The Latest Mandarin Chinese Language Lessons
Excellent Materials for You to Learn Chinese Mandarin Language
Latest Lessons
Band Practice Upper Intermediate
Crank your amps up to 11; it's time for band practice! In this lesson you'll learn the Chinese to talk about getting ready for the big show, busting out with that sweet guitar solo, and even the possibility of making it big.
music, musical instrument, entertainment
Dancing in Public Elementary
Have you ever been told to "dance like no one is watching?" It seems like many in China have taken this advice, and they've added some of their own: "also dance where everyone is watching." Learn the language for jumping in on some Chinese public dancing.
entertainment, life, people
A Visitor and Progress Tracking News and Features
In today's News and Features John and Catherine are discussing some updated features on the site. They've also got exciting news about new talent that will soon be joining the ChinesePod family. First up, though, we grill user Steve (aka xiao_liang) about his Chinese studies and his travels in Asia.
features, users
Losing and Forgetting Qing Wen
There's sort of a fuzzy line between "forgetting" something and "losing" it. (We're talking about physical objects here, not insanity.) In this lesson the Qing Wen crew examines that fuzziness in detail, going over different usages of the verbs 忘 (wàng), 丢 (diū), and 落 (là).
lost
One-Way Street Scuffle Intermediate
There's never a dull moment on the streets of China. This means you better be looking both ways even on one-way streets, and you must always be on the lookout for renegade pedestrians and maniacal drivers. Are there sometimes altercations? You better believe it! This lesson focuses on a disagreement between a driver and a pedestrian.
driving, traffic, fight, rules
Leeching off the Parents Upper Intermediate
Adults that still live with their parents long past the time when they were expected to be financially independent are said to be "gnawing on the old" in Mandarin Chinese. In this lesson, hear how a member of this clan interacts with his parents (who don't particularly enjoy the gnawing).
parents, family, argument, money, live, young people
Utensils in the New Kitchen Intermediate
A move into a new home involves lots of excitement and lots of work. Inevitably, the first time you try to cook a meal in that new home, you'll discover that a few crucial tools and condiments are missing. In this lesson, learn about the essentials of the Chinese kitchen.
tool, cooking, seasoning, food
Trick or Treat! Elementary
Halloween is not exactly widely celebrated in China, or at least not the way that your average western observer might recognize. But what if it were? In this lesson, learn the Chinese for "trick or treat" as well as some Chinese attitudes on this special holiday.
Halloween, festivals, kids, candy, culture, chocolate, greetings
Dealing with 管 (guan) Qing Wen
The verb 管 (guǎn) covers a surprisingly broad range of uses. From "managing" money and people ("managing the kids"??) to "dealing with," "taking care of," or even "minding," this verb is worth a bit of discussion, as well as plenty of Chinese sample sentences.
to manage
Fasten that Safety Belt Elementary
Buckling up is the law in many countries, and China is no exception. Sometimes this law is even enforced! In this lesson, learn the essential words and phrases for a run-in with the police over fastening one's safety belt.
car, driving, police, safety
闪婚 Advanced
什么是“闪婚”？那就是“闪电式结婚”，从认识到结婚的速度非常快，像“闪电”一样。婚姻本是人生大事，但有的人认识几天就领证了，有的认识不到三个月就结婚了，在这么短的时间内确定自己的另一半，实在需要一些冲动和勇气。“闪婚”究竟是好是坏？的确也没有一个统一的标准答案。欢迎大家收听今天的高级课程，分享你们对“闪婚”的看法。
marriage, relationships, fashion, young people, love
Reserving a Taxi Cab by Telephone Intermediate
Major cities in China have automated taxi cab reservation services. You make a phone call, listen to a recording, and then are put in touch with an operator. This lesson will cover all the basics for what to expect from such a call, empowering you to start reserving your own taxis!
call, taxi, address, names, phone, system, time
Job Shopping in Modern China Upper Intermediate
The days of the "iron rice bowl" are long gone, a daughter reminds her mother in this lesson. Just as in many other parts of the world, modern Chinese young people aren't staying with any one employer for too long. Find out more about this viewpoint on the Chinese job market in this lesson.
idioms, family, life, company
Help Calling a Cab Elementary
You're a busy person, with staff helping you to manage your busy itinerary. You just may need to ask for some help reserving a cab in Mandarin Chinese. This lesson covers the essentials you need to get in that car and on the road.
taxi, office, communications, time, address
Keeping and Leaving Qing Wen
There's a fun verb in Mandarin Chinese called 留 (liú). Depending on the situation, it might be translated into English as either "to keep" or "to leave." Of course that's not all there is to it... Join us in this lesson to find out the different ways of expressing these concepts.
leaving, keeping
Renting an Apartment through an Agent 4 Intermediate
After being shown multiple apartments by an agent and dealing with all kinds of grumpy potential landlords, the time has finally come to sign that lease. In this lesson, learn about the payment methods and contracts you'll be dealing with when renting a mainland Chinese apartment.
renting, contract, apartment, paying, bill, internet, agent
The Hunan Accent Elementary
Chinese textbooks don't usually tell you this, but ChinesePod will let you in on a little secret: most of China does not speak that standard Beijing accent. In fact, some parts of China have accents and idiosyncrasies that can be downright baffling when you first encounter them. In this lesson, we learn about some key features of the Hunanese accent in Mandarin.
language, accents, place, people, appearance, food
Doing Business in the Bath House Upper Intermediate
What goes on in a Chinese bath house? Maybe not all of it is fit for a family podcast, but in this lesson a husband insists that bath houses are rapidly becoming popular (and legitimate) places to make business deals. Listen in on the debate and learn some useful Mandarin Chinese.
business, service, culture, entertainment