This story talks about Xiaolin and his likings to vegetarian foods. After you finished reading the whole story, you will find out why he does not really like meat, and why he does not want to be a vegetarian either. This essay will cover some Chinese vocabularies related to foods.
[otw_shortcode_tabslayout tabs=”2″ tab_1_title=”Simplified Chinese” tab_1_content=”虽然有些人吃素是因为宗教的关系，但小林不一样。小林从小对吃素很有兴趣，连他爸妈都觉得他有点奇怪。他们的孩子从来不是佛教徒，但为什么会喜欢吃素？
小林不太喜欢吃肉食，是因为有些肉食有很多骨头，让他麻烦死了。在印尼，很多种菜是要直接用他自己的手指吃的。小林的习惯就是如果他的手油腻了，他要先把手洗一洗再拿餐具，所以对他来说，有骨头的菜不适合他的习惯。除了习惯以外，有骨头的菜也不能让他轻轻松松地吃饭。骨头是很危险的东西，不可以吞的，所以一定要非常小心才行。
但小林还是吃肉的。有些肉食是没有骨头的。还有，他说有些我们身体需要的营养，是很难从蔬菜得到的。营养对他来说是最重要的方面。营养不够，身体会弱，容易生病，所以他觉得吃素不太好。
” tab_2_title=”Traditional Chinese” tab_2_content=”
雖然有些人吃素是因為宗教的關係，但小林不一樣。小林從小對吃素很有興趣，連他爸媽都覺得他有點奇怪。他們的孩子從來不是佛教徒，但為什麼會喜歡吃素？
小林不太喜歡吃肉食，是因為有些肉食有很多骨頭，讓他麻煩死了。在印尼，很多種菜是要直接用他自己的手指吃的。小林的習慣就是如果他的手油膩了，他要先把手洗一洗再拿餐具，所以對他來說，有骨頭的菜不適合他的習慣。除了習慣以外，有骨頭的菜也不能讓他輕輕鬆鬆地吃飯。骨頭是很危險的東西，不可以吞的，所以一定要非常小心才行。
但小林還是吃肉的。有些肉食是沒有骨頭的。還有，他說有些我們身體需要的營養，是很難從蔬菜得到的。營養對他來說是最重要的方面。營養不夠，身體會弱，容易生病，所以他覺得吃素不太好。
“][/otw_shortcode_tabslayout]
English translation:
Although some people are vegetarian because of religion, Xiaolin is different. Xiaolin was very interested in eating vegetarian foods since childhood. Even his parents felt that he was a bit strange. Their child is not a Buddhist. but why does he like vegetarian foods?
Xiaolin doesn’t like meat, because some meat has a lot of bones, which annoy him very much. In Indonesia, a lot of dishes are eaten directly by using his own fingers. Xiaolin’s habit is that if his hands are greasy, he has to wash his hands first before using the cutlery again, so for him, the bones are not suitable for his habits. In addition to this habit, the bony dishes do not let him eat with enjoyment. Bones are very dangerous things that can’t be swallowed, so one needs to be very careful.
But Xiaolin still eats meat. Some meats have no bones. Also, he said that some of the nutrients that our body needs are hard to get from vegetables. Nutrition is the most important aspect for him. If nutrition is not enough, the body will be weak, easy to get sick, so he feels that vegetarian food is not very good.
Special notes:
- 雖然 – suīrán – although
- 吃素 – chīsù – vegetarian, eat vegetarian
- 肉食 – ròushí – meat
- 骨頭 – gǔtou – bone
- 油膩 – yóunì – greasy, oily
- 餐具 – cānjù – tableware, cutlery
- 危險 – wéixiǎn – dangerous
- 吞 – tūn – swallow
- 營養 – yíngyǎng – nutrition
- 蔬菜 – shūcài – vegetables
Photo by Travis Yewell