You haven't been paying attention in class all semester and the exam's next week; it's going to take more than some serious cramming to make up for all the slacking you've been doing. There's only one option: beg the teacher for the test questions in advance. Listen in as a group of unprepared students try to wrest useful test information from their teacher's unwilling grasp in today's upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1921
Mar 20, 2026•19 min
When a friend or co-worker tells you a relative has passed away, what do you say? You could probably use some help in this delicate situation. For one thing, you don't say "I'm sorry" in Mandarin. Learn how to offer your consolation the Chinese way in this lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1589
Mar 18, 2026•17 min
Your company's brand-new kimchee-flavored chocolate has been painstakingly perfected and is ready to hit store shelves. There's just one problem: how are you going to get anyone to buy it? Tune in to today's lesson to hear how the marketing department is planning to introduce the new product to the public. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1914
Mar 16, 2026•19 min
It's that time of year, and a flu vaccination is probably a good idea. In this lesson, we follow a fearless child and her mother into the doctor's office to get a flu shot. Learn all the essential vocabulary you'll need to get a vaccination, as well as the super-useful question, "are you afraid of pain?" Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1586
Mar 13, 2026•15 min
This lesson is for our boldest, hardiest, and most probably craziest users out there. We're listening in today as one such athlete discusses ironman triathlons in Mandarin Chinese; if you're like us, you'll probably relate much more to the astonished listener than the competitor! Learn how to talk about triathlons and the intensive preparation they require in today's upper-intermediate lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1911
Mar 11, 2026•17 min
If you're like us, you know a lot of people, and you make a fair amount of calls with your cell phone. But every once in a while, you'll get this annoying recording telling you the call won't go through because it's a "nonlocal number." Fortunately there's an easy solution. Learn about it in this Chinese lesson. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1582
Mar 09, 2026•14 min
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
Mar 06, 2026•18 min
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
Mar 04, 2026•16 min
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 vocab in today's upper-intermediate lesson Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1894
Mar 02, 2026•21 min
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
Feb 27, 2026•15 min
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 without YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter, 3G was once absolutely essential. Tune in and relive the moment ...
Feb 25, 2026•16 min
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 studying there. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1881
Feb 23, 2026•12 min
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
Feb 20, 2026•14 min
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
Feb 18, 2026•23 min
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 the meaning behind the red sheets of paper on either side of a door seen during this festival. If you don't ...
Feb 16, 2026•26 min
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
Feb 13, 2026•14 min
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 Mandarin Chinese! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1871
Feb 11, 2026•16 min
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
Feb 09, 2026•17 min
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's hidden hoards? Listen in and find out! Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1863
Feb 06, 2026•22 min
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
Feb 04, 2026•17 min
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
Feb 02, 2026•20 min
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
Jan 30, 2026•15 min
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
Jan 28, 2026•16 min
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
Jan 26, 2026•19 min
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.chinesepod.com/1856
Jan 23, 2026•20 min
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
Jan 21, 2026•16 min
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
Jan 19, 2026•21 min
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
Jan 16, 2026•14 min
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
Jan 14, 2026•21 min
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
Jan 12, 2026•16 min
