐ …) | at the end of the day … |
| (bùguǎn zěnme shuō …) | anyway, whatever the case … |
| (Jiù zhème shuōdìng le.) | It's a deal. |
Your B2 toolbox
The whole conversation uses patterns from this level. Look for them in the dialogue and try making your own sentences with each.
| Pattern | From the dialogue | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| (jǐnguǎn … háishi …) | (Jǐnguǎn chuàngyè hěn xīnkǔ, wǒ háishi bú hòuhuǐ.) | 1 |
| (jíshǐ … yě …) | (Jíshǐ hézuò bù chéng, wǒmen yě kěyǐ duō liáoliao tiān ma.) | 1 |
| (bìjìng) | (Búguò bìjìng gōngzuò wěndìng.) | 2 |
| (yúshì) | (Yúshì jiù xiǎng zuò diǎnr shénme.) | 3 |
| reported speech | (Nǐ shuōguo, nǐ yào dāng yíbèizi jìzhě.) | 6 |
| (bú shì … ér shì …) | (bú shì wǒ bù xǐhuan dāng jìzhě le, ér shì …) | 7 |
| (yàoshi dāngchū … jiù hǎo le) | (Yàoshi dāngchū wǒ yě yǒu nǐ zhège yǒngqì jiù hǎo le.) | 5, 7 |
| (zǎo zhīdào … jiù … le) | (Zǎo zhīdào nǐ yě zài Shànghǎi, wǒ zǎo jiù lái zhǎo nǐ le.) | 7 |
| (lián … dōu …) | (Tāmen lián zài wǎngshang guàhào dōu yào zhǎo rén bāngmáng.) | B1, 11 |
More in the grammar: Pronouns and 你 vs 您 · 成语 and set phrases
New words
- 变化biànhuàchange; to change · (yìdiǎnr biànhuà dōu méiyǒu), not changed at all
- 老样子lǎo yàngzithe same as ever · (nǐ háishi lǎo yàngzi), you haven't changed
- 一言难尽yì yán nán jìnit's hard to explain in a few words · (yì yán), one word; (nán jìn), hard to finish
- 记者jìzhějournalist, reporter · (cǎifǎng), to interview (as a journalist)
- 创业chuàngyèto start a business · it takes (yǒngqì), courage
- 当年dāngniánback then, in those years
- 说来话长shuō lái huà chángit's a long story
- 毕竟bìjìngafter all · from chapter 2
- 合作hézuòto cooperate, to work together; partnership
- 耽误dānwuto hold up, to take up (someone's time) · (bù dānwu nín shíjiān le), I won't take up more of your time
- 不管怎么说bùguǎn zěnme shuōanyway, whatever the case
- 回头huítóulater, some time soon (spoken) · (huítóu zài liáo), talk later
- 联系liánxìto be in touch, to contact · (fā dào wǒ yóuxiāng), send it to my email
- 珍惜zhēnxīto treasure, to value
Practise
1.An old friend asks what you've been doing for the past ten years. It's complicated. What do you say first?
2.You're on the phone to an important client and want them to email you the contract. What do you say?
3.Chen Jing explains why she changed jobs. Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.Even though running a start-up is hard, I don't regret it.
4.Match the Chinese with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
5.Zhou Yang says (yàoshi dāngchū wǒ yě yǒu nǐ zhège yǒngqì jiù hǎo le). What does he mean?
0 of 5 exercises done.
Say it out loud
说来话长，简单地说，我换工作了。
Shuō lái huà cháng, jiǎndān de shuō, wǒ huàn gōngzuò le.
It's a long story. In short, I've changed jobs.
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.