Labeling Food in a Shared Fridge | Learn Chinese in English

Chinese lesson set in a contemporary Shanghai everyday setting: In a shared kitchen, two adults discuss labeling food, choosing the right fridge shelf, and taking items home soon..

EN → ZH / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Labeling Food in a Shared Fridge to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

我可以把这碗汤放进共享冰箱吗?

Wǒ kěyǐ bǎ zhè wǎn tāng fàng jìn gòngxiǎng bīngxiāng ma? Can I put this soup in the shared fridge?
B

把容器贴好标签,再把它放在那里。

Bǎ róngqì tiē hǎo biāoqiān, zài bǎ tā fàng zài nàlǐ. Label the container before you leave it there.
A

我也应该在上面写上日期吗?

Wǒ yě yīnggāi zài shàngmiàn xiě shàng rìqī ma? Should I write the date on it too?
B

这样大家就知道它在里面放了多久。

Zhèyàng dàjiā jiù zhīdào tā zài lǐmiàn fàng le duōjiǔ. That helps people know how long it has been inside.
A

哪一层是放个人食物的?

Nǎ yì céng shì fàng gèrén shíwù de? Which shelf is for personal food?
B

放在最上面那层,和共享的食物分开。

Fàng zài zuì shàngmiàn nà céng, hé gòngxiǎng de shíwù fēnkāi. Use the top shelf, away from the shared items.
A

我会先放在那里,很快就把它带回家。

Wǒ huì xiān fàng zài nàlǐ, hěn kuài jiù bǎ tā dài huí jiā. I'll keep it there and take it home soon.
B

这样冰箱里就不会堆满放久了的食物。

Zhèyàng bīngxiāng lǐ jiù bú huì duīmǎn fàng jiǔ le de shíwù. That way the fridge does not fill up with old food.

Word by Word

“我” refers to the speaker, meaning “I” or “me” in “我可以把这碗汤放进共享冰箱吗?”. It is used before the action or ability being discussed, as in “我会先放在那里”.
可以 “可以” means “can” or “may” in “我可以把这碗汤放进共享冰箱吗?”, asking for permission. It commonly comes before the action, as in “可以放进冰箱吗?”.
“把” marks “这碗汤” as the object that will be handled in “把这碗汤放进共享冰箱”. It is used before an object when describing what someone does to or with that object.
“这” means “this” in “这碗汤”, pointing to the soup near the speaker or already being discussed. It commonly comes before a measure word and noun, as in “这层” or “这件食物”.
“碗” means “bowl” and is the measure word in “这碗汤”, identifying the soup as one bowl of soup. It is used between a number or demonstrative and “汤”, as in “一碗汤”.
“汤” means “soup” in “这碗汤”. It names the food that the speaker wants to put in the fridge and can follow a measure word such as “碗”.
“放” means “put” or “place” in “放进共享冰箱”, describing the action of placing the soup inside the fridge. It commonly takes an object and a destination, as in “把书放在桌子上”.
“进” contributes the meaning “into” in “放进共享冰箱”, showing movement from outside to inside the shared fridge. It follows an action such as “放” to mark the direction of the movement.
共享 “共享” means “shared” in “共享冰箱”, describing a fridge used by more than one person. It comes before a noun to describe something available for common use, as in “共享空间”.
冰箱 “冰箱” means “refrigerator” or “fridge” in “共享冰箱”. It is the destination in “放进共享冰箱” and can be followed by “里” when describing something inside it.
“吗” turns “我可以把这碗汤放进共享冰箱” into a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end of a question when asking whether something is allowed or true.
容器 “容器” means “container” in “把容器贴好标签”. It is the object receiving the label, and it can be used with actions such as “放进冰箱”.
“贴” means “stick on” or “attach” in “贴好标签”, describing putting a label onto the container. It commonly takes the item being attached, as in “贴标签”.
“好” in “贴好标签” shows that the labeling should be done properly or securely before the container is left there. It follows “贴” to describe the satisfactory result of that action.
标签 “标签” means “label” in “贴好标签”. It is the item attached to the container, and “贴标签” is a reusable pattern for labeling something.
“再” means “then” or “afterward” in “再把它放在那里”, showing that putting it there happens after labeling. It can connect two actions in sequence, such as “先检查,再使用”.
“它” means “it” in “把它放在那里”, referring back to the container. It is used as the object after “把” when the item has already been mentioned.
“在” marks the place where the container is in “在那里”. Here it introduces the location rather than an action, and it commonly appears before a place, as in “在冰箱里”.
那里 “那里” means “there” in “把它放在那里”, referring to the previously understood place in the shared fridge. It can follow “放” to show where something should be placed.
“也” means “also” or “too” in “我也应该在上面写上日期吗?”, adding writing the date to the other actions being considered. It usually appears before the verb or modal expression it applies to.
应该 “应该” means “should” in “我也应该在上面写上日期吗?”, asking whether writing the date is the proper action. It commonly comes before the action that is being recommended or considered.
上面 “上面” means “on it” in “在上面写上日期”, referring to the surface of the container. With “在”, it identifies the place where something is written or placed.
“写” means “write” in “写上日期”. It describes putting written information onto the container and commonly takes the information being written, such as “写日期”.
“上” in “写上日期” shows that the date is added onto the container. It follows “写” and highlights the result of putting the written information on the surface.
日期 “日期” means “date” in “写上日期”. It is the information to be written on the container, and it can follow “写上” in instructions about recording information.
这样 “这样” means “this way” in “这样大家就知道它在里面放了多久”, referring to the labeling and dating procedure just described. It commonly introduces the result or benefit of doing something in that manner.
大家 “大家” means “everyone” or “all the people concerned” in “这样大家就知道”. Here it refers to the people who use or share the fridge, and it commonly appears as the subject before an action or knowledge statement.
“就” marks the resulting consequence in “这样大家就知道它在里面放了多久”, meaning that people will then know the storage duration. It often follows a condition or method and introduces what follows from it.
知道 “知道” means “know” in “大家就知道它在里面放了多久”. It is followed by the information that people come to know, and it can introduce a question such as “多久”.
里面 “里面” means “inside” in “它在里面放了多久”, referring to the inside of the fridge. It follows “在” to identify the place where the food has been kept.
“了” in “放了多久” presents the keeping of the food as a situation whose duration is being asked about. It appears after “放” before “多久” in this duration question.
多久 “多久” as a whole means “how long” in “它在里面放了多久”, asking about the length of time the food has been inside. “多” and “久” work together here: “多” asks about degree, and “久” supplies the time-length meaning; a reusable pattern is “做了多久?”.
“哪” means “which” in “哪一层”, asking the listener to select one shelf from the available shelves. It commonly appears before a measure word or noun when identifying a particular choice.
“层” means “shelf” or “level” in “哪一层”, referring to one horizontal level of the fridge. It can be used to identify a location by level, as in “上一层”.
“是” links the shelf with its use in “哪一层是放个人食物的?”. It presents the answer as identifying which shelf is designated for personal food.
个人 “个人” means “personal” or “individual” in “个人食物”, distinguishing food belonging to one person from the shared food. It comes before a noun to describe something associated with an individual.
食物 “食物” means “food” in “个人食物”. It names the items that belong on the personal shelf and can be modified by words such as “个人” or “共享的”.
“的” closes the description “放个人食物” in “哪一层是放个人食物的?”, identifying the shelf by what is kept there. It commonly follows a descriptive phrase before the noun or place being identified.
“最” means “most” or “topmost” in “最上面那层”, making “上面” the highest level among the shelves. It commonly comes before a position or quality when selecting the extreme one.
“那” means “that” in “最上面那层”, pointing to the particular top shelf being indicated. It comes before “层” to identify a specific shelf.
“和” links the personal food with the shared food in “和共享的食物分开”, expressing the relation from which the personal food should be kept separate. In this pattern, it appears before the other group involved in the separation.
分开 “分开” means “separate” or “apart” in “和共享的食物分开”, instructing that the personal food should not be kept together with the shared food. It commonly appears with “和” to say what two things are kept apart.
“会” means “will” in “我会先放在那里”, presenting the speaker’s intended future action. It comes before the action, as in “会带回家”.
“先” means “first” or “for now” in “我会先放在那里”, showing that the food will stay there temporarily before being taken home. It commonly appears before the first action in a sequence, as in “先放好,再带走”.
“很” contributes the meaning “very” or strengthens the timing expression “很快” in “很快就把它带回家”. It comes before “快” to make the expression mean that the action will happen soon.
“快” means “quick” or “soon” in “很快”, describing how soon the speaker will take the food home. With “很”, it forms the common time expression “很快”.
“带” means “take” in “把它带回家”, describing carrying the food from the fridge to the speaker’s home. It commonly takes an object before a destination, as in “带书回家”.
“回” contributes the meaning “back” in “带回家”, showing movement toward home. It follows “带” to form the expression “带回家”, meaning to take something home.
“家” means “home” in “带回家”, the destination to which the food will be taken. It follows “回” to specify the place of return.
“不” means “not” in “冰箱里就不会堆满放久了的食物”, negating the result that the fridge will become full. Here it appears before “会” in the negative future expression “不会”.
“里” means “inside” in “冰箱里”, locating the piling-up of food within the fridge. It follows the place noun and can be used with “在”, as in “在冰箱里”.
“堆” contributes the idea of piling up in “堆满放久了的食物”. It describes food accumulating in a heap and combines with “满” to show that the space becomes full.
“满” means “full” in “堆满放久了的食物”, showing the result that the fridge is filled with old food. It follows “堆” to complete the result expression “堆满”.
“久” means “a long time” in “放久了的食物”, describing food that has been kept for a long time. It follows “放” in this expression to indicate the length of time the food has remained there.

Grammar Points

再 + 动词

再写上日期

zài xiě shàng rìqī

Then write the date on it.

再 can link actions in sequence, meaning “then” or “and then” before the next verb.

放久了的 + 名词

放久了的这碗汤

fàng jiǔ le de zhè wǎn tāng

this bowl of soup that has been kept for a long time

的 turns a descriptive phrase into an adjective that comes before the noun it describes.

Chinese Vocabulary

帮助 verb
bāngzhù help
冰箱 noun
bīngxiāng fridge; refrigerator
放进 verb
fàng jìn put into
共享 adj
gòngxiǎng shared

共享冰箱

里面 adv
lǐmiàn inside
日期 noun
rìqī date
容器 noun
róngqì container
贴好标签 phrase
tiē hǎo biāoqiān label properly
写上 verb
xiě shàng write on; add in writing
adv
zài then; and then
这碗汤 phrase
zhè wǎn tāng this bowl of soup
知道 verb
zhīdào know

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

label properly

Show Answer贴好标签

date

Show Answer日期

this bowl of soup

Show Answer这碗汤

inside

Show Answer里面