下午喝茶

你家的茶真多，好几种！这是什么茶？

Your home has so much tea, so many kinds! What tea is this?

这是中国南方的一种茶。南方人喝茶，喝了很多年了。

This is a kind of tea from South China. People in the south have drunk tea for many years.

很多年！南方人为什么都喜欢喝茶？

Many years! Why do people in the south all like to drink tea?

因为南方热，大家喜欢喝茶。也因为客人来的时候，我们请他喝茶，这是习惯。

Because the south is hot, everyone likes to drink tea. Also because when a guest comes, we invite them to drink tea, that's a custom.

每个客人都喝茶吗？

Does every guest drink tea?

对，茶是给客人的。你来我家，我也给你茶，这也是习惯。

Right, tea is for the guest. You came to my home, and I'm giving you tea too, that's also the custom.

谢谢你！但是，你怎么知道客人喜欢什么茶？

Thank you! But how do you know what tea a guest likes?

我会问。我问客人：你喜欢喝什么茶？茶热不热，可以吗？

I ask. I ask the guest: what tea do you like? Is the tea hot enough, is that okay?

你想了很多。真有意思！所以你想的不是茶，是客人？

You think about a lot. Really interesting! So what you're thinking about isn't the tea, it's the guest?

对！很多人觉得喝茶是茶的事情，但是我觉得喝茶是人的事情。

Right! A lot of people think drinking tea is about the tea, but I think drinking tea is about the person.

那我懂了。所以你请我喝茶，就是想对我好？

Then I understand. So you invited me to drink tea because you wanted to be good to me?

对。所以，请喝茶吧！这是中国南方的习惯。我家有红茶，也有白茶，这是两种茶。你喜欢喝红茶吗？

Right. So please, drink some tea! This is a custom from South China. My home has black tea and white tea, these are two kinds. Do you like black tea?

好，我想喝红茶。谢谢你。

Okay, I'd like black tea. Thank you.

不客气。下午你还想来我家喝茶吗？我们可以一起喝茶，一起说话。

You're welcome. Would you like to come to my home for tea again some afternoon? We can drink tea together and talk together.

想！我很想再来。

I would! I'd really like to come again.