Dragon Boat Festival is just around the corner. Check out the conversation below to familiarize yourself with some common holiday expressions!

[Photo/China Daily]

Dialogue

A: nǐ zhī dào jīn tiān xià wǔ yǒu lóng zhōu bǐ sài ma?

A: Have you heard about the Dragon Boat Races that will be held this afternoon?

A: 你知道今天下午有龙舟比赛吗？

B: zhī dào ā, shì wèi le qìng zhù shén me jié rì，duì ba?

B: Yes, it is part of a holiday, right?

B: 知道啊，是为了庆祝什么节日，对吧？

A: shì de, shì duān wǔ jié, bú guò yīng wén zhōng tōng cháng jiào zuò lóng zhōu jié. tā shì zhōng guó sān dà chuán tǒng jié rì zhī yī.

A: Yup, Duanwu Festival, but it's also called Dragon Boat Festival. It's among the three major traditional holidays celebrated in China.

A: 是的，是端午节，不过英文中通常叫做龙舟节。它是中国三大传统节日之一。

B: tīng qǐ lái bú cuò! wǒ xiǎng wǒ huì qù cān jiā lóng zhōu bǐ sài.

B: Sounds great! I think I'll participate in the dragon boat competitions.

B: 听起来不错！我想我会去参加龙舟比赛。

A: děng nǐ huá chuán lèi dào dù zi è de shí hou, jiù kě yǐ chī zòng zi. duān wǔ jié de shí hou dà jiā dōu huì chī zòng zi.

A: After you've worked up an appetite, you can eat zongzi. Everyone eats them during Dragon Boat Festival.

A: 等你划船累到肚子饿的时候，就可以吃粽子。端午节的时候大家都会吃粽子。

B: chī zhēn shì zhōng guó wén huà zhōng hěn zhòng yào de yí bù fen, duì ba?

B: Eating is a really important part of Chinese culture, huh?

B: 吃真是中国文化中很重要的一部分，对吧？

A: méi cuò, huò xǔ shì zuì zhòng yào de zhī yī. bú guò bié dān xīn, zòng zi lǐ miàn méi shén me tèbié de dōng xī, zhǐ shì nuò mǐ fàn bāo zhe yì xiē xiàn liào bǐ rú ròu, dòu shā, hóng zǎo děng. hěn hǎo chī!

A: Yes, perhaps one of the most important aspects. Don’t worry though; there are no surprises in zongzi. It is just sticky rice filled with meat, red bean paste, or red date. It is quite yummy!

A: 没错，或许是最重要的之一。不过别担心，粽子里面没什么特别的东西，只是糯米饭包着一些馅料比如肉、豆沙、红枣等。很好吃！

Source: Hujiang English; China Daily