Learn Chinese: Daily Routines & Morning Habits

Hello, good morning.

You look very energetic today.

Hello! I slept really well.

So I have a lot of energy.

How about you? Me too.

I went to sleep at 10:00 last night.

Now I go to bed early every day!

That's a good habit. I've been going to bed a bit late lately.

It's really hard to get up in the morning.

Hahaha, I used to be like that too.

But now I have a new daily routine.

A new daily routine?

Tell me about it.

For example, I get up at 6:00 in the morning,

first brush my teeth and wash my face,

and then have breakfast!

So healthy! I don't get up until 7:30,

and I often skip breakfast.

Skipping breakfast isn't very good for you, is it?

I know,

but I always wake up late and don't have time to eat.

Then you must be starving by lunchtime.

Right, I eat a lot at lunch, haha.

Daily habits are really important.

Good habits make us healthier.

Right, I want to slowly change too.

It's great to start practicing going to bed earlier now.

Today, let's chat about daily habits,

especially our everyday lives.

Good idea! We can talk about what we do in the morning,

what we do during the day, and what we do at night.

Exactly. This way, everyone can also learn

how to say sentences like 'I get up in the morning'

and 'I watch TV at night' in Chinese.

Right, that sounds very practical.

Then let's get started!

Let's start with the morning first.

Okay, I'll go first.

I get up at 6:00 in the morning.

As soon as I get up, I brush my teeth and wash my face.

Wow, you really get up early.

Do you get up at 6:00 every day?

Yes, I'm used to it now.

After getting up, I drink a glass of warm water,

and then do 5 minutes of exercise.

Exercise? Like what?

Very simple exercises.

For example, stretching my body,

doing some stretches,

and doing some jumps.

So healthy!

After I get up, I often just want to sit on the bed and daze out.

Haha, sometimes I do that too,

but I tell myself to hurry up and get moving.

Then do you eat breakfast?

Yes, I take breakfast very seriously.

Every day I eat some eggs and bread,

and drink soy milk or milk. That sounds nice.

Sometimes I only drink a cup of coffee,

and then I head out.

You can't have just coffee for breakfast!

Breakfast needs to be nutritious.

I know, but I'm often in a rush.

I need to get to the office by 8:00.

Waking up at 7:30 doesn't leave enough time.

Then you could go to bed earlier and wake up earlier.

Yeah, I'll try that.

So what do you do after breakfast?

After breakfast, I look at the news on my phone,

and then tidy up a bit and head out at 8:00.

Is your commute far?

It's okay, it takes about 30 minutes by subway.

What about you? Mine is quite close,

I get there in 10 minutes by bicycle.

That's very convenient!

So what time do you start work in the morning?

Our company starts work at 9:00.

I usually arrive at the office at 8:50.

Very punctual! Do you prepare anything before you start working?

Yeah, sometimes I buy a cup of coffee and drink it on the way,

and once I get to the office, I open my computer and check my emails.

Me too. Nowadays everyone works on computers.

Actually, I feel that if the morning starts well,

the whole day goes smoothly.

I have that feeling too.

Have you noticed

that early risers are often happier?

That's possible.

When you get up early, you have more time and aren't as rushed.

Right, for example, this morning

I still had time to listen to 10 minutes of Chinese radio.

Wow, you're really hardworking!

In the morning, I don't even have time to wash my hair,

let alone listen to the radio.

Haha, you can listen while eating breakfast!

That way, you can practice your listening skills too.

Good idea, I'll try it.

Do you listen to Chinese every day?

Right now, I want to make a little progress every day. That's great!

I also want to learn Chinese well,

but I feel like the mornings are too rushed.

Then you can study in the evening.

We can also talk about evening habits later.

But for now, let's get back to the morning routine.

Do you have a habit of reading books before work?

Sometimes I do,

but not very often.

Usually, I like to read on weekend mornings.

Me too, especially

on rainy mornings, making a cup of tea at home and reading a book.

So cozy! That sounds so picturesque.

Is there anything you don't like doing in the morning?

Hmm, I dislike washing my hair the most.

It's too much trouble. Haha, me too, that's why I wash it at night.

So you're also part of the night-washing-hair camp!

It seems we are becoming more and more alike.

Really? Then we can remind each other

to break bad habits and form good ones together.

Good idea! Are you busy at work?

Sometimes I'm busy, sometimes not so much.

Our company is relatively quiet in the morning,

and only starts getting busy in the afternoon.

Our company is the exact opposite.

There are lots of meetings in the morning,

and a lot of things to prepare.

Sounds like you work very hard.

What do you do for work?

I work at a design company.

I'm an assistant.

I have to help the designers find information, write emails,

and also answer phone calls.

Wow, it sounds like you're really busy every day.

Yeah, but I like my job.

What about you? What do you do?

I teach Chinese at a school.

I'm a teacher.

Really? That's wonderful!

Can I ask you to teach me Chinese?

Haha, of course!

Aren't we chatting in Chinese right now?

Oh right, I'm already practicing!

So how many classes do you teach a day?

Usually three classes,

sometimes four.

There is a rest break at noon.

So what do you eat for lunch?

Do you bring your own lunch?

Sometimes I bring lunch, and sometimes I eat near the school.

There's a food street near our office.

Lots of choices.

My favorite is beef noodles.

Wow, I love beef noodles too! Is it spicy?

A little spicy, not too much. Do you like spicy food?

It's okay. I like Sichuan food, it's very fragrant.

So do you take a break after eating lunch?

Yes, I like to take a nap.

15 minutes is enough.

Wow, you really know how to manage your time.

At noon, I usually just look at my phone

and scroll through social media.

Scrolling on your phone makes it very easy to get hooked and not stop.

Yes, exactly.

Sometimes, before I know it, lunch break is over.

So I set an alarm to sleep for 15

minutes and then get up. Good idea!

I'll try that sometime too.

What time do you get off work in the afternoon?

At 5:30, and then I ride my bike home.

What about you? I also get off work around 5:00.

If I have nothing else to do, I'll go to the supermarket to buy some things.

Do you buy groceries every day?

No, probably two or three times a week.

Sometimes I buy them on the weekend and put them in the fridge.

I often don't want to move after getting off work,

so I just order takeout directly.

That's not very healthy, is it?

Yeah, I know, but I'm just so tired.

Sometimes you can cook some simple dishes.

For example, frying an egg or cooking some noodles. You know how to cook?

A little bit. Simple things are fine.

What about you? Actually, I can cook too,

I'm just too lazy after work.

I understand. Once you get home, you just want to lie down.

Haha, truly.

So I often take a shower and change clothes as soon as I get home,