ChinesePod - The Free Question & Culture Show

Qing Wen - Salaries and Income

2012-02-19 21:05:25

Qing Wen is back with another fiscal lesson. Last week we talked all about how to discuss bills and expenses (you can find that lesson here). This week, however, we're departing from such gloomy topics and covering the money you MAKE. We've got salaries, income, and bonuses coming your way. Learn how to distinguish between these figures and more in today's lesson.

For more details, please click here.

Beijing Standard Time - Chinese Chess

2012-02-13 01:35:24

If you've ever been to a public park or residential alley in China, chances are you've seen men in old wife beaters, shorts and shower sandals moving round tiles with characters written on them over a paper board. The game in question is called "xiang qi," or Chinese Chess, and is wildly popular throughout China. Join David and Greg as they explain the fundamentals of this board game that shares some similarities with international chess but adds in differences like geographical features and palaces, among others. Enjoy the show!

Here is the link to the show on Chinesepod.com.

Qing Wen - Prices and Expenses

2012-02-12 18:11:45

Today's Qing Wen is for all our financially-minded users out there. In this podcast, we'll be talking all about different Chinese terms for prices, expenses and costs, plus the useful distinctions between all of their respective usages. Graduate from the phrase "very expensive!" and learn how to discuss your expenses like a pro!

Beijing Standard Time - Chinese Empresses

2012-02-06 21:21:07

China has an incredibly long history with hundreds of emperors, among which the vast majority are male. But, like a number of other countries in the world, China has also had a handful of empresses; very few in number, but powerful nonetheless. Today's BST sheds light on this interesting aspect of Chinese history. We hope that everyone enjoys the show; don't forget to leave your comments below! For more lessons on emperors and imperial intrigue, check out ChinesePod's advanced series 小太监进宫 and intermediate lesson on Kings, Emperors and Presidents!

Qing Wen - International Currency

2012-02-05 23:37:46

Beijing Standard Time - The One-Child Policy

2012-01-28 20:30:04

One of China's most (in)famous recent governmental policies is the One-Child Policy. As the name suggests, the policy restricts families to a single child; there are, however, some exceptions to and ways around this overarching rule. Listen in as David and Greg explore this rather complicated issue in greater detail in today's BST.

Beijing Standard Time - The Spring Festival Gala

2012-01-28 20:22:59

Today's BST discusses an event that occurs only once a year: the CCTV Spring Festival Gala. To say that the gala has become something of a lunar New Year's tradition in China is an understatement; the viewership of this New Year's Eve extravaganza is approximately 700 million each year! Listen in to hear more about this extremely popular televised event. Rabid TV junkie? Check out ChinesePod's lessons on The Olympics on TV and TV Commercials.

Qing Wen - Family Member Terms of Address

2012-01-28 18:11:48

Even if you haven't studied Chinese for very long you've probably still come across the labyrinthine maze that is terms of address for family members. Age seniority, paternal and maternal sides, in-laws, surnames; these are just a few examples of the many factors determine how to address not just long-lost relatives but even just Uncle Jack and Aunt Nelly. Don't start banging your head against the wall just yet, though, because ChinesePod is here to help you untangle this web of familial terms with today's Qing Wen. Listen in and enjoy! Please check out the transcript here.

Qing Wen - Popular Slang from 2011

2012-01-16 18:21:22

Even though the year 2011 is behind us, the slang words popularized then are still just as useful as ever. Tune in as the Qing Wen team breaks down some of the most popular and commonly used words from the internet and pop culture. Don't forget to leave your comments and questions below along with any other slang from last year that you find particularly useful!

News and Features - ChinesePod Hall of Famers

2012-01-09 17:40:23

Today we have a very special News and Features featuring a pair of our long-time subscribers Robert and Zhen Mei. Hailing from Massachusetts in the USA, they're not only two of our earliest users (they started listening to us in 2005!), they've also been coming to our ChinesePod office once every year since then for a total of six years in a row! Thank you Robert and Zhen Mei for your incredible dedication over the years and to all our users, old and new, who've allowed us here at ChinesePod to continue bringing everyone one of the highest quality Chinese-learning podcasts out there for six years and counting!

Qing Wen - Old and New

2012-01-08 22:37:34

In light of the recent new year, Qing Wen is featuring a highly practical show on the usage of "old" and "new" in Mandarin Chinese. Learn how to talk about all your new holiday gifts as well as all your old possessions relegated to the garbage can after the holidays passed. Tune in and enjoy!

Beijing Standard Time - Quirky Ways of Staying Warm in China

2012-01-03 22:50:50

In light of the recent true onset of winter in Shanghai, ChinesePod's BST has decided to devote a lesson to staying warm in the winter months, Chinese style. In Chinese culture, cold weather is not to be trifled with. It affects not just clothing and heating measures, but even one's diet. Tune in and learn how you too can avoid the cold and stay healthy during the winter season! Also be sure to check out ChinesePod's lesson on Warm Winter Clothes for Mandarin vocabulary on the same topic!

Qing Wen - Giving Gifts in China

2011-12-30 18:13:56

Everyone loves receiving gifts no matter the occasion you're celebrating or country you are in the world. Gift-giving in China, however, can get slightly complicated if you don't know a few basic rules. Listen in to today's Qing Wen and learn some essential tips that will help you maintain "face" at various celebratory events.

Qing Wen - Christmas in Chinese

2011-12-26 22:04:52

Time has flown by and once again it's time to deck the halls, hang the stockings, put up the Christmas tree and eagerly await Santa's arrival. Today's Qing Wen has all your favorite Christmas terminology in Mandarin Chinese. Listen in and amaze your Chinese friends with your ability to describe all your favorite Christmas traditions in detail! And finally, a happy holidays to all our beloved users from the entire ChinesePod staff!

Qing Wen - An Improved Understanding of Improve

2011-12-23 01:20:58

In an effort to improve our listeners' understanding of the Chinese language, we've created a Qing Wen that details all the different ways to say "improve" in Chinese. We've got all the classics: living standards, products, sales, and much more! Listen in and improve your Mandarin Chinese now

Beijing Standard Time - Traditional Food During the Spring Festival

2011-12-21 18:37:11

No celebratory festival would be complete without hearty helpings of traditional food. In China, Spring Festival dishes, aside from being delicious and plentiful, also hold significant meaning due to their similarity with other auspicious words in the Chinese language. Tune in to learn all about how you too can improve your luck and prosperity in the New Year by eating right!

Beijing Standard Time - The Spring Festival Beast and Firecrackers

2011-12-13 21:46:03

The Spring Festival is all about joyous reunions with family members, enjoying scrumptious meals, garnering luck for the new year, and of course warding away the evil demon beast that brings withering destruction wherever he goes. In today's BST, learn all about this monster who returns year after year and the time-tested methods employed by the Chinese to scare him off. Be sure to check out our newbie lesson on the New Year and our previous BST on Chinese Mythological Creatures!

Qing Wen - Water

2011-12-11 23:26:19

Today's Qing Wen is about that all-important lifeblood, water. We'll get into all sorts of bodies of water, water features, and water forms: oceans, rivers, fountains, springs, steam, ice...the list goes on and on! If we somehow missed your favorite water-related word in the podcast, please leave it in the lesson comments!

Check out the transcript here.

Qing Wen - Lucky and Unlucky Numbers in Chinese

2011-12-04 18:32:55

Numerology is an important part of any culture, and China values it to a higher degree than Western culture by a long shot. Why is eight so lucky and four so UN-lucky? Learn about the great significance those numbers and many more in phone numbers, building floors, and license plates play in Chinese culture. Don't forget to check out today's transcript here.

Qing Wen - Essential Math Terms

2011-11-28 01:21:20

Whether you love it or hate it, basic math is an essential part of daily life no matter where you are in the world. Today's Qing Wen will arm you with the vocabulary necessary to express basic equations, percentages, and other highly useful math terms to help you get by in a Mandarin Chinese-speaking environment. Be sure to also take a look at our previous Qing Wen on numbers in Chinese! Check out today's transcript here!

Qing Wen - 一下、一会儿 and 一点儿

2011-11-14 23:59:46

We've got three ostensibly similar but quite unique phrases for you today, ones that you probably see and hear often but may not be quite completely clear on how to use. Listen in as the team discusses "moments" and "bits" in today's Qing Wen lesson and learn how to use them to full effect! Don't forget to check out today's transcript.

Qing Wen - Measure Words for Animals

2011-11-06 23:44:54

We hope you like animals, because in today's lesson we'll be covering a lot of them along with their accompanying measure words. While one is quite a bit more ubiquitous than the others, some of the nuances may surprise you. As always, leave your comments and suggestions below, along with any of your favorite animals that we may have left out!

Beijing Standard Time - Animals and Symbolisms in China

2011-10-30 22:47:23

Foxes are sly, mules are stubborn, bats are...auspicious? In today's BST show, your tireless hosts examine a number of animals and how they are popularly perceived in both Western and Chinese culture; the similarities and differences may surprise you! Tune in and feel free to bring up other animals we failed to mention for discussion in the comments section below! For more review on animals in Chinese, check out our ChinesePod lessons on visiting the zoo andfarm animals!

Qing Wen - Experience 过 (guò)

2011-10-23 20:57:21

Qing Wen is back with more tasty Chinese particles for the devoted Chinese language learner. We've got another hard-hitting lesson today on the character 过(guo) in all its completed action, past experience glory. Enjoy the show and feel free to leave your comments and questions below! Feel free to check out today's lesson transcript here.

Qing Wen-The Glorious 了(le): Part 2

2011-10-17 19:50:42

Our adventure with 了 continues as we take a deeper look into even more uses of this complex particle. Today's Qing Wen covers exclamatory tones, reminding and advising, and some other slightly more complex usages. If you're feeling bold and want an even bigger dose of 了, check out CPod's previous lesson The Double 了 Phenomenon! And don't forget to check out today's lesson transcript here

Beijing Standard Time - Chinese Kung Fu

2011-10-10 00:39:23

One of the most recognizable aspects of Chinese culture that is recognized the world over is Chinese Wu Shu (martial arts), popularized by such talented film stars as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. In this lesson, Greg and David get into some of the basic principles of Wu Shu as well as some important figures in the Wu Shu tradition, both ancient and recent. Listen in and enjoy the show! If you're hungering for more martial arts, check out ChinesePod's awesome lessons about practicing kung fu and visiting the Shaolin Temple!

The Glorious 了(le): Part 1

2011-10-10 00:35:06

Back by popular demand, the Qing Wen team has decided once again to delve into the mysteries of 了(le), the particle that you love to hate. Tune in to find out how to use 了 to express a completed action or to express change. We will have more QW's in the future featuring this fascinating character, but if you're still looking for a fix after listening to this lesson, check out ChinesePod's classic lesson on 了 (le): Something's About to Happen!

Also, don't forget to check out today's transcript.

Qing Wen - 很(hěn) and other Degree Modifiers

2011-09-30 05:46:39

Today's Qing Wen focuses on a number of 'degree modifiers', i.e. the words you use to emphasize your adjectives. Along with classic favorites like 很(hěn) we'll be covering a multitude of others that are sure to take your Chinese to extraordinary new heights! Check out today's transcript here.

Beijing Standard Time - Imitation Goods

2011-09-26 05:25:42

Even if you've never set foot in the PRC, you've probably heard that counterfeit, fake and imitation are rampantly available throughout the country. Today, David and Greg discuss the important difference between wholly fake goods and those that are merely "imitations". Listen in and feel free to chime in with your own experiences purchasing imitation goods (ideally with pictures!).

Qing Wen - The Complexities of "De": 的、地、得

2011-09-26 05:15:48

Ah, the mysterious and vexing "de". If you've studied Mandarin for at least a little while, you've probably run across the various forms of this particle and experienced firsthand how confusing they can become. But have no fear, after listening to our Qing Wen you'll know how to use "de" like a Mandarin Chinese pro! Don't forget to check out today's transcript.