冬至 (Dongzhi, The Winter Solstice) and Chinese Children Song "賣湯圓" ( Mai Tangyuan, Selling Rice Balls )

December 22, 2009

Today is 冬至 Dōngzhì (The Winter Solstice Festival), one of the most important festivals celebrated by the Chinese and other East Asians, a time for the family to get together. Many families are making and eating 湯圓 (汤圆 tāngyuán rice balls) which symbolize reunion.

I didn't get a chance to eat 湯圓 today, I'll have to go to the Asian market to shop some.
Here are some 湯圓 photos which make me 流口水 ( liú kǒushuǐ drooling):
1. 汤圆
2. 茼蒿 豬肉 鹹 湯圓
(茼蒿 猪肉 咸 汤圆 Tónghāo Zhūròu Xián Tāngyuán Crowndaisy Pork Salty Rice Balls)

Here's a Children song "賣湯圓" ( 卖 汤圆 Mài Tāngyuán Selling Rice Balls ) I'd like to share with you. Thanks to Bananaz reminded me the song.

The 小二哥 ( xiǎoèr gē, long time ago in China, people called the server in restaurants 小二 or 小二哥. 小二哥 is more polite.) in the video is cute. The way he throws the rice balls in the pot is pretty cool though it's probably edited.
There's a white flag with "酒" ( jiǔ wine ) on it in the video. It means a place that serve food.
In the beginning of the video, it says 卖汤丸 Mài Tāngwán. 丸 wán is also balls or pills.
Click the 圖片 ( 图片 túpiàn image ) below to open the video page:

歌詞 簡體 中文, 拼音 和 英文 翻譯:
Gēcí jiǎntǐ zhōngwén, pīnyīn hé yīngwén fānyì:
Lyrics in simplified characters, pinyin and English translations:

1.卖 汤圆, 卖 汤圆
Mài tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Sell rice balls, sell rice balls. (Rice balls for sell, rice balls for sell.)

小二 哥 的 汤圆 是 圆 又 圆
Xiǎoèr gē de tāngyuán shì yuán yòu yuán
The server's rice balls are round and round.

一 碗 汤圆 满 又 满
Yī wǎn tāngyuán mǎn yòu mǎn
One bowl rice balls full and full. ( One bowl of rice balls are full and full.)

三 毛 钱 呀 买 一 碗
Sān máo qián ya mǎi yī wǎn
30 cents buy one bowl. ( 30 cents for a bowl.)

汤圆, 汤圆, 卖 汤圆
Tāngyuán, tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Rice balls, rice balls, sell rice balls. ( Rice balls, rice balls, rice balls for sell.)

汤圆 一样 可以 当 茶饭
Tāngyuán yīyàng kěyǐ dāng cháfàn
Rice balls same can be used as tea rice. ( Rice balls can be used as meal as well. )

嘿...哟Hēi...yō
Hey...yo ( Yo is used at the end of sentence as exclamation.)

汤圆, 汤圆, 卖 汤圆Tāngyuán, tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Rice balls, rice balls, sell rice balls. ( Rice balls, rice balls, rice balls for sell.)

汤圆 一样 可以 当 茶饭Tāngyuán yīyàng kěyǐ dāng cháfàn
Rice balls same can be used as tea rice. ( Rice balls can be used as meal as well. )

2.
卖 汤圆, 卖 汤圆
Mài tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Sell rice balls, sell rice balls. (Rice balls for sell, rice balls for sell.)

小二 哥 的 汤圆 是 圆 又 圆
Xiǎoèr gē de tāngyuán shì yuán yòu yuán
The server's rice balls are round and round.

一 碗 汤圆 满 又 满
Yī wǎn tāngyuán mǎn yòu mǎn
One bowl rice balls full and full. ( One bowl of rice balls are full and full.)

三 毛 钱 呀 买 一 碗
Sān máo qián ya mǎi yī wǎn
30 cents buy one bowl. ( 30 cents for a bowl.)

汤圆, 汤圆, 卖 汤圆
Tāngyuán, tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Rice balls, rice balls, sell rice balls. ( Rice balls, rice balls, rice balls for sell.)

公平 交易 可以 包 退还Gōngpíng jiāoyì kěyǐ bāo tuìhuán
Fair trade can guarantee return. ( Fair deal with money back guarantee.)

嘿...哟Hēi...yō
Hey...yo ( Yo is used at the end of sentence as exclamation.)

汤圆, 汤圆, 卖 汤圆Tāngyuán, tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Rice balls, rice balls, sell rice balls. ( Rice balls, rice balls, rice balls for sell.)

公平 交易 可以 包 退还Gōngpíng jiāoyì kěyǐ bāo tuìhuán
Fair trade can guarantee return. ( Fair deal with money back guarantee.)

3.
卖 汤圆, 卖 汤圆Mài tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Sell rice balls, sell rice balls. (Rice balls for sell, rice balls for sell.)

小二 哥 的 汤圆 是 圆 又 圆Xiǎoèr gē de tāngyuán shì yuán yòu yuánThe server's rice balls are round and round.

要 吃 汤圆 快 来 买Yào chī tāngyuán kuài lái mǎi
Want eat rice balls fast come buy. ( If you want to eat rice balls, hurry come to buy.)

吃 了 汤圆 好 团圆Chī le tāngyuán hǎo tuányuán
Eat rice balls so reunion. ( Eat the rice balls so you can have a reunion.)

汤圆, 汤圆, 卖 汤圆Tāngyuán, tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Rice balls, rice balls, sell rice balls. ( Rice balls, rice balls, rice balls for sell.)

慢 了 一 步 只怕 要 卖完Màn le yī bù zhǐpà yào màiwán
Slow a step only afraid will sold out. ( I'm only afraid that they will be sold out even if you are only one step behind.)

嘿...哟Hēi...yō
Hey...yo ( Yo is used at the end of sentence as exclamation.)

汤圆, 汤圆, 卖汤圆Tāngyuán, tāngyuán, mài tāngyuán
Rice balls, rice balls, sell rice balls. ( Rice balls, rice balls, rice balls for sell.)

慢 了 一 步 只怕 要 卖完Màn le yī bù zhǐpà yào màiwán
Slow a step only afraid will sold out. ( I'm only afraid that they will be sold out even if you are only one step behind.)

Practice writing: CLICK HERE and hit the brushes next to each character to see the stroke orders. Grab a piece of paper and write them down.


Share|