ChinesePod

It's been a rough week. The work piled up over the holiday last week and all your dutiful employees have been working long overtime hours. What's the best way, other than an expensive bonus, to show your immense appreciation for your subordinates who pour their blood, sweat and tears into your company? Uplifting (and cheap!) words of encouragement, of course! Learn how to spur on your workers in t...

As one of Asia's premier shopping cities, Hong Kong has more than a few places to spend your hard-earned cash. No matter what it is you buy, your coworkers will undoubtedly be curious as to how much money you've spent on your most recent buying binge. Learn how to discuss such a topic in today's ChinesePod lesson.

Why bother to even ask for directions at all, when you can just hop in a cab, call your Chinese friend, and have her tell the driver where you want to go? In this lesson, our lazy office visitor does just that. But you may just learn some Chinese from the exchange if you listen in and pay attention!

You've gotten directions to the office and gotten your friend to tell the taxi driver where to go. All you need to do now is find your way out of the taxi to the correct floor in the office building itself. Learn how to make this final push in Mandarin Chinese in today's elementary lesson!

Each person has his own preferences, but the Chinese way to finding a good restaurant is -- no, not Yelp or Dianping -- asking friends, face to face, the good old-fashioned way! In this lesson, follow such a conversation about where to eat lunch and learn some Chinese.

You'd normally just check online for the fastest route via public transportation to get to your destination, but you're out of data on your smartphone and can't find wireless. What do you do? Good thing you listened to this ChinesePod lesson and learned how to ask for and understand directions in Mandarin Chinese! Crisis averted!

We're back with another useful lesson for the hotel-staffing Chinese learner. Hotel guests highly value their breakfast. Today's lesson will teach you how to direct guests to their morning vittles.

Everyone forgets the essentials sometimes when they travel. What's a poor traveler to do without their toothbrush? Listen in as a forgetful hotel guest asks hotel staff for vital necessities in Mandarin Chinese and learn how to do the same yourself!

If you're going to treat men like objects, it's important to be able to compare them like objects. In this Chinese lesson, a group of ladies in the office compare two of their male co-workers. Listen in on the age-old debate of Xiao Wang vs. Xiao Li, and learn how to make comparisons in Mandarin!

You've had a long day and finally arrive at your hotel, ready for some much needed R&R. But alas, the room you desire isn't available! What is to be done? Today's unlucky traveler finds himself in such a predicament. Be sure to listen in and learn about different room types in today's lesson!

Our hospitality saga continues with an encounter between a young woman and a hotel clerk. Learn how to talk about room reservations and China Union Pay bank cards in today's lesson!

No, Boxing Day has nothing to do with the big fight on Pay-Per-View. It's that semi-mystical holiday celebrated by the loyal subjects of the queen. Apparently it's all about shopping? If you have any idea what we're talking about, let's convert the idea into Chinese in this lesson.

If you intend to claim something as an expense in China, you need an "official receipt" (AKA "fapiao"). So don't just fight over the bill -- make sure you get this government-issued scrap of paper to make it official. Learn the magic words in this Chinese lesson.

Imagine that you work at the Hilton in New York City, and you're tasked with welcoming Chinese guests in Mandarin. You better know exactly what to say, and this Chinese lesson covers exactly that.

Afternoon meetings are a fact of life in many offices, but in many companies they're on a dangerous collision course with the Chinese "afternoon nap" custom. In this lesson, learn the key Mandarin phrases for reminding others about meetings. As for actually staying awake in that meeting... you're on your own!

Learn Mandarin From Commercials Series helps you experience the culture from Chinese entertainment through commercials where you can learn everyday Chinese phrases and vocabulary.

Learn Mandarin From Movies Series aims to increase awareness of fun Chinese movies that can help you improve your Mandarin Chinese level.

Learn Mandarin From Commercials Series helps you experience the culture from Chinese entertainment through commercials where you can learn everyday Chinese phrases and vocabulary.

Learn Mandarin From Commercials Series helps you experience the culture from Chinese entertainment through commercials where you can learn everyday Chinese phrases and vocabulary.

Cheers! This lesson is about drinking. In this lesson, three friends reminisce about how they first started drinking over a couple of drinks. Learn a bit about Chinese attitudes to alcohol as well as some useful drinking words.

Cheers! This lesson is about drinking. In this lesson, three friends reminisce about how they first started drinking over a couple of drinks. Learn a bit about Chinese attitudes to alcohol as well as some useful drinking words.

After China's rapid urbanization, it's millions of city dwellers are longing to get back to the farm. And who can blame them? Fresh air, fresh food and peace and quiet. What's not to love about a getaway out in the country? In this lesson, learn all about it!

For a wintertime getaway, bathing in a hot spring is a popular pastime for many Chinese, not only to relax but also for certain, often dubious, health benefits. Of course, that's not the only thing in doubt. How clean are these hot springs? And are they really hot springs or just glorified hot tubs? In this lesson, a group of coworkers plan an office getaway and reveal their doubts.

Exploring the world of Chinese food is not for the faint of heart. Those of us not used to eating the organs of animals should be weary. Many traditional Chinese dishes revel in using all kinds of offal in their preparation. And names can be misleading. Even if you think you know what is in a dish, it's easy to get it wrong. In this lesson, two friends check out the food at a Taiwanese night marke...

Ah, the problems of others. The landlord is raising the rent just a bit too high. Someone's lover has run off with someone else. A wayward son can't seem to find his way. For some, hearing about these problems is reason enough to end a conversation or leave the room, but for others, it's entertainment at its best. In this lesson, a mother and daughter argue about the worth of “The Auntie Bai Show”...