About Karl Ryan

Karl graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans but is originally from Seattle, WA. He is a new learner of Chinese, and enjoys comparing the similarities and differences with learning Japanese, a language he studied for six years. Karl is interested in literature, long-distance running, skiing, hiking, and cycling... and cheese. He loves cheese. In fact, his favorite ChinesePod lesson is "Smelly Cheese".

Posts by Karl Ryan:

7 Apps That Can Score You a Date in China

7 Apps That Can Score You a Date in China

Dating apps are a huge part of modern dating culture. You have Tinder, Happn, Bumble… the list goes on and on. But if you’re going to China, chances are you’re not going to be finding any dates using the apps you’re used to. Sure, you could go out and meet people to take on a date (read our guide on how to score a date).

However, your best bet is going to be using what the locals use, not just for app availability reasons in that region, but also to increase the number of people you can interact with. Let’s take a look at some of China’s popular dating apps. Read More

22 Things You Can Burn for Qing Ming Festival

22 Things You Can Burn for Qing Ming Festival

Qing Ming Jie or Tomb Sweeping Day is upon us (it takes place on April 4th this year). This festival is meant to venerate your dearly departed. The original tradition was to burn stacks of paper printed with currency symbols called 冥纸 | Míng zhǐ  . This money would then be accessible to your ancestors to spend in their afterlife. As the years went by, this tradition slowly transformed from burning stacks of paper to burning paper models of pretty much anything you can think of that would make your ancestors happy.

The reasoning behind this is whatever you burn, your ancestors will be able to use in their new life (or death). Have an ancestor who was a mechanic? Burn a paper Auto Repair Shop. Have an ancestor who loves fast food? Burn them a paper McDonald’s. The possibilities are only limited to your imagination… most places where you order these models will take custom requests. Read more for 22 items you can purchase (and consequently burn) for Qing Ming Jie.

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Speak the 3rd Tone Like a Native: Say It Like a Kardashian

Speak the 3rd Tone Like a Native: Say It Like a Kardashian

The third tone in Mandarin: the sound that gets learners bobbing their heads up and down like bulldogs in a car. That wily 全上  | Quán shàng | dip of the head. That dreaded downwards arrow. It is taught as a down-up sound that you are supposed mirror by moving your head down and up along with the sound. Consequently, you feel like a fool dipping your head up and down everytime attempt to speak it out loud. The biggest nuisance of all? No native actually sounds like this when they speak naturally, and you’re going to sound really over the top by doing it.  and no native will understand what it is you are saying when you make this exaggerated sound.

Alas! There is a hack. One that is going to blow your mind, and possibly make you roll your eyes. The secret to sounding native when speaking the third tone? Speak it like a Kardashian. Read more to see what on earth I could possibly be talking about.

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Meanwhile in China… 5 Quirky Stories from Mainland China

Meanwhile in China… 5 Quirky Stories from Mainland China

We all know odd things happen around the world on a regular basis and China is the frontrunner for strange happenings. From aliens to bean sprouts growing out of people’s heads, China never fails to have a newsworthy item that makes us say “WTF, China?!” Read more for our roundup of five unique stories hailing from China and the language behind them. Read More

Celebrating the Holidays in China

Celebrating the Holidays in China

Ally Mona is what you would consider a “cool mom”: an ex-pat who has called Shanghai home for over ten years, Ally currently has her own podcast called Limitless Laowai… you can find episodes ranging from an interview with an executive for a high-end hotelier to tips on moving back home from China to a series on devoted to expat finance. Currently in its second year of production, Ally’s podcast is insightful, funny, and provides diverse perspectives on life in China.

Since Ally has lived in Shanghai for over ten years, we thought she would be a great person to interview about celebrating the holidays in China. Read the following post about how she makes the holidays spirited, the traditions her and her family follow… and of course, what she does for the ‘tree’.

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