About This Lesson
Use Take a Short Screen Break to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我的眼睛累了。
wǒ de yǎnjing lèi le. My eyes are tired.
B
离开屏幕休息一会儿。
lí kāi píngmù xiūxi yíhuìr. Take a short break from the screen.
A
我应该看向别处多久？
wǒ yīnggāi kànxiàng biéchù duō jiǔ? How long should I look away?
B
看向别处一分钟。
kànxiàng biéchù yì fēnzhōng. Look away for a minute.
A
我休息时可以喝点水。
wǒ xiūxi shí kěyǐ hē diǎn shuǐ. I can drink some water while I rest.
B
这样应该能让你的眼睛舒服一些。
zhèyàng yīnggāi néng ràng nǐ de yǎnjing shūfu yìxiē. That should help your eyes feel better.
A
这样我就能完成任务了。
zhèyàng wǒ jiù néng wánchéng rènwu le. Then I can finish the task.
B
先休息一下，然后完成任务。
xiān xiūxi yíxià, ránhòu wánchéng rènwu. Take the break first, then finish the task.Word by Word
我
我 means “I” or “me,” referring to the speaker in forms such as 我休息时 and 我应该看向别处. It commonly comes before the action or description that applies to the speaker.
的
的 links 我 and 眼睛 in 我的眼睛, showing that the eyes belong to the speaker. A common reusable pattern is A的B, meaning B associated with or belonging to A.
眼睛
眼睛 means “eyes,” the body part described as tired in 我的眼睛累了 and later helped to feel better. It can be used after a possessive expression such as 我的眼睛 or 你的眼睛.
累
累 means “tired” in 我的眼睛累了, describing the condition of the eyes. With 了 here, 累 describes a state that has arisen; it can follow a subject to describe how that subject feels.
了
了 in 我的眼睛累了 marks a change into the stated tired condition. It appears after the description 累, and a common pattern is subject + description + 了 when the condition has changed.
离开
离开 means “leave” or “move away from” in 离开屏幕, telling the listener to move away from the screen. It commonly comes before the place or thing being left, as in 离开 + object or place.
屏幕
屏幕 means “screen,” specifically the screen from which the listener should move away in 离开屏幕. It can follow 离开 to name the thing a person moves away from.
休息
休息 means “rest” or “take a break” in 离开屏幕休息一会儿 and 我休息时. It can be used as an action after another action, or before 时 to describe when something happens.
一会儿
一会儿 means “for a short while” in 休息一会儿. In this expression, 一 contributes the quantity “one” and 会儿 refers to a short span of time; a reusable pattern is verb + 一会儿.
应该
应该 means “should” in 我应该看向别处, presenting looking somewhere else as the appropriate action. It commonly comes after the subject and before the action, as in subject + 应该 + verb.
看
看 means “look” in 看向别处, describing the action of directing one’s sight. It can be followed by 向 and a destination or direction, as in 看向别处.
向
向 indicates the direction toward which the looking is directed in 看向别处. A common reusable pattern is verb + 向 + place or direction.
别处
别处 means “somewhere else” in 看向别处, the place toward which the listener should look instead of at the screen. It can follow 向 to name an alternative direction or place.
多久
多久 asks “how long” in 看向别处多久, asking about the duration of the action. It commonly follows an action when asking how long that action should continue.
分钟
分钟 means “minute,” the time unit in 一分钟. It follows a number to express a duration, as in 一分钟.
时
时 means “when” or “at the time of” in 我休息时, making the activity of resting the time reference for the main action. A reusable pattern is activity + 时 + main action.
可以
可以 means “can” in 我休息时可以喝点水, expressing that drinking water is possible during the break. It commonly comes before the action, as in 可以 + verb.
喝
喝 means “drink” in 喝点水. It commonly comes before the beverage or other thing being drunk, as in 喝 + object.
点
点 means “some” or “a little” in 喝点水, indicating a small amount of water. It can come between an action and the substance involved, as in 喝点水.
水
水 means “water,” the drink mentioned in 喝点水. It follows 喝 as the object of the drinking action.
这样
这样 means “this way” or “like this,” referring to the suggested break and related actions in 这样应该能让你的眼睛舒服一些. It commonly introduces a result or consequence of the situation just described.
能
能 means “can” or “be able to” in 这样应该能让你的眼睛舒服一些, describing the expected ability of the action to produce the result. It commonly comes before the verb or construction that expresses the possible result.
让
让 means “let” or “make” in 让你的眼睛舒服一些, showing that one action causes another person’s eyes to reach a more comfortable state. A reusable pattern is 让 + person or thing + action or state.
你
你 means “you” in 你的眼睛, referring to the listener. With 的, it forms the possessive expression 你的眼睛, meaning the listener’s eyes.
舒服
舒服 means “comfortable” or “feeling better” in 让你的眼睛舒服一些, describing the improved condition of the eyes. It can follow a subject to describe how that subject feels or is affected.
一些
一些 means “somewhat” or “a little” in 舒服一些, softening the degree of the improvement. A common reusable pattern is adjective + 一些 to describe a somewhat greater degree of that quality.
就
就 marks the consequent result in 这样我就能完成任务了, linking the situation with being able to finish the task. It commonly appears before the result in a pattern like a condition or situation + 就 + result.
完成
完成 means “finish” or “complete” in 完成任务 and describes bringing the task to an end. It commonly comes before the thing being completed, as in 完成 + object.
任务
任务 means “task,” the work that can be finished in 完成任务. It follows 完成 as the object of the completion action.
先
先 means “first” in 先休息一下, setting the break as the first step in the sequence. It commonly introduces the first action in a sequence such as 先休息一下，然后完成任务.
一下
一下 means “briefly” or “for a moment” in 休息一下. In this expression, 一 contributes the quantity “one” and 下 gives the action a short extent; a reusable pattern is verb + 一下 for a brief action.
然后
然后 means “then” or “afterward” in 然后完成任务, introducing the action that follows the break. It commonly appears after a first step, as in 先休息一下，然后完成任务.
Grammar Points
先……然后……
先休息，然后喝水。
xiān xiūxi, ránhòu hē shuǐ.First rest, then drink water.
Use 先 before the first action and 然后 before the action that follows.
让 + 名词 + 形容词
这样让眼睛舒服。
zhèyàng ràng yǎnjing shūfu.This way makes the eyes feel comfortable.
让 can introduce the person or thing affected by an action or condition.
Chinese Vocabulary
多久
adv
duō jiǔ
how long
我应该看向别处多久?
喝
verb
hē
drink
我休息时可以喝点水。
看向别处
phrase
kànxiàng biéchù
look elsewhere; look away
我应该看向别处多久?
累
adj
lèi
tired
累了
我的眼睛累了。
离开
verb
lí kāi
leave; move away from
离开屏幕休息一会儿。
屏幕
noun
píngmù
screen
离开屏幕休息一会儿。
水
noun
shuǐ
water
我休息时可以喝点水。
休息
verb
xiūxi
rest; take a break
离开屏幕休息一会儿。
眼睛
noun
yǎnjing
eyes
我的眼睛累了。
一分钟
phrase
yì fēnzhōng
one minute
看向别处一分钟。
一会儿
phrase
yíhuìr
a while; a short time
离开屏幕休息一会儿。
这样
pron
zhèyàng
this way; like this
这样应该能让你的眼睛舒服一些。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
look elsewhere; look away
Show Answer
看向别处rest; take a break
Show Answer
休息this way; like this
Show Answer
这样one minute