ChinesePod - Intermediate
Episodes
Upper-intermediate | The Price of Marriage
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Marriage in China is a serious business that involves more than just the complexities of love and interpersonal relationships. In a culture where fami...
Intermediate | This is outrageous!
07 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There's nothing like a little bait and switch to get those customers coming. This tactic works the world over, and China is no exception. Make sure yo...
Pre-intermediate | Characters - The New Co-Worker
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Writing Chinese Characters shouldn't be overwhelming! In this video, we break down the key characters found in the intermediate lesson The New Co-Work...
Upper-intermediate | Experiencing Agricultural Life
03 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A special podcast today. We listen in on an interview about a very interesting aspect of coming of age in China--going on the school field trip to the...
Intermediate | Import/Export
30 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Likely many a laowai has dreamed about how much dosh one could make taking chicken feet from the States and importing them to China--but just how does...
Pre-intermediate | Asking About the New Job
28 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While chatting with your friends in Chinese, job discussion will surely be a popular topic, especially if someone has just changed jobs. Learn how to ...
Upper-intermediate | Studying Japanese
26 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Are you pouring over your accumulated mountain of Chinese-learning books, now wearing a set of prescription glasses due to Chinese character eye-strai...
Intermediate | A Convenient Misunderstanding
23 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For foreigners, the road of Chinese learning is paved with mistakes and misinterpretations. In this lesson, we hear the tragically funny story of a fo...
Pre-intermediate | Birthday on the Lunar Calendar
21 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The lunar calendar is decidedly important in China as it determines the date of various holidays like Chinese New Year and the Dragon Boat Festival, b...
Upper-intermediate | Traveling on the Cheap
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The experienced traveler knows that planning is everything. In this lesson, someone plans a trip to Yunnan and asks for advice on how to find informat...
Intermediate | A Trip to the Dry Cleaner's
16 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Not that your ayi is a bad ayi, but her opinion that towels can be thrown in with your suit is one that will not change. We highly suggest being able ...
Pre-intermediate | Cell Phone Connectivity Issues
14 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you know how to express that you can't get through to someone's cell phone? Or that someone's cell phone appears to be off? Learn the Chinese for t...
Upper-intermediate | Global Warming
12 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some contacts of ours (ex-girlfriends and cops) are writing with reports of unseasonably hot weather in Beijing. We like getting these emails, partly ...
Intermediate | Parent/Teacher Meeting
09 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
John was emphatic when he claimed that “someone being naughty” was a listener suggestion. So we’ll (roll our eyes) trust him, just this once, an...
Pre-intermediate | What's That Website?
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this day and age, you won't be studying Chinese for long at all before you need to start talking about websites. In this basic lesson, learn the wo...
Upper-intermediate | The Scene of the Accident
04 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It is a dark and stormy night. You see a woman kneeling on asphalt, her tears staining a rusted hulk of twisted metal. A man stands to one side, head ...
Intermediate | Adoption
02 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In 2005, Americans adopted 7,906 children from China (highest of any country). So a conversation between a Chinese lady and a “laowai” who recentl...
Pre-intermediate | I'm Gonna Be Late
31 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've all been in this situation... two people agree to meet at a certain time, but one person calls to say she'll be late. And then calls again to sa...
Upper-intermediate | Resisting Relocation
30 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a bad day: a misfiled report at work, a burgeoning head cold, and a drawn out fight with the missus that ended only when the phone line went...
Intermediate | Tai Chi
26 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Admit it – you feel bad walking by the park every morning and seeing them twist and turn with the grace of a Beijing acrobat. So how about we teach ...
Pre-intermediate | Didn't you get my email?
24 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are many reasons to believe that someone may not have received your email. Whether you're a conspiracy theorist or simply need to remind a techn...
Upper-intermediate | Playing the Stock Market
22 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It has been said that gambling in China is a bit of a, shall we say, national pastime. Is the stock market is a form of gambling? The Chinese stock ma...
Intermediate | Bank Transactions
19 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You can change it to RMB, but not back unless you have a form and oh, by the way… where’s your red book, visa, and passport? Wrong line – it’s...
Pre-intermediate | Take Some Medicine
17 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Now, we all know when we get the flu, there’s nothing we like more than to do a little whining about it. In this podcast you will learn how to tell ...
Upper-intermediate | Paying Child Support
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Divorce and child custody is becoming a more common topic of conversation in China in recent years. In this podcast, listen in as one divorcé talks a...
Intermediate | Airport Announcements
12 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ken and co. can tell you all about their Shanghai (tarmac for 3 hours) to Beijing (except that they never actually touched down) back to Shanghai (tar...
Pre-intermediate | Dining and Dropping
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dropping a utensil at dinner is normal, right? Knocking pretty much everything onto the floor, though, one by one, doesn't normally happen unless ther...
Upper-intermediate | When the Taxi Takes the Long Way
08 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Though it’s hard to imagine ever completely getting your bearings in a massive Chinese city, you may from time to time get an inkling that something...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 6: An Old Flame
05 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Will the drama never end (let’s hope not, as we like crafting these lessons)? Catching up with Lili, who recently ran into an old “friend” (doin...
Pre-intermediate | Switching Language Input Methods
03 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us need to use both Chinese and English input methods when we are working on our computer. Here is another extremely useful lesson to help you...
Upper-intermediate | A Jizhou Identity Revealed
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Somebody is up to some deceitful tricks in this eerie Jizhou episode. Listen in to this podcast, and learn in Mandarin about the strange goings-on of ...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 5: Love Letter
29 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Catching back up with Zhang Liang and Chen Li, we find them in a much better position, romantic-wise… as someone wrote someone else a love letter. S...
Pre-intermediate | Shut Down By Pimples
27 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Don't you hate it when your internal heat is too high, and you break out? In this Chinese lesson, our tragic heroine suffers that fate and is forced t...
Upper-intermediate | An Anonymous Tip in Jizhou
25 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Previously on Jizhou series... missing persons, freaked out girlfriend and weird townspeople. This week on Jizhou... missing persons, freaked out girl...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 4: Lovers' Spat
22 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Granted, it’s difficult (even for us) to differentiate a “normal talk” from an “upset talk,” but we can tell you that an occasional spat tak...
Pre-intermediate | Changing Your Profile Picture
20 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When was the last time you updated your profile picture? A few days ago or has it been awhile? For the father in this lesson, getting help changing hi...
Upper-intermediate | A Jizhou Child's Warning
18 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you find yourself perplexed, fear not that your Chinese comprehension is going down. Rather, this series is just messing with your mind. In this my...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 3: The Jealous Friend
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The “lucky color” red doesn’t go well with green--especially when the latter is brought on by a fit of jealousy. Catching up with girlfriend/boy...
Pre-intermediate | Interested in Chinese Medicine
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What are you interested in? Even if it's not traditional Chinese medicine, you're going to want to know how to ask that question and how to answer it....
Upper-intermediate | Familiar Face in Jizhou
11 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Lost meets Fantasy Island, missing person sighting. Follow along with Wentao and Zhao Lu as the mystery thickens in Jizhou. Yes, it...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 2: Growing Affections
08 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No matter where/who you are, the “laying it on thick” stage of the (almost) relationship is the same in any language. So how does boyfriend-to-be ...
Pre-intermediate | Favorites
06 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do you keep track of your preferred websites by putting them in your Favorites? Listen in as a daughter teaches her father how to bookmark his favorit...
Upper-intermediate | Missing Persons in Jizhou
04 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Though they haven't found the 'hatch' yet, the secrets of Jizhou are starting to reveal themselves to our mystified loved-one seekers. In this podcast...
Intermediate | Lili and Zhang Liang 1: A Fated Meeting
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the classic (21st century, Chinese) love tale: a couple meets online (QQ, most likely), start talking (BBS, no doubt) and then meet in person f...
Pre-intermediate | What does she look like?
29 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
So that friend that could never get a girlfriend finally got one. The immediate question is, "what does she look like?" Of course, it's a useful quest...
Upper-intermediate | Arrival in Jizhou
27 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You've heard of 'Lost', 'The Twilight Zone', and ChinesePod's famous 'Alien Abduction'... but, have you heard of Jizhou? The place where eerie flutes ...
Intermediate | Rome
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When in China... learn about Rome! Today's podcast takes us on a tour of this famous Italian city. Come along on our trip as we hit the Coliseum... bu...
Pre-intermediate | No Tampons?!
22 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This is a situation you girls living in China will be able to relate to: trying to find a place that sells tampons! Since tampons are generally not re...
Upper-intermediate | Rating Restaurants on Dianping
20 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Zagat? Fodors? Frommers? Michelin? No, no, and no. Trust the most food-centric culture there is. Every holiday, gathering, birthday, birth, death, and...
Intermediate | Using A Dictionary
17 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With 80,000 total characters (and the majority of words needing at least 2), you might enlist some help along the way. Yes, ChinesePod will be with yo...
Pre-intermediate | Practicing Kung Fu
15 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You don't have to know much Chinese to get started with your all-Chinese kung fu lessons; in fact, you don't have to know any. A little language prep ...
Upper-intermediate | Buying On Taobao
13 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You've developed Enochiophobia from your last venture into a Saturday department store. However, your underwear has holes and your jean supply is non-...
Intermediate | Public Speaking Tips
10 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A foreigner who speaks Chinese is sometimes a circus side show. Be prepared for the hoopla that may follow you when you become the second Dashan. Prep...
Pre-intermediate | Changing the Plate
08 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What should you do with the plate when it is full? Have you ever been stuck not knowing how to ask for a new one in Mandarin? In this lesson, get equi...
Upper-intermediate | Getting a Driver's License
06 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This lesson does not constitute in any way, shape or form any advocation, promotion, condoning of, nor in any way comprehension of the notion of forei...
Intermediate | Cooking Wings
03 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Granted, it goes against everything we stand for (at least the Southern boy Granted, it goes against everything we stand for (at least the Southern bo...
Pre-intermediate | Walking The Bird
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You can walk a dog, and maybe even a cat, but did you know you can walk a bird? This lesson will familiarize you with this Chinese habit, as well as t...
Upper-intermediate | The Glory of Labor
30 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
May 1 is an important holiday in China--Labor Day. Now, for most of us, we celebrate the lack of labor on that day--but what is the real meaning behin...
Intermediate | Recovering a Cell Phone Number
27 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Be it stolen, lost, lent, or otherwise--all is not gone. You're wandering the streets of China, forlornly calling out in search of long lost friends w...
Pre-intermediate | New Sofa
25 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hooray! The new sofa has arrived! ChinesePod gets ready to relax in style. But wait! Is it pet proof? Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2398
Upper-intermediate | Capital Punishment
23 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Now, we know all our CPoddies are law-abiding good citizens, but the debate rages on about the death penalty. Now, we’re not telling you to take sid...
Intermediate | Teaching English In China
20 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ken’s done it. John’s done it. Jenny still does it. (Aric padded his C.V. to make it look like he did it). You might do it. Any guesses? (Besides ...
Pre-intermediate | Your First Mooncake
18 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's called a mooncake, and it's about the size and shape of a hockey puck. If you're in China during the autumn, you just may have the opportunity to...
Upper-intermediate | Chinese Onomatopoeia
16 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Do “boom” “wah” and “click” sound the same in every language? That’s what you thought… but onomatopoeia, like any art, has room for in...
Intermediate | A Trip to Shanxi
13 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Shanxi (山西) province is a mountainous plateau region located in northern China. It is know for its yummy noodles and the ancient city of Pingyao (...
Pre-intermediate | A Robotic Solution?
11 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's been a long day for a husband and wife. Still, the floors are dirty and there's cleaning to be done. Of course, neither of them want to do it. Ju...
Upper-intermediate | Sales Part 3: Handling Difficult Leads
09 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this lesson, students ask Teacher Chen about how to handle some difficult questions they've encountered when trying to determine qualified leads. T...
Intermediate | Old Friend
06 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, we know you were the prom queen in school (and to be honest, you might not remember us--we were the weird ones that took drama very seriously). S...
Pre-intermediate | You've Been Everywhere!
04 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
So you're planning a trip with your travel buddy, and you're talking about the places you've been and haven't been. The problem is, this guy's been ev...
Upper-intermediate | Sales Part 2: Determining a Customer's Purchasing Power
02 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On the streets of China's major cities, it's not uncommon to see Italian sports cars, luxury handbags and expensive wristwatches. China is now full of...
Intermediate | Difficult Cake Choices
29 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone has been at the mercy of indecision at one time or another. However, the task of deciding becomes even more difficult when you are being pumm...
Pre-intermediate | Full for Real
27 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a special guest at a dinner in China, expect to eat a lot of food. But when you're full, what's the polite way to say that you can't eat any...
Upper-intermediate | Sales: Understanding a Customer's Needs
25 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The art of sales is no easy one. In this lesson, a seasoned saleswoman shares her tips on relating to customers and making a sale. Episode link: https...
Intermediate | Buying A Drink
22 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With a 16-hour flight on what can only be described as an “Eastern seating design” in the cabin – and oh, by the way, those cabbies at the airpo...
Pre-intermediate | Reviewing In Class
20 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Today's lesson is essential for anyone taking or planning on taking a Chinese class. Learn how to describe reviewing the material and learn how to tal...
Upper-intermediate | State-Owned And Privately-Owned Enterprises
18 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What’s all this talk about economic reform in China? Well, to really understand this business, you’ll need to listen in to this podcast, which dis...
Intermediate | Sending A Large File
15 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It's amazing what can be done these days with Photoshop, or Illustrator, or Final Cut Pro... but sometimes the price for that quality you love is a hu...
Pre-intermediate | The Year Of The Horse
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chinese New Year comes again, and this year we welcome in the Year of the Horse. In this lesson, listen in as a family gets ready to gallop into the N...
Upper-intermediate | Chinese Geography
11 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
OK, so you're all set to get out of your cushy city routine, ready to brave that altitude sickness and hop on that train to Tibet you've been hearing ...
Intermediate | Fast Cars and Shallow Women
08 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Why does anyone drive an expensive car? Is it for the speed? The power? The prestige? Well, those might be factors for some, but in today's dialogue i...
Pre-intermediate | Photos With Animals
06 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While it's strictly taboo at many zoos in America, taking pictures with or feeding the animals is a common occurrence at Chinese zoos. Of course, it i...
Upper-intermediate | The Play's The Thing
04 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It wouldn't be true drama if it didn't attract dramatic characters. And what higher drama is there than Shakespeare? In this Chinese lesson, you'll he...
Intermediate | Standing In Line
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Back in the day it was one bus per hour, which explains the, erm, shall we say, “lack of formation” in that ticket queue. In this podcast you will...
Pre-intermediate | Giving Up A Seat On The Bus
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the craziness that befalls Chinese cities at rush hour it hardly seems likely that there is any method to the madness. Yet often times when it come...
Upper-intermediate | Chinese Identity
28 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Ken: foreigner. Jenny: Chinese. Easy, right? But this game gets a little more difficult when it comes to those with Chinese heritage that were raised ...
Intermediate | The Typhoon
25 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Typhoons are no joking matter in China, where flooding and falling debris can wreak serious havoc in densely-packed urban areas. Learn the key words f...
Pre-intermediate | Shampoo And Cut
23 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
That hair of yours is getting long and straggly, ain't it? Time for a haircut! In this lesson, you'll learn the basics for getting your hair done in C...
Upper-intermediate | For The Love Of Pale Skin
21 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chinese culture (and the ladies in particular) tends to prize pale skin. East Asian ladies of all nationalities, in fact, will go to great lengths to ...
Intermediate | Girly Talk
18 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Combine Alicia Silverstone with Wang Faye and you will start to understand the crux of this podcast…oh yeah, and throw in a 6’4” laowai--now you...
Pre-intermediate | Finishing Work For The Weekend
16 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
At the end of the work week things generally wind down. But for some people, Fridays are the busiest. Check out today's lesson to learn about a person...
Upper-intermediate | Closing A Meeting
14 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You used our "Opening a Meeting" to wow 'em and just finished the proposal of your life. So you smile, put down your laser pointer and... sit down? Th...
Intermediate | A Detained Package
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes getting a package in China isn't quite as simple as having it shipped to your home address. Packages can get detained by customs, in which c...
Pre-intermediate | Mooncakes For The Staff
09 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Glorified paperweights or delicious traditional Chinese treats? Every autumn, Chinese offices are inundated with mooncakes - sweet, impossibly dense c...
Upper-intermediate | Recognizing An Employee
07 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
ChinesePod can attest that late night text messages are not the recommended route to complimenting employees. So, how can you do it (without legal rep...
Intermediate | Street Food
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
While most “laowai” that live here might have trouble explaining the directions to the sidewalk vendors, you can bet they know the entire selectio...
Pre-intermediate | Can't Get To Sleep
02 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Having trouble falling asleep? Anxious before bed? Well unfortunately we can't solve these problems for you - but what we can do is teach you how to d...
Upper-intermediate | Black Market Gun Deal
28 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Despite our cheerful demeanor, even we have a dark side. This lesson features one (soon-to-be-unlucky) man attempting to buy a firearm (illegally). Wh...
Intermediate | I'm Pregnant!
25 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
'Bun in the oven' lost something when you tried to translate it to 'baozi in a steamer basket.' In this podcast, learn how to break the news to your s...
Pre-intermediate | I Don't Feel Well 我不舒服
23 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This lesson introduces dialog that expresses how to communicate when someone doesn't look well and when someone one has an upset stomach. The vocabula...
Upper-intermediate | An Athlete's Strengths And Weaknesses
21 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Being a true fan of any sport requires you to have a slightly deeper knowledge of participating athletes than "he runs really fast" or "she jumps real...