The Latest Mandarin Chinese Language Lessons
Excellent Materials for You to Learn Chinese Mandarin Language
Latest Lessons
Discussing Graphs Intermediate
Graphs, charts, diagrams, tables... if you're in a white-collar office environment, chances are you're going to be discussing these kinds of figures on a regular basis. Today's dialogue features two employees preparing for a daily meeting. Learn how to talk about trends, sales figures, quarters and other business terms in this intermediate lesson.
meeting, business, work, office
Filling a Managerial Position Upper Intermediate
When a high-level manager departs for greener pastures it's often difficult to find an able replacement. Today's dialogue features a debate between two high-level executives deciding how to fill a recently-vacated managerial position within the company: through making a new hire or an inner promotion. Find out how they decide to act while learning some useful business-related Mandarin vocab in today's upper-intermediate lesson.
business, work, employee
A Disgusting Man Pre Intermediate
It's safe to say that everyone has been on an awful date before. Whether it was that it was horribly awkward, a terrible clash of personalities, or that the other person was just a bedraggled mess, we've all had at least one dating experience that we'd rather forget. Today's lesson is the story of one such unlucky young woman recounting her own nightmare of a date. Tune in to hear more!
appearance, hygiene
Serving Tea Newbie
If you come to China you're going to be getting served tea everywhere: in restaurants, homes, even offices. In today's newbie lesson, we'll be joining a young woman as she enters an office. Listen in and learn the language for basic manners and politeness in Mandarin Chinese.
office, polite
Chinese Solar Terms Beijing Standard Time
Today's Beijing Standard Time covers a topic that may be fairly unknown to most of our listeners: Chinese solar terms. We're talking about points in the solar cycle determined by Chinese astronomers back in the Warring States period to be the most pivotal seasonal shifts for agricultural purposes. Their usage doesn't stop at farming, however; many of these terms are widely used in common phrases and sayings today. Tune in to find out more!
season, lunar calendar
Why, Oh, Why? Qing Wen
Thanks to an absolute deluge of ideas from our lovely listeners, Qing Wen is back with another highly-useful lesson. Today, we're covering one of the most useful question words out there: WHY? Learn the subtle difference in tone between the three most common words for why in Mandarin Chinese and how to use them to perfection!
reasons
Registering for 3G Service Upper Intermediate
With the popularization of smartphones, 3G service has become more and more common. For a businessman on the go or anyone else who's exceptionally attached to their email (or youtube, or facebook, or twitter...), 3G is absolutely essential. Tune in to today's ChinesePod lesson as we explore a typical conversation about purchasing a 3G plan. Get your smartphone in China set up today!
3G, service, smartphone
Saying Goodbye Newbie
You've had a wonderful time with your friends but you're worn out and ready to leave. It's time to go. But how do you break the news to your undoubtedly disappointed friends? Learn how to leave a social situation gracefully in Mandarin Chinese with today's newbie lesson.
leaving, polite
Hospitality 7：Hotel Room Cleaning Elementary
So you slept in until noon, and NOW it's convenient for you to have housekeeping clean your room? That's fine... you're the guest after all. Find out what both the request and the polite staff response are in this continuation of ChinesePod's hospitality series.
hotel, cleaning
Plane Ticket Name Mix-Up Intermediate
In a country ruled by Chinese characters, those of us with names not composed of Chinese characters might run into a difficulty or two. One such dilemma is the classic "the name on your plane ticket doesn't match the name on your passport" error. Find out what you'll hear when it happens, as well as what you might be able to do about it in this Chinese lesson.
airport, flight, name, rules
Lesson Page Upgrade, Video Lessons and a New Office! News and Features
Today's News and Features brings a plethora of updates. We've released a new iPad compatible lesson page as well as a new Android tablet app (you can find a video demo on both Vimeo and Tudou). You can also download the app here. We've also recently published a video lesson on mahjong. Check it out and let us know what you think! Finally, ChinesePod is moving! We're staying in Shanghai, but if you want to visit, make sure you get our new address.
iPad
A Qing Wen to Our Listeners Qing Wen
Qing Wen today isn't so much an educational podcast as a request to our wonderful listening audience. What we think makes Qing Wen so special is not only that it can delve into language topics that don't fit a formal lesson but also that it's a way for us to give users the opportunity to pose their own questions and interact with us even more directly. Unfortunately, the flow of questions has slowed dramatically recently, so in light of that we want to encourage all our loyal listeners to throw out any and all questions they want answered in today's comments section. Help us tailor our beloved Qing Wen to your personal listening needs!
questions
Hospitality Series 6：Buying a Handbag Elementary
We revisit Ms. Wu's saga in New York in today's elementary lesson as we follow on a handbag shopping excursion. Will she be able to find one that suits her? Learn how to shop for handbags (and other products) in today's ChinesePod lesson!
shopping, size, payment
四大美女谁最美 Advanced
看到一位美女，你会怎么赞美她呢？年轻漂亮，美丽大方，温柔善良，活泼可爱，有气质，有魅力......NO，这些形容词都太简单了，不足以打动美人的芳心。今天我们就要来教教大家怎么去形容一位女子的美，特别是中国古代四大美女的美貌。怎么样？有兴趣了吧？心动了吧？赶快进入今天的学习时间吧！
appearance, history, culture
Volunteering in China Intermediate
This lesson is for all our users who are looking for a meaningful ways to spend their free time and help the less fortunate. We're joining a group of friends as they discuss volunteerism in China, a country whose astonishing wealth gap is only widening and whose poorest live in truly harsh conditions. Listen in and be sure to chime in with your own volunteering experiences, in China or not, in the comments section below.
volunteering
Playing Mahjong Video Lessons
If you've been to China, you've probably seen locals engaged in one of the Middle Kingdom's favorite pastimes, mahjong. The unrecognizable tiles and rules may be intimidating at first, but with today's ChinesePod lesson, you'll be ready to jump right in. However, we don't guarantee you'll be beating any elderly Chinese veterans any time soon! You can also find this video lesson on both Tudou and Vimeo!
video, entertainment, culture, customs
Come In, Please Newbie
It's easy to make friends in China, and before you know it you'll be getting invited over to new friends' houses and inviting your friends over to yours. Today's ChinesePod lesson will teach you the basics of at-the-door pleasantries that you'll exchange when you arrive.
business, office, visit
A Tour of the Chinese Underworld (Part Two) Beijing Standard Time
Beijing Standard Time returns to the realm of ghosts with Part Two of our tour of the Chinese underworld. Today's BST covers the final stages of a ghost's journey and includes encounters with a bridge, a stone, and a peculiar old woman with an even more peculiar soup. Listen in to find out more! If you haven't heard Part One of the series, be sure to listen to it first here!
ghost, legend, Soul
Email Terms and Composition Qing Wen
Sending and receiving emails is an integral part of daily life in any culture and any language. Learn all the most useful email terms in Mandarin Chinese with today's Qing Wen lesson. Additionally, learn some small but noticeable differences in Chinese email formats that can make your emails look like they were written by a native speaker (in structure, at least!)
email, letter