Chinese Unfiltered

"Chinese Unfiltered" podcast has a native-sounding Mandarin speaker today - Laoma Chris, FINALLY. We traced it back to the very beginning of his Chinese journey and how 2 months of special training changed his past 15 years, his work, his life, and his world. 🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/-CjXwG-UQoA🔥 Speak Mandarin that natives can understand effortlessly → https://findingyourmandarinvoice.com/ ✅ Save $100 by April 30 ⬆️ 🙌 FREE 6-Step “Mandarin Pronunciation Roadmap” → https://ritachinese.com/roadmap?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video_description&utm_campaign=roadmap_launch&utm_content=from_laowai_to_laoma 📌 FREE 5-Day Mandarin Tones Course → https://findyourmandarintones.com/ 5 minutes a day. All four tones. In your own voice, in 5 days.🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 0:00 First impression of China and Mandarin 9:29 First 3 months of Mandarin class 14:33 The start of speaking fluency 19:09 The turning point of Laoma's Chinese 22:41 What actually changed 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Li Laoshi is back in my podcast after we celebrated the Chinese New Year in the US and in Europe, and we talked about a topic that we both are very passionate about - religions and beliefs. As a Chinese millennial and a Chinese Gen-Zer who grew up in different internet and social media eras, we had different observations about our own generations' spiritual lives. But we also both noticed a huge trend on Rednote, Weibo, as well as the real Chinese world:00:00 Spiritual practices in TV shows and on Chinese social media09:49 How and why young Chinese turn to religion17:14 Li Laoshi's personal experience with Buddhism🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/N15pVDwwEsc🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Dr. Abner Zhang and I met at the CLTA annual meeting early this year and discussed his research on second-language phonetics and fluency during my visit to Middlebury College last month. There is way too much conflicting information and advice, so we talk about intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accentedness, three key words and topics that have everything to do with Mandarin speaking and listening, along with a bunch of Second Language Learning research and real-life examples. 0:00 What intelligibility, comprehensibility, and accentedness mean to language learners 10:01 What language learners need to do based on two learning models 16:21 Can "context" fix everything? 18:25 Other factors impacting communication 23:09 Why you don't understand Chinese natives' Mandarin🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/ehwmXGiiP7M🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

You don't really understand a culture until you know how the people face death (inside and outside the ceremony). I talked about the ceremony and some shocking customs with new guest Li Laoshi.🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/iM3dx5CMds8🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

朋友们，好久不见！I did this interview with 9 brilliant Mandarin professors and educators back in May, when we were at the annual conference of the Chinese Language Teacher Association in NYC. 💡These most knowledgeable and experienced Chinese teachers shared their thoughts and tips on beginner, intermediate, and advanced learning processes, based on their decades of teaching experience with hundreds, if not thousands, of Mandarin learners. 00:00 - Who are you? 01:08 - What can a beginner do in 1 year of learning? 03:36 - Beginner learning traps 04:37 - What can an intermediate student do in the 3rd year of learning? 05:53 - Intermediate learning traps 09:29 - What is an advanced learner like? 11:07 - Advanced learners got traps, too? 13:09 - The most common Chinese pronunciation/tone traps 15:23 - Grammar traps from beginners to advanced learners 19:07 - Two learning hacks for self-taught Mandarin learners?🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/eF571hdSiCY🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Marko is an experienced language learner and a former AI professional. We talked about whether he uses AI tools to learn languages himself, his suggestions for Mandarin learners, and if learning a second language is worth the time and effort when AI can do all translations better nowadays. 🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/MjJe1dv7QBE🔍 Support the podcast and get full transcripts of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese00:00 - How Marko would use AI to learn Mandarin 03:36 - What translation AI can't do 05:31 - How learning languages changed Marko 11:55 - Why we need to learn a second language more than ever

👏 Marko is back in my interviews! He is a great Mandarin speaker, a mathematician, and a former AI software engineer. Our talk on learning Chinese with AI tools actually started with the feature of Mandarin Chinese which used to be the biggest challenge in machine learning. More importantly, what problems or pitfalls can it cause when you use AI tools to learn Chinese?🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/mo-vbN74wMk🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese00:00 - The feature of Chinese language that causes machine learning problems 09:25 - What can Mandarin teachers and learners learn from machine learning? 14:40 - The difference between experts and students when using AI tools 20:31 - What you shouldn't use ChatGPT to do when learning Chinese

It's challenging to raise a baby, and it's even more difficult to raise a bilingual child if there is no target language environment. So many overseas Chinese friends have asked me "how can I keep my kid motivated to speak Chinese," and Cindy is definitely the most experienced Chinese teacher who can answer this question!🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/Clj0onMMRAE🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese0:00 Parents' different expectations for kids' Chinese learning 4:51 How to keep kids motivated to use Chinese 13:27 What changes when kids are older 15:29 Can adults learn Chinese like kids?

The differences and similarities between kids and adults learning Chinese are always topics that interest me a lot, and I finally invited the best person to talk about them with! Cindy Huang is the founder and CEO of one of the best Chinese immersive schools in Washington, D.C.: www.chiachinese.com Chia Chinese Learning Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chia_chinese_learning/ 🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/uWbqtLchLO0🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese0:00 Why we both quit full-time jobs and start our own schools 6:23 How kids learn Chinese before 7 years old 13:27 What changes when kids are older 17:07 Teach kids Pinyin and Hanzi (differently from adults) 23:53 Differences and similarities between kids and adults learning pronunciation

The animated Chinese blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" is breaking records non-stop, and has already entered the Global Box Office ALL-TIME Top 10. I went to see the movie and asked what Chinese people thought. Is this movie accessible for non-Chinese audience? Will Chinese learners understand it? Interviews are fully in Chinese, so you can practice your listening at the same time! 🎥 Video version: https://youtu.be/GXdGVjg2Lp0🔥 Speak Mandarin NATURALLY and hear CLEARLY in 12 weeks with Rita's "Finding Your Mandarin Voice" Pronunciation Boot Camp: https://ritachinese.com 🔍 Get video without subtitles and audio versions plus a full transcript of Pinyin+Hanzi+English: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered 🙋🏻‍♀️ Website: ritachinese.com🔥 YouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese 💬 Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Chinese New Year/Spring Festival is around the corner! And it's a very special year for Mei Laoshi and my husband! All of our must-dos and shouldn't-dos every year are still all related to our Chinese zodiac signs. (Surprisingly, I know!) Video version: https://youtu.be/KaVG4SyP4L0Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered Website: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Squid Game Season 2 came out a few weeks ago, and the phenomenal show broke Netflix records (again)! In this episode, I invited my high school good friend Lara to talk about the games in the show, how they played it in South Korea when she was a kid, and what games we played in China in the 1990s. We got nostalgic, but there are a bunch of precise and specific verbs that Mandarin learners need to know in our chat! Enjoy! Video version: https://youtu.be/dIFlpcGzOqYGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered Website: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

MBTI (Myers–Briggs Type Indicator) may not be new to Americans, but it has become so popular in China that you see and hear people talking about it everywhere! We talk about how Chinese people talk about MBTI as small talk, and also roast our partners who have very different personalities than us! What is your MBTI type? What is your go-to topic in Chinese when you meet someone?! Let us know in the comments! Video version: https://youtu.be/dbEjaZKxoD0 Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Surprisingly, the most trendy Chinese reality show is this divorce show 再见爱人, and in this episode of my "Chinese Unfiltered" video podcast, we break down the slang about personalities fro the show that went viral on Chinese social media, and why I think dramatic TV shows like this one is actually great Mandarin learning material! Video version: https://youtu.be/wIFy7jSDX_c Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered Website: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Li Ziqi is BACK!! Her fans from all around the world are so happy🎉 Have you watched any of her comeback videos? How are Chinese people reacting to her comeback? We break down the most used Chinese memes, jokes, and expressions that you see in the video (bullet) comments! Video version: https://youtu.be/yenu2XzRQhoGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered Website: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chineseMei Laoshi's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polishyourchinese/

How are Trump and Harris discussed on the Chinese internet? Why is Trump called a comrade by Chinese netizens? And what election memes are Chinese people creating? My two guests, Dennis and Mei Yan, and I take a deep dive into Chinese social media and break down everything for you!Video version: https://youtu.be/-eOdpbxp6AwDisclaimer: Guests’ views are their own—they don’t represent all Chinese people or Rita Mandarin Chinese. Listen, learn the language, and keep an open mind!Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Jun and I shared our favorite ghost stories, Asian horror movies, Fengshui, Haunted places in Beijing, even personal experiences, and everything about the spiritual beings in Chinese culture. We also compared them to their counterparts in Western cultures that we know in this Halloween special episode. Enjoy!Video version: https://youtu.be/P3Seyl3IDWMGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

It took extra time to edit this episode, because I looked through the pictures of my baby and myself over and over, and I relived the past 4 months again and again.I talked with Jun about this irreplaceable life experience, including the pains, the struggles, the depression, as well as the joy and happiness that my baby's birth has brought to me and my whole family.Video version: https://youtu.be/pRpBwhUtVi4Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

What do Chinese people think is "beautiful"? What has changed when we talk about "beauty" in China? And what is making people anxious about not being pretty enough? Jun and I shared what we feel and what we have seen! (This episode was filmed 2 days before my son's birth back in June)Video version: https://youtu.be/Ibjw6eTgjfEGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Is there a better place for retirement? In this episode of "Unfiltered Chinese", we shared our personal experiences and talked about retirement and healthcare systems in China and in North America, including cultural and social differences.Video version: https://youtu.be/ag6JEdMXitgGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Rita has been married for 5 years, and Jun is still looking for her significant one. But we both have the observation of fewer women that we know getting married in recent years, and it reflects a huge trend in the Chinese society.What happened? What is stopping Chinese women from marriage life? Is it a regional thing? We also talked about a shocking article on the internet that sparked a lot of discussions or even debates.Video version: https://youtu.be/jO3k6jigDR8Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Chinese kids don't learn English anymore? It was shocking to Rita and Jun, as the Chinese generation who dedicated years even decades to learning English and foreign languages. What is happening? What are the reasons and truths behind it? In this episode, we share some observations and thoughts.Video version: https://youtu.be/V7BHRIgRCP0Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

In this episode, we're talking about a more laid back topic: dating! How does dating work in China? How has it changed, and what kind of weird experiences have we had?Video version: https://youtu.be/k1O3qCVBFygGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

Netflix's new hit show The 3-Body Problem is an adaptation of the bestselling series by the same name. A Chinese version of the show came out before this and since we now have both to check out, people have been comparing them relentlessly, both to one another and to the original story. So what do Chinese people think? In this episode, that's what we're discussing. Video version: https://youtu.be/iebgxFsKxa0Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChinese Instagram: instagram.com/rita_mandarin_chinese

4 years away from home and my oldest friends was a long time, especially during a global pandemic. I had imagined so many scenes of returning to China, but nothing could compare to what I saw and heard when I finally stood on the ground of my city. What has always been the same? What has ultimately changed? What shocked us? Jun Laoshi and I will share everything we experienced in this episode!Video version: https://youtu.be/Tv7PLfsQ7BwGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: Instagram: @rita_mandarin_chinese

More and more Chinese people are facing age-related anxiety, but it's starting at 35, 30, or even earlier! Why are Chinese people facing such stress, what are they worried about, and what are they trying to do to deal with it? In Episode 2 of our Chinese podcast, Fan Laoshi and Jun Laoshi break down this issue!Video version: https://youtu.be/JDJhcIkqUD4Get Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfiltered Website: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: Instagram: @stickynote.chinese @rita_mandarin_chinese

Over the last few years, a new social trend has come up, where young Chinese people just don't really want to celebrate Chinese New Year anymore. Why is that? Today in our new video podcast series, Jun Laoshi and I are sharing some thoughts.Video version: https://youtu.be/NTWn_foYQmwGet Pinyin+Hanzi+English Transcript: https://ritachinese.com/chinese-unfilteredWebsite: ritachinese.comYouTube: www.youtube.com/@RitaChineseInstagram: @rita_mandarin_chinese