Traditional Chinese course

Lesson 167 of 240

New here? This is lesson 167 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.

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On the one hand in Traditional Chinese

Maya needs to reach the co-working space from Banyan Lane. Yi-Jun is already there most mornings, and the choice is the bus or the MRT.

Learn how to weigh two options in a longer sentence: one side, then the other, what they share, and the main difference.

Then say which one you prefer. A-Li sits on two stools with soy milk he still has not finished.

By the end of this lesson

Contrast two options in a longer sentence, then say which one you prefer.

  • 一方面___，另一方面___On one hand ___, on the other ___.
  • 這要看你的需求It depends on your needs.
  • ___和___有很多共同點___ and ___ have a lot in common.
  • 主要差別是___The main difference is ___.
  • ___比___花的時間更久___ takes longer than ___.
  • 比起___，我比較喜歡___Compared with ___, I prefer ___.

Scene — bus or MRT

Morning at Banyan Breakfast. Maya has a meeting later at the co-working space two stops away. Yi-Jun comes in for coffee, and they compare the bus with the MRT.

A-Li is at the back table on two stools, his soy milk still unfinished. The fortune slip stays in the till; nobody reads it aloud today.

Morning light fills a Taipei breakfast shop as Maya sits near the front with a tote, Yi-Jun arrives holding coffee, and A-Li the yak occupies a pair of stools at the back table beside unfinished soy milk.

Learn — two sides of a choice

These six lines help you weigh two choices in one stretch of speech. Listen, then say each one.

Notice 一方面 and 另一方面 as a pair. 比起 leads into what you prefer.

  1. From above, Maya lifts both hands to different heights to weigh a street bus against a transit card while Yi-Jun watches from across the table.

    一方面___，另一方面___

    On one hand ___, on the other ___.

    When to use it: Use this to give two sides of the same choice.

    Keep the two halves together; the second half follows after a comma.

    Say it: The first syllable of 一方面 is fourth tone.

  2. Over Maya's shoulder, Yi-Jun leans in with one open palm in a considering gesture while Maya sits back with a tote on Maya's lap.

    這要看你的需求

    It depends on your needs.

    When to use it: Use this when the better option depends on what someone needs.

    看 here means it depends, not looking with your eyes.

  3. Maya groups a pair of blank transit cards side by side on the table while Yi-Jun looks down and taps the wood.

    ___和___有很多共同點

    ___ and ___ have a lot in common.

    When to use it: Use this when two options share several features.

    共同點 is a noun for the points two things both have.

  4. Yi-Jun splits the air with one hand and points at a transit card while the other hand opens toward a bus in the street, and Maya leans in holding a drink.

    主要差別是___

    The main difference is ___.

    When to use it: Use this after you have said what two things share.

    是 links the difference to the fact that comes next.

  5. Maya twists toward the window in profile to watch a slow bus while Yi-Jun sips coffee and A-Li the yak stays on a pair of stools in back.

    ___比___花的時間更久

    ___ takes longer than ___.

    When to use it: Use this to say one option takes more time.

    花的時間 is time spent; 更久 means even longer.

    Say it: 更 for even more is fourth tone, not first.

  6. From below, Maya draws a transit card close, body angled toward the door, while Yi-Jun lifts a coffee cup in a small acknowledging gesture.

    比起___，我比較喜歡___

    Compared with ___, I prefer ___.

    When to use it: Use this to pick one option after you compare it.

    比起 names what you set aside; 比較喜歡 names your pick.

    Say it: The first syllable of 比起 rises before the next third tone.

Story — a commute at breakfast

Maya and Yi-Jun compare the bus and the MRT for the ride to the co-working space.

Listen for how they name what is shared, then the main difference, then a preference.

  1. Auntie Lin美女，早安！Good morning, beautiful!
  2. Yi-Jun欸，你今天怎麼去？Hey, how are you getting there today?
  3. Maya我在想要搭公車還是捷運。I'm wondering whether to take the bus or the MRT.
  4. Yi-Jun這要看你的需求。It depends on your needs.
  5. Maya公車和捷運有很多共同點。The bus and the MRT have a lot in common.
  6. Yi-Jun對啊，兩個都不錯。Yeah, both are fine.
  7. Maya一方面公車比較便宜，另一方面捷運比較準時。On one hand the bus is cheaper, on the other the MRT is more on time.
  8. Yi-Jun那不一樣的地方呢？So what's different then?
  9. Maya主要差別是時間。The main difference is time.
  10. Yi-Jun公車比捷運花的時間更久。The bus takes longer than the MRT.
  11. A-Li我總是搭捷運。I always take the MRT.
  12. Maya比起公車，我比較喜歡捷運。Compared with the bus, I prefer the MRT.
  13. Yi-Jun那就搭捷運吧。Then take the MRT.
  14. A-Li looks at the cup he still has not finished.
  15. A-Li豆漿還有很多。There's still a lot of soy milk.
  16. Auntie Lin路上小心。Be careful on the road.
  17. Maya好喔，謝謝阿姨。Okay, thanks Auntie.

Practice — weigh two options

Try these exercises to contrast two options and name a difference. Pick the line that fits each commute moment.

After each answer, read why the others fail, then say the line out loud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What does it mean?

    這要看你的需求

  2. What do you say?

    You want to lay out two sides of the bus-versus-MRT choice, one after the other.

  3. Fill the gap

    ___ and ___ have a lot in common.

    ___和___有很多____

  4. What did you hear?

  5. Build the line

    I always take the MRT.

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Swap the word

    You already said what the two rides share. Now name the main difference.

    主要____是___

  7. Pick the reply

    Yi-Jun says:

    你比較喜歡哪一種？

    Which kind do you like better?

    And you reply with:

  8. Match the pairs

    Traditional Chinese

    一方面___，另一方面___Drop the English here
    這要看你的需求Drop the English here
    ___和___有很多共同點Drop the English here
    主要差別是___Drop the English here

    English

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

  9. Fill the gap

    Both are fine.

    兩個都____

  10. What do you say?

    Auntie Lin is heading out. Tell her to be careful on the way.

Say it — your commute pick

You play Maya at the breakfast shop. Yi-Jun asks about the commute, and you weigh the bus against the MRT.

Tap the microphone to speak. You can replay her line before your turn.

  1. Yi-Jun asks Maya how she will get to the co-working space.
  2. Yi-Jun這兩個哪個比較好？Which of these two is better?
  3. Maya (you)Say the better option depends on what she needs.

    這要看你的需求

    It depends on your needs.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

Traditional ChineseEnglish
一方面___，另一方面___On one hand ___, on the other ___.
這要看你的需求It depends on your needs.
___和___有很多共同點___ and ___ have a lot in common.
主要差別是___The main difference is ___.
___比___花的時間更久___ takes longer than ___.
比起___，我比較喜歡___Compared with ___, I prefer ___.
Next: lesson 168The short version

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Today's contrast lines are in Yak Cards with more ways to weigh two options.

Review a few contrast cards each day so both halves come as a pair.

Open Yak Cards