The Latest Mandarin Chinese Language Lessons
Excellent Materials for You to Learn Chinese Mandarin Language
Latest Lessons
Preparing for Pain Upper Intermediate
In this lesson, an intrepid shopper is going through a rather long list of medical supplies as he receives assistance from the pharmacist. As for why an apparently healthy young man would need such an assortment of bandages and painkillers, listen in to this Chinese lesson to find out!
buying, medicine, pharmacy
National Stereotypes Intermediate
Whether we like it or not, we're often branded according to the country we hail from. While we call that stereotyping in the West, Chinese people often find it a convenient and expedient way to understand a person's personality (Chinese people stereotyping; a stereotype in itself!) In today's lesson, some foreigners encounter a number of stereotypes firsthand regarding their own countries of origin.
culture, nationalities, personality, greetings
The Spring Festival Beast and Firecrackers Beijing Standard Time
The Spring Festival is all about joyous reunions with family members, enjoying some 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 as quickly as possible. Be sure to check out our newbie lesson on the New Year and our previous BST on Chinese Mythological Creatures!
myth, Spring Festival, firecrackers, Chinese New Year
Water Qing Wen
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 let us know in the comments section below!
water, river
The Better Man Elementary
If you're going to treat men like objects, it's important to be able to compare them like objects. In this Chinese lesson, a group of ladies in the office compare two of their male co-workers. Listen in on the age-old debate of Xiao Wang vs. Xiao Li, and learn how to make comparisons in Mandarin!
people, appearance
Market Prices for Seafood Intermediate
Sometimes you open up a menu, and instead of seeing the familiar "numbers" to represent the price, you see two pesky Chinese characters. You have stumbled upon the market price! In this lesson, several would-be seafood diners learn the value of inquiring about the market price.
eating, food, seafood, price
Driving in China Upper Intermediate
Driving in China has been likened to action films, video games, and even demolition derby. Make no mistake -- there are good reasons not to get behind the wheel in China! On the other hand, there are also compelling reasons not to make that daily commute. Learn more in this lesson.
driving, traffic, China, transportation
Dental Floss Elementary
In recent years, China's stunning economic progress has propelled it into the ranks of "nations that pretend to use dental floss to appease their dentists." Many Chinese people are also now aware that excessive use of toothpicks can be a bad thing. If you're ready for the big "dental floss or toothpick" question, this is the lesson for you.
teeth, doctor, daily life
Red Envelopes During the Spring Festival Beijing Standard Time
Red envelopes are a major part of many different social events in Chinese culture, including weddings, births, and the Spring Festival, among others. Because this phenomenon is so massive, today's BST focuses primarily on the envelopes that are handed out during the Lunar New Year celebration: who gives them, who gets them, what's in them, and the significance behind them. If you're looking for related lessons, check out this intermediate lesson on Chinese New Year plans and this advanced lesson on red envelopes for special help. Enjoy the show!
Spring Festival, red envelope, money
Lucky and Unlucky Numbers in Chinese Qing Wen
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. Enjoy the show and leave your questions and comments below!
numbers, culture
Scheduling a Time Elementary
That Manager Li is a busy, powerful woman. You can't expect to just pull her aside next to the water cooler; you're going to need to schedule your precious face time with her. In this lesson, learn how to do just that in Mandarin Chinese.
business, office, work, time, meeting
An Interview for a Private Driver Intermediate
For those of you with a bit of disposable income but no desire to brave the streets of China behind the wheel yourself, hiring a driver may be the best option. But how do you go about finding a driver who's both responsible and experienced? Tune in to today's ChinesePod lesson to find out!
driver, experience, interview, city, traffic
The Seven Year Itch 3: Extramarital Involvement Upper Intermediate
ChinesePod brings you the next installment in our series on marital strife. One couple's marriage is in severe jeopardy after a husband's rather suspect interaction with a young college girl. Listen in to find out more! You'll find the previous chapter here.
relationships, argument, family, divorce
Character Amnesia Elementary
Learning how to hand-write characters can be a daunting task for those of us just starting to learn Chinese; how often have you forgotten how to write a character? The answer is probably exceedingly often. Don't feel too bad, though. In today's lesson, you'll learn that it's not just foreigners who are prone to forgetting how to write characters!
writing, studying, Chinese character
Chinese Couplets Beijing Standard Time
While the Spring Festival is still far in the future, your humble hosts of BST have decided to devote a number of lessons to the wealth of cultural topics related to this important occasion. Today's kicks off with a discussion of the Chinese couplet which adorns the doorposts of homes and shops come festival-time. Enjoy the show and feel free to post your comments and questions, as well as any Chinese couplets that you composed yourself, or at least find exceptionally poetic!
Chinese New Year, Chinese character, Chinese couplet
Essential Math Terms Qing Wen
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!
numbers, math
Thanksgiving Turkey Elementary
Thanksgiving means "turkey day" to most Americans. While the Chinese can get behind the whole idea of a day giving thanks, they also have a few less-than-enthusiastic opinions about turkey. Find out the Chinese view on turkey and learn how to use Chinese to defend the honor of this delicious bird.
festivals, culture, food, Thanksgiving Day