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Mandarin Chinese · HSK 3.0 Band 3 · Chapter 34

第一天上班 First day at work

Dì-yī tiān shàngbān

周月's first day at work, 王明 gives advice. Teaches 别 + V (negative imperative) and 千万别 + V (strong urgency form).

Dialogue

别紧张 — Don't be nervous

王明周zhōu月yuè, 明míng天tiān第dì一yī天tiān上shàng班bān, 紧jǐn张zhāng什shén么me, 好hǎo好hǎo做zuò就jiù行xíng. Zhou Yue, it's your first day tomorrow — what's there to be nervous about? Just do your best.
周月我wǒ有yǒu点diǎn紧jǐn张zhāng. 应yīng该gāi怎zěn么me做zuò? I'm a bit nervous. What should I do?
王明别bié迟chí到dào, 早zǎo一yì点diǎn到dào公gōng司sī. Don't be late — get to the office a bit early.
周月见jiàn到dào同tóng事shì我wǒ应yīng该gāi说shuō什shén么me? What do I say when I meet colleagues?
王明别bié忘wàng了le打dǎ招zhāo呼hū. 礼lǐ貌mào一yì点diǎn, 简jiǎn单dān介jiè绍shào自zì己jǐ. Don't forget to say hi. Be polite — short self-intro.
周月我wǒ记jì住zhù了le. 谢xiè谢xiè你nǐ. Got it. Thanks.

Dialogue

千万别忘了名字 — Whatever you do, don't forget the names

王明千qiān万wàn别bié忘wàng了le老lǎo板bǎn和hé同tóng事shì的de名míng字zì. Whatever you do, don't forget the boss and colleagues' names.
周月我wǒ记jì不bú住zhù怎zěn么me办bàn? What if I can't remember?
王明千qiān万wàn别bié不bù好hǎo意yì思si问wèn. 第dì一yī天tiān大dà家jiā都dōu会huì帮bāng你nǐ. Whatever you do, don't be shy to ask. Everyone helps on day one.
周月千qiān万wàn别bié说shuō错cuò话huà吧ba? Whatever I do, don't say the wrong thing, right?
王明别bié太tài担dān心xīn. 慢màn慢màn说shuō, 想xiǎng清qīng楚chǔ再zài说shuō. Don't worry too much. Speak slowly, think before talking.
周月面miàn试shì通tōng过guò了le, 我wǒ希xī望wàng做zuò好hǎo, 一yí定dìng会huì努nǔ力lì. 加jiā油yóu! I passed the interview — I hope to do well, and I'll work hard. Let's go!

Vocabulary

上shàng班bān: noun go to work (recall Bk2)
同tóng事shì: noun colleague (recall ch31)
别bié: adverb don't (negative imperative)
千qiān万wàn: adverb by all means; whatever you do
担dān心xīn: verb worry; be anxious
迟chí到dào: verb be late
打dǎ招zhāo呼hū: verb greet; say hello
记jì住zhù: verb memorise; remember firmly
名míng字zì: noun name (recall Bk1)
老lǎo板bǎn: noun boss
礼lǐ貌mào: adjective polite
简jiǎn单dān: adjective simple (recall Bk1)
加jiā油yóu: verb cheer; come on
时shí间jiān: noun time (recall Bk1)
一yí定dìng: adverb definitely (recall Bk2)
周zhōu月yuè: pn. Zhou Yue (persona — recall ch31)
王wáng明míng: pn. Wang Ming (persona — recall ch01)

New characters

貌: (in 礼貌 = polite)
礼貌 lǐmào — polite
担: carry; bear (in 担心)
担心 dānxīn — worry

Hanzi — writing & recognition

别

bié don't; other (recall Bk1) Writing

7 strokes left-right

千

qiān thousand (recall Bk1) Writing

3 strokes single

板

bǎn board; boss (in 老板) Recognition

8 strokes left-right

礼

lǐ courtesy (in 礼貌) Recognition

5 strokes left-right

Grammar

X 什么 (啊) — rhetorical "no need to X" (三81)

Explanation

"verb/adjective + 什么 (啊)" is rhetorical, meaning "no need to X / nothing to X about". 紧张什么, 好好做就行 (no need to be nervous). 客气什么, 我们是同事 (no need to be polite). Casual, used to reassure or dissuade. On a first day, a colleague might say: 紧张什么!

Examples

紧张什么, 好好做就行. What's there to be nervous about — just do your best.
怕什么, 努力就好. What's there to fear — just try hard.
急什么, 慢慢来. What's the rush — take it slow.
客气什么, 我们是同事. No need to be polite — we're colleagues.

Grammar

千万别 + V — emphatic "whatever you do, don't"

Explanation

Grammar-01: 别 + V = casual "don't". `千万别 + V` adds 千万 (= "absolutely / at all costs") for emphasis — "whatever you do, don't V". Implies bad consequences if ignored. Typical in earnest reminders / warnings. 千万 also pairs with 不要 / 不能. Imperatives only — never declarative.

Examples

千万别忘了老板的名字. Whatever you do, don't forget the boss's name.
千万别迟到. Whatever you do, don't be late.
千万不要说错话. By all means, don't say the wrong thing.
考试时千万别紧张. Whatever you do, don't be nervous during the exam.

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