Thinking in Chinese 中文思维

In this Chinese Vocabulary lesson, I explains the meaning and use of 5 real everyday Chinese time expressions with plenty of examples of how to use the words in real-life contexts! Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:24 挤时间 (jǐ shí jiān) -Squeeze in some time.04:39 抽时间 (chōu shí jiān) -Make time for something.08:07 赶时间 (gǎn shí jiān) -In a hurry.10:01 拖时间 (tuō shí jiān) -Delay on purpose.1...

Ever wonder why exams are such a big deal in China? To find out, we have to go back 2,500 years. It all starts with a man who grew up with nothing and worked as an accountant before changing education forever. In this episode, we’re diving into how Confucius broke all the rules to start the very first public school in Chinese history. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want...

Time is a pretty weird thing, right? People have been obsessed with it since forever. Have you noticed how it sometimes feels super slow, and other times it just flies by? When we were kids, a single day felt so long. But now that we’re older, a whole year feels like it’s gone in a second! What’s up with that? In this episode, I’m going to tell you a famous Chinese story called "Lanke Ren" (The Ro...

The other day, I saw this British guy on Xiaohongshu. He actually cycled all the way from the UK to China! Can you believe it? That’s such a long journey. I was really curious—why would he do that? What was he thinking? So today, I want to chat with you about his story and how he chased his dream. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through interesting,...

So, you’ve been learning Chinese for years. You’ve got the grammar and vocabulary down. But sometimes, movies and real conversations still feel like a whole different world, right? Today, we’re talking about why "real" Chinese is so hard to understand. And more importantly, what you can actually do to improve your listening. Ready? Let’s get started!   你学中文好几年了，词汇、语法，你觉得自己学得...

Lots of people love to make plans or set a few goals around the New Year. We all want to make some changes for the better, right? Do you have any New Year’s resolutions? What’s on your list this time? In today’s episode, let’s chat about New Year’s plans. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through interesting, real-life topics instead of just textbooks...

Do you celebrate the Spring Festival? It’s the most important time of the year in China. In this episode, I want to chat about how it all started, some of our favorite traditions, and why it means so much to us. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through traditional festivals rather than just textbooks.   你会过中国的春节吗？春节是中国最重要的节日。这...

In this episode, I want to recommend a classic Chinese poem: "Quiet Night Thought" by Li Bai. It’s beautiful, simple, and honestly the perfect starting point if you want to get into Chinese literature. Besides looking at the poem itself, I’ll also share some stories about Li Bai’s legendary life. Perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through classic poetr...

Are you a coffee person or a tea person? In China, more and more young people are choosing coffee these days. It almost felt like tea was becoming something only for older generations. But with the milk tea craze lately, tea is back in the hands of young people again! In this episode, let’s chat all about coffee and tea. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to master rea...

I saw on Reddit that a lot of Chinese learners really want to challenge themselves by reading a full book in Chinese. Personally, I think "To Live" (活着) by Yu Hua is a fantastic choice! In this episode, I’m going to give you three reasons why I highly recommend it. Perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through interesting novels instead of just textbook...

"The Art of War" is an ancient Chinese military book. But believe it or not, the strategies in it can actually help you learn Chinese! In this episode, let’s chat about how to use Sun Tzu’s wisdom to level up your language skills. Of course, we’ll also talk about some ancient battles and see how people actually used these tactics to win. This podcast is perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learner...

A loss might be a blessing in disguise. An old man lost his horse—was it good luck or bad luck? In this episode, let’s talk about a classic Chinese idiom story. Are there any other idiom stories you’d like to hear? Or do you have any suggestions for this podcast? Let me know in the comments! This podcast is perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through fu...

Do you feel tired lately? A lot of the time, that tired feeling actually comes down to not sleeping well. In this episode, let’s chat about some simple ways you can get a better night's sleep. Perfect for intermediate to advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to master real-life Chinese beyond the classroom.   你平时觉得累吗？很多时候，你觉得累，和你没睡好有关系。这期我们就来说一说，怎样可以睡得...

Jack Ma is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in China. But here’s the thing—the real focus of his story is not his success, but his failures. In this episode, let’s chat about Jack Ma’s journey and see how he found his path to success, one failure at a time. This podcast is perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through fun stories instead of just t...

Do you love watching Chinese movies and TV shows, but find yourself struggling to understand? Don't worry, you’re not the only one! In this episode, let’s chat about why it’s so hard to understand native speakers. Plus, I’ll share what you can actually do to improve your Chinese listening. Ready? Let’s get into it!   喜欢看中文电影电视剧，却发现自己听不懂？放心，你不是一个人！ 这期节目里，我就和大...

It’s an ancient, beautiful legend. A fisherman finds a hidden village where everyone is peaceful and happy. In this episode, we’re going to learn Chinese through this story. It’s called "The Lost Utopia" (桃花源记). Are there any other stories you'd like to hear? Let me know in the comments! This podcast is perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through fu...

Are you trying to practice speaking Chinese but can’t find anyone to talk with? Do you really have to live in China to get good at it? Maybe you’ve learned some words and grammar, but when you try to speak, you freeze, your sentences feel broken, and you worry about mistakes. The good news is you don’t need a language partner or a trip to China to improve your Chinese speaking. In this podcast, I’...

Thinking in Chinese（中文思维） is a podcast for intermediate and advanced Chinese learners who want to do more than just study grammar and vocabulary. I really believe thinking in Chinese is the secret to fluency. Each episode uses the Comprehensible Input method to explore fascinating topics.  We cover Chinese culture, history, literature, economics, philosophy, and society. It’s perfect for lev...