梨花 Pear Blossoms

Pear Blossoms

，．顔They were still playing in the garden, paying no heed to the fine drizzle threading its way into their silk robes. The color of the pear blossoms by the pond

她們: tā men — they; them (females) (HSK 1)
還: Huán — surname Huan (HSK 1)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
園: Yuán — surname Yuan (HSK 6)
裏: lǐ — variant of 裡 (lǐ) (HSK 1)
玩: wán — 1. to play 2. to have fun 3. to trifle with 4. toy 5. sth used for amusement 6. curio or antique (Taiwan pr. (wàn)) 7. to keep sth for entertainment
也: Yě — surname Ye (HSK 1)
不理: bù lǐ — 1. to refuse to acknowledge 2. to pay no attention to 3. to take no notice of 4. to ignore (HSK 7-9)
會: huì — 1. can; to have the skill; to know how to 2. to be likely to; to be sure to 3. to meet; to get together 4. meeting; gathering 5. (suffix) union; group; association 6. (bound form) a moment (Taiwan pr. (huǐ)) (HSK 1)
細雨: xì yǔ — 1. fine rain 2. drizzle 3. poem by Tang poet Li Shangyin 李商隱
絲: sī — 1. silk 2. thread-like thing; (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips 3. classifier: a trace (of smoke etc), a tiny bit etc (HSK 7-9)
絲: sī — 1. silk 2. thread-like thing; (cuisine) shreds or julienne strips 3. classifier: a trace (of smoke etc), a tiny bit etc (HSK 7-9)
穿: chuān — 1. to bore through; to pierce; to perforate 2. to go through (e.g. a tunnel); to cross (e.g. a street) 3. to thread; to string together 4. to wear; to put on (clothes, shoes etc.) 5. verb complement indicating thoroughness or completion (HSK 1)
入: rù — 1. to enter; to go into 2. to join; to become a member of 3. (bound form) to conform to (as in 入時 (rù shí)) 4. abbr. for 入聲 (rù shēng) 5. (on product packaging, after {number n} + {classifier}) containing (n pieces) (from Japanese 入 "iri") (HSK 6)
她們: tā men — they; them (females) (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
羅: Luó — surname Luo (HSK 7-9)
衣: yī — 1. clothes 2. classifier: 件 (jiàn) 3. Kangxi radical 145
池: Chí — surname Chi
邊: biān — 1. side 2. edge 3. margin 4. border 5. boundary 6. classifier: 個 (gè) 7. simultaneously (HSK 2)
梨: lí — 1. pear 2. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 5)
花: Huā — surname Hua (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
色: sè — 1. color 2. classifier: 種 (zhǒng) 3. look 4. appearance 5. sex (HSK 4)
被: bèi — 1. quilt 2. to cover (with) 3. (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) 4. used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) 5. (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊[bei4 lu : 3 you2] to "go on a trip") (HSK 3)
雨: yǔ — 1. rain 2. classifier: 陣 (zhèn), 場 (cháng) (HSK 1)

．．had been washed even whiter and cleaner by the rain. But every blossom hung down languidly.

：『，．』The elder sister said, "Look, the flowers are so weary they want to sleep."

『．』"Let me shake them awake."

，．，Before the elder sister could say another word, the younger sister's hand had already seized a branch and shaken it several times. Petals and drops of water came falling down thick and fast,

，．spreading a carpet of silver petals over the ground — great fun indeed.

：『，，！』The younger sister said, "What fun — the moment the petals leave the branch, they come alive!"

『？"Come alive, how?，．』，，Look, the flowers' tears have all dripped onto me." As the elder sister said this, she was somewhat angry,

．：『；and gave her younger sister a push. Then she went on, "I won't play with you anymore;．』you can stay here by yourself."

，．，，，，，『，；Seeing her sister walk off, the younger sister stood beneath the tree, lost in thought. After a good while, the old nurse came, took her by the hand, and as they walked said, "Look, your clothes are all soaked through;，，on rainy days, you have to change your clothes several times a day — where is one supposed to find the sun to

妹妹: mèi mei — 1. younger sister 2. young woman 3. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 1)
見: jiàn — 1. to see 2. to meet 3. to appear (to be sth) 4. to interview 5. opinion 6. view (HSK 1)
姊姊: zǐ zǐ — 1. older sister 2. Taiwan pr. (jiě jie)
走: zǒu — 1. to walk 2. to go 3. to run 4. to move (of vehicle) 5. to visit 6. to leave 7. to go away 8. to die (euph.) 9. from 10. through 11. away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走 (chè zǒu)) 12. to change (shape, form, meaning) (HSK 1)
了: le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)
直: Zhí — 1. surname Zhi 2. Zhi (c. 2000 BC), fifth of the legendary Flame Emperors 炎帝 (Yán dì) descended from Shennong 神農 (Shén nóng) Farmer God (HSK 3)
站: zhàn — 1. station 2. to stand 3. to halt 4. to stop 5. branch of a company or organization 6. website (HSK 1)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
樹: shù — 1. tree 2. classifier: 棵 (kē) 3. to cultivate 4. to set up (HSK 1)
下: xià — 1. down 2. downwards 3. below 4. lower 5. later 6. next (week etc) 7. second (of two parts) 8. to decline 9. to go down 10. to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) 11. measure word to show the frequency of an action (HSK 1)
出神: chū shén — 1. spellbound 2. entranced 3. lost in thought
停: tíng — 1. to stop 2. to halt 3. to park (a car) (HSK 2)
了: le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)
半晌: bàn shǎng — 1. half of the day 2. a long time 3. quite a while
老媽子: lǎo mā zi — older female servant; amah
走: zǒu — 1. to walk 2. to go 3. to run 4. to move (of vehicle) 5. to visit 6. to leave 7. to go away 8. to die (euph.) 9. from 10. through 11. away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走 (chè zǒu)) 12. to change (shape, form, meaning) (HSK 1)
來: lái — 1. to come 2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb) 3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 (huí lai)) 4. ever since (as in 自古以來 (zì gǔ yǐ lái)) 5. for the past (amount of time) 6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 (lái shì)) 7. (between two verbs) in order to 8. (after a round number) approximately 9. (used after 得 (dé) to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 (tán de lái), or after 不 (bù) to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 (chī bu lái)) (HSK 1)
牽: qiān — 1. to lead along 2. to pull (an animal on a tether) 3. (bound form) to involve 4. to draw in (HSK 6)
着: zhāo — variant of 著 (zhāo) (HSK 1)
她: tā — she (HSK 1)
一面: yī miàn — 1. one side 2. one aspect 3. simultaneously... (and...) 4. one's whole face (HSK 7-9)
走: zǒu — 1. to walk 2. to go 3. to run 4. to move (of vehicle) 5. to visit 6. to leave 7. to go away 8. to die (euph.) 9. from 10. through 11. away (in compound verbs, such as 撤走 (chè zǒu)) 12. to change (shape, form, meaning) (HSK 1)
着: zhāo — variant of 著 (zhāo) (HSK 1)
說: shuì — to persuade (HSK 1)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)
看: kān — 1. to look after 2. to take care of 3. to watch 4. to guard (HSK 1)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
衣服: yī fu — 1. clothes 2. classifier: 件 (jiàn), 套 (tào) (HSK 1)
都: Dū — surname Du (HSK 1)
溼: shī — variant of 濕 (shī) (HSK 4)
透: tòu — 1. (bound form) to penetrate; to seep through 2. to tell secretly; to leak 3. thoroughly; through and through 4. to appear; to show (HSK 4)
了: le — 1. (completed action marker) 2. (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now) 3. (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) (HSK 1)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
陰雨: yīn yǔ — overcast and rainy
天: tiān — 1. day 2. sky 3. heaven (HSK 1)
每日: měi rì — 1. daily 2. (soup etc) of the day
要: yāo — (bound form) to demand; to coerce (HSK 1)
換: huàn — 1. to exchange 2. to change (clothes etc) 3. to substitute 4. to switch 5. to convert (currency) (HSK 2)
幾次: jǐ cì — several times
衣服: yī fu — 1. clothes 2. classifier: 件 (jiàn), 套 (tào) (HSK 1)
教: Jiào — surname Jiao (HSK 1)
人: rén — 1. person; people 2. classifier: 個 (gè), 位 (wèi), 名 (míng) (HSK 1)
到: dào — 1. to reach; to arrive 2. to leave for; to go to 3. to (a place); until (a time); up to (a point) 4. (verb complement indicating arriving at a place or reaching a point) 5. considerate; thoughtful; thorough (HSK 1)
那里: nà li — there; that place (HSK 1)
找: zhǎo — 1. to try to find 2. to look for 3. to call on sb 4. to find 5. to seek 6. to return 7. to give change (HSK 1)
太陽: tài yang — 1. sun 2. sunlight; sunshine 3. temple (on the side of the human head) (abbr. for 太陽穴 (tài yáng xué)) (HSK 2)
給: gěi — 1. to 2. for 3. for the benefit of 4. to give 5. to allow 6. to do sth (for sb) 7. (grammatical equivalent of 被) 8. (grammatical equivalent of 把) 9. (sentence intensifier) (HSK 1)
你: nǐ — you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 (nín)) (HSK 1)

？』dry them out for you?"

，；Of the petals that had fallen, some were pressed into the mud by their shoes;，；some clung to the younger sister's body and were carried away by her;some

落下: luò xià — 1. to fall 2. to drop 3. to land (of projectile) (HSK 7-9)
來: lái — 1. to come 2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb) 3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 (huí lai)) 4. ever since (as in 自古以來 (zì gǔ yǐ lái)) 5. for the past (amount of time) 6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 (lái shì)) 7. (between two verbs) in order to 8. (after a round number) approximately 9. (used after 得 (dé) to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 (tán de lái), or after 不 (bù) to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 (chī bu lái)) (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
花瓣: huā bàn — 1. petal 2. classifier: 片 (piàn) (HSK 7-9)
有些: yǒu xiē — 1. some 2. somewhat; rather; a bit
被: bèi — 1. quilt 2. to cover (with) 3. (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) 4. used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) 5. (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊[bei4 lu : 3 you2] to "go on a trip") (HSK 3)
她們: tā men — they; them (females) (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
鞋: xié — 1. shoe 2. classifier: 雙 (shuāng), 隻 (zhī) (HSK 2)
印: Yìn — 1. surname Yin 2. abbr. for 印度 (Yìn dù), India (HSK 6)
入: rù — 1. to enter; to go into 2. to join; to become a member of 3. (bound form) to conform to (as in 入時 (rù shí)) 4. abbr. for 入聲 (rù shēng) 5. (on product packaging, after {number n} + {classifier}) containing (n pieces) (from Japanese 入 "iri") (HSK 6)
泥: ní — 1. mud 2. clay 3. paste 4. pulp (HSK 6)
中: Zhōng — 1. (bound form) China; Chinese 2. surname Zhong (HSK 1)
有些: yǒu xiē — 1. some 2. somewhat; rather; a bit
黏: nián — 1. sticky; glutinous 2. (Tw) to adhere; to stick on; to glue (HSK 7-9)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
妹妹: mèi mei — 1. younger sister 2. young woman 3. classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 1)
身上: shēn shang — 1. on the body 2. at hand 3. among (HSK 1)
被: bèi — 1. quilt 2. to cover (with) 3. (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) 4. used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) 5. (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊[bei4 lu : 3 you2] to "go on a trip") (HSK 3)
她: tā — she (HSK 1)
帶走: dài zǒu — to carry; to take away
有些: yǒu xiē — 1. some 2. somewhat; rather; a bit

，．settled clean upon the surface of the pond, and were taken into the water in the mouths of fish. And those affectionate swallows kept on gathering up, together with the soft mud, the broken petals stamped into the footprints,

淨: jìng — 1. clean 2. completely 3. only 4. net (income, exports etc) 5. (Chinese opera) painted face male role (HSK 6)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)
池: Chí — surname Chi
面: miàn — 1. face 2. side 3. surface 4. aspect 5. top 6. classifier for objects with flat surfaces such as drums, mirrors, flags etc
被: bèi — 1. quilt 2. to cover (with) 3. (literary) to suffer (a misfortune) 4. used to indicate passive voice (placed before the doer of the action like "by" in English passive-voice sentences, or, if the doer is not mentioned, before the verb) 5. (since c. 2009) (sarcastic or jocular) used to indicate that the following word should be regarded as being in air quotes (as in 被旅遊[bei4 lu : 3 you2] to "go on a trip") (HSK 3)
魚: Yú — surname Yu (HSK 2)
兒: ér — 1. child 2. son
啣: xián — variant of 銜 (xián)
入: rù — 1. to enter; to go into 2. to join; to become a member of 3. (bound form) to conform to (as in 入時 (rù shí)) 4. abbr. for 入聲 (rù shēng) 5. (on product packaging, after {number n} + {classifier}) containing (n pieces) (from Japanese 入 "iri") (HSK 6)
水: Shuǐ — 1. surname Shui 2. Shui ethnic group (HSK 1)
裏: lǐ — variant of 裡 (lǐ) (HSK 1)
那: Nā — surname Na (HSK 1)
多情: duō qíng — 1. affectionate 2. passionate 3. emotional 4. sentimental
的: de — 1. of; ~'s (possessive particle) 2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun) 3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) 4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 (pí gé de) "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的 (pǎo táng r de) "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 (xīn de) "new one") 5. also pr. (dì) or (di) in poetry and songs (HSK 1)
燕子: yàn zi — swallow (HSK 7-9)
不: bù — 1. no; not so 2. (bound form) not; un- (HSK 1)
歇: xiē — 1. to rest 2. to take a break 3. to stop 4. to halt 5. (dialect) to sleep 6. a moment 7. a short while (HSK 5)
把: bǎ — 1. to hold; to grasp 2. to hold a baby in position to help it urinate or defecate 3. handlebar 4. classifier: handful, bundle, bunch 5. classifier for things with handles 6. (used to put the object before the verb: 把 (bǎ) + {noun} + {verb}) (HSK 3)
鞋: xié — 1. shoe 2. classifier: 雙 (shuāng), 隻 (zhī) (HSK 2)
印: Yìn — 1. surname Yin 2. abbr. for 印度 (Yìn dù), India (HSK 6)
上: shǎng — used in 上聲 (shǎng shēng) (HSK 1)
底: de — (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) (HSK 4)
殘: cán — 1. to destroy 2. to spoil 3. to ruin 4. to injure 5. cruel 6. oppressive 7. savage 8. brutal 9. incomplete 10. disabled 11. to remain 12. to survive 13. remnant 14. surplus (HSK 7-9)
瓣: bàn — 1. petal 2. segment 3. clove (of garlic) 4. piece 5. section 6. fragment 7. valve 8. lamella 9. classifier for pieces, segments etc
和: Hé — surname He (HSK 1)
軟泥: ruǎn ní — 1. soft mud 2. silt 3. sludge 4. ooze (geology)
一同: yī tóng — together (HSK 6)
啣: xián — variant of 銜 (xián)
在: zài — 1. to exist; to be alive 2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at 3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress) (HSK 1)

，，，carrying them in their beaks up to the beams, to build their fragrant nests,

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What it’s about

Two sisters keep playing in fine rain beside a pond, ignoring their damp silk clothes. Seeing pear blossoms bowed by water, the elder says they are tired and want sleep. The younger decides to wake them by shaking the branch, sending drops and petals down like silver across the ground. She calls the fallen flowers newly active; her sister angrily says the flowers' tears have landed on her and pushes her before leaving.

The younger child stands stunned until an old servant leads her away, complaining about wet clothing and the lack of sun to dry repeated changes. The dispersed petals then acquire several futures: shoes press some into mud, some cling to the girl's clothes, fish pull others under the pond and swallows carry mud and fragments upward to build fragrant nests. What looks like childish destruction is neither reversed nor reduced to waste. Separation from the branch becomes movement through bodies and habitats, while the sisters' rival interpretations—freedom or injury—remain simultaneously visible.

When it was written 背景

Pear blossom is conventionally associated with white purity, spring transience and, through sound and literary usage, separation. Rain on blossom often supplies tears in classical poetry; Xu places that inherited personification in the elder sister's mouth and lets the younger answer with the modern-sounding value of activity. The closing swallow image recalls the seasonal household world of traditional verse but emphasizes recycling: damaged petals enter the material of a nest. The servant's practical concern about laundry adds domestic labor to the aesthetic scene, preventing the children's silk-clad play from appearing costless. Learners can follow the repeated 花瓣 through each verb—落, 印, 黏, 啣. The miniature's meaning lies in these transformations rather than in a stated moral.

Words in this chapter 生词

妺mò妺mò — wife of the last ruler of the Xia dynasty
妹妹mèi meiHSK 1妹妹mèi mei — younger sister · young woman · classifier: 個 (gè) (HSK 1)
姊姊zǐ zǐ姊姊zǐ zǐ — older sister · Taiwan pr. (jiě jie)
啣xián啣xián — variant of 銜 (xián)
嬾lǎnHSK 6嬾lǎn — variant of 懶 (lǎn) (HSK 6)
花瓣huā bànHSK 7-9花瓣huā bàn — petal · classifier: 片 (piàn) (HSK 7-9)
好玩hǎo wán好玩hǎo wán — amusing · fun · interesting
搖醒yáo xǐng搖醒yáo xǐng — to shake (sb) awake
陰雨yīn yǔ陰雨yīn yǔ — overcast and rainy
顔
構成gòu chéngHSK 4構成gòu chéng — to constitute · to form · to compose · to make up · to configure (computing) (HSK 4)
水珠shuǐ zhū水珠shuǐ zhū — droplet · dewdrop