On this page we continue our studies using the authentic Chinese Primary School Textbook, by looking at lesson 2 in the online series of classes taught by real teachers in the Chinese State education system. By following this series of classes you will be using the same state-approved Chinese primary school textbook that is used in primary school classrooms across Mainland China and beyond. In Chinese this book is called 小学语文一年级上册, This is the first book that all Chinese students follow as core material in year 1 at Primary School. This page covers Lesson 2 from the Chinese Primary School Year 1 textbook (小学语文一年级上册). You’ll learn key vocabulary, sentence patterns, and the traditional “Going to School Song” used in classrooms across China.

Therefore by following this series you will be learning Chinese in the same time-honoured fashion familiar to Chinese children of all ages. In addition you will get a unique insight into Chinese cultural and the day-to-day school life of tens of millions of Chinese children.

Chinese Primary School Textbook

Let's start off with a test, of your memory and comprehension. If you have watched lesson 1 in this series you should recognise the teacher. Can you remember her name, and where she works? How much of her opening monologue are you able to comprehend? Watch a couple of times using the Chinese and pinyin, then click the read more button, below, to check your understanding

Lesson 2, I am a Student 00.25..

In this next part of the video the teacher introduces the title and topic of lesson 2 in this series that is based on 小学语文一年级上册, the primary school book used by all students in their first year at state school in China. Therefore, as you follow the contect of this the second class in this series, you can be sure that you are studying the same content that a child growing up in China would be learning during their first week at school. Let's first see how our teacher 窦丽娜 (dòu línuó) introduces the class.

00.25:

Note - On page 4 of our book (小学语文一年级上册), if we look on the left hand side we see some students arriving at school. Next to them is a song which forms the body of today’s class. In our first task the teacher invites the students to say what they can see in the picture.

Are you able to answer the above question. Start your sentence like this: 我看到了... I can see... a) how many students? b) what are the carrying? c) Are they happy?

The going to School song

Next we get to listen to a catchy tune called 上学歌，this song is about students arriving at school happily.

The above song illustrates the emphasis that the Chinese education system places on hard work and a healthy attitude to studies from a your age. Below we provide a full translation, with pinyin to support your studies.

The going to School song - shàngxué gē

The sun is shining down （tàiyang dāngkōng zhào）

The flowers are smiling at me （huāér duì wǒ xiào）

The bird says: early, early, early （xiǎo niǎor shuō zǎo ， zǎo，zǎo）

Why are you carrying a school bag on your back? （nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo）

Because I’m going to school （wǒqù shàng xué xiào）

I arrive on time every day （tiāntiān bù chídào）

I love study and I love hard work（ài xuéxí ài láodòng）
When I’m older I will contribute to my country （zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lìgōng láo。）

Test your new vocabulary

Now that you have picked up some new vocabulary it is a good idea for you to test your progress. Try the test below to see if your vocabulary would be up to scratch in a primary school in China. The vocabulary in the test below is all taken from the content of today's class so far.

Gap Fill Exercise to practice the Going to School song

Listen again to the Going to school song （上学歌） from 1.24 can you complete the following gaps in English first?

The sun is shining down The _______ are smiling at me

The _______ says: early, early, early

Why are you carrying a _____ on your _____?

Because I’m going to ________

I arrive on time _______

I ______ study and I love ______ _______

When I’m ______ I will _______ to my _____

In the next stage I would like you to try the task again, this time in pinyin. Can you identify the missing pinying, including the correct tones?

Shàngxué _____

_____ dāngkōng zhào

_____ duì wǒ _____

Xiǎo niǎor shuō zǎo ， _____，zǎo

Nǐ _____ _____ shàng xiǎo shū bāo

Wǒqù shàng _____

_____ bù _____

Now let's see if you can remember the Chinese characters that are missing in the gap fill task for the Going to School Song(上学歌).

上学歌

_____当空照

_____对我笑

_____说：‘早，早，______'

你_______背上小_______

我去上________

_____不______

爱_______，_______劳动

______要为______立功劳。

Listen to the song again

In the next section of the class our teacher advises the students to practice the song again。This time slowly with a gap between each sentence to focus on perfecting the pronunciation and register. We recommend that readers do this too. By repeating this simple song line by line we can pick up some new vocabulary and work on our pronunciation. Listen carefully to the tones and use the pinyin below to help improve your Mandarin Chinese pronunciation.

1.47： 好同学们这首歌你喜欢吗？他的名字叫上学歌。这首歌的歌词是很有趣的儿歌，就在我们语文说里。

Hǎo tóngxuémen zhè shǒugē nǐ xǐhuan mǎ? Tāde míng jiào shàngxué gē zhè shǒugē de gēcí shì hěn yǒuqù de érgē jiù zài wǒmen yǔwén shuō lǐ.

Good. Students, do you like this song? The name of the song is going to school. The meaning is very interesting in our language.

2.03: 那接下来啊。老师朗读一边你们要认真的听

Nà jiē xià lái a 。 lǎo shī lǎng dú yì biān nǐ men yào rèn zhēn de tīng.

Next, teacher will read again, listen carefully!

上学歌（shàngxué gē）

太阳当空照， （tàiyang dāngkōng zhào）

花儿对我笑。 （huāér duì wǒ xiào）

小鸟说：‘早，早，早，（xiǎo niǎor shuō zǎo ， zǎo，zǎo）

你为什么背上小书包？’ （nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo）

我去上学校，（wǒqù shàng xué xiào）

天天不迟到。（tiāntiān bù chídào）

爱学习，爱劳动，（ài xuéxí ài láodòng）

长大要为祖国立功劳。（zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lì gōng láo。）

2.47 Listen for a 3rd time

In this next part we will listen to the song again, this time the student will say it with the student. Take note of the pronunciation, and make sure that you can remember all the new vocabulary.

2.47 - 同学们你们喜欢这首儿歌吗？那接下来我们一起来读一读老师读一句你跟读一句。

Tóngxuémén nǐmén xǐhuān zhè shǒu ér gē má ？ Nà jiēxiàlái wǒmén yīqǐ lái dúyīdú lǎoshī dú yī jù nǐ gēn dú yī jù

Students do you like the song? Now, next we will read it together. The teacher will read a line and you follow.

Note the teacher's use of the linking phrase 接下来 (jiēxiàlái), this means next. You will find this is used commonly when someone is giving a class, a presentation, it means we are about to move on to the next point, the next activity, or the next point. In English we would say next we will..., or now let's look at.

3.02：Teacher: 太阳当空照 （tàiyang dāngkōng zhào）

Student: 太阳当空照
Teacher: 花儿对我笑 huāér duì wǒ xiào）

Student： 花儿对我笑

Teacher： 小鸟说： 早，早，早 （xiǎo niǎor shuō zǎo ， zǎo，zǎo

Student: 小鸟说： 早，早，早

Teacher: 你为什么背上小书包？” （ Nǐ wèishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shū bāo）

Student: 你为什么背上小书包？

Teacher: 我去上学校 （wǒqù shàng xué xiào

Student: 我去上学校

Teacher: 天天不迟到 （tiāntiān bù chídào）

Student: 天天不迟到

Teacher: 长大要为祖国立功劳 (zhǎngdà yào wèi zǔguó lì gōng láo)

Student： 长大要为祖国立功劳

3.59 Teacher: 好同学门，我们在读这样的是歌词。没读完一句呀，我们就停顿一下。别人才能听的清楚。这样读儿歌也才会更好听。

Hǎo, tóngxuémén wǒmén zài dú zhèyàng de shì gēcí méi dú wán yī jù yā ， wǒmén jiù tíng dùn yīxià, biérén cáinéng tīng de qīngchǔ 。 Zhè yàng dú ér gē yě cáihuì gēng hǎotīng。

Good. Students when reading the lyrics to the song, leave a brief pause so that others can hear what we are saying clearly.

Teacher: 那接下来，我们在请一位同学来读一边吧。

Student: 上学歌

太阳当空照

花儿对我笑

小鸟说： 早，早，早

你为什么背上小书包？

我去上学校

天天不迟到.

爱学习，爱劳动

长大要为祖国立功劳

4.51 Discussing the 上学歌 song

In the following dialogue our authentic Chinese primary school teacher discusses the song 上学歌 with their Chinese Primary School students learning at home. By listening and studying this ourselves we are introduced to some excellent vocabulary and patterns which we can use in our everyday use of Mandarin Chinese. In the very first sentence we meet the word 早晨， which means morning. Notice also the use of 从， which means from. So we see 红红的太阳从东方升起, the red sun rises in the East. 升 means to rise, you may remember the use of this item of vocabulary from our first class, when we were discussing the flag rasing ceremony held weekly, and in some cases daily in school across China.

4.51 - Teacher：同学们早晨红红的太阳从东方升起，小花也扬起笑脸。

tóngxuémén zǎochén hónghóng de tàiyáng cóng dōngfāng shēngqǐ ， xiǎo huā yě yángqǐ xiàoliǎn

Students, in the morning the red sun rises in the East and the flowers open up to smile.

几只小鸟叽叽喳喳的为只伙伴们在说什呢？

Jī zhī xiǎoniǎo jījīzhāzhā de wéi zhī huǒbànmén zài shuō shén ne?

What are the birds that are chirping at the young comrades trying to say?

Again we are treated to some interesting vocabulary. If you have got this far in today's Chinese class then you should already be familiar with the word in Mandarin for bird, which is 鸟, but did you know how to say the word a bird makes in Chinese? Here we are introduced to the onomatapaeic word 叽叽喳喳. We don't have the space or time here to discuss how to say the names of the sounds other animals make, but you but at this point you may want to take a break and do your own research into this.

老师， 我知道了，小鸟说 ‘早，早， 早’. 你为什么背上小书包？

Lǎoshī ， wǒ zhīdào le ， xiǎo niǎo shuō ‘ zǎo ， zǎo ， zǎo ’. Nǐ wéishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shūbāo

Teacher, I know, the bird said, early early, early. Why are you carrying that book bag （schoolbag） on you back?

Teacher: 是呀，这几位小伙伴早早的就背上的书包。是去干什么呢？所以呀小鸟好奇的问：早，早，早， 你为什么背上小书包？

Shìyā ， zhè jī wèi xiǎo huǒbàn zǎo zǎo de jiù bèi shàng de shūbāo shì qù gān shén me ne ？ suǒyǐ yā xiǎoniǎo hǎoqí de wèn ： zǎo ， zǎo ， zǎo ， nǐ wéishénme bèi shàng xiǎo shūbāo.

Yes, what are the little comrades doing up up so early with their schoolbags on their backs? So, out of curiosity, the little birds say, early, early, early, why are you wearing those schoolbags on your backs?

Teacher: 让我们也带着好气的心情，来读读这句话吧。

Ràng wǒmén yě dàizhe hǎoqì de xīn qíng ， lái dú dú zhè jù huà bā

So with a cheerful disposition let's read the sentence.

Student: 早， 早， 早， 你为什么背上小书包？

早， 早， 早， 你为什么背上小书包？

Early, early, early. Why are you wearing a school bag?

Teacher: 同学们是怎样回答的呢？请你和老师一起读。

Tóngxuémén shì zěnyàng huídá de ne？ Qǐng nǐ hé lǎoshī yīqǐ dú.

How do the students reply? Please read with the teacher...

By now the following lyrics should be familiar to you, if not it may be worth reviewing the song.

我去上学校，

天天不迟到。

爱学习，爱劳动，

长大要为祖国立功劳

同学们小同学是怎样回答小鸟的呢？他告诉小鸟成为小生之后应该怎样做呢？你在诗歌中找到答了吗？

Tóngxuémén xiǎo tóngxué shì zěnyàng huídá xiǎoniǎo de ne ？ Tā gàosù xiǎoniǎo chéngwéi xiǎoshēng zhīhòu yīnggāi zěnyàng zuò ne ？Nǐ zài shīgē zhōng zhǎodào dá le má ？

Students, how do the students respond to the little bird. How do they say we should behave after becoming a school pupil? Did you find the answer in the poem?
6.28 (student) 伴小伙他会“天天不迟到，” 他还说成为小学生后要爱学习。

Bànxiǎohuǒ tā huì “ tiāntiān bù chídào ，” tā huán shuō chéngwéi xiǎoxué shēng hòu yào ài xuéxí
The little boy responded every day we turn upon time (everyday we aren't late), upon becoming a student we start to love studying.
上学后我们还要爱劳动。
shàngxué hòu wǒmén huán yào ài láodòng
When we arrive at school we also need to love working hard

Teacher： 让我们一起来读读，小同学是这样说的。当他成为小学生之后他会。。。不迟到，爱学习，爱劳动。
Ràng wǒmén yīqǐ lái dúdú， xiǎo tóngxué shì zhèyàng shuōde。Dāng tā chéngwéi xiǎoxué shēng zhīhòu tā huì 。。。 bù chídào ， ài xuéxí ， ài láodòng
Let's read together, what the student said. After becoming a student, we are not late, love our studies, love hard work.
Student: 这几位小同学就这样一路的，说着，唱着，笑着，就来到学校了。

Zhè jī wèi xiǎo tóngxué jiù zhèyàng yīlù de ， shuōzhe ， chàngzhe ， xiàozhe ， jiù láidào xuéxiào le.
The students speak, sing and smile on their way to school.

Name for parts of a School in Chinese

Next we will learn the names for places we can see in a typical school in China. Do you the Chinese for rooms and outdoor areas that you can find in schools in China? If not this section will help you pick up some useful vocabulary. This will be particularly helpful for any readers who plan on moving to China to teach in the near future.

Vocabulary

教室 (jiàoshì) - classroom

操场 (cāo cháng) - playground

Note - Every day Chinese at Chinese primary, middle and high schools students gather every day to do exercise routines to de-stress and get some exercise in. These classes, which usually take place in the morning, are sometimes led by a student who has mastered the routine. In fact many students don't enjoy these exercise routines, but others see it as a welcome break from the classes. The students also gather on the playground during breaks and at lunchtime.

Note - In this part we will focus on how to say some of the verbs that describe things we do in school. Therefore we will learn verbs like 玩耍 (to play around), when it comes to the playground, 选, to choose a book in the library. Here are some of the verbs we are about to meet, are you able to idenitify them in the following monologue?

玩耍 (wánshuǎ) play around

奔跑 (bēnpǎo) to run

挑选 （tiāoxuǎn）choose

阅读 （yuèdú）to read

欣赏 (xīnshǎng) appreciate

学习 (xuéxí) study

You will also note the use of the following adverbs in the following monologue:

快乐 (kuàilè) happily

开心 (kāixīn) happily

尽情 (jìnqíng) as much as you like - to your heart's content
Note the rule: 地+verb. 的+noun. In Mandarin Chinese, adverbs that describe how an action is done usually come before the verb. When the adverb is formed from an adjective or descriptive phrase, it is often linked to the verb by the particle 地 (de).

Now teacher is going to take you to walk and look around the outside of the school. Look, this is the playground.

以后啊，你们就会在这里上体育课。你们还可以在这里快乐地玩耍尽情地奔跑。

Yǐhòu a, nǐmen jiù huì zài zhèlǐ shàng tǐyù kè. Nǐmen hái kěyǐ zài zhèlǐ kuàilè de wánshuǎ, jìnqíng de bēnpǎo.
In a while, you will be able to go out for your sports lesson. You will be able to play happily and run around as much as you like (to your heart's content).

这是我们的图书室，这里有好多的书呀. 你可以挑选自己喜欢的书，在这里开心地阅读. 是不是特别的期待呢。

Zhè shì wǒmen de túshū shì, zhèlǐ yǒu hǎo duō de shū ya. Nǐ kěyǐ tiāoxuǎn zìjǐ xǐhuān de shū, zài zhèlǐ kāixīn de yuèdú. Shì bù shì tèbié de qídài ne.

This is our Library, it has lots of books. You can choose a book that you like, and here you can read happily.

这里是我们的音乐教室，我们会在这里欣赏音乐，学习唱歌。

Zhè lǐ shì wǒmen de yīnyuè jiàoshì, wǒmen huì zài zhèlǐ xīnshǎng yīnyuè, xuéxí chànggē

This is our music classroom. Here, we will appreciate music and learn to sing.

在我们学校像这样的教室，还有很多。我们也会学习语文，数学，体育，科学，美术，等等很多的学课..当然了。

Zài wǒmen xuéxiào xiàng zhèyàng de jiàoshì, hái yǒu hěn duō. Wǒmen yě huì xuéxí yǔwén, shùxué, tǐyù, kēxué, měishù, děngděng hěn duō de xuékè.。。Dāngrán le

There are many other classroom like this in our school. We can also study, English, Maths, Science, Physical Education, and etc... there are many other classes.。。of course.

你们也会认识各学科的老师。他们都非常的亲切，而且呀知识渊博。

Nǐmen yě huì rènshi gè xuékē de lǎoshī. Tāmen dōu fēicháng de qīnqiè, érqiě ya zhīshì yuānbó

You will also get to know the teachers of all the subjects. They are all very kind and knowledgeable.

好了，快上课了。我们一起回教室吧。

Hǎo le, kuài shàng kè le. Wǒmen yìqǐ huí jiàoshì ba.

Good. Let's start class. We'll meet in the classroom.

上课歌

8.57 Teacher: 那么在上课的时候，我们小学生应该怎样做呢？老师送给你们一首儿歌。

Nàme zài shàngkè de shíhòu, wǒmen xiǎoxuéshēng yīnggāi zěnyàng zuò ne? Lǎoshī sòng gěi nǐmen yī shǒu érgē.

When we are in class how should us students sit? Let me introduce you to a song (that will answer this question).

We can translate as follows:

When the bell rings we go to class

We place our books and stationary down neatly

Listen carefully (to the teacher) and think clearly

We speak confidently and pronounce our words clearly

How to introduce yourself in Mandarin Chinese on your first day at school

In this next section our teacher shows us how a child should introduce themselves in Chinese on their first day at school. This will also be useful for anyone planning to move to China for studies. Examine how these children introduce themselves and also let us know what their hobbies are.

大家都来做自我介绍。当我们在介绍自己的时候，一定要声音洪亮，让大家都听清楚。 那我们先来听听这几位同学的介绍吧那我们先来听听这几位同学的介绍吧。

Dàjiā dōu lái zuò zìwǒ jièshào. Dāng wǒmen zài jièshào zìjǐ de shíhou, yídìng yào shēngyīn hóngliàng, ràng dàjiā dōu tīng qīngchu. Nà wǒmen xiān lái tīngting zhè jǐ wèi tóngxué de jièshào ba.

Everyone, please come and introduce yourselves. When we’re introducing ourselves, make sure to speak loudly and clearly so everyone can hear. Now, let’s first listen to the introductions from these students.

Student (9.54) 我叫马梓晨，我喜欢读书，画画，很高兴认识大家。

Wǒ jiào Mǎ Zǐchén, wǒ xǐhuān dúshū, huàhuà, hěn gāoxìng rènshì dàjiā.

My name is Ma Zichen. I like reading and drawing. I’m very happy to meet everyone.

我叫徐可涵,我的爱好有书法，还有做手工。

Wǒ jiào Xú Kěhán, wǒ de àihào yǒu shūfǎ, hái yǒu zuò shǒugōng.

My name is Xu Kehan, my hobbies include calligraphy, and handicrafts.

好同学们，你们也像他们这样大大方方，声音洪亮地介绍一下自己。
Hǎo. Tóngxuémen, nǐmen yě xiàng tāmen zhèyàng dàdàfāngfāng, shēngyīn hóngliàng de jièshào yíxià zìjǐ.

Okay, everyone, please introduce yourselves like they did — confidently and with a clear, strong voice.

很高兴认识大家，以后我们就需要想相处的，六年好伙伴了

Hěn gāoxìng rènshi dàjiā, yǐhòu wǒmen jiù xūyào xiǎng xiāngchǔ de, liù nián hǎo huǒbàn le.

Very happy to meet everyone. From now on, we should get along well. Six years of being good comrades!

How should Chinese students behave on their first day at school?