Real Chinese Talk - Immersion for Intermediates

Are humans actually getting dumber? And does it even matter to us as individuals? 00:30 The movie Idiocracy 04:21 Are humans really getting dumber? 06:06 The Flynn Effect and the reverse Flynn Effect 09:46 Reason one: our use of tools 12:24 Reason two: AI 14:32 Reason three: fragmented attention 17:05 Were ancient people actually smarter than us? 18:21 IQ is not the only measure of intelligence 21...

Learning a language feels like riding a roller coaster: recently, I’ve felt like my language learning has entered another plateau. I’ve been feeling a bit drained and lacking motivation. So, I decided to adjust my language-learning methods to help myself feel excited about learning languages again. In this episode, I’ll share the changes I’ve made, as well as some broader thoughts on finding the r...

Creativity has a methodology. That’s the perspective I gained after reading two books (one from the Western world and one from the Eastern world) and having a conversation with a creative director. In this episode, you’ll hear why creativity doesn’t belong only to artists, and how ordinary people can become more creative by finding the right medium, focus time, and inspiration. 02:44 What is creat...

Let’s talk about how cultural export has changed people’s impressions of China, and why Japan’s cultural export has been so successful. I also share how these changes have affected my life in Europe. 00:19 What is cultural export? 04:08 Let’s talk about Chinatown 06:33 Milk tea culture0 8:38 Labubu and Pop Mart 09:49 Li Ziqi 11:13 YouTubers 12:37 Japanese cultural export 15:46 How cultural export...

In this episode, I talk about my experience hiking in Italy for over a week, and also explore the differences between hiking in China and Europe. Why did hiking make time feel slower, almost like it “extended my life”? If you’re thinking about starting hiking, I’ll also share some simple and practical tips. 00:37 Hiking in Italy in April 01:52 Differences between hiking in China and Europe 04:17 W...

Chinese festivals are completely different from those in Europe. By looking at the origins and customs of traditional Chinese festivals, I’ll explore Chinese culture on a deeper level. 00:47 The relationship between Dutch holidays and religion 01:50 The system behind Chinese holidays: the lunar calendar and nature 03:08 The differences and coexistence of the lunar and Gregorian calendars 05:22 Cal...

Recommended non-traditional apps for learning Chinese. The Last One Is the Most Recommended! 00:19 Intermediate learners should immerse themselves in native Chinese resources 02:53 Recommended Tool #1 05:31 Tips for learning Chinese through videos 08:13 Recommended Tool #2 12:13 Recommended Tool #3 14:12 Recommended Tool #4. The Best Recommendation! 非传统中文学习app推荐，最后一个最推荐！ 00:19 中...

How can you learn anything you want to learn? I’d like to share some of my thoughts. 00:43 Why I want to talk about “how to learn anything you want” 01:23 Childhood success experiences are important 05:28 My experience with sports 07:24 My experience learning piano 08:25 What to do as an adult if you didn’t have successful experiences in childhood 09:21 Suggestion 1 13:12 Suggestion 2 14:56 Sugges...

The Chinese name for ADHD is “注意缺陷多动障碍”, also commonly called “多动症”. Both terms tend to carry quite negative associations. But is it possible that the ADHD brain is simply a different way of existing, rather than something “abnormal”? Perhaps modern society is simply structured in a way that favors non-ADHD brains. 00:40 The Chinese name of ADHD and the negative connotations of “hyperac...

I believe Attack on Titan is the best anime of the past ten years. Why do I think so? In this episode, I’d like to share my perspective from a storytelling point of view. 00:33 Finished Attack on Titan in three weeks. This episode is about it 01:45 My feelings after watching it straight through for the second time 02:26 There may be spoilers, but spoilers might actually enhance enjoyment 05:29 For...

Gaining inner peace actually isn’t that hard. Small changes can lead to big results. 00:30 Lately I’ve been in a pretty good mood 01:17 What is inner peace? 03:26 Habit 1: Write things down instead of relying on your brain to remember them 07:10 Specific tools 09:21 Habit 2: Keep a journal — a “brain cleanse” 11:55 Extra benefits and the language of the mind (mentalese) 14:28 Habit 3: Get good sle...

What life is like for a foreigner living in the Netherlands (from the perspective of an office worker), and what I like and don’t like about the Netherlands. 00:59 Looking at the Netherlands from a Chinese perspective and introducing culture shock 02:02 The “Dutch rhythm” you can see from my daily routine 06:02 Office atmosphere and management style 08:22 Overall impressions: a relaxed life, simpl...

Even in a life that feels messy and overwhelming, we can still find our own paths to happiness. 00:33 Halfway through January 2026: Have you taken action on your New Year plans? 02:30 One of the main reasons 2025 was a happy year: identity diversification 03:39 How to understand identity diversification 06:06 The benefits of diversifying time and identity 09:05 The ideal state: your main job and s...

2025 is over! I used the week off after Christmas to look back on 2025 and make plans for 2026. I’d give my 2025 an 8 out of 10. What score would you give your own 2025? 00:31 A week off after Christmas spent staying at home 01:29 Reflecting on 2025 and planning for 2026 02:14 Three principles for making plans 05:56 Language-learning progress in 2025 and language plans for 2026 08:25 2025 as a yea...

I feel like I’ve recently found the best way to learn a language, and I can’t wait to share it with you! 00:00 Sharing what I think is the best language learning method 00:48 Method 1: Using the language you’re learning to study things you’re genuinely interested in 01:35 My practice: Learning music in Japanese (music theory classes, finding teachers, all-Japanese communication) 06:00 Challenges a...

Social media always brings me all kinds of negative emotions: anxiety, addiction, anger… More importantly, my time slips away among endless short videos. So I made up my mind to quit social media. I can’t say I’ve completely succeeded yet, but I’ve already seen some progress. The most immediate result: my life has become much more relaxed. :) 00:00 I want to talk about social media 00:40 Why quitt...

A few months ago, I decided to change my reading habits, and I immediately felt the benefits of that change. Even though many books and articles are “teaching” us how to read, I think any method that helps you keep reading is a good method — everything else is secondary. Do you have a habit of reading? 00:00 Winter in the Netherlands, time to read 01:25 Sisyphe Bookstore and the university library...

Most Chinese people are gradually losing the ability to write by hand, and I think that’s a real pity. For us, handwriting is not just something that takes time to do, but a way to create a connection between people. 00:00 Why I want to talk about handwriting 01:18 The decline of handwriting ability 04:06 Handwriting and calligraphy in Chinese culture 06:04 From “ugly handwriting” to being asked t...

I’ve had some new thoughts and insights about language learning recently, and I’d like to share them with you。 00:00 Introduction 00:50 Why it’s impossible to reach native-level proficiency 05:34 Self-comparison: from “sounding like a native speaker” to “better than last month” 08:20 The essence of language learning: strengthening your awareness of the language 11:36 The challenge of listening, s...

I feel that in recent years, I’ve become much more confident than I used to be. Let’s talk about the reasons behind this change and how to achieve true confidence. 00:00 Let’s talk about confidence 02:18 The one-dimensional evaluation system and exam pressure in school 05:14 Experimenting during university, entering the workforce, and how moving to the Netherlands changed my mindset 08:49 Reason 1...

I’ve gotten hooked on a new game — Oxygen Not Included. Within just a few months, I’ve already spent hundreds of hours on it, so I have to talk about this game. It’s also made me start thinking about questions I had never considered before. 00:00 I’ve gotten hooked on a new game 01:27 Game introduction 06:33 Complex systems and the example of the power system 09:04 The balance a good game needs 10...

Lately, I often find myself thinking about the past—from my teenage years, to my time working in Shanghai, to the five years I’ve spent in the Netherlands. When I sit down and carefully sort through my happiest memories, I realize that I actually have so many of them. And most of these wonderful memories are connected to one important decision I made. 00:00 Talking about the happiest times of my l...

For me, Japanese anime is not just a way to pass the time, but rather a third way of understanding the world outside of school and family when I was a child. More than twenty years later, I am still watching anime, even though some people believe it is created only for children. This itself shows the timeless charm of anime. 00:00 Childhood Affection 01:09 The Concept of Anime and Its Popularity i...

Have you ever noticed that the city you live in has a profound impact on your life and overall happiness? In this episode of the podcast, I explore three key criteria by sharing my experiences living in different cities in China and the Netherlands, and reflect on what makes a city truly “happy.” 00:00 Introduction & Happy City 00:51 Personal Urban Living Experiences 04:07 The Essence and Comp...

I believe music is the true universal language—you don’t need to study it; you just need to feel it, and you can convey complex ideas and emotions. This partly explains the significance of music—it transcends time, space, and culture. On a personal level, I’ve also been finding different ways to deepen my connection with music. It’s not just about listening; I also learn instruments, and in the fu...