The Magical Bento

Transcript

故事開始

今天晚上我肚子很餓，我走進便利商店想買晚餐。

店裡很安靜，只有一個店員在滑手機。

我走到便當區，看見很多便當，有雞肉飯、咖哩飯、炒麵。

但有一個便當看起來不一樣，它的盒子是黑色的，沒有標籤。

我問店員：「這個便當是什麼？」

店員說：「我不知道，它今天早上突然出現的。」

我覺得很奇怪，但也很好奇。

我買了那個黑色便當走回家。

魔法的便當

我打開便當，裡面是炒飯。

炒飯上面有一張紙條，紙條寫著：「吃完這個，你會看見別人的心情。」

我笑了，心想：「這是什麼？開玩笑嗎？」

我吃了一口炒飯，味道很好，我吃完了整個便當。

突然，我的手機亮了，我看見朋友傳訊息來：「今天好累，好想哭。」

我心想：「咦？他平常不會說這些話。」

我走到窗邊，看見樓下的鄰居，他笑著走路，但我感覺他心裡很難過。

我開始看見別人的心情，有的人開心，有的人生氣，有的人很孤單。

我想：「這是真的嗎？是便當的魔法嗎？」

結尾

謝謝您收聽今天第一集的故事，期待您再次與我們在空中相會。

Learning Notes

This episode includes several useful words and expressions that you may hear in everyday Mandarin. Let’s take a closer look at some of them.

Vocabulary

Note: 「相會」 is less conversational than 「見面」. The phrase 「再次與我們在空中相會」 at the end of the episode has a slightly literary, old-fashioned radio-program feel.

Useful Expressions

1. 看起來＋Adjective

From the episode:

看起來不一樣
kàn qǐlái bù yíyàng

看起來 means “to look” or “to seem.”

The pattern:

看起來 + adjective

is commonly used when describing an impression based on what you can see or observe.

Examples:

• 他今天看起來很累。
  Tā jīntiān kàn qǐlái hěn lèi.
  He looks tired today.

• 這家店看起來不錯。
  Zhè jiā diàn kàn qǐlái búcuò.
  This shop looks pretty good.

• 外面看起來快下雨了。
  Wàimiàn kàn qǐlái kuài xiàyǔ le.
  It looks like it’s going to rain.

2. 我心想：「……」

From the episode:

我心想：「這是什麼？開玩笑嗎？」
wǒ xīn xiǎng: “zhè shì shénme? kāi wánxiào ma?”

「我心想」 literally means “I thought to myself.”

It is commonly used in stories and narratives to introduce a character’s internal thoughts.

「我想……」 can simply mean “I think…” or “I want…,” depending on the context.

「我心想……」 specifically describes what was going through someone’s mind at that moment.

Examples:

• 我心想：「今天怎麼這麼安靜？」
  Wǒ xīn xiǎng: “Jīntiān zěnme zhème ānjìng?”
  I thought to myself, “Why is it so quiet today?”

• 看到那個盒子，我心想：「裡面會是什麼？」
  Kàndào nàge hézi, wǒ xīn xiǎng: “Lǐmiàn huì shì shénme?”
  When I saw the box, I wondered, “What could be inside?”

3. 平常不會＋Verb

From the episode:

他平常不會說這些話。
tā píngcháng bú huì shuō zhèxiē huà

This pattern is useful when someone’s behavior is different from what they normally do.

平常不會 + verb

can be understood as:

“normally wouldn’t…” or “doesn’t usually…”

Examples:

• 我平常不會這麼晚睡。
  Wǒ píngcháng bú huì zhème wǎn shuì.
  I don’t usually go to bed this late.

• 她平常不會遲到。
  Tā píngcháng bú huì chídào.
  She isn’t usually late.

• 他平常不會喝咖啡。
  Tā píngcháng bú huì hē kāfēi.
  He doesn’t usually drink coffee.

4. 有的人……，有的人……

From the episode:

有的人開心，有的人生氣，有的人很孤單。
yǒu de rén kāixīn, yǒu de rén shēngqì, yǒu de rén hěn gūdān

This pattern is used when different people in a group have different feelings, preferences, situations, or behaviors.

It is similar to:

“Some people…, while others…”

Examples:

• 有的人喜歡夏天，有的人喜歡冬天。
  Yǒu de rén xǐhuān xiàtiān, yǒu de rén xǐhuān dōngtiān.
  Some people like summer, while others like winter.

• 有的人坐捷運上班，有的人自己開車。
  Yǒu de rén zuò jiéyùn shàngbān, yǒu de rén zìjǐ kāichē.
  Some people take the MRT to work, while others drive.

• 有的人喜歡喝茶，有的人喜歡喝咖啡。
  Yǒu de rén xǐhuān hē chá, yǒu de rén xǐhuān hē kāfēi.
  Some people like tea, while others prefer coffee.

Culture Notes

Convenience Stores and Bento in Taiwan

Convenience stores in Taiwan are much more than places to buy drinks and snacks.

Many convenience stores sell ready-to-eat meals such as 便當 (bento or boxed meals), 飯糰 (rice balls), noodles, and 茶葉蛋 (tea eggs). They also provide a wide range of everyday services, including package pickup, bill payment, and freshly made coffee.

Because convenience stores are so common and stay open late, saying:

「晚上肚子餓，去便利商店買晚餐。」

“I’m hungry at night, so I’ll go to the convenience store to buy dinner.”

describes a perfectly ordinary situation in Taiwan.

The Everyday Expression 「滑手機」

In this episode, you hear:

店裡很安靜，只有一個店員在滑手機。
Diàn lǐ hěn ānjìng, zhǐyǒu yí ge diànyuán zài huá shǒujī.

In everyday Taiwanese Mandarin, 滑手機 is a very common expression for using or scrolling through your phone.

The verb 滑 literally means “to slide” or “to swipe.”

Depending on the situation, 滑手機 might mean scrolling through social media, watching videos, reading things online, or simply spending time on your phone.

It sounds much more conversational than the more formal expression 使用手機 (“to use a mobile phone”).

Examples:

• 他坐在沙發上滑手機。
  Tā zuò zài shāfā shàng huá shǒujī.
  He’s sitting on the sofa scrolling through his phone.

• 不要一直滑手機，快去睡覺。
  Búyào yìzhí huá shǒujī, kuài qù shuìjiào.
  Stop scrolling on your phone and go to bed.

• 我剛才在滑手機，沒注意到你的訊息。
  Wǒ gāngcái zài huá shǒujī, méi zhùyì dào nǐ de xùnxí.
  I was scrolling through my phone just now and didn’t see your message.