ChinesePod - Intermediate

It can be difficult motivating a team. So what do you do when enthusiasm among your employees reaches an all-time low? Just fire the whole lot of them and start over? In this lesson, a wise HR manager tells us that there is another way. Listen in to this Chinese lesson to find out what it is. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1901

In case you haven't been inducted into any Chinese families, you should know up front that there are a few titles to learn. OK, maybe more than a few. In this lesson, follow a young man on his way to visit his wife's parents, and learn all the important family vocab. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1572

When a high-level manager departs for greener pastures it's often difficult to find an able replacement. Today's dialogue features a debate between two high-level executives deciding how to fill a recently-vacated managerial position within the company: through making a new hire or an inner promotion. Find out how they decide to act while learning some useful business-related Mandarin voca...

So dad's got the new digital video camera out, and he claims to know how to use it, but he's having a little trouble. Shaky hands, erratic zooming in and out... this Chinese lesson covers the language you'll need. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1569

Remember when 3G was the must-have feature on every smartphone? Before lightning-fast 5G and unlimited data plans became the norm, getting a reliable 3G connection felt like unlocking the future. In this throwback ChinesePod lesson, we revisit a classic conversation about signing up for a 3G plan in China. Whether you were a business traveler needing constant email access or just couldn’t live wit...

In these modern times, life is getting easier and easier. Cell phones and the internet make connecting with loved ones half a world away a simple matter. But nothing reminds us of how fragile all these amenities are like a natural disaster. In this lesson, follow along as a Chinese mother and father learn of a massive earthquake in New Zealand and anxiously try to contact their daughter who is stu...

Today's ChinesePod lesson presents a dire situation: a young woman has dialed into a mental health hotline reporting domestic violence and threatening suicide. Can the experts on the other end talk her down and help her make the right decisions? Tune in and find out. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1876

The end of year party just got a lot more exciting. First prize in the raffle is a car! Listen to the lesson to find out who wins! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2627

Today's lesson is a bit different and quite special. We have a 20 minute Chinese New Year calligraphy lesson for you all to join in with. Join newbie learner Karl and advanced learner Natasha as they learn to write some common sayings and characters to write during Spring Festival. We will learn all about why you see certain characters such as 春 and 满 everywhere during this time, and also th...

With more and more Chinese citizens buying cars, the car wash business in big cities is booming. But that's not to say that every automobile owner keeps his ride nice and clean. In this lesson, learn how to discuss car washes and filthy cars in Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1566

We hope all of our employed users have perfect jobs that are extremely fun and have great benefits and high salaries. Unfortunately, we have yet to meet someone who has never had a job that they despised. Today's Upper-Intermediate lesson joins three coworkers who have had less than satisfactory jobs in the past. Tune in and learn the invaluable skill of how to complain about previous jobs in...

Everyone has a duty to protect the environment, and it starts with you! Far from just spewing grandiose platitudes, in this Chinese lesson we're prepared to lay out exactly what the individual can be doing to help this ailing planet. Tune in to find out what we should be doing more of, and what we should be doing less of. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1562

It's not uncommon in China for the wife in a marriage to have sole access to the family credit cards and bank accounts (the reason being to avoid wasteful purchases, of course!). Naturally, the husbands have devised a way around their wives' vice-like grip on the family funds: stashing money in nooks and crannies all over their houses. But what happens when a wife discovers her husband&#39...

You may not be surprised to learn that China has its own version of sign language, but do you know the role regional variation plays in Chinese sign language? Get a little closer to the deaf community in China by learning about the sign language situation in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1559

Do you believe in astrology? Palm reading? Physiognomy? Feng shui? The Chinese tradition of reading facial features and palms is long and storied; while the practice is not as widespread as it once was, the practice still exists. Listen in as two young travelers have their own fortunes revealed in today's ChinesePod lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1859

The difference between kings, emperors, and presidents can be confusing to a child. Explaining the difference in Chinese, however, becomes crystal clear in this lesson. Lesson in to learn the vocabulary and the language of power. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1556

The "Seven Year Itch" has ravaged and nearly destroyed the relationships of our saga, but it seems the epidemic has finally subsided. In the final chapter, we listen in on two seasoned husbands and their reflections on their personal encounters with the "itch." Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1903

How does the word for "moonlight" refer to the modern Chinese worker's spending habits? Learn all about the secret life of the Chinese "moonlight clan" in this lesson, and how it relates to deep-seated Chinese spending habits. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1552

We've witnessed the trials and tribulations endured by couples afflicted with the seven-year-itch: fierce arguments, suspect extramarital interactions, even divorce. Luckily, at least one couple has managed to make it through relatively unscathed with their relationship intact. Listen in as she discusses with her close friend how she and her husband were able to cope. Episode link: https://www...

There are many massage options in China, and one of the popular ones is blind massage. What's special about blind massage? Tune in to this lesson to find out the answer and learn some massage Chinese at the same time. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1549

ChinesePod brings you the next installment in our series on marital strife. One couple's marriage is in severe jeopardy after a husband's rather suspect interaction with a young college girl. Listen in to find out more! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1813

Parting is such sweet sorrow... except when it tastes like beer. In this lesson, a few 'bei's are 'gan'ned as an office throws a farewell dinner for a departing co-worker. But is all the Chinese well-wishing heart-felt, or mere cliche lip service? Listen in to find out. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1543

We return to the topic of the "seven year itch" to find another couple's marriage struggling. Additionally, a close friend's seemingly perfect marriage is now facing divorce. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1789

Now both Beijing and Shanghai have official Apple Stores, just in time for the release of the iPad. What do you think of the iPad? Revolution in computing, or an over-sized (overpriced) iPhone? No matter where you stand on the issue, this lesson will equip you to make some comments on the Apple iPad in Chinese. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1539

Popularized by the 1955 Marilyn Monroe film, the "seven year itch" is a phrase which has found its way into Chinese culture, and, unfortunately, some Chinese marriages as well. In this lesson, delve into the psyche of a young woman whose marriage is a bit shy of perfection. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1721