1
很久以前，天上有十个太阳。
Hěn jiǔ yǐqián, tiān shàng yǒu shí ge tàiyáng.
A long time ago, there were ten suns in the sky.
Sentence vocabulary
天 · tiān
sky; day
上 · shàng
on; above; previous
有 · yǒu
to have; there is
十 · shí
ten
Chinese myth story
Hou Yi Shoots the Suns
后羿射日
Practice a famous Chinese myth about Hou Yi, the ten suns, hot weather, and helping people.
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2
十个太阳都出来了。
Shí ge tàiyáng dōu chūlái le.
All ten suns came out.
Sentence vocabulary
十 · shí
ten
都 · dōu
all; both
来 · lái
to come
3
天气很热，水很少。
Tiānqì hěn rè, shuǐ hěn shǎo.
The weather was very hot, and there was very little water.
Sentence vocabulary
天气 · tiānqì
weather
很 · hěn
very
热 · rè
hot
水 · shuǐ
water
少 · shǎo
few; little
4
人们没有饭吃。
Rénmen méiyǒu fàn chī.
People did not have food to eat.
Sentence vocabulary
人 · rén
person; people
没有 · méiyǒu
do not have; there is not
饭 · fàn
meal; cooked rice
吃 · chī
to eat
5
后羿是一个好人。
Hòuyì shì yí ge hǎo rén.
Hou Yi was a good person.
Sentence vocabulary
是 · shì
to be
一 · yī
one
好 · hǎo
good; well
人 · rén
person; people
6
他看见人们很难过。
Tā kànjiàn rénmen hěn nánguò.
He saw that people were very sad.
Sentence vocabulary
他 · tā
he; him
看 · kàn
to look; to watch; to read
人 · rén
person; people
很 · hěn
very
7
他拿弓，对着太阳射。
Tā ná gōng, duìzhe tàiyáng shè.
He took a bow and shot toward the suns.
Sentence vocabulary
他 · tā
he; him
那 · nà
that
8
九个太阳不见了。
Jiǔ ge tàiyáng bú jiàn le.
Nine suns disappeared.
Sentence vocabulary
九 · jiǔ
nine
不 · bù
not; no
9
一个太阳还在天上。
Yí ge tàiyáng hái zài tiān shàng.
One sun was still in the sky.
Sentence vocabulary
一 · yī
one
在 · zài
to be at; in; on
天 · tiān
sky; day
上 · shàng
on; above; previous
10
天气好了，人们很高兴。
Tiānqì hǎo le, rénmen hěn gāoxìng.
The weather became better, and people were very happy.
Sentence vocabulary
天气 · tiānqì
weather
好 · hǎo
good; well
人 · rén
person; people
高兴 · gāoxìng
happy; glad
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Vocabulary
Story words
天
tiān
sky; day
上
shàng
on; above; previous
有
yǒu
to have; there is
十
shí
ten
天气
tiānqì
weather
很
hěn
very
热
rè
hot
水
shuǐ
water
人
rén
person; people
没有
méiyǒu
do not have; there is not
吃
chī
to eat
看
kàn
to look; to watch; to read
九
jiǔ
nine
不
bù
not; no
高兴
gāoxìng
happy; glad
Mini quiz
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Printable preview
Printable Story Worksheet
A simple classroom-friendly preview for Hou Yi Shoots the Suns. Use your browser print command to print this free HTML preview.
Story vocabulary list
天 · tiān
sky; day
上 · shàng
on; above; previous
有 · yǒu
to have; there is
十 · shí
ten
天气 · tiānqì
weather
很 · hěn
very
热 · rè
hot
水 · shuǐ
water
人 · rén
person; people
没有 · méiyǒu
do not have; there is not
吃 · chī
to eat
看 · kàn
to look; to watch; to read
Simple questions
How many suns were in the sky at first?
Options: Ten / Nine / One
What does 热 mean?
Options: hot / small / happy
What is the pinyin for 九?
Options: jiǔ / jiā / jǐ
Sentence ordering exercise
Put these parts in the correct order.
天上有十个太阳很久以前
Answer: 很久以前，天上有十个太阳。
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