Podcasts about Mandarin

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Moonlit Tea Tales: Finding Serenity and Tradition in Zhulin Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-20-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个宁静的秋天黄昏，微风轻轻吹拂着竹林。En: On a tranquil autumn evening, a gentle breeze brushed through the zhulin, the bamboo grove.Zh: 竹子在风中沙沙作响，仿佛在低语。En: The bamboo leaves rustled in the wind as if whispering.Zh: 月光洒下柔和的光辉，照亮了地上的每一片落叶。En: Moonlight cast its soft glow, illuminating every fallen leaf on the ground.Zh: 今天，竹林里正举行一场特别的茶道仪式。En: Today, a special tea ceremony was being held in the bamboo grove.Zh: 这次仪式正值中秋节，陈在竹林深处布置了茶桌，为几位爱茶之人准备了一次传统的茶会。En: This ceremony coincided with the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Chen had set up a tea table deep in the grove to prepare a traditional tea party for a few tea lovers.Zh: 在城市忙碌的日常生活中，李华一直在寻找心灵的平静。En: Amidst the bustle of city life, Li Hua had been seeking peace of mind.Zh: 她早就听说竹林茶会的悠然之美，便决定趁着假期参加这次活动。En: She had long heard about the tranquil beauty of the bamboo grove tea gathering and decided to take advantage of the holiday to attend.Zh: 李华心中满怀期待，盼望能在竹林中寻到一丝宁静。En: Li Hua, filled with anticipation, hoped to find a touch of serenity in the bamboo grove.Zh: 李华轻轻穿过竹林，眼前是一个小茶桌，上面摆放着精美的茶具和香气四溢的月饼。En: Li Hua gently traversed the bamboo grove and saw a small tea table adorned with exquisite tea sets and fragrant mooncakes.Zh: 陈正在一旁忙碌，摆放茶具，同时轻声欢迎每一位到来的客人。En: Chen was busy nearby arranging the tea sets while softly welcoming each arriving guest.Zh: 他是这次茶会的主持者，是一位热爱传统文化的学者。En: He was the host of this tea party, a scholar who loved traditional culture.Zh: 李华坐下，温暖的茶香萦绕鼻际。En: Li Hua sat down, enveloped by the warm aroma of tea.Zh: 陈一边为大家斟茶，一边分享茶道的悠长历史和每一步的意义。En: Chen poured tea for everyone while sharing the long history of the tea ceremony and the significance of each step.Zh: 李华被他的故事所吸引，她感受到了一种深深的共鸣。En: Li Hua was captivated by his stories and felt a deep resonance.Zh: 两人间自然地展开了对话。En: A natural conversation unfolded between them.Zh: 李华提到自己的困惑，她一直努力在都市奔波，却难以找到心灵的满足感。En: Li Hua mentioned her confusion, how she had been striving in the bustling city, yet found it hard to attain satisfaction for her soul.Zh: 陈也说起自己的矛盾，传统与现代之间，他总是难以取舍。En: Chen also spoke of his dilemmas, always torn between tradition and modernity.Zh: 随着夜幕降临，茶会也进入了高潮。En: As night fell, the tea gathering reached its climax.Zh: 大家一同享用月饼，举目望向挂在天边的圆月。En: Everyone enjoyed mooncakes together, gazing at the full moon hanging in the sky.Zh: 这个中秋之夜，月亮似乎格外明亮，照映着每个人的思绪。En: On this Mid-Autumn night, the moon seemed exceptionally bright, reflecting each person's thoughts.Zh: 就在这一刻，李华和陈都意识到彼此的渴望。En: At that moment, Li Hua and Chen both realized each other's longing.Zh: 他们都向往更加真实简单的生活，珍视那些质朴而珍贵的时光。En: They both yearned for a more genuine and simple life, cherishing those simple yet precious moments.Zh: 茶会结束后，李华和陈相视一笑。En: After the tea gathering ended, Li Hua and Chen exchanged smiles.Zh: 他们约定，今后要更好地融合过去的传统和当下的变化，过一种更有意义的生活。En: They promised to better integrate the traditions of the past with the changes of the present, aiming for a more meaningful life.Zh: 离开竹林时，李华内心充满了勇气。En: As they left the bamboo grove, Li Hua was filled with courage.Zh: 她决定回去后，好好整理自己的生活，更多地关注内心真正想要的。En: She decided to reorganize her life upon returning, focusing more on what her heart truly desired.Zh: 陈也愿意向现代开放，让自己的传统更具活力。En: Chen was also willing to embrace modernity, hoping to infuse more vitality into his traditions.Zh: 秋风继续在竹林中低语，月光照耀下的每一株竹子，见证着一个新的开始。En: The autumn wind continued to whisper through the bamboo grove, and the moonlit bamboo stood witness to a new beginning.Zh: 两个人踏上回家的路，心中满是对未来的期许。En: The two set off on their way home, their hearts full of expectations for the future.Zh: 竹林寂静，然而每一颗心都充满了希望与决心。En: The bamboo grove was silent, yet each heart was filled with hope and determination. Vocabulary Words:tranquil: 宁静whispering: 低语coincided: 正值seek: 寻找peace of mind: 心灵的平静anticipation: 期待serenity: 宁静traverse: 穿过adorned: 摆放exquisite: 精美fragrant: 香气四溢aroma: 茶香captivated: 吸引resonance: 共鸣unfolded: 展开satisfaction: 满足感climax: 高潮gazing: 望向exceptionally: 格外reflecting: 照映longing: 渴望genuine: 真实cherishing: 珍视integrate: 融合courage: 勇气reorganize: 整理embrace: 开放vitality: 活力witness: 见证expectations: 期许

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystery in the Mist: Guilin's Hidden Treasure Unveiled Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-19-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在桂林的一个宁静村庄，秋天的清晨，阳光透过山间薄雾，洒在村里的石板路上。En: In a tranquil village in Guilin, on an autumn morning, sunlight streamed through the mountain mist, spilling over the cobblestone paths of the village.Zh: 村子四周是雄伟的喀斯特山脉，仿佛大自然的守护者。En: The village was surrounded by the majestic karst mountains, standing as if they were nature's guardians.Zh: 蒋毅站在村口，手里捧着一本泛黄的老书。En: Jiang Yi stood at the village entrance, holding a yellowed old book.Zh: 他对村里的古老传说着迷，尤其是关于村庙里那件价值连城的古文物的故事。En: He was fascinated by the village's ancient legends, especially the story about the priceless artifact in the village temple.Zh: 中秋节将至，村子充满了欢庆的气氛，但村子里也弥漫着一丝紧张感。En: As the Mid-Autumn Festival approached, the village was filled with a celebratory atmosphere, but there was also a hint of tension.Zh: 因为那件文物，最近不见了。En: The artifact had recently disappeared.Zh: 他的好友美琳走过来，手里拿着一盏纸灯笼。En: His friend Mei Lin walked over, carrying a paper lantern.Zh: 美琳是个重视传统的人，总能在蒋毅异想天开时给予冷静的建议。En: Mei Lin was someone who valued tradition and was always able to provide calm advice when Jiang Yi had whimsical ideas.Zh: “蒋毅，你别再看那些传说了，村里的长老们可不喜欢我们调查。”美琳提醒道。En: “Jiang Yi, stop reading those legends; the village elders don't like us investigating,” Mei Lin reminded him.Zh: 然而，蒋毅不想放弃，En: However, Jiang Yi did not want to give up.Zh: 他对美琳说：“也许传说里有真的秘密呢。我们去找找线索吧。”En: He told Mei Lin, “Maybe there is a real secret in the legends. Let's go look for clues.”Zh: 村子里来了个陌生人，名叫魏辰。En: A stranger named Wei Chen had come to the village.Zh: 他带着丰富的古文物知识，然而对他过去的故事，没人了解太多。En: He brought with him a wealth of knowledge about ancient artifacts, but no one knew much about his past.Zh: 村民们有些怀疑他。En: The villagers were a bit suspicious of him.Zh: “魏辰来了之后，文物就不见了。”村民们耳语道。En: “After Wei Chen arrived, the artifact disappeared,” the villagers whispered.Zh: 蒋毅和美琳决定秘密调查。En: Jiang Yi and Mei Lin decided to investigate secretly.Zh: 他们注意到魏辰很少与人交谈，却似乎对村庙异常关注。En: They noticed that Wei Chen seldom talked to people, yet seemed unusually interested in the village temple.Zh: 中秋节的晚上，村子举行了一场大型庆祝会。En: On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the village held a large celebration.Zh: 月饼飘香，灯笼高挂，村中小孩嬉戏，增添了欢乐的气氛。En: The aroma of mooncakes filled the air, lanterns hung high, and the children playing added to the joyous atmosphere.Zh: 就在此时，蒋毅无意中在一个月饼里发现了一张古老的地图。En: It was at this time that Jiang Yi accidentally discovered an old map inside a mooncake.Zh: 地图上标记着一个隐蔽的房间。En: The map marked a hidden room.Zh: 蒋毅和美琳按照地图的指示，悄悄进入了村庙的地下室。En: Following its directions, Jiang Yi and Mei Lin quietly entered the temple's basement.Zh: 他们点亮了带来的灯笼，隐约看见一个秘室的入口。En: They lit the lantern they brought and faintly saw the entrance to a secret room.Zh: 推开石门，丢失的文物静静地摆在石台上。En: Pushing open the stone door, the missing artifact sat quietly on a stone platform.Zh: 蒋毅和美琳心中无比震惊，却同时松了一口气。En: Jiang Yi and Mei Lin were stunned, yet they breathed a sigh of relief.Zh: 村子里的长老们惊讶地看着被完好无损的文物。En: The village elders were astonished to see the artifact intact.Zh: 然而，他们更惊讶的是魏辰的无辜。En: However, they were even more surprised by Wei Chen's innocence.Zh: 在他的帮助下，文物背后的古老传说得以完整解开，揭示了村子的历史，也是靖江通往更美好未来的桥梁。En: With his help, the ancient legend behind the artifact was fully unraveled, revealing the village's history and serving as a bridge to a brighter future for Jingjiang.Zh: “看吧，传说有时也是真实的。”蒋毅轻声对美琳说。En: “See, sometimes legends are true,” Jiang Yi softly said to Mei Lin.Zh: 他明白了信任与友谊的可贵，村民们也用敬佩的眼光看着他。En: He understood the value of trust and friendship, and the villagers looked at him with admiration.Zh: 桂林的秋风轻轻吹过，带来了新的开始。En: The autumn wind of Guilin gently blew, bringing a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:tranquil: 宁静cobblestone: 石板majestic: 雄伟guardian: 守护者fascinated: 着迷artifact: 文物celebratory: 欢庆tension: 紧张whimsical: 异想天开investigating: 调查secretly: 秘密地suspicious: 怀疑aroma: 飘香joyous: 欢乐accidentally: 无意中basement: 地下室faintly: 隐约entrance: 入口astonished: 惊讶intact: 完好无损innocence: 无辜unraveled: 解开legend: 传说admiration: 敬佩whispered: 耳语hidden: 隐蔽platform: 石台tradition: 传统mooncake: 月饼sigh of relief: 松了一口气

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Harmonizing Lanterns: Forging Unity at Hangzhou's Festival Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-19-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在杭州的一个深秋下午，明宇、丽华和健走进了一家古色古香的茶馆。En: On a late autumn afternoon in Hangzhou, Mingyu, Lihua, and Jian stepped into a quaint tea house.Zh: 走在石板街道上，他们感受到了空气中弥漫的茶香和栗子香。En: As they walked on the cobblestone street, they could smell the aroma of tea and chestnuts in the air.Zh: 茶馆的窗户上凝着蒸汽，温暖的光线透过悬挂的红色灯笼照亮了整个房间。En: Steam lingered on the tea house's windows, and the warm light filtering through the hanging red lanterns illuminated the entire room.Zh: 他们坐在一个低矮的漆桌旁，准备讨论即将到来的灯笼节计划。En: They sat by a low lacquered table, ready to discuss their upcoming plans for the Lantern Festival.Zh: 明宇是个心思细腻的艺术家，他一直想做一场关于西湖的灯笼展示。En: Mingyu is a meticulous artist who has always wanted to create a lantern display about West Lake.Zh: 他渴望让观众通过灯笼感受到西湖的美丽与宁静。En: He longs for the audience to feel the beauty and tranquility of West Lake through the lanterns.Zh: 丽华则是个充满活力的组织者，总想把节日变得更加难忘。En: Lihua, on the other hand, is a vibrant organizer who always wants to make celebrations more memorable.Zh: 她的计划非常宏大，希望把整个湖岸都装饰上灯笼。En: Her grand plan is to decorate the entire lakeshore with lanterns.Zh: 健却比较现实，他觉得丽华的计划过于夸张，不太可能实现。En: But Jian is more realistic, feeling that Lihua's plan is too extravagant and unlikely to be feasible.Zh: 三人在茶馆中讨论着节日的计划。En: The three discussed the festival plans in the tea house.Zh: 明宇轻声说：“我希望灯笼能展现出西湖的宁静之美。”En: Mingyu softly said, “I hope the lanterns can showcase the peaceful beauty of West Lake.”Zh: 丽华兴奋地回应：“但我们可以多加一些创意，让它更吸引人。”En: Lihua excitedly responded, “But we can add more creativity to make it more appealing.”Zh: 健则皱眉说：“我们需要考虑实际情况，不然计划可能无法实施。”En: Jian frowned and said, “We need to consider practicality, otherwise the plan might not be implemented.”Zh: 在讨论的过程中，气氛略显紧张。En: During the discussion, the atmosphere was somewhat tense.Zh: 为了打破僵局，明宇决定妥协。En: To break the stalemate, Mingyu decided to compromise.Zh: 他说：“也许我们可以把丽华的创意融入我的设计中，同时确保现实的可行性。”En: He said, “Maybe we can incorporate Lihua's creativity into my design while ensuring realistic feasibility.”Zh: 随后，他从包里拿出一张卷轴，慢慢展开，上面是他设计的灯笼展示图。En: Then he pulled out a scroll from his bag and slowly unfurled it, revealing his lantern display design.Zh: 图中不仅有明宇对西湖的独到见解，还融入了丽华生动的创意。En: The design not only featured Mingyu's unique vision of West Lake, but also incorporated Lihua's vivid creativity.Zh: 看到这一设计，丽华瞪大了眼睛，兴奋地说：“太美了！这样会给观众带来意想不到的惊喜。”En: Seeing this design, Lihua widened her eyes in excitement and said, “It's beautiful! This will bring an unexpected surprise to the audience.”Zh: 健也仔细地看着图纸，终于点了点头，说：“这样确实有趣，而且我看到了明宇的艺术和丽华的妙思，这很不错。”En: Jian also carefully examined the drawing and finally nodded, saying, “It's indeed interesting, and I see the blend of Mingyu's artistry and Lihua's ingenious ideas. It's really nice.”Zh: 最后，三人达成了一致。En: In the end, the three of them reached an agreement.Zh: 他们决定一同努力，把这场展示在灯笼节上呈现给大家。En: They decided to work together to present this display at the Lantern Festival.Zh: 明宇从这次合作中学会了团队合作的重要性，丽华意识到了创意与计划并重的价值，而健也开始对艺术眼界产生了新的尊重。En: Mingyu learned the importance of teamwork from this collaboration, Lihua realized the value of balancing creativity with planning, and Jian began to develop a new respect for artistic perspectives.Zh: 在茶馆的暖光中，三人的笑声回荡，与秋日的气息融为一体。En: In the warm light of the tea house, their laughter resonated, blending with the atmosphere of autumn.Zh: 他们的新计划将会为杭州的灯笼节增添别样的光彩与魅力。En: Their new plan would add a unique charm and brilliance to Hangzhou's Lantern Festival. Vocabulary Words:quaint: 古色古香cobblestone: 石板aroma: 香味linger: 停留meticulous: 心思细腻tranquility: 宁静extravagant: 夸张的feasible: 可行的showcase: 展示appealing: 吸引人practicality: 实际情况stalemate: 僵局compromise: 妥协incorporate: 融入unfurl: 展开ingenious: 妙思collaboration: 合作resonate: 回荡charm: 光彩brilliance: 魅力lakeshore: 湖岸vivid: 生动的feasibility: 可行性scroll: 卷轴unique: 独特的audience: 观众artistry: 艺术性balanced: 并重respect: 尊重perspectives: 眼界

Episode 157 – Dallas Growers ClubThis week, JP sits down with Joe from Dallas Growers Club — and no, it ain't Texas… he reps Dallas, Oregon, and he's carving out his lane one fire cut at a time.Joe's path is anything but typical. He grew up between the Bay Area and Taipei, Taiwan, giving him a global perspective most growers never get. He speaks fluent Mandarin and learned early business game watching his pops run a women's shoe company — lessons in hustle, people, and discipline that still shape him today.After playing college football, life took a turn that led him straight into the world of cultivation. Through a girlfriend, he met the grower who became his first real mentor, the person who opened the door to everything Joe's doing now. From there, he hit the road:California → New York → Oregon, soaking up game, building skills, and learning what real cultivation takes in different parts of the country.Joe's holding it down in Oregon, always hunting for the next new hitter and staying active at every cannabis event he can pull up to. He moves with love for the plant, shares game with the people, and keeps the fire in rotation. Keep an eye out for him — because when Joe shows up, he's got a jar of something funky that you're definitely gonna want to try.⸻

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Tea Traditions: Lian's Battle Against Modern Trends Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-18-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的秋天，空气中飘着桂花香，微风轻拂。En: Autumn in Beijing carries the fragrance of osmanthus in the air, with a gentle breeze blowing.Zh: 莲的茶店坐落在繁忙的郊区，En: Lian's tea shop is situated in a bustling suburb.Zh: 虽然店外车水马龙，但一进门，茶香扑鼻，令人心情平和。En: Although outside the store is a rush of cars and people, as soon as you step inside, the aroma of tea greets you, putting your mind at ease.Zh: 整个茶店充满了传统元素，木质的桌椅，纸灯笼高高挂起，营造出一种古朴的氛围，与周围现代化的都市形成鲜明对比。En: The entire tea shop is filled with traditional elements: wooden tables and chairs, paper lanterns hanging high, creating an ancient and rustic atmosphere that sharply contrasts with the modern city around it.Zh: 莲是一位勤奋的店主，她一心扑在传统茶叶上。En: Lian is a diligent shop owner, fully devoted to traditional tea.Zh: 亲手挑选最好的茶叶，用心向客人讲解茶文化。En: She carefully selects the best tea leaves and passionately explains tea culture to her customers.Zh: 然而，面对繁多的现代营销手段，她常感无从下手。En: However, when faced with numerous modern marketing strategies, she often feels at a loss.Zh: 莲的妹妹梅总是在背后支持她，负责店里的财务。En: Her sister, Mei, always supports her from behind the scenes, handling the store's finances.Zh: 梅明白姐姐的困惑，但也希望她能有所突破。En: Mei understands her sister's confusion but also hopes she can make a breakthrough.Zh: 最近，一家新开的现代茶连锁店引起了不少年轻人的注意。En: Recently, a newly opened modern tea chain has caught the attention of many young people.Zh: 那家茶店打出的广告光鲜亮丽，各种潮流茶饮层出不穷。En: The advertisements from that tea shop are bright and flashy, with trendy tea drinks emerging endlessly.Zh: 莲感受到竞争的压力。En: Lian feels the pressure of competition.Zh: 她知道，必须想出一个好办法，在即将到来的中秋节吸引更多的顾客。En: She knows she must come up with a good idea to attract more customers for the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 思考良久，莲决定举办一场茶品鉴会，展示稀有的茶叶和传统茶道。En: After much thought, Lian decides to host a tea tasting event, showcasing rare teas and traditional tea ceremonies.Zh: 这是个大胆的想法，不仅能吸引茶叶爱好者，还能让更多人了解茶的魅力。En: This is a bold idea, not only to attract tea enthusiasts but also to let more people appreciate the charm of tea.Zh: 梅对此表示全力支持，并帮助莲筹备活动。En: Mei fully supports this decision and helps Lian prepare for the event.Zh: 活动当天，店里早已布置妥当。En: On the day of the event, the shop is already well-prepared.Zh: 茶桌上摆满了各种名贵的茶叶，墙上挂着关于茶文化的介绍。En: The tea tables are filled with various precious teas, and the walls display introductions to tea culture.Zh: 顾客陆续进店，兴奋地品尝各种稀有的茶。En: Customers enter the store one after another, excited to taste the various rare teas.Zh: 年轻的茶叶爱好者陈也出现在人群中，他对这些传统茶叶充满好奇。En: Among the crowd is a young tea enthusiast named Chen, who is curious about these traditional teas.Zh: 随着品鉴会的进行，越来越多的人被吸引而来。En: As the tasting event progresses, more and more people are drawn in.Zh: 莲面带微笑，耐心地为每一位客人讲解茶叶的故事和泡茶的奥秘。En: Lian, smiling, patiently explains the stories of the teas and the secrets of brewing them to each guest.Zh: 欢声笑语中，顾客们纷纷称赞莲的茶叶独具韵味，称这次体验实在难得。En: Amidst laughter and chatter, customers praise the unique flavor of Lian's teas, claiming the experience is truly rare.Zh: 活动取得了巨大成功。En: The event is a huge success.Zh: 看到如此多的人感受到传统茶文化的魅力，莲不仅松了一口气，更感到一种成就感。En: Seeing so many people appreciate the charm of traditional tea culture, Lian not only breathes a sigh of relief but also feels a sense of accomplishment.Zh: 她意识到，虽然现代营销如潮水般涌来，但只要能坚持自己的热爱，与时俱进，不断尝试新方法，就能找到一种新的平衡。En: She realizes that although modern marketing sweeps in like a tide, as long as she can stick to her passion, keep pace with the times, and continuously try new methods, she can find a new balance.Zh: 茶品鉴会的结束并不是终点，而是一个新的开始。En: The end of the tea tasting event is not an endpoint, but a new beginning.Zh: 莲充满信心，她相信自己的茶店将在未来的节日里，继续为喜爱传统茶文化的人们提供一个温暖的港湾。En: Lian is full of confidence, believing that her tea shop will continue to provide a warm haven for those who love traditional tea culture during future festivals. Vocabulary Words:fragrance: 香味breeze: 微风bustling: 繁忙的suburb: 郊区rustic: 古朴的contrast: 对比diligent: 勤奋的devoted: 专注的passionately: 用心地finance: 财务breakthrough: 突破trendy: 潮流的pressure: 压力traditional: 传统的tasting: 品鉴ceremony: 茶道rare: 稀有的ethusiast: 爱好者brewing: 泡茶accomplishment: 成就感marketing: 营销手段balance: 平衡confidence: 信心haven: 港湾gentle: 轻拂emerging: 层出不穷host: 举办appreciate: 欣赏numerous: 繁多的modern: 现代化的

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Gobbling Up Surprises: The Inflatable Turkey Saga Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-18-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 叶子在地上沙沙作响，秋天的冷风轻轻吹过，阳光在明显冬季气息的空气中微微发亮。En: The leaves rustled on the ground as the chilly autumn wind gently blew by, and the sunlight shimmered slightly in the air, already bearing the distinct feel of winter.Zh: 在这宁静舒适的小区里，雷正在准备一个巨大的惊喜。En: In this quiet and comfortable neighborhood, Lei was preparing a huge surprise.Zh: 他计划在后院竖立一个巨大的充气火鸡，作为感恩节的一大亮点。En: He planned to erect a gigantic inflatable turkey in the backyard as a major highlight of Thanksgiving.Zh: 这天，雷充满了期待和兴奋，希望家人们会被这份意外感动。En: On this day, Lei was filled with anticipation and excitement, hoping his family would be moved by this unexpected surprise.Zh: 雷是一个热衷于策划惊喜的人。En: Lei is someone who loves planning surprises.Zh: 每到节日，他都会使出浑身解数，想要让家人和朋友都留下深刻的回忆。En: Every holiday, he goes all out, aiming to leave lasting memories for his family and friends.Zh: 这一次，他选中了一个硕大的充气火鸡，想动作神不知鬼不觉。En: This time, he selected an enormous inflatable turkey, wanting to act without anyone noticing.Zh: 他买下了它，并迫不及待地想要偷偷地把它搬到后院。En: He purchased it and couldn't wait to secretly move it to the backyard.Zh: 可是，这个任务并不像他想象中那么简单。En: However, this task was not as simple as he imagined.Zh: 火鸡太大，怎么进家都引人注目。En: The turkey was so large that it was conspicuous no matter how he brought it into the house.Zh: 雷的邻居喜欢窃窃私语，而他的伴侣明这一天比平时更早到家。En: Lei's neighbors liked to gossip, and his partner Ming happened to come home earlier than usual that day.Zh: 无奈之下，雷只好找来他的朋友莹来帮忙。En: In desperation, Lei had to ask his friend Ying for help.Zh: “我们可以趁着天黑再搬，”莹满脸疑惑地说，“为什么不就直接告诉大家呢？”En: “We could move it after dark,” Ying said, puzzled, “Why not just tell everyone directly?”Zh: “我就是想给他们一个大惊喜，”雷坚持，“太过明显的话，就没意思了。”En: “I just want to give them a big surprise,” Lei insisted, “If it's too obvious, it wouldn't be as fun.”Zh: 接受了雷的请求，莹也只得点头配合。En: Agreeing to Lei's request, Ying nodded and went along.Zh: 到了晚上，街灯洒下柔和的光辉，雷和莹偷偷溜进车库，开始艰难地移动充气火鸡。En: By evening, as streetlights cast a gentle glow, Lei and Ying snuck into the garage and began the difficult task of moving the inflatable turkey.Zh: 然而，正当他们穿过一个小路时，火鸡的庞大身躯卡在了篱笆上，动弹不得。En: However, just as they were crossing a small path, the giant turkey got stuck on a fence, unable to move.Zh: 正当雷和莹忙着设法将火鸡推进后院时，屋里的明听见了外面的动静，径直走了出来。En: While Lei and Ying were busy figuring out how to get the turkey into the backyard, Ming, inside the house, heard the commotion outside and came straight out.Zh: 雷和莹赶紧趴下，希望隐藏在篱笆的阴影里。En: Lei and Ying quickly crouched down, hoping to hide in the shadows of the fence.Zh: “雷，你在干什么？”明的声音从不远处传来。En: “Lei, what are you doing?” Ming's voice called out from not far away.Zh: 雷无奈地抬头，脸上露出一丝尴尬的微笑。En: Lei helplessly looked up, a trace of embarrassed smile on his face.Zh: “我……我们有一点小麻烦，”他终于承认。En: “I... we're having a little trouble,” he finally admitted.Zh: 闻讯而来的不仅仅是明，还有好奇的邻居们。En: It wasn't just Ming who came out, but also the curious neighbors.Zh: 他们纷纷过来帮忙，齐心协力地帮助雷把火鸡从木篱笆里救出来。En: They all came over to help, working together to rescue the turkey from the wooden fence.Zh: 最终，火鸡被成功竖立在后院，明亮而显眼地成为节日的中心。En: Finally, the turkey was successfully erected in the backyard, brightly and prominently becoming the centerpiece of the holiday.Zh: 雷望着眼前汇聚的家人朋友，心里充满了快乐。En: Lei looked at the gathered family and friends in front of him, his heart filled with joy.Zh: 虽然惊喜没有完全按照他的计划进行，但却带来了更多的欢乐和意外的团聚。En: Even though the surprise didn't go exactly as he planned, it brought more joy and unexpected reunion.Zh: 雷第一次明白，有时候，除了惊喜，分享和合作同样能带来深厚的快乐和温暖。En: Lei realized for the first time that, sometimes, aside from surprises, sharing and cooperation can also bring profound happiness and warmth.Zh: 在这样一个风和日丽的感恩节，所有人都满意地微笑着，享受着彼此的陪伴和节日的美好。En: On such a lovely Thanksgiving filled with sunshine and breeze, everyone smiled contentedly, enjoying each other's company and the beauty of the holiday.Zh: 雷意识到，生活中的意外，有时才是最珍贵的部分。En: Lei realized that sometimes, the unplanned moments in life are the most precious. Vocabulary Words:rustled: 沙沙作响chilly: 冷shimmered: 发亮erect: 竖立gigantic: 巨大的inflatable: 充气anticipated: 期待conspicuous: 引人注目gossip: 窃窃私语desperation: 无奈snuck: 偷偷溜commotion: 动静helplessly: 无奈地crouched: 趴下curious: 好奇prominently: 显眼centerpiece: 中心reunion: 团聚profound: 深厚contentedly: 满意地unplanned: 意外precious: 珍贵lastingly: 深刻trace: 一丝admitted: 承认rescue: 救silhouette: 阴影comply: 配合anticipated: 期待reluctantly: 不情愿

Do you want to speak Mandarin fluently, no matter what your level is? Use the 4/3/2 technique to build confidence and flow!#learnchinese #fluency #fluent #432 #speaking #paulnationLink to the article on Hacking Chinese: How to talk about Chinese characters in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/talk-chinese-characters-chinese/How to become fluent in Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-become-fluent-in-chineseHow to improve fluency in Chinese by playing word games: https://www.hackingchinese.com/playing-word-games-to-practise-fluencyLearning Chinese through comprehensible input: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-chinese-comprehensible-inputHow narrow reading and listening can help you bridge the gap to real Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/narrow-listening-reading-can-help-learn-chineseHone your Chinese writing ability by writing summaries: https://www.hackingchinese.com/hone-your-chinese-writing-ability-by-writing-summariesEn route to spoken fluency via task repetition – the ‘4, 3, 2 technique' and ‘Market place' (The Language Gym): https://gianfrancoconti.com/2017/03/04/en-route-to-spoken-fluency-via-task-repetition-the-4-3-2-technique-and-market-placeMore information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.comMusic: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Old Bonds: A Tea House Reunion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-17-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 杭州市的一个秋日早晨，空气中弥漫着淡淡的桂花香。En: On an autumn morning in Hangzhou, the air was filled with a faint scent of osmanthus.Zh: 知浩走进一个古色古香的茶馆，名叫“竹韵茶舍”。En: Zhi Hao walked into a tea house with an ancient charm, named "Zhuyun Teahouse".Zh: 茶馆里，阳光透过大窗洒进来，为地板铺上了一层金色的光辉。En: Inside the teahouse, sunlight streamed through the large windows, laying a golden sheen on the floor.Zh: 四周是精美的木雕和挂在墙上的山水画，透露着浓浓的江南韵味。En: Around were exquisite wood carvings and landscape paintings hanging on the walls, exuding a strong Jiangnan style.Zh: 今天是光棍节，知浩约了梅秀和春桃见面。En: Today was Singles' Day, and Zhi Hao arranged to meet with Mei Xiu and Chun Tao.Zh: 他有些紧张，因为他已经很久没有见到他们了。En: He was a bit nervous because he hadn't seen them in a long time.Zh: 知浩是一名成功的商业分析师，但他总觉得自己生活中缺少一些东西。En: Zhi Hao was a successful business analyst, but he always felt that something was missing in his life.Zh: 工作占据了他的大部分时间，让他失去了与朋友们的联络。En: Work occupied most of his time, causing him to lose contact with his friends.Zh: 梅秀是一个热爱自由、追求艺术灵感的画家。En: Mei Xiu was a painter who loved freedom and pursued artistic inspiration.Zh: 她坐在窗边，一边喝茶，一边观察窗外五彩缤纷的秋叶。En: She sat by the window, sipping tea and observing the colorful autumn leaves outside.Zh: 春桃则是个务实的老师，忙于事业，也期待着个人生活的安定。En: Chun Tao, on the other hand, was a pragmatic teacher, busy with her career but also yearning for stability in her personal life.Zh: 三个人在大学时是无话不谈的好友，但自从毕业后，联系便少了。En: The three were inseparable friends in college, but since graduation, they had drifted apart.Zh: 知浩走到他们的桌边坐下，目光扫过两位老友，心中有些许不安。En: Zhi Hao sat down at their table, his eyes sweeping over his two old friends, feeling a bit uneasy.Zh: 他开口道：“好久不见，你们最近怎么样？En: He began, "Long time no see, how have you two been lately?"Zh: ”梅秀微笑着说：“我最近画了很多画，有些找到了买家，还不错。En: Mei Xiu smiled and said, "I've painted a lot recently, and some have even found buyers, which is great."Zh: ”春桃点点头，补充道：“而我，总觉得时光飞逝，工作很忙，但生活还是要有朋友陪伴的。En: Chun Tao nodded and added, "I often feel time flies; work is busy, but life needs friends to share it with."Zh: ”茶香四溢，话题渐渐展开。En: The aroma of tea filled the air, and their conversation gradually unfolded.Zh: 知浩倾诉了他内心的想法，谈到他的孤独和想要重新建立友谊的愿望。En: Zhi Hao poured out his thoughts, discussing his loneliness and his desire to rebuild their friendship.Zh: 起初，他担心这会不会让大家感到突兀，但他要面对自己的恐惧。En: Initially, he was worried this might seem abrupt, but he wanted to face his fears.Zh: 梅秀拍拍知浩的肩膀，温柔说道：“我们都是朋友，不管多久不见，都是老朋友。En: Mei Xiu gently patted Zhi Hao's shoulder and said warmly, "We are friends, no matter how long we haven't seen each other, we're always old friends."Zh: ”春桃也露出理解的微笑：“对，我们应该多聚聚，这样彼此的生活都会更有趣。En: Chun Tao also gave a knowing smile, "Yes, we should meet more often; it will make our lives much more interesting."Zh: ”在这个喧嚣的城市里，他们在茶香中找到了那份久违的宁静和真诚。En: In this bustling city, they found a long-lost tranquility and sincerity in the aroma of tea.Zh: 不知不觉，太阳快要落山，金黄的阳光透过玻璃窗洒在他们身上。En: Unknowingly, the sun was about to set, and the golden sunlight spilled through the glass onto them.Zh: 知浩心里的重担卸下，仿佛阳光抚平他的忧虑。En: The burden in Zhi Hao's heart was lifted, as if the sunlight had smoothed his worries.Zh: 最终，他们约定以后每个光棍节都要聚在一起，无论多忙，都要为对方而停下脚步。En: In the end, they agreed to reunite every Singles' Day from now on, no matter how busy they were, to stop for each other.Zh: 知浩的心中仿佛燃起了新的希望。En: Zhi Hao's heart ignited with new hope.Zh: 他意识到，工作固然重要，但温暖的友情才是他心中不可或缺的一部分。En: He realized that while work is important, warm friendships are an indispensable part of his heart.Zh: 这样一个温馨的午后，他们在茶馆中彼此依偎，重续旧日的情谊，又为未来的相聚埋下了伏笔。En: On such a warm afternoon, they nestled together in the teahouse, renewing their past friendships and laying the groundwork for future gatherings.Zh: 知浩微笑着望向窗外，秋叶如金，飘然不动，仿佛这个友情的新开始。En: Zhi Hao smiled as he looked out the window, the autumn leaves golden and motionless, like a new beginning for this friendship. Vocabulary Words:faint: 淡淡osmanthus: 桂花ancient: 古色古香charm: 韵味uneasy: 不安exquisite: 精美carvings: 木雕landscape: 山水pragmatic: 务实inseparable: 无话不谈intricate: 精致insecurities: 不安全感pursued: 追求inspiration: 灵感drifted: 漂流aroma: 香气abrupt: 突兀sincerity: 真诚tranquility: 宁静yearning: 期待enchanted: 着迷unfolded: 展开bustling: 喧嚣indispensable: 不可或缺scent: 香味streamed: 洒进来illuminated: 照亮surplus: 富余harmonious: 和谐tinge: 色调

Aloha and welcome to another episode of Wake Up with Miya!In this powerful interview, Samuel Chong — lawyer, motivational speaker, certified Mandarin court interpreter, and presenter of “Secrets Kept” — joins Miya to explore the extraordinary teachings of The Thiaoouba Prophecy.They discuss humanity's higher purpose, ancient civilizations like Egypt and Mu, extraterrestrial contact, advanced spiritual technology, and the warning that material progress without spiritual growth could lead to global catastrophe. Samuel also shares what he learned directly from author Michel Desmarquet, whose book claims to document an actual encounter with advanced beings from another world.If you've ever wondered about the Great Pyramid's true purpose, the Bermuda Triangle mystery, reincarnation, near-death experiences, or the evolution of human consciousness — this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew.Guest information: Samuel Chong https://www.chinasona.org/speakers/Join the conversation: Have you ever seen something unusual in the sky or had an experience you can't explain? Share your story in the comments below!Listen & Support:Follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode.Patreon: https://Patreon.com/WakeupwithMiyaBuy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/sensiblehippieAmazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/profile/amzn1.account.AGYOPCXXGH6MN5RVAKGQWVZUZLEA/list/26B87RB4FZ9W2?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_6BWRT43TH4MY2NM2XD6XWant to be on the show or have a guest suggestion?Email me at: Miya@wakeupwithmiya.com Follow Me Online:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WakeupwithMiyaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WakeupwithMiyaExclusive Discount!Shop at LVNTA: https://lvnta.com/lv_IcTq5EmoFKaZfJhTiSUse code OHANA for 20% off! Listen on Your Favorite Platform:Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and everywhere podcasts are available!RATE & REVIEW:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wake-up-with-miya/id1627169850Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UYrXCgma1lJYzf8glnAxyMusic Credits:Beginning: "Echoes in the Shadows" - DK Intro: “At First Light” – LunarehOutro: “Uptown” – PALAEnd Music: “Crazy” - Eko#ThiaooubaProphecy #SamuelChong #WakeUpWithMiya #Extraterrestrials #AncientCivilizations #SpiritualAwakening #Consciousness #ETContact #HumanEvolution #UFOs #UAPs

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Harmony in the Halls: Balancing Art and Ambition Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-17-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的一个秋季傍晚，凉爽的微风轻拂着大学校园，道路两旁的树叶随风飘落。En: On a cool autumn evening in Beijing, a gentle breeze lightly brushed through the university campus, and the leaves along the roadside drifted with the wind.Zh: 该是准备期末考试的时间了。En: It was time to prepare for final exams.Zh: 在许多学生忙碌的宿舍中，有一个名叫莲的小房间。En: Among the busy dormitories of many students, there was a small room belonging to a student named Lian.Zh: 房间不大，但被各种书籍和绘画工具装点得生动有趣。En: The room wasn't big, but it was lively and interesting, adorned with various books and art tools.Zh: 墙上贴满了科技海报和艺术作品，地上则满是杂乱的画笔和颜料。En: The walls were covered with posters of technology and artwork, while the floor was cluttered with paintbrushes and paints.Zh: 莲是一名计算机科学专业的大二学生，她为了保住奖学金，决心要在期末考试中取得优异的成绩，还希望能在即将到来的夏天得到一家知名科技公司的实习机会。En: Lian was a sophomore majoring in computer science.Zh: 她为了保住奖学金，决心要在期末考试中取得优异的成绩，还希望能在即将到来的夏天得到一家知名科技公司的实习机会。En: Determined to maintain her scholarship, she was committed to achieving excellent results in her finals, and she also hoped to secure an internship at a well-known tech company in the upcoming summer.Zh: 她的室友梅则是一名心理学专业的学生，热爱绘画，常常忙于艺术创作。En: Her roommate, Mei, was a psychology major who loved painting and was often busy with her art creations.Zh: 每晚，梅拖长的画笔在画布上沙沙作响，虽然有时可以让灵感迸发，但这些声音也时常打断莲的思绪。En: Every night, the sound of Mei's extended paintbrush on the canvas softly rustled.Zh: 虽然有时可以让灵感迸发，但这些声音也时常打断莲的思绪。En: Although it could sometimes spark inspiration, these sounds often interrupted Lian's train of thought.Zh: 面对日渐临近的考试，莲几乎心力交瘁，她还承受着来自家庭的压力。En: With the exams approaching, Lian was almost exhausted, and she was also bearing pressure from her family.Zh: 莲在书桌前皱紧眉头，盯着电脑屏幕，耳边回荡着梅在房间另一侧走动的声音。En: She frowned at her desk, staring at her computer screen, while the sound of Mei moving around on the other side of the room echoed in her ears.Zh: 夜深了，莲终于忍不住了。En: Late at night, Lian finally couldn't hold it in anymore.Zh: 她转过身，眼神坚定地看向梅，说：“梅，我很理解你的创作热情，但这些响声让我无法专注于学习。”En: She turned around and looked at Mei with a determined gaze, saying, ""Mei, I really understand your passion for creating art, but these noises make it difficult for me to concentrate on studying."Zh: 梅停下了手中的画笔，有些歉意地说道：“对不起，我没意识到它会影响你。”En: Mei put down her paintbrush, apologetically saying, ""I'm sorry, I didn't realize it would affect you."Zh: 经过一番交流后，她们达成了共识——制定一个时间表，既能让梅在白天自由创作，又能确保莲在夜晚安静地学习。En: After some discussion, they reached a consensus—to create a timetable that would allow Mei to freely work on her art during the day, while ensuring Lian had a quiet environment to study at night.Zh: 在接下来的几周，莲逐渐适应新的学习环境。En: In the following weeks, Lian gradually adapted to the new study environment.Zh: 在她精心安排的学习计划下，她不仅成功保住了奖学金，还得到了心仪公司的实习机会。En: Under her carefully planned schedule, she not only successfully retained her scholarship but also received an internship opportunity at her desired company.Zh: 而梅，受到这次合作的启发，也在创作中找到了新的灵感。En: Meanwhile, inspired by this cooperation, Mei also found new inspiration in her creative work.Zh: 莲和梅之间的理解和支持，让她们两人都在追求梦想的道路上迈进了一大步。En: The understanding and support between Lian and Mei allowed both of them to take a big step forward on the road to pursuing their dreams.Zh: 这个秋天，随着最后一片落叶的轻轻飘落，莲和梅的宿舍再次被校园中的宁静填满。En: This autumn, as the last leaf gently drifted down, the dormitory shared by Lian and Mei was once again filled with the tranquility of the campus.Zh: 两人微笑着面对即将到来的新学期，心中充满期待。En: Both faced the upcoming new semester with smiles, full of anticipation. Vocabulary Words:gentle: 轻拂的breeze: 微风brushed: 拂过drifted: 飘落dormitories: 宿舍cluttered: 杂乱的adorned: 装点sophomore: 大二学生determined: 决心retain: 保住internship: 实习psychology: 心理学extended: 拖长的rustled: 沙沙作响inspiration: 灵感train of thought: 思绪exhausted: 心力交瘁pressure: 压力determined: 坚定地concentrate: 专注apologetically: 歉意地consensus: 共识timetable: 时间表tranquil: 宁静anticipation: 期待well-known: 知名canvas: 画布majoring: 专业commitment: 承诺carefully planned: 精心安排

In this episode of Dashu Mandarin, we talk about PUA, short for Pick-Up Artist. In Chinese, this term has changed from meaning “flirting skills” to describing toxic emotional control in relationships. Through this real-life topic, you'll improve your Chinese listening, learn authentic expressions, and understand modern Chinese culture and psychology. Join us to explore how language reflects emotion, power, and human connection, all in natural, easy-to-understand Mandarin.

Mandarin Program with Jimmy and Linda - Her Quiet Strength - 17 Nov 2025 by 98.5 ONE FM

Today's Episode:On today's episode of MaoMi Chinese, let's meet Xuanxuan, a shy young woman with a huge heart. She boldly asks strangers at weddings if she can take their leftovers… and brings them home to feed 120 stray cats! A story of courage, kindness, and a little chaos.Today's episode is sponsored by Maayot Chinese, a graded Chinese reading platform packed with many helpful features. Explore it and find out more!Membership Preview:Want to know why cats and dogs are taking over Chinese homes?

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Thrills of Autumn: Finding Warmth Beyond the Winter Coat Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-16-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的北京，空气中有微微的凉意，En: In the autumn of Beijing, there's a slight chill in the air.Zh: 王府井大街上灯笼高挂，庆祝刚过去的中秋节。En: Lanterns hang high on Wangfujing Street, celebrating the recently passed Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 人来人往，路边摊飘来糖炒栗子的香气。En: People come and go, and the aroma of roasted chestnuts wafts from the roadside stalls.Zh: 李明和小雨正在大街上穿行，他们今天的任务是为即将到来的冬天购买保暖的衣服。En: Li Ming and Xiao Yu are walking down the street with today's task of buying warm clothes for the approaching winter.Zh: "李明，我们先去商场看看吧！"小雨兴奋地提议。En: "Li Ming, let's check out the mall first!" Xiao Yu suggested excitedly.Zh: "好，但我希望能找到价格实惠的衣服。"李明说道，他向来重视预算。En: "Okay, but I hope we can find clothes that are reasonably priced," Li Ming said, always mindful of his budget.Zh: 他们走进一间大商场，琳琅满目的冬季服装让小雨目不暇接。En: They walked into a large shopping mall where the dazzling array of winter clothing left Xiao Yu dazzled.Zh: 可是，李明却有些失望，因为价格比他预想的要高。En: However, Li Ming felt a bit disappointed because the prices were higher than he expected.Zh: 他开始担心，自己的预算是否能买到足够暖和的衣服。En: He began to worry whether his budget would be enough to buy warm clothes.Zh: "别担心，我们再多找找，说不定能找到好东西呢！"小雨鼓励地说。En: "Don't worry, let's keep looking. We might find something good!" Xiao Yu encouraged him.Zh: 两人继续走过几家店铺，看看这儿，翻翻那儿，但李明仍旧愁眉不展。En: They continued walking through several stores, browsing and checking everywhere, but Li Ming still looked troubled.Zh: "我们是不是应该去别的地方看看？"李明思索着。En: "Should we check out other places?" Li Ming pondered.Zh: 就在这时，小雨拉了拉李明的袖子。En: Just then, Xiao Yu tugged on Li Ming's sleeve.Zh: "你看，那边的小店好像在打折！"En: "Look, that little store over there seems to be having a sale!"Zh: 他们急忙走过去，那家店虽然不大，但橱窗上贴着大大的“清仓大甩卖”。En: They hurried over. The store wasn't big, but the large sign on the window read "Clearance Sale."Zh: "我们进去看看吧！"小雨兴奋地说。En: "Let's go in and take a look!" Xiao Yu said excitedly.Zh: 店里人不多，挂着的外套样式经典，摸起来也很厚实。En: There weren't many people inside, and the coats hanging there had classic designs and felt very sturdy.Zh: 李明挑选了一件试穿，感觉非常合身。En: Li Ming picked one to try on, and it fitted perfectly.Zh: 价格也在他的预算之内，小雨则自告奋勇地上前与店主交流，最终成功地为李明争取到了一些折扣。En: The price was within his budget, and Xiao Yu enthusiastically stepped forward to negotiate with the store owner, eventually managing to get a discount for Li Ming.Zh: 李明高兴地买下了这件外套，脸上露出了满意的笑容。En: Delighted, Li Ming bought the coat, a satisfied smile on his face.Zh: 他们走出小店，王府井街上仍旧是一片热闹的景象，月光柔和地洒在街上。En: As they left the small store, Wangfujing Street remained bustling, with moonlight gently illuminating the road.Zh: "谢谢你，小雨，今天真是谢谢你帮我找到这件好外套。"李明诚恳地说道。En: "Thank you, Xiao Yu, really, thank you for helping me find this nice coat today," Li Ming said sincerely.Zh: 此时，他意识到小雨那种精力充沛的性格，有时真的能带来意想不到的惊喜。En: At this moment, he realized that Xiao Yu's energetic personality could indeed bring unexpected surprises.Zh: "不用谢！以后有什么需要，我都很乐意帮忙。"小雨也微笑着。En: "No need to thank me! If you ever need anything, I'm always happy to help," Xiao Yu smiled back.Zh: 两人继续走在大街上，秋日的灯笼在他们身后摇曳，En: The two continued walking on the street, with autumn lanterns swaying behind them.Zh: 李明心中变得暖和起来，甚至比那件新买的外套还要温暖。En: Li Ming felt warmth in his heart, even more so than from the newly purchased coat. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天chill: 凉意lanterns: 灯笼celebrating: 庆祝Mid-Autumn Festival: 中秋节aroma: 香气roasted chestnuts: 糖炒栗子stalls: 摊excitedly: 兴奋地reasonably: 实惠budget: 预算dazzling: 琳琅满目array: 样式disappointed: 失望troubled: 愁眉不展pondered: 思索tugged: 拉sleeve: 袖子neglect: 忽视clearance sale: 清仓大甩卖sturdy: 厚实enthusiastically: 自告奋勇negotiate: 交流discount: 折扣delighted: 高兴satisfied: 满意bustling: 热闹illuminate: 照亮swaying: 摇曳unexpected: 意想不到

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Li Ming's Single Day Revelation atop the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-16-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城在明亮的阳光下显得格外庄严。En: The Great Wall of China in the autumn sun appears especially majestic.Zh: 在红黄相间的树叶映衬下，长城的古老石砖如同一位历经沧桑的老者，见证着历史的变迁。En: Against the backdrop of red and yellow leaves, the ancient stones of the wall look like an elder who has weathered the ages, witnessing the changes of history.Zh: 在这样一个特殊的日子——光棍节，长城上游客如潮，欢声笑语此起彼伏。En: On such a special day—Singles' Day, the Great Wall is flooded with tourists, filled with laughter and cheer.Zh: 而在这纷扰的人群中，李明的心情却格外复杂。En: However, amidst the bustling crowd, Li Ming's emotions are exceptionally complex.Zh: 李明是一位三十出头的专业人士，单身的他，一直被家人催促着尽快成家立业。En: Li Ming is a professional in his early thirties, who remains single and is constantly urged by his family to settle down and establish a career.Zh: 光棍节原本是他最大的压力来源，沉重的孤独感扑面而来。En: Singles' Day used to be his greatest source of pressure, as an overwhelming sense of loneliness washed over him.Zh: 但今年，他做了个不同寻常的决定：在长城举行一场家庭聚会。En: But this year, he made an unusual decision: to hold a family gathering on the Great Wall.Zh: 他希望趁此机会，拉近与家人的距离，分享自己的心声。En: He hoped to use this opportunity to get closer to his family and share his heartfelt thoughts.Zh: “李明！”随着一个亲切的呼唤，陈伟和张磊向他走来。En: "Li Ming!" With a friendly call, Chen Wei and Zhang Lei walked towards him.Zh: 陈伟是李明的表弟，在海外工作多年；张磊是他的堂兄，总是充满智慧与善意。En: Chen Wei is Li Ming's cousin, who has worked overseas for many years; Zhang Lei is his older cousin, always full of wisdom and kindness.Zh: 他们都很高兴见到李明，并对他的邀请表示感谢。En: They were very pleased to see Li Ming and expressed gratitude for his invitation.Zh: 三人登上长城，欣赏风景的同时，也开始了倾心的谈话。En: The three of them ascended the Great Wall, enjoying the scenery while also engaging in a heartfelt conversation.Zh: 李明深吸了一口清新的冷空气，鼓起勇气，说出压抑在心中已久的话：“我知道你们都希望我早日成家，但我有自己的目标。我希望你们能理解和支持我的决定。”En: Li Ming took a deep breath of the fresh, cold air, gathered his courage, and spoke words that had long been suppressed in his heart: “I know you all wish for me to settle down soon, but I have my own goals. I hope you can understand and support my decision.”Zh: 陈伟拍了拍李明的肩膀，说：“每个人都有自己的道路，我们支持你。”En: Chen Wei patted Li Ming on the shoulder and said, "Everyone has their own path; we support you."Zh: 张磊点头附和：“我们要的是你的幸福，不论这意味着什么。”En: Zhang Lei nodded in agreement, "What we want is your happiness, whatever that means."Zh: 随着对话的深入，李明感受到了一种前所未有的轻松。En: As the conversation deepened, Li Ming felt an unprecedented sense of ease.Zh: 他在内心深处找到了那个真正的自己，一个在家庭期待之外，仍能坚定自我的人。En: He found his true self within, someone who could remain firm outside the expectations of family.Zh: 他笑了，望着辽阔的长城，仿佛看到了未来。En: He smiled, looking at the vast Great Wall, as if he could see the future.Zh: 家庭聚会在一片欢声笑语中结束。En: The family gathering ended amidst laughter and cheer.Zh: 这个光棍节，他们收获的不只是购物季的折扣，而是一种新的理解和支持。En: This Singles' Day, they gained not just the discounts of the shopping season, but a new understanding and support.Zh: 离开长城时，李明感受到秋风的温暖，上面带着他最珍贵的家人的关爱。En: As they left the Great Wall, Li Ming felt the warmth of the autumn breeze, infused with the love and care of his cherished family.Zh: 虽然秋日的阳光渐渐西沉，但李明心中充满了希望。En: Although the autumn sun was gradually setting, Li Ming's heart was filled with hope.Zh: 他明确了自己的人生目标，也收获了珍贵的家庭支持。En: He had clarified his life goals and gained valuable family support.Zh: 对他来说，这个惊喜的团聚是一次新的开始，是他个人成长道路上重要的一步。En: For him, this surprising reunion was a new beginning and an important step in his personal growth journey. Vocabulary Words:majestic: 庄严backdrop: 映衬weathered: 历经沧桑witnessing: 见证bustling: 纷扰emotions: 心情exceptionally: 格外professional: 专业人士urged: 催促overwhelming: 沉重unusual: 不同寻常gathering: 聚会courage: 勇气suppressed: 压抑support: 支持laughter: 欢声笑语discounts: 折扣infused: 带着clarified: 明确valuable: 珍贵growth: 成长shining: 明亮elder: 老者settle down: 成家path: 道路kindness: 善意breeze: 秋风unprecedented: 前所未有ease: 轻松deepen: 深入

Anna is frustrated because her phone battery is almost dead, even though it was fully charged in the morning. Gao Yue points out it's time for a new one since old phones drain battery quickly.Want to join maayot.com for more real-life conversations?Use promotion code “Podcast” , get a 50% off today !—————————————————————————————————对话原文：安娜：啊！受不了了。手机又快没电了。高月：又没电了？早上还是满电的。安娜：对啊，一下子就没电了。高月：你的手机用了多久了？安娜：四五年了。高月：换一个新的吧，旧手机总是要充电。—————————————————————————————————⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️We value your feedback. Please spare a couple of minutes and leave a comment for our podcast!!期待你给我们的播客留下宝贵的反馈!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This week, it's the great Goffin/King chestnut "I'm into Something Good" - but did you know the original version was recorded by Earl-Jean of girl group greats, The Cookies? Something tells us you'll like it every bit as much as the more famous version by Herman's Hermits, which of course we also cover. Ever wanted to hear the song in Mandarin? Then lend your ears to Singaporean Rita Chao's version from 1967! It's 棒 ! Ever wanted to hear a dirtbag version of the tune? Then listen to The Majic Stray's version from the dreaded year of 1969. We think they may be singing about drugs ... we also add versions by ampersand bands Junior James & The Late Guitar and The Bird & The Bee. Get into it!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Capturing Serendipity: A Photographer's Great Wall Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-15-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的长城，美得令人心醉。En: The qiutian (autumn) Great Wall is stunningly beautiful.Zh: 金，作为一个热爱旅行的摄影师，想要在这时抓拍到一张完美的照片。En: Jin, a travel-loving photographer, wanted to capture a perfect photo at this time.Zh: 他和朋友李一起站在宏伟的长城之上。En: He stood atop the magnificent Great Wall with his friend Li.Zh: 虽然是旅游淡季，但这里依然不乏游客。En: Even though it was the off-season for tourism, there was still no shortage of visitors.Zh: 金仔细地调好了相机，满心期待。En: Jin carefully adjusted his camera, full of anticipation.Zh: 他专心地观察着，寻找一个没有人的景点。En: He focused intently, searching for a spot without people.Zh: 李则无忧无虑地享受着手中的小吃，也偶尔调侃金：“这儿真美！En: Li, on the other hand, was carelessly enjoying the snack in his hand and occasionally teased Jin: "It's really beautiful here!Zh: 你确定不用给食物拍一张吗？En: Are you sure you don't want to take a picture of the food?"Zh: ”然而，每当金觉得时机成熟，按下快门的时候，总有一群游客走过。En: However, every time Jin felt the moment was right and pressed the shutter, a group of tourists would walk by.Zh: 最有趣的是其中一个女游客，美，似乎总是误入金的镜头。En: The most interesting among them was a female tourist, Mei, who seemed to always accidentally enter Jin's shot.Zh: 美穿着鲜红的外套，笑容灿烂。En: Mei wore a bright red coat and had a radiant smile.Zh: 她丝毫没有意识到自己成了镜头的主角。En: She was completely unaware that she had become the main subject of the lens.Zh: 金微微有些沮丧，他思考着要不要换个地方拍摄。En: Jin was a little frustrated and contemplated whether to change locations for the shoot.Zh: 可换地方可能就没有这段长城的壮丽景色。En: But changing locations might mean missing this majestic view of the Great Wall.Zh: 他决定耐心等待，哪怕需要多站一会儿。En: He decided to wait patiently, even if it meant standing a bit longer.Zh: 突然，天空变得阴云密布，天气变幻莫测。En: Suddenly, the sky became overcast, and the weather changed unpredictably.Zh: 金还没来得及调整相机，这时的美又出现在镜头前，竟然在他面前摆起了一个夸张的自拍姿势。En: Before Jin could adjust his camera, Mei appeared in front of the lens again, striking an exaggerated selfie pose.Zh: 金差点按捺不住。En: Jin almost couldn't hold back.Zh: 这时，李笑着给了金一个友好的拍肩：“也许这就是旅行的乐趣吧，意外往往更有趣。En: At this moment, Li gave Jin a friendly pat on the shoulder with a smile: "Maybe that's the joy of traveling, unexpected moments are often more interesting."Zh: ”金想了想，放下相机，转过身去。En: Jin thought for a moment, put down his camera, and turned around.Zh: 他对美笑了笑，然后灵光一闪。En: He smiled at Mei, and then had a sudden inspiration.Zh: 他再次举起相机，对美说：“要不，我们一起拍一张？En: He raised his camera again and said to Mei, "How about we take a picture together?"Zh: ”美愉快地同意，这次金终于按下了快门。En: Mei happily agreed, and this time Jin finally pressed the shutter.Zh: 照片里，美的笑容和长城的背景融为一体，形成了一幅完美的画面。En: In the photo, Mei's smile and the background of the Great Wall merged into a perfect image.Zh: 金突然意识到，有时候精彩是一种意外。En: Jin suddenly realized that sometimes brilliance is a surprise.Zh: 故事以金的开心而结束，他终于明白了，旅途中最重要的是享受当下，而不是追逐完美的瞬间。En: The story ends with Jin feeling happy, having finally understood that the most important thing during a journey is to enjoy the present rather than chase the perfect moment.Zh: 至此，他会心一笑，这趟旅程有了一个不同寻常而又可爱的收尾。En: With this realization, he smiled contently, giving the trip an unusual yet lovely ending. Vocabulary Words:stunningly: 令人心醉magnificent: 宏伟的anticipation: 期待carelessly: 无忧无虑地teased: 调侃shutter: 快门radiant: 灿烂contemplated: 思考着majestic: 壮丽overcast: 阴云密布unpredictably: 变幻莫测exaggerated: 夸张的selfie: 自拍friendly: 友好的pat: 拍肩inspiration: 灵光一闪merge: 融为一体realization: 意识到brilliance: 精彩unusual: 不同寻常contently: 会心一笑end: 收尾autumn: 秋天photographer: 摄影师tourism: 旅游tourist: 游客background: 背景enjoyment: 享受present: 当下journey: 旅程

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Clown to Champion: Wei's Mooncake Triumph Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-15-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 村子正沉浸在中秋节的欢乐中，月亮又大又圆。En: The village was immersed in the joy of the Zhongqiu Jie (Mid-Autumn Festival), and the moon was large and round.Zh: 彩灯挂满广场，空气中充满了月饼的香味。En: Colorful lanterns were hung all over the square, and the air was filled with the aroma of yuebing (mooncakes).Zh: 村里的广场中心正举行着一年一度的吃月饼比赛。En: The annual mooncake-eating contest was taking place at the center of the village square.Zh: 魏，村里的幽默大王，站在比赛的人群中。En: Wei, the humor king of the village, stood among the contest participants.Zh: 他一直想证明自己不仅仅是个只会搞笑的人。En: He had always wanted to prove that he was more than just a jokester.Zh: 他特别想赢得这次比赛，好让大家刮目相看。En: He particularly wanted to win this contest so that everyone would look at him with new eyes.Zh: 然而，魏有个小秘密：他其实吃不了太多甜月饼，总会吃到腻。En: However, Wei had a little secret: he actually couldn't handle too many sweet mooncakes and would always find them cloying.Zh: 但这次，他心里有个计划。En: But this time, he had a plan in mind.Zh: 陈是比赛的强劲对手。En: Chen was a strong competitor.Zh: 他每年都赢，是大家公认的"月饼王"。En: He won every year and was recognized by everyone as the "Mooncake King."Zh: 魏知道，如果要赢，就必须耍点小聪明。En: Wei knew that if he wanted to win, he had to use some clever tactics.Zh: 他想到了自己的好朋友李梅。李梅总是支持他的每一个疯狂想法。En: He thought of his good friend Li Mei, who always supported his every crazy idea.Zh: 魏偷偷告诉李梅：“我们得换种策略。En: Wei secretly told Li Mei, "We need a different strategy.Zh: 帮我换些不那么甜的月饼。”En: Help me switch out some of these overly sweet mooncakes."Zh: 李梅微微一笑，点头答应。En: Li Mei smiled subtly and nodded in agreement.Zh: 比赛开始了，大家屏息以待。En: The contest began, and everyone held their breath in anticipation.Zh: 魏用他的幽默话语不停地和陈打趣，试图分散他的注意力。En: Wei, with his humorous banter, kept teasing Chen in an attempt to distract him.Zh: 比赛进行到最后一轮，魏已经吃得差不多到极限，但他看到李梅悄悄递过来特制的月饼。En: As the contest reached the final round, Wei was almost at his limit, but he saw Li Mei quietly handing over a specially prepared mooncake.Zh: 魏借着幽默的掩护，把新月饼快速吃下。En: Using humor as a cover, Wei quickly devoured the new mooncake.Zh: 陈似乎有些感到不安，因为魏的速度突然加快了。En: Chen seemed a bit uneasy as Wei's speed suddenly increased.Zh: 两个竞争者肩并肩，就这样进入了最后的决胜局。En: The two competitors stood shoulder to shoulder as they entered the final showdown.Zh: 最后一块月饼，陈还剩下一半，而魏则鼓起信心，把月饼塞进口中。En: With the last piece of mooncake, Chen still had half left, while Wei mustered his confidence and stuffed the mooncake into his mouth.Zh: 在村民们惊呼的瞬间，魏终于抢先一步，吞下最后一口。En: In the moment of surprise among the villagers, Wei finally took the lead, swallowing the last bite.Zh: 全场突然安静，随即爆发出热烈的掌声。En: The whole place fell silent and then erupted into enthusiastic applause.Zh: 魏赢了！En: Wei had won!Zh: 他自己都不敢相信。En: He could hardly believe it himself.Zh: 他成功证明了自己不止是个搞笑的村民。En: He had successfully proven that he was more than just the village clown.Zh: 魏明白，有时用智慧和策略，也能取得胜利。En: Wei understood that sometimes, with wisdom and strategy, one could achieve victory.Zh: 比赛结束，魏站在广场中央，心中涌起新的自信。En: As the contest concluded, Wei stood in the center of the square, a new sense of confidence welling up inside him.Zh: 他微笑着，看向满月，觉得这个夜晚真是美好。En: He smiled and looked at the full moon, feeling that this night was truly wonderful.Zh: 中秋的快乐与月光一样，充满了村子的每个角落。En: The joy of the Zhongqiu Jie, like the moonlight, filled every corner of the village. Vocabulary Words:immersed: 沉浸joy: 欢乐aroma: 香味contest: 比赛participants: 人群jokester: 搞笑的人cloying: 腻tactics: 小聪明strategy: 策略anticipation: 屏息以待banter: 打趣showdown: 决胜局uneasy: 不安mustered: 鼓起enthusiastic: 热烈applause: 掌声victory: 胜利confidence: 自信clown: 搞笑的村民proven: 证明clever: 聪明competitor: 强劲对手subtly: 微微distract: 分散注意力welling: 涌起filled: 充满recognized: 公认的switch: 换devoured: 吃下

Well today we welcome me to talk all things China on the people in food and farming series of the R2Kast

All aboard, Culture Kids! In this week's magical adventure, Mom and Asher hop on the Culture Train and travel to Beijing, China, a city filled with history, color, and stories that stretch back thousands of years. Together with special guest Ms. Dan Song, author of the My City Adventures series, they step through the mighty red gates of the Forbidden City, where emperors once ruled and legends were born. You'll hear the echoes of ancient footsteps, learn what the color red means in Chinese culture, and even discover why the Forbidden City was once “forbidden.” From dragons and phoenixes to royal bedrooms and bronze cranes, this episode brings China's past to life in a way kids can see, hear, and imagine. And of course, no Culture Kids adventure would be complete without food!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unveiling Leadership at the Great Wall: Lihua's Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-14-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在深秋的一个凉爽早晨，寄宿学校的学生们准备用校车前往长城。En: On a cool morning in late autumn, the students of the boarding school were preparing to head to the Changcheng, the Great Wall, by school bus.Zh: 一阵金色的阳光洒在山峦之间，翠绿的树叶开始变成橙色和红色。En: A golden sunshine spread across the mountains, and the green leaves began to turn orange and red.Zh: 秋风轻轻拂过，空气中弥漫着秋果的清香。En: An autumn breeze gently swept through, filling the air with the refreshing scent of fall fruits.Zh: 丽华坐在校车的最后一排，内心久久无法平静。En: Lihua sat in the last row of the school bus, unable to calm her restless heart.Zh: 她是个勤奋好学的学生，总觉得自己被比她更受欢迎的金海掩盖了光芒。En: She was a diligent and studious student, always feeling overshadowed by the more popular Jinhai.Zh: 金海总是带领着同学们，大家也很习惯依赖他。En: Jinhai always led the classmates, and everyone was accustomed to relying on him.Zh: 然而，这次丽华决定展示自己，证明她不仅有想法，也有能力。En: However, this time Lihua decided to show her own capabilities, to prove that she not only had ideas but also the ability.Zh: 昨天晚上，丽华花了很长时间来设计这次旅行的部分行程。En: Last night, Lihua spent a long time designing part of the itinerary for this trip.Zh: 她在行程中加入了许多教育活动，比如讲解长城的历史和建筑之美。En: She included many educational activities, such as explaining the history and architectural beauty of the Changcheng.Zh: 校车慢慢驶进长城的入口，学生们欢呼雀跃。En: The school bus slowly drove into the entrance of the Changcheng, and the students cheered with excitement.Zh: 丽华和金海一起带领大家，开始在古老的石阶上攀登。En: Lihua and Jinhai led everyone, beginning their climb on the ancient stone steps.Zh: 长城似一条巨龙，蜿蜒穿行在山脉之间。En: The Changcheng resembled a giant dragon, winding through the mountains.Zh: 阳光洒在他们的身上，给这个历史古迹增添了几分神秘色彩。En: Sunlight fell on them, adding a touch of mystery to this historical monument.Zh: 当他们到达一个高耸的塔楼时，丽华组织大家听她讲解长城的历史。En: When they reached a towering watchtower, Lihua organized everyone to listen to her explanation of the Great Wall's history.Zh: 她描述着秦始皇如何统一中国，命人建造这条横亘东西的长城。En: She described how Qin Shi Huang unified China and commanded the construction of this wall stretching from east to west.Zh: 随着她投入的话语，学生们纷纷竖起耳朵，不自觉地自丽华的讲述中感受到了她的热情和知识。En: With her passionate words, the students perked up their ears, subconsciously drawn to Lihua's enthusiasm and knowledge.Zh: 然而，在大家聚精会神的时候，金海不小心掉了队，很可能在繁茂的秋叶和厚重的城墙之中迷路了。En: However, while everyone was engrossed, Jinhai accidentally fell behind and possibly got lost among the lush autumn leaves and the thick walls.Zh: 丽华意识到群体的有序组织和安全是她肩上的责任。En: Lihua realized that the orderly organization and safety of the group were her responsibilities.Zh: 她深吸一口气决定暂时接管领导。En: She took a deep breath and decided to temporarily take over the leadership.Zh: “大家别慌，我们分小组去找金海，”丽华镇定自若地说。En: "Everyone, don't panic. We'll split into small groups to find Jinhai," Lihua calmly said.Zh: 她带领着一组学生仔细地搜索城墙的每一个角落，终于在一个历史遗迹旁边找到了有些慌乱的金海。En: She led a group of students carefully searching every corner of the wall and finally found the somewhat flustered Jinhai beside a historical relic.Zh: 看到丽华带着小组找来，金海心中感激不已：“谢谢你，丽华，我以为我永远不会找到回去的路！”En: Seeing Lihua coming, with a group, Jinhai felt incredibly grateful: "Thank you, Lihua, I thought I'd never find my way back!"Zh: “我们是一组的，共同合作就能攻克一切困难。”丽华自信地说。En: "We are a team, and together we can overcome any difficulty," Lihua confidently said.Zh: 这次事件之后，丽华不仅得到了同学们的赞赏，还赢得了老师的信任。En: After this incident, Lihua not only earned the praise of her classmates but also gained the trust of the teachers.Zh: 金海在回程的车上对丽华说:“其实我也有担心的时候，你的领导力让我看到团队的力量，我很高兴能与你合作。”En: Jinhai, on the way back on the bus, told Lihua, "Actually, I have moments of worry too. Your leadership showed me the power of teamwork, and I'm very glad to work with you."Zh: 满载着自信和新的友谊，丽华看着窗外渐行渐远的长城，心中充满了成就感。En: Filled with confidence and newfound friendship, Lihua looked out at the gradually receding Changcheng through the window, a sense of achievement filling her heart.Zh: 她知道，今天她不仅找到了千里长城的尽头，也找到了属于自我的那条道路。En: She knew that today she not only found the end of the Great Wall but also discovered her own path.Zh: 金海则学会了分享责任，让每个人都有机会一显身手。En: Jinhai, meanwhile, learned to share responsibility, giving everyone the chance to shine. Vocabulary Words:cool: 凉爽boarding school: 寄宿学校golden: 金色sunshine: 阳光spread: 洒mountains: 山峦autumn breeze: 秋风restless: 无法平静diligent: 勤奋overshadowed: 掩盖itinerary: 行程cheered: 欢呼excited: 雀跃ancient: 古老resembled: 似wind: 蜿蜒towering: 高耸watchtower: 塔楼subconsciously: 不自觉地engrossed: 聚精会神luscious: 繁茂relic: 遗迹flustered: 慌乱grateful: 感激accomplishment: 成就感receding: 渐行渐远responsibility: 责任group: 群体temporal: 暂时perked up: 竖起

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Pumpkin Prank to Thanksgiving: A Dorm's Unexpected Joy Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-14-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 踢踏长廊里，凉爽的秋风轻轻拂过，让落叶在古老的寄宿学校的院子里翩翩起舞。En: In the long corridor, the cool autumn breeze gently swept through, setting the fallen leaves dancing in the courtyard of the ancient boarding school.Zh: 梁是个活泼的男孩，总爱搞恶作剧。En: Liang was a lively boy, always fond of playing pranks.Zh: 今天，他已经精心计划了一场能逗笑宿舍主任田老师的恶作剧。En: Today, he had carefully planned a prank to amuse Teacher Tian, the dormitory supervisor.Zh: 在宿舍的公共休息室里，梁和他的好友美正在窃窃私语。En: In the dormitory's common lounge, Liang and his friend Mei were whispering to each other.Zh: 梁用手肘轻轻碰了碰美，压低声音说：“我准备了一个南瓜派，想把它放在田老师的办公桌里。En: Liang nudged Mei with his elbow and said in a low voice, "I have prepared a pumpkin pie, and I want to put it on Teacher Tian's desk.Zh: 等她走进来时，看到派肯定会大吃一惊！”En: When she walks in, she will definitely be surprised!"Zh: 美皱了皱眉头，劝道：“你要小心，田老师非常严格，En: Mei furrowed her brows and advised, "Be careful, Teacher Tian is very strict.Zh: 她可能不会欣赏这样的玩笑。”En: She might not appreciate such a joke."Zh: 梁却毫不在意，En: But Liang wasn't concerned at all.Zh: 他咧嘴一笑说：“放心吧！我只是想给她带来一点乐趣。”En: He grinned and said, "Don't worry! I just want to bring her a bit of joy."Zh: 然而，当天晚上，事情却未按梁的计划进行。En: However, that night, things did not go according to Liang's plan.Zh: 那天，田老师正好宣布要在所有学生出发回家前进行一次严格的宿舍检查。En: On that day, Teacher Tian had announced a thorough dormitory inspection before all students left for home.Zh: 一时间，大家忙着整理自己的房间，全然忘记了梁那份隐藏的南瓜派。En: Suddenly, everyone was busy tidying their rooms, completely forgetting about Liang's hidden pumpkin pie.Zh: 检查开始前，梁忍不住紧张起来。En: Before the inspection started, Liang couldn't help but feel nervous.Zh: 他瞟向美，后者露出了担忧的神情。En: He glanced at Mei, who showed a worried expression.Zh: 然而，为时已晚，田老师已经推开了公共休息室的门，她在桌上一眼就发现了南瓜派。En: However, it was too late, as Teacher Tian had already pushed open the common lounge door and immediately spotted the pumpkin pie on the table.Zh: “这是怎么回事？”田老师惊讶地问。En: "What is this?" Teacher Tian asked in surprise.Zh: 话音未落，一名同学恰巧经过，被椅子绊了一跤，En: Before she could finish her sentence, a student happened to pass by and tripped over a chair.Zh: 手中的书飞了出去，不巧打翻了南瓜派。En: The book in his hand flew out, accidentally toppling the pumpkin pie.Zh: 派飞向空中，然后砰的一声落在一个正好站在附近的同学脸上。En: The pie flew into the air and landed with a splat on the face of another student standing nearby.Zh: 事情突然变糟，公共休息室里爆发了一场即兴的食物大战。En: Suddenly, things took a turn for the worse, and an impromptu food fight erupted in the common lounge.Zh: 没过多久，往日严肃的田老师竟抵挡不住笑意，笑得让她的眼泪也流了出来。En: Before long, the usually stern Teacher Tian couldn't resist smiling, and she laughed so hard that tears began to roll down her face.Zh: 学生们见状，也开始齐声大笑，并挽起袖子帮忙清理混乱。En: Seeing this, the students also started laughing together and rolled up their sleeves to help clean up the mess.Zh: 尴尬的梁最后决定承认自己是这场闹剧的始作俑者。En: The embarrassed Liang finally decided to admit that he was the mastermind behind the prank.Zh: 他走到田老师面前，诚恳地说：“田老师，对不起。En: He approached Teacher Tian and sincerely said, "I'm sorry, Teacher Tian.Zh: 我只想让大家快乐些。”En: I only wanted to make everyone a bit happier."Zh: 田老师轻轻点了点头，说：“看到大家笑得这么开心，我想这也是不错的意外收获。”En: Teacher Tian nodded gently and said, "Seeing everyone laugh so heartily, I think this was a pretty good unexpected outcome."Zh: 当晚，宿舍里的学生和田老师一起举办了一场即兴的感恩节庆祝活动，分享着剩余的南瓜派和其它小吃。En: That evening, the students in the dormitory and Teacher Tian held an impromptu Thanksgiving celebration, sharing the remaining pumpkin pie and other snacks.Zh: 梁终于明白了，有时，不同的人之间，笑声是最好的桥梁。En: Liang finally understood that sometimes, laughter is the best bridge between different people.Zh: 即使是最严厉的老师，也有温柔的内心。”En: Even the strictest teacher has a gentle heart.Zh: 窗外落叶簌簌作响，把一切风波轻轻掩盖。En: Outside, the leaves softly rustled, quietly covering all the commotion.Zh: 冬天即将来临，但在这温暖的房间里，大家的心被连结在了一起。En: Winter was approaching, but in this warm room, everyone's hearts were connected. Vocabulary Words:corridor: 长廊breeze: 秋风courtyard: 院子boarding school: 寄宿学校lively: 活泼prank: 恶作剧whispering: 窃窃私语nudged: 碰了碰furrowed: 皱brows: 眉头inspection: 检查tidying: 整理nervous: 紧张spotted: 发现tripped: 绊了一跤toppling: 打翻stern: 严肃outcome: 收获approaching: 接近commotion: 风波impromptu: 即兴mastermind: 始作俑者sincerely: 诚恳admit: 承认gentle: 温柔rustled: 簌簌作响bridge: 桥梁heartily: 开心tightly: 紧紧chattering: 嗯放

We should adopt Mandarin's naga for ummm.

In 1981, the Indian writer and poet Vikram Seth traveled from Nanjing, where he was studying literature, to his hometown of Delhi. Moving by train across China to Gansu, then hitchhiking southwest through Qinghai and Tibet, it was an itinerary that makes sense when a traveler has a surfeit of curiosity but a shortage of funds. Armed with half-decent Mandarin, a fistful of foreign exchange certificates, and a scrap of paper authorizing his route, he negotiated China just as it was emerging from the Maoist era. No WeChat. No Trip.com. No Google Translate. Just a student improvising his way home as the date on his travel pass crept ever closer: fording rivers in rickety trucks, suffering altitude sickness, dealing with roadside thieves and the occasional military checkpoint. From Heaven Lake, the book that came out of that trip, still hits hard. It's sharp, observant, funny in places, bleak in others. A snapshot of a country trying to reinvent itself while one traveler tries to get home before his paperwork expires. In this Barbarians at the Gate crossover with China Books Review, Jeremiah sits down with Alexander Boyd to talk about Seth's strange, scrappy journey, what travel in China looked like in 1981, and how a writer from India saw things Western visitors of the same era tended to miss in the early 1980s.

Listener @somestarrynight messaged us from Paris about the @maisonfranciskurkdjian installation at @palaisdetokyo (on until 23 November - so hurry if you want to see it!)As it happens, Laurent from @ostens_official shared smelling strips from the expo at a recent dinner, a reminder of scent's communal, artful side. So although we can't get to see it, we *have* smelled the scents created for it)Perfume: Sculpture of the Invisible (celebrating 20 years of MFK & @franciskurkdjian_official's olfactive artistry - scenting galleries, theatrical performances, music, & places) “has opened up perfume to new forms and destinations, taking it out of the bottle.” - Jérôme Neutres, Exhibition Curator#perfumeprescriptions17-year old listener Sadbh asks for starting points in perfume shopping, balancing jasmine, fresh ginger, roses, amber, and not-too-sweet vanillaOur guidance:@marksandspencerstyle Spiced Amber EDT: powdery depths, amber heart, cedar and geranium@marksandspencerstyle Apothecary Warmth EDP: cardamom, cinnamon, cedarwood, sandalwood for warming comfortNicola notes that niche shop @bloomperfumery's site suggests related scents when you search a name, and well-trained staff at perfume departments can be invaluable - don't be afraid to ask them for help.@tocca Wonders Collection (stocked @theperfumeshop) – £55 for 6 x 5ml EDP:Florence Eau de Parfum: green garden bouquet of gardenia, tuberose, iris; Parisian romance.Cleopatra EDP: grapefruit, jasmine, patchouli—seductive and regal.Stella EDP: citrus and florals with Italian sunshine; breezy, radiant.Lucia EDP: sunlit lemon, vetiver, fig; slow living, luminous.Laila EDP: luxurious indulgence, confident sensuality.Colette EDP: citrus, floral, woods; Parisian literary spirit with daring edge.New fragrances @oliverbonasFig & Tonka, Pomelo & Basil EDPs (£12.50 each)Mandarin & Jasmine, Warm Oud & Saffron EDTs (£20 full size, £9.50 rollers)Also at Oliver Bonas:@floralstreet_: Wild Vanilla Orchid (£28/10ml); vanilla, jasmine, cassis with bamboo and sandalwood.@ghostfragrances Orb of Night (£24/30ml EDP): Dark fruit, jasmine, roasted tonka—sundown to sunrise.We're plotting a full episode on this topic of helping those who feel overwhelmed by choice / want affordable starting points, & will also crowd-source tips from friends of the pod!Nicola talks about the new scent from @granadobrazil AmazonicaThe wonderful Claire @paperbackperfumes asks for a green / woodland-like, non-powdery violet scent…Our picks:@murphyanddaughters Violet Perfume Oil (Melbourne): violet leaf heart, violet flower high note; green and sparkling@orizalegrand Violettes du Czar: violet-forward with green citrus undertones, smoky woods, iris in the background@molinardparfums Violette: violet with black currant, bergamot, lemon; layered floral notes@olfactivestudio Violet Shot: green grass, violet leaf, leather, patchouli; violet with edge

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Breaking Barriers: A Journey to the Heart of Culture Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-13-08-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的喜马拉雅山村，美丽而宁静。En: In the autumn, the village in the Himalaya mountains is beautiful and tranquil.Zh: 连和佳正沿着蜿蜒的小径走进这个村庄。En: Lian and Jia walk along the winding path into this village.Zh: 村庄在雪山之间，空气清新，树叶五彩斑斓。En: Nestled among the snow-capped mountains, the air is fresh, and the leaves are in a riot of colors.Zh: 连对文化非常好奇。En: Lian is very curious about cultures.Zh: 她和佳来这里是为了文化交流项目。En: She and Jia came here for a cultural exchange program.Zh: 他们想学习当地人的传统手艺，并与他们建立联系。En: They want to learn the local people's traditional crafts and build connections with them.Zh: 连很兴奋，但也有些担心。En: Lian is excited but also a little worried.Zh: 她不会说当地语言，这让她和村民交流时感到困难。En: She does not speak the local language, which makes communicating with the villagers difficult.Zh: 佳是这次项目的负责人，他比较沉稳。En: Jia, who is the leader of this project, is more composed.Zh: 他告诉连：“不用担心，我们可以用微笑和手势交流。En: He tells Lian, "Don't worry, we can communicate with smiles and gestures."Zh: ”村子里的人都很热情。En: The people in the village are very welcoming.Zh: 连和佳受到了热烈的欢迎。En: Lian and Jia receive a warm welcome.Zh: 村民们邀请他们参观他们的工作坊，那里有很多精美的手工艺品。En: The villagers invite them to visit their workshops, where there are many exquisite handicrafts.Zh: 连对这些手艺非常感兴趣，特别是那些用羊毛编织的毯子和包包。En: Lian is very interested in these crafts, especially the blankets and bags woven from wool.Zh: 虽然语言不通，但连发现了一种沟通方式。En: Although there is a language barrier, Lian discovers a way to communicate.Zh: 她用手势和微笑。En: She uses gestures and smiles.Zh: 她还主动参与村子里的日常活动，和村民一起采集植物，一起学习纺织。En: She also actively participates in the village's daily activities, gathering plants and learning to weave with the villagers.Zh: 慢慢地，她赢得了村民们的信任和友谊。En: Gradually, she wins the villagers' trust and friendship.Zh: 不久后，村子里正好要举办一个传统的节日庆典。En: Soon after, the village is about to hold a traditional festival celebration.Zh: 村民们邀请连参与。En: The villagers invite Lian to participate.Zh: 连决定尝试展示她学会的手艺。En: Lian decides to try and showcase the crafts she has learned.Zh: 她准备了一个小饰品，是她跟村民学做的。En: She prepares a small accessory she learned to make with the villagers.Zh: 在节日那天，连紧张又兴奋。En: On the day of the festival, Lian is nervous and excited.Zh: 她展示了自己的作品，村民们都很惊喜。En: She showcases her work, and the villagers are pleasantly surprised.Zh: 他们为连鼓掌，夸奖她学得很好。En: They applaud Lian and praise her for learning well.Zh: 连的心中充满了喜悦。En: Lian is filled with joy.Zh: 她终于突破了文化和语言的障碍，融入了这个美丽的村庄。En: She has finally broken through cultural and language barriers and has integrated into this beautiful village.Zh: 节日结束后，连和佳离开了村庄。En: After the festival, Lian and Jia leave the village.Zh: 连意识到，她不仅学会了手艺，还学会了如何用心交流。En: Lian realizes that she has learned more than just crafts; she has also learned how to communicate from the heart.Zh: 她变得更加理解和尊重不同的文化，变得更加善于跨文化沟通。En: She has become more understanding and respectful of different cultures, and more adept at cross-cultural communication.Zh: 在回家的路上，连对佳说：“这次文化交流让我学到了很多。En: On their way home, Lian says to Jia, "This cultural exchange has taught me a lot.Zh: 人与人之间，心只有靠近，语言和文化都不是障碍。En: Between people, as long as hearts are close, language and culture are not barriers."Zh: ”佳微笑地点头，同意地说：“是的，这就是文化交流的意义。En: Jia nods with a smile, agreeing, "Yes, that is the meaning of cultural exchange." Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天Himalaya: 喜马拉雅tranquil: 宁静winding: 蜿蜒nestled: 位于curious: 好奇cultural exchange: 文化交流composed: 沉稳exquisite: 精美handicrafts: 手工艺品weave: 编织gestures: 手势participates: 参与gathering: 采集trust: 信任friendship: 友谊festival: 节日celebration: 庆典showcase: 展示accessory: 饰品applaud: 鼓掌praise: 夸奖joy: 喜悦barriers: 障碍integrated: 融入respects: 尊重adept: 善于cross-cultural: 跨文化hearts: 心connections: 联系

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lanterns of Love: Connections Forged in Fenghuang Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-13-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个清凉的秋天，湘西凤凰古城的天空被五彩缤纷的纸灯笼点亮，正值重阳节的喜庆日子。En: On a cool autumn day, the sky over the ancient town of Fenghuang in Xiangxi, was lit up with colorful paper lanterns, celebrating the joyous occasion of the Chongyang Festival.Zh: 古镇的小巷里，一位年轻的历史学者，名叫梁，正漫步走在石板路上。En: In the alleys of the old town, a young historian named Liang was strolling along the stone-paved street.Zh: 他的目光不时停留在那些古老的建筑上，兴奋地记录着自己的观察。En: His gaze frequently lingered on the ancient buildings, excitedly recording his observations.Zh: 梁来到这里是为了研究，但他的心中怀着更深的渴望。En: Liang came here for research, but he harbored a deeper desire in his heart.Zh: 他希望能在这历史悠久的小镇找到一份真实的联系。En: He hoped to find a genuine connection in this historic small town.Zh: 正当梁沉浸在自己的思绪中时，他的目光被一个摊位吸引住了，那是一个精致的纸灯笼摊。En: As Liang was lost in his thoughts, his attention was drawn to a stall—a delicate paper lantern stall.Zh: 制作这些灯笼的是一位名叫美的年轻女艺人。En: Creating these lanterns was a young female artisan named Mei.Zh: 她专注地调整着灯光，细腻的手法充满了艺术的灵魂。En: She focused intently on adjusting the lighting, her delicate technique filled with the soul of art.Zh: 美喜欢独自创作，但她内心深处也渴望有一个人能理解她的作品背后的意义。En: Mei enjoyed creating alone, but deep down she also longed for someone to understand the meaning behind her works.Zh: 梁被灯笼的美丽与艺术打动，忍不住上前询问。En: Touched by the beauty and artistry of the lanterns, Liang couldn't resist stepping forward to inquire.Zh: 美起初有些戒备，她不太信任外地人，担心他们不会理解这些灯笼所承载的文化价值。En: Initially, Mei was a bit wary; she was not very trusting of outsiders, worried they wouldn't understand the cultural value carried by these lanterns.Zh: 然而，梁的真诚与对文化的热爱逐渐打动了她。En: However, Liang's sincerity and love for culture gradually moved her.Zh: 她决定邀请梁来她的工作室，向他展示纸灯笼的制作过程。En: She decided to invite Liang to her studio to show him the paper lantern-making process.Zh: 在美的工作室里，梁目不转睛地看着她如何将一张张简单的纸变为栩栩如生的艺术品。En: In Mei's studio, Liang watched closely as she transformed simple sheets of paper into vivid artworks.Zh: 两人开始谈论起传统与现代，文化的传承与变化。En: They started talking about tradition and modernity, the inheritance and change of culture.Zh: 在这次对话中，梁发现了自己对人际关系的渴求，而美也第一次感受到有人真正理解并欣赏她的艺术。En: Through this conversation, Liang realized his longing for interpersonal relationships, and for the first time, Mei felt truly understood and appreciated for her art.Zh: 夜晚来临，成千上万的纸灯笼沿着沱江漂浮，整个凤凰古城笼罩在美丽的灯海之中。En: As night fell, thousands of paper lanterns floated along the Tuojiang River, enveloping the entire Fenghuang Ancient Town in a beautiful sea of lights.Zh: 灯光闪烁，映照着两人彼此的内心。En: The flickering lights reflected their inner selves.Zh: 梁决定将自己的逗留时间延长，继续他的研究，当然，还要继续发展与美的深厚关系。En: Liang decided to extend his stay, continuing his research and, of course, developing his deep relationship with Mei.Zh: 而美则考虑把梁的历史见解融入她的艺术当中，将两者完美结合。En: Meanwhile, Mei considered integrating Liang's historical insights into her art, perfectly combining the two.Zh: 自此以后，梁不再是只关注学术的学者，他开阔了心胸，欣赏人与人之间的联系。En: From that time on, Liang was no longer just a scholar focused on academia; he opened his heart to appreciate human connections.Zh: 美也开始愿意分享她的艺术和内心，与他人携手合作。En: Mei also began to be willing to share her art and inner self, collaborating with others.Zh: 两颗心在这座古城中找到了属于彼此的归属，共同谱写着一个关于理解与连接的温暖故事。En: In this ancient town, two hearts found their belonging in each other, jointly writing a warm story about understanding and connection. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天ancient: 古老historians: 历史学者strolling: 漫步linger: 停留observations: 观察harbored: 怀着genuine: 真实connection: 联系artisan: 艺人adjusting: 调整technique: 手法filled: 充满resist: 忍不住inquire: 询问wary: 戒备cultural: 文化的sincerity: 真诚insights: 见解studio: 工作室transform: 变为vivid: 栩栩如生interpersonal: 人际flickering: 闪烁extend: 延长belonging: 归属appreciate: 欣赏collaborating: 合作integrating: 结合inheritance: 传承

Anna asks if Zhang Li's parents pressure her to marry. They talk about the cultural expectations in China and less pressure in the UK. They agree marriage and kids should be personal choices, not forced.Want to join maayot.com for more real-life conversations?Use promotion code “Podcast” , get a 50% off today !—————————————————————————————————对话原文：安娜：最近你爸妈还催你结婚吗？张丽：哎，催得我都怕接电话了！哈哈，没有没有，夸张了一点。但是他们还是会时不时问。哎！安娜：都怎么说呢？张丽：每次都说“隔壁谁谁谁都生二胎啦。你还在磨蹭什么？”或者“你不结婚，到时候老了怎么办？”安娜：你也别怪他们，我听说在中国他们那一代人就是觉得人过了三十岁就应该已经“成家立业”了，特别是女人。张丽：我知道啊。可是婚姻不是任务，是选择。我不想将就。安娜：嗯，现在中国离婚率那么高，我看就是有很多年轻人受不了父母的压力，潦潦草草就结婚了吧。这样的婚结得快，散得也快。张丽：对啊，这种事情不能强求。感情需要顺其自然。我真羡慕你们，在英国，你们不会被催婚吧？安娜：不会。我们没有这方面的压力。但是其实家里面不催，自己还是会有一点压力，不会完全没有压力。特别是如果你想要孩子的话，时间不等人，我们的生物钟不会等我们。哎！做女人真难。张丽：你以后想要孩子吗？安娜：我其实都可以。关键要看两人一起的想法。我要也可以，不要也可以。不过我觉得，如果要孩子的话，也一定要等到准备好了才行。张丽：嗯，要为孩子负责，也是为自己负责。结婚也是啊，我们要为自己负责，而不是为别人的期待而活。安娜：嗯，同意。哎？上次和你跳舞的那个青梅竹马怎么样了？你们有再约吗？—————————————————————————————————如果你觉得这个播客有用，请你把它分享给和你一样需要的人。你可以给我们的写下评论，期待你的反馈 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️！！

Links:Read a blog by Lewys, the student I interviewed in Mandarin on the last episode, about his journey to conversational Mandarin in 12 months here: https://imlearningmandarin.com/2025/03/12/lewyss-6-month-transformation-to-conversational-mandarin-video/Learn more about my coaching programme here: https://imlearningmandarin.com/gym--So, over the past six months, I've been coaching Katharine, a busy working mom from Wales who wanted to learn Chinese to connect with her friends and help her son with his Chinese homework. And unlike most people who come to me for coaching, Catherine was starting from ground zero. She tried Duolingo for around a week, but quickly realized that she needed a more systematic approach that would actually enable her to reach her goals. So, Katharine has a demanding career. She's raising a family and she lives in the UK. Hey, so moving to China or dedicating full days to study isn't really an option. And so we set a very specific goal for her first 6 months, which was to establish a rock-solid foundation when it came to pronunciation, tones, and sentence structure. So that meant rather than cramming thousands of random words from HSK lists, focusing on the words that she needed to use herself to talk about, the things that she was interested and wanted to talk about, and making sure she could say those things really well. So making sure that her pronunciation and tones were really good for the things that she wanted to say. And so that's what she's done for the first 6 months, collecting phrases that she actually wants to say and building her own kind of personalized immersion environment where she's immersing in those things that she wants to talk about all the time while walking the dog, commuting to meetings, etc. So, in a moment, we're going to hear a clip of Katherine reading a script that she wrote about whales, entirely in Chinese with excellent tones. And after you hear that clip, I interview Katherine in English about her experience over her first 6 months of learning Chinese. So, now let's listen to Katherine in Chinese on the topic of Wales, where she's from.

In China there's a whole special language reserved for counting out change (and no, Shanghai poddies, we're not talking about Shanghainese!). This is the language where the Chinese word for "to search for" suddenly becomes "to give back money." Learn all the essential Mandarin in this lesson to make sure you get the right change back. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1494

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Lonely Wanderer to Beijing's Warm Embrace Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-12-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的秋天，空气中飘着清新的桂花香，街头巷尾都洋溢着丰收的喜悦。En: In the autumn of Beijing, the air is filled with the fresh scent of osmanthus, and the streets and alleys are bursting with the joy of the harvest.Zh: 在城市的中心，一个热闹非凡的市场挤满了人群，色彩斑斓的摊位犹如美丽的画卷。En: In the heart of the city, a bustling market is crowded with people, and the colorful stalls resemble a beautiful painting.Zh: 李梅，刚移居北京不久，习惯一个人独自探索这座城市。En: Li Mei, who had recently moved to Beijing, was used to exploring the city alone.Zh: 此时，她走进市场，心中满是孤独。En: As she stepped into the market, her heart was full of loneliness.Zh: 市场的喧闹声让她有片刻的迷失，她怀疑这样的大城市是否能给她带来家的感觉。En: The noise of the market momentarily disoriented her, and she doubted whether such a big city could ever feel like home.Zh: 她漫不经心地穿梭在各类水果摊之间，眼前是红艳艳的柿子、栗子，还有用糖浆包裹着的山楂。En: She wandered aimlessly among various fruit stalls, before her were bright red persimmons, chestnuts, and hawthorns coated in syrup.Zh: 她停在一个摊位前，这是陈伟的摊位。他是一个热情的本地小贩，满脸的笑意和充满活力的叫卖声。En: She stopped in front of one stall, which belonged to Chen Wei, a cheerful local vendor with a face full of smiles and a lively voice calling out to the crowd.Zh: “您好，想试试新鲜的秋果吗？”陈伟用充满期待的眼神望着李梅。En: “Hello, would you like to try some fresh autumn fruits?” Chen Wei looked at Li Mei with eyes full of expectation.Zh: 受到突然的询问，李梅有些手足无措，但她勉强挤出一个笑容，“哦，不用了，我只是随便看看。”En: Caught off guard by the sudden inquiry, Li Mei felt a bit flustered, but she managed to squeeze out a smile, “Oh, no thanks, I'm just browsing.”Zh: 时间仿佛暂停在这一刻，李梅心中的窘迫和孤独交织着。En: Time seemed to stand still at that moment, as Li Mei's embarrassment and loneliness intertwined.Zh: 她的朋友刘芳总是通过电话鼓励她，告诉她：北京并不孤单，只要愿意去拥抱它。En: Her friend Liu Fang always encouraged her over the phone, telling her that Beijing is not lonely, just embrace it.Zh: 而今，她似乎需要给自己一个机会。En: Now, it seemed she needed to give herself a chance.Zh: 最终，她决定慢下来，尝试去了解更多。En: Eventually, she decided to slow down and try to learn more.Zh: 她开始与陈伟交谈，问起关于不同水果的来历和口感。En: She began chatting with Chen Wei, asking about the origins and tastes of different fruits.Zh: 这让她意外地感到轻松，也让陈伟的微笑变得更加真诚。En: This made her feel surprisingly comfortable and made Chen Wei's smile even more genuine.Zh: “你尝尝这个，这是我们北京特有的秋果。”陈伟递给李梅一个独特的果子，说，“送给你。”En: “Try this, it's a unique autumn fruit from Beijing.” Chen Wei handed Li Mei a unique fruit, saying, “It's for you.”Zh: 李梅接过果子，心中微微一动。En: Li Mei took the fruit, feeling a slight warmth in her heart.Zh: 她发现，原来陌生城市也可以带给她意想不到的温暖和关怀。En: She realized that a strange city could indeed offer unexpected warmth and kindness.Zh: 就在她即将告别市场时，她和陈伟互留了电话号码。En: Just as she was about to leave the market, she and Chen Wei exchanged phone numbers.Zh: 当李梅走出市场，心情豁然开朗。En: When Li Mei walked out of the market, her mood brightened.Zh: 她意识到，自己不再只是一个孤独的行者，而是一个愿意探寻城市别样魅力的人。En: She realized she was no longer just a lonely wanderer, but someone willing to explore the unique charm of the city.Zh: 这个单身节，她不再觉得孤单，反而期待着生活中更多的可能性。En: This Singles' Day, she no longer felt lonely but was instead looking forward to more possibilities in life.Zh: 这是她与北京的新篇章，也是一个温暖关系的开始。En: This was a new chapter with Beijing, and also the beginning of a warm relationship. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天scent: 香alleys: 巷尾bursting: 洋溢bustling: 热闹非凡crowded: 挤满loneliness: 孤独disoriented: 迷失wandered: 漫不经心地persimmons: 柿子hawthorns: 山楂coated: 包裹vendor: 小贩flustered: 手足无措embrace: 拥抱slow down: 慢下来origins: 来历comfortable: 轻松genuine: 真诚unique: 独特unexpected: 意想不到warmth: 温暖relationship: 关系possibilities: 可能性chapter: 篇章painted: 犹如explore: 探索momentarily: 片刻aimlessly: 随便exchange: 互留

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Embracing Change: A Family's Tea Tradition Reimagined Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-12-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个古老的村庄，秋风轻轻吹过，染红了村口那棵高大的枫树。En: In an ancient village, the autumn breeze gently blew through, dyeing the tall maple tree at the village entrance red.Zh: 李家的茶馆坐落在村子中央，门前挂着“百善茶馆”的牌匾。En: The Li family tea house was located in the center of the village, with a sign reading "Baishan Tea House" hanging at the entrance.Zh: 茶香随风飘散，引来过往行人的注目。En: The fragrance of the tea drifted with the wind, drawing the attention of passersby.Zh: 这一天，是传统的重阳节。En: On this day, it was the traditional Chongyang Festival.Zh: 李家决定举办一个茶会，纪念已故的父母。En: The Li family decided to host a tea gathering to commemorate their deceased parents.Zh: 李伟是家中长子，肩负重任。En: Li Wei, the eldest son of the family, carried heavy responsibilities.Zh: 他的心中有着太多的期待和压力。En: His heart was filled with great expectations and pressure.Zh: 他希望茶会能够完美无瑕，以此来表达对父母的敬意。En: He hoped that the tea gathering would be flawless, as a tribute to his parents.Zh: 梅琳是李伟的妹妹，她总是充满创意和善解人意，愿意为哥哥分担重担。En: Mei Lin was Li Wei's sister; she was always full of creativity and understanding, willing to share her brother's burdens.Zh: 至于最小的弟弟子涵，他活泼好动，喜欢用他无穷的好奇心来探索周围的世界，却常常觉得自己被哥哥姐姐的光环遮盖。En: As for their youngest brother Zi Han, he was lively and active, enjoying using his boundless curiosity to explore the world around him, yet often felt overshadowed by his brother and sister's aura.Zh: 茶馆内，李伟正忙碌地准备茶具，每一个细节他都一丝不苟。En: Inside the tea house, Li Wei was busy preparing the tea sets, meticulously attending to every detail.Zh: 他的眉头紧锁，生怕出一点差错。En: His brows were furrowed, fearing any mistakes.Zh: 梅琳走了过来，轻声说道：“哥哥，或许我们可以在传统中添加一些新的元素，比如用一些现代的茶具，让客人有不同的体验。”En: Mei Lin came over and softly said, "Brother, perhaps we could incorporate some new elements into the tradition, like using some modern tea sets to give guests a different experience."Zh: 李伟迟疑了一下，他一直以来都希望能保持传统，但渐渐意识到这条建议或许是个不错的主意。En: Li Wei hesitated for a moment, as he had always hoped to maintain tradition, but gradually realized this suggestion might be a good idea.Zh: 客人们陆续到来。En: Guests arrived one after another.Zh: 子涵在一旁，用他的故事和热情感染着每一位客人。他的声音里充满了年轻的活力，仿佛秋日的阳光一样明媚。En: Zi Han was off to the side, using his stories and enthusiasm to engage every guest. His voice was full of youthful energy, as bright as the autumn sunshine.Zh: 突如其来的一声“哎呀”，茶壶打翻了，滚烫的茶水洒了一地，众人的目光瞬间集中到了李伟身上。En: Suddenly, there was a cry of “aiya,” and a teapot tipped over, spilling hot tea all over the floor, instantly drawing everyone's gaze to Li Wei.Zh: 李伟深吸了一口气，这是他最害怕的事。En: Li Wei took a deep breath, as this was his worst fear.Zh: 他愣住了，不知如何是好。En: He froze, not knowing what to do.Zh: 这时，梅琳微笑着拿出备用的现代茶具，安抚了客人们的情绪。En: At this moment, Mei Lin smiled and took out a spare modern tea set, calming the guests.Zh: 她轻声对李伟说：“哥哥，有时候灵活变通更难能可贵。”En: She gently said to Li Wei, "Brother, sometimes being flexible and adaptable is more valuable."Zh: 子涵也在一旁帮忙，迅速地擦干了茶水，并继续讲他的故事来吸引大家的注意。En: Zi Han also helped clean up the tea and continued telling his stories to keep everyone entertained.Zh: 经过一番努力，茶会仍然在欢声笑语中继续。En: After some effort, the tea gathering continued amid laughter and joy.Zh: 李伟环顾四周，看着每一个满意的笑脸，感受到一种从未有过的轻松。En: Li Wei looked around at each satisfied face, feeling a relaxation he had never experienced before.Zh: 他意识到，正因为有家人的支持和灵活的应对，这场茶会才格外成功。En: He realized that it was because of his family's support and flexible response that the tea gathering turned out to be especially successful.Zh: 当最后一片夕阳洒在茶馆的木桌上时，李伟感慨地说道：“最重要的是，我们在一起。”En: As the last rays of sunset fell on the wooden tables of the tea house, Li Wei said with emotion, "The most important thing is that we are together."Zh: 他终于学会了接纳他人的帮助，也明白了灵活应对的重要性。En: He finally learned to accept others' help and understood the importance of adaptability.Zh: 家的羁绊，与那些茶香一同，永远留在了他的心中。En: The bonds of family, along with the fragrance of tea, would forever remain in his heart. Vocabulary Words:ancient: 古老entrance: 村口fragrance: 茶香passersby: 过往行人traditional: 传统commemorate: 纪念expectations: 期待responsibilities: 重任pressure: 压力creativity: 创意understanding: 善解人意burdens: 重担active: 好动curiosity: 好奇心overshadowed: 遮盖preparing: 准备meticulously: 一丝不苟furrowed: 紧锁hesitated: 迟疑adaptable: 灵活变通laugh: 欢声笑语content: 满意success: 成功emotion: 感慨flexible: 灵活bonds: 羁绊gathering: 茶会support: 支持valuable: 难能可贵expectations: 期待

Puny Podians Assemble! Ryan and David are back in the Super Secret Spoiler Show vault, this time diving into Iron Man 3—the movie that kicked off Phase 2 and split fans faster than Tony's suits falling apart mid-flight. They're breaking down Shane Black's snarky, Christmas-set spin on the Iron Avenger: the Mandarin twist, PTSD Tony, an army of exploding Extremis soldiers, and a whole lot of suits. From Iron Man 3's divisive legacy to its surprising emotional depth, this episode covers what worked, what whiffed, and why it still sparks debate across MCU fandom. Plus, the usual SSSS chaos—Skrull of the Movie, product placement awards (looking at you, Audi), facial hair rankings, and the eternal question: which role would Nicolas Cage absolutely overact to perfection? Whether you think Iron Man 3 is underrated brilliance or Tony's weakest link, this spoiler-filled deep dive is loaded with armor, attitude, and absurdity. Hit play and let's power up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Connection Beyond the Great Wall on Singles' Day Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-11-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 金秋时节，长城在绚丽的红橙金色树叶衬托下蜿蜒盘绕。En: In the golden autumn season, the Great Wall winds its way through a backdrop of magnificent red, orange, and golden leaves.Zh: 今天是一个阳光明媚的秋天，正好是光棍节。En: Today is a sunny autumn day, just right for Singles' Day.Zh: 梅是一名活泼的导游，她正在带领一群游客参观长城。En: Mei is a lively tour guide leading a group of tourists around the Great Wall.Zh: 虽然笑容满面，但她心里有点孤单。En: Although she wears a bright smile, she feels a bit lonely inside.Zh: 光棍节，她想和别人真正地联系一次，而不是看到每个人都忙着看手机和寻找购物优惠。En: On Singles' Day, she longs for a genuine connection with others, instead of seeing everyone engrossed in their phones and hunting for shopping deals.Zh: 梅带着游客走上长城，她用明亮的声音介绍历史：“据说，古时候长城就像一条巨龙，守护着我们的家园。”En: Mei leads the tourists up onto the Great Wall, introducing its history with a bright voice: "It is said that in ancient times, the Great Wall was like a giant dragon, guarding our homeland."Zh: 然而，大部分游客只是在低头看手机，有的在算着购物折扣，有的拍照发朋友圈。En: Yet, most of the tourists are just looking down at their phones, some calculating shopping discounts, others taking photos to post on social media.Zh: 小梁是这次旅行团里的一名年轻人，他也在看手机。En: Xiao Liang is a young man in this tour group, also looking at his phone.Zh: 不远处的金则是一位历史学者，他对手机并不感兴趣，认真听着梅的介绍。En: Not far away, Jin, a historian, uninterested in his phone, is listening intently to Mei's introduction.Zh: 梅注意到了他眼里的好奇，决定讲述一个个人故事来吸引大家的注意。En: Mei noticed the curiosity in his eyes and decided to share a personal story to capture everyone's attention.Zh: “其实，我第一次来长城是在十年前。”梅轻声说，目光投向远方。En: "In fact, I first came to the Great Wall ten years ago," Mei said softly, her gaze cast into the distance.Zh: “那时候，我在这里认识了一位老人，他告诉我这道墙不仅是防御，更是连接。En: "At that time, I met an old man here who told me that this wall is not just for defense, but also for connection.Zh: 当年战士们在这里守护家园，他们之间的友谊和信任就是我们今天的文化根基。”En: Back then, soldiers guarded their homeland here, and their friendship and trust are the foundation of our culture today."Zh: 这时，金抬起了头，望向梅，显然被她的话打动了。En: At this moment, Jin lifted his head, looking at Mei, clearly moved by her words.Zh: 他走到梅身边，低声说：“能告诉我更多吗？关于长城的人情故事。”En: He walked over to Mei and quietly said, "Can you tell me more? About the human stories of the Great Wall."Zh: 梅很高兴地开始与金交流，他们分享彼此对历史和文化的热爱。En: Mei happily started to converse with Jin, sharing their love for history and culture.Zh: 随着话题的深入，周围的游客似乎也渐渐被吸引，放下了手机，开始听两人讲述。En: As the conversation deepened, the surrounding tourists seemed to be drawn in as well, putting down their phones and starting to listen to the two's storytelling.Zh: 当天的游览结束时，梅和金互相留下了联系方式。En: By the end of the day's tour, Mei and Jin had exchanged contact information.Zh: 他们计划再次见面，继续在长城下的故事中寻找历史的脉动。En: They planned to meet again to continue uncovering the pulse of history in the stories beneath the Great Wall.Zh: 梅看着手中的联系方式，心里温暖了许多。En: Looking at the contact information in her hand, Mei felt much warmer inside.Zh: 她明白，哪怕是在意想不到的时刻，真正的联系也是可以发生的。En: She understood that even in the most unexpected moments, genuine connections can happen.Zh: 长城依旧守望着大地，而梅终于在偌大的世界里感受到了温暖的连接。En: The Great Wall continues to stand watch over the land, and Mei finally felt the warmth of connection in this vast world. Vocabulary Words:winding: 蜿蜒magnificent: 绚丽backdrop: 衬托lively: 活泼genuine: 真正engrossed: 忙着defense: 防御foundation: 根基converse: 交流uncovering: 寻找curiosity: 好奇human stories: 人情故事engulfed: 沉浸intertwined: 交织pulse: 脉动historians: 历史学者solar term: 节气homeland: 家园gaze: 目光intonation: 腔调detachment: 疏离profound: 深刻immerse: 浸入amidst: 在…中melancholy: 忧郁transcend: 超越reminisce: 回忆exhilaration: 愉快resonance: 共鸣legacy: 遗产

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Fog, Friends, and the Hidden Orchid: A Tale of Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-11-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 雾气笼罩下的沼泽似乎隐匿着无尽的秘密，空气中弥漫着泥土和淡淡甜味的香气。En: The swamp shrouded in mist seemed to hide endless secrets, and the air was filled with the scent of earth and a faint sweetness.Zh: 青翠的植被和蓬松的地衣在雾中朦胧不清，让整个沼泽显得既神秘又美丽。En: The lush vegetation and fluffy lichens appeared vague in the fog, making the entire swamp both mysterious and beautiful.Zh: 这里，是金、梅和伟春季野外考察的地点。En: This was the location for Jin, Mei, and Wei's spring field study.Zh: 金是个内向的学生，常被活泼的梅和伟掩盖光芒。En: Jin was an introverted student, often overshadowed by the lively Mei and Wei.Zh: 他心中怀抱对大自然的热爱，尤其对那传说中只在沼泽中生长的珍贵兰花充满憧憬。En: He harbored a love for nature, especially for the rare orchid that was said to grow only in the swamp.Zh: 他渴望找到那朵兰花，证明他也可以实现非凡之事。En: He longed to find that orchid, to prove that he too could achieve extraordinary things.Zh: 这一天，金与梅、伟跟随老师的脚步走入这片迷雾环绕的神秘地带。En: On this day, Jin followed the teacher into this fog-encircled, mysterious area along with Mei and Wei.Zh: 老师强调队伍必须始终保持在一起，但金心里却另有打算。En: The teacher emphasized that the group must always stay together, but Jin had other plans in mind.Zh: 他注意到一条隐蔽的小径，似乎通往更深处。En: He noticed a hidden path that seemed to lead deeper in.Zh: 他停下脚步，心中犹豫不决。En: He stopped, hesitating.Zh: 梅和伟在一旁欢声笑语，时不时制造些小麻烦，分散了队伍的注意力。En: Mei and Wei laughed and joked nearby, occasionally causing some small troubles that distracted the group.Zh: 金借此机会，偷偷决定循着那条小径，寻找心中的宝藏。En: Taking advantage of this, Jin secretly decided to follow that path in search of his treasure.Zh: 浓雾遮挡住视线，金小心翼翼前行。En: The thick fog obscured his view, and Jin cautiously moved forward.Zh: 寂静的沼泽只留下他踩过沾满露水的树叶声，仿佛进入了另一个世界。En: The silent swamp only echoed the sound of his feet on dew-covered leaves, as if he had stepped into another world.Zh: 他心中的期待与不安不断交织，他开始怀疑自己。En: His anticipation and anxiety intertwined, and he began to doubt himself.Zh: 终于，他在一处隐秘的角落发现了那朵稀有的兰花。En: Finally, he discovered the rare orchid in a secluded corner.Zh: 它在雾气中绽放，如同世外桃源中的至宝，绚丽无比。En: It bloomed in the mist, like a treasure from a utopia, stunningly beautiful.Zh: 金的成就感如潮水般涌上心头，但很快，他意识到自己不知道如何回到伙伴们身边。En: A sense of achievement surged through Jin, but soon, he realized he didn't know how to return to his companions.Zh: 就在慌乱无措时，远处传来梅和伟焦急的呼喊声。En: Just as he was feeling panic and helplessness, he heard the anxious shouts of Mei and Wei in the distance.Zh: 金激动地回应，顺着声音穿过层层迷雾，终于与队伍重聚。En: Jin excitedly responded, following their voices through the dense fog, and finally reuniting with the group.Zh: 当他向大家展示那朵兰花时，梅和伟对他的勇气和成就表示钦佩。En: When he showed everyone the orchid, Mei and Wei admired his courage and achievement.Zh: 从那一刻起，金不再感到自卑。En: From that moment on, Jin no longer felt inferior.Zh: 他明白，真正的价值来自于他自己的追求和能力，而不是他人的期待。En: He understood that true value came from his own pursuit and ability, not from others' expectations.Zh: 在返回的路上，金步伐轻快，心情舒畅。En: On the way back, Jin's steps were light and his mood buoyant.Zh: 他在这次沼泽探险中不仅收获了珍贵的兰花，更得到了自信和两位好朋友的珍贵情谊。En: In this swamp adventure, he not only found the precious orchid but also gained confidence and the precious friendship of his two good friends. Vocabulary Words:swamp: 沼泽mist: 雾气shrouded: 笼罩secrets: 秘密scent: 香气lush: 青翠vegetation: 植被lichens: 地衣fog: 雾mysterious: 神秘introverted: 内向overshadowed: 掩盖harbored: 怀抱orchid: 兰花extraordinary: 非凡emphasized: 强调hesitating: 犹豫obscured: 遮挡anticipation: 期待anxiety: 不安intertwined: 交织secluded: 隐秘utopia: 世外桃源achievement: 成就helplessness: 无措panic: 慌乱anxious: 焦急admired: 钦佩inferior: 自卑pursuit: 追求

Today on the All In series of the R2Kast I was joined by Nicholas Duffy

After 300 days of secretly studying Chinese, one guy surprises his partner with phrases like “the cheesecake is grieving” and “the purple elephant eats passion for breakfast.” It's a bit humorous, but it also highlights a bigger issue: extreme learning methods that feel productive but fall flat in practice.In this episode, Jared and John dive into seven common extremes they've seen (and lived) in the world of learning Chinese. From bingeing flashcards or grammar rules to over-relying on Duolingo or doing nothing but watch TV in Mandarin, these extremes can slow your progress, or worse, burn you out completely.Drawing on personal experience, stories from past podcast guests, and insights from language learning experts like Paul Nation, the hosts break down what works, what backfires, and how to build a more balanced and effective approach to learning Chinese.If you're stuck, overwhelmed, or questioning your methods, this episode will help you get back on track.Links from the episode:“Burnout, Breakthrough, and Fluency: Chaniece's Story” | YCLC Podcast“Vocab Apps and Learner Engagement” – Jonathan Covey Interview | YCLC Podcast“Steven Kaufmann “The Linguist” Interview” | YCLC PodcastHack Chinese | Modern flashcardsMandarin Companion Graded Readers

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Blending Tradition and Innovation: A Unique Tea Ceremony at Xihu Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-10-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个金黄色的秋天，杭州的西湖边微风轻拂，鸟鸣声声，红黄的叶子点缀着湖面。En: In a golden autumn, by the shore of Xihu in Hangzhou, a gentle breeze blows, birdcalls echo, and red and yellow leaves adorn the surface of the lake.Zh: 李伟是一位专注的茶艺师，珍视茶道的传承。En: Li Wei is a dedicated tea master who cherishes the traditions of the tea ceremony.Zh: 他身穿传统的中式服装，准备在湖边进行一场特别的茶艺展示，引来许多游客驻足。En: Dressed in traditional Chinese attire, he is preparing to present a special tea ceremony by the lake, attracting many tourists to stop and watch.Zh: 李伟的好朋友张敏来了。En: Li Wei's good friend, Zhang Min, arrived.Zh: 张敏性格开朗，总是能找到新点子。En: With her cheerful personality, she always finds new ideas.Zh: 她曾向李伟提议，把一些现代元素融入茶艺中，比如结合音乐或现代服饰，这样可能更能吸引年轻游客。En: She once suggested to Li Wei to incorporate some modern elements into the tea ceremony, such as incorporating music or modern attire, which might attract younger tourists.Zh: “李伟，我们可以试试与众不同的方法，”张敏说，眼中充满期待，“这样更多人会了解茶道之美。En: "Li Wei, we could try some different methods," Zhang Min said, her eyes full of anticipation, "so that more people will appreciate the beauty of the tea ceremony."Zh: ”李伟有些犹豫，他担心改变会失去茶艺的传统韵味。En: Li Wei was a bit hesitant; he worried that changes might lose the traditional charm of the tea ceremony.Zh: 他心里挣扎，是坚持传统，还是听取张敏的建议？En: He struggled internally on whether to stick to tradition or to follow Zhang Min's advice.Zh: 时间一点点过去，晴空的太阳悄悄地发生了变化。En: As time passed, the sunny sky subtly changed.Zh: 一天，湖边游客络绎不绝。En: One day, the lakeside was bustling with tourists.Zh: 李伟灵机一动，决定在茶道中加入张敏建议的现代元素，但保持茶艺的核心传统。En: Li Wei had a sudden idea and decided to incorporate the modern elements suggested by Zhang Min into the tea ceremony while preserving its core traditions.Zh: 于是，他开始为游客讲述茶的悠久历史及背后的故事。En: He began sharing the ancient history and stories behind tea with the visitors.Zh: 张敏则在一旁，用生动的语言为大家讲解。En: Zhang Min, on the side, vividly explained to everyone.Zh: 游客们一边品尝香浓的茶汤，一边听着李伟与张敏娓娓道来的故事，神情专注而兴奋。En: As tourists savored the fragrant tea, they listened attentively to the stories told by Li Wei and Zhang Min, absorbed and excited.Zh: 他们用心感受茶道与历史的交融。En: They wholeheartedly experienced the fusion of the tea ceremony and history.Zh: 在湖水与秋日阳光的映衬下，这场别开生面的茶艺展得到了大家的好评。En: Against the backdrop of the lake and autumn sunlight, this unique tea ceremony was well-received by all.Zh: 李伟满意地笑了。En: Li Wei smiled with satisfaction.Zh: 他意识到，传统与创新并不冲突，只要用心结合，传统的茶艺不仅能保留，反而能更加焕发光彩。En: He realized that tradition and innovation are not in conflict; with thoughtful integration, the traditional tea ceremony can not only be preserved but can radiate even more brilliance.Zh: 他与张敏相视而笑，心中充满成就感。En: He and Zhang Min exchanged smiles, filled with a sense of achievement.Zh: 在这雅致的秋日午后，西湖边的茶道因他们的合作而增添了新的色彩。En: On this elegant autumn afternoon, the tea ceremony by the Xihu was enriched with new colors thanks to their collaboration.Zh: 传统的绵延中，创新的火花点亮了更多人的心灵。En: Amid the continuity of tradition, sparks of innovation illuminated the hearts of many. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天breeze: 微风dedicated: 专注的cherish: 珍视attire: 服装ceremony: 仪式incorporate: 融入anticipation: 期待hesitant: 犹豫charm: 韵味struggled: 挣扎bustling: 络绎不绝vividly: 生动地absorbed: 专注fragrant: 香浓的savored: 品尝fusion: 交融brilliance: 光彩satisfaction: 满意achievement: 成就感elegant: 雅致的enriched: 增添collaboration: 合作continuity: 绵延illuminated: 点亮shore: 湖边echo: 声声adorn: 点缀master: 师preserve: 保留

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Autumn's Brush and Lens: A Creative Romance at West Lake Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-10-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 莲站在西湖边上，轻轻按下快门，她的相机记录下秋天的美丽色彩。En: Lian stood by West Lake, gently pressing the shutter, her camera capturing the beautiful colors of autumn.Zh: 空气中飘着桂花香，让她感到宁静和满足。En: The air was filled with the scent of osmanthus, which made her feel peaceful and content.Zh: 她爱自然，也爱拍摄自然。En: She loved nature and also loved photographing it.Zh: 这时，不远处有个男生正用铅笔在速写本上画画。En: Not far away, there was a young man sketching with a pencil on his pad.Zh: 他是伟，一个内心丰富的艺术家，常常来杭州寻找灵感。En: He was Wei, an artist with a rich inner world, who often came to Hangzhou seeking inspiration.Zh: 今天，他的画是为了捕捉西湖秋天的韵味。En: Today, his drawing was an attempt to capture the charm of West Lake in autumn.Zh: 莲继续拍摄，她专注于捕捉那一抹金黄的枫叶。En: Lian continued her photography, focused on capturing a touch of golden maple leaves.Zh: 伟也抬起头来，注意到莲的存在。En: Wei also looked up and noticed Lian's presence.Zh: 他微笑着走向她，轻声问：“你也在捕捉秋天的美吗？”En: He smiled and approached her, softly asking, "Are you capturing the beauty of autumn too?"Zh: 莲有些警惕。En: Lian was a bit cautious.Zh: 她并不喜欢太多的人知道她拍摄的位置，她担心如果太多人知道，这些特别的地方就会失去意义。En: She didn't like too many people knowing her photography locations because she feared that if too many people knew, these special places would lose their significance.Zh: “是的，我在找一个完美的瞬间。”莲回答，语气中带着些许防备。En: "Yes, I'm looking for a perfect moment," Lian replied, with a hint of wariness in her tone.Zh: “我也是，”伟说，“我想找到可以启发我下一幅画的灵感。”他说完，继续在速写本上涂抹。En: "So am I," Wei said, "I'm looking for inspiration for my next painting." After saying this, he continued sketching on his pad.Zh: 接下来的几天，莲和伟偶尔在同一个地点相遇。En: In the following days, Lian and Wei occasionally encountered each other at the same location.Zh: 他们没有过多交流，只是各自专心工作。En: They didn't converse much, just focused on their own work.Zh: 但慢慢地，莲观察到伟和她一样，对光影和色彩极为敏感。En: But gradually, Lian noticed that Wei, like her, was highly sensitive to light and color.Zh: 有一次，莲在拍摄时，弄丢了镜头盖。En: Once, while Lian was shooting, she lost a lens cap.Zh: 伟帮她找到了，并递给她。En: Wei found it for her and handed it back.Zh: 莲谢过他，二人微笑对视。En: Lian thanked him, and the two exchanged a smile.Zh: 莲开始觉得可以信任伟，因为他理解并珍惜这些风景。En: Lian began to feel she could trust Wei because he understood and cherished these sceneries.Zh: “如果你愿意，可以看看我的画。”伟鼓起勇气说。En: "If you want, you can take a look at my painting," Wei mustered the courage to say.Zh: 他的手微微颤抖，内心有些不安。En: His hands trembled slightly, and he felt a bit uneasy.Zh: 莲看了看画，发现他将秋天的颜色和光线描绘得无比生动。En: Lian looked at the painting and found that he depicted the colors and lights of autumn incredibly vividly.Zh: 她对伟说：“你的画很美。”En: She said to Wei, "Your painting is beautiful."Zh: 一天傍晚，西湖的夕阳格外美丽。En: One evening, the sunset on West Lake was exceptionally stunning.Zh: 莲按下快门，屏幕上显示出她想要的画面。En: Lian pressed the shutter, and the image displayed on the screen was exactly what she wanted.Zh: 与此同时，伟也完成了他的速写。En: At the same time, Wei finished his sketch.Zh: 二人互相展示自己的作品，发现它们是如此契合。En: They showed each other their work and found they matched so well.Zh: 这次，他们决定合作一个项目，用摄影和绘画共同展现杭州的秋天之美。En: This time, they decided to collaborate on a project, using both photography and painting to present the beauty of Hangzhou in autumn.Zh: 他们一起工作，分享见解，互相激励。En: They worked together, shared insights, and inspired each other.Zh: 莲变得愿意分享她的创作过程，她从合作中找到了乐趣。En: Lian became willing to share her creative process, finding joy in the collaboration.Zh: 而伟也愈发自信，知道自己的艺术是有意义的。En: Meanwhile, Wei grew more confident, knowing his art was meaningful.Zh: 西湖的秋天，见证了莲和伟的成长与相遇，也见证了他们的爱与创作。En: The autumn of West Lake witnessed the growth and meeting of Lian and Wei, and also their love and creation.Zh: 西湖边，风景依旧，人影成双。En: By the lakeside, the scenery remained unchanged, while the figures now walked in pairs. Vocabulary Words:capture: 捕捉autumn: 秋天scent: 香osmanthus: 桂花content: 满足sketching: 画画pencil: 铅笔inspiration: 灵感charm: 韵味presence: 存在wary: 警惕perfect: 完美wariness: 防备encountered: 相遇converse: 交流sensitive: 敏感lens cap: 镜头盖cherished: 珍惜mustered: 鼓起trembled: 颤抖depicted: 描绘vividly: 生动stunning: 美丽exceptionally: 格外collaborate: 合作project: 项目insights: 见解growth: 成长meeting: 相遇figures: 人影

This morning, in between recording sessions, I checked out what was headlining on Drudge. And right there was the leading story, "Let Them Eat Steak." You can imagine what the piece was about. This made me think, what a perfect time to post this Chinese Saying podcast episode.  I released this one on Patreon and CHP Premium a while back. It's more or less the Chinese version of this Drudge headline. I know, I know, a lot of you, because you don't speak Chinese, despite how you feel about me, never give this Chinese Sayings Podcast a chance. The thing about these "chengyu" Chinese idioms or proverbs, whether you remember them or not, is that they all have interesting and amusing stories that are all rooted in ancient or classical Chinese history. It's true that if you are a Mandarin speaker, you might appreciate these idioms more. But give it a chance and see if you like it.  This one here, 何不食肉糜 Hébù Shí Ròumí, is regretfully a Chinese Saying that never goes out of style. This one is kind of China's version of Marie Antoinette's famous words never spoken, "Let them eat cake." This is a good one from the late 2nd to early 3rd century. And you can still use it in 2025. And being a betting man, it will most likely work well in 2026 too! Enjoy!

Today's Episode:A Tibetan boy from a small town became famous across China — all because of one smile. In this episode, discover who Ding Zhen is, why people loved him, and why some later criticised him. A story about fame, purity, and being yourself.Today's episode is sponsored by Maayot Chinese, a graded Chinese reading platform packed with many helpful features. Explore it and find out more!Membership Preview:A smile made Ding Zhen famous across China, but what does his story tell us about China's “internet celebrity economy”? In next MaoMi Chinese+ episode, we explore how online fame brings both opportunity and pressure. Would you want to be an influencer?Support MaoMi & Get exclusive   to premium content!https://www.buzzsprout.com/1426696/subscribe ↗️Transcript and translations are available on https://maomichinese.comInterested in any topics? Leave me a message on: https://maomichinese.com or https://www.instagram.com/maomichinese/?hl=en*Please note that Spotify does not support the membership program.Text me what you think :)Support the show

This morning, in between recording sessions, I checked out what was headlining on Drudge. And right there was the leading story, "Let Them Eat Steak." You can imagine what the piece was about. This made me think, what a perfect time to post this Chinese Saying podcast episode.  I released this one on Patreon and CHP Premium a while back. It's more or less the Chinese version of this Drudge headline. I know, I know, a lot of you, because you don't speak Chinese, despite how you feel about me, never give this Chinese Sayings Podcast a chance. The thing about these "chengyu" Chinese idioms or proverbs, whether you remember them or not, is that they all have interesting and amusing stories that are all rooted in ancient or classical Chinese history. It's true that if you are a Mandarin speaker, you might appreciate these idioms more. But give it a chance and see if you like it.  This one here, 何不食肉糜 Hébù Shí Ròumí, is regretfully a Chinese Saying that never goes out of style. This one is kind of China's version of Marie Antoinette's famous words never spoken, "Let them eat cake." This is a good one from the late 2nd to early 3rd century. And you can still use it in 2025. And being a betting man, it will most likely work well in 2026 too! Enjoy!

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Journey Through Time: Finding Inspiration in the Forbidden City Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-09-23-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的阳光洒在北京的紫禁城，金灿灿的光辉笼罩着整个皇家宫殿。En: The autumn sunshine bathed Beijing's Forbidden City, casting a golden glow over the entire royal palace.Zh: 今天，学校组织了一次特别的秋季郊游，带领学生们走进这座饱含历史的古建筑。En: Today, the school organized a special autumn outing, leading students into this historical ancient structure.Zh: 莲、凯和美也是这次郊游的成员，他们三人行走在宫殿宽敞而古老的道路上。En: Lian, Kai, and Mei were also part of this outing, walking along the spacious and ancient paths of the palace.Zh: 莲是一个沉默寡言的学生。En: Lian is a quiet and reserved student.Zh: 他对中国古代历史有着浓厚的兴趣，特别着迷于紫禁城的故事。En: He has a deep interest in ancient Chinese history, particularly fascinated by the stories of the Forbidden City.Zh: 他有一个秘密的愿望：为学校的艺术比赛创作一幅画，完美呈现中华古文化的精髓。En: He has a secret wish: to create a painting for the school's art competition that perfectly captures the essence of traditional Chinese culture.Zh: 这幅画将是他表达故宫魅力的方式。En: This painting will be his way of expressing the charm of the Forbidden City.Zh: 然而，莲的朋友凯和美对此并没有太多兴趣。En: However, Lian's friends Kai and Mei are not as interested.Zh: 他们的手机不时闪烁，拍下每一个有趣的角落，更多的是为了关心社交媒体上的点赞数。En: Their phones frequently flash, capturing every interesting corner, mostly concerned with the number of likes on social media.Zh: 莲感到有些失落，他担心自己能否抓住他所钟爱的文化的神韵。En: Lian felt somewhat disappointed and worried about whether he could capture the spirit of the culture he loves.Zh: “我想一个人到处看看，可以吗？”莲对凯和美说。En: "I'd like to look around by myself, is that okay?" Lian asked Kai and Mei.Zh: 两位朋友点了点头，自顾自忙着拍照。En: The two friends nodded, busily taking photos on their own.Zh: 莲孤身走在阴影斑驳的墙边，呼吸着充满历史气息的空气。En: Lian walked alone along the shadowed, mottled walls, breathing in the air filled with historical ambiance.Zh: 阳光穿过宫殿的雕花窗棂，在青石地上投下了复杂的光影。En: Sunlight streamed through the palace's carved windows, casting complex shadows on the bluestone ground.Zh: 独自走着，莲在一个安静的院落前停下。En: Walking by himself, Lian stopped in front of a quiet courtyard.Zh: 他透过半开的门，看到一群舞者正在排练。En: Through a half-opened door, he saw a group of dancers rehearsing.Zh: 他们着传统的服饰，动作轻盈而优雅，似乎在为即将到来的中秋节演出做准备。En: They wore traditional costumes, moving gracefully and elegantly, seemingly preparing for an upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival performance.Zh: 莲站在那里，静静地观看。他感到无比的震撼与启发，仿佛某种灵感在心中涌动。En: Lian stood there, quietly watching, feeling incredibly moved and inspired, as if a surge of inspiration was welling up inside him.Zh: 满怀激动，莲赶回凯和美身边。En: Filled with excitement, Lian hurried back to Kai and Mei.Zh: 他将自己所见的告诉他们，脸上洋溢着从未有过的自信。En: He shared what he had seen with them, his face radiating a newfound confidence.Zh: 三人一起回到那个小院，看到舞者继续练习。En: The three of them returned to that small courtyard, watching the dancers continue their practice.Zh: 一时间，凯和美也被那古老的文化之美吸引住了。En: For a moment, Kai and Mei were also captivated by the beauty of the ancient culture.Zh: 当他们离开紫禁城时，夕阳已经染红了整个天空。En: As they left the Forbidden City, the sunset had already turned the entire sky red.Zh: 莲知道他终于抓住了自己想要的灵感。En: Lian knew he had finally captured the inspiration he sought.Zh: 他不再犹豫，迫不及待地想要在画布上展现自己心中的紫禁城。En: He no longer hesitated and couldn't wait to portray the Forbidden City in his heart on canvas.Zh: 而凯和美，也开始欣赏他们共同的遗产，感受到那悠久历史的魅力。En: And Kai and Mei, too, began to appreciate their shared heritage, feeling the allure of the long-standing history.Zh: 正是在这次旅行中，他们发现，紫禁城不仅是一个建筑，更是一段故事，是历史长河中的珍贵一页。En: It was during this trip that they realized the Forbidden City was not just a building but a story, a precious page in the river of history.Zh: 而莲，终于找到了将这份历史与文化之美用画笔表现出来的勇气和信心。En: And Lian, at last, found the courage and confidence to express this beauty of history and culture with his paintbrush. Vocabulary Words:bathed: 洒casting: 笼罩reserved: 沉默寡言fascinated: 着迷charm: 魅力capturing: 抓住spirit: 神韵shadowed: 阴影斑驳mottled: 斑驳ambiance: 气息carved: 雕花complex: 复杂courtyard: 院落gracefully: 轻盈elegantly: 优雅surge: 涌动inspiration: 灵感newfound: 从未有过captivated: 吸引allure: 吸引力heritage: 遗产portray: 展现hesitated: 犹豫precious: 珍贵page: 一页river: 长河courage: 勇气confidence: 信心express: 表现sunshine: 阳光

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Solitude: A Student's Journey at the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-09-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天，长城在阳光下闪烁着金色的光辉。En: In the autumn, the Great Wall of China glimmered with a golden sheen under the sunlight.Zh: 一群学生们兴奋地在这古老的长城上来回穿梭。En: A group of students excitedly wandered back and forth on this ancient wall.Zh: 李伟、陈和君是这次学校秋季旅行中的一员。En: Li Wei and Chen Hejun were part of the school's autumn trip.Zh: 他们跟随老师一边走，一边听讲解古老长城的历史。En: They followed the teacher, listening to the explanation of the Great Wall's history as they walked.Zh: 但是，李伟却心不在焉。En: However, Li Wei seemed distracted.Zh: 他对长城的兴趣与日俱增，想要独自一人走走，感受历史的痕迹。En: His interest in the Great Wall grew by the day, and he wanted to walk alone and feel the traces of history.Zh: 可是，同学们的喧闹声和自拍照让他有些烦躁。En: Yet, the noise from his classmates and their selfies made him a bit irritable.Zh: 他想要找个属于自己的安静时刻。En: He wanted to find a quiet moment for himself.Zh: 他看了看周围，然后做出了一个大胆的决定。En: He looked around and then made a bold decision.Zh: “我只需要一会儿，”李伟心想。En: "I just need a moment," Li Wei thought.Zh: 他悄悄地离开了大部队，沿着一个小道走去。En: He quietly left the main group and set out along a small path.Zh: 走了一会儿，李伟发现一个安静的角落。En: After walking for a while, Li Wei discovered a quiet corner.Zh: 这里视野开阔，大地的辽阔与长城的雄伟让他心安宁静。En: The open view and the vastness of the land, combined with the grandeur of the Great Wall, brought him peace and tranquility.Zh: 他闭上眼睛，感受着脚下石头的历史厚重感，仿佛穿越时空，与古人在对话。En: He closed his eyes, feeling the heavy sense of history beneath his feet, as if he were traveling through time, conversing with the ancients.Zh: 这一刻，李伟感受到了一种从未有过的亲近感。En: At this moment, Li Wei felt a sense of closeness he had never experienced before.Zh: 他想起了中秋节，这个合家团圆的日子。En: He thought of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a day for family reunions.Zh: 这片风景似乎在对他说，历史总是连接着我们的过去与现在。En: The scenery seemed to speak to him, saying that history always connects our past with the present.Zh: 时间过得很快，李伟知道该回去了。En: Time passed quickly, and Li Wei knew it was time to return.Zh: 他向远处最后看了一会儿，仿佛牢牢记住这一刻的感动。En: He looked into the distance one last time, as if to firmly remember this touching moment.Zh: 然后，他迅速返回到队伍中。En: Then, he quickly returned to the group.Zh: 刚好，老师正在召集学生准备回程。En: Just in time, the teacher was gathering the students to prepare for the return journey.Zh: 陈和君看到李伟，调皮地问道：“去哪儿啦，你没有迷路吧？”En: Chen Hejun saw Li Wei and playfully asked, "Where did you go? You didn't get lost, did you?"Zh: 李伟微微一笑，没有说话。En: Li Wei smiled slightly, not saying a word.Zh: 他感觉到了一种新的力量，寻找属于自己的方向。En: He felt a new strength, aiming to find his own path.Zh: 尽管旅途结束了，但李伟内心的那份宁静与喜悦却长久地伴随着他。En: Although the trip was over, the peace and joy inside Li Wei stayed with him for a long time.Zh: 他意识到，追随内心的旅程同样重要。En: He realized that following the journey of the heart was equally important.Zh: 而这次长城之旅，让他更加坚定地走在自己的路上。En: And this trip to the Great Wall made him more determined to walk on his own path. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天glimmered: 闪烁sheen: 光辉ancient: 古老distracted: 心不在焉irritable: 烦躁bold: 大胆tranquility: 宁静grandeur: 雄伟conversing: 对话closeness: 亲近感reunions: 团圆connecting: 连接journey: 旅程touching: 感动determined: 坚定wandering: 穿梭explanation: 讲解irritable: 烦躁quiet: 安静path: 小道corner: 角落vastness: 辽阔peace: 心安ancients: 古人strength: 力量reunions: 团圆enjoyment: 喜悦followed: 跟随conversation: 对话

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Underground Quest: Unraveling the Secrets of a Hidden Mall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-08-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在距离地表遥远的地下，嘉豪和丽玲漫步在幽暗的购物中心。En: Far beneath the earth's surface, Jiahao and Liling strolled through a dimly lit shopping mall.Zh: 四周的墙壁上还有着过去时代的广告，在昏暗的灯光下显得模糊不清。En: The walls around them were still adorned with advertisements from a bygone era, appearing obscured under the faint lighting.Zh: 空气凉飕飕的，脚步声在寂静的长廊中回响。En: The air was chilly, and their footsteps echoed through the silent corridors.Zh: 感谢节快到了，社区正在筹备一个盛大的盛宴，嘉豪和丽玲想为社区游戏之夜找到一个特别的奖品：一个古董玩具店的瑰宝。En: With Thanksgiving approaching, the community was preparing a grand feast, and Jiahao and Liling wanted to find a special prize for the community's game night: a treasure from an antique toy store.Zh: 黄叶如蝶舞动，尽管在地底深处，人们依旧用心纪念秋季。En: Yellow leaves danced like butterflies, and even deep underground, people still took care to commemorate the autumn season.Zh: 嘉豪，充满冒险精神，一直想在丽玲面前展示自己聪明的一面。En: Jiahao, brimming with a sense of adventure, always wanted to show his clever side in front of Liling.Zh: 而丽玲聪慧且机智，享受每一次挑战的乐趣，但心底最珍惜的，还是他们的友谊。En: And Liling, intelligent and witty, enjoyed the thrill of each challenge, but most cherished their friendship at heart.Zh: 他们站在购物中心的一端，计划如何穿越这片曾经繁华的地带。En: Standing at one end of the shopping center, they planned how to traverse what was once a bustling area.Zh: 嘉豪望着前方的走廊，说：“我知道有一条捷径，虽然有些风险，但我们可以更快到达。”En: Jiahao looked down the hallway ahead and said, “I know a shortcut. It's a bit risky, but we can reach our destination faster.”Zh: 丽玲眨了眨眼，微微一笑。“我们试试看吧。我倒想看看你说的捷径有多神奇。”En: Liling blinked and smiled slightly. "Let's give it a try. I want to see just how amazing this shortcut of yours is."Zh: 他们穿过废弃的百货公司，一路躲避废弃的家具和残破的展示柜。En: They passed through an abandoned department store, carefully avoiding discarded furniture and broken display cases.Zh: 时间一点点流逝，他们的心情从最初的轻松变得紧张起来，因为夜间的安保即将启动。En: As time ticked by, their initial ease turned to tension, for the nighttime security was about to activate.Zh: 终于，他们来到了那传说中的玩具店前。En: Finally, they arrived at the fabled toy store.Zh: 可就在他们互相庆贺时，嘉豪一不小心踢到了一个落满灰尘的传感器，突然警报声大作。En: But just as they were celebrating their success, Jiahao accidentally kicked a dust-covered sensor, and suddenly, an alarm blared.Zh: 丽玲眉头紧锁，迅速环顾四周寻求解脱之法。En: Liling's brow furrowed as she quickly scanned the area for a way to disable it.Zh: “嘉豪，我们必须马上关掉这个警报，否则会把所有保安系统都引来！”En: “Jiahao, we must shut off this alarm immediately, or it will attract the entire security system!”Zh: 嘉豪点头，看到墙角有个通往天花板的小梯子，立刻动作敏捷地爬了上去，试图找出警报控制装置。En: Jiahao nodded and spotted a small ladder leading to the ceiling in the corner.Zh: 而丽玲则查看店内的管道，希望找到出路。En: He swiftly climbed up in an attempt to find the alarm control device, while Liling checked the store's ducts looking for an escape.Zh: 就在来不及的时候，嘉豪用手中的工具巧妙地将警报线切断，整个楼层又恢复了宁静。En: Just in the nick of time, Jiahao skillfully cut the alarm wire with a tool in his hand, and the entire floor returned to silence.Zh: 两人松了口气，终于得以进入玩具店寻找奖品。En: They exhaled in relief, finally able to enter the toy store to search for the prize.Zh: 在一层层蒙尘的玩具中，他们找到了一套完好的棋盘游戏和几个老式玩具，一定会让社区的孩子们开心不已。En: Among layers of dusty toys, they found an intact board game and several vintage toys, sure to delight the community's children.Zh: 怀揣宝物，他们安全返回社区，刚好赶上感谢节的盛宴。En: Carrying the treasures, they safely returned to the community just in time for the Thanksgiving feast.Zh: 他们把奖品作为游戏之夜的惊喜送出时，整个社区都沉浸在欢声笑语中。En: When they presented the prizes as a surprise for game night, the entire community was filled with joy and laughter.Zh: 那一晚，嘉豪和丽玲在烟火下悄悄许下了约定。En: That night, under the fireworks, Jiahao and Liling quietly made a pact.Zh: 嘉豪意识到，有丽玲在旁，他的每一次冒险都充满了意义。En: Jiahao realized that every adventure had meaning with Liling by his side.Zh: 他微微一笑，对她说：“有时候合作比个人荣耀更珍贵。”En: He smiled slightly and said to her, “Sometimes, collaboration is more valuable than personal glory.”Zh: 丽玲眨了眨眼，轻声回应：“与你一起冒险，我觉得自己也更勇敢了一些。”En: Liling blinked and softly replied, “Adventuring with you makes me feel a bit braver.”Zh: 在那凉爽而充满希望的秋夜，他们的友谊比以往更坚固，彼此的信任和理解也更加深厚。En: On that cool and hopeful autumn night, their friendship became stronger than ever, and their trust and understanding of each other grew deeper. Vocabulary Words:dimly: 幽暗bygone: 过去adorned: 装饰appearing: 显得chilly: 凉飕飕echoed: 回响commemorate: 纪念brimming: 充满traverse: 穿越bustling: 繁华shortcut: 捷径risky: 风险abandoned: 废弃discarded: 废弃fabled: 传说中的sensor: 传感器blared: 大作disable: 关闭swiftly: 迅速ducts: 管道intact: 完好layer: 层vintage: 老式exhaled: 松了口气activate: 启动safely: 安全pact: 约定collaboration: 合作glory: 荣耀braver: 勇敢

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Journey to Rediscover Hope in the Forbidden City's Heart Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-08-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 紫禁城的秋天被一层薄暮笼罩。En: The Zǐjìnchéng, known as the Forbidden City, was shrouded in a layer of twilight during autumn.Zh: 枯黄的落叶在古老的石径上窃窃私语。En: Withered yellow leaves whispered on the ancient stone paths.Zh: 恢弘的宫墙虽已残破，却仍然散发出昔日的庄严。En: Although the magnificent palace walls were broken, they still exuded the majesty of the past.Zh: 血红的天空为这片废墟增添了几分神秘与凄凉。En: The blood-red sky added an air of mystery and desolation to these ruins.Zh: 贾浩、梅玲和贞三人站在紫禁城的入口前。En: Jia Hao, Mei Ling, and Zhen stood in front of the entrance to the Zǐjìnchéng.Zh: 贾浩曾是个充满希望的领袖，但他对自己过去的失败一直心存愧疚。En: Jia Hao was once a hopeful leader, but he always felt guilty about his past failures.Zh: 这次，他希望找到传说中的神器，为自己的族群带来新生的希望。En: This time, he hoped to find the legendary artifact and bring new hope to his people.Zh: 他知道这不仅是寻找一件物品，而是在找回信心。En: He knew it was not just about finding an object but about regaining confidence.Zh: 梅玲则凭借自己的坚毅和聪慧，总能在废墟中找出路。En: Mei Ling, with her determination and wisdom, could always find a way through the ruins.Zh: 这次，她渴望证明自己能为族群做些什么，寻求内心的救赎。En: This time, she longed to prove she could do something for her people, seeking redemption for herself.Zh: 贞跟随他们，不太相信那个神器真的存在，但他追随的是对朋友们的忠诚。En: Zhen followed them, not really believing the artifact truly existed, but he was loyal to his friends.Zh: 三人面前有两条路。En: In front of them were two paths.Zh: 贾浩犹豫不决：一条是危险的宫殿，废墟随时可能坍塌；另一条则是长满碎石的庭院，看似安全但需绕远。En: Jia Hao hesitated: one was the perilous palace, with ruins that could collapse at any moment; the other was a courtyard full of rubble, seemingly safe but a longer route.Zh: 梅玲紧握他的手，轻声：“我们有时间，绕路吧。”En: Mei Ling held his hand tightly and softly said, "We have time; let's take the detour."Zh: 就在他们决定绕行时，废墟中传来低声的窃窃私语。En: Just as they decided to go around, low whispers came from the ruins.Zh: 那是觅食的掠夺者。他们逼近了。En: They were scavengers searching for food, closing in.Zh: 贾浩的心跳加快，他必须要在战斗和谈判之间做出选择。En: Jia Hao's heart raced; he had to choose between fighting and negotiating.Zh: 最终，他决定和对方交谈，寻找和平的出口。En: Finally, he decided to talk to the other party and seek a peaceful solution.Zh: 对方的首领让步，他同意让贾浩等人继续他们的旅程，只要他们能分享神器的秘密。En: The leader of the other group relented, agreeing to let Jia Hao and his companions continue their journey as long as they shared the secret of the artifact.Zh: 贾浩松了一口气，珍惜每一个能够避免战斗的机会。En: Jia Hao breathed a sigh of relief, cherishing every opportunity to avoid conflict.Zh: 三人穿过最后一堵残墙，终于来到了紫禁城的核心地带。En: The three passed through the last crumbling wall and finally reached the heart of the Zǐjìnchéng.Zh: 那里隐藏着一个暗室，微弱的光芒从里面透出，是神器的光辉。En: There, a hidden dark room emanated a faint glow—the artifact's light.Zh: 贾浩走近，凝视着那个物品。En: Jia Hao approached and gazed at the object.Zh: 他的内心涌出一种久违的平静。En: A long-lost sense of peace surged within him.Zh: 他明白，领导不仅仅是成功，而是一起走过分享的旅程。En: He understood that leadership was not just about success, but about sharing the journey together.Zh: 他微笑着，决定不再苛责自己，珍惜现在拥有的。En: He smiled, deciding to stop being harsh on himself and to cherish what he had now.Zh: 在器物前，三人止步，秋风轻吹，卷起地上的叶子。En: In front of the artifact, the three paused, the autumn wind softly blowing, swirling the leaves on the ground.Zh: 他们都感受到了一种新生的力量，或许，这便是希望的开始。En: They all felt a sense of rebirth, perhaps signaling the beginning of hope. Vocabulary Words:shrouded: 笼罩twilight: 薄暮withered: 枯黄exuded: 散发majesty: 庄严desolation: 凄凉artifact: 神器scavengers: 掠夺者relented: 让步emanated: 透出faint: 微弱hesitated: 犹豫不决perilous: 危险rubble: 碎石detour: 绕路whispers: 窃窃私语negotiating: 谈判relinquish: 放弃collapse: 坍塌courtyard: 庭院cherishing: 珍惜confidence: 信心determination: 坚毅redemption: 救赎loyal: 忠诚crumbling: 残破surged: 涌出harsh: 苛责rebirth: 新生seeking: 寻找

When we think of China today, we think of a technological superpower. From Huawei and 5G to TikTok and viral social media, China is stride for stride with the United States in the world of computing. However, China's technological renaissance almost didn't happen. And for one very basic reason: the Chinese language, with its 70,000 plus characters, couldn't fit on a keyboard.Today, we tell the story of Professor Wang Yongmin, a hard-headed computer programmer who solved this puzzle and laid the foundation for the China we know today.Special thanks to Martin Howard. You can view his renowned collection of typewriters at: antiquetypewriters.com. EPISODE CREDITS: Reported by - Simon AdlerProduced by - Simon Adler Sign up for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Signup (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unexpected Adventure: Li Mei's Climb to Self-Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-07-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 李梅站在风景如画的阳朔月亮山脚下，微风轻拂，她满怀期待地环顾四周。En: Li Mei stood at the foot of Yangshuo Moon Hill, surrounded by picturesque scenery.Zh: 秋天的杨树叶子变得五彩斑斓，空气中带着淡淡的桂花香。En: A gentle breeze brushed by as she eagerly looked around.Zh: 她的朋友陈和云在旁边讨论今天的计划。En: The leaves of the poplar trees in autumn had turned multicolored, and a faint scent of osmanthus lingered in the air.Zh: “我们先爬月亮山，然后拍几张美丽的照片，”李梅兴奋地说。En: Beside her, her friends Chen Heyun were discussing the day's plans.Zh: 她想用手机记录下这季节的美丽。En: "Let's climb Moon Hill first, and then take some beautiful photos," Li Mei said excitedly.Zh: 但随后的事情，却完全出乎她的预料。En: She wanted to use her phone to capture the beauty of the season.Zh: 阳光洒在山坡小道上，李梅信步向前，忽然看到一群人准备出发。En: However, what happened next was completely unexpected.Zh: 他们穿着专业的运动装备，脚步轻快。En: Sunlight spilled over the hillside path as Li Mei walked forward casually.Zh: “哦，看起来有点意思，我可以顺便锻炼一下。”李梅心想。En: Suddenly, she saw a group of people preparing to set off.Zh: 然后，她跟着队伍开始走，没想到这是一次登山比赛。En: They were wearing professional athletic gear, moving with light steps.Zh: 她充满自信，心想自己应该可以做到，何不趁机比赛又欣赏风景呢？En: "Oh, this looks interesting, I can exercise too," Li Mei thought to herself.Zh: 渐渐地，她的笑容逐渐僵硬，因为那些熟练的登山者越爬越快，李梅的步伐明显变得沉重。En: She then followed the group and began walking, not realizing that it was a mountain climbing competition.Zh: 她不停地喘息，但仍然不愿意放弃。En: Filled with confidence, she thought she should be able to manage it, so why not take this chance to compete and enjoy the scenery?Zh: 她坚信自己能够一边比赛 一边看风景。En: Gradually, her smile became stiff, as those seasoned climbers moved faster and faster, making Li Mei's steps visibly heavier.Zh: “加油，李梅，你可以的！” 陈和云在起点给她加油。En: She panted continuously but was unwilling to give up.Zh: 随着山路越来越陡，李梅的脸颊变得通红。En: She firmly believed she could compete while appreciating the scenery.Zh: 到达山顶时，阳光刺眼，她满头大汗，双腿发软，却又感到无比喜悦。En: "Come on, Li Mei, you can do it!" Chen Heyun cheered her on from the starting point.Zh: 但当她极目远眺时，震撼的美景因疲惫而模糊不清。En: As the mountain path grew steeper, Li Mei's cheeks turned bright red.Zh: “哎，我真傻，”李梅自嘲地笑了笑，坐在一块大石头上喘气。En: When she reached the top, the sunlight was blinding, and though drenched in sweat with wobbly legs, she felt immense joy.Zh: 在笑声中，她和其他登山者聊起天来，听一些人分享登山故事和经验。En: Yet when she gazed far into the distance, the stunning scenery was blurred by her exhaustion.Zh: 她意识到，有时慢下来真的可以获得更多的享受。En: "Oh, I'm really silly," Li Mei laughed at herself, sitting on a large rock to catch her breath.Zh: 最后，李梅不急不忙地下山，一边拍摄刚刚没能好好欣赏的风景，秋天的叶子在阳光下闪闪发光，山间的宁静让她内心平和。En: Amidst the laughter, she started chatting with the other climbers, listening to them share their stories and experiences.Zh: 她明白了，不必事事争先，慢慢享受过程更加重要。En: She realized that sometimes slowing down truly allows for greater enjoyment.Zh: 虽然身体疲惫，但心情无比轻松。En: Finally, Li Mei made her way down unhurriedly, capturing the scenery she hadn't taken the time to appreciate earlier.Zh: 面对风景如画的秋日，她微微一笑，觉得这次旅程才刚刚开始。En: The autumn leaves glistened under the sun, and the tranquility of the mountains brought her inner peace.Zh: 面对风景如画的秋日，她微微一笑，觉得这次旅程才刚刚开始。En: She understood that it wasn't necessary to rush; enjoying the process slowly is more important.Zh: 面对风景如画的秋日，她微微一笑，觉得这次旅程才刚刚开始。En: Although physically exhausted, she felt incredibly relaxed.Zh: 面对风景如画的秋日，她微微一笑，觉得这次旅程才刚刚开始。En: Facing the picturesque autumn landscape, she smiled slightly, feeling that this journey was just beginning. Vocabulary Words:picturesque: 风景如画breeze: 微风brushed: 轻拂eagerly: 满怀期待地poplar trees: 杨树multicolored: 五彩斑斓linger: 停留faint scent: 淡淡的香preparing: 准备athletic gear: 运动装备seasoned climbers: 熟练的登山者confident: 自信competitio: 比赛stiff: 僵硬pant: 喘息steeper: 陡峭blinding: 刺眼drenched: 满头大汗wobbly: 发软gazed: 极目远眺blurred: 模糊不清silly: 自嘲enjoyment: 享受unhurriedly: 不急不忙glisten: 闪闪发光tranquility: 宁静inner peace: 内心平和exhaustion: 疲惫relaxed: 轻松scenery: 风景

In classrooms from Nairobi to online forums in Berlin, a new wave of learners is embracing Mandarin. Their goal is not to pass examinations but to engage directly with a culture that captivates them. This grassroots movement is fundamentally about people seeking new forms of community and understanding. Behind this linguistic boom lies a deeper story, one about curiosity, identity, and the power of culture to bridge worlds. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Ding Heng