Reading (宋體 / Ming)
Song / Ming
紅豆生南國
红豆生南国
春來發幾枝
春来发几枝
願君多採擷
愿君多采撷
此物最相思
此物最相思
相思
A short poem of longing built around red beans, spring growth, and remembered affection.
紅豆生南國
红豆生南国
春來發幾枝
春来发几枝
願君多採擷
愿君多采撷
此物最相思
此物最相思
Kai Script (楷書)
Kai
紅豆生南國
红豆生南国
春來發幾枝
春来发几枝
願君多採擷
愿君多采撷
此物最相思
此物最相思
Running / Brush (行書) · Simplified
Handwriting
紅豆生南國
红豆生南国
春來發幾枝
春来发几枝
願君多採擷
愿君多采撷
此物最相思
此物最相思
Grass Script (草書) · Simplified
Grass
紅豆生南國
红豆生南国
春來發幾枝
春来发几枝
願君多採擷
愿君多采撷
此物最相思
此物最相思
Decorative Title Style · Simplified
Title / Decorative
紅豆生南國
红豆生南国
春來發幾枝
春来发几枝
願君多採擷
愿君多采撷
此物最相思
此物最相思
Key Phrases Worth Memorizing
- 紅豆 Red beans are a famous symbol of longing and remembrance.
- 南國 A poetic phrase for the warm southern region.
- 多採擷 A literary expression meaning ‘pick and gather more.’
- 相思 A core literary word for longing, especially loving or emotional longing.
- 春來 A simple but elegant phrase for ‘when spring comes.’
Ten Modern Sentences Using the Poem’s Vocabulary
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 她把紅豆做成手鍊，送給最好的朋友。 | tā bǎ hóng dòu zuò chéng shǒu liàn, sòng gěi zuì hǎo de péng yǒu. | She made a bracelet from red beans and gave it to her best friend. |
| 南國的冬天沒有那麼冷。 | nán guó de dōng tiān méi yǒu nà me lěng. | Winters in the south are not that cold. |
| 春來之後，院子裡的花一下子都開了。 | chūn lái zhī hòu, yuàn zi lǐ de huā yí xià zi dōu kāi le. | After spring arrived, all the flowers in the yard bloomed at once. |
| 去山上時，別忘了採幾枝野花回來。 | qù shān shàng shí, bié wàng le cǎi jǐ zhī yě huā huí lái. | When you go up the mountain, do not forget to pick a few wild flowers to bring back. |
| 他在外地工作，常常有相思之情。 | tā zài wài dì gōng zuò, cháng cháng yǒu xiāng sī zhī qíng. | Working away from home, he often feels longing. |
| 願你一路平安，早點回家。 | yuàn nǐ yí lù píng ān, zǎo diǎn huí jiā. | May you travel safely and return home soon. |
| 這種小物雖然簡單，對我來說卻很有意義。 | zhè zhǒng xiǎo wù suī rán jiǎn dān, duì wǒ lái shuō què hěn yǒu yì yì. | Although this small object is simple, it means a lot to me. |
| 她最喜歡在春天拍花和新葉。 | tā zuì xǐ huan zài chūn tiān pāi huā hé xīn yè. | She most likes photographing flowers and new leaves in spring. |
| 如果你喜歡，可以多摘一些水果回去。 | rú guǒ nǐ xǐ huan, kě yǐ duō zhāi yì xiē shuǐ guǒ huí qù. | If you like, you can pick some more fruit to take back. |
| 看到熟悉的禮物，我又想起遠方的朋友。 | kàn dào shú xī de lǐ wù, wǒ yòu xiǎng qǐ yuǎn fāng de péng yǒu. | Seeing the familiar gift made me think again of my faraway friend. |
Pronunciation, Recitation, and Memorization Guide
Slow Recitation with Natural Pauses
Rhythmic structure: This five-character quatrain is simple and musical. Each line should sound compact, bright, and easy to remember.
Recommended pacing: Keep the pace steady and gentle. The final line should slow slightly so the feeling of longing remains in the ear.
紅豆 / 生南國
春來 / 發幾枝
願君 / 多採擷
此物 / 最相思
Pronunciation Tips
| Character or phrase | Pinyin | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| 紅 | hóng | Open the second tone fully and keep the -ong nasal ending resonant. |
| 枝 | zhī | Use a retroflex zh- and a steady first tone. |
| 採擷 | cǎi xié | Move clearly from the third tone cǎi into the rising second tone xié. |
| 思 | sī | Keep the s- clean and the first tone even and sustained. |
Simple Memory Strategy
Remember the poem through a symbolic object: red beans grow in the south, branches appear in spring, someone is asked to gather them, and the object becomes a sign of longing.
1. Red beans appear
紅豆生南國
Picture bright red beans growing in a warm southern landscape.
2. Spring branches
春來發幾枝
See new branches sprouting when spring arrives.
3. Gather them
願君多採擷
Imagine someone picking these red beans carefully by hand.
4. A token of longing
此物最相思
Let the red beans turn into a memory-object linked with affection and longing.
Line-by-Line Pronunciation Drill
紅豆生南國 红豆生南国
Slow syllable drill: hóng - dòu - shēng - nán - guó
Teacher: 紅豆生南國红豆生南国
Students repeat: 紅豆生南國红豆生南国
春來發幾枝 春来发几枝
Slow syllable drill: chūn - lái - fā - jǐ - zhī
Teacher: 春來發幾枝春来发几枝
Students repeat: 春來發幾枝春来发几枝
願君多採擷 愿君多采撷
Slow syllable drill: yuàn - jūn - duō - cǎi - xié
Teacher: 願君多採擷愿君多采撷
Students repeat: 願君多採擷愿君多采撷
此物最相思 此物最相思
Slow syllable drill: cǐ - wù - zuì - xiāng - sī
Teacher: 此物最相思此物最相思
Students repeat: 此物最相思此物最相思