Chinese Micro-Dramas Go Viral

最近，中国的短剧很火。

Zuìjìn, Zhōngguó de duǎnjù hěn huǒ.

Recently, Chinese micro-dramas have become very popular.

你知道什么是短剧吗？

Nǐ zhīdào shénme shì duǎnjù ma?

Do you know what a micro-drama is?

短剧就是每集只有几分钟的小电视剧。

Duǎnjù jiù shì měi jí zhǐ yǒu jǐ fēnzhōng de xiǎo diànshìjù.

A micro-drama is a mini TV show where each episode lasts only a few minutes.

现在中国的短剧越来越受欢迎。

Xiànzài zhōngguó de duǎn jù yuè lái yuè shòu huānyíng.

Micro-dramas are becoming more and more popular in China nowadays.

因为它们节奏快、剧情有趣，很适合在上班、坐地铁或吃饭的时候看。

Yīnwèi tāmen jiézòu kuài, jùqíng yǒuqù, hěn shìhé zài shàngbān, zuò dìtiě huò chīfàn de shíhòu kàn.

Because they are fast-paced and interesting, they are perfect to watch while working, commuting, or eating.

很多短剧的故事都很“狗血”，比如穷人变富人、老板爱上员工，或者穿越到古代变成王妃。

Hěn duō duǎnjù de gùshì dōu hěn “gǒuxiě”, bǐrú qióngrén biàn fùrén, lǎobǎn ài shàng yuángōng, huòzhě chuānyuè dào gǔdài biànchéng wángfēi.

Many micro-dramas have very “dramatic” stories, such as a poor person becoming rich, a boss falling in love with an employee, or someone time-traveling to ancient times and becoming a princess.

虽然故事夸张，但观众觉得很有意思。

Suīrán gùshì kuāzhāng, dàn guānzhòng juéde hěn yǒu yìsi.

Although the stories are exaggerated, audiences find them fun.

短剧的拍摄成本不高，但有些短剧很快就能有上千万的观看量。

Duǎnjù de pāishè chéngběn bù gāo, dàn yǒuxiē duǎnjù hěn kuài jiù néng yǒu shàng qiān wàn de guānkàn liàng.

The production cost of micro-dramas is not high, but some can quickly get tens of millions of views.

有的演员因为短剧一夜成名，还有的短剧被翻译成多种语言，在海外也有很多粉丝。

Yǒu de yǎnyuán yīnwèi duǎnjù yí yè chéngmíng, hái yǒu de duǎnjù bèi fānyì chéng duō zhǒng yǔyán, zài hǎiwài yě yǒu hěn duō fěnsī.

Some actors became famous overnight because of micro-dramas. Some micro-dramas have been translated into many languages and have many overseas fans.

短剧的流行，也改变了人们的娱乐方式。

Duǎnjù de liúxíng, yě gǎibiàn le rénmen de yúlè fāngshì.

The popularity of short dramas has also changed the way people enjoy entertainment.

以前我们看电视剧要等一个小时，现在只要几分钟就能看完一个完整的故事。

Yǐqián wǒmen kàn diànshìjù yào děng yí ge xiǎoshí, xiànzài zhǐ yào jǐ fēnzhōng jiù néng kàn wán yí ge wánzhěng de gùshì.

Before, we had to wait an hour to watch a TV show. Now, we can finish a complete story in just a few minutes.

可以说，短剧让生活变得更轻松、更有趣。

Kěyǐ shuō, duǎnjù ràng shēnghuó biàn de gèng qīngsōng, gèng yǒuqù.

One could say that micro-dramas make life easier and more fun.

Vocabulary Highlights:

• 短剧 (duǎnjù) – micro-drama / mini-series

• 节奏 (jiézòu) – rhythm, pace

• 剧情 (jùqíng) – plot

• 狗血 (gǒuxiě) – over-the-top, dramatic

• 夸张 (kuāzhāng) – exaggerated

• 拍摄成本 (pāishè chéngběn) – production cost

• 一夜成名 (yí yè chéngmíng) – become famous overnight

• 流行 (liúxíng) – popular, trendy

• 娱乐方式 (yúlè fāngshì) – entertainment style

• 穷人 (qióngrén) – poor person

• 富人 (fùrén) – rich person

• 穿越 (chuānyuè) – time travel

• 观众 (guānzhòng) – audience

• 海外 (hǎiwài) – overseas

• 上千万 (shàng qiān wàn) – tens of millions

  
  

Grammar Focus:

1. 中国的短剧越来越受欢迎。

Meaning: 越来越… (yuè lái yuè…) – indicates that something is “more and more” or a gradual increase over time.

Structure: Adjective/Verb + 越来越 + Adjective/Verb

Example:

• 天气越来越冷。 (The weather is getting colder and colder.)

• 我的中文越来越好。 (My Chinese is getting better and better.)

2. 因为它们节奏快、剧情有趣，所以很适合在上班、坐地铁或吃饭的时候看。

Meaning: 因为…所以… (yīnwèi…suǒyǐ…) – shows cause and effect: “because… therefore…”

Structure: 因为 + reason + 所以 + result

Example:

• 因为下雨，所以我没去公园。 (Because it rained, I didn’t go to the park.)

• 因为天气冷，所以我穿了大衣。 (Because it’s cold, I wore a coat.)

3. 虽然故事夸张，但观众觉得很有意思。

Meaning: 虽然…但是… (suīrán…dànshì…) – shows contrast: “although… but…”

Structure:虽然 + clause + 但是 + clause

Example:

• 虽然很累，但是我很开心。 (Although I’m tired, I’m happy.)

• 虽然下雨，但是我们还是去散步了。 (Although it rained, we still went for a walk.)

4. 有的演员因为短剧一夜成名，有的短剧被翻译成多种语言。

Meaning: 有的…有的… (yǒu de…yǒu de…) – used to list different examples or situations: “some… some…”

Structure:有的 + clause, 有的 + clause

Example:

• 有的人喜欢咖啡，有的人喜欢茶。 (Some people like coffee, some people like tea.)

• 有的学生喜欢听音乐，有的学生喜欢看书。 (Some students like listening to music, some like reading books.)

5. 现在只要几分钟就能看完一个完整的故事。

Meaning: 只要…就… (zhǐyào…jiù…) – indicates that a condition is enough to achieve a result: “as long as… then…”

Structure: 只要 + condition + 就 + result

Example:

• 只要努力，就会成功。 (As long as you work hard, you will succeed.)

• 只要认真学习，就能通过考试。 (As long as you study seriously, you can pass the exam.)

Reading Comprehension Questions:

1. 短剧是什么？

2. 每集多长时间？

3. 为什么短剧越来越受欢迎？

4. 短剧的故事有什么特点？

5. 短剧的流行改变了人们的什么生活方式？