五分钟中文 5 Minute Chinese

Hi everyone! Welcome to a new episode of 5 Minute Chinese. It’s been a while since the last episode because I’ve been traveling in the U.S. and Japan. Now, I’m back in China and it’s great to see my family and friends again. Things here are improving, with new technologies making life easier, like visiting the doctor. The only downside is the internet. Many websites need a VPN, and even with Nord...

Hello everyone! Welcome to a new episode of Five Minute Chinese. With this short episode, I just want to update you on my week. I shared that I was sick with a fever and body aches earlier this week, but my COVID-19, flu, and strep tests were all negative. Although I'm still not fully recovered, I'm grateful it's not serious. I also introduced a new feature on my podcast hosting sit...

In this episode of "5-Minute Chinese," I talk about preparing my students for their final exams with mock tests and home review. After exams, teachers will continue working on grading and planning for next year before starting our summer break. I'm excited about my upcoming trip, which is my first visit to China in five years, with a stop in Japan for sightseeing and a K-pop concert...

(If you notice the texting link above, it seems that my hosting site Buzzsprout is testing a new feature without creators enabling it: Buzzsprout's latest feature delivers listener love straight to your phone — Fan Mail! We dive into how we've been secretly testing this new tool and how you can turn it on for your own podcast. I don't know how it will work otu) Hello everyone! Welco...

In this episode of "Five Minutes Chinese," I share the excitement and significance of prom night, a cherished tradition for American high school students. I recount my experience of volunteering at our school's prom, from the meticulous preparations to the elegant attire and the joyous atmosphere created by photographers and DJs. I also reveal the heartfelt story behind my special y...

In this episode of "5 Minutes Chinese," I delve into the captivating topic of solar eclipses, known as 日食 (rì shí) in Chinese. I recently witnessed a partial solar eclipse on April 8th here in the United States, and I share insights into the scientific principle behind these phenomena. While some regions enjoyed a total eclipse, my East Coast location only saw a partial eclipse, called...

Hi everyone! Today's episode delves into the significance of March 15th in China, designated as Consumer Rights Day. It aims to heighten awareness about consumer protection, shedding light on issues like deceptive marketing, subpar product quality, and exorbitant pricing. This year's examples range from the sale of inferior food products to overpriced items with false health claims. It r...

Hello everyone, welcome to the latest episode of "5 Minute Mandarin." Today, I want to chat with you about my experiences with driving in the United States. As you may know, having a car is essential in most parts of the US, unlike in China where I never felt the need to drive. Upon moving to the US, I relied on public transportation and walking, as my first city had good infrastructure...

Hello everyone! Happy Lunar New Year! In today's podcast I talk about Lunar New Year celebratory activities at school. We went on a field trip on Tuesday, including a hotpot buffet meal and a visit to the Asian supermarket next door. We also did various other activities such as Chinese paper cutting and a "Cake Day" on Friday, where students brought cakes to celebrate. I also share...

Hello everyone! In this episode I discuss the difficulty of learning Chinese compared to other languages, using the Foreign Service Institute's categorization. It classifies languages into four levels of difficulty for English speakers. Chinese is considered a "super-hard language," requiring approximately 88 weeks (2200 class hours) to achieve general professional fluency. By compa...

Hello everyone! Welcome to a new episode of 5 Minute Chinese. I want to begin by thanking you for listening to my podcast. I sincerely hope that it helps make learning Mandarin Chinese authentic and fun.  Secondly, I want to update you on the busy period from the end of last year to the beginning of 2024. I share the unusually short winter break , lasting less than two weeks. After the brief break...

Hi all! Welcome to another episode of '5 Minutes Chinese'! In today's episode, we delve into the intriguing world of '轻断食' or intermittent fasting. I share my personal experiences with intermittent fasting and talk about the potential benefits, from weight management to improved insulin sensitivity, and overall health. Have you tried light fasting, or do you have questi...

Hello everyone! In this episode of 5-Minute Chinese, I want to share my personal experience with my recently purchased Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset. I talked about what VR is and my experience with the popular game Beat Saber. I also acknowledge some comfort issues, especially for glasses wearers like me. But overall I'm really satisfied with the virtual experience and look forward to...

Hello everyone! In this episode, I explore the modern hustle culture in the US and the pursuit a slower-paced living.  I delve into the good and bad the contrasting worlds of relentless ambition and intentional simplicity and talk about how we can balance both life styles.  Send us Fan Mail Support the show 如果您喜欢我的播客，欢迎通过下方方式表达您的支持。您的支持对我来说是巨大的鼓励。但无论如何...

Hello everyone! In today's episode, I answer the question: Do Chinese people celebrate Thanksgiving? The short answer is no. Thanksgiving is not a holiday in China. However, China has its own harvest festival: the Mid-Autumn Festival. Though only a handful of countries celebrate "Thanksgiving",  a lot of cultures have harvest festivals with a family feast  focusing on family reunion...

Hello, everyone! Welcome to another episode of 5 Minutes Chinese! In today's episode I want to share how I celebrated my birthday with a wonderful performance by the Beijing Dance Theater based on the Oscar Wilde fairy tale "The Nightingale and the Rose." Thank you for tuning in. Find the script and useful expression below. Have a great week! 大家好欢迎收听新一期的5分钟中文！大家这...

Hello everyone! Today I talk about a friend's recent trip to China. This episode is not scripted like I always do. As my friend just returned to the US today,  I asked her about her experiences. If you recall, in Episode 114, I discussed why you might want to think twice about traveling to China. In today's episode, we talk about how her trip aligns with the challenges I previously menti...

Hello everyone! In today's episode I describe my first time experience watching a cross country race at a local park and share the excitement and joy of seeing my students participate in the race, and the sense of fulfillment that comes from witnessing their accomplishments. It was such a positive experience to be part of students' success and the wider community.  Scripts and useful exp...

Hello everyone! Hope you are each well! Today's episode discusses the topic of foreign celebrities who can speak Chinese. The first two notable examples are Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, who made an effort to speak Chinese during a visit to Beijing, and Kevin Rudd, the former Australian Prime Minister, who is known for his deep understanding of Chinese culture and fluency in Mandarin. Las...

In this episode of "5 Minutes in Chinese," I discuss the influence of traditional Chinese medicine and wellness principles from the ancient classic The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic or "Huangdi Neijing." I specifically highlights the concept of the "Five Strains," which are habits or postures that can harm health if not managed. I also emphasize the importance o...

Hello everyone! In today's episode, I do a recap of my recent school camping trip experience and reflect on seven years of memories marked by the K-pop girl group Blackpink. I also share an update of my Blackpink-related YouTube channel, which almost has 6k subscribers now. I want to express my gratitude to all my followers here and on YouTube with whom I share my life. Thank you.  Scripts an...

Hello everyone! In this episode I wanted to explain why I wasn't able to update this weekend. First, I woke up super early at 5 AM to watch an online concert by Blackpink, which took place in Seoul, South Korea, with a significant time difference from my location. It left me feeling tired all day. Additionally, I need to prepare for a school trip, similar to the one I went on last year, invol...

Hello everyone! In this episode I discuss the Chinese solar term "Bailu," its cultural significance, and presented some traditional advice for this transitional period from summer to autumn which includes dietary and dressing recommendations. Hope everyone stay healthy as fall draws near. Script and useful expressions below. 大家好，欢迎收听新一期的五分钟中文。今天我想跟大家聊一聊中国的...

Hello everyone! Welcome to another episode of 5 Minute Chinese. First I want to apologize for the extended gap between my episodes. And since it's been some time, I want to give you an update on what I've been doing recently, including the start of the school this week, the two Blackpink concerts in Newark last weekend, my ear infection, and my new gym. Hope you like it! Please email me...

Hello everyone! Hope you are doing well. Today's episode discusses why traveling to China might not be as easy as expected. While China offers rich cultural experiences, great historic and natural sites, and friendly locals, there are challenges such as limited flights and high costs, internet restrictions (Great Firewall) & barriers with local apps, and specific accommodation requirement...