Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese:
Reconnecting Roots: Thanksgiving in a Chinese Garden Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:
fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-23-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:
Zh: 每年的感恩节，小梅一家都会聚在一起。
En: Every year for Thanksgiving, Xiaomei's family gathers together.
Zh: 今年，他们选择在中式植物园举办家庭聚会。
En: This year, they chose to hold their family gathering at a Chinese botanical garden.
Zh: 植物园里秋色斑斓，金黄的银杏树叶在微风中轻轻摇曳，小溪流过精心布置的石头间，带着清新的气息。
En: The garden painted a vibrant autumn scene, with golden ginkgo leaves gently swaying in the breeze and a small creek flowing through meticulously arranged stones, carrying a refreshing scent.
Zh: 小梅是一个大学生，最近才开始对自己的家族根源产生兴趣。
En: Xiaomei, a college student, had recently become interested in her family roots.
Zh: 然而，她常常感到自己与家族文化脱节。
En: However, she often felt disconnected from her family culture.
Zh: 小时候，总觉得爷爷奶奶的话题离自己太远。
En: As a child, she always thought the topics her grandparents talked about seemed too distant.
Zh: 如今，她期望能够重新建立与他们的联系。
En: Now, she hoped to re-establish a connection with them.
Zh: 今天，小梅决定主动找爷爷奶奶说话。
En: Today, Xiaomei decided to take the initiative to speak with her grandparents.
Zh: 在聚会开始时，她心里有些踌躇，不知道该从哪里开始。
En: At the start of the gathering, she felt a bit hesitant, not knowing where to begin.
Zh: 小梅观察着周围的家人，看见他们脸上洋溢着喜悦，她意识到自己需要勇敢迈出第一步。
En: Observing her family around her, with joy on their faces, she realized she needed to bravely take the first step.
Zh: 当她走到爷爷奶奶身边，他们正在银杏树下谈笑风生。
En: As she walked over to her grandparents, they were chatting and laughing under the ginkgo tree.
Zh: 小梅鼓起勇气，轻声问：“爷爷奶奶，你们可以告诉我一些家里的故事吗？
En: Xiaomei mustered the courage and softly asked, "Grandpa, Grandma, could you tell me some family stories?"
Zh: ”起初，小梅有些紧张，但随着爷爷奶奶的叙述，她渐渐放松下来。
En: Initially, Xiaomei felt a bit nervous, but as her grandparents began recounting stories, she gradually relaxed.
Zh: 爷爷讲述着他们年轻时在村庄里的生活，奶奶则分享了老家的传统，像端午节包粽子和中秋节做月饼的细节。
En: Her grandfather spoke of their younger days in the village, while her grandmother shared traditions from their hometown, like making zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival and moon cakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Zh: 在这个温暖的对话中，小梅感受到一种前所未有的亲近感。
En: In this warm conversation, Xiaomei felt an unprecedented sense of closeness.
Zh: 秋叶下，他们的谈话充满了温情，小梅仿佛看到了一幅生动的家族画卷。
En: Beneath the autumn leaves, their talks were filled with warmth, and Xiaomei seemed to see a vivid family tapestry unfold before her.
Zh: 终于，聚会的重头戏——感恩节晚餐时间到了。
En: Finally, the highlight of the gathering—the Thanksgiving dinner arrived.
Zh: 小梅带来了用刚学会的家庭秘方做的菜肴，与家人们一起品尝。
En: Xiaomei brought dishes she made using freshly learned family recipes to share with her relatives.
Zh: 她亲手做了一道传统的清蒸鱼，寓意着团圆美满。
En: She had personally prepared a traditional steamed fish dish, symbolizing reunion and happiness.
Zh: 在这次聚会后，小梅变得更开放，更加爱护家族文化。
En: After this gathering, Xiaomei became more open and more appreciative of her family culture.
Zh: 她明白了与家人沟通的重要性，也看到了自己的文化身份蕴含的巨大力量。
En: She understood the importance of communicating with family and recognized the immense power contained within her cultural identity.
Zh: 小梅的变化让全家感到欣慰，而她自己也终于找到了那种归属感。
En: Xiaomei's transformation brought comfort to the whole family, and she herself finally found a sense of belonging.
Zh: 感恩节的晚宴在欢声笑语中结束，银杏树仍在秋风中轻舞，这个美好而温馨的日子将永远留在小梅的记忆中。
En: The Thanksgiving feast concluded amidst laughter and joy, with the ginkgo trees still dancing in the autumn wind, cementing this beautiful and...