If you have spent more than five minutes in modern China, you already know that cash is practically extinct. From massive supermarkets to tiny roadside fruit stands, everything runs on WeChat Pay and Alipay.
But there is a tiny, unwritten social script that happens every single time you step up to a cashier.
In this week’s Video Reader, Sun Laoshi breaks down the ubiquitous phrase: “我扫你，还是你扫我？” (Do I scan you, or do you scan me?)
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HSK 5
How to tackle this lesson:
- Watch first: Hit play on the video and try to catch the general meaning without looking at the text.
- Read and translate: Scroll down to the interactive transcript. Follow along with the video, and if you hit a character you don't know, just tap it for an instant translation!
- Drill the vocabulary: At the bottom of this page, you'll find your Micro-Deck flashcards for this specific video. Spend 5 minutes locking in the new words.
Tap any word to reveal Pinyin & Meaning.
今天
jīn tiān
Today
咱们
zán men
We
聊聊
liáo liao
Chat
在
zài
At/In
便利店
biàn lì diàn
Convenience store
或
huò
Or
餐厅
cān tīng
Restaurant
时
shí
Time/When
，
一句
yí jù
One sentence
简单
jiǎn dān
Simple
但
dàn
But
有意思
yǒu yì si
Interesting
的
de
's/Modifier
话
huà
Phrase/Words
。
就是
jiù shì
Is exactly
：
“
我
wǒ
I
扫
sǎo
Scan
你
nǐ
You
，
还是
hái shì
Or
你
nǐ
You
扫
sǎo
Scan
我
wǒ
Me
？
”
我
wǒ
I
扫
sǎo
Scan
你
nǐ
You
，
还是
hái shì
Or
你
nǐ
You
扫
sǎo
Scan
我
wǒ
Me
？
也
yě
Also
可以
kě yǐ
Can
说成
shuō chéng
Say as
什么
shén me
What
：
“
你
nǐ
You
扫
sǎo
Scan
我
wǒ
Me
，
还是
hái shì
Or
我
wǒ
I
扫
sǎo
Scan
你
nǐ
You
？
”
Today let's chat about a simple but interesting phrase used in convenience stores or restaurants. That is: "Do I scan you, or do you scan me?" Do I scan you, or do you scan me? It can also be said as: "Do you scan me, or do I scan you?"
Locked
先
xiān
First
听
tīng
Listen
一段
yí duàn
A segment
对话
duì huà
Dialogue
。
一个
yí gè
A/One
店员
diàn yuán
Clerk
说
shuō
Say
：
“
一共
yí gòng
Altogether
35块钱
sān shí wǔ kuài qián
35 RMB
，
请问
qǐng wèn
Excuse me/May I ask
扫码
sǎo mǎ
Scan code
支付
zhī fù
Payment
还是
hái shì
Or
现金
xiàn jīn
Cash
支付
zhī fù
Payment
？
”
这里
zhè lǐ
Here
，
“
扫码
sǎo mǎ
Scan code
支付
zhī fù
Payment
”
还是
hái shì
Or
“
现金
xiàn jīn
Cash
支付
zhī fù
Payment
”
。
那
nà
Then
顾客
gù kè
Customer
说
shuō
Say
：
“
我
wǒ
I
扫码
sǎo mǎ
Scan code
。
”
店员
diàn yuán
Clerk
会
huì
Will
说
shuō
Say
：
“
好的
hǎo de
Okay
，
您
nín
You (polite)
扫
sǎo
Scan
我
wǒ
Me
的
de
's
二维码
èr wéi mǎ
QR code
，
还是
hái shì
Or
我
wǒ
I
扫
sǎo
Scan
您
nín
You (polite)
？
”
那
nà
Then
顾客
gù kè
Customer
会
huì
Will
说
shuō
Say
什么
shén me
What
？
“
您
nín
You (polite)
扫
sǎo
Scan
我
wǒ
Me
吧
ba
(Suggestion particle)
。
”
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