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Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 10

给朋友写信 Writing to a friend

Gěi péngyou xiě xìn

Lin Xue writes back about the trip. Teaches 是 ... 的 cleft (foregrounding when/where/how for a known past event) and follows with 觉得 X 最 + adj for evaluation.

Dialogue

我是上个月去的 — I went last month

林雪亲qīn爱ài的de朋péng友yǒu, 我wǒ已yǐ经jīng收shōu到dào你nǐ的de信xìn了le. Dear friend — I've already received your letter.
林雪我wǒ是shì上shàng个gè月yuè去qù南nán方fāng的de, 一yí个gè人rén. I went south last month — alone.
林雪是shì坐zuò火huǒ车chē去qù的de, 看kàn了le很hěn多duō风fēng景jǐng. I went by train, saw lots of scenery.
林雪南nán方fāng的de菜cài味wèi道dào好hǎo, 我wǒ现xiàn在zài还hái想xiǎng念niàn老lǎo张zhāng的de招zhāo牌pái菜cài. Southern food tastes wonderful — I still miss Old Zhang's signature dish.
林雪这zhè次cì旅lǚ行xíng印yìn象xiàng很hěn深shēn, 真zhēn难nán忘wàng. This trip left a strong impression — really unforgettable.
林雪想xiǎng念niàn你nǐ. 等děng你nǐ的de回huí信xìn. I miss you. Waiting for your reply.

Dialogue

最想念什么? — What do I miss the most?

林雪你nǐ问wèn我wǒ最zuì想xiǎng念niàn的de是shì什shén么me? You asked what I miss the most?
林雪我wǒ觉jué得de最zuì难nán忘wàng的de是shì南nán方fāng的de人rén. I think what I find most unforgettable is the people in the south.
林雪他tā们men说shuō话huà很hěn慢màn, 又yòu热rè情qíng. They talk slowly, and they are warm.
林雪是shì在zài一yì家jiā小xiǎo店diàn吃chī饭fàn的de, 老lǎo板bǎn是shì个gè好hǎo人rén, 我wǒ吃chī得dé很hěn满mǎn意yì. I ate at a small place — the owner was a good person, and I was very satisfied.
林雪我wǒ寄jì给gěi你nǐ一yì张zhāng照zhào片piàn, 你nǐ看kàn看kàn. I'm sending you a photo — take a look.
林雪下xià次cì一yì起qǐ去qù吧ba! 想xiǎng念niàn你nǐ. Let's go together next time. I miss you.

Vocabulary

信xìn: noun letter (recall Bk2)
写xiě: verb write (recall Bk1)
收shōu到dào: verb receive (recall Bk2)
寄jì: verb send; mail
朋péng友yǒu: noun friend (recall Bk1)
旅lǚ行xíng: noun travel; trip (recall ch01)
印yìn象xiàng: noun impression
难nán忘wàng: adjective unforgettable
最zuì: adverb most (recall Bk1)
上shàng个gè月yuè: noun last month
一yí个gè人rén: noun alone; by oneself
回huí信xìn: noun reply (letter)
想xiǎng念niàn: verb miss; think of
已yǐ经jīng: adverb already (recall Bk1)
风fēng景jǐng: noun scenery
林lín雪xuě: pn. Lin Xue (persona — recall ch01)

New characters

亲
景: (in 风景 = scenery)
风景 fēngjǐng — scenery
念: miss; read aloud (in 想念)
想念 xiǎngniàn — miss; think of
印: (in 印象 = impression)
印象 yìnxiàng — impression
象: image; appearance (in 印象)
印象 yìnxiàng — impression
深: (in 深呼吸 = take a deep breath)
深呼吸 shēn hūxī — take a deep breath
寄jì: send; mail
片

Hanzi — writing & recognition

写

xiě write (recall Bk1) Writing

5 strokes top-bottom

念

niàn miss; read aloud (in 想念) Writing

8 strokes top-bottom

最

zuì most (recall Bk1) Recognition

12 strokes top-bottom

忘

wàng forget (recall Bk1) Recognition

7 strokes top-bottom

象

xiàng image; appearance (in 印象) Recognition

11 strokes top-bottom

Grammar

Using 是 for emphasis (三77)

Explanation

Placing 是 (stressed) before an adjective or verb expresses affirmation/emphasis, like "indeed / really". 这家店是不错 (= it really is good). 这个菜是好吃. 他说得是对. Note: this is NOT the 是…的 cleft — there's no required 的; it simply strengthens the tone, often to confirm or agree.

Examples

这家店是不错. This shop really is good.
这个菜是好吃. This dish really is tasty.
他说得是对. What he says really is right.
这个地方是漂亮. This place really is beautiful.

Grammar

Verb / clause as attributive (三45)

Explanation

Grammar-01 used 是 for emphasis. Here: use 的 to turn an action or situation into an attributive modifying a noun. 我写 → 我写的信 (the letter I wrote). 跳舞的女孩 (the dancing girl). 老师讲的故事 (the story the teacher told). Structure: verb-phrase / clause + 的 + noun — lets a sentence carry richer information.

Examples

这是我写的信. This is the letter I wrote.
我喜欢他做的菜. I like the food he cooks.
老师讲的故事很有意思. The story the teacher told is interesting.
这是我买的票. This is the ticket I bought.

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