ChinesePod - Intermediate
Episodes
Pre-intermediate | Coffee Break Series: How to be Deliberately Vague, Part 1
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's lesson, we will learn some useful Chinese Language techniques. You will learn to understand "ways of gentility", which is oft...
Upper-intermediate | Online Shopping
29 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Having enough stores to service 1.3 billion people is one thing, having same 1.3 billion people crammed in a frenzied mall on a Saturday afternoon lea...
Intermediate | Touring a Factory
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We now join our Canadian businessman, Peter, as he goes on a tour of a local factory in China. Will he be faced with startling revelations of sweatsho...
Pre-intermediate | Coffee Break Series - How to Make Small Talk
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In China, having a meal with clients is not just eating. Everything is related to the business. That's why learning table manners is so important....
Upper-intermediate | The Pickup Artist
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You'll find them working the bars in any country, trying their pathetic lines on girl after girl. In this podcast we listen in on a Chinese pickup...
Intermediate | Booking a Plane Ticket
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our businessman friend, Peter, has sobered up and accepted the exciting offer of touring the factory he is considering buying product from in China. B...
Pre-intermediate | Coffee Break Series - How to Address Your Co-Workers
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In China, having a meal with clients is not just eating. Everything is related to the business. That's why learning table manners is so important....
Upper-intermediate | Relativity
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Your Chinese in relation to that two year old child beside you? Yeah, relativity can suck. But, we're glass-half-full people here at ChinesePod, r...
Intermediate | A Business Dinner with a Supplier
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sound formal? Well, maybe… until the booze comes out. What does drunk sound like in Mandarin Chinese? Listen in to this podcast as we revisit our Ca...
Pre-intermediate | Coffee Break Series: Business Dinner, Part 4
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In China, having a meal with clients is not just eating. Everything is related to the business. That's why learning table manners is so important....
Upper-intermediate | Stargazing
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
By the time you figure out how well Capricorns and Aquarians get along and if year of the dog is compatible with year of the rat, you might wanna try ...
Intermediate | Requesting a Sample
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our Canadian friend Peter gets deeper into his Chinese business adventure as he decides on a product and requests a sample. For those of you dying to ...
Pre-intermediate | Five ways of seeing: 看、见、看见、看到、看出
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this Qingwen, we answer a question on our forum from user lukeaz: There are so many ways to say "see", including 看、见、看见、看...
Upper-intermediate | My Scooter Won't Start
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You've got a malfunction at the junction. You've tried kicking, pleading, swearing, coaxing--all to no avail. Look for the big greasy black si...
Intermediate | Calling a Supplier for a Quote
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Catching up with our Canadian businessman, he's finally getting in his groove. Today, we listen in (actually eavesdrop) as he gets a quote. In thi...
Pre-intermediate | Why Didn't You Wear Your Mask?
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's lesson, we will tackle some pandemic safety tips. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/4541
Upper-intermediate | Registering with the Police Station
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The bureaucratical love affair with forms and hassle. In this podcast, a pain in the butt cracked open for all you waiguorens living in China. Listen ...
Intermediate | Attending a Trade Show
21 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Our businessman has embarked on his journey of discovery. The taxi ride to the trade show was a success, and now, in this podcast, the saga of the Can...
Pre-intermediate | How To Use Action Complete “le” 了
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we're learning the action complete 了 (le). Learn how to say "I had eight hours of sleep last night" or "I went sh...
Upper-intermediate | Hiring a Courier
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Here in China, there is a courier for every purpose. True, none of them really look like Kevin Bacon in Quicksilver or Jessica Alba in Dark Angel, but...
Intermediate | Arriving in China on Business
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ride along with our Canadian businessman as he arrives in China on a business trip to source some products, and chats with the taxi driver about his p...
Pre-intermediate | Coffee Break Series- 6 Ways to Say Thank You
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the coffee break series, we focus on social etiquette in business settings. In a Chinese workplace, there are certain phrases and words that we use...
Upper-intermediate | All You Can Eat and Drink
11 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Awww yeah. Another Olympic lesson for you, Olympics for gluttons that is. For many of us, the only four words more satisfying than 'your Chinese i...
Intermediate | Joining the Chamber of Commerce
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
ChinesePod wants you out in the community--spreading the good word about us, he he. Getting involved with your local Chamber of Commerce (while still ...
Pre-intermediate | Coffee Break Series: How To Say No To Your Boss
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the coffee break series, we focus on social etiquette in business settings. In a Chinese workplace, there are certain phrases and words that we use...
Upper-intermediate | Group Photo
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
OK, everybody lean in, put your hands on your knees or around the person next to you. You in the back, two fingers behind someone’s head please. Now...
Intermediate | Subway Announcements
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If the sound of the robot subway announcer lady’s hypnotic voice is your signal to zone out into a trance, this lesson is for you. In this lesson, f...
Pre-intermediate | 3 Ways to Use mei 没
29 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we're going to show you three usages of a really common Chinese character 没. They are 没 Verb, 还没 Verb, and when 没 is use...
Upper-intermediate | Pedestrian Peril
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Just out for a leisurely stroll or... death wish? Map in hand, foot off curb, head in clouds... in China, not understanding the difference between leg...
Intermediate | Finding Live Music
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The experts agree: China is an emerging power. But as a new superpower, what powers will it have on the world stage? Hopefully, one of them will be th...
Pre-intermediate | How to use 要...了
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we'll show you how to use sentence structures 要...了, 快要... 了 and 就要...了 and the differences between them! Episode ...
Upper-intermediate | Bad Service Restaurant
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cold tea, warm water, sticky menu, dirty chopsticks, and why in the world won't they bring the stinking rice--isn't this CHINA?! You're st...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 17: It's Over (Again)
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the spirit of "Choose Your Own Adventure" 1980s pre-teen novels, we revisit Zhang Liang and Lili and rewrite history with a "Choose Your Own Breaku...
Pre-intermediate | How to use le 了
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we'll show you how to use the particle le 了 in its change of state function. Learn how to say "I don't love you anymore" or "There's...
Upper-intermediate | Complaining About The Boss
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are "The Office" type bosses, and Godfather-styled mafia type bosses, and, granted, though most workplaces bosses don't ridicule you or kill you...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 16: It's Over
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
No self-respecting soap opera would be complete without a teary farewell. It's been a long and winding road, but the inevitable time has come for our ...
Pre-intermediate | How to use ba 吧
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In today's lesson, we're showing you how to use a very common particle called 吧. By adding it to the end of the sentence, it can be used to offer su...
Upper-intermediate | Presentation on Trends
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Presentation on ChinesePod trends: our poddies' Mandarin skills have been marked by a sharp rising aspect. Statistics show that our Chinese learners a...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 15: Uncomfortable Encounter in a Bar
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's an awkward part of life, and those in melodramatic serialized fiction are certainly not exempt from the agonizing drama of running into an old ex...
Pre-intermediate | How to use 都不 & 不全都
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we're learning how to say "I don't like them all" using 都不, and "I only like some of them" using 不全都. Let's check it out! Episode link...
Upper-intermediate | Turbulence
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When hot air rises, and cold air falls and every voice inside of you questions the integrity of this russian-made aircraft, don't lose your lunch into...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 14: Seeking Comfort
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What will our friend Lili do now that she has broken up with Zhang Liang? Run into the arms of a conniving friend? or show up on the doorstep of an in...
Pre-intermediate | 3 ways to use 都 dōu
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we are learning three ways to use 都 dōu, this word will come in handy when you want to say "I like them all", "I want to buy them a...
Upper-intermediate | Getting a Library Card
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Headin' down to the library... ready to while away the hours reading month-old issues of the New York Times. Not so fast. The clerk at the gate gives ...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 13: A Dad Gives Advice to a Broken-Hearted Son
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Last time we heard from our friend Zhang Liang he was in the heat of a messy breakup. But who’s there to help him pick up the pieces but good ‘ole...
Pre-intermediate | Are we both winners?
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The company announced it's working with the competitor, will this be a win-win situation? Which side are you on? Learn how to be a skeptic or an optim...
Upper-intermediate | To Love or Be Loved
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
That is zee question. At ChinesePod, relationships are simple: we love you, you love us. It's a match made in heaven. As for the real world, we give y...
Intermediate | International Women's Day
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's been said that "behind every great podcast is a great woman," and we can testify to that. So, for Jenny, Colleen, Eileen, Amber, (Aric on Thursda...
Pre-intermediate | "Me too!" 4 ways to use 也
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes you just want to be like everyone else. In Chinese, you can use "ye" to tell people you have the same things, want the same things, like the...
Upper-intermediate | Buying a Custom-Built Computer
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The true computer geeks amongst us will come bounding out of the woodwork for this Mandarin lesson, gleefully igniting flurries of discussion over bit...
Intermediate | Watching a DVD
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Not to say that version of “Ben-Hur” picturing Jack Black isn’t of reputable quality, but the DVD talk is bound to happen. Real vs. fake, subtit...
Pre-intermediate | China's 1st and 2nd Tier Cities
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many of you have heard of China’s 1st and 2nd tier cities by now. Take this lesson to find out how the expansion of China’s high speed rail over t...
Upper-intermediate | Editing a Document
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you thought writer's block was the biggest challenge to meeting that deadline, think again. You've got to get past the dreaded editor. In this podc...
Intermediate | Olympic Medals
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s always exciting to see which world records will be broken by gold medalists, as well as to see which country gets the most medals in the Olympi...
Pre-intermediate | 太过分了（太...了）
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered how to say "That boy is so handsome!" in Chinese? Watch this video and learn a useful sentence structure to express "very, too ...
Upper-intermediate | Motivational Speaker
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Awaken the giant within! Take immediate control of your Mandarin Chinese destiny! If you can't you must, if you must you can! If you think Anthony Rob...
Intermediate | Sheep, Wolves, and Fruit: a Riddle
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
True, she’s one of the most downloaded women on the internet, but she also has a wicked sense of humor. In today’s offbeat lesson, Miss Zhu tells ...
Pre-intermediate | 周末你有什么活动？/ What activities are you doing this weekend？
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What are you doing this weekend? Have you made your plans yet? Check out this video and see if you get any ideas! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod...
Upper-intermediate | Drinking Ability
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Due to an extra-smart poddie's recent uber-technical diagnosis of why Asians turn red whilst drinking, there is no need for further racial alcohol-tol...
Intermediate | A Flat Bicycle Tire
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A flat bike tire is like a bad hair day, in that… erm, neither are…. uh, fun. In this podcast, learn how to tell the repairman that you have a fla...
Pre-intermediate | No Bargaining
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we learn how to complain that something is too expensive. We also look at words for large numbers including hundreds, thousands, and t...
Upper-intermediate | Calisthenics
09 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You may be so busy studying Chinese that your exercise program has gone the way of the rickshaw. Don't wait until the situation degenerates to the poi...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 12: The Breakup
06 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Who knew it could all end up like this? In this podcast, could it really be possible that our friends Lili and Zhang Liang will part ways? Or can they...
Pre-intermediate | Making Comparisons
04 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we're going to learn 4 different ways to make comparisons using the character 比 bi3. The sentence structure can be a little confusin...
Upper-intermediate | The Final Jizhou Pieces
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Taking a lesson from the other go-on-forever saga of 'lost' people, we have decided to conclude this story without opening the hatch. Tune in to today...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 11: Confiding in a Conniving Friend
30 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Did you ever pour your heart out to a friend, only to discover you were playing right into that friend’s insidious master plan which would leave you...
Pre-intermediate | He Won't Carry My Handbag
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to one friend complain to another about how her boyfriend refuses to carry her handbag when they're together. Is this something you would do, o...
Upper-intermediate | Election Candidates
26 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Perhaps the upcoming 2008 presidential race in the United States could be made into the next TV reality show. It's got it all--the drama, the coifed b...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 10: The Other Woman
23 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Well, well… what do we have here? A modern-day “Harold & Maude,” that’s what. Just as Zhang Liang is having doubts about Lili, he finds hi...
Pre-intermediate | Not Studious Enough
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to two students discuss how playing online computer games is affecting their school grades. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2707
Upper-intermediate | Pushy Insurance Salesman
19 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Now, pushy salesmen are an easy target, so today's introduction will not pick on them, even if they do wear tacky suits and cheesy grins. In today's p...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 9: The Come-on
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Call it pheromones, call it female ambitions, call it what you want… but Lili’s friend finally “busts a move” on Zhang Liang one late night at...
Pre-intermediate | The Dolphin Show at SeaWorld
14 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today we visit SeaWorld to watch the dolphin and penguin performances. Listen in as this family discusses the show times. Episode link: https://www.ch...
Upper-intermediate | Jizhou Mental Breakdown
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Mental breakdowns are never pretty, in any language. But would a Chinese language learning journey be complete without knowing how to have a mental br...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 8: Scheming Girls
09 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Meddle, meddle, meddle… It wouldn’t be an office place if it didn’t have girls playing “love doctor.” In the latest installment of our on-go...
Pre-intermediate | The Cycling Holiday
07 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You've been on a bike trip and come back nice and tanned. Your friends are likely going to comment on your new looks as well as ask to see some of the...
Upper-intermediate | Abducted by Aliens
05 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You don't know how you got here, everyone seems shorter than you, and they're communicating in ways you just don't understand. No, you're not in some ...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 7: A Guy's Advice on Women
02 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Will the drama never end? (We secretly hope not, as it makes for great lessons). Catching up with Zhang Liang and Chen Li, this time Zhang’s worried...
Pre-intermediate | Charging your Phone on the Run
30 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Running out of battery on your phone can be a pain when you're waiting for an important call or you're just really eager to see what Kim Kardashian's ...
Upper-intermediate | Old School Toys
28 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Though transformers are the flavor of the month, some of us puritans yearn for the simpler days of 'Mother May I' and 'Red Rover.' In this podcast, ta...
Intermediate | Holding a Meeting
25 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We know our ChinesePod listeners are all good-looking and successful people. This means that at some point you’ll be chairing a meeting. So can we h...
Pre-intermediate | Using a VPN
23 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A VPN in Western countries can be useful for hiding your less-than-savory browsing history at work, but in China it's an absolute necessity if you hav...
Upper-intermediate | Buddhism and Taoism
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you thought incense was for creating a mood and that orange robes were a fashion statement... that vegetarianism was just a California fad and nuns...
Intermediate | Child-Parent Fight
18 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You wanted more drama so more drama it is. In this podcast, you’ll learn what a parent-child argument sounds like in Mandarin Chinese. We’ll give ...
Pre-intermediate | A Disgusting Man
16 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
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 th...
Upper-intermediate | Extreme Tourism
14 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We like to think of learning Mandarin as "extreme language learning." It's no wonder, then, that "extreme tourism" would go hand-in-hand. What about a...
Intermediate | The Olympic Mascots
11 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An overview of the “Fuwa,” the 5 official mascots for the Beijing Olympics. They’re everywhere…as in: can’t-get-away-wake-up-in-cold-sweats-...
Pre-intermediate | Visiting the Aquarium
09 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone loves the aquarium: brightly-colored tropical fish, massive sharks, cute otters, and even beluga whales (if you're lucky enough to be in Shan...
Upper-intermediate | Social Networking
07 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The web that social networks weave is intricate. To some, an essential socializing tool. To others, perhaps, a time waster. And yet others... a stalke...
Intermediate | Ordering Office Supplies
04 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You’re dealing with four tones, thousands upon thousands of words, and you’re going to try and shop for your own office supplies? Listen in to thi...
Pre-intermediate | A Simple Tour of the Office
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We love getting visitors at the ChinesePod office here in Shanghai. Thankfully, no matter if you speak Chinese or not, our bilingual staff can offer y...
Upper-intermediate | Sudoku
02 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There is a rage sweeping the number geeks of the nation, and it's called Sudoku. ChinesePod, confident that all Chinese-learners are mental gymnasts b...
Intermediate | Tailor-made Clothing
28 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some do it because nowhere else in the world could you get a tailor-made suit for under $100. Some do it because everywhere else in the world laughs a...
Pre-intermediate | Hospitality Series 5: Searching for Shopping
26 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shopping is an integral part of many a tourist's experience travelling. But what do you do when you don't know where to go to get your shopping fix, b...
Upper-intermediate | Interview with the Boss
24 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The clammy handshake... the subsequent perspiring flush of sweat, the blank mind run through the wringer as the suit across the desk shoots out a mach...
Intermediate | Receiving a Package for a Friend
21 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
E-commerce is big in China. Not a day goes by at offices throughout the Middle Kingdom without someone receiving a package of something that they've b...
Pre-intermediate | Let's Go to a Movie
19 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, we discuss going to see a SCARY movie and what other alternatives there may be. Join Jenny and Grace as they discuss going to see the ...
Upper-intermediate | Interviews: Obama or Romney?
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today people across America will be going to the polls to decide on a new president for the next four years. Will it be Obama or Romney? Only time wil...
Intermediate | Asking to Be Paid Back
14 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lending money to friends can be a risky business. They might be a good friend, but are they good with money? What's worse, how can you put pressure on...
Pre-intermediate | Can I Borrow a Charger?
12 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What do you do when your phone is dying and you don't have a charger? You have to ask to borrow one. Listen to Grace and Jenny as they search for a ch...