ChinesePod - Intermediate

A few years ago, both Washington State and Colorado passed initiatives to decriminalize personal possession of marijuana. However, the debate in the US as to whether or not marijuana should be legalized is one that continues on the national level. In this lesson, two Chinese friends discuss the issues surrounding marijuana legalization. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2084

You don't live in modern China without a cell phone (or, as they say in the Old World, "mobile phone"). You can get by without a new-fangled smartphone, but you must be able to send text messages to people. In this Chinese lesson, learn all the essential verbs, and even a key measure word. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1648

Elections are a contentious issue anywhere... even in a classroom. In this lesson, students are asked to elect their leaders. What results is a demonstration in electioneering that would make even seasoned politicos blush! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/2080

In modern China, city-dwellers have quite a few options for assistive childcare. Beyond just nannies, there's also a very Chinese, first-month expert. Listen in to this Chinese lesson and learn all about these childcare options. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1642

American favorites from Chinese take out include dishes like crab rangoon, General Tso's chicken and orange beef. However, these dishes are more American than Chinese. In fact, most Chinese people are unlikely to even have heard of these dishes. In this lesson, listen as two Chinese friends talk about American style Chinese food while looking for a bite to eat in the Big Apple. Episode link: h...

If you've ever had a roommate, you know how essential it is to be able to accuse someone of snoring. In this Chinese lesson, learn the key vocabulary surrounding snoring, sleeping, and being unable to sleep. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1639

China's recent prosperity has made many of its citizens richer, even the beggars! Realizing that they can make more money from the goodwill of others as opposed to working on their own, some beggars on China's streets aren't in desperate need; they're professionals looking to make a living. In this lesson, learn about the phenomenon of professional beggars and what you can do to te...

There's a common but delicious cucumber dish in China called 凉拌黄瓜. Learn exactly what this Chinese dish is, as well as how to make it in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1636

It's well-known that table manners can vary a bit from culture to culture, and that Chinese table manners can sometimes be interpreted as "interesting" abroad. But a new generation of well-educated Chinese travelers are ready to shed that old image. In this lesson, listen in on a discussion on this very topic. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1983

Where do traffic and theater collide? On the streets of China, of course! Sometimes a very minor accident can result in quite exaggerated claims of injury. Learn the key Chinese language involved in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1633

Have you ever heard of the "fan death" phenomenon, well-known in Korea? The theory is that sleeping in a room with closed doors and windows and a fan on will almost inevitably result in a tragic death. Don't believe it? Neither does the person in this dialogue. Listen in and learn... Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1981

So you're boning up on your Chinese in preparation for that epic trip to China. You're trying to cover all the bases. But have you prepared for the "emergency game of hide and seek" contingency? Don't worry; this lesson is just what you need. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1629

Don't you hate it when you have millions of RMB (which you claim you won legally gambling in Macau), but don't have a way of discreetly "converting" that money into squeaky clean assets, seeing as how you're a high-level official in your home county, and your constituents kind of frown on that kind of thing? Yeah, so do we. And we wrote this podcast about it. Episode link: ht...

Chinese cuisine boasts some of the most varied and tasty dishes in the world. But if you're new to this land, there's a good chance you'll experience the darker side of Chinese food as well: food poisoning. And you know what happens when you get food poisoning, right? Then you know what we're learning in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1626

Usually being under someone's spell isn't such a good thing (just ask Brett Favre), but oddly enough, new methods of therapy that utilize hypnosis are becoming popular in China and elsewhere. If you're trying to kick a nasty habit, today's upper-intermediate lesson is just what the doctor ordered. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1971

We live in a world where next-door neighbors are frequently strangers. But it doesn't have to be that way! As a learner of Chinese, you need to get yourself out there, speaking Chinese every chance you get. So if your next door neighbors are Chinese, listen to this lesson and then go introduce yourself! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1623

It seems like an internship is the new "senior thesis." And it's a good thing for business because hey, those interns are cheap! Learn the appropriate language for discussing the prospect of hiring an intern in this business-focused Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1961

Chinese license plates are, of course, "license plates with Chinese characteristics," so they each have a Chinese character on them. These characters typically stand for provinces or municipalities, but sometimes the province-character relationship is less than obvious. In this Chinese lesson, a foreigner gets his Chinese license plate education. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/...

Finally, a ChinesePod lesson for all our opera-loving listeners. Well, not so much operas themselves but bel canto, a world-renowned singing style that's exceedingly popular in China as well. Tune in to find out more! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1954

There are certain personal questions you can expect to be asked in China. Some of them are financial in nature, but others are even more personal. Mentally prepare yourself for these questions with this lesson, while also learning a thing or two about Chinese-style office flirting. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1615

ChinesePod's back with another lesson for all you gamers out there, with a Chinese tilt. We'll cover computer games and console games, plus how to (talk about) hacking your system so you can use all those 7 RMB pirated discs. Get your game on with today's upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1951

In this lesson, we talk about the glorious modern Chinese tradition of "substitute buying." Making a trip from China to the States or Europe isn't an everyday thing, so naturally you don't mind buying a whole bunch of things on the big long list your friends wrote up, right? Learn about the special benefits of duty-free shops here! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1612

There exists a somewhat uncommon and eccentric business practice utilized by certain companies in China: "military-style management." Predictably, this management style includes a lot slogan-shouting and push-ups. Tune in to today's upper-intermediate lesson to find out more! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1943

Teaching is hard work, so every now and then you might need to come up with an excuse to take a week off, like "surgery" or something. But being the responsible teacher that you are, you're going to need to find someone to take those pesky classes off your hands. Learn how to use Mandarin Chinese to find that substitute teacher in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com...

Salaries at home are confusing enough to calculate after taxes, but they're even more confusing when you're abroad and have no knowledge of local rates and labor laws! Today we'll meet one such confused employee wondering why a substantial portion of their pay has been docked. Learn all about calculating salaries after taxes and vacation days in this upper-intermediate lesson. Episode...