Graded Chinese Readers
Chinese reading practice organized by CEFR level, from first sentences to richer intermediate stories.
A0 Chinese Stories
Grandpa's Whistle Only Blew Halfway
A short story about a grandfather who remembers a special song with the help of his grandson.
Who Should the First Ladle of Water Be Splashed On During the Dai Water Splashing Festival?
A story about a girl participating in the traditional Dai Water Splashing Festival.
Misunderstanding Caused by Being Five Minutes Late
A short story about a small misunderstanding at a coffee shop between two friends.
Two People Sharing an Umbrella
A short story about a woman who meets a new friend while waiting in the rain.
The Scale That Was Always Short One Gram in the Food Market
A little girl helps a vegetable seller discover a secret hidden under her scale.
The 'Ren Zi' Curve on Zhan Tianyou's Blueprint
An engineer named Zhan Tianyou finds a clever way to build a railway through a tall mountain.
That jar of aged vinegar on Grandma's stove
Grandma's favorite jar of vinegar is missing from the kitchen, and her granddaughter helps her find it.
岳飞背上刺的那四个字
A story about a brave man named Yue Fei and the meaning of the words his mother tattooed on his back.
The Rules of the Rabbit Pounding Medicine on the Moon
A hardworking rabbit makes medicine on the moon to keep it shining bright.
转学生课桌里那架纸飞机
A new student named Xiao Mei finds a special paper plane on her desk that leads to a new friendship.
The Day the Stone Lion's Eyes Turned Red
A little girl discovers a warning from a stone lion that saves her village from a flood.
唐朝公主种下的那棵石榴树
A princess in the Tang Dynasty plants a pomegranate tree and cares for it as it grows over time.
漓江竹筏上掉进水里的草帽
A young girl and her father enjoy a ride on a bamboo raft until an unexpected gust of wind creates a small problem.
云雾中的独木桥
A brave girl helps a scared puppy cross a dangerous bridge in the mountains.
跳绳比赛数错的那一下
A story about a skipping rope competition where the teacher makes a mistake while counting.
The Dish the Emperor Left Over
An emperor shares his leftover food with a hungry boy, leading to a happy day for everyone.
The Lantern in the Shadow Puppet Artist's Hand
An elderly shadow puppet artist finds a way to keep his traditional performance alive with the help of a friend.
The Name Crossed Off the Duty Roster
A story about a student who discovers her name has been crossed off the duty roster and finds out why.
The Hands That Suddenly Let Go in the Tug-of-War Match
A story about a fun and friendly tug-of-war match between the Red Team and the Blue Team.
The Night Market Stall Owner Remembers His Regular Customer
A friendly noodle stall owner recognizes his regular customer and remembers her specific taste preferences.
The Spoonful of Porridge Shared with the Neighbor on Laba Festival
This story is about a young boy sharing traditional Laba porridge with his neighbor on a cold winter day.
The Lost and Found Notice Posted in the Elevator
A kind neighbor finds a missing cat after seeing a notice in the elevator.
谁在信箱里放了半张地图
A girl named Xiaomei finds half a mystery map in her mailbox and goes on an adventure to find the other half.
The Minute Given Up on the Basketball Court
A story about two friends playing a basketball game and the power of team spirit.
A1 Chinese Stories
The Watch Running Backward in the Shop Window
A curious girl discovers a watch in a shop window that runs backward and learns the touching reason behind it.
The Secret Code for Waiting in Line at the Morning Tea Shop
A grandmother teaches her granddaughter a secret code to get a table faster at a crowded morning tea restaurant.
The Bend in the Lanzhou Noodle Master's Wrist
An old noodle master teaches his apprentice the secret to making perfect noodles through a physical lesson about his own wrist.
The Sheep Lost Deep in the Bamboo Forest
A young girl searches for her lost sheep in a bamboo forest and meets a panda.
A note that popped out after the vending machine swallowed the coin
A heartwarming story about a daily interaction between a girl and a vending machine repairman through handwritten notes.
The Loose Chinese Knot Button in the Wings of Yue Opera
A young Yue opera actress finds comfort in a special jade pendant hidden inside her costume before her performance.
Grandma's Hidden Chili Oil Recipe
A story about a girl who learns the true secret behind her grandmother's famous chili oil recipe.
武术比赛前折断的那杆枪
A young martial arts student learns a valuable lesson when his spear breaks right before a big competition.
Why does the hallway light always go out at ten o'clock?
A girl named Meimei wonders why the hallway light turns off at 10 PM and discovers a kind old man's secret.
The Rule of the Two Door Gods Changing Shifts at Midnight
A young boy learns the importance of following tradition when he hears his family's protective door gods changing shifts.
The Well for Snatching the First Water on Tibetan New Year
A young girl named Zhuoma learns the value of sharing good fortune during the Tibetan New Year.
The Cinnabar Charm to Ward Off the Dragon Boat Festival
A young boy named Ah Fu learns about the tradition of using cinnabar marks to stay safe during the Dragon Boat Festival.
谁拿走了钟楼的钥匙
A helpful girl named Xiaoyu investigates the mystery of a missing clock tower key.
古镇石板路上最后的补鞋匠
A story about a traditional cobbler in an ancient town who finds hope in his craft after a young girl brings him her grandmother's shoes to repair.
The Pair of Embroidered Shoes Lost Backstage
A young performer named Xiaoyu loses her cherished embroidered shoes right before her big show.
The Golden Brick That The Forbidden City Craftsman Secretly Hid
A story about a skilled craftsman in the Forbidden City who makes a difficult choice to save a unique, slightly imperfect piece of work.
The Stroke Painted Wrong on the Peking Opera Mask
A student makeup artist worries about a mistake she makes while painting a Peking Opera mask before a big performance.
The Apology Letter That Wasn't Sent
A story about a girl who finally delivers an apology letter to her long-lost friend after three years.
长白山天池边留下的那顶帐篷
A story about a girl named Xiaomei who finds an unattended tent while visiting the beautiful Heaven Lake at Changbai Mountain.
The Last Kick of the Shuttlecock Kicking Match
Two friends compete in a shuttlecock kicking match and learn the value of sportsmanship.
怒江溜索上忘记系紧的那根绳
A young girl named A-yi learns that paying attention to small details is crucial when she discovers a loose rope on a dangerous zipline.
老字号面馆不外传的那勺猪油
A touching story about a grandmother passing down the secret recipe for her special lard to her granddaughter.
黄山挑夫扁担上的那道印记
A story about a porter on Mount Huangshan and the meaningful mark on his carrying pole.
Names Carved on Great Wall Bricks
A story about a man named Lao Wang who made bricks for the Great Wall and why names were carved onto them.
The Diary Lent Out and Not Returned
A story about a girl named Xiao Mei who lends her diary to her friend Li Li and worries about her secret.
The River God Only Accepts Odd Offerings
A story about a girl named Xiaomei who learns the importance of following the rules of the river god to help her sick father.
地铁失物招领处堆满的雨伞
A kind worker at the subway's lost and found office helps a young girl retrieve a special, sentimental umbrella.
The Nautical Chart Lost by Zheng He's Fleet
A story about a young sailor named Lin Ming who is responsible for protecting a nautical chart during Zheng He's grand voyage.
The Words Left Unsaid on the Video Call
Two friends who had a falling out reconcile during a video call.
A2 Chinese Stories
The Extra Figure in the Old Photo Studio Negatives
A story about a grandfather and his grandson discovering a mysterious figure in old photo negatives that leads to a touching family reunion.
Opponent Faking Injury at Provincial Team Selection Match
A story about a girl who learns that honesty is more important than winning a competition after her friend fakes an injury.
昆曲牡丹亭改了三次的唱词
A story about a Kunqu teacher who teaches his student the deep emotional meaning behind changing lyrics over time.
A Note Received Before a Badminton Match
A girl finds a mysterious note before a badminton match and learns to trust her partner.
古琴谱里缺的那个音
Story description
The Candy the Kitchen God Ate Before Ascending to Heaven
A story about a young boy who learns the value of honesty after accidentally breaking his grandmother's bowl before the Kitchen God ascends to heaven.
The Unfinished Chess Game on the Eve of the Xi'an Incident
A story about a young soldier and his sergeant on the night of the historic Xi'an Incident.
The Unclaimed Pothos on the Balcony
A story about a woman who finds an unclaimed plant on her balcony and builds a friendship with the person who left it behind.
Who Moved the Clock at the Old Photo Studio Back One Hour?
A young girl and her grandfather discover why the clock in their old photo studio has been moved back by one hour.
The Walking Stick Kuafu Dropped on His Journey to Chase the Sun
A story about a giant named Kua Fu who tries to catch the sun and leaves behind a special gift for others.
The Name Written Wrong on the Wedding Invitation
A bride discovers a mistake on her wedding invitations involving the name of her ex-boyfriend.
The Two Families Who Grabbed the Last Basket of Soup Dumplings
A heartwarming story about two families who meet at their favorite soup dumpling shop for the last time and discover a surprising connection from the past.
The Bowl of Tofu Pudding That Two Villages Fought Over
A short story about two neighboring villages that bridge their differences over a bowl of tofu pudding.
The Secret Table Tennis Match of 1972
A story about a secret table tennis match in 1972 that helped bridge the gap between China and the US.
The String That Snapped a Second Before the Show
A young violinist learns the true meaning of friendship after a stressful accident before a big performance.
The Crack in the Glacier at the Source of the Yangtze River
A young scientist discovers a time capsule left by her grandfather in a glacier, bridging the past and the present.
同学录里被撕掉的那页
Two friends reconcile after a long-standing misunderstanding regarding a torn page in their old class memory book.
潮汕英歌舞队少的那张脸谱
A story about a grandfather and his grandson working together to find a missing traditional face mask design for their dance team.
圆明园那面没被烧毁的镜子
A story about a young gardener at the Old Summer Palace who protects a precious mirror during its destruction.
The Last Clock Repairman in the Hutong
A touching story about an elderly clock repairman in an old Beijing hutong who connects with a customer through a cherished memory.
The Last Ferry Before the Typhoon Arrives
A young girl named Xiaoyu braves an approaching typhoon to bring life-saving medicine back to her sick grandmother.
打了三十年牛肉丸的那双手
A story about a father who refuses to sell his traditional beef ball recipe, choosing instead to pass the craft on to his son.
The Tea Pickers Trapped by the Downpour
A young girl named Xiaomin learns the value of kindness while tea picking in the mountains during a sudden storm.
That Bunch of Flowers in the Shared Bike Basket
A heartwarming story about a young woman who discovers mysterious flowers in her bike basket and learns the truth about a kind stranger.
The Night the Delivery Was Sent to the Wrong Door Number
A delivery driver makes a mistake by going to the wrong apartment, leading to an unexpected and heartwarming connection with an elderly woman.
Father and Son's New Year's Eve Dinner After Ten Years of Silence
A father and son reconcile during a Chinese New Year dinner after ten years of silence.
The Rule of Drinking Only Half of Meng Po's Soup
A young woman learns the rules of the Bridge of Forgetfulness and finds a way to keep a small spark of love for her next life.
Chaozhou Gongfu Tea: Three Rounds of Different Etiquette
A story about the traditional etiquette of Chaozhou Gongfu tea and how it facilitates reconciliation between two old friends.
B1 Chinese Stories
The Guide Who Went Missing on the Himalayan Snow Line
A story about a photographer and her guide who encounters a dangerous blizzard in the Himalayas while searching for a snow leopard.
两代人争的那坛月子米酒
A heartwarming story about two grandmothers whose competitive love for their postpartum daughter-in-law leads to a creative solution to their disagreement over rice wine recipes.
不能推开的第九扇门
After returning to her late grandmother's old house, a young woman named Lin Xue faces the mystery of a forbidden door that holds a family secret.
Why Did the Terracotta Army Artisans Disappear Overnight?
A touching story about a veteran artisan who makes a life-saving sacrifice for his apprentice as the construction of the Terracotta Army reaches its final, secret stage.
包子铺每天多出的那一笼
A story about a kind-hearted steamed bun shop owner and a secret act of charity that brings warmth to a neighborhood.
张大千临摹敦煌壁画的三年
This story follows artist Zhang Daqian as he spends three years in Dunhuang meticulously copying ancient murals despite financial hardship and moral dilemmas.
That Never-Replied Message in the Neighborhood Group
A story about a resident who discovers an old, unanswered message in her neighborhood chat group and learns the value of real-world connections.
The Thirty-Year Lost Dragon Boat Race
A young girl discovers the secret behind her village's thirty-year losing streak in a dragon boat race and leads her team to an unexpected victory.
The Person Who Fell Before the Marathon Finish Line
A determined woman named Su Min chooses to help a fellow runner during her first marathon instead of pursuing her own best time, learning a profound lesson about character.
Desert Radio Station's Final Call
A dedicated radio operator in the desert manages to save a lost traveler during his final shift at the station.
The Song Left Unsung on the Duet Stage in the Miao Village
A young cultural worker discovers the hidden truth behind an elderly woman's unfinished song in a Miao village.
The Elderly Man Who Sold Letters at the Train Station
An elderly man at a train station helps a young woman reconcile with her father through the power of writing.
The Seat She Returned To Ten Years After Graduation
A story about a woman who returns to her high school classroom ten years later to find an old letter and reconcile with her former classmate.
父亲藏起来的月饼模具
A story about a child who discovers an old mooncake mold, helping their father reconcile with a painful memory of his own father.