A Funny Moment Reminded Me to Improve My Everyday Vocabulary

Two years ago, we had a professor from France visit our research group. We had some interesting discussions about using a technique called solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance to study different types of catalysts.

After our meeting, I took him on a tour of Wuhan city as a local guide. It was a great opportunity for him to see the sights and experience the local culture.

During our tour, we decided to stop for a coffee break. When I ordered his coffee, I wanted to ask if he wanted it stirred, but I couldn't remember the word for 'stir'. I tried my best to explain it by making a waving motion in the air, like stirring a pot.

Luckily, he understood and laughed, saying, 'Oh, you mean stirred!' It made me realize that even though I knew a lot of technical words for my research, there were still everyday words that I needed to learn. It was a funny moment that reminded me of the importance of improving my everyday vocabulary.