Chinese myth story

The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains

愚公移山

Read the story of Yugong and practice HSK 2 patterns like although...but, because...so, already, and comparison.

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很久以前，愚公家前面有两座大山。

Hěn jiǔ yǐqián, Yúgōng jiā qiánmiàn yǒu liǎng zuò dà shān.

A long time ago, there were two big mountains in front of Yugong's home.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

山比较高，路也比较远。

Shān bǐjiào gāo, lù yě bǐjiào yuǎn.

The mountains were fairly high, and the road was also fairly far.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

愚公觉得出门很不方便。

Yúgōng juéde chūmén hěn bù fāngbiàn.

Yugong felt that going out was very inconvenient.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

他告诉家人：“我们一起搬山吧。”

Tā gàosu jiārén: “Wǒmen yìqǐ bān shān ba.”

He told his family, “Let us move the mountains together.”

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

虽然大家觉得很难，但是他们还是开始了。

Suīrán dàjiā juéde hěn nán, dànshì tāmen háishì kāishǐ le.

Although everyone felt it was hard, they still started.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

因为路太远，所以他们想改变生活。

Yīnwèi lù tài yuǎn, suǒyǐ tāmen xiǎng gǎibiàn shēnghuó.

Because the road was too far, they wanted to change their life.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

他们已经准备好了工具和水。

Tāmen yǐjīng zhǔnbèi hǎo le gōngjù hé shuǐ.

They had already prepared tools and water.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

刚才有人笑愚公，说他太老了。

Gāngcái yǒu rén xiào Yúgōng, shuō tā tài lǎo le.

Just now, someone laughed at Yugong and said he was too old.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

愚公告诉他，孩子们也会继续做。

Yúgōng gàosu tā, háizi men yě huì jìxù zuò.

Yugong told him that the children would also continue the work.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

大家一边走，一边把小石头拿走。

Dàjiā yìbiān zǒu, yìbiān bǎ xiǎo shítou ná zǒu.

Everyone walked while taking small stones away.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

山越少，路就越近。

Shān yuè shǎo, lù jiù yuè jìn.

The fewer mountains there were, the closer the road became.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

最后，天上的人帮助了愚公。

Zuìhòu, tiān shàng de rén bāngzhù le Yúgōng.

In the end, a person from heaven helped Yugong.

Sentence vocabulary

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

非常 · fēi cháng

very; extremely

还 · hái

still; also

路 · lù

road; way

远 · yuǎn

far

近 · jìn

near; close

孩子 · hái zi

child; children

走 · zǒu

to walk; to go

笑 · xiào

to smile; to laugh

Finished reading the story?

Vocabulary

Story words

17 cards

山

shān

mountain

觉得

jué de

to feel; to think

帮助

bāng zhù

to help

一起

yì qǐ

together

已经

yǐ jīng

already

准备

zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是……

suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以……

yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉

gào su

to tell

开始

kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比

bǐ

than; compare

时间

shí jiān

time

非常

fēi cháng

very; extremely

还

hái

still; also

路

lù

road; way

远

yuǎn

far

近

jìn

near; close

Mini quiz

Check your understanding

Question 1

What does 一起 mean?

Options

together
already
mountain
water

Answer: together

一起 means together. In the story, the family works 一起 to move the mountains.

Question 2

What is the pinyin for 已经?

Options

yǐjīng
yìqǐ
yīnwèi
yǐhòu

Answer: yǐjīng

已经 is pronounced yǐjīng and means already.

Question 3

Why did Yugong want to move the mountains?

Options

The road was too far and inconvenient
He wanted to sell the mountains
He did not like his family
He needed more water

Answer: The road was too far and inconvenient

The story uses 因为...所以: because the road was too far, they wanted to change life.

Question 4

Who helped Yugong at the end?

Options

A person from heaven
A teacher
A shop worker
A little bird

Answer: A person from heaven

The final sentence says 天上的人帮助了愚公, meaning someone from heaven helped him.

Question 5

Choose the best order for “Although it was hard, they still started.”

Options

虽然很难，但是他们还是开始了
但是开始了虽然他们很难
他们虽然但是开始很难
很难开始但是虽然他们

Answer: 虽然很难，但是他们还是开始了

虽然...但是... connects two ideas: although it was hard, but they still started.

Printable preview

Printable Story Worksheet

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Story vocabulary list

山 · shān

mountain

觉得 · jué de

to feel; to think

帮助 · bāng zhù

to help

一起 · yì qǐ

together

已经 · yǐ jīng

already

准备 · zhǔn bèi

to prepare

虽然……但是…… · suī rán dàn shì

although... but...

因为……所以…… · yīn wèi suǒ yǐ

because... so...

告诉 · gào su

to tell

开始 · kāi shǐ

to begin; to start

比 · bǐ

than; compare

时间 · shí jiān

time

Simple questions

What does 一起 mean?
Options: together / already / mountain / water
What is the pinyin for 已经?
Options: yǐjīng / yìqǐ / yīnwèi / yǐhòu
Why did Yugong want to move the mountains?
Options: The road was too far and inconvenient / He wanted to sell the mountains / He did not like his family / He needed more water

Sentence ordering exercise

Put these parts in the correct order.

愚公家前面有两座大山很久以前

Answer: 很久以前，愚公家前面有两座大山。

More printable story activities are coming soon.

The Foolish Old Man Removes the Mountains

Read the story

Story words

Check your understanding

Printable Story Worksheet

Story vocabulary list

Simple questions

Sentence ordering exercise

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