Simplified Chinese course

Lesson 232 of 240

New here? This is lesson 232 of a free 240-lesson Simplified Chinese course.

Start hereHow this works

Reading notices and signs in Simplified Chinese

A paper on the banyan tree calls a lane meeting, and A-Li cannot quite read it from two stools away.

You read the notice aloud, then catch a no-parking line and a shop door that is closed from today.

These lines are the Taiwan wording you see on buildings, not casual chat. Learn how a notice starts, where to ask, and how a lease reminder is phrased.

You will hear Auntie Lin tape a polite apology to the door, while A-Li's soy milk waits, still unfinished.

By the end of this lesson

Read a building notice, a parking sign, a closed-shop message, and a short lease reminder.

  • 公告Notice.
  • 请勿停车No parking.
  • 即日起暂停营业Temporarily closed starting today.
  • 如有疑问，请洽柜台For questions, please ask the counter.
  • 敬请见谅We ask for your understanding.
  • 租约到期前一个月通知Notice one month before the lease ends.

Scene — a notice on the tree

Morning shade pools under the banyan on Banyan Lane. A sheet is taped to the trunk, and A-Li leans in as if the print might explain itself.

Maya reads it for him, then they walk toward Banyan Breakfast, where Auntie Lin is taping another note. His soy milk is still waiting; nothing on the tree is a riddle to solve.

Morning shade pools under the banyan as A-Li leans toward a sheet taped to the trunk and Maya stands beside him.

Learn — notices and shop signs

These six lines are what you read on Taiwan notices and shop doors. Listen, then say each one aloud.

Watch how 请勿 and 敬请 sound formal on paper, even when people nearby speak more casually.

  1. Maya stands close to the taped sheet and turns it toward A-Li, who sits upright on stools watching her.

    公告

    Notice.

    When to use it: Use this as the heading on a posted public notice.

    On Taiwan buildings this word often stands alone at the top of a printed sheet.

    Say it: The second syllable falls on a fourth tone.

  2. Maya turns from the tree and holds an open palm toward a scooter crowding the banyan roots while A-Li looks at the scooter.

    请勿停车

    No parking.

    When to use it: Read this on a sign that forbids parking in that spot.

    请勿 is the usual written way to say please do not on Taiwan signs.

    Say it: 勿 is a short falling fourth tone.

  3. Auntie Lin tapes a sheet to the breakfast-shop shutter while Maya arrives and A-Li waits beside a soy-milk tray.

    即日起暂停营业

    Temporarily closed starting today.

    When to use it: A shop posts this when it pauses business starting today.

    即日起 marks that the change starts today, not later.

    Say it: 即 is a rising second tone in this set phrase.

  4. Auntie Lin stands in the shop doorway pointing toward the interior counter while Maya follows the gesture.

    如有疑问，请洽柜台

    For questions, please ask the counter.

    When to use it: A notice uses this to tell you where to ask questions.

    洽 is the formal written verb for contacting the desk.

    Say it: 洽 is a sharp falling fourth tone.

  5. Auntie Lin faces Maya with a slight apologetic bow and hands together; the taped sheet is already on the shutter behind.

    敬请见谅

    We ask for your understanding.

    When to use it: A shop or office writes this to apologize in print.

    This is a formal written apology, not the spoken word for sorry.

  6. Maya holds a sheet loosely at the breakfast counter while A-Li’s soy milk waits on the tray beside him.

    租约到期前一个月通知

    Notice one month before the lease ends.

    When to use it: Use this for the deadline to tell a landlord you will leave or stay.

    前一个月 marks time before the end, not after it.

Story — reading the lane notice

Listen as Maya reads the tree notice for A-Li, then a closed-shop sign for Auntie Lin.

Later she opens a message about the lease and checks that she has understood it.

  1. A-Li欸，树上贴了一张纸。Hey, there's a sheet taped to the tree.
  2. Maya这是公告。This is a notice.
  3. A-Li上面写什么？我看不清楚。What does it say? I can't see it clearly.
  4. Maya我念给你听。巷子这周要开会。I'll read it for you. The lane has a meeting this week.
  5. A-Li好喔。Okay.
  6. Maya树下还写请勿停车。Under the tree it also says no parking.
  7. A-Li难怪摩托车都停旁边。No wonder the scooters are all parked to the side.
  8. They walk to Banyan Breakfast. Auntie Lin is taping a note to the door.
  9. Maya店门口写即日起暂停营业。The shop door says temporarily closed starting today.
  10. A-Li那豆浆怎么办？Then what about the soy milk?
  11. Auntie Lin我们只休息一天，敬请见谅。We're only closed for one day; we ask for your understanding.
  12. Maya如有疑问，请洽柜台。这句也有。For questions, please ask the counter. That line is here too.
  13. Auntie Lin对啊，有问题再进来问。Right, if there's a problem, come in and ask.
  14. Maya请问，明天还开吗？May I ask, will you still be open tomorrow?
  15. Auntie Lin开啊，只休息今天。Yes, we're only closed today.
  16. Later, Maya shows A-Li a message from Mr. Wang.
  17. Maya王先生发消息来了。Mr. Wang sent a message.
  18. A-Li他写什么？What did he write?
  19. Maya租约到期前一个月通知。Notice one month before the lease ends.
  20. A-Li你要搬走吗？Are you moving out?
  21. Maya不想。租约到期后可以续租吗？I don't want to. Can I renew when the lease ends?
  22. A-Li这个要问王先生。You'll have to ask Mr. Wang about that.
  23. Maya我看懂了。I understood it from reading.
  24. A-Li豆浆还没喝完。The soy milk still isn't finished.

Practice — posted wording

Work through ten short tasks on notices, closed doors, and a lease reminder. Pick the line that fits each situation.

After each answer, read why the other choices fail, then say the right line once more.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    公告

  2. What do you say?

    You see a sign by the banyan tree that forbids parking.

  3. Fill the gap

    Temporarily closed starting today.

    ____起暂停营业

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Swap the word

    The shop notice sends questions to the counter, not the kitchen.

    如有疑问，请洽____

  6. Build the line

    Notice one month before the lease ends.

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Match the pairs

    Simplified Chinese

    公告Drop the English here
    请勿停车Drop the English here
    即日起暂停营业Drop the English here
    敬请见谅Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Simplified Chinese, or tap one and then the other.

  8. Pick the reply

    A-Li says:

    你看懂了吗？

    Did you understand it from reading?

    And you reply with:

  9. What do you say?

    You have read Mr. Wang's lease message and want to know if you can renew.

  10. What do you say?

    You start a polite question at the shop counter.

Say it — read it aloud

You play Maya. Read each posted line aloud when A-Li or Auntie Lin asks what it says.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay the other person's line before your turn.

  1. You and A-Li stop under the banyan tree.
  2. A-Li树上贴了什么？What's taped on the tree?
  3. Maya (you)Tell him it is a public notice.

    公告

    Notice.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Simplified ChineseEnglish
公告Notice.
请勿停车No parking.
即日起暂停营业Temporarily closed starting today.
如有疑问，请洽柜台For questions, please ask the counter.
敬请见谅We ask for your understanding.
租约到期前一个月通知Notice one month before the lease ends.
Next: lesson 233Say thanks properly

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's notice lines are in Yak Cards with more wording from Taiwan signs and forms.

Review a few sign cards each day so the formal lines feel familiar.

Open Yak Cards