Chinese double-edged sword
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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Seeds of Knowledge: How Passion Blossoms into Change Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-07-18-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 茶梯田上，阳光温柔地洒在绿色的茶叶上。En: On the tea terraces, the sunlight gently sprinkled over the green tea leaves.Zh: 微风轻拂，整个田野如同一幅美丽的风景画。En: A light breeze blew, making the entire field look like a beautiful landscape painting.Zh: 美和建坐在一块大石头上，享受着夏日的宁静。En: Mei and Jian sat on a large rock, enjoying the tranquility of the summer day.Zh: 美是一个勤奋的学生，特别热爱自然和草药茶。En: Mei was a diligent student with a particular love for nature and herbal tea.Zh: 她盼望着新学期的开始，因为她有一个特别的计划。En: She looked forward to the start of the new semester because she had a special plan.Zh: 建是她的好朋友，虽然性格调皮，但对植物学有着浓厚的兴趣。En: Jian, her good friend, was mischievous by nature but had a strong interest in botany.Zh: “美，你准备好要做你的植物项目了吗？”建好奇地问。En: “Mei, are you ready to work on your plant project?” Jian asked curiously.Zh: “我想通过这个项目，将我的自然热爱与学业结合。”美答道。En: “I want to combine my love of nature with my studies through this project,” Mei replied.Zh: 她想在学校里进行一个植物项目，让学生们了解自然的魅力和植物的妙用。En: She wanted to conduct a plant project at school to let students understand the charm of nature and the wonderful uses of plants.Zh: 可是，学校的管理层对于这个计划持怀疑态度，他们不确定这个项目是否有足够的教育价值。En: However, the school administration was skeptical about this plan; they were not sure if the project had enough educational value.Zh: 美很坚定，她知道自己需要证据。En: Determined, Mei knew she needed evidence.Zh: 于是，她和建决定收集一些植物的资料，准备一个有说服力的演示。En: Therefore, she and Jian decided to gather some information on plants and prepare a convincing presentation.Zh: 他们在茶梯田中花了好几个下午，观察各种植物，做了许多笔记。En: They spent several afternoons on the tea terraces, observing various plants and taking many notes.Zh: “我们可以告诉老师们，植物和我们的生活息息相关，它们可以帮助学生学习很多东西，比如化学和生物。”建建议道。En: “We can tell the teachers that plants are closely related to our lives; they can help students learn a lot about things like chemistry and biology,” Jian suggested.Zh: 经过几个晚上的努力，美和建完成了他们的演示文稿——详细的图片、数据和说明，一个都不缺。En: After several evenings of effort, Mei and Jian completed their presentation, leaving no detail out, including images, data, and explanations.Zh: 他们信心满满，决定在下周的教师会议上进行演示。En: They were confident and decided to present it at the teacher's meeting next week.Zh: 会议那天，美穿上她最喜欢的蓝裙子，心里是满满的期待。En: On the day of the meeting, Mei wore her favorite blue dress, filled with anticipation.Zh: 她和建一起走进会议室，面对着一群严肃的老师。En: She and Jian walked into the meeting room, facing a group of serious teachers.Zh: 美深吸一口气，开始了她的演讲。En: Mei took a deep breath and began her presentation.Zh: 她热情洋溢地展示了植物如何丰富了她们的学习生活，例举了具体例子，说明它们对科学、艺术甚至心理健康的积极影响。En: With enthusiasm, she demonstrated how plants enriched their learning lives, providing specific examples to show their positive impact on science, art, and even mental health.Zh: 美还提出通过这个项目，学生们可以在实践中学到许多书本上学不到的知识。En: Mei also suggested that through this project, students could learn practical knowledge not found in textbooks.Zh: 教师们被她的激情打动，开始点头。En: The teachers were moved by her passion and began nodding in agreement.Zh: 经过一番讨论，学校最终决定将植物项目纳入新学期的课程中。En: After some discussion, the school finally decided to include the plant project in the new semester's curriculum.Zh: 美和建高兴极了，他们的努力没有白费。En: Mei and Jian were overjoyed; their efforts had not been in vain.Zh: 这个成功给了美巨大的信心，她明白了只要努力，就可以把热爱与学业结合起来。En: This success gave Mei tremendous confidence, and she realized that with effort, she could combine her passion with her studies.Zh: 茶梯田的夏日依然如初，而美的心中却萌发出新的希望。En: The summer day at the tea terraces remained unchanged, yet new hopes sprang up in Mei's heart. Vocabulary Words:terraces: 梯田sprinkled: 洒tranquility: 宁静diligent: 勤奋mischievous: 调皮skeptical: 怀疑evidence: 证据observe: 观察presentation: 演示文稿anticipation: 期待enthusiasm: 热情enriched: 丰富practical: 实践particular: 特别plan: 计划project: 项目charm: 魅力wonderful: 妙afternoons: 下午convincing: 有说服力detail: 详细explanations: 说明anticipation: 期待mental: 心理impact: 影响include: 纳入confidence: 信心passion: 激情curriculum: 课程success: 成功
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Running the Great Wall: A Marathon of Dreams and Friendship Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-07-16-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城的夏天，阳光热烈地洒在古老的砖石上，空气中弥漫着挑战和激情。En: In the summer at the Changcheng, the sun shone fiercely on the ancient bricks, and the air was filled with a sense of challenge and passion.Zh: 简和美站在起点，他们将参加一场慈善马拉松。En: Jian and Mei stood at the starting point, ready to participate in a charity marathon.Zh: 简是一名工程学学生，他希望利用自己的知识为偏远地区设计更好的医疗设施。En: Jian was an engineering student who hoped to use his knowledge to design better medical facilities for remote areas.Zh: 美是简最好的朋友，一名热情洋溢的医学生，梦想给资源匮乏的社区提供关怀。En: Mei was Jian's best friend, an enthusiastic medical student dreaming of providing care to under-resourced communities.Zh: 他们报名参加这次长城马拉松是为了筹款，帮助建设一个设备齐全的战地医院。En: They signed up for this Changcheng marathon to raise funds to help build a fully equipped field hospital.Zh: 长城上，蜿蜒的路径夹杂着历史的沉重，迎接着每一位参与者的决心和勇气。En: On the Changcheng, the winding paths mixed with the weight of history, welcoming the determination and courage of every participant.Zh: 没有清凉的微风，只有头顶那炎热的夏日。En: There was no cooling breeze, only the scorching summer sun overhead.Zh: 凌厉的太阳下，简记着自己的目标，他想着帮助乡村的医院，渴望改变现状。En: Under the fierce sun, Jian remembered his goal of helping the rural hospitals, yearning to change the current situation.Zh: 与此同时，美脑海中浮现出她去世不久的祖父，他是一位受人尊敬的医生。En: Meanwhile, Mei thought of her recently deceased grandfather, who had been a well-respected doctor.Zh: 她的每一步，都是为了纪念他的贡献。En: Each of her steps was in tribute to his contributions.Zh: 起初，他们的步伐轻快，脸上挂着微笑。En: Initially, their steps were light, with smiles on their faces.Zh: 但跑过了一段路，长城的坡度和暖气让他们的双腿变得沉重。En: But after covering a distance, the slopes of the Changcheng and the heat made their legs heavy.Zh: 美轻声说：“简，我们能行，我们必须撑下去。En: Mei softly said, "Jian, we can do it, we must keep going."Zh: ”简用力点头，但汗水模糊了他的视线，体力的流失让他陷入挣扎的边缘。En: Jian nodded firmly, but sweat blurred his vision, and the loss of strength brought him to the brink of struggle.Zh: 他一度想放弃，但想到美的鼓励和自己的梦想，他咬牙坚持。En: He was once tempted to give up, but thinking of Mei's encouragement and his dreams, he gritted his teeth and persisted.Zh: 随着终点逐渐显现，美却因严重缺水而身体虚弱地倒下。En: As the finish line gradually appeared, Mei collapsed from severe dehydration and physical weakness.Zh: 简面临选择，是完成比赛还是帮助她。En: Jian faced a choice—whether to complete the race or to help her.Zh: 他毫不犹豫地停下，扶起美，喂她水，确保她没事。En: Without hesitation, he stopped, helped Mei up, gave her water, and ensured she was okay.Zh: 两人携手，一步一步向前。En: The two of them held hands, moving forward step by step.Zh: 虽然他们并没有在规定的时间内完赛，但跨过终点线时，其他参与者为他们鼓掌，欣赏他们的友谊和共同目标。En: Although they did not finish within the set time, as they crossed the finish line, other participants applauded them, appreciating their friendship and shared goal.Zh: 在这个古老的长城面前，简意识到，真正的力量来自于团队的合作和社区的支持。En: In front of the ancient Changcheng, Jian realized that true strength comes from teamwork and community support.Zh: 这次经历让他明白，实现梦想不仅靠个人的成就，更需要集体的力量来实现共同的目标。En: This experience taught him that achieving dreams relies not only on personal accomplishments but also on collective strength to realize common goals. Vocabulary Words:fiercely: 热烈地challenge: 挑战passion: 激情charity: 慈善marathon: 马拉松remote: 偏远enthusiastic: 热情洋溢的under-resourced: 资源匮乏的winding: 蜿蜒的determination: 决心courage: 勇气scorching: 炎热的deceased: 去世的well-respected: 受人尊敬的tribute: 纪念slopes: 坡度tempted: 想persisted: 坚持collapsed: 倒下dehydration: 缺水applauded: 鼓掌friendship: 友谊community: 社区accomplishments: 成就collective: 集体的realize: 实现equipped: 设备齐全的field hospital: 战地医院historical: 历史的strength: 力量
In this episode, Yaeli sits down with Debbie Jian, a Kabbalah teacher who has spent more than twenty years studying and teaching Jewish spirituality, to explore the deeper meaning behind hair covering.Together, they unpack the spiritual purpose of this ancient mitzvah beyond tradition or obligation. We discuss how hair covering can create a sense of inner dignity, spiritual protection, and sacred feminine presence, while inviting greater peace and abundance into the home.Their conversation also explores feminine energy through the lens of Kabbalah, what it means to embody it, how it shapes our relationships, and practical ways to cultivate it in everyday life.Whether you currently cover your hair, are curious about the practice, or simply want to better understand the wisdom behind it, this episode offers a thoughtful and inspiring perspective on one of Judaism's most meaningful traditions.
If you have a sweet tooth, this episode is for you! We’re trying the best of Milan including Panetone, all kinds of chocolate in Switzerland, a cookie called Spitzbuben, Malaysia’s delicious answer to Shave Ice, and a purple tuber that makes great sweets! Plus, why sugar cane is grown in The Philippines. [Ep 396] Show Notes: Destination Eat Drink food & travel guides Jackie DeGiorgio A Signorina in Milan Rick Kaempfer blog Eckhartz Press website Simply Enak food tours Explore Manila Tours with Jian
In this episode we are joined by special guests Jian and Stephen from Alive On One. We discuss our personal wishlist models we'd love to see changed in the upcoming Marvel Crisis Protocol Update, and how we would change the models design and give them a glow up.Fury's Finest is a podcast and resource devoted to the discussion of the tabletop game Marvel Crisis Protocol.___________________________________Fury's Finest is supported by our wonderful patrons on Patreon. If you would like to help the show go topatreon.com/furysfinest and pledge your support. Fury's Finest Patrons directly support the show and its growth by helping pay our monthly and annual fees, while contributing to future projects and endeavors.Check out our Fury's Finest apparel and merchandise on TeePublic.___________________________________Twitch Itwitch.tv/furysfinestTwitter I@FurysFinestCastInstagram I@FurysFinestFacebook IFury's FinestYouTube I Fury's FinestApple Podcasts l Spotify l Google Podcasts___________________________________Thanks to Approaching Nirvana for our music.Help spread the word of our show. Subscribe, rate, and review!Email us at: FurysFinest@gmail.com
He was born in China and grew up in Hawaii, so Peter has a great desire to bring those cuisines to Omaha. But it was actually his wife and their shared love of food that got him into the restaurant industry! The owner of Bobo's Noodles & Dumplings, Blue Hawaii, and Bo Bo China tells his story and what inspired him to open 3 restaurants, all of which bring something very unique to the Omaha restaurant scene. If you love Omaha food, restaurant stories, dumplings, Hawaiian cuisine, or hearing how entrepreneurs chase the American Dream — this is an episode you won't want to miss.
For months, events surrounding Iran have moved at a relentless pace. In the midst of that, some remarkable conversations had to wait their turn. This is one of them. In this episode, Jian Ghomeshi welcomes acclaimed composer, producer and arranger Ramin Zamani to the Roqe studio for a fascinating discussion about music, exile, creativity, discipline and authenticity. Long before he became one of the key architects of modern Persian pop music, Ramin Zamani left Iran to pursue classical guitar and composition. His dream was not chart success but film scoring. Yet through a series of unexpected turns, including a chance encounter with Kamran of Kamran & Hooman, he found himself helping shape the sound of Persian music for a generation. The conversation explores: • Life under the Islamic Republic • Leaving Iran for artistic freedom • Classical music and creative discipline • The dream of film composition • The making of Persian pop music • Collaborations with Shahbal Shabpareh and Dariush • The role of mentorship • The creative process • Autotune and authenticity • Artificial intelligence and the future of music The episode also features Jian's opening essay: WE ARE BETWEEN CHAPTERS Sponsored by: • Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi. Produced by Roqe Media.
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Her Path: Mei's Blossoming Journey in Shanghai Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-25-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅走进了上海植物园，一阵清新的花香扑面而来。En: Mei walked into the Shanghai Botanic Garden, and a burst of fresh floral fragrance greeted her.Zh: 她抬头望去，整个夏天的阳光洒在五彩缤纷的花朵上，宛如大自然的画卷。En: She looked up and saw the summer sunshine casting over the colorful flowers, like a painting of nature.Zh: 今天，梅来参加一个植物艺术展览，她希望能在这里找到一些灵感。En: Today, Mei was here to attend a botanical art exhibition, hoping to find some inspiration.Zh: 她的朋友伟知道梅最近心情不太好。En: Her friend Wei knew that Mei had not been in a good mood lately.Zh: 他看得出梅对她目前的工作不是很满意，但也明白梅对未来有些不确定。En: He could see that she wasn't very satisfied with her current job and understood Mei felt uncertain about the future.Zh: 梅在心里不断纠结要不要去追求她真正的热情。En: Deep inside, Mei kept struggling with whether to pursue her true passion.Zh: 然而，这一天，梅终于决定勇敢一点，独自一个人来到展览，寻找心灵的答案。En: However, today, she finally decided to be a little braver and came to the exhibition alone to seek answers for her soul.Zh: 在展览现场，梅被一个景观吸引住了。En: At the exhibition, Mei was drawn to a landscape.Zh: 那是一组植被和雕塑完美结合的艺术品，看上去像是为这个季节特别设计的。En: It was a piece of artwork perfectly combining vegetation and sculpture, seemingly designed especially for the season.Zh: 正在她沉浸在这一美景时，一个声音在她身后响起：“你也觉得这很美吗？”En: While she was immersed in this beauty, a voice sounded behind her: "Do you also find this beautiful?"Zh: 梅转过身去，看到一个年轻男人微笑着站在那里。En: Mei turned around and saw a young man standing there smiling.Zh: “我叫健，是个景观设计师。”他说。En: "My name is Jian, and I'm a landscape designer," he said.Zh: 梅点点头，微笑回应：“我是梅。我很喜欢自然和艺术。”En: Mei nodded and smiled back, "I'm Mei. I love nature and art."Zh: 两人聊了起来，发现他们对艺术和自然有着相同的热情。En: They started chatting and found they shared the same passion for art and nature.Zh: 健告诉她，他一直在尝试把艺术融入到他的项目中，而梅对这样的想法感到无比兴奋。En: Jian told her he had always been trying to incorporate art into his projects, and Mei felt incredibly excited about this idea.Zh: “你呢？”健问，“你在做什么？”En: "What about you?" Jian asked, "What do you do?"Zh: 梅犹豫了一下，然后说：“我有一个很稳定的工作，但我对它并不感到满足。我其实一直想做一些与艺术有关的事情。”En: Mei hesitated for a moment and then said, "I have a very stable job, but I'm not satisfied with it. I've always wanted to do something related to art."Zh: 健认真地看着梅：“有时候我们需要勇敢一些，去做真正想做的事。”En: Jian looked at Mei seriously: "Sometimes we need to be brave and do what we truly want to do."Zh: 那一天，梅和健聊了很久。En: That day, Mei and Jian talked for a long time.Zh: 健的热情感染了梅，让她第一次感觉自己不是孤军奋战。En: Jian's enthusiasm inspired Mei, making her feel for the first time that she wasn't fighting alone.Zh: 她决定加入健的项目，一起创作出更多结合艺术和自然的作品。En: She decided to join Jian's project to create more works combining art and nature together.Zh: 几周后，梅辞去了原来的工作，全心投入到新项目中。En: A few weeks later, Mei quit her previous job and fully committed to the new project.Zh: 当她站在植物园中的时候，她感到一股从未有过的充实感。En: As she stood in the botanical garden, she felt a fulfillment she had never experienced before.Zh: 她知道，自己的选择是正确的。En: She knew that her choice was the right one.Zh: 在上海植物园繁茂的绿植和艺术的烘托下，梅开始了她崭新的生活，找到了属于自己的生命色彩。En: Surrounded by the lush plants and art of the Shanghai Botanic Garden, Mei began a brand new life, finding the colors of her own life.Zh: 她变得更加勇敢，真正连接到了自己的内心。En: She became braver and truly connected with her inner self. Vocabulary Words:botanic: 植物floral: 花的fragrance: 香味exhibition: 展览inspiration: 灵感satisfied: 满意uncertain: 不确定passion: 热情braver: 勇敢landscape: 景观vegetation: 植被sculpture: 雕塑immersed: 沉浸enthusiasm: 热情fulfillment: 充实感lush: 繁茂的connected: 连接到inner: 内心commitment: 投入soul: 心灵project: 项目incorporate: 融入stable: 稳定design: 设计decided: 决定fulfilled: 满足的nature: 自然artwork: 艺术品seeking: 寻找encounter: 遇到
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
The World Cup has begun and Team Melli has finally taken the field. Following Iran's 2-2 draw with New Zealand in Los Angeles, Jian Ghomeshi is joined by Atbin Arian, Seena Ghaznavi and Mehrdad Ahmadpour to discuss the atmosphere surrounding the opening match, the presence of Lion and Sun flags inside the stadium, FIFA's role in shaping the broadcast narrative, and the complicated feelings many Iranians have toward supporting the national team under the Islamic Republic. Before the panel, Jian opens the show with an essay entitled "The Cameras Looked Away" about television, censorship, narrative control, and what happens when millions of viewers are shown one version of reality while another exists just outside the frame. Sponsored by Avoca Chocolates.
As the FIFA World Cup gets underway, many people around the world are focused on football. But many Iranians are focused on something else entirely. Jian Ghomeshi welcomes former political prisoner and activist Ahmad Batebi and historian and political analyst Dr. Shahram Kholdi for a discussion about the World Cup, Team Melli, the Islamic Republic's attempts to shape narratives on the global stage, and how the Iranian diaspora can use this moment to keep attention focused on the struggle for freedom in Iran. The panel also examines rising tensions between Iran and the United States, new threats from President Donald Trump, and whether recent developments point to growing regime vulnerability or simply another turn in a familiar geopolitical cycle. But first, Jian opens the show with an essay entitled "WE KNOW THE GAME," reflecting on football, politics, propaganda, and why so many Iranians have become deeply skeptical of the competing agendas surrounding major international events. This episode is brought to you by Stellar Law and Quasar Homes.
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mooncake Magic: Balancing Tradition with Creativity Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-11-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏天的校园总是充满活力，高中的教室里更是热闹非凡。En: The summer campus is always full of energy, and the high school classroom is bustling with excitement.Zh: 教室内挂满了端午节的装饰，彩色的龙舟和五彩绳增添了节日的气氛。En: The classroom is decorated with Duanwu Festival decorations, colorful dragon boats and five-colored ropes adding to the festive atmosphere.Zh: 教室的一角，几个学生聚集在一起，准备进行一次特别的月饼制作课。En: In one corner of the room, a few students gather to prepare for a special mooncake-making lesson.Zh: 小雨是班上出了名的创意大师。En: Xiaoyu is known as the creative mastermind of the class.Zh: 每次活动，她总能想出各种奇思妙想。En: She always comes up with imaginative ideas for every activity.Zh: 今天，她决定为班上的端午节项目制作一种独特的月饼。En: Today, she decides to create a unique mooncake for the class's Duanwu Festival project.Zh: “我要用西瓜做馅料！”小雨兴奋地宣布。En: "I'm going to use watermelon as the filling!" Xiaoyu excitedly announces.Zh: 玲听了不禁皱眉，“可是，我们不是应该做传统的红豆或莲蓉月饼吗？En: Ling listens and frowns, "But aren't we supposed to make traditional red bean or lotus seed paste mooncakes?Zh: 老师发的食谱上也是这么写的。”玲是一位喜欢按照规则办事的学生，对小雨的异想天开显得有些不满。En: The recipe the teacher gave us also says so." Ling is a student who likes to follow the rules and seems a bit displeased with Xiaoyu's whimsical ideas.Zh: 然而，剑打趣道：“小雨的主意听上去很有趣，虽然有点冒险。”剑总是喜欢缓和气氛，不想让大家起争执。En: However, Jian jokes, "Xiaoyu's idea sounds interesting, although a bit risky." Jian always likes to ease the atmosphere and doesn't want everyone to get into a dispute.Zh: “我们可以试试，”小雨微笑着说，“混合的月饼会更有趣。”En: "We can give it a try," Xiaoyu says with a smile, "The mixed mooncakes will be more interesting."Zh: 于是，三人开始分工协作。En: So, the three of them begin to work together.Zh: 小雨精心地将西瓜切丁，混合在面团里。而玲则忙着做好另一部分按照传统步骤制作的月饼。En: Xiaoyu carefully dices the watermelon and mixes it into the dough, while Ling busies herself with making another part of the mooncakes according to the traditional steps.Zh: 剑在一旁帮忙，确保大家的工作都能顺利进行。En: Jian assists on the side, ensuring everyone's work goes smoothly.Zh: 当他们把月饼放进烤箱后，意想不到的事情发生了。那股扑鼻而来的甜香中夹杂着一丝奇怪的气味。En: Unexpectedly, after they put the mooncakes in the oven, a peculiar smell mixed with the sweet aroma fills the room.Zh: “这些月饼好像有点不对劲，”玲说。En: "These mooncakes seem a bit off," Ling says.Zh: 等到月饼出炉，大家发现它们看起来颜色略有不同。En: When the mooncakes are done, everyone notices their color is slightly different.Zh: “会不会是西瓜的问题？”小雨疑惑地问。En: "Could it be the watermelon?" Xiaoyu wonders.Zh: 大家尝了一口，发现滋味还算不错，只是和之前想象的有很大差别。En: Everyone takes a bite and finds that the taste is quite decent, but it's very different from what they had imagined.Zh: 班里其他同学也好奇地过来品尝，纷纷表示这次月饼体验十分独特。En: Other classmates curiously come over to try them, all expressing that this mooncake experience is very unique.Zh: 这时候，老师走了进来，看了看他们的作品，笑着说：“虽然不是传统的月饼，但你们展现了合作和创造力，这是最重要的。”En: At this moment, the teacher walks in, looks at their creations, and smiles, "Although these are not traditional mooncakes, you have demonstrated cooperation and creativity, which is the most important."Zh: 经过这件事，小雨明白了在创意与传统之间寻找平衡的重要性；而玲学习到了尝试新事物的乐趣。En: After this event, Xiaoyu realizes the importance of finding a balance between creativity and tradition, while Ling learns the joy of trying new things.Zh: 有时偏离计划会带来意外的惊喜。En: Sometimes deviating from the plan can bring unexpected surprises.Zh: 而剑则意识到，有时最好的解决办法不是选择站在哪一边，而是将其融合在一起。En: Jian realizes that sometimes the best solution is not to choose sides, but to integrate them together.Zh: 整个事件让三人更加团结，成为了彼此最好的朋友。En: The whole incident makes the three of them more united, becoming the best of friends.Zh: 教室里回荡着大家的欢声笑语，月饼的香味久久没有散去。En: The classroom echoes with their laughter, and the aroma of mooncakes lingers long after. Vocabulary Words:campus: 校园bustling: 热闹非凡decorated: 装饰festival: 节日corner: 角落imaginative: 奇思妙想unique: 独特filling: 馅料recipe: 食谱displeased: 不满whimsical: 异想天开risky: 冒险smoothly: 顺利peculiar: 奇怪的aroma: 香味surprises: 惊喜united: 团结balance: 平衡tradition: 传统experience: 体验frowns: 皱眉mastermind: 大师ease: 缓和dice: 切丁dough: 面团integrate: 融合echoes: 回荡linger: 久久没有散去curiously: 好奇地demonstrated: 展现
The FIFA World Cup begins in just one week, and once again the debate is underway. Will politics overshadow the football? Or will the football eventually overshadow the politics? On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi welcomes Atbin Arian and Shayan Sami'i for a conversation about the upcoming World Cup, FIFA's contradictions, the controversy surrounding the Lion and Sun flag, Team Melli, nationalism, identity, free expression, and the difficult questions many Iranians continue to wrestle with whenever international sport and Iranian politics collide. Will Iranian fans support Team Melli? Has FIFA's handling of the Lion and Sun flag created more controversy rather than less? And when the first whistle blows, will football once again reclaim center stage? But first, Jian opens the show with an essay entitled “They Always Tell Us To Keep Politics Out Of It”, exploring why so many people are told to separate politics from culture and sport, and why that separation is often easier said than done. Guests: Atbin Arian Shayan Sami'i Sponsors: Stellar Law Quasar Homes Recorded June 4, 2026.
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets of West Lake: Tradition Meets Ambition at the Tea House Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-06-04-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 西湖边的茶楼，有一处古色古香的地方。En: By the West Lake, there is a place that is quaint and deeply traditional within a tea house.Zh: 在那里，莲、雨飞、健三人聚在一起，阳光透过窗户洒在桌面上，空气中弥漫着莲花的清香。En: There, Lian, Yufei, and Jian gathered together, with sunlight streaming through the windows onto the table, and the air filled with the delicate fragrance of lotus flowers.Zh: 外面，龙舟在湖面上飞驰，岸上的观众欢呼雀跃。En: Outside, dragon boats raced across the lake's surface, and the spectators on the shore cheered with enthusiasm.Zh: 莲是一位充满抱负的企业家，她梦想扩展茶叶进口生意，希望能与名茶专家雨飞合作。En: Lian is an ambitious entrepreneur with a dream to expand the tea import business, hoping to collaborate with tea expert Yufei.Zh: 雨飞谨慎而聪明，他深知自己家族传统制茶技艺的重要性，担心大量生产会牺牲茶的质量和传统。En: Yufei, cautious and wise, is deeply aware of the importance of his family's traditional tea-making techniques and worries that mass production could compromise the tea's quality and tradition.Zh: 健则是三人中的调解者，他重视和谐，希望促成成功的合作。En: Jian acts as the mediator among the three, valuing harmony and hoping to foster a successful collaboration.Zh: 茶楼里，莲首先开口：“雨飞先生，我很欣赏您祖传的制茶技艺。En: In the tea house, Lian spoke first, "Mr. Yufei, I really admire your ancestral tea-making skills.Zh: 我希望通过我们的合作，让更多的人品尝到这份独特的茶香。En: I hope through our cooperation, more people can savor this unique tea aroma."Zh: ”她的目光炽热，充满期待。En: Her gaze was intense and full of expectation.Zh: 雨飞沉吟片刻，说：“我明白你的想法。En: Yufei pondered for a moment and said, "I understand your thoughts.Zh: 但我不会让我们的传统随意改变。En: But I won't allow our traditions to change lightly.Zh: 茶的品质是我们家族世代坚守的底线。En: The quality of tea is a baseline our family has upheld for generations."Zh: ”健在一旁插话，“也许我们可以找到一个平衡点。En: Jian chimed in, "Perhaps we can find a balance.Zh: 莲，你愿意进一步了解制茶的传统吗？En: Lian, would you be willing to further understand the tea-making tradition?"Zh: ”经过思考，莲点头同意。En: After some thought, Lian nodded in agreement.Zh: “是的，我愿意。En: "Yes, I am willing."Zh: ”于是，她开始亲身投入到雨飞的茶田中，学习从采茶到制作的每一个环节。En: Thus, she began to personally immerse herself in Yufei's tea fields, learning every step from picking to production.Zh: 在这过程中，莲渐渐体会到茶艺的细腻和背后的心血。En: During this process, Lian gradually appreciated the intricacies of the tea arts and the labor behind it.Zh: 不久后，端午节到了。En: Soon, the Dragon Boat Festival arrived.Zh: 莲邀请雨飞和健参加她特别筹备的茶道仪式。En: Lian invited Yufei and Jian to attend a tea ceremony she specially prepared.Zh: 她用心准备的茶艺，精致而注重传统，让雨飞眼前一亮。En: Her carefully arranged tea performance was exquisite and attentive to tradition, leaving Yufei impressed.Zh: 茶香弥漫，雨飞动容地点头：“我看到了你的诚意和对传统的尊重。En: As the tea's fragrance filled the air, Yufei was moved and nodded, "I see your sincerity and respect for tradition."Zh: ”雨飞意识到，在传统中加入适度的创新也许未尝不可。En: Yufei realized that integrating modest innovation into tradition might just be possible.Zh: 他终于同意达成一个既尊重传统又允许谨慎扩展的协议。En: He finally agreed to a deal respecting tradition while allowing cautious expansion.Zh: 随着最后一饮，清茶入喉，心意交融，三人都露出笑容。En: With the final sip, the clear tea slid down their throats, their minds intertwined, and all three smiled.Zh: 这样的结局让莲学会了欣赏茶艺之美，而雨飞则对战略性创新有了新的信心。En: This outcome taught Lian to appreciate the beauty of the tea arts, while Yufei gained new confidence in strategic innovation.Zh: 明媚的春日，茶楼的窗外，龙舟如箭，拍水而来，和谐在湖面上氤氲飘洒。En: In the bright spring day, outside the tea house window, dragon boats shot across the water like arrows, peace and harmony floating over the lake's surface. Vocabulary Words:quaint: 古色古香streaming: 洒fragrance: 清香spectators: 观众entrepreneur: 企业家expand: 扩展collaborate: 合作cautious: 谨慎compromise: 牺牲mediator: 调解者harmony: 和谐savor: 品尝intense: 炽热pondered: 沉吟baseline: 底线immerse: 亲身投入intricacies: 细腻arcane: 奥秘exquisite: 精致attentive: 用心intertwined: 交融modest: 适度innovation: 创新strategic: 战略性tradition: 传统chimed in: 插话respected: 尊重sincerity: 诚意appreciate: 欣赏ceremony: 仪式
Humanoid robots performing martial arts, robotic dogs demonstrating their agility and robots dancing to foreign folk music have become some of the more unusual scenes on foreign leaders' trips to China this year.今年，外国领导人访华途中出现了一些不同寻常的场景：人形机器人打太极、机器狗灵活跳跃、机器人随外国民族音乐翩翩起舞。Behind the eye-catching moments is a broader trend: China's vast market and technological strength are drawing visiting leaders beyond formal talks in Beijing.这些引人注目的时刻背后，是一个更大的趋势：中国广阔的市场和技术实力正吸引着来访的领导人走出北京的外交会场。The latest is Thongloun Sisoulith, general secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao president, who is currently making a five-day state visit to China.最新一位是正在对中国进行为期五天国事访问的老挝人民革命党中央总书记、国家主席通伦·西苏里。During a trip to DEEP Robotics in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, shortly after his arrival in China on Tuesday, Thongloun operated a robotic dog and praised it as "very good" and "very flexible".通伦6月2日抵华后不久便前往浙江省会杭州，参观了杭州云深处科技有限公司。他亲自操作了一只机器狗，称赞其“很好”、“非常灵活”。He also visited the headquarters of Chinese tech company Alibaba Group, where he learned how e-commerce platforms help Lao products reach consumers across the Chinese market.他还参观了中国科技公司阿里巴巴集团总部，了解了电商平台如何帮助老挝产品触达中国市场各地的消费者。Thongloun is not alone. Earlier this year, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also included Zhejiang in their China itineraries.通伦并非个例。今年早些时候，塞尔维亚总统亚历山大·武契奇、巴基斯坦总理夏巴兹·谢里夫和德国总理弗里德里希·默茨也都在访华行程中安排了浙江。The province, long seen as an important window on China's reform and opening-up, is also one of the first places where the country's digital economy took root and flourished.浙江长期被视为中国改革开放的重要窗口，也是我国数字经济最早生根发芽并蓬勃发展的地区之一。Observers said the visits are more than lighthearted moments or technology showcases on packed diplomatic itineraries. Against the backdrop of global industrial transformation, the trips reflect a conscious choice by countries to embrace China's innovation drive and connect with its strengths in the digital economy, they said.观察人士指出，这些访问不仅仅是紧张外交行程中的轻松时刻或技术展示。在全球产业转型的背景下，这些行程反映出各国主动对接中国创新驱动发展战略、借力中国数字经济优势的明确选择。Zhejiang has become one of the most visible stops in this process because it allows visiting leaders to see, in one place, how digital platforms, artificial intelligence, robotics and advanced manufacturing are being applied in real industries.浙江之所以成为这一过程中最受瞩目的站点之一，是因为它能令来访的领导人实地看到，数字平台、人工智能、机器人及先进制造等技术如何在实际产业中落地应用。Jian Junbo, a researcher with the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the visits reflect foreign leaders' recognition of China's high-tech development, as well as their countries' desire to work with China and benefit from the momentum of its technological progress.复旦大学国际问题研究院研究员简军波表示，这些访问反映出外国领导人对中国高新技术发展的认可，也体现了他们与中国开展合作、借助中国技术进步势头获益的愿望。"They hope to carry out deeper and broader cooperation with China in areas such as sci-tech innovation, education and the application of technological achievements," Jian said.“他们希望与中方在科技创新、教育以及科技成果应用等领域开展更深层次、更广范围的合作，”简军波说。"The main purpose, and also their expectation, is to help drive the growth and development of their own domestic economies," Jian added.“其主要目的和预期，是希望能借此推动自身国内经济的增长与发展，”简军波补充道。Li Xiaopeng, a professor at Hangzhou City University, said: "Effective home-ground diplomacy is not just about meetings, group photos and signing ceremonies. It also requires letting guests see things for themselves — to see a country's development, its capabilities and where its future is heading."浙大城市学院教授李晓鹏表示：“有效的主场外交不仅是会谈、合影和签约，还需要让客人亲眼看一看——看看这个国家的发展、能力以及未来的走向。”Taking Hangzhou as an example, Li said the city has become a highly concentrated example of Chinese modernization. In 2025, Hangzhou's GDP exceeded 2.3 trillion yuan ($340 billion), while the added value of its core digital economy industries reached 678 billion yuan, official data shows.以杭州为例，李晓鹏表示，这座城市已成为中国式现代化的高度浓缩样本。官方数据显示，2025年杭州GDP突破2.3万亿元人民币（合3400亿美元），数字经济核心产业增加值达6780亿元。Behind the figures is an ecosystem that includes platform companies, robotics enterprises, AI startups and advanced manufacturers, forming a broader industrial chain that allows visiting leaders to see more than individual companies, Li said.李晓鹏说，这些数字背后是一个涵盖平台企业、机器人企业、人工智能初创公司及先进制造商的生态系统，形成了更长的产业链，使来访领导人看到的远不止单个企业。Zhejiang is not the only place where such out-of-capital trips have taken place.浙江并非外国领导人离京参访的唯一目的地。Foreign leaders visiting China have also traveled to places such as Shanghai, an international financial center; Xiong'an New Area in Hebei province; and Fujian, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces — places that showcase Chinese modernization, coordinated regional development, poverty reduction and connectivity.访华的外国领导人还到访了上海这座国际金融中心、河北雄安新区，以及福建、陕西和四川等省份——这些地方展示着中国式现代化、区域协调发展、脱贫攻坚及互联互通建设成就。Jian, the researcher, said that in-person visits by foreign leaders play an irreplaceable role in helping them better understand the reasons behind China's economic success and its future development trends.复旦大学国际问题研究院研究员简军波表示，外国领导人亲身实地参访，在帮助他们更好地理解中国经济成功的原因及未来发展走向方面，发挥着不可替代的作用。"Such visits help them see China more objectively, dispel the interference of certain Western narratives, and put aside prejudice and stereotypes about China," he said.“这些实地参访有助于他们更客观地看待中国，排除某些西方叙事的干扰，摒弃对中国的偏见和刻板印象，”他说。While the Lao top leader was visiting Zhejiang, Yvette Cooper, the United Kingdom's foreign secretary, traveled to Shenzhen, the technology hub in South China's Guangdong province, on Wednesday for a trip focused on science and technology, after meetings in the Chinese capital.就在老挝最高领导人访问浙江期间，英国外交大臣伊薇特·库珀结束了在北京的会谈后，于6月3日前往华南科技重镇广东深圳，进行以科技为重点的参访。If Beijing is where diplomacy is conducted, Shenzhen is where China's industrial innovation takes shape on the ground, experts said.专家表示，如果说北京是开展外交活动的地方，那么深圳就是中国产业创新落地生根的地方。"Shenzhen now stands in the global spotlight, as it will host an important international meeting this year," said Cui Hongjian, a professor at Beijing Foreign Studies University's Academy of Regional and Global Governance.北京外国语大学区域与全球治理高等研究院教授崔洪建表示：“深圳目前备受国际关注，因为今年它将主办一场重要的国际会议。”The city is set to host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.今年11月，深圳将主办亚太经合组织（APEC）经济领导人会议。Cui said that Cooper's visit to the city and to technology companies shows that Britain's diplomacy toward China has a clear and targeted agenda — to make economic diplomacy a main thread of its China policy.崔洪建指出，库珀访问深圳及科技企业，表明英国对华外交有明确而具体的议程——让经济外交成为其对华政策的主线。draw /drɔː/吸引itinerary /aɪˈtɪnərəri/行程sci-tech innovation /ˈsaɪ tek ˌɪnəˈveɪʃən/科技创新Chinese modernization /tʃaɪˈniːz ˌmɒdənaɪˈzeɪʃən/中国式现代化international financial center /ˌɪntəˈnæʃənəl faɪˈnænʃəl ˈsentə/国际金融中心coordinated regional development /kəʊˈɔːdɪneɪtɪd ˈriːdʒənəl dɪˈveləpmənt/区域协调发展poverty reduction /ˈpɒvəti rɪˈdʌkʃən/脱贫攻坚dispel /dɪˈspel/消除narrative /ˈnærətɪv/叙事economic diplomacy /ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk dɪˈpləʊməsi/经济外交main thread /meɪn θred/主线
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Commentary by Dr. Jian'an Wang.
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets of the Great Wall: A Family's Hidden Legacy Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-30-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 春天的某个清晨，阳光洒在长城上，层层叠叠的砖石在花草之间若隐若现。En: One spring morning, sunlight spilled over the Changcheng (Great Wall), with layers of bricks and stones appearing intermittently among the flowers and grass.Zh: 小雨和简走在这条历史悠久的长道上，心中充满期待和紧张。En: Xiaoyu and Jian walked on this ancient path, filled with anticipation and nervousness.Zh: 微风带来花香，却掩不住小雨内心的焦虑。En: The breeze carried the scent of flowers but couldn't conceal Xiaoyu's inner anxiety.Zh: 她一直相信，在这些古老的墙壁之中，藏着一份可以揭开家族秘密的卷轴。En: She always believed that hidden within these ancient walls was a scroll that could unlock a family secret.Zh: 简则显得有些怀疑。En: Jian seemed somewhat skeptical.Zh: 他一直认为家族的传说可能只是老祖宗编的故事。En: He had always thought that the family's legend might just be a story made up by their ancestors.Zh: 但他知道，小雨决心已定，便仍然陪在她身边，一路上为她打气。En: But he knew that Xiaoyu had made up her mind, so he stayed by her side, cheering her on throughout the journey.Zh: “这段长城的故事，你知道吗？”小雨突然问道。En: "Do you know the story of this part of the Changcheng?" Xiaoyu suddenly asked.Zh: “听说这里曾有很多战士驻守，还有一些未解的秘密。”简回答。En: "I heard there were many soldiers stationed here, and some unsolved secrets," Jian replied.Zh: 他们走到了一段人迹罕至的长城，传说这里的不稳定使人望而却步。En: They reached a seldom-visited section of the Changcheng, reputed to be unstable and daunting.Zh: 墙上的砖石有些已经脱落，绿色的藤蔓在石缝间肆意生长，犹如一片天然屏障。En: Some bricks had fallen from the wall, while green vines grew wildly in the crevices, like a natural barrier.Zh: 小雨停下脚步，凝视着一座看似岌岌可危的哨塔。En: Xiaoyu stopped, staring at a seemingly precarious watchtower.Zh: “就是这里。”她指着那座塔，口气坚定。En: "It's here," she said firmly, pointing at the tower.Zh: 简递给她一个鼓励的微笑，心中却隐隐有些不安。En: Jian gave her an encouraging smile, but inside, he felt a slight unease.Zh: 他对自己说，无论如何都要确保小雨的安全。En: He told himself that no matter what, he must ensure Xiaoyu's safety.Zh: 他们小心翼翼地走进哨塔内部，灰暗的空间中充满着历史的沉淀。En: They cautiously entered the interior of the watchtower, where the dim space was steeped in historical sediments.Zh: 墙上的刻画吸引了小雨的注意，她用手轻抚这些不知道存在了多少年的图案。En: The carvings on the wall caught Xiaoyu's attention; she gently touched the patterns that might have been there for countless years.Zh: 突然，一个松动的砖块掉落，露出了一条狭窄的通道。En: Suddenly, a loose brick fell, revealing a narrow passage.Zh: “看！我们找到了！”小雨的眼中闪烁着光芒。En: "Look! We've found it!" Xiaoyu's eyes sparkled with excitement.Zh: 简似乎感受到了一份无法解释的激动，他们顺着通道来到了一个古老的密室。En: Jian seemed to feel an inexplicable thrill as they followed the passage into an ancient secret chamber.Zh: 密室中的气氛让他们心跳加速，墙上的刻画依然模糊不清，隐隐透露着一些重要信息。En: The atmosphere within the chamber made their hearts race; the wall carvings were still blurred, faintly hinting at important information.Zh: 就在此时，哨塔开始微微晃动。En: At that moment, the watchtower began to tremble slightly.Zh: 简拉着小雨往外跑，“快！这里快塌了！”En: Jian grabbed Xiaoyu and ran outside, "Quick! It's about to collapse!"Zh: 他们冲出哨塔瞬间，身后的石块轰然倒下，尘土弥漫。En: Just as they rushed out of the tower, stones behind them fell with a crash, filling the air with dust.Zh: 在落地的一刻，他们手中紧紧握着从墙上撕下的一部分刻画。En: As they landed, they held tightly onto a piece of the carving they had torn from the wall.Zh: “我们虽然没找到卷轴，但至少知道了它的方向。”小雨看着手中的片段，轻声说道。En: "Although we didn't find the scroll, at least we know the direction," Xiaoyu softly said, looking at the fragment in her hand.Zh: 简点头，他的眼中再也没有了疑虑。En: Jian nodded, his eyes cleared of doubt.Zh: “或许，家族传说比我想的更真实。”En: "Perhaps, the family legend is more real than I thought."Zh: 经过这次冒险，小雨和简之间的信任更加坚固。En: After this adventure, the trust between Xiaoyu and Jian grew stronger.Zh: 春风再次吹过，带来新的希望。En: The spring breeze blew once again, bringing new hope.Zh: 尽管任务未能如愿以偿，但他们并没有灰心。En: Although their mission was not fulfilled, they did not lose heart.Zh: 相反，他们对未来的探索充满信心，继续携手前行，揭开属于家族的秘密。En: On the contrary, they were full of confidence in their future explorations, continuing hand in hand to uncover their family's secrets. Vocabulary Words:intermittently: 若隐若现anticipation: 期待anxiety: 焦虑reputed: 传说daunting: 使人望而却步crevices: 石缝precarious: 岌岌可危watchtower: 哨塔encouraging: 鼓励unease: 不安sediments: 沉淀carvings: 刻画patterns: 图案loose: 松动inexplicable: 无法解释tremble: 晃动collapse: 塌dust: 尘土fragment: 片段unease: 不安blurred: 模糊不清faintly: 隐隐unfulfilled: 未能如愿以偿trust: 信任explorations: 探索vines: 藤蔓intentions: 决心conceal: 掩natural barrier: 天然屏障historical: 历史
Canada officially lists the IRGC as a terrorist entity. So why do reports continue surfacing about regime-connected figures, insiders, and individuals allegedly tied to the Islamic Republic entering Canada? On this episode of Roqe, Jian Ghomeshi moderates a timely and provocative panel discussion examining immigration, ideology, western political culture, security concerns, and whether Canada has failed to meaningfully confront the nature of the Islamic Republic regime. Featuring: Sadeq Bigdeli - lawyer and Iranian human rights advocate (Toronto) Mehran Aminian - artist, activist, and immigration consultant (Toronto) Avideh Motmaenfar - osteopathic practitioner, political commentator, and a President of the Council of Iranian Canadians (Oakville) But first, Jian opens the episode with an essay entitled “Who Let the Mullahs In?” - a sharp and poetic reflection on power, influence, ideology, and the growing concern among many Iranian Canadians that the regime they fled may now be finding comfort inside the very democracies built on freedom. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - famluxy.com
In the midst of revolution, repression, emotional exhaustion, and political uncertainty, is it still okay to laugh? On this edition of Roqe, Jian sits down with two Iranian content creators and comedians who have built large audiences through satire, parody, viral videos, standup, and social media commentary while also openly supporting the Lion and Sun Revolution against the Islamic Republic regime. Joining Jian are: Amir Arfa - political satirist and creator behind @expatsunleashed - from Los Angeles Pouya Comedy - Iranian standup comic and online creator - from Zurich, Switzerland Together they discuss the role of humour during times of crisis, why tyrants fear satire, whether comedy can become resistance, how Iranian audiences have changed over the past year, and the challenge of balancing outrage, grief, identity, and laughter in the Iranian diaspora right now. But first, Jian opens the episode with an essay titled “DEAL OR NO DEAL - We Will Not Stop” - reflecting on the breaking reports of a possible Trump-Islamic Republic agreement and why, regardless of geopolitics or diplomacy, supporters of freedom and democracy in Iran must continue speaking out and reminding the world exactly what the Islamic Republic regime is. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes Avoca Chocolates
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Bridging Tradition and Modern Medicine in Hangzhou's Fields Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-24-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 阳光洒在杭州市郊的稻田上，微风轻拂，绿油油的稻杆在微风中轻轻摇晃。En: Sunshine sprinkled over the rice fields on the outskirts of Hangzhou, with a gentle breeze lightly swaying the lush green stalks.Zh: 梅林正跪在田垄上，耐心地拔去田里的杂草。En: Meilin was kneeling in the ridges, patiently weeding the fields.Zh: 她抬头望向远处的山脉，心里却想着母亲莲的病情。En: She looked up at the distant mountains, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of her mother Lian's illness.Zh: 端午节快到了，家家户户忙着准备过节的食材和装饰。En: The Dragon Boat Festival was approaching, and every household was busy preparing festive ingredients and decorations.Zh: 然而，莲最近总是打喷嚏，眼睛红红的，像被花粉刺激了一样。En: However, Lian had been sneezing constantly, her eyes red as if irritated by pollen.Zh: 她的过敏愈发严重，让梅林非常担心。En: Her allergies were getting worse, making Meilin very worried.Zh: 父亲健是个传统的农民，他坚持使用祖传的草药来缓解莲的症状。En: Her father, Jian, was a traditional farmer and insisted on using ancestral herbal remedies to relieve Lian's symptoms.Zh: 可是不管用，莲的过敏越来越重。En: But they were ineffective, and Lian's allergies worsened.Zh: 农田的工作一大堆，父亲也忙不过来。En: There was already a mountain of farm work, and father was overwhelmed.Zh: 梅林很想帮助母亲，她决定偷偷去找当地的医生。En: Meilin wanted to help her mother, so she decided to secretly seek out the local doctor.Zh: 下午，梅林找了个借口溜出了家。En: In the afternoon, Meilin found an excuse to slip out of the house.Zh: 医生是一位和蔼的老太太，她用现代的医疗知识为梅林提出了一些建议。En: The doctor was a kind elderly lady who provided Meilin with some advice using modern medical knowledge.Zh: 梅林带着这些新知识回到了家，心里却有一丝不安。En: Meilin returned home with this new knowledge, feeling a twinge of unease.Zh: 几天后，稻田里繁忙的日子中，莲突然呼吸困难，险些倒下。En: A few days later, in the midst of busy days in the rice field, Lian suddenly had difficulty breathing and almost collapsed.Zh: 梅林急忙跑过去抱住母亲，心跳加速。En: Meilin rushed over and embraced her mother, her heart racing.Zh: 看到母亲痛苦的样子，梅林再也不能隐瞒，她对父亲说出了她的秘密。En: Seeing her mother in pain, Meilin could no longer keep the secret; she told her father about her actions.Zh: 在那个紧急时刻，健终于明白女儿的良苦用心。En: In that urgent moment, Jian finally understood his daughter's good intentions.Zh: 他没有责怪梅林，而是听取了医生的建议，与梅林一起努力帮助莲控制过敏。En: He didn't blame Meilin but instead heeded the doctor's suggestions, working together with Meilin to help Lian manage her allergies.Zh: 从那以后，莲的情况有所好转。En: Since then, Lian's condition improved.Zh: 端午节那天，家人们围坐在一起包粽子，笑声不断。En: On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the family sat together making rice dumplings, laughter flowing continuously.Zh: 梅林觉得自己找到了勇气，不仅可以追求成为医生的梦想，也能与家人沟通心中的想法。En: Meilin felt she had found the courage not only to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor but also to communicate her thoughts with her family.Zh: 变化带来了新的可能性，田间地头的每一个微小决定，都成为了连结传统与现代的纽带。En: Change brought new possibilities, and each small decision in the fields became a link between tradition and modernity.Zh: 梅林看着母亲开心的笑脸，知道自己正走在正确的道路上。En: Watching her mother's joyful smile, Meilin knew she was on the right path. Vocabulary Words:sprinkled: 洒breeze: 微风stalks: 稻杆weeding: 拔去杂草ridges: 田垄occupied: 想着approaching: 快到了sneezing: 打喷嚏allergies: 过敏ancestral: 祖传的remedies: 草药symptoms: 症状ineffective: 不管用overwhelmed: 忙不过来excuse: 借口elderly: 老太太knowledge: 知识twinge: 一丝unease: 不安embrace: 抱住intentions: 良苦用心blame: 责怪manage: 控制laughter: 笑声pursue: 追求communicate: 沟通thoughts: 想法possibilities: 可能性link: 纽带path: 道路
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Adventure & Mystery: Unraveling Secrets on the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-22-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 春天的长城，古老的石头在蜿蜒的山丘上延伸，像一条巨大的龙。En: In the springtime, the Great Wall, with its ancient stones, stretches across the winding hills like a giant dragon.Zh: 空气中弥漫着潮湿和期待，远处隐约传来雷声，这是大自然力量的预兆。En: The air is filled with humidity and anticipation, and in the distance, faint thunder signals the power of nature.Zh: 端午节临近，李芬、健和美琳决定一起去长城探险。En: As the Dragon Boat Festival approached, Li Fen, Jian, and Mei Lin decided to explore the Great Wall together.Zh: 李芬是个充满冒险精神的年轻女子，她听说长城上有一个古老的铭文，便想去探索。En: Li Fen is a young woman full of adventurous spirit.Zh: 健是个谨慎的人，总是关心大家的安全，他心里其实喜欢李芬。En: She had heard of an ancient inscription on the wall and wanted to explore it.Zh: 美琳则是个乐观而有办法的人，她总能在困难中找到解决办法。En: Jian is a cautious person, always concerned about everyone's safety, and he actually has a crush on Li Fen.Zh: 他们选择了长城上一段人迹罕至的部分开始徒步旅行。En: Mei Lin is optimistic and resourceful, always able to find solutions in difficult situations.Zh: 出发时，天空是明亮的，但在他们攀爬到一半时，乌云密布，雷声越来越大。En: They chose a less-traveled section of the Great Wall to start their hike.Zh: 李芬望着前方，兴奋地说：“我们继续走，铭文就在前面！En: When they set out, the sky was bright, but as they climbed halfway up the wall, the sky became overcast with dark clouds and the thunder grew louder.Zh: ”健有些犹豫：“天气变化太快，我们该不该撤回？En: Li Fen looked ahead, excitedly saying, "Let's keep going, the inscription is just ahead!"Zh: ”但李芬坚持不懈。En: Jian hesitated a bit, "The weather is changing too fast; should we go back?"Zh: 美琳站在中间，试图调停：“我们可以先找个地方躲雨，等天气好转。En: But Li Fen was determined.Zh: ”终于，一道闪电划破天空，他们刚好站在传说中的铭文前。En: Mei Lin stood in the middle, trying to mediate, "We could find a place to take shelter from the rain and wait for the weather to improve."Zh: 铭文闪着微光，神秘而古老。En: Finally, a bolt of lightning split the sky as they stood before the legendary inscription.Zh: 李芬兴奋不已，但大雨倾盆而下，健焦急地说：“太危险了，我们必须找地方避雨！En: The inscription glowed faintly, mysterious and ancient.Zh: ”三人陷入争论，最终，美琳发现长城边有个小洞穴。En: Li Fen was thrilled, but the rain poured down heavily, and Jian urgently said, "It's too dangerous; we must find shelter from the rain!"Zh: 他们匆匆躲进洞里，避开骤雨。En: The three of them were caught in a debate, and ultimately, Mei Lin found a small cave by the Great Wall.Zh: 在洞穴的安全中，李芬和健开始反思各自的立场。En: They quickly sheltered there, escaping the sudden downpour.Zh: “谢谢你关心我，健。En: In the safety of the cave, Li Fen and Jian began to reflect on their different perspectives.Zh: 我太冲动了。En: "Thank you for caring about me, Jian.Zh: ”李芬轻声说。En: I was too impulsive," Li Fen said softly.Zh: 健笑了：“没有你的冒险，我们不会发现这个铭文，也不会经历这样的探险。En: Jian smiled, "Without your adventurous spirit, we wouldn't have discovered this inscription or had this experience.Zh: 也许冒险和安全可以结合。En: Maybe adventure and safety can go hand in hand."Zh: ”雨停了，天空放晴。En: The rain stopped, and the sky cleared.Zh: 三人带着发现铭文的喜悦和心得步下长城，心中的联系也更紧密了。En: The three of them descended from the Great Wall with the joy of discovering the inscription and newfound insights, feeling even more connected.Zh: 经过这次旅程，李芬领悟到了谨慎的重要，而健也学会了在安全的前提下，用心去拥抱冒险的人生。En: Through this journey, Li Fen came to appreciate the importance of caution, while Jian learned to embrace adventure with a sense of security.Zh: 他们都意识到彼此的互补使得这段旅程更加特别。En: They realized their complementary qualities made the journey more special.Zh: 在春日阳光中，他们慢慢走下山，龙舟赛的鼓声从远方传来，为这次长城之旅划下圆满的句号。En: In the spring sunshine, they slowly walked down the mountain, and the sound of drums from the dragon boat races echoed from afar, marking a perfect ending to their adventure at the Great Wall. Vocabulary Words:springtime: 春天ancient: 古老的winding: 蜿蜒的humidity: 潮湿anticipation: 期待thunder: 雷声approached: 临近inscription: 铭文cautious: 谨慎resourceful: 有办法的less-traveled: 人迹罕至overcast: 乌云密布meditate: 调停bolt: 闪电legendary: 传说中的glowed: 闪着微光mysterious: 神秘debate: 争论downpour: 骤雨reflection: 反思impulsive: 冲动embrace: 拥抱complementary: 互补descended: 步下insights: 心得echoed: 传来adventurous: 冒险的shelter: 避雨perception: 理解ventures: 探险
Why has the war not resumed? Why has a deal not been reached? And what exactly is happening during this strange and uneasy silence between the Islamic Republic and the West? On this edition of Roqe, Jian is joined by Lisa Daftari in Los Angeles and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Washington DC for a deeper examination of the prolonged pause following the ceasefire. Is the regime buying time? Is the West hesitating? And for millions of Iranians hoping for regime change, what does this uncertain in-between moment actually tell us about the future? But first, in the aftermath of Arsenal F.C. winning their first Premier League title in 22 years this week, Jian opens the episode with a deeply personal tribute to Aref Jafarzadeh - an Iranian Arsenal supporter from Rasht who was reportedly killed by Islamic Republic forces during the January 2026 protests while still wearing his Arsenal jersey. This episode is supported by: Stellar Law - stellarlaw.ca Famluxy - famluxy.com
Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Spicy Romance: A Hot Pot Date with Unexpected Twists Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-05-20-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京一个繁忙的火锅店里，热气腾腾，香味四溢。En: In a busy Beijing hot pot restaurant, steam billowed, and the aroma filled the air.Zh: 梅和健坐在一张小桌子旁，桌面上的锅里沸腾着他们点的火锅。En: Mei and Jian sat at a small table, with the hot pot they ordered boiling on the tabletop.Zh: 春天的气息正从窗外的枝头上慢慢爬进来，让人心生愉悦。En: The scent of spring was slowly creeping in from the branches outside the window, bringing joy to their hearts.Zh: 这是梅和健的第一次约会。En: This was Mei and Jian's first date.Zh: 梅是个美食博主，她希望这次约会能既有趣又难忘，也是一篇好博客的题材。En: Mei is a food blogger, and she hoped this date would be interesting and memorable, also serving as a topic for a good blog post.Zh: 她轻轻移动着手机，试图捕捉美丽的食物照片。En: She gently moved her phone, trying to capture beautiful photos of the food.Zh: 健则爱吃火锅，尤其是香辣火锅，但他对一种关键食材——花椒过敏，却一直没告诉梅。En: Jian, on the other hand, loved hot pot, especially spicy hot pot, but he was allergic to one key ingredient—huajiao (Sichuan pepper), which he hadn't mentioned to Mei.Zh: 店里人声鼎沸，谈笑风生。En: The restaurant was buzzing with conversation and laughter.Zh: 一位来自国外的游客李在热闹声中，兴奋地东张西望。En: A tourist from abroad, Li, excitedly looked around in the lively atmosphere.Zh: 不久后，她的目光落在了梅和健身上。En: Soon, her eyes landed on Mei and Jian.Zh: 她认为他们是当地的名人。En: She thought they were local celebrities.Zh: “真幸运！En: "How lucky!"Zh: ”李凑近他们，迫不及待地打招呼，“请问，我可以和你们合影吗？En: Li approached them eagerly and greeted them, "May I take a photo with you?"Zh: ”梅笑着看了一眼健，不知道该如何回应。En: Mei glanced at Jian with a smile, unsure how to respond.Zh: 这时，火锅的香气越发浓烈，健皱了皱眉。En: At that moment, the aroma of the hot pot became stronger, and Jian frowned.Zh: 梅注意到他说话比平常少了一些。En: Mei noticed he was speaking less than usual.Zh: “当然可以，”梅尽量保持礼貌。En: "Of course," Mei tried to remain polite.Zh: 她拍了几张合照，希望能尽快恢复和健的约会。En: She took a few photos, hoping to quickly resume the date with Jian.Zh: 李高兴地跟他们分享她来北京的经历，梅试着不耽误自己的工作。En: Li happily shared her experiences in Beijing with them, while Mei tried not to get distracted from her work.Zh: 然而，健的表情开始有些异样。En: However, Jian's expression started to change.Zh: 他在锅里翻找着其他食材，但不小心吃到了花椒。En: As he searched through the pot for other ingredients, he accidentally ate huajiao.Zh: 他开始出现轻微的过敏反应，脸有些红。En: He began to have a mild allergic reaction, his face turning slightly red.Zh: 梅注意到了，立即放下手机，关切地问：“你还好吗？En: Mei noticed and immediately put down her phone, asking with concern, "Are you okay?"Zh: ”梅迅速做出了决定。En: Mei quickly made a decision.Zh: 她对李说：“抱歉，我们得稍微休息一下。En: She said to Li, "Sorry, we need to take a short break."Zh: ”然后，她专心地照顾健，帮助他缓解不适。En: Then, she focused on taking care of Jian, helping him alleviate his discomfort.Zh: 混乱过后，梅灵光一现，将发生的一切写进了她的新博文，用一种幽默的方式，把这段意外的经历记录下来。En: After the chaos, Mei had an idea and wrote about everything that happened in her new blog post, recording this unexpected experience with humor.Zh: 健看着梅，在忙乱中依旧从容的样子，感到她的幽默和适应能力让人着迷。En: Jian watched Mei, captivated by her humor and adaptability even amidst the commotion.Zh: 他们的第一次约会虽然有些出其不意，但也因此显得特别且真实。En: Although their first date was a bit unexpected, it also made it special and genuine.Zh: 梅在这次经验中学会了更灵活地应对变化，这让她与健之间的关系更加亲近。En: Through this experience, Mei learned to handle changes more flexibly, bringing her and Jian closer together.Zh: 在春天温暖的空气中，他们相视一笑，约定下次再聚，或许依然是在火锅店。En: In the warm spring air, they exchanged smiles, promising to meet again, perhaps once more at the hot pot restaurant. Vocabulary Words:billow: 腾腾aroma: 香味creeping: 爬进buzzing: 人声鼎沸celebrities: 名人eagerly: 迫不及待allergic: 过敏ingredient: 食材expression: 表情reaction: 反应alleviate: 缓解discomfort: 不适humor: 幽默adaptability: 适应能力flexibly: 灵活地genuine: 真实capture: 捕捉venue: 场地commotion: 混乱focus: 集中attention: 注意力unexpected: 出其不意scent: 气息photography: 摄影tenderly: 轻轻resume: 恢复tourist: 游客chaos: 混乱consume: 食用opt: 选择
After months of rallies, emotional highs, hopes for revolution, fears of war, endless political debates, and now growing uncertainty once again, many Iranians are simply exhausted. On this 440th edition of Roqe - “IRAN RISES - We Are Not Okay” - Jian Ghomeshi explores the emotional and psychological toll the last five months have taken on Iranians around the world. In his opening essay, “WE ARE NOT OKAY AFTER THIS,” Jian reflects on the exhaustion, uncertainty, fragmentation, and emotional whiplash many people are quietly carrying after months of living inside the Iran Rises movement. Then, Jian is joined by Melica Bokaie - traveller, creator, and storyteller joining us from Nayarit, Mexico - and returning Roqe contributor Bahador Alast in Toronto for an honest and thoughtful conversation about identity, burnout, hope, fear, division within the diaspora, and the emotional aftermath of the Iran Rises period. At the same time, the discussion also asks whether, beneath all the exhaustion and uncertainty, there are still reasons for optimism - and whether the last five months may have permanently changed the political and emotional landscape for Iranians everywhere. This episode is supported by: Quasar Homes @QuasarHomes Avoca Chocolates avocachocolates.com
Roqe Ep.439 - Can China Decide Iran's Future? As Donald Trump meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, Iran is quietly becoming one of the most consequential subjects behind closed doors. On this edition of Roqe, Jian opens with an essay entitled “The Regime Is Not Surviving Alone” - a provocative look at how China has become one of the Islamic Republic's most important economic lifelines, and why the future of Iran may now depend not only on what happens in Tehran, but also in Beijing. Then, a deep-dive panel on China's role in sustaining - or potentially reshaping - the future of the Islamic Republic. Joining Jian: Shayan Sami'i - U.S. national security analyst and strategic communications expert - Vienna, Virginia Dr. Shahram Kholdi - historian, political analyst, and expert on modern Iranian politics - Southwestern Ontario Topics include: China's economic relationship with the Islamic Republic Iranian oil exports and sanctions evasion Trump's meeting with Xi Jinping Whether Beijing sees Tehran as ally or asset China's leverage over the regime The geopolitical future of the Lion & Sun Revolution Whether revolutions in 2026 are fought not only in the streets - but also through oil contracts, trade routes, and global alliances This episode is supported by: Stellar Law https://stellarlaw.ca Famluxy https://famluxy.com
Do we return to “normal” - or not yet? For many Iranians in the diaspora, recent months have been marked by trauma, war, executions, fear for loved ones, and a collective decision to pause parts of ordinary life out of solidarity with those suffering inside Iran. But as exhaustion sets in, an important question emerges: how do people remain engaged in a long struggle without losing themselves entirely to grief? On Episode 438 of Roqe - Iran Rises, Jian Ghomeshi hosts a thoughtful conversation about grief, resilience, burnout, creativity, activism, and the emotional balancing act facing Iranians around the world. Joining Jian: Kamyar Mahinsa - influencer and law enforcement expert - Vancouver Dr. Sepehr Vakil - scholar and author - Chicago Dr. Laleh Tangsiri - human rights advocate - Bournemouth, UK Seena Ghaznavi - podcaster and comedian - Los Angeles The episode opens with Jian's essay, “What Exactly Are You Defending?” - a direct response to those who continue to romanticize or defend the Islamic Republic while Iran remains one of the execution capitals of the world. The essay follows the execution of 29-year-old Erfan Shakourzadeh in Karaj and confronts the moral contradictions surrounding support for the regime. Hosted by Jian Ghomeshi. This episode is supported by: @Quasarhomes Avoca Chocolates
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