The Latest Mandarin Chinese Language Lessons
Excellent Materials for You to Learn Chinese Mandarin Language
Latest Lessons
For the Love of Pale Skin Upper Intermediate
Chinese culture (and the ladies in particular) tends to prize pale skin. East Asian ladies of all nationalities, in fact, will go to great lengths to keep their skin as white as possible, employing anti-UV umbrellas and various creams. The Chinese have recently taken the obsession to new heights with the "facekini" however. Learn all about the issue in this Chinese lesson.
beach, skin, sunglasses
Which Tone? Newbie
The tones of Mandarin Chinese are a challenge for every learner. You don't just master tones in a week; it's a lengthy process. One thing you're going to be doing for a while, then, as a dedicated learner, is clarifying the tones for the words you're learning. In this lesson, learn the crucial question for asking "what tone is that?"
tones, studying, classroom
Lessons Per Week Elementary
Sure, you're studying Chinese. We all know that. But are you a casual learner, or are you hardcore? And by that, I mean, "how many lessons do you have per week?" Learn what every student needs to be able to answer in this lesson.
study, language, lessons, classroom, time
Sending a Large File Intermediate
It's amazing what can be done these days with Photoshop, or Illustrator, or Final Cut Pro... but sometimes the price for that quality you love is a huge file. Transferring a large file can be a problem when you're dealing with multiple gigabytes. Explore the options in Chinese with this lesson!
computers, work, office
Farewells and iPhones News and Features
In today's slightly sentimental News and Features, we're bidding goodbye to our beloved translator and podcast host Greg; after a year and a half of stellar work, he's embarking on a new adventure. But it's not all bad news. We'd also like to announce our revamped iPod app as well as a 20% discount promotion code as well as a chance to win a brand-new iPhone! These discounts and perks are available with every new 24-month premium subscription; just type in the promo code "winfreeiphone" at checkout and the price of your subscription will be automatically adjusted and your name automatically entered in a raffle for a free iPhone! Tune in now to find out more!
news
Send and Deliver Qing Wen
Qing Wen's covering all sorts of modes of transport for goods in today's show. We'll be talking shipping, sending, delivering and mailing; how to say each and every one of those verbs (and more) and when to use which word according to context!
email, delivery, post office
A Classic Grand Slam Matchup Upper Intermediate
Grand Slam tournaments have been the stage for classic battles between fierce rivals throughout tennis history: Becker and Edberg, Lendl and McEnroe, Borg and Connors, Sampras and Agassi...the list goes on and on. Today's upper-intermediate lesson focuses on perhaps the greatest rivalry in the last 10 years: Federer and Nadal. Join in as two rabid Chinese tennis fans discuss the pros and cons of each competitor and the strategies each one employs!
sports, competition
What's That in Chinese? Newbie
When you're first learning Chinese, it's pretty tough to express your basic opinions, needs, and desires when you don't know the names of the various objects that surround you. Today's lesson will teach you a useful phrase that will let you smoothly ask your teacher what something is called in Chinese USING Chinese! Handy!
classroom, studying, language
Fast Cars and Shallow Women Intermediate
Why does anyone drive an expensive car? Is it for the speed? The power? The prestige? Well, those might be factors for some, but in today's dialogue it's all to win a girl's heart (surprise, surprise). Will it be the Ferrari, the limited edition Maserati, or the lowly QQ that gets the privilege of sweeping this beauty off her feet? Tune in now to find out!
car, brand, money, relationships
Terracotta Warriors Elementary
Do you know how to say "terracotta warriors" in China? Any studious student has to know this word, and be warned, the Chinese is quite different from the English. History buffs also take note: Xi'an is a Chinese city that demands your attention.
city, travel, history, place
Internet Slang (Part Two) Beijing Standard Time
We're following up our exploration of popular Chinese internet slang with a part two. Today's show features quite a variety of character-related wordplay and slang, from forum slang to similar sounding characters to strategies for getting around the GFW. Tune in to find out more, and if you still haven't heard part one, make sure you listen to that here!
slang, internet
Whether or Not to Use "If" Qing Wen
Wondering whether or not you're using "if" in Chinese correctly? If you've been pondering this very question, trying your best to wrap your head around posing hypotheticals but ultimately failing, you've come to the right show! While we use the word "if" in English to both pose hypotheticals and yes-or-no questions, these two scenarios have substantially different translations in Chinese. Listen in and find out how!
if, hypothesis
The Typhoon Intermediate
Typhoons are no joking matter in China, where flooding and falling debris can wreak serious havoc in densely-packed urban areas. Learn the key words for discussing typhoons and typhoon-related issues in this Chinese lesson, as well as a fun little bit of etymology.
weather, work, typhoon
Thank You and Sorry Newbie
No matter how linguistically well-prepared you may be when you visit China for the first time (all thanks to ChinesePod, of course!), you'll still inevitably encounter any number of awkward and embarrassing situations that will require a basic exchange of niceties in the local language. Today's newbie lesson will equip you with the most basic of phrases to both apologize for your blunder as well as thank the local who is nice enough to assist you in your time of need.
thanking, polite, daily life
Homeschooling Upper Intermediate
In a society renowned for its rigid examination system, homeschooling might seem like a very attractive option to conscientious parents that are looking to do more for their children's futures then turn them into obedient little worker drones, fresh terracotta bricks for the (not so great) wall. But did you know that homeschooling is actually illegal in China? Get the Chinese perspective in this lesson.
education, children, family, school
Do You Live Alone? Elementary
Everyone's got different preferences for living situations. Living with roommates can be vexing for those who desire personal space but a necessity for those who crave constant human interaction. Learn how to talk about your own housing situation in Mandarin Chinese in today's elementary lesson.
place, daily life, life, family
A Detained Package Intermediate
Sometimes getting a package in China isn't quite as simple as having it shipped to your home address. Packages can get detained by customs, in which case you should receive a written notice. In this dialogue, a girl gets just such an unpleasant surprise...
delivery, government, policy, tax
Internet Slang (Part One) Beijing Standard Time
If everyone from all over the world are all in a big competition to see who can create the most internet slang, the Chinese are probably winning. With the high volume of slang being cranked out almost daily by Chinese internet users, David and Greg have decided to make a vain attempt to tackle a fraction of some of the more popular terms. If you frequent Chinese forums, you'll probably recognize many of these, but if not, you'll learn some bits of code indispensable for deciphering Chinese posts online; you'll probably even be able to utilize most of it yourself immediately after listening! Tune in and enjoy!
internet, slang
Duplicitous Snake Idioms Qing Wen
We're wrapping up the animal idiom series with a half-dozen idioms related to the snake. Not surprisingly, the majority of these are quite pejorative: excessive, cruel, and greedy are all attributes inspired by the snake. Tune in and enjoy the show!
animals, snake, idioms, culture