ChinesePod - Intermediate

Elections are a contentious issue anywhere... even in a classroom. In this lesson, students are asked to elect their leaders. What results is a demonstration in electioneering that would make even seasoned politicos blush! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2080

In modern China, city-dwellers have quite a few options for assistive childcare. Beyond just nannies, there's also a very Chinese, first-month expert. Listen in to this Chinese lesson and learn all about these childcare options. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1642

American favorites from Chinese take out include dishes like crab rangoon, General Tso's chicken and orange beef. However, these dishes are more American than Chinese. In fact, most Chinese people are unlikely to even have heard of these dishes. In this lesson, listen as two Chinese friends talk about American style Chinese food while looking for a bite to eat in the Big Apple. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2074

If you've ever had a roommate, you know how essential it is to be able to accuse someone of snoring. In this Chinese lesson, learn the key vocabulary surrounding snoring, sleeping, and being unable to sleep. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1639

China's recent prosperity has made many of its citizens richer, even the beggars! Realizing that they can make more money from the goodwill of others as opposed to working on their own, some beggars on China's streets aren't in desperate need; they're professionals looking to make a living. In this lesson, learn about the phenomenon of professional beggars and what you can do to tell the real ones from the fake ones. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2062

There's a common but delicious cucumber dish in China called 凉拌黄瓜. Learn exactly what this Chinese dish is, as well as how to make it in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1636

It's well-known that table manners can vary a bit from culture to culture, and that Chinese table manners can sometimes be interpreted as "interesting" abroad. But a new generation of well-educated Chinese travelers are ready to shed that old image. In this lesson, listen in on a discussion on this very topic. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1983

Where do traffic and theater collide? On the streets of China, of course! Sometimes a very minor accident can result in quite exaggerated claims of injury. Learn the key Chinese language involved in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1633

Have you ever heard of the "fan death" phenomenon, well-known in Korea? The theory is that sleeping in a room with closed doors and windows and a fan on will almost inevitably result in a tragic death. Don't believe it? Neither does the person in this dialogue. Listen in and learn... Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1981

So you're boning up on your Chinese in preparation for that epic trip to China. You're trying to cover all the bases. But have you prepared for the "emergency game of hide and seek" contingency? Don't worry; this lesson is just what you need. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1629

Don't you hate it when you have millions of RMB (which you claim you won legally gambling in Macau), but don't have a way of discreetly "converting" that money into squeaky clean assets, seeing as how you're a high-level official in your home county, and your constituents kind of frown on that kind of thing? Yeah, so do we. And we wrote this podcast about it. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1974

Chinese cuisine boasts some of the most varied and tasty dishes in the world. But if you're new to this land, there's a good chance you'll experience the darker side of Chinese food as well: food poisoning. And you know what happens when you get food poisoning, right? Then you know what we're learning in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1626

Usually being under someone's spell isn't such a good thing (just ask Brett Favre), but oddly enough, new methods of therapy that utilize hypnosis are becoming popular in China and elsewhere. If you're trying to kick a nasty habit, today's upper-intermediate lesson is just what the doctor ordered. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1971

We live in a world where next-door neighbors are frequently strangers. But it doesn't have to be that way! As a learner of Chinese, you need to get yourself out there, speaking Chinese every chance you get. So if your next door neighbors are Chinese, listen to this lesson and then go introduce yourself! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1623

It seems like an internship is the new "senior thesis." And it's a good thing for business because hey, those interns are cheap! Learn the appropriate language for discussing the prospect of hiring an intern in this business-focused Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1961

Chinese license plates are, of course, "license plates with Chinese characteristics," so they each have a Chinese character on them. These characters typically stand for provinces or municipalities, but sometimes the province-character relationship is less than obvious. In this Chinese lesson, a foreigner gets his Chinese license plate education. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1619

Finally, a ChinesePod lesson for all our opera-loving listeners. Well, not so much operas themselves but bel canto, a world-renowned singing style that's exceedingly popular in China as well. Tune in to find out more! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1954

There are certain personal questions you can expect to be asked in China. Some of them are financial in nature, but others are even more personal. Mentally prepare yourself for these questions with this lesson, while also learning a thing or two about Chinese-style office flirting. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1615

ChinesePod's back with another lesson for all you gamers out there, with a Chinese tilt. We'll cover computer games and console games, plus how to (talk about) hacking your system so you can use all those 7 RMB pirated discs. Get your game on with today's upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1951

In this lesson, we talk about the glorious modern Chinese tradition of "substitute buying." Making a trip from China to the States or Europe isn't an everyday thing, so naturally you don't mind buying a whole bunch of things on the big long list your friends wrote up, right? Learn about the special benefits of duty-free shops here! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1612

There exists a somewhat uncommon and eccentric business practice utilized by certain companies in China: "military-style management." Predictably, this management style includes a lot slogan-shouting and push-ups. Tune in to today's upper-intermediate lesson to find out more! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1943

Teaching is hard work, so every now and then you might need to come up with an excuse to take a week off, like "surgery" or something. But being the responsible teacher that you are, you're going to need to find someone to take those pesky classes off your hands. Learn how to use Mandarin Chinese to find that substitute teacher in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1609

Salaries at home are confusing enough to calculate after taxes, but they're even more confusing when you're abroad and have no knowledge of local rates and labor laws! Today we'll meet one such confused employee wondering why a substantial portion of their pay has been docked. Learn all about calculating salaries after taxes and vacation days in this upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1941

What could be more fun than filling out a simple form so that a website can tell you what kind of person you are? Listen in to this Chinese lesson, in which two girls discuss the results of their online personality tests. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1606

"Z Visa," "Alien Employment License," "Foreigner Entry Visa Invitation Letter," "Temporary Residence Permit." If you're not familiar with these terms yet but you want to work in China and handle your own paperwork, this is information you're going to want to study. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1934

When the guys get together for dinner, you know there's going to be some drinking. And if they're at all traditional, it's not beer they're drinking. It's baijiu, the Chinese rice wine that strikes fear into the hearts of foreigners everywhere. In this lesson, learn the names for the finest and the most famous of Chinese baijiu. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1602

Calligraphy as an art form is one thing, but what about just having decent handwriting? Sadly, even that sign of "culture" is going by the wayside in modern China. Why practice penmanship when you can be happily chatting on QQ or texting on your cell phone? This is progress, right? Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1931

If you're a basketball fan, you should have no trouble making friends in China. If you want to do more than non-verbal cheering, though, you might be looking for a few more expressions to refer to your favorite basketball teams. In this Chinese lesson, we've got you covered. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1599

Even if you're able to find an agent from a reliable real estate company to help you find the apartment of your dreams in China, you're still going to be confronted with a massive block of Chinese at the end of the process: the lease. Needless to say, it will probably take you a bit of time to read through the entire document, but today's upper-intermediate ChinesePod lesson should ease the pain a bit! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1924

Ah, meeting people online... there was a time when such matters were routinely lied about, or only uttered in shameful whispers. We're way past that now, though. The topic has become which dating sites are the best, and the shame has been left behind in the dusty corner with all those dial-up modems. Learn how to register, sign in, and meet the love of your dreams online in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1596

Back to school! In this edition of ChinesePod's "Saved by the Gong" series, physics students learn the principles of buoyancy. What causes one object to float in a liquid where another one sinks? Learn all about it in this lesson! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2299

The scene is a young couple's bedroom. He's dressed and ready to go, while she's only just begun the long process of outfit deliberation. There will be ideas, questions, new ideas, reconsiderations, and changing of one's mind. If you gain nothing else from this Chinese lesson, at least learn the phrase "I changed my mind." Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1592

You haven't been paying attention in class all semester and the exam's next week; it's going to take more than some serious cramming to make up for all the slacking you've been doing. There's only one option: beg the teacher for the test questions in advance. Listen in as a group of unprepared students try to wrest useful test information from their teacher's unwilling grasp in today's upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1921

When a friend or co-worker tells you a relative has passed away, what do you say? You could probably use some help in this delicate situation. For one thing, you don't say "I'm sorry" in Mandarin. Learn how to offer your consolation the Chinese way in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1589

Your company's brand-new kimchee-flavored chocolate has been painstakingly perfected and is ready to hit store shelves. There's just one problem: how are you going to get anyone to buy it? Tune in to today's lesson to hear how the marketing department is planning to introduce the new product to the public. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1914

It's that time of year, and a flu vaccination is probably a good idea. In this lesson, we follow a fearless child and her mother into the doctor's office to get a flu shot. Learn all the essential vocabulary you'll need to get a vaccination, as well as the super-useful question, "are you afraid of pain?" Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1586

This lesson is for our boldest, hardiest, and most probably craziest users out there. We're listening in today as one such athlete discusses ironman triathlons in Mandarin Chinese; if you're like us, you'll probably relate much more to the astonished listener than the competitor! Learn how to talk about triathlons and the intensive preparation they require in today's upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1911

If you're like us, you know a lot of people, and you make a fair amount of calls with your cell phone. But every once in a while, you'll get this annoying recording telling you the call won't go through because it's a "nonlocal number." Fortunately there's an easy solution. Learn about it in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1582

It can be difficult motivating a team. So what do you do when enthusiasm among your employees reaches an all-time low? Just fire the whole lot of them and start over? In this lesson, a wise HR manager tells us that there is another way. Listen in to this Chinese lesson to find out what it is. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1901

In case you haven't been inducted into any Chinese families, you should know up front that there are a few titles to learn. OK, maybe more than a few. In this lesson, follow a young man on his way to visit his wife's parents, and learn all the important family vocab. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1572

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 Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1894

So dad's got the new digital video camera out, and he claims to know how to use it, but he's having a little trouble. Shaky hands, erratic zooming in and out... this Chinese lesson covers the language you'll need. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1569

Remember when 3G was the must-have feature on every smartphone? Before lightning-fast 5G and unlimited data plans became the norm, getting a reliable 3G connection felt like unlocking the future. In this throwback ChinesePod lesson, we revisit a classic conversation about signing up for a 3G plan in China. Whether you were a business traveler needing constant email access or just couldn’t live without YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter, 3G was once absolutely essential. Tune in and relive the moment when mobile internet first became part of everyday life in China! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1891

In these modern times, life is getting easier and easier. Cell phones and the internet make connecting with loved ones half a world away a simple matter. But nothing reminds us of how fragile all these amenities are like a natural disaster. In this lesson, follow along as a Chinese mother and father learn of a massive earthquake in New Zealand and anxiously try to contact their daughter who is studying there. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1881

Today's ChinesePod lesson presents a dire situation: a young woman has dialed into a mental health hotline reporting domestic violence and threatening suicide. Can the experts on the other end talk her down and help her make the right decisions? Tune in and find out. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1876

The end of year party just got a lot more exciting. First prize in the raffle is a car! Listen to the lesson to find out who wins! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2627

Today's lesson is a bit different and quite special. We have a 20 minute Chinese New Year calligraphy lesson for you all to join in with. Join newbie learner Karl and advanced learner Natasha as they learn to write some common sayings and characters to write during Spring Festival. We will learn all about why you see certain characters such as 春 and 满 everywhere during this time, and also the meaning behind the red sheets of paper on either side of a door seen during this festival. If you don't know any of this, no problem. Get your calligraphy pens at the ready, and prepare for a spot of relaxing calligraphy. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2835

With more and more Chinese citizens buying cars, the car wash business in big cities is booming. But that's not to say that every automobile owner keeps his ride nice and clean. In this lesson, learn how to discuss car washes and filthy cars in Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1566

We hope all of our employed users have perfect jobs that are extremely fun and have great benefits and high salaries. Unfortunately, we have yet to meet someone who has never had a job that they despised. Today's Upper-Intermediate lesson joins three coworkers who have had less than satisfactory jobs in the past. Tune in and learn the invaluable skill of how to complain about previous jobs in Mandarin Chinese! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1871

Everyone has a duty to protect the environment, and it starts with you! Far from just spewing grandiose platitudes, in this Chinese lesson we're prepared to lay out exactly what the individual can be doing to help this ailing planet. Tune in to find out what we should be doing more of, and what we should be doing less of. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1562