ChinesePod

Are you a hardcore clubber? Or are you more of a wannabe, hoping for just a little peek into that dark, loud world of music, alcohol, and one-night stands? This lesson provides the outsider perspective into a Chinese club without getting too deep into the scene.

Chinese children grow up with a story about Cao Cao's son, Cao Chong, and his clever solution to the question of how to weigh an animal as enormous as an elephant. What's that? You've never heard the story? Tune in for a pleasant introduction to Chinese children's stories that have been passed down through the ages.

Remember the first time you wrote up your resume, and its 10 pages of vainglory? Recent university grads in China make the same mistake, and benefit from some sage advice on how to distill a CV to its essence. Learn the Chinese for this key job search language in this lesson.

Formal Chinese can be a bit tricky at first. In this lesson, your trusty ChinesePod hosts dissect a typical announcement from HR, explaining in everyday terms what that formal language about "flexible work hours" is trying to say.

Weddings in China have a long and glorious tradition. So much planning, so many guests, and a ton of protocol. But what if you could skip the whole ceremony and just do the honeymoon, and call it a "travel wedding?" The young lovebirds in this lesson would like to do just that, but their traditional Chinese parents will have none of it.

What does a formal job posting in Chinese sound like? You're about to find out! In this lesson, we cover the cliche phrases you're bound to run into, as well as some very useful vocabulary related to job searches in general.

What is a Chinese barbecue like? What do people eat? What is a "barbecue district"? What exactly is a "little trumpet"? Find out answers to all these questions and more, in this summertime Chinese lesson.

What does retirement mean to the Chinese elderly? Just pensions and a bunch of sitting around? Fortunately, some old folks have more interesting aspirations. In this Chinese lesson, we take a positive and a negative look at life after work.

Google's Android system for smartphones is quite popular in China, but the more expensive alternative, the iPhone, is also doing very well in the market. In this Chinese lesson, learn some of the key terms for buying and maintaining one's modern smartphone in the Middle Kingdom. Dil

After being shown multiple apartments by an agent and dealing with all kinds of grumpy potential landlords, the time has finally come to sign that lease. In this lesson, learn about the payment methods and contracts you'll be dealing with when renting a mainland Chinese apartment.

We've all met one of those people that seems to be allergic to everything. Sure, it's not their fault, but that doesn't stop others from being annoyed at the dinner table. In this lesson, learn many sentences patterns related to expressing "allergies," "allergic," and "allergic reaction" in Mandarin Chinese, while also experiencing some fun social tension.

Construction is everywhere in China's major cities. You can't avoid it, so you better learn how to talk about it. In this Chinese lesson, learn not only how to say that a road is under construction, but also learn to describe some of the major machinery on the construction site.

Sometimes you find an apartment you think you can be happy with, but it all comes down to the dealings with the landlord. What is the landlord's attitude like? Willing to replace things? Willing to make other changes? In this lesson, there's just a bit of friction. Learn the Chinese to deal with this apartment hunting situation in this lesson.

The middle-class Chinese custom of having an "ayi" (housekeeper) is one that most foreigners can get on board with right away. With the domestic assistance, however, can come language difficulties. In this lesson, learn some of the most importance Mandarin words relating to cleaning the home.

In the eternal "north vs. south" debate, one of the key issues is always climate. The north gets colder, it's true, but at least the air is dry. Meanwhile, down south everyone suffers through damp cold and sticky, drippy summers. This lesson will equip you with all the Chinese vocabulary to discuss these most pressing of climate issues.

Tattoos are commonplace among young women of many western countries, but what about in China? You might be surprised how many tattoos you'll see on girls in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. In this lesson, we'll hear two Chinese girls discuss whether or not to ink their bodies.

In China there's a whole special language reserved for counting out change (and no, Shanghai poddies, we're not talking about Shanghainese!). This is the language where the Chinese word for "to search for" suddenly becomes "to give back money." Learn all the essential Mandarin in this lesson to make sure you get the right change back.

How long have you been using that installation of Windows? Two years? Consider yourself lucky. Reinstalling the operating system is a necessary nuisance in our modern lives. Add China's computer virus-rich environment into the equation, and you can bet you'll be reinstalling Windows fairly often. Learn the critical Chinese vocabulary in this lesson... before it's too late!

Where do you go to weigh yourself? Your own bathroom? The doctor's office, perhaps? This Chinese lesson highlights one of those particular Chinese sights: the practice of weighing oneself on a public, busy street. If you're a health nut you'll want to pay close attention to the vocabulary; it's a bit tricky!

So you've found your agent, and the agent knows what type of place you're looking for. Now it's time for your potential future landlord to show you around an apartment. In today's lesson, you'll learn the Chinese vocabulary for all the key rooms and furniture, as well as signs that the landlord is kind of stingy. So do you think you'll need some time to think the apartment over? Yeah, we thought s...

Many people own their own apartments. However for those that rent, it's quite common to do so through a real estate agency. Learn some great language for describing your ideal apartment to an agent in today's lesson.

If you've ever played in an orchestra, you may be curious about the Chinese names of some of those musical instruments. No, we don't mean guitar or drums; we're talking violin, tuba, and clarinet. The names are easier than you think. This one is for you, band nerds!

Suits, sweaters... how could anyone possibly know which need to be dry cleaned, and which don't? No need to be shy; just ask! Learn to talk about clothing and dry cleaning options in this lesson.

To make it through a northern Chinese winter, you're going to need to do more than your fair share of moisturizing. Go ahead, moisturize your hands and face. It'll give you something to talk about. But listen to this Chinese lesson first.

Electric scooters are a popular choice for transportation in China. If you live here, you may find yourself in the market for one. Let us help you tell all the reasons why this is such a fabulous idea in this Chinese lesson.