Podcasts about Mandarin

Today's Episode:Haidilao just made tipping optional, and Chinese internet exploded! Why do Chinese people hate tipping? What does it say about culture, service, and money? In this episode, we dive into this hot topic and teach you how to talk about it in Chinese!Membership Preview:In our next MaoMi Chinese+ episode, we dive into real news headlines about Haidilao's tipping policy. Learn how native speakers express opinions, contrast ideas, and ask questions — all through short, punchy sentences from the news. Great grammar in action!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

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Bonds: Navigating Life's Crossroads in Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-10-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的夏日，阳光透过《异类之家》咖啡馆的大窗，洒在每一张小桌上。En: In the summer in Beijing, sunlight streamed through the large windows of the Yileizhijia café, spilling onto every small table.Zh: 曾经的大学同学梅、健和丽玲在此重聚，时隔十年，他们终于再次相见。En: Former college classmates Mei, Jian, and Liling reunited here after ten years; finally, they were seeing each other again.Zh: 咖啡馆里，键盘噼里啪啦的声音和轻声交谈交织成一曲忙碌的乐章。En: In the café, the sound of keyboards clattering and low conversations wove into a symphony of busyness.Zh: 梅拿着一杯拿铁，微笑着，可她眉间流露出一丝未解的烦恼。En: Mei held a cup of latte, smiling, but a hint of unresolved trouble lingered between her brows.Zh: 她是自由职业设计师，为了找到工作和生活的平衡而苦恼。En: She was a freelance designer, troubled by the struggle to find a balance between work and life.Zh: 健则穿着整齐，他是个科技创业公司的合伙人，正面临激烈的市场竞争，却似乎无暇多顾。En: Jian, dressed neatly, was a partner at a tech startup, facing fierce market competition and seemingly too busy to take on more.Zh: 丽玲则是穿梭世界的旅行作家，心中藏着对安稳生活的渴望。En: Liling was a travel writer journeying across the world, harboring a desire for a stable life.Zh: “好久不见，感觉大家都变了许多。”梅率先开口，她希望从朋友们身上寻求些建议。En: “Long time no see, it feels like we've all changed a lot,” Mei spoke first, hoping to seek some advice from her friends.Zh: 健皱了皱眉头，随手翻着手机上的邮件，“是啊，我这个公司现在忙得不可开交，真愁人。”En: Jian frowned while flipping through emails on his phone, “Yeah, my company is really busy right now, it's so worrisome.”Zh: 丽玲则望着窗外，“我常年旅行，也想过要找个地方定下来，不过还没想好要去哪儿。”En: Liling gazed out the window, “I travel all the time too and have thought about finding a place to settle down, but I haven't decided where yet.”Zh: 梅吸了口气，把心中的烦恼一一倾诉：“我真的很想接更多项目，但总觉得牺牲了自己的时间。我该怎么办呢？”En: Mei took a deep breath and poured out her worries one by one: “I really want to take on more projects, but I always feel like I'm sacrificing my own time. What should I do?”Zh: 健却一直在忙着看信息，没有太多回应。En: Jian was still busy checking messages and didn't respond much.Zh: 丽玲却回过头来，认真说道：“或许你可以试着定个时间表，比如每天留点时间给自己，慢慢调节。”En: Liling, however, turned back and said earnestly, “Maybe you could try setting a schedule, like leaving some time for yourself each day and adjusting gradually.”Zh: 健放下手机，似乎意识到了什么，努力调整了位置，更加专注地听着。En: Jian put down his phone, seemingly realizing something, and tried to adjust his attention, listening more intently.Zh: 三个人各自道出了自己的隐忧。En: Each of the three shared their own concerns.Zh: 健承认自己太过专注事业，忽略了生活的其他乐趣。En: Jian admitted that he was too focused on his career, neglecting other joys of life.Zh: 丽玲则坦言，旅行虽然冒险刺激，但她开始渴望稳定的归宿。En: Liling confessed that while traveling was adventurous and exciting, she was beginning to long for a stable home.Zh: 这时，咖啡馆里的气氛顿时凝重起来，每个人都感受到，原来心底都有未解的愿望。En: At this point, the atmosphere in the café turned heavy, and everyone realized that they all had unfulfilled desires deep down.Zh: 经过一番长谈，朋友们决定彼此做出改变。En: After a lengthy discussion, the friends decided to make changes.Zh: 梅找到了一些灵感，决定仔细挑选项目，只选择那些真正能激发她创作激情的工作，而给生活留点空间。En: Mei found some inspiration and decided to carefully select projects, choosing only those that truly sparked her creative passion while leaving some room for life.Zh: 健和丽玲也承诺，互相保持联系，提供支持与鼓励。En: Jian and Liling also promised to stay in touch and provide support and encouragement to each other.Zh: 随着围绕在他们之间的话题变得温暖轻松，窗外的阳光仿佛更加明亮。En: As the conversation warmed and lightened, the sunlight outside seemed to shine even brighter.Zh: 梅的内心找到了一丝久违的安宁和方向。En: Mei found a long-lost sense of peace and direction in her heart.Zh: 他们三人交换了联系方式，并约定在未来的日子里更加彼此关心。En: They exchanged contact information and agreed to care more for each other in the days to come.Zh: 在《异类之家》里，他们结束了一段既漫长又重要的对话，为各自的人生注入了新的动力，重新启程。En: In Yileizhijia, they concluded a conversation that was both long and important, injecting new motivation into each of their lives and setting off afresh. Vocabulary Words:streamed: 透过low: 轻声freelance: 自由职业struggle: 苦恼balance: 平衡fierce: 激烈gazed: 望着settle: 定下来deep breath: 吸了口气sacrificing: 牺牲earnestly: 认真neglecting: 忽略stable: 安稳asserted: 坦言admitted: 承认atmosphere: 气氛lingered: 流露unfulfilled: 未解desires: 愿望lengthy: 漫长motivation: 动力intently: 专注concerns: 隐忧creative: 创作inspiration: 灵感passion: 激情concluded: 结束worrisome: 愁人adjusting: 调节injecting: 注入

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Family and Art: A Reunion at the Shanghai Art Museum Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-09-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 上海艺术博物馆的大厅中，参观者熙熙攘攘，墙上挂满了色彩斑斓的画作。En: In the atrium of the Shanghai Art Museum, visitors were bustling about, and the walls were adorned with vibrant paintings.Zh: 虽然外面是湿热的夏天，这里却是凉爽安逸的。En: While it was hot and humid outside in the summer, the inside was cool and peaceful.Zh: 李伟站在一幅油画前，心里有些紧张。En: Li Wei stood in front of an oil painting, feeling a bit nervous.Zh: 他的妹妹美正笑盈盈地招呼他，家人们在身后议论纷纷。En: His younger sister Mei was cheerfully calling out to him, and the family was chatting in the background.Zh: 这是他们久别重聚的日子，也是七夕节。En: This was the day of their long-awaited reunion, which coincided with the Qixi Festival.Zh: 李伟是一名年轻的艺术家。En: Li Wei is a young artist.Zh: 他总觉得和家人有些疏远，因为他们总希望他能找到一份稳定的工作。En: He always felt somewhat distant from his family because they always hoped he would find a stable job.Zh: 他很想和大家重新连接，但又害怕他们并不理解他的选择。En: He really wanted to reconnect with everyone, but he was afraid they wouldn't understand his choices.Zh: 张奶奶走过来，轻声问：“最近还好吗？En: Grandma Zhang came over and softly asked, "How have you been lately?Zh: 我们走走吧。En: Let's take a walk."Zh: ”李伟点点头，跟着她走进了一个安静的展厅。En: Li Wei nodded and followed her into a quiet exhibition hall.Zh: 墙上挂的画让李伟想起小时候和奶奶一起画画的时光，那时他就梦想成为一个画家。En: The paintings on the walls reminded him of the times he used to draw with his grandmother as a child, when he dreamed of becoming a painter.Zh: 走了一会儿，李伟停下脚步，说：“奶奶，我真的很热爱画画。En: After walking for a while, Li Wei stopped and said, "Grandma, I really love painting.Zh: 能给您看看我的画吗？En: Can I show you my paintings?"Zh: ”张奶奶微笑着点头。En: Grandma Zhang smiled and nodded.Zh: 李伟拿出手机，展示了一幅他用心创作的作品。En: Li Wei took out his phone and displayed one of his heartfelt creations.Zh: 经过短暂的沉默，张奶奶点头：“真不错。En: After a brief silence, Grandma Zhang nodded, "Very good.Zh: 我看到你用心去画，把你对生活的理解都画出来了。En: I can see that you put your heart into painting, expressing your understanding of life."Zh: ”李伟感到一丝轻松，但又有些惊讶。En: Li Wei felt a bit relieved but also surprised.Zh: 接下来的聚会中，家人们围着李伟，看他的作品。En: During the gathering that followed, the family gathered around Li Wei to look at his work.Zh: 他深吸一口气，把画作展示给他们。En: He took a deep breath and presented his paintings to them.Zh: 他不知道大家会有什么反应，却知道这是自己的机会。En: He wasn't sure how they would react, but he knew this was his opportunity.Zh: 出乎意料的是，张奶奶率先拍了拍手：“李伟，你很有才华。En: Unexpectedly, Grandma Zhang was the first to clap her hands, saying, "Li Wei, you are very talented.Zh: 我为你感到骄傲。En: I am proud of you."Zh: ”其他家人也纷纷赞同，称赞他的努力和天赋。En: Other family members also agreed, praising his effort and talent.Zh: 李伟心中升起一阵温暖。En: A warm feeling rose in Li Wei's heart.Zh: 他突然明白，即使家人们有不同的期望，他们仍然会支持和爱护他。En: He suddenly realized that even if his family had different expectations, they would still support and love him.Zh: 那天晚上，他走出博物馆时，比来时更加自信。En: That evening, as he left the museum, he was more confident than when he arrived.Zh: 他知道，这次的重聚，不仅让他找回了家人的支持，还让他相信，自己的选择并没有错。En: He knew that this reunion not only helped him regain his family's support but also made him believe that his choices were not wrong. Vocabulary Words:atrium: 大厅bustling: 熙熙攘攘adorned: 挂满vibrant: 色彩斑斓humid: 湿热reunion: 重聚coincided: 也是distant: 疏远stable: 稳定reconnect: 重新连接softly: 轻声exhibition: 展厅heartfelt: 用心creations: 创作silent: 沉默understanding: 理解relieved: 轻松gathering: 聚会praised: 称赞effort: 努力talent: 才华warm: 温暖expectations: 期望support: 支持opportunity: 机会confident: 自信choices: 选择realized: 明白proud: 骄傲artwork: 画作

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Jasmine Tea and Urban Dreamscapes: A Serendipitous Encounter Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-08-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 麦琳推开茶店的玻璃门，温暖的空气和淡淡的茉莉花香扑面而来。En: Mailin pushed open the glass door of the tea shop, and a warm air mixed with a faint jasmine scent greeted her.Zh: 她找到了一处空桌，挨着大窗，透过窗户，她能看到外面高高的摩天大楼，那是浦东的标志。En: She found an empty table by a large window, through which she could see the tall skyscrapers outside, a landmark of Pudong.Zh: 茶店内饰温馨，墙上挂着现代艺术作品，还有几副传统的中国画，仿佛在这个喧嚣的城市中，开辟出一片宁静的绿洲。En: The interior of the tea shop was cozy, with modern art pieces hanging on the walls alongside several traditional Chinese paintings, creating a peaceful oasis amidst the bustling city.Zh: 此时，是盛夏，阳光透过玻璃窗洒在室内，增添了几分慵懒的气氛。En: It was midsummer, and the sunlight streaming through the glass window added a lazy atmosphere to the room.Zh: 不远处，简细心地挑选着架子上的茶叶。En: Not far away, Jian was carefully selecting tea leaves from the shelves.Zh: 突然，他和麦琳同时伸手去拿同一个小盒子，里面装着最后一包茉莉花茶。En: Suddenly, he and Mailin reached for the same small box containing the last pack of jasmine tea.Zh: “哦，抱歉，我不是故意的。”麦琳微笑着说。En: "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to," Mailin said with a smile.Zh: “没关系，我也没注意到。”简回答，语气平和。En: "It's okay, I didn't notice either," Jian replied, his tone calm.Zh: 两人都对手中的茶盒轻笑。En: The two shared a light laugh over the tea box.Zh: 麦琳小心地询问：“你也喜欢茉莉花茶吗？”En: Mailin cautiously asked, "Do you like jasmine tea too?"Zh: “是的，”简说，“我喜欢它的味道很清新凉爽。”En: "Yes," Jian said, "I like its fresh and cool taste."Zh: 这简单的对话，成了两人深入交流的开始。En: This simple conversation became the start of a deeper exchange.Zh: 简是个建筑师，热衷于设计能够与自然和谐相处的绿色建筑。En: Jian was an architect, passionate about designing green buildings that harmonize with nature.Zh: 他的想法独特而大胆，却常因团队的保守而无法施展。En: His ideas were unique and bold, but they often went undeveloped due to his team's conservatism.Zh: 反观麦琳，她是一名记者，正寻找一个全新的角度来撰写关于上海现代都市文化的文章。En: In contrast, Mailin was a journalist, seeking a fresh angle to write about Shanghai's modern urban culture.Zh: 每次她觉得自己找到了切入点，就发现别人已经写过。这让她感到烦恼不已。En: Every time she thought she had found a breakthrough, she discovered someone else had already covered it, leaving her frustrated.Zh: 随着对话的展开，麦琳突然有了灵感：“或许，我可以写关于上海如何将传统与现代结合的新角度。”En: As the conversation unfolded, Mailin suddenly had an idea: "Perhaps I can write from a new perspective on how Shanghai combines tradition with modernity."Zh: 简被激发了灵感：“正是这点，我的设计方案可以以传统美学为基调，融入现代的科技与材料。”En: Jian was inspired: "Exactly, my design proposals can use traditional aesthetics as a base, integrated with modern technology and materials."Zh: 茶店的店主看见两人开心地讨论着，提议他们参与即将开始的即兴茶品活动。En: The tea shop owner saw the two happily discussing and suggested they join an upcoming impromptu tea tasting event.Zh: 品茶过程中，两人继续交换着对城市与文化的看法。En: During the tasting, they continued exchanging views on the city and culture.Zh: 活动接近尾声时，麦琳已经在心中勾勒出她文章的轮廓，而简也想出了要在下一次会议上提出的设计方案。En: As the event neared its end, Mailin had already outlined her article in her mind, while Jian had figured out a design proposal to present at the next meeting.Zh: 简微笑着对麦琳说：“谢谢你，和你聊天让我更加坚定了自己的想法。”En: Jian smiled at Mailin and said, "Thank you, talking with you has made me more determined about my ideas."Zh: 麦琳也欣慰地说：“没有你的启发，我或许还在困惑中挣扎。”En: Mailin also felt relieved and said, "Without your inspiration, I might still be struggling in confusion."Zh: 就在这家小小的茶店里，通过这场偶然的邂逅，他们都发现了前行的方向。En: In this small tea shop, through this chance encounter, they both found their way forward.Zh: 渐渐，两人走出了茶店，阳光依旧明媚，他们带着新的信心，走向各自的梦想。En: Gradually, they walked out of the tea shop, with the sunshine still bright, carrying new confidence as they headed toward their respective dreams. Vocabulary Words:pushed: 推开scent: 香skyscrapers: 摩天大楼interior: 内饰cozy: 温馨amidst: 中bustling: 喧嚣greeted: 扑面而来oasis: 绿洲streaming: 透过lazy: 慵懒selecting: 挑选tone: 语气harmonize: 和谐undeveloped: 无法施展conservatism: 保守angle: 角度breakthrough: 切入点frustrated: 烦恼perspective: 角度proposals: 方案traditional: 传统integrated: 融入upcoming: 即将impromptu: 即兴tasting: 品views: 看法inspiration: 启发confusion: 困惑confidence: 信心

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unlocking Secrets Beneath Xi'an: A Tale of Heritage and Invention Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-06-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 正值盛夏，西安古城墙下，一个不为人知的实验室悄然隐藏在岁月的尘埃中。En: At the peak of summer, beneath Xi'an's ancient city walls, an unknown laboratory quietly lay hidden in the dust of ages.Zh: 梅琳和哥哥峻，站在入口前，看着手中蓝图出神。En: Mei Lin and her brother Jun stood before the entrance, staring intently at the blueprint in their hands.Zh: 这些图纸来自他们已故的祖父，传说中是一项了不起的发明。En: These drawings came from their late grandfather, said to be a remarkable invention.Zh: 白日里，古城熙熙攘攘，但到了夜晚，尤其是中元节的夜晚，空气里却弥漫着香火气息，冥冥之中仿佛祖先的灵魂在游荡。En: During the day, the ancient city was bustling, but by night, especially on the night of the Zhong Yuan Jie, the air was thick with incense, as if the spirits of ancestors were wandering mysteriously.Zh: 梅琳心中涌动着迫切的渴望，她要揭开蓝图的秘密，为家族找回荣誉。En: An urgent desire surged in Mei Lin's heart; she wanted to uncover the secrets of the blueprint and restore her family's honor.Zh: 峻在旁边略显犹豫。En: Jun, standing beside her, appeared slightly hesitant.Zh: “这可能很危险，”他低声说，“而且那些开发商很快就要来拆掉这里。”En: "This could be dangerous," he whispered, "and those developers will soon come to demolish this place."Zh: 梅琳点了点头，眼神坚定。En: Mei Lin nodded, her gaze firm.Zh: “祖父的智慧不能就这样消失。我们必须进去。”En: "Grandfather's wisdom cannot vanish just like that. We must go in."Zh: 在地面上，他们找到了一个隐蔽的入口。En: On the ground, they found a hidden entrance.Zh: 在梅琳细心辨别蓝图的指引下，他们顺利打开了通道。En: Guided carefully by the blueprint deciphered by Mei Lin, they successfully opened the passage.Zh: 黑暗的阶梯通往一个微光的世界，实验室里充满了尘封的古物和纸张交错的气息。En: The dark staircase led to a dim world where the laboratory was filled with dusty relics and the intertwined presence of paper.Zh: 脚步声在墙壁间回荡，与外面的烟火形成鲜明对比。En: Their footsteps echoed off the walls, in stark contrast to the fireworks outside.Zh: 正当两人专注于寻找祖父的发明时，他们意外触动了一个机关，入口开始缓缓关闭。En: Just as the two focused on finding their grandfather's invention, they accidentally triggered a mechanism, and the entrance began to close slowly.Zh: “快！”峻大喊，心跳加速。En: "Hurry!" Jun shouted, his heart racing.Zh: “我们得赶紧走！”En: "We need to get out, fast!"Zh: 梅琳飞快地合上笔记本，然后拉起峻的手，两人一同奔向出口。En: Mei Lin quickly closed her notebook, then grabbed Jun's hand, and together they dashed towards the exit.Zh: 在最后一刻，他们奋力跃过门槛，实验室的入口在身后轰然闭合。En: At the last moment, they leaped over the threshold, as the entrance to the laboratory closed shut with a roar behind them.Zh: 在浑浊的夜色中，梅琳和峻气喘吁吁地跪在古城的地面上，手中紧握祖父的蓝图。En: In the murky night, Mei Lin and Jun knelt on the ground of the ancient city, panting and clutching their grandfather's blueprint tightly.Zh: 梅琳展开图纸，眼中闪烁着新生的希望。En: Mei Lin unfolded the paper, her eyes shimmering with newfound hope.Zh: 图纸上的设计指向一个清洁能源的装置，奇妙而宏伟。En: The design pointed to a device for clean energy, wondrous and grand.Zh: “这不仅是祖父的遗产，也是未来的钥匙。”梅琳说，声音充满敬意。En: "This is not only grandfather's legacy but also the key to the future," Mei Lin said, her voice full of reverence.Zh: 峻的心中充满了对祖父的尊敬和对妹妹的信任。En: Jun's heart was filled with respect for his grandfather and trust in his sister.Zh: “我们一定要好好保护它。”En: "We must protect it well."Zh: 于是，兄妹俩决定携手努力，让这个发明脱离阴影，成为改变未来的重要力量。En: Thus, the siblings decided to work together, bringing this invention out of the shadows to become a powerful force for change in the future.Zh: 而他们也在这个过程中，找到了对家族、更重要的是对彼此的信任和理解。En: In the process, they found trust and understanding not just for their family but, more importantly, for each other. Vocabulary Words:peak: 盛夏ancient: 古laboratory: 实验室blueprint: 蓝图remarkable: 了不起的bustling: 熙熙攘攘incense: 香火ancestors: 祖先surged: 涌动uncover: 揭开demolish: 拆掉firm: 坚定deciphered: 辨别dim: 微光relics: 古物intertwined: 交错的echoed: 回荡fireworks: 烟火mechanism: 机关threshold: 门槛murky: 浑浊panting: 气喘吁吁unfolded: 展开shimmering: 闪烁legacy: 遗产reverence: 敬意trust: 信任understanding: 理解restore: 找回honor: 荣誉

Text the Bookcast and say "hi"!Welcome to Chapter 74! My guest is Candace Kade. Candace spends her time dreaming up stories typically involving technology, psychology, culture, and/or swords. She is the author of The Hybrid Series and a certified Krav Maga assistant instructor who loves writing action-packed martial art scenes. A third culture kid, she considers Chengdu and OKC to be her homes. When she's not exploring new countries, she enjoys hiking in national parks, moving, teaching her husband Mandarin, and keeping two baby humans alive. She can be bribed with boba tea, fluffy puppies, and breakfast tacos.In our conversation, we talk about the Hybrid trilogy with a focus on the third book - Augmented - that releases in September. We also talk about writing for YA audiences, how her experience of navigating cultures impacts her writing, and she gives some incredible thoughts on writing fight scenes. You're going to love getting to know Candace Kade. Connect with Candace: website | InstagramCandace on Your Next Great Read (July 2024)Books Mentioned on the Show:Enhanced - Candace KadeHybrid - Candace KadeAugmented - Candace KadeOut of Time series - Nadine BrandesThe Selection series - Kiera CassEragon - Christopher PaoliniRed Rising - Pierce BrownMe Before You - JoJo MoyesConnect with J: website | TikTok | Twitter | Instagram | FacebookShop the Bookcast on Bookshop.orgMusic by JuliusH

In this compelling episode, Jeff Mains sits down with Daniel Nalesnik, founder of Hack Chinese, to unravel the journey of building a sticky SaaS product designed to master Mandarin through spaced repetition. Daniel shares how personal frustration and a deep love for language learning fueled his transition from a full-time student in China to the founder of a thriving EdTech platform. The conversation delves into balancing product development with founder sanity, the importance of passionate work, and actionable insights for solo founders navigating slow but steady SaaS growth. From onboarding masterclass to the nuances of AI in edtech, this episode is a quiet powerhouse for anyone looking to not only attract, but truly engage – and retain – users.Key Takeaways[00:04:43] From Hobbyist to Founder: Daniel's journey from taking a night class in Mandarin to full-immersion in China, falling in love with language learning methodology.[00:07:25] Power of Spaced Repetition: Why spaced repetition is optimal for memorizing vast amounts of information—a fundamental principle behind Hack Chinese.[00:13:56] Building for Your Own Pain: Daniel built Hack Chinese to address the complexity and inefficiency he experienced with generic SRS tools, focusing on a seamless vocabulary-learning workflow.[00:19:59] The Critical First 2 Minutes: Refining onboarding to deliver immediate value, inspired by Facebook's rigorous focus on first impressions, dramatically improved conversion and activation.[00:24:29] Finding Product-Market Fit: The breakthrough came after a Mandarin language school reviewed Hack Chinese, flooding the platform with its ideal users — proof that targeted partnerships trump broad, unfocused marketing.[00:41:33] Passion vs. Pressure: Founder passion cannot be outsourced, and allowing team members to gravitate towards projects they're passionate about results in better outcomes and happier teams.Tweetable Quotes"I can pay somebody to get work done, but I cannot pay somebody for their passion." — Daniel Nalesnik"Spaced repetition isn't just a learning hack—it's a retention machine for SaaS." — Daniel Nalesnik"Onboarding is so important. You need to show the value as soon as possible—there's no waiting on that." — Daniel Nalesnik"If you have the luxury to just keep going, don't underestimate how powerful that can be." — Daniel Nalesnik"Niche down incredibly small—and just keep hammering on making that the best in the world." — Daniel Nalesnik"The longer you're in business, the more credibility you have, and marketing just gets easier." — Daniel NalesnikSaaS Leadership LessonsRelentless Clarity of Purpose: Stay deeply connected to the "why" behind your product. Daniel's unwavering focus on solving his own learning pain points resulted in a tool with true product-market fit.Accelerate Early Value: The first moments in your app—or company—matter more than most founders think. Ruthlessly optimize for early wins in onboarding.Niche Down, Then Go Deep: Don't be afraid to focus tightly on a subset of user needs. Specialization breeds depth, loyalty, and real transformation.Embrace Slow, Steady Growth: Most overnight successes have years of invisible persistence behind them. Consistency and the willingness to keep going are more powerful than any growth hack.Hire for Passion: The energy, resilience, and innovation brought by passionate contributors cannot be bought. Structure your team so people work on what excites them.Continuous Iteration > Perfection:...

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unfolding Stories: Rediscovering Friendship in a Tea House Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-05-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京一家热闹的茶馆里，阳光透过竹帘洒在抛光的木桌上。En: In a bustling tea house in Beijing, sunlight filtered through bamboo blinds, casting patterns on polished wooden tables.Zh: 茶香在空气中弥漫，人声鼎沸。En: The fragrance of tea filled the air, and the chatter of voices was lively.Zh: 这里，尘世的喧嚣与茶馆里的宁静形成鲜明对比。En: Here, the clamor of the world outside contrasted sharply with the tranquility inside the tea house.Zh: 连，一个创业者，坐在角落的桌边。En: Lian, an entrepreneur, sat at a corner table.Zh: 她经营着一家小型科技公司，却时常想起无忧无虑的大学时光。En: She ran a small tech company but often reminisced about her carefree university days.Zh: 今天，她心中有些期待又有些不安，因为她即将与旧友相聚。En: Today, she felt a mix of anticipation and unease because she was about to reunite with old friends.Zh: 很快，芝推门而入。En: Soon, Zhi pushed the door open.Zh: 她是位成功的建筑师，刚从国外回来。En: She was a successful architect, having just returned from abroad.Zh: 芝对重聚有些犹豫，担心多年不见的朋友是否还能像以前一样无话不谈。En: Zhi felt a bit hesitant about the reunion, wondering if friends long unseen could still talk as freely as before.Zh: 两人互相打了招呼，开始闲聊。En: The two greeted each other and started to chat.Zh: 这时，美也来了。En: At this moment, Mei also arrived.Zh: 她是一个全职父母，生活中被家庭琐事包围，和事业有成的朋友们相比，总感到一丝格格不入。En: She was a full-time parent, surrounded by family matters, and felt somewhat out of place compared to her accomplished friends.Zh: 坐在一起，三个人有些拘谨。En: Sitting together, the three felt a bit reserved.Zh: 茶水端上来，氤氲的热气如往事般升腾，时光仿佛倒流。En: As the tea was served, the rising steam seemed to bring back memories, and time seemed to rewind.Zh: 连想 rekindle 她们之间的友谊，她却在心中暗自忐忑：他们之间是不是已经走得太远了？En: Lian wanted to rekindle the friendship between them, but she was secretly anxious: Had they drifted apart too far?Zh: 忽然，连放下了茶杯。En: Suddenly, Lian put down her teacup.Zh: 她决定说出自己近期面临的艰辛。En: She decided to share the hardships she had recently faced.Zh: 创业压力大，常常让她力不从心。En: The pressures of entrepreneurship often left her feeling overwhelmed.Zh: 她希望用坦诚打破沉默，为真正的交流打开一扇窗。En: She hoped that honesty could break the silence and open a window for genuine communication.Zh: 连的分享让芝和美都沉默了片刻，茶馆的喧闹似乎也安静下来。En: Lian's sharing left Zhi and Mei silent for a moment, and even the noise of the tea house seemed to quiet down.Zh: 随后，美也打开心扉，诉说着她对家庭与事业无法平衡的烦恼。En: Then, Mei opened up, expressing her struggles to balance family and career.Zh: 芝心中牵动，她也坦言归国的焦虑与期待。En: Zhi was moved, and she too confessed her anxieties and expectations about returning home.Zh: 然而，谈话逐渐转向她们不同生活道路选择上的分歧。En: However, the conversation gradually shifted to their disagreements about the different life paths they had chosen.Zh: 三人间的气氛一时间紧张起来。她们激烈地争论着，过去的温暖似乎被各自的分歧冲淡。En: The atmosphere among the three became tense for a while, as they argued heatedly, and the warmth of the past seemed diluted by their differences.Zh: 就在争执达到顶点时，连冷静地说："我们不必是一样的。每个人都有自己的路。"En: Just as the argument reached its peak, Lian calmly said, "We don't have to be the same. Everyone has their own path."Zh: 她的话让大家冷静下来，彼此对视，心中充满理解。En: Her words brought a sense of calm, and they looked at each other with understanding.Zh: 三人相视而笑，重拾起失去的友情。En: The three smiled at each other, reclaiming their lost friendship.Zh: 美握住连的手，说无论生活将她们带往何处，友谊始终是最珍贵的。En: Mei held Lian's hand and said that no matter where life takes them, their friendship would always be the most precious.Zh: 她们在茶馆里坐了很久，从过去聊到现在，再展望未来。En: They sat in the tea house for a long time, chatting from the past to the present, and then looking forward to the future.Zh: 连这时明白了，过去已逝，重要的是珍惜当下。En: Lian realized that the past is gone, and what matters is cherishing the present.Zh: 而无论再怎么改变，她与芝和美的友谊会更为坚定。En: No matter how things change, her friendship with Zhi and Mei would only grow stronger.Zh: 阳光填满茶馆，增添了几分温暖。En: Sunlight filled the tea house, adding warmth.Zh: 连走出茶馆时，心中对于怀旧的情感已转变为对未来的期待，朋友们的陪伴让她不再感到孤单。En: As Lian left the tea house, her nostalgia had transformed into an anticipation for the future, and the companionship of her friends made her feel less alone.Zh: 茶馆一如既往地热闹，而她的心却因此更加宁静。En: The tea house remained as lively as ever, yet her heart was all the more peaceful for it. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 热闹filtered: 透过fragrance: 茶香clamor: 喧嚣tranquility: 宁静entrepreneur: 创业者reminisce: 想起anticipation: 期待unease: 不安reunite: 相聚hesitant: 犹豫confessed: 坦言anxieties: 焦虑expectations: 期待rekindle: 恢复anxious: 忐忑overwhelmed: 力不从心genuine: 真正harmony: 和谐struggles: 烦恼vulnerable: 脆弱disagree: 分歧heatedly: 激烈地diluted: 冲淡calm: 冷静understanding: 理解cherishing: 珍惜companionship: 陪伴nostalgia: 怀旧peaceful: 宁静

Nightlife News Breakdown with Philip Clark, joined by Peter Gearin, Editor in Chief of The Mandarin, previously assistant editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald. 

Should you learn Chinese characters from the start, or focus on speaking first? There are good arguments for both approaches, but one makes more sense for most students.Please note: This is a rerecorded version of episode 1. That means that it's both episode 1 and episode 261.#learnchinese #mandarin #hanzi #spoken #writtenLink to article on Hacking Chinese: Should you learn to speak Chinese before you learn Chinese characters? https://www.hackingchinese.com/should-you-learn-to-speak-chinese-before-you-learn-chinese-characters/Chinese character learning for all students: https://www.hackingchinese.com/chinese-character-learning-for-all-students/16 reasons to learn to write Chinese characters by hand: https://www.hackingchinese.com/reasons-to-learn-to-write-chinese-characters-by-hand/Kickstart your learning with the Skritter character course: https://www.hackingchinese.com/kickstart-your-learning-with-the-skritter-character-course/My best advice on how to learn Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/my-best-advice-on-how-to-learn-chinese-characters/Why is listening in Chinese so hard? https://www.hackingchinese.com/why-is-listening-in-chinese-so-hard/Learning pronunciation as a beginner: https://www.hackingchinese.com/learning-pronunciation-as-a-beginner/The Hacking Chinese guide to Mandarin tones: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-hacking-chinese-guide-to-mandarin-tones/Focus on initials and finals, not Pinyin spelling: https://www.hackingchinese.com/focus-on-initials-and-finals-not-pinyin-spelling/Anki, a friendly, intelligent spaced learning system: https://www.hackingchinese.com/anki-a-friendly-intelligent-spaced-learning-system/Free and easy audio flashcards for Chinese dictation practice with Anki: https://www.hackingchinese.com/free-and-easy-audio-flashcards-for-chinese-dictation-practice-with-anki/Introduction: Comprehension-based Chinese teaching and learning: https://www.hackingchinese.com/introduction-comprehension-based-chinese-teaching-learning/The Input Pyramid: Chinese listening for any situation: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-input-pyramid-chinese-listening-for-any-situation/The most common Chinese words, characters and components for language learners and teachers: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-most-common-chinese-words-characters-and-components-for-language-learners-and-teachers/The building blocks of Chinese, part 1: Chinese characters and words in a nutshell: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-building-blocks-of-chinese-part-1-chinese-characters-and-words-in-a-nutshell/How to learn Chinese characters as a beginner: https://www.hackingchinese.com/how-to-learn-chinese-characters-as-a-beginner/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystery of the Enchanted Lanterns: A Qixi Surprise Unveiled Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-04-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 成都的光明市场，大街小巷都挂满了五颜六色的灯笼和装饰。En: The Guangming Market in Chengdu is adorned with colorful lanterns and decorations strung across its streets and alleys.Zh: 空气中弥漫着炸鸡、烤串和其他各种美食的香味。En: The air is filled with the aroma of fried chicken, grilled skewers, and a variety of other delicacies.Zh: 今天是七夕节，到处都是情侣，市场显得格外热闹。En: Today is Qixi Festival, and couples are everywhere, making the market particularly lively.Zh: 李伟是个年轻的画家，经常来光明市场寻找灵感。En: Li Wei is a young painter who often visits Guangming Market in search of inspiration.Zh: 虽然周围热闹非凡，但他的心里却充满了孤独。En: Despite the vibrant surroundings, he feels a sense of loneliness in his heart.Zh: 就在这时，一个陌生的信使递给他一封信。En: Just then, a stranger hands him a letter.Zh: 信封没有署名，看起来很神秘。En: The envelope is unsigned and looks mysterious.Zh: 李伟走到市场里的一个角落，缓缓打开信封。En: Li Wei makes his way to a corner of the market and slowly opens the envelope.Zh: 信中只有几行字，写着一些古怪的谜题。En: Inside, there are only a few lines, containing some peculiar riddles.Zh: 李伟眉头紧锁，心中充满了好奇。En: His brow furrows with curiosity.Zh: 他知道，若想解开这些谜题，必须有人帮忙。En: He knows that to solve these riddles, he will need help.Zh: 于是，李伟来到市场里最有名的店铺。En: So, Li Wei goes to the most famous shop in the market.Zh: 小宁正忙着招呼顾客。En: Xiao Ning is busy attending to customers.Zh: 她热情开朗，市场里的每个人都认识。En: She is cheerful and outgoing, and everyone in the market knows her.Zh: 李伟向她讲述了这封神秘信的事。En: Li Wei tells her about the mysterious letter.Zh: 小宁仔细听了，笑着说：“也许是有人在搞神秘活动。En: Xiao Ning listens carefully and laughs, saying, "Perhaps someone is organizing a mysterious event.Zh: 我们一起来看看吧！En: Let's take a look together!"Zh: ”两个人一起研究信上的线索，第一条线索指向市场中央的古井。En: Together they study the clues on the letter, and the first clue points to an ancient well in the center of the market.Zh: 井边的牌子上刻着“平安如意”四个字。En: The plaque next to the well is engraved with the words "Ping An Ruyi".Zh: 井上挂着的纸鸢引起了李伟的注意，但纸鸢上什么都没有。En: A kite hanging above the well catches Li Wei's attention, but there's nothing on it.Zh: “也许线索在别处？En: "Maybe the clue is somewhere else?"Zh: ”小宁提醒道。En: Xiao Ning suggests.Zh: 他们继续寻找，按照信中的提示，绕过了市场里的不少摊位。En: They continue their search, following the hints in the letter, weaving through many stalls in the market.Zh: 有时候，线索把他们带到一个表演摊，有时候又是一个卖珠宝的小店。En: Sometimes the clues lead them to a performance booth, sometimes to a small jewelry shop.Zh: 每解开一个谜题，心中就少了一分焦灼。En: Each solved riddle eases their anxiety a little bit.Zh: 最终，他们的脚步停在了一座老茶馆前。En: Eventually, they find themselves in front of an old teahouse.Zh: 信中最后的线索暗示着茶馆的屋顶。En: The last clue in the letter hints at the teahouse's roof.Zh: 小宁指了指，“我们需要上去。En: Xiao Ning points up, "We need to get up there."Zh: ”李伟和小宁设法爬上了茶馆的屋顶。En: Li Wei and Xiao Ning manage to climb up to the teahouse's roof.Zh: 那里站着一位神秘的陌生人，正是镇宇。En: There stands a mysterious stranger, Zhen Yu.Zh: 看到他们，镇宇微微一笑，说：“你们终于来了。En: Seeing them, Zhen Yu smiles slightly and says, "You finally made it."Zh: ”镇宇解释说，他对李伟的画作一直仰慕不已，希望借着七夕节，能为他策划一个特别的惊喜。En: Zhen Yu explains that he has long admired Li Wei's artwork and wanted to organize a special surprise for him on Qixi Festival.Zh: 这是一场寻宝游戏，一场充满心意的祝福。En: It was a treasure hunt, a heartfelt blessing.Zh: 李伟感动地看着镇宇，突然明白，这次的经历不只是找到线索，还有珍贵的友情。En: Li Wei looks at Zhen Yu with gratitude, suddenly understanding that this experience was not just about finding clues, but also about cherishing precious friendship.Zh: 通过这场冒险，他学会了如何去信任别人，如何去迎接生活中的未知机遇。En: Through this adventure, he learned how to trust others and embrace the unknown opportunities in life.Zh: 成都的夏夜充满着温暖，三个人在屋顶上共享着即将到来的节日烟火。En: The summer night in Chengdu is filled with warmth as the three of them share the upcoming festival fireworks on the rooftop.Zh: 伴随着市场下的喧闹，李伟的心终于充满了不一样的温暖。En: Amidst the hustle and bustle of the market below, Li Wei's heart is finally filled with a different kind of warmth. Vocabulary Words:adorned: 挂满lanterns: 灯笼aroma: 香味delicacies: 美食Qixi Festival: 七夕节inspiration: 灵感envelope: 信封mysterious: 神秘peculiar: 古怪riddles: 谜题famous: 有名organized: 策划cheerful: 开朗outgoing: 热情engraved: 刻着kite: 纸鸢curiosity: 好奇anxiety: 焦灼teahouse: 茶馆roof: 屋顶share: 共享treasure hunt: 寻宝游戏heartfelt: 充满心意blessing: 祝福gratitude: 感动cherishing: 珍贵friendship: 友情embrace: 迎接opportunities: 机遇bustle: 喧闹

Send us a textMusical tones, grammar traps, aha moments.  Chinese sounds simple—until it isn't. From tone tricks to missing tenses, Steph and Angie chat about  the unexpected complexity of learning Mandarin, especially for speakers of English and German. Their conversation unpacks how tonal cues, filler sounds like “ma” and “ah,” and even body language all shape meaning, while verbs and grammar markers leave learners scratching their heads. Hear what surprised them most and what finally clicked in this honest, funny, and relatable episode on navigating a famously “easy” language—until you try speaking it.Full conversation:https://geopatsabroad.buzzsprout.com/2039972/episodes/11201561-german-chinese-languages-in-shanghai-with-bookish-youtuber-angie-dumasAngie's YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LBSm1HZjecZt7EVnyUImwTraveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.

Send us a textMusical tones, grammar traps, aha moments.  Chinese sounds simple—until it isn't. From tone tricks to missing tenses, Steph and Angie chat about  the unexpected complexity of learning Mandarin, especially for speakers of English and German. Their conversation unpacks how tonal cues, filler sounds like “ma” and “ah,” and even body language all shape meaning, while verbs and grammar markers leave learners scratching their heads. Hear what surprised them most and what finally clicked in this honest, funny, and relatable episode on navigating a famously “easy” language—until you try speaking it.Full conversation:https://geopatsabroad.buzzsprout.com/2039972/episodes/11201561-german-chinese-languages-in-shanghai-with-bookish-youtuber-angie-dumasAngie's YouTube channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6LBSm1HZjecZt7EVnyUImwTraveling Mailbox: https://travelingmailbox.com/?ref=3422Top 3 services that have help me while living in different countries: Affiliate links so I'll get a small commission.

Mandarin Program with Jimmy and Ellie - 4th August 2025 by 98.5 ONE FM

聊中西文化，也聊很多东西！ 第七十七期，终于迎来了我的假期，这次选择去马来西亚度假，新鲜出炉的旅游杂记：） 欢迎给我们来信： ttmiChinese@gmail.com Have online class with Candice, please email candicex2018@gmail.com YouTube: Candice X Chinese Mandarin Instagram: CandiceXMandarin2022 免费学习资料 Free study materials please visit Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/candicex PDF full script for episode 77: coming soon Full subtitles with Pinyin for episode 77: coming soon

Today's Episode:Have you ever been “stabbed” by a cup of bubble tea? In this episode, we explore the viral Chinese slang “刺客” (assassin) — from pricey snacks to shocking bills — and how “backstabbing” has found its way into everyday shopping. Your wallet won't forget this one!Membership Preview:Our next MaoMi Chinese+ episode will uncover a common way to describe those moments when you get tricked or caught out—like surprise fees, misleading ads, or tricky menus. Learn how to talk about these everyday annoyances and practise with fun exercises!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

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Harmony: Balancing Dreams and Family Ties Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-03-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 炎炎夏日，知了在树上叫个不停。En: On a scorching summer day, the zhiliao wouldn't stop buzzing in the trees.Zh: 小区里，孩子们在外面玩耍，家人们在门廊上闲聊。En: In the neighborhood, children played outside while families chatted on their porches.Zh: 小区的每个角落都充满了夏天的味道。En: Every corner of the community was filled with the essence of summer.Zh: 莲是个13岁的姑娘，梦想成为一名艺术家。En: Lian was a 13-year-old girl who dreamed of becoming an artist.Zh: 她的家里到处都是她的画作，餐桌上摆满了各种画具。En: Her home was filled with her paintings, and the dining table was covered with various art supplies.Zh: 今年暑假，她有个重要的计划：参加一个本地的艺术比赛。En: This summer, she had an important plan: to participate in a local art competition.Zh: 可是，她的15岁堂兄明有不同的想法。En: However, her 15-year-old cousin Ming had different ideas.Zh: 明特别爱运动，一到夏天就想让莲和他一起到外面玩。En: Ming loved sports, and as soon as summer arrived, he wanted Lian to join him in outdoor activities.Zh: 每当莲专心画画，他就来敲敲门：“莲，快出来打篮球吧！”En: Whenever Lian was focused on her painting, Ming would come knocking: “Lian, come out and play basketball!”Zh: 莲感到为难，她想画画，又不想辜负明。En: Lian felt torn; she wanted to paint but didn't want to let Ming down.Zh: 他们的奶奶震是一位70岁的老人，经常给他们讲过去的故事。En: Their grandmother Zhen, a 70-year-old woman, frequently shared stories from the past and always listened to Lian's concerns with patience.Zh: 一天早上，莲决定：“我可以早上画画，下午和明出去玩。”En: One morning, Lian decided: “I can paint in the morning and play with Ming in the afternoon.”Zh: 她这么计划着，认为这样可以两全其美。En: She planned it this way, thinking it could be the best of both worlds.Zh: 然而，一次小争吵却打破了这种平衡。En: However, a minor argument disrupted this balance.Zh: 有一天，莲因为画的进度不快而紧张。En: One day, Lian became anxious due to her slow progress with a painting.Zh: 明又来邀请她：“快啊，今天我们去游泳吧！”En: Ming came to invite her again: “Come on, let's go swimming today!”Zh: “我不去！”莲一声回绝，“我得画完这幅画。”En: “I'm not going!” Lian replied curtly, “I have to finish this painting.”Zh: “你整天都在画画，难道不觉得无聊吗？”明反驳。En: “You paint all day; don't you find it boring?” Ming retorted.Zh: “但这是我最想做的事！”莲不满地说道。En: “But it's what I love doing the most!” Lian responded discontentedly.Zh: 兄妹俩争执起来，莲甚至开始怀疑自己是否真该参加比赛。En: The siblings argued, and Lian even began to doubt whether she should participate in the competition.Zh: 晚上，奶奶震看出了莲的不安。En: That evening, grandmother Zhen noticed Lian's unease.Zh: 她轻轻拍了拍莲的肩膀，开始讲一个关于坚持的故事。En: She gently patted Lian's shoulder and began to tell a story about perseverance.Zh: 奶奶讲的是她年轻时种稻子的故事，“尽管遇到了大雨、虫灾，但坚持下去，总有收获。”En: Zhen recounted her youth when she grew rice: “Despite heavy rains and pests, by persisting, there was always a harvest.”Zh: “你一定要坚持自己的梦想，同时也别忘了家庭的温暖。”震的故事让莲深受感动。En: “You must persist in your dreams, but also remember the warmth of family.” Zhen's story deeply moved Lian.Zh: 第二天，明走到莲跟前：“对不起，昨天是我太急躁了。En: The next day, Ming approached Lian: “I'm sorry, I was too impatient yesterday.Zh: 我帮你画些背景吧，这样我们可以早点出去玩。”En: I'll help you paint some of the background so we can finish earlier and go out to play.”Zh: 莲笑了，她知道明是真心支持她。En: Lian smiled, knowing that Ming genuinely supported her.Zh: 于是，他们一起努力完成了画作。En: Together, they worked hard to complete the painting.Zh: 这个夏天，莲学会了在追求梦想和家庭生活之间找到平衡。En: This summer, Lian learned to find a balance between pursuing her dreams and family life.Zh: 比赛那天，她信心满满，因为她知道有家人最真诚的支持。En: On the day of the competition, she was full of confidence because she knew she had her family's sincere support.Zh: 虽然输赢未定，但她已经是胜者，因为她学会了自信，还收获了更多亲情。En: Regardless of the outcome, she was already a winner because she learned self-confidence and gained more familial affection.Zh: 夏天的风继续吹过小区，孩子们的笑声伴着蝉鸣，一切都显得那么和谐美好。En: The summer wind continued to blow through the neighborhood, the children's laughter mingled with the chan singing, making everything seem so harmonious and beautiful. Vocabulary Words:scorching: 炎炎buzzing: 叫个不停porches: 门廊上essence: 味道artist: 艺术家competition: 比赛sports: 运动focus: 专心torn: 为难perseverance: 坚持harvest: 收获argument: 争吵anxious: 紧张curtly: 回绝discontentedly: 不满地doubt: 怀疑unease: 不安patience: 耐心persist: 坚持下去balance: 两全其美affection: 亲情harmony: 和谐美好pursuing: 追求sincere: 真诚的familial: 家庭genuine: 真心impatient: 急躁background: 背景confidence: 信心满满self-confidence: 自信

节目简介 / Episode Summary / エピソード概要：中文： 上期节目我聊了聊在中国生活为什么这么方便。这一期，我反过来跟大家分享两个我觉得在中国生活中不太方便的地方，尤其是对外国人或短期游客来说会觉得麻烦：扫码点餐和信用卡支付。English: Last episode, I talked about why life in China is so convenient. In this episode, I flip the perspective and share two specific inconveniences I've encountered—QR code ordering and the limited use of credit cards—especially for foreigners or short-term visitors.日本語： 前回のエピソードでは、中国での生活がなぜ便利なのかを話しました。今回は逆に、特に外国人や短期滞在者にとって不便に感じる「2つの点」——QRコード注文とクレジットカードが使いにくいことについてお話しします。#扫码点餐 #移动支付 #信用卡支付 #中国旅行 #生活不便 #中国现代化 #中国国际化发短信给我！ Send me a text!Support the show如果您喜欢我的播客，欢迎通过下方方式表达您的支持。您的支持对我来说是巨大的鼓励。但无论如何，我都很感激有您作为听众。能够每周与您分享几分钟的时光，对我来说是莫大的荣幸。❤️ If you enjoy my podcast, you're welcome to show your support through the options below. Your support means a great deal to me and is a huge source of encouragement. But no matter what, I'm truly grateful to have you as a listener. It's an honor to share a few minutes with you each week!❤️ ✨

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Finding Balance and Inspiration on Shanghai's Vibrant Waitan Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-02-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 清晨，上海的外滩笼罩在金色的阳光中。En: In the early morning, the Waitan in Shanghai is bathed in golden sunlight.Zh: 黄浦江的水面反射着迷人的光芒，天际线上的摩天大楼闪烁着光辉。En: The surface of the Huangpu River reflects enchanting light, and the skyscrapers on the skyline shimmer with brilliance.Zh: 游客和当地人沿着繁忙的长廊漫步，享受着这座城市独特的生机和活力。En: Tourists and locals stroll along the busy promenade, enjoying the unique vitality of this city.Zh: 每天清晨，明霞都会在这里慢跑。En: Every morning, Mingxia jogs here.Zh: 她是一名市场营销主管，虽然工作繁忙，她仍对摄影充满热情。En: She is a marketing director who, despite her busy work schedule, is still passionate about photography.Zh: 她梦想着开一家展现城市生活的画廊。En: She dreams of opening a gallery that showcases city life.Zh: 但她的问题是，总是缺乏时间。En: But her problem is that she always lacks time.Zh: 另外一边，魏也是这里的常客。En: On the other hand, Wei is also a regular here.Zh: 他是一位科技企业家，喜欢通过跑步来清理思绪。En: He is a tech entrepreneur who enjoys clearing his mind through running.Zh: 他最近的新创业项目让他压力重重，难以放松。En: His recent startup project has been extremely stressful, making it hard for him to relax.Zh: 他们常常在外滩上擦肩而过，每次只是点头微笑。En: They often pass each other on the Waitan, always just nodding and smiling.Zh: 某一天，明霞决定改变她的早晨跑步路线，她想寻找新灵感。En: One day, Mingxia decides to change her morning jogging route, hoping to find new inspiration.Zh: 而魏也鼓起勇气，打破了平常独自跑步的习惯，决定和她聊天。En: Meanwhile, Wei musters up the courage to break his usual habit of running alone and decides to chat with her.Zh: “早上好！”魏在一次恰巧相遇时对她说道。En: "Good morning!" Wei says to her during a chance encounter.Zh: 明霞惊讶地回头，微笑着回应：“你好，经常在这里看到你。”En: Surprised, Mingxia turns back and responds with a smile, "Hello, I often see you here."Zh: 随着时间的推进，他们的对话越来越自然。En: As time goes by, their conversations become more natural.Zh: 两人分享了许多关于工作和生活的经历。En: The two share many experiences about work and life.Zh: 明霞发现，魏对生活的追求不仅仅是工作，而是找到内心的平衡。En: Mingxia discovers that Wei's pursuit in life is not just work, but finding inner balance.Zh: 而魏则被她对城市的独特视角所吸引。En: Meanwhile, Wei is drawn to her unique perspective on the city.Zh: 转眼Qixi节就到了，这个充满浪漫色彩的日子，外滩更显得热闹非凡。En: Soon, the Qixi Festival arrives, a day filled with romantic hues, making the Waitan even more lively.Zh: 明霞和魏做了一个即兴的决定，他们一起去探寻这座城市的节日庆典。En: Mingxia and Wei make an impromptu decision to explore the city's festive celebrations together.Zh: 在夜幕降临中，他们游走于各个摊位，分享彼此的梦想和心事。En: As night falls, they wander through various stalls, sharing their dreams and thoughts.Zh: 就在这时，明霞用她的相机捕捉到了魏站在灯火通明的背景下的微笑。En: At this moment, Mingxia captures Wei's smile against the backdrop of bright lights with her camera.Zh: 这个瞬间，正是她一直寻找的城市能量的体现。En: This moment embodies the city energy she has been searching for.Zh: 几个月后，明霞的画廊开幕了，那张在Qixi节拍下的照片成了展出作品之一，引起了很大的反响。En: A few months later, Mingxia's gallery opens, and the photo taken during the Qixi Festival becomes one of the exhibits, generating a significant response.Zh: 与此同时，魏找到了自己的平衡点，在繁忙工作和生活享乐之间学会了调和。En: Meanwhile, Wei finds his balance, learning to harmonize between busy work and enjoying life.Zh: 透过彼此的激励，明霞开始注重人与人之间的联系，融入她的摄影作品中。En: Through each other's encouragement, Mingxia begins to focus on connections between people, incorporating them into her photography.Zh: 而魏则感受到与明霞的交流，让他学会了珍惜当下，欣赏生活中的小确幸。En: Wei, on the other hand, feels that his interactions with Mingxia have taught him to cherish the present and appreciate the small joys in life.Zh: 外滩依旧灯火通明，两人并肩站在一起，看着城市的繁华与宁静。En: The Waitan remains brightly lit, as the two stand side by side, gazing at the city's prosperity and tranquility.Zh: 他们都知道，自己在这座城市中找到了属于自己的平衡。En: They both know they have found their own balance in this city. Vocabulary Words:bathed: 笼罩enchanting: 迷人shimmer: 闪烁promenade: 长廊vitality: 活力jog: 慢跑marketing director: 市场营销主管showcases: 展现gallery: 画廊lack: 缺乏entrepreneur: 企业家startup: 创业stressful: 压力重重natural: 自然perspective: 视角romantic hues: 浪漫色彩lively: 热闹非凡impromptu: 即兴explore: 探寻stalls: 摊位capture: 捕捉exhibits: 展出作品response: 反响harmonize: 调和encouragement: 激励connections: 联系cherish: 珍惜appreciate: 欣赏prosperity: 繁华tranquility: 宁静

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Flavorful Triumph: Ling's Unforgettable Mystery Tea Win Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-08-01-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在台北的一个热闹的夏日午后，阳光透过泡泡茶店的窗户，洒在颜色鲜艳的墙壁和柜台上，空气中弥漫着新鲜泡好的茶香。En: On a lively summer afternoon in Taipei, sunlight streamed through the windows of a bubble tea shop, casting its rays on the brightly colored walls and counters, while the air was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed tea.Zh: 这一天，泡泡茶店正举办一个神秘口味比赛，胜者可以免费喝一年的泡泡茶。En: On this day, the bubble tea shop was hosting a mystery flavor contest, with the winner receiving free bubble tea for a year.Zh: 玲看了看四周，满是参赛者和观众，她信心满满。En: Ling looked around, surrounded by participants and spectators, feeling completely confident.Zh: 她一直觉得自己对泡泡茶的口味了如指掌，总是能第一时间辨出各种奇特的味道。En: She had always felt that she had an expert palate for bubble tea flavors and could instantly identify various unusual tastes.Zh: 她身边的朋友伟，虽然不太相信玲能赢，但还是无条件支持她。En: Her friend Wei, although not fully convinced that Ling could win, supported her unconditionally.Zh: 店主源正忙着准备比赛的茶，脸上挂着一丝神秘的微笑。En: The shop owner, Yuan, was busy preparing the contest tea, a mysterious smile on his face.Zh: 今天的比赛，他准备了一个特别的口味，让大家来猜一猜。En: For today's contest, he prepared a special flavor for everyone to guess.Zh: 玲站在前排，目不转睛地盯着即将开始的比赛。En: Ling stood in the front row, her eyes fixed on the contest that was about to begin.Zh: 比赛开始，玲小口地品尝着茶，眉头微皱，这个味道真是奇怪。En: As the contest began, Ling took small sips of the tea, her brow furrowed.Zh: 无论她怎么分析，这个味道都让她摸不着头脑。En: This taste was truly strange.Zh: 于是，玲转向了她最好的朋友，伟。En: No matter how she analyzed it, she couldn't quite figure it out.Zh: “伟，我闻到了什么奇怪的香味，但就是说不上来。En: So, she turned to her best friend, Wei.Zh: ”玲苦恼地说。En: "Wei, I'm picking up on some strange aroma, but I just can't place it," Ling said in frustration.Zh: “或许你可以试着把它和家里的食谱联系起来？En: "Maybe you could try to relate it to a family recipe?"Zh: ”伟建议道。En: Wei suggested.Zh: 玲思考了片刻，突然想到了一种家族特有的甜品，添加了榴莲和薰衣草。En: Ling thought for a moment and suddenly recalled a unique family dessert that incorporated durian and lavender.Zh: 她决定大胆一试。En: She decided to take a bold guess.Zh: 随着时间一点点流逝，玲心里说出那个大胆的猜测：“是榴莲加薰衣草！En: As time ticked away, Ling voiced her daring speculation: "It's durian with lavender!"Zh: ”比赛结束，店主源微笑着宣布：“答案正确！En: The contest ended, and the shop owner Yuan announced with a smile, "The answer is correct!Zh: 这就是榴莲混合薰衣草的特别口味。En: It's a special durian mixed with lavender flavor.Zh: 恭喜玲！En: Congratulations, Ling!"Zh: ”玲高兴得跳了起来，周围响起一片掌声。En: Ling jumped up in joy as applause erupted around her.Zh: 她赢得了比赛，也学会了一个教训：再有把握的事情也要谨慎对待。En: She had won the contest and learned a valuable lesson: no matter how confident you are, things should be approached with caution.Zh: 同时，她感激伟一路的支持。En: She also felt grateful for Wei's unwavering support.Zh: 比赛结束后，玲与伟一起享受着免费的泡泡茶，一边分享着她的胜利心得。En: After the contest, Ling and Wei enjoyed free bubble tea together, sharing her victorious experience.Zh: 一切都在这个夏日的泡泡茶店里变得那么完美。En: Everything became so perfect in the bubble tea shop that summer day. Vocabulary Words:lively: 热闹的streamed: 洒aroma: 香气brewed: 泡好的contest: 比赛spectators: 观众confident: 信心满满expert: 了如指掌palate: 味觉unconditionally: 无条件mysterious: 神秘的furrowed: 皱眉analyzed: 分析determine: 辨出speculation: 猜测daring: 大胆的applause: 掌声victorious: 胜利的unwavering: 坚定的incorporated: 添加了unique: 特有的approached: 对待valuable: 宝贵的lesson: 教训caution: 谨慎grateful: 感激的support: 支持ticks: 流逝announce: 宣布recipe: 食谱

The world famous Bottom of the Stream podcast visits Taiwan this week as we talk about 2018 comedy horror flick: Secrets in the Hot Spring. Listen on to hear what we made of this one, help us brush up on our Mandarin and find out exactly what our appetite is for a haunted house movie with a Benny Hill style comedy twist….   Bottom of the stream is a weekly podcast, hosted by film lovers Adam and Nick, exploring the parts of Netflix that most people don't go to in a bid to find out what hidden gems are lurking down there Every week we rank the films we watch against each other and place them in what we like to call THE STREAM TABLE which can be found on our website  www.bottomofthestream.com Follow us on Twitter, instagram and letterboxed at @bots_podcast  Please consider supporting the show on Patreon, If you do we will give you lots of bonus content including early access to the episodes. Check it out over at www.patreon.com/bottomofthestream   We also now have a discord so join us to hang out https://discord.gg/wJ3Bfqt

Send us a textMy guest is Matt Mikalatos — author, screenwriter, producer, and all-around brilliant storyteller. He has written award-winning books, including the beautifully illustrated graphic novel God With Us, the devotional Praying with Saint Nicholas, and an imaginative Young Adult fantasy series, The Sunlit Lands. He's also co-authored Loving Disagreement with Kathy Khang — a timely, powerful book about how to stay in relationship, even when the culture says it's time to cancel.As an undergraduate student in creative writing at the University of California, Riverside, Matt studied under the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, Percival Everett, author of the wildly popular novel entitled JAMES.  Matt's story doesn't stop there. He spent 20 years with a global campus ministry (Campus Crusade for Christ now known as CRU), lived in China, became fluent in Mandarin, and worked deeply in cross-cultural ministry. He's seen the evolution — or devolution — of Evangelicalism from the inside, and he doesn't shy away from talking about it. From Trumpism and anti-democratic rhetoric to hot-button issues like immigration, LGBTQ rights, and even “chainsaw massacre” politics, we go there — and Matt helps us understand the power of story over shouting matches.There's exciting news - he's just been notified that a script he's written has been greenlit. The production of a full-length feature film begins soon, with filming in Thailand.Join me as Matt and I talk about faith, storytelling, culture, and how, in this divided world, we can still communicate and respect each other — even when we disagree. It's a lively, eye-opening, and deeply human exchange you won't want to miss. Mike Mikalatos WebSiteSupport the showBecome a Patron - Click on the link to learn how you can become a Patron of the show. Thank you! Ken's Substack Page The Podcast Official Site: TheBeachedWhiteMale.com

2 Chron 29:1-36, Rom 14:1-23, Ps 24:1-10, Pr 20:12

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: The Missing Teapot: A Tale of Secrets and Reconciliation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-31-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在成都竹林深处，有一家古色古香的茶馆。En: In the depths of a bamboo forest in Chengdu, there is a quaint and traditional tea house.Zh: 这茶馆装饰着木制屏风，温馨的灯笼散发出柔和的光，屋子里弥漫着乌龙和茉莉的幽香。En: This tea house is decorated with wooden screens, softly lit by warm lanterns, and filled with the subtle fragrance of Oolong and jasmine.Zh: 夏天的热浪被茶馆门外的凉风隔在外头，给客人们创造了一个安静的避风港。En: The summer heat is kept at bay by the cool breeze outside the tea house, creating a quiet haven for its guests.Zh: 茶馆的主人叫梅芳，她对家传宝物——一个无价的茶壶，倍加珍惜。En: The owner of the tea house is named Mei Fang, and she cherishes a family heirloom—a priceless teapot.Zh: 有一天午后，梅芳发现茶壶不见了。En: One afternoon, Mei Fang discovered that the teapot was missing.Zh: 她心中一惊，一种担心失去祖先们寄托的荣光的恐惧袭上心头。En: She was taken aback, as a fear of losing the ancestral honor entrusted to the teapot gripped her heart.Zh: 梅芳环顾四周，只有常客简在一旁喝着茶。En: Looking around, Mei Fang saw that only a regular customer, Jian, was there drinking tea.Zh: 简是一位热衷于探索新闻故事的记者，总是对一切充满好奇。En: Jian is a journalist with a keen interest in exploring news stories, and he is always full of curiosity.Zh: 梅芳迟疑片刻，决定向简倾诉她心中的不安，虽然她害怕这可能会引发谣言，影响生意。En: Mei Fang hesitated for a moment but decided to confide her unease to Jian, despite her fear that this might spark rumors affecting her business.Zh: “简，我需要你的帮助，”梅芳小声说道，“一只宝贵的茶壶不见了，我怕家人知道。我不确定是不是有人拿了。”En: "Jian, I need your help," Mei Fang said softly, "A valuable teapot is missing, and I'm afraid of my family finding out. I'm not sure if someone took it."Zh: 简点点头，答应帮忙。他决定不动声色地询问其他客人，希望能找到些线索。En: Jian nodded and agreed to help. He decided to discreetly ask other guests, hoping to find some clues.Zh: 与此同时，梅芳的表弟李强也在茶馆忙碌。En: Meanwhile, Mei Fang's cousin, Li Qiang, was also busy in the tea house.Zh: 李强常常过来帮忙，他昔日因财务困境而烦恼，但从未向家人透露。En: Li Qiang often came to help out, and he had previously been troubled by financial difficulties, though he never revealed this to his family.Zh: 梅芳心里隐隐怀疑，但不愿贸然质疑表弟。En: Mei Fang had a vague suspicion but was reluctant to rashly question her cousin.Zh: 随着调查的深入，简和梅芳逐渐发现一些细微的线索指向李强。En: As the investigation progressed, Jian and Mei Fang gradually discovered some subtle clues pointing to Li Qiang.Zh: 某个黄昏，梅芳坚定地走向李强，“李强，我需要知道真相，茶壶是不是你拿的？”En: One evening, Mei Fang resolutely approached Li Qiang, "Did you take the teapot, Li Qiang? I need to know the truth."Zh: 李强低下头，脸上显露出内疚。他坦白承认了：“我实在是走投无路了，想暂时用它来还债，但我一定会还回来。”En: Li Qiang lowered his head, guilt showing on his face. He confessed honestly, "I was really at a dead end and wanted to use it temporarily to pay off some debts, but I promise to return it."Zh: 梅芳看着李强的真诚与痛苦，心中波动。En: Mei Fang looked at Li Qiang's sincerity and pain, her heart stirred.Zh: 她深吸一口气，决定选择原谅，“李强，茶壶可以还回去，你是我的家人，胜过任何东西。En: She took a deep breath and decided to forgive him, "The teapot can be returned, but you are my family, which is worth more than anything else.Zh: 在这场意外风波中，梅芳不仅找回了失踪的茶壶，更是重新审视了与家人之间的感情。En: Through this unexpected turmoil, Mei Fang not only recovered the missing teapot but also re-evaluated her relationship with her family.Zh: 她明白了材料之物虽珍贵，亲情却更为无价。En: She realized that while material possessions are valuable, family ties are priceless.Zh: 从此，茶馆里弥漫的不光是茉莉的清香，还有充满谅解和温暖的家庭氛围。En: From then on, the tea house was filled not only with the sweet scent of jasmine but also with a family atmosphere full of understanding and warmth. Vocabulary Words:quaint: 古色古香heirloom: 家传宝物cherishes: 倍加珍惜taken aback: 心中一惊ancestral: 祖先的honor: 荣光entrusted: 寄托confide: 倾诉rumors: 谣言unease: 不安discreetly: 不动声色suspicions: 怀疑vague: 隐隐reluctant: 不愿rashly: 贸然subtle: 细微clues: 线索resolutely: 坚定地confessed: 坦白承认guilt: 内疚sincerity: 真诚stirred: 波动forgive: 原谅resolve: 解决turmoil: 风波re-evaluated: 重新审视priceless: 无价material possessions: 材料之物filled: 弥漫understanding: 谅解

Join our community at nonetakenpod.com#490 NONE TAKEN IS A SHOW ABOUT COMEDY AND CURRENT EVENTS

2 Chron 26:1-28:27, Rom 13:1-14, Ps 23:1-6, Pr 20:11

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Love in Uniform: Finding Harmony Amidst Duty in Qingdao Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-30-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在青岛的一个夏日，海风轻轻吹拂，海洋的咸味在空气中弥漫。En: On a summer day in Qingdao, the sea breeze gently blew, and the salty scent of the ocean permeated the air.Zh: 海军基地的旗帜随风飘扬，军舰整齐地停泊在港口，整个基地显得忙碌而有序。En: The flags at the navy base fluttered in the wind, and the warships were docked neatly at the port, making the whole base appear busy yet orderly.Zh: 在这里，魏是一名敬业的海军军官，他对自己的职责充满热情。En: Here, Wei was a dedicated navy officer, passionate about his duties.Zh: 但在内心深处，他觉得生活中缺了些什么。En: But deep inside, he felt that something was missing in his life.Zh: 这一天是海军的一个隆重仪式，有许多记者前来报道。En: That day was the occasion of a solemn ceremony for the navy, and many journalists came to report on it.Zh: 丽娜是其中之一，她是一名雄心勃勃的记者，正在寻找一个能够让她在新闻界脱颖而出的故事。En: Lina was among them, an ambitious journalist looking for a story that could make her stand out in the news industry.Zh: 她的目光落在了魏的身上。En: Her eyes fell on Wei.Zh: 他在仪式上表现出色，带着坚定和自信。En: He performed outstandingly in the ceremony, with firmness and confidence.Zh: 仪式结束后，魏带着来宾们参观基地。En: After the ceremony, Wei led the guests on a tour of the base.Zh: 丽娜被分配到魏的组里。En: Lina was assigned to Wei's group.Zh: 在基地的一角，丽娜被停泊的军舰和忙碌的军官们吸引。En: In a corner of the base, Lina was captivated by the docked warships and the busy officers.Zh: 魏在这个时候走近她，微笑着说：“你好，我是魏。En: Wei approached her at this moment, smiling and saying, "Hello, I'm Wei."Zh: ”丽娜礼貌地点头：“你好，我叫丽娜。En: Lina nodded politely, "Hello, I'm Lina.Zh: 我是记者。En: I'm a journalist."Zh: ”在接下来的交流中，魏感受到一种从未有过的轻松。En: During their subsequent conversation, Wei felt a sense of ease he had never experienced before.Zh: 他发现丽娜不仅聪明，还对他的工作饱含热情。En: He found Lina not only smart but also passionate about his work.Zh: 他们聊了很久，关于海军，关于梦想，还有关于生活。En: They talked for a long time about the navy, dreams, and life.Zh: 虽然彼此心中都有犹豫，魏觉得生活的严谨不允许他过多涉足感情，而丽娜担心对工作的影响，但他们无法忽视内心的牵引。En: Although both had hesitations, Wei felt the rigor of his life did not allow him to delve too much into emotions, while Lina worried about the impact on her work, they could not ignore the pull in their hearts.Zh: 某个风雨交加的晚上，基地接到海上紧急任务，魏立刻行动。En: On a stormy night, the base received an emergency task at sea, and Wei sprang into action immediately.Zh: 看着他投入工作，丽娜的心被深深触动。En: Watching him engaged in his work, Lina's heart was deeply touched.Zh: 她意识到这是一个她愿意深爱的人。En: She realized that he was someone she was willing to love deeply.Zh: 几天后，丽娜递交了一篇关于海军生活的文章，感情真挚，引起了热烈反响。En: A few days later, Lina submitted an article about navy life, filled with genuine emotions, which sparked a strong reaction.Zh: 这篇文章不仅赢得了她的声誉，也让魏意识到，他可以在事业与个人生活中找到平衡。En: This article not only earned her a reputation but also made Wei realize that he could find a balance between his career and personal life.Zh: 最后，魏和丽娜在基地的港口重逢。En: Finally, Wei and Lina reunited at the base's port.Zh: 魏微笑着说：“想来基地看看吗？En: Wei smiled and said, "Would you like to visit the base?"Zh: ”丽娜轻声回答：“当然，我想知道关于你的更多。En: Lina softly replied, "Of course, I'd like to know more about you."Zh: ”从此，魏学会了在职业生涯中也能兼顾自己的情感生活，丽娜则懂得了职业之外，生活中的连接同样重要。En: From then on, Wei learned to balance his emotional life with his career, and Lina understood that connections beyond work were just as important in life.Zh: 他们在青岛的海风中，开始了新的篇章。En: They began a new chapter in the sea breeze of Qingdao. Vocabulary Words:breeze: 微风permeated: 弥漫fluttered: 飘扬dock: 停泊dedicated: 敬业solemn: 隆重journalist: 记者ambitious: 雄心勃勃outstandingly: 出色ceremony: 仪式subsequent: 随后的rigor: 严谨hesitations: 犹豫emotions: 感情emergency: 紧急sprang: 立刻行动captivated: 吸引genuine: 真挚reaction: 反响united: 重逢balance: 平衡chapter: 篇章firmness: 坚定confidence: 自信authority: 权威navigating: 航行storms: 风雨reputation: 声誉introspective: 内省passionate: 热情

Giles Tully is CEO of PinPoint Data Science, the company behind the ‘PinPoint Test', a completely unique AI-driven test that can diagnose 9 of the top 14 most common cancers faster, better and more affordably than the current NHS process. Giles lost his mother at 16 and has used that event to fuel his career which includes going to China with no Mandarin, learning the language and ending up producing one of China's most popular rock bands and becoming a popstar in China himself.

2 Chron 24:1-25:28, Rom 12:1-21, Ps 22:19-31, Pr 20:8-10

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lijiang's Lure: Finding Courage Amidst Ancient Beauty Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-29-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 七月，一个阳光明媚的早晨，美玲漫步在丽江古城的小巷中。En: In July, on a sunny morning, Meiling strolled through the alleys of Lijiang's ancient town.Zh: 她的相机在手，捕捉着眼前的每一个美好瞬间。En: With her camera in hand, she captured every beautiful moment before her.Zh: 古城的青石板路上，阳光斑驳，小贩们的吆喝声此起彼伏，空气中弥漫着花香，还有远处群山的静谧。En: On the cobblestone streets of the ancient city, sunlight scattered in patches, vendors' calls echoed, the air was filled with the scent of flowers, and the distant mountains exuded tranquility.Zh: 然而，美丽的景色并不能让美玲放下心中的忧虑。En: However, the beautiful scenery couldn't alleviate Meiling's worries.Zh: 几个月来，她一直被一阵阵莫名其妙的头痛困扰着。En: For months, she had been troubled by seemingly inexplicable headaches.Zh: 这使得她时常无法专心欣赏旅途中的美景，更无法集中精力去记录她所喜爱的风景。En: This often made it difficult for her to fully appreciate the sights of her journey, let alone concentrate on capturing the landscapes she loved.Zh: “也许，我该早点回去看看医生。”她心底的声音不断响起，但她又舍不得离开这如诗如画的地方。En: "Perhaps I should go back to see a doctor soon," a voice inside her kept saying, yet she was reluctant to leave such a picturesque place.Zh: 这时，一个热情的当地姑娘珍迎面走来。En: At that moment, a friendly local girl named Zhen approached.Zh: 珍是美玲的朋友，热衷于介绍地方的风土人情。En: Zhen was Meiling's friend, enthusiastic about sharing the local customs and culture.Zh: “美玲，你看起来不太好。有没有考虑去村子里的草药师那里看看？”珍建议道。En: "Meiling, you don't look well. Have you considered seeing the herbalist in the village?" Zhen suggested.Zh: 在珍的带领下，美玲来到了一个藏在小巷深处的古老小屋。En: Led by Zhen, Meiling arrived at an ancient house hidden deep in the alley.Zh: 年迈的草药师谦和地接待了她，轻声询问她的症状，并递给她一些草药。En: The elderly herbalist greeted her kindly, gently inquiring about her symptoms, and handed her some herbs.Zh: 日子一天天过去，美玲的头痛似乎有所缓解。En: As the days went by, Meiling's headaches seemed to ease.Zh: 然而，最令她印象深刻的是丽江的夜晚。En: However, what left the strongest impression on her was Lijiang's night.Zh: 那晚，古城正举行一场热闹的文化节，街上满是欢声笑语和飘扬的彩旗。En: That night, the ancient town was hosting a lively cultural festival, filling the streets with laughter and fluttering flags.Zh: 就在她正沉醉于节日的氛围中时，突如其来的剧烈头痛让她不得不停下来坐到了一旁。En: While she was immersed in the festival's atmosphere, a sudden severe headache forced her to sit down.Zh: “也许我该正视这个问题了。”美玲心里清楚，再也无法自欺欺人。En: "Perhaps I should confront this issue," Meiling realized she could no longer deceive herself.Zh: 节日过后，她和另一位朋友雅惠聊了聊。En: After the festival, she talked with another friend, Yahui.Zh: 雅惠建议她回去后立即找一位专科医生，切勿再拖延。En: Yahui suggested that she should immediately see a specialist doctor once she returned, and not delay any longer.Zh: 美玲点了点头，内心隐隐下了决心。En: Meiling nodded, feeling a subtle resolve building within.Zh: 最后，虽然她依依不舍地告别了丽江，但心中却多了一份明确的方向和勇气。En: In the end, although she reluctantly bid farewell to Lijiang, she left with a clearer direction and newfound courage.Zh: 回到家后，她在雅惠的帮助下，迅速联系上了一位好评如潮的医生。En: After returning home, with Yahui's help, she quickly contacted a highly reputed doctor.Zh: 她知道，自己的健康不容忽视，未来的旅行，还要在更健康的状态下去体验。En: She understood that her health couldn't be neglected and that future travels should be experienced in a healthier state.Zh: 美玲在丽江不但找到了宁静，更找到了面对问题的勇气。En: In Lijiang, Meiling not only found serenity but also the courage to face her problems.Zh: 她明白了，无论何时，健康永远是最重要的。En: She realized that no matter what, health is always the most important thing.Zh: 她带着相片册中那些美丽的景色，开始了新的生活篇章，更加积极地面对生活中的挑战。En: With an album full of beautiful sceneries, she began a new chapter in life, facing its challenges with more positivity. Vocabulary Words:strolled: 漫步alleys: 小巷captured: 捕捉cobblestone: 青石板echoed: 此起彼伏exuded: 散发出alleviate: 缓解inexplicable: 莫名其妙herbalist: 草药师symptoms: 症状reluctantly: 依依不舍trickled: 缓缓流下mingled: 掺杂fluttering: 飘扬immersed: 沉醉severe: 剧烈confront: 正视resolve: 决心serenity: 宁静positivity: 积极态度scattered: 斑驳worries: 忧虑greeted: 接待suggested: 建议impression: 印象cultural: 文化deceive: 自欺欺人specialist: 专科neglected: 忽视unfolding: 展开

Bob Freling has been the Executive Director of the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) since 1997. Its mission is to design, fund, and implement solar energy solutions to benefit those in poor communities without access to the electricity grid, helping others to overcome energy poverty. SELF provides energy access in the developing world and has an impressive track record of providing more than 750 solar systems in over 20 countries. Bob Freling was born and raised in Dallas, Texas and was educated at Yale University where he earned his degree in Russian Studies. He has an intense appreciation of linguistics having studied Spanish, French, Russian, and Mandarin. After colleage, and when on assignment in Taiwan, he joined the antinuclear movement, and came upon clean solar energy and SELF. He never looked back, realizing the life-changing value of solar in the developing world.Bob discusses SELF's evolution from providing small household, 50-watt solar solutions -- which powered a few lights and a radio -- to the "whole village development model" which provides a broader spectrum of benefits including community water pumping, power for health clinics, streetlighting, and microenterprise centers. One memorable project was in the Valley of a Thousand Hills in South Africa. There, SELF installed a satellite dish and 2.4 kW solar array that powered a school which received 20 personal computers donated by Dell Computers. All of a sudden, that community had access not only to energy but to "the universe of information." Another project was in the African country of Benin where SELF supported water pumping and drip irrigation, and hydroponics, fostering solar market gardens run by women's farming cooperatives.Recently SELF has been promoting new forms of agriculture in Masai villages in Kenya... using water most judiciously and effectively. SELF is also focused on e-cooking using advanced electric cooking devices. Bob discusses the great value of the sun in supporting the energy-water-food nexus and is thankful for the support SELF has received from foundations, philanthropists, corporations, and international aid agencies. For his dedication and important works, Bob was honored to receive the King Hussein Leadership Award which was presented to him by Jordan's Queen Noor. For more information and to support SELF, please visit www.SELF.org.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Destined Connections: A Journey Along the Great Wall Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-28-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 长城在阳光下蜿蜒穿越绿意盎然的夏季景观，En: The Changcheng, or Great Wall, winds through the lush, verdant summer landscape under the sun.Zh: 古老的石墙吸引着无数游客徜徉其中，领略大自然的壮丽景色。En: The ancient stone wall attracts countless tourists who wander through it, taking in the magnificent scenery of nature.Zh: 在长城的一个角落，导游连向一群游客讲述着关于长城建造的传奇故事。En: In one corner of the Changcheng, a tour guide named Lian is telling a group of tourists the legendary stories of the wall's construction.Zh: 他笑容满面，充满活力，似乎每一块砖石都有他倾慕的故事。En: His face beams with a smile and energy, and it seems that every brick and stone holds a story he admires.Zh: 这一天，连的讲解中来了一位特别的游客。En: On this day, a special visitor joined Lian's tour.Zh: 她叫夏，来自遥远的城市，是一名画家。En: Her name was Xia, a painter from a distant city.Zh: 夏到长城来寻找灵感，为她下一个艺术展览收集素材。En: Xia came to the Changcheng in search of inspiration and to gather materials for her next art exhibition.Zh: 然而，她一开始显得有些孤僻，独自一人走在长城的崎岖路面上，安静地在速写本上勾勒石墙。En: However, she initially appeared somewhat aloof, walking alone on the rugged paths of the wall, quietly sketching the stone walls in her notebook.Zh: 连注意到了她的专注，心中涌起一丝欣赏。En: Lian noticed her focus and felt a twinge of admiration.Zh: 他知道自己即将到国外留学，心里有些不舍，但他希望在离开之前留下美好的回忆。En: Knowing that he was about to go abroad to study, he felt a bit reluctant to leave, but he hoped to create beautiful memories before departing.Zh: 他决定抽出时间陪伴夏，帮她解析长城每一段的美。En: He decided to take the time to accompany Xia, helping her appreciate the beauty of each section of the wall.Zh: 于是，连轻轻走到夏身旁，问道：“需要帮忙吗？En: So, Lian gently approached Xia and asked, "Need any help?Zh: 我可以给你讲讲这里的历史，也许会有些启发。”En: I can tell you about the history here, it might be inspiring."Zh: 夏抬头望着他，微笑着点了点头，表示愿意接受他的陪伴。En: Xia looked up at him, smiled, and nodded, indicating her willingness to accept his companionship.Zh: 连带着夏穿梭于长城的每一个角落，讲述不同时期的修筑故事，介绍著名的景观和传说。En: Lian led Xia through every corner of the Changcheng, telling stories of its construction during different periods, and introducing famous sights and legends.Zh: 夏仔细听着，她的画笔在速写本上不停地流动，捕捉着长城的生动细节。En: Xia listened attentively, her pencil moving incessantly across her sketchbook, capturing the vivid details of the wall.Zh: 日暮时分，连和夏坐在长城顶上，享受夏日的晚风吹拂。En: By dusk, Lian and Xia sat atop the Changcheng, enjoying the summer evening breeze.Zh: 两人不知不觉中忘记了时间，在谈话中分享彼此的想法和梦想。En: The two lost track of time, sharing their thoughts and dreams in conversation.Zh: 夏感到前所未有的放松，而连开始重新审视他即将离开的决定。En: Xia felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation, while Lian began to re-evaluate his decision to leave.Zh: 第二天，连收到了一封来自国外大学的录取信，他该出发去追寻更广阔的世界。En: The next day, Lian received an acceptance letter from an overseas university; it was time for him to set off to explore a wider world.Zh: 但那一刻，他犹豫了。En: Yet at that moment, he hesitated.Zh: 与此同时，夏要回城了，她乘上了开往远方的火车。En: Meanwhile, Xia was heading back to the city and boarded a train bound for afar.Zh: 窗外景色渐渐远去，夏想起连对她工作的启发，微笑着接受了一种新的艺术视角。En: As the scenery outside the window gradually faded, Xia recalled Lian's insights into her work and smiled, embracing a new artistic perspective.Zh: 连站在月台上，心中思绪万千。En: Lian stood on the platform, his mind filled with countless thoughts.Zh: 他体会到人与人之间的联系比异国的梦想更为珍贵。En: He realized that the connections between people are more precious than dreams of foreign lands.Zh: 他决定在离开之前，重新思考这个决定。En: He decided to rethink his decision before leaving.Zh: 长城下，阳光洒在古老的石块上，诉说着千万年以来那些未曾忘却的故事。En: Under the Changcheng, sunshine bathed the ancient stones, telling stories that have never been forgotten over millennia.Zh: 而这次，连和夏都将在彼此的回忆中，留下属于自己的故事。En: And this time, Lian and Xia would leave their own stories in each other's memories. Vocabulary Words:lush: 绿意盎然的verdant: 青翠的wander: 徜徉magnificent: 壮丽的legendary: 传奇的aloof: 孤僻的rugged: 崎岖的twinge: 一丝admiration: 欣赏reluctant: 不舍departs: 离开companionship: 陪伴attentively: 仔细地incessantly: 不停地vivid: 生动的breeze: 晚风unprecedented: 前所未有的hesitated: 犹豫perspective: 视角platform: 月台millennia: 千万年insights: 启发inspiration: 灵感materials: 素材departing: 出发contemplate: 思考connections: 联系scenery: 景色bricks: 砖石memories: 回忆

Today's Episode:In Chinese, food isn't just for eating—it's for talking too! From having a “bitter melon face” to being “fired like squid”, this episode dives into funny and vivid Chinese expressions that will make your language learning even tastier. Let's take a bite!Membership Preview:In next MaoMi Chinese+, we will discover the hidden meaning behind the Chinese slang “green tea” — a word that sounds innocent but is used to judge girls unfairly. Join us as we unpack this tricky expression and explore fairness, stereotypes, and cultural insights in today's episode!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

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rediscovering Yiheyuan: A Tale of History and Photography Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-27-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏天的颐和园，如同一幅生动的美丽画卷。En: The Summer Yiheyuan is like a vivid, beautiful painting.Zh: 周围满是游客，三三两两地漫步在湖边。En: The area is filled with tourists, strolling in twos and threes along the lakeside.Zh: 有的在拍照，有的在休息，En: Some are taking photos, some are resting.Zh: 举目四望，满是轻松和欢笑。En: Looking around, the scene is full of relaxation and laughter.Zh: 丽颖今天特别兴奋。En: Liying is particularly excited today.Zh: 她的相机小心翼翼地挂在胸前，随时准备捕捉任何令人心动的瞬间。En: Her camera is carefully hung around her neck, ready at any moment to capture something heart-stirring.Zh: 她的朋友小雨一直鼓励她，要利用这个摄影工作坊，好好提升一下拍照水平。En: Her friend Xiaoyu has been encouraging her to take advantage of this photography workshop to improve her skills.Zh: 来到这里，她想拍到一个特别的作品，但这个地方实在是太有名了。En: Arriving here, she wants to capture a special piece of work, but this place is just too famous.Zh: 丽颖面对的难题就是如何拍出与众不同的照片。En: The challenge Liying faces is how to take a distinctive photo.Zh: 在颐和园的某个培训角落，她遇见了浩然。En: In a training corner of Yiheyuan, she meets Haoran.Zh: 他是一个有着历史的热情的人，对这里的每一处都有深入的了解。En: He is someone passionate about history, with deep knowledge of every part of this place.Zh: 两人聊起颐和园的历史，浩然让丽颖对每一个建筑都有了新的认识。En: The two of them chat about the history of Yiheyuan, and Haoran offers Liying new insights into each building.Zh: “你有没有想过，从历史的角度来看，这些地方会告诉我们什么故事？”浩然问道。En: "Have you ever thought about what stories these places might tell us from a historical perspective?" Haoran asks.Zh: 丽颖灵机一动，决定与浩然合作，从他的视角重新认识这个地方。En: Liying suddenly has a bright idea and decides to collaborate with Haoran to rediscover the place from his perspective.Zh: 这样，她既能找到新灵感，也能用相机讲述历史。En: This way, she can both find new inspiration and use her camera to tell the story of history.Zh: 在拍摄过程中，丽颖无意中拍到了浩然的一个瞬间。En: During the shoot, Liying accidentally captures a moment of Haoran.Zh: 他正专注地看着远方，背景是古老的长廊。En: He is intently looking into the distance, with the ancient corridor as his backdrop.Zh: 那一刻的浩然，将历史的厚重与个人的思绪融合在了一起。En: In that moment, Haoran combines the weight of history and personal reflection.Zh: 这张照片让丽颖既惊讶又满意。En: This photo leaves Liying both surprised and satisfied.Zh: 她捕捉的不只是历史，还有一种关于人与地点的深刻连接。En: She has captured not just history, but a profound connection between a person and a place.Zh: 晚上，丽颖和浩然一起翻看今天的照片。En: In the evening, Liying and Haoran review the day's photos together.Zh: 他们都发现了新的东西。En: They both discover something new.Zh: 丽颖发现，照片背后的故事同样重要；En: Liying realizes that the stories behind the photos are equally important;Zh: 而浩然了解到，历史也可以通过新的方式展现。En: while Haoran learns that history can be presented in new ways.Zh: 最后，丽颖微笑着看向浩然。En: Finally, Liying smiles at Haoran.Zh: 她知道，他们之间的缘分才刚刚开始。En: She knows that their bond has only just begun.Zh: 在这片古老而美丽的土地上，他们不仅找到了对历史和摄影的新热情，也找到了彼此的心。En: On this ancient and beautiful land, they have found not only a renewed passion for history and photography but also each other's hearts. Vocabulary Words:vivid: 生动strolling: 漫步lakeside: 湖边enthusiastic: 兴奋heart-stirring: 心动distinctive: 与众不同perspective: 视角collaborate: 合作profound: 深刻reflection: 思绪bond: 缘分capture: 捕捉renewed: 新的passionate: 热情insight: 新的认识ancient: 古老corridor: 长廊backdrop: 背景moment: 瞬间training: 培训corner: 角落discover: 发现historical: 历史的landscape: 土地intently: 专注地unintentionally: 无意中enthusiasm: 热情photography: 摄影laughter: 欢笑relaxation: 轻松

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Unexpected Friendships and Flavors on Ferragosto Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-26-22-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 明亮的太阳洒在阿马尔菲海岸湛蓝的海面上，海风轻拂，仿佛在邀请人们踏上一段不同寻常的旅程。En: The bright sun cast its rays on the Amalfi Coast's azure sea surface, with the sea breeze gently blowing, as if inviting people to embark on an unusual journey.Zh: 今天是特别的日子——Ferragosto节假日，一个充满欢庆和友谊的时刻。En: Today is a special day — the Ferragosto holiday, a time filled with celebration and friendship.Zh: 在临海的一个宽敞明亮的厨房里，烹饪课即将开始。En: In a spacious and bright seaside kitchen, a cooking class is about to begin.Zh: Ming，一个热爱旅行和摄影的人，此时正站在窗边，眺望着美丽的海岸线。En: Ming (Ming), a person who loves traveling and photography, is standing by the window, gazing at the beautiful coastline.Zh: 他感到既兴奋又略带孤独。En: He feels both excited and slightly lonely.Zh: 他希望这堂烹饪课能让他更接近意大利的文化，也希望能结识一些新朋友。En: He hopes this cooking class will bring him closer to 意大利's culture and also hopes to make some new friends.Zh: 另一方面，Li Wei，不远处的厨师正低头沉思。En: On the other hand, Li Wei (Li Wei), the chef not far away, is deep in thought.Zh: 他的心中充满了自我怀疑。En: His heart is filled with self-doubt.Zh: 虽然他是个专业厨师，但总觉得自己的创意不足以打动别人。En: Although he is a professional chef, he always feels his creativity is not impressive enough.Zh: 他来到这里寻找灵感，却不敢轻易与人分享自己的想法。En: He came here seeking inspiration but hesitates to share his ideas with others.Zh: 课上，Ming和Li Wei因为语言不通而显得有些尴尬，而同一个班级的Xiaoyu则在一旁忙碌地记录每一个精彩的瞬间。En: During the class, Ming and Li Wei felt somewhat awkward due to the language barrier, while at the same time, Xiaoyu was busy capturing every wonderful moment.Zh: 她不仅是个美食博客作者，还在寻找深层次的个人联系。En: Not only is she a food blogger, but she is also searching for deeper personal connections.Zh: 随着课程的进行，Ming意识到交流的重要性。En: As the course progressed, Ming realized the importance of communication.Zh: 他努力用简单的英文，手势，乃至肢体语言与Li Wei沟通。En: He made an effort to communicate with Li Wei using simple English, gestures, and even body language.Zh: Li Wei不再躲避，他开始尝试与Ming分享自己的想法。En: Li Wei stopped avoiding communication and began to share his ideas with Ming.Zh: 同时，Xiaoyu也注意到了他们之间的互动，开始鼓励并帮助他们更顺利地交流。En: Meanwhile, Xiaoyu noticed their interaction and started to encourage and help them communicate more smoothly.Zh: 在Ferragosto的晚上，烹饪课上的每个人都一起准备了一场盛大的晚宴。En: On the evening of Ferragosto, everyone from the cooking class gathered to prepare a grand dinner.Zh: Ming和Li Wei决定合作制作一道结合他们创意的菜肴。En: Ming and Li Wei decided to collaborate on a dish that combined their creative ideas.Zh: 随着烹饪的进行，他们发现彼此有许多相似的想法，在不断地相互启发中，他们的友情悄然形成。En: As they cooked, they discovered they had many similar thoughts, constantly inspiring each other, and their friendship quietly formed.Zh: 晚宴如期而至，热闹非凡。En: The dinner went on as scheduled and was very lively.Zh: Ming和Li Wei的合作菜肴获得了大家的一致好评。En: The collaborative dish by Ming and Li Wei received unanimous praise from everyone.Zh: 透过这次合作，Ming不再感到孤独，更加自信与他人交流。En: Through this collaboration, Ming no longer felt lonely and became more confident in communicating with others.Zh: Li Wei也收获了满满的信心，对自己的创意充满信心。En: Li Wei also gained plenty of confidence and felt assured about his creativity.Zh: 这次经历让他们都意识到，分享与合作能创造更美好的事物。En: This experience made them both realize that sharing and collaboration can create more beautiful things.Zh: 在一片欢声笑语中，他们三人一同举杯，遥望无际的沙滩和海洋。En: Amidst laughter and joy, the three of them raised their glasses together, looking at the endless beach and ocean.Zh: Ferragosto的夜晚满载着光明与希望，为他们的友谊和未来的合作展开了新的篇章。En: The night of Ferragosto was full of light and hope, opening a new chapter for their friendship and future collaborations. Vocabulary Words:azure: 湛蓝breeze: 海风embark: 踏上spacious: 宽敞glanced: 眺望coastline: 海岸线lonely: 孤独creativity: 创意hesitates: 犹豫awkward: 尴尬gesture: 手势interaction: 互动encourage: 鼓励collaborate: 合作grand: 盛大unanimous: 一致amidst: 在...之中laughter: 欢声笑语endless: 无际light: 光明hope: 希望self-doubt: 自我怀疑inspiration: 灵感capture: 记录communication: 交流confidence: 信心assured: 放心realize: 意识到share: 分享beautiful: 美好

From today, websites operating in the UK with pornographic content must ‘robustly' age-check users. Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must protect young people from encountering harmful content relating to suicide, self-harm, eating disorders and pornography. Kylie discusses the issues with the BBC's senior technology reporter Graham Fraser and Head of Policy and Public Affairs at CEASE, Gemma Kelly.Dame Agatha Christie, also known as the ‘Queen of Crime' and the ‘Duchess of Death,' is the best-selling novelist of all time with more than two billion books sold and translations in 104 languages. In her new book V is for Venom: Agatha Christie's Chemicals of Death, author and former chemist Kathryn Harkup uncovers the real science behind the fiction and the true crime cases that inspired Christie's plots.Rape and other sexual violence is surging in Haiti as armed gangs expand their control across the capital Port-au-Prince and beyond. Medicine Sans Frontiers say cases of sexual violence have tripled in the past four years and that one in five victims are under the age of 18. BBC Correspondent, Nawal Al-Maghafi, has recently returned from Haiti and she describes what she witnessed.Director Elizabeth Lo's new Mandarin-language documentary, Mistress Dispeller, follows the real-life story of one woman who hires a professional, Teacher Wang, to help break up her husband's affair and save her marriage. It's a compelling documentary about love, infidelity, pain and joy in modern-day Chinese society. Elizabeth joins Kylie in the studio to tell the story.A joint holiday with another family can be the perfect recipe for a memorable break - playmates for your children, shared responsibilities and enjoying other adult company. But different parenting styles and routines may lead to tension rather than relaxation. Genevieve Roberts, parenting columnist for the I newspaper, describes why she enjoys holidaying with another family and manages to stay friends afterwards. Presented by Kylie Pentelow Producer: Louise Corley

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Surprise Talent Show Unites Hearts by the Changjiang River Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-25-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 阳光透过树叶洒在长江边的训练营，En: The sunshine filtered through the leaves, sprinkling onto the training camp by the Changjiang River.Zh: 波光粼粼的水面反射出金色的光芒。En: The shimmering water reflected a golden glow.Zh: 美兰站在营地的木制舞台旁，心中满是期待。En: Meilan stood by the wooden stage of the camp, her heart full of anticipation.Zh: 这个夏天，她想要给大家带来一个惊喜，也想让她的父亲为她感到骄傲。En: This summer, she wanted to surprise everyone and make her father proud.Zh: 她决定组织一个惊喜才艺秀。En: She decided to organize a surprise talent show.Zh: “但我们时间不够，”玉翔说。En: "But we don't have enough time," Yuxiang said.Zh: 玉翔是这里的辅导员，负责安排所有活动。En: Yuxiang was the counselor here, responsible for organizing all the activities.Zh: “何况，快结束营期了，每天的安排都很紧。”En: "Besides, the camp period is almost over, and the schedule is very tight every day."Zh: 美兰坚定地看着玉翔，“我们可以利用自由时间练习，En: Meilan looked at Yuxiang resolutely, "We can use our free time to practice.Zh: 训练营就是要激发大家的创造力和团结精神啊。”En: The camp is about inspiring everyone's creativity and team spirit."Zh: 玉翔沉思片刻，看着美兰坚定的脸，最后点了点头，“好吧，我会帮你。”En: Yuxiang pondered for a moment, looking at Meilan's determined face, and finally nodded, "Alright, I'll help you."Zh: 美兰兴奋地跑去找志浩。En: Meilan excitedly ran to find Zhihao.Zh: 志浩是她最好的朋友，沉默腼腆，但他的二胡拉得特别好。En: Zhihao was her best friend, quiet and shy, but he played the erhu exceptionally well.Zh: 可问题是，志浩害怕在别人面前表演。En: However, the problem was that Zhihao was afraid to perform in front of others.Zh: 美兰知道，她要鼓励志浩。En: Meilan knew she needed to encourage Zhihao.Zh: “志浩，我们早上早点起来练习，好吗？”美兰问道，希望能看到他的信心。En: "Zhihao, shall we get up early to practice in the mornings?" Meilan asked, hoping to see his confidence.Zh: 志浩有些犹豫，但最后点头答应了。En: Zhihao hesitated but eventually nodded in agreement.Zh: 日子一天天过去，美兰和志浩每天早上早起练习。En: Day by day, Meilan and Zhihao got up early every morning to practice.Zh: 美兰细心地组织着节目，鼓励每个小伙伴参与，并听取大家的意见。En: Meilan carefully organized the program, encouraged every buddy to participate, and listened to everyone's opinions.Zh: 阳光下，笑声与音乐在营地的空气中回荡，每天都更接近成功。En: Under the sunlight, laughter and music echoed in the camp's air, bringing them closer to success each day.Zh: 终于，才艺秀的晚上来临。En: Finally, the night of the talent show arrived.Zh: 夕阳染红了天空，晚餐过后，美兰悄悄安排大家到舞台附近。En: The sunset painted the sky red, and after dinner, Meilan quietly arranged for everyone to gather near the stage.Zh: 她的爸爸也来了，坐在观众席上，面带微笑。En: Her father was there too, sitting in the audience with a smile.Zh: 幕布拉开的瞬间，大家都屏住了呼吸。En: The moment the curtain opened, everyone held their breath.Zh: 节目一个接一个地上演，美兰的心情从忐忑变成欣喜，特别是当志浩上台时，En: The programs were presented one by one, and Meilan's mood shifted from anxious to joyful, especially when Zhihao took the stage.Zh: 她紧紧握着他的手。En: She held his hand tightly.Zh: 志浩站在舞台中央，手心出汗，但他深吸了一口气，凑近二胡的弦。En: Zhihao stood in the center of the stage, his palms sweaty, but he took a deep breath and brought the erhu close to its strings.Zh: 优美的琴声传遍整个营地，似乎让时间都静止了，最后一个音符结束时，现场爆发出如雷般的掌声。En: The beautiful sound spread across the entire camp, seemingly freezing time, and when the last note ended, the place erupted with thunderous applause.Zh: 才艺秀完美收场。En: The talent show concluded perfectly.Zh: 美兰的父亲走过来，拍了拍她的肩膀，“我很骄傲。”En: Meilan's father came over and patted her shoulder, "I am very proud."Zh: 美兰笑了，心里终于放下了心中的石头。En: Meilan smiled, finally letting go of the stone in her heart.Zh: 她知道，父亲的骄傲不仅因为才艺秀，更因为她学会了信任朋友，挑战自己的极限。En: She knew her father's pride was not only because of the talent show but also because she learned to trust her friends and challenge her own limits.Zh: 在营地明亮的夜空下，大家一起庆祝这个成功的晚上，美兰感到从未有过的满足。En: Under the bright night sky of the camp, everyone celebrated this successful evening together, and Meilan felt a satisfaction she had never felt before.Zh: 这个夏天的经历将深深印在她的心里，伴随着她的成长。En: The experiences of this summer would be deeply imprinted in her heart, accompanying her through her growth. Vocabulary Words:filtered: 透过shimmering: 波光粼粼anticipation: 期待surprise: 惊喜counselor: 辅导员tight: 紧resolutely: 坚定地inspiring: 激发creativity: 创造力pondered: 沉思determined: 坚定nodded: 点头encourage: 鼓励hesitated: 犹豫organized: 组织echoed: 回荡presented: 上演joyful: 欣喜anxious: 忐忑palms: 手心froze: 静止thunderous: 如雷applause: 掌声concluded: 收场proud: 骄傲trust: 信任challenge: 挑战limits: 极限celebrated: 庆祝imprinted: 印

We know the challenge of getting into Mandarin Chinese is daunting to say the least, but don't worry, ChinesePod is here to help! Today's lesson is a practical guide for the complete newbie, hopefully assuaging some of the fears associated with learning Mandarin and giving you pointers of what you should do. Be sure to check out ChinesePod's Pinyin Pronunciation Chart; a handy reference for learning the basics of Mandarin Chinese pronunciation. Episode link: https://www.chinesepod.com/1833

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lost and Found on the Great Wall: Liu's Historic Quest Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-23-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏日的长城，延绵不绝，宛如一条巨龙。En: The summer Changcheng, stretches endlessly, like a giant dragon.Zh: 天蓝如洗，几片白云点缀着夏日的晴空。En: The sky is as blue as if it were washed clean, with a few white clouds adorning the summer sky.Zh: 石阶古老，散发着历史的气息，绿色的藤蔓沿着墙壁攀爬，让长城更显生机。En: The ancient stone steps exude a historical aura, and green vines climb along the walls, making the Changcheng appear more vibrant.Zh: 这一天，刘和他的家人要去探访这个历史遗迹。En: On this day, Liu and his family are going to visit this historical site.Zh: 刘是个好奇的少年，对历史充满了热情。En: Liu is a curious young boy, full of passion for history.Zh: 他的姐姐梅总是细心，常常保护着他。En: His sister Mei is always attentive and often looks out for him.Zh: 父亲建则是个乐观开朗的人，总是支持孩子们的探索。En: Their father, Jian, is an optimistic and cheerful person, always supporting the children's explorations.Zh: “我听说长城有个地方，刻着一个古老的铭文。”刘对姐姐梅和父亲建说。En: "I heard there's a place on the Changcheng with an ancient inscription," Liu said to his sister Mei and father Jian.Zh: 他期待地看着他们。En: He looked at them expectantly.Zh: “别跑太远，跟我们走安全路线。”梅一脸认真，她担心刘的安全。En: "Don't wander off too far, stick to the safe route with us," Mei said seriously, worried about Liu's safety.Zh: 刘点点头，但心里还是想着那个刻文。En: Liu nodded but his mind was still on the inscription.Zh: 他真的很想看一看，那是他探险的梦想。En: He really wanted to see it; it was his adventurous dream.Zh: 长城上的游客很多，梅紧紧握着弟弟的手，不让他走丢。En: There were many tourists on the Changcheng, and Mei tightly held her brother's hand, preventing him from getting lost.Zh: 建则在后面笑着拍了拍刘的肩：“听你姐姐的话。”En: Jian was in the back, smiling as he patted Liu's shoulder: "Listen to your sister."Zh: 然而，到了一个转角，刘趁姐姐不注意，悄悄溜开。En: However, at a corner, Liu took advantage of his sister's distraction and quietly slipped away.Zh: 他往少有人走的小道走去，心里既紧张又兴奋。En: He walked toward a less traveled path, feeling both nervous and excited.Zh: 刘快步走，心里想着铭文的传说。En: Liu walked quickly, thinking about the legend of the inscription.Zh: 这时，他看见了一处长满杂草的墙段，很少有人来。En: At that moment, he saw a section of the wall overgrown with weeds, rarely visited by people.Zh: 他向前走得更快，果然发现了铭文。En: He quickened his pace and indeed found the inscription.Zh: 那是几个模糊的汉字，刘激动地伸手触摸，心中一片欢喜。En: It consisted of a few blurred Chinese characters, and Liu excitedly reached out to touch them, filled with joy.Zh: 但环顾四周，刘才意识到自己迷路了。En: But as he looked around, Liu realized he was lost.Zh: 不禁有些慌乱，他试着往回走，但方向感模糊。En: Panic started to set in as he tried to retrace his steps but found his sense of direction muddled.Zh: 不远处，梅和建发现刘不见了，马上开始寻找。En: Not far away, Mei and Jian noticed that Liu was missing and immediately began searching.Zh: 他们很快找到了刘，看到铭文，梅的脸色终于缓和下来。En: They soon found Liu, and upon seeing the inscription, Mei's expression finally relaxed.Zh: 刘心头一松，笑了：“对不起，下次我不会独自行动。”En: Liu felt relieved and smiled: "I'm sorry, next time I won't go off on my own."Zh: 梅和建站在旁边，认真欣赏着铭文。En: Standing beside him, Mei and Jian seriously admired the inscription.Zh: 此刻，长城雄伟依旧，他们三人靠在一起，心中充满了感动。En: At that moment, the Changcheng remained majestic, and the three of them stood together, filled with emotion.Zh: 这次的冒险不仅让刘找到心中的铭文，也让他更加珍视家人在一起的时光。En: This adventure not only allowed Liu to find the inscription he dreamed of but also made him cherish the time spent with family even more.Zh: 长城依旧静静矗立，他们的故事将永远留在这里。En: The Changcheng stood silently, and their story would remain here forever. Vocabulary Words:stretches: 延绵endlessly: 不绝adorn: 点缀exude: 散发aura: 气息vines: 藤蔓vibrant: 生机curious: 好奇attentive: 细心optimistic: 乐观cheerful: 开朗inscription: 铭文wander off: 跑太远seriously: 认真adventurous: 探险distracted: 不注意slipped away: 悄悄溜开nervous: 紧张excited: 兴奋muddled: 模糊retraced: 往回走panicked: 慌乱quickened: 快步blurred: 模糊reached out: 伸手relieved: 心头一松admired: 欣赏majestic: 雄伟emotion: 感动cherish: 珍视

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Lake Dreams to Latte Ambitions: A Journey Begins Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-22-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 微风轻轻地拂过西湖，荷花盛开，湖水轻轻拍打着岸边。En: The breeze gently brushed over West Lake, the lotus flowers were in full bloom, and the lake water softly patted against the shore.Zh: 微和朋友凌、江一起坐在湖边的长椅上，享受着夏日的美好时光。En: Wei sat on a bench by the lake with his friends Ling and Jiang, enjoying the beautiful summer time.Zh: 这里是他们常常来的地方，风景如画，总能让人心情平静。En: This was a place they often visited, with picturesque scenery that always brought peace of mind.Zh: 微最近很烦恼。En: Wei was recently troubled.Zh: 他一直从事稳定的工作，但心里总有些不安。En: He had been in a stable job, but there was always some unease in his heart.Zh: 他有一个梦想，想开一家咖啡店，但这需要勇气和很多准备。En: He had a dream of opening a coffee shop, but it required courage and a lot of preparation.Zh: 他不确定是否该放弃现在的安稳，而去追求这个梦想。En: He was unsure whether he should give up his current stability to pursue this dream.Zh: 凌高兴地分享着她的新工作，她刚刚开始在一家著名的科技公司上班。En: Ling was happily sharing her new job; she had just started working at a well-known tech company.Zh: “这份工作让我每天都充满动力，”她说，脸上洋溢着自信的笑容。En: "This job motivates me every day," she said, with a confident smile on her face.Zh: 江则显得有些不安。En: Jiang, on the other hand, looked somewhat uneasy.Zh: 他希望生活能有变化，但不知道怎么开始。En: He hoped for changes in his life but didn't know how to begin.Zh: 他总是说：“我有很多想法，但不知道怎么实现。En: He always said, "I have many ideas, but I don't know how to realize them."Zh: ”微静静地听着朋友们的分享。En: Wei quietly listened to his friends sharing.Zh: 忽然，他说道：“其实，我也想做一些改变。En: Suddenly, he said, "Actually, I also want to make some changes.Zh: 我一直想开一家咖啡店，但我不知道是否该冒这个险。En: I've always wanted to open a coffee shop, but I don't know if I should take this risk."Zh: ”凌看着微，鼓励道：“微，如果这是你的梦想，那就值得去尝试。En: Ling looked at Wei and encouraged him: "If this is your dream, it's worth trying.Zh: 我们支持你。En: We support you."Zh: ”江也点头：“对啊，有时候我们需要走出舒适区。En: Jiang nodded as well: "Yeah, sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone."Zh: ”微心中感到一丝温暖。En: Wei felt a warmth in his heart.Zh: 朋友的支持给了他力量。En: His friends' support gave him strength.Zh: 他们在湖边坐了整整一个下午，微倾诉着自己的计划和担忧，凌和江则不停地给他建议和鼓励。En: They sat by the lake for the entire afternoon, with Wei pouring out his plans and concerns, and Ling and Jiang continuously offering him advice and encouragement.Zh: 最终，微下定决心。En: In the end, Wei made up his mind.Zh: 他决定开始着手准备这家咖啡店。En: He decided to start preparing for the coffee shop.Zh: 他知道这并不容易，但朋友们的鼓励让他有信心面对未来发生的一切。En: He knew it wouldn't be easy, but his friends' encouragement gave him confidence to face anything the future held.Zh: 夕阳西下，微望着远处的湖面，心中不再犹豫。En: As the sun set, Wei looked at the distant lake, no longer hesitant in his heart.Zh: 他笑了，对凌和江说：“谢谢你们。En: He smiled and said to Ling and Jiang, "Thank you.Zh: 无论结果如何，我会努力去实现我的梦想。En: No matter the outcome, I will work hard to realize my dream."Zh: ”在这个夏日的下午，微感受到了前所未有的坦然和希望。En: On this summer afternoon, Wei felt an unprecedented sense of calm and hope.Zh: 他知道，不管未来如何，他已经迈出了勇敢的第一步。En: He knew that regardless of what the future held, he had already taken a brave first step.Zh: 西湖的景色似乎更加美丽了，他的心，也如湖水一样，平静而坚定。En: The scenery of West Lake seemed even more beautiful, and his heart, like the lake water, was calm and determined. Vocabulary Words:breeze: 微风gently: 轻轻地bloom: 盛开shore: 岸边picturesque: 风景如画troubled: 烦恼stable: 稳定unease: 不安courage: 勇气pursue: 追求motivate: 动力confident: 自信encourage: 鼓励realize: 实现support: 支持comfort zone: 舒适区strength: 力量continuously: 不停地advice: 建议preparation: 准备risk: 冒险outcome: 结果hope: 希望unprecedented: 前所未有determined: 坚定hesitant: 犹豫calm: 平静future: 未来beautiful: 美丽brave: 勇敢

You don't need to be fluent to speak Mandarin with AI. These beginner-friendly chatbot activities offer low-pressure practice that builds confidence, comprehension, and conversation skills.#learnchinese #ai #chatbot #chatgpt #speaking #inputLink to article on Hacking Chinese: Using AI chatbots for low-stress Mandarin speaking practice: https://www.hackingchinese.com/using-ai-chatbots-for-low-stress-mandarin-speaking-practice/The new HSK 3.0: What you need to know: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-new-hsk-3-0-what-you-need-to-know/Beginner Chinese listening practice: What to listen to and how: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beginner-chinese-listening-practice-what-to-listen-to-and-how/The best Chinese reading practice for beginners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/best-chinese-reading-practice-for-beginners/The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/the-best-youtube-channels-for-learning-chinese/Unlocking Chinese: The Ultimate Course for Beginners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/courses/unlocking-chinese-ultimate-guide-beginner/Using speech recognition to improve Chinese pronunciation, part 1: https://www.hackingchinese.com/using-speech-recognition-to-improve-chinese-pronunciation-part-1/Analyse and balance your Chinese learning with Paul Nation's four strands: https://www.hackingchinese.com/analyse-and-balance-your-chinese-learning-with-paul-nations-four-strands/More information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at: ⁠https://www.hackingchinese.com/⁠Music: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Kites on the Great Wall: A Windy Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-21-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在中国长城上，阳光灿烂，一片喧闹。En: On the Great Wall of China, the sun shone brightly, and the atmosphere was bustling with activity.Zh: 明、丽丽和杰三个人兴奋地站在墙上，手中紧握一只巨大的风筝。En: Ming, Lili, and Jie stood excitedly on the wall, holding a gigantic kite tightly in their hands.Zh: "明，我们真的能在这里放风筝吗？"丽丽有些犹豫，她看着周围的人群，担心地问。En: "Ming, can we really fly a kite here?" Lili asked hesitantly, looking at the surrounding crowd with concern.Zh: "当然可以！今天风大，是放风筝的好天气。"明自信地说。En: "Of course we can! It's windy today, perfect weather for kite flying," Ming replied confidently.Zh: 而杰则在一旁笑着插嘴："别担心，丽丽，如果风筝飞走了，我们至少有杰哥帮忙捡帽子！"En: Jie chuckled and chimed in, "Don't worry, Lili, if the kite flies away, at least brother Jie is here to help retrieve the hats!"Zh: 三人找了个稍微空旷的地方，试着让风筝在空中翩翩起舞。En: The three found a slightly open space and tried to let the kite gracefully dance in the sky.Zh: 然而，风筝刚升起，就因为墙上的强风而晃动得厉害。En: However, as soon as the kite rose, it wobbled fiercely due to the strong winds on the wall.Zh: "糟糕！它缠住了女士的帽子！"丽丽喊道。En: "Oh no! It's tangled with a lady's hat!" Lili exclaimed.Zh: 更糟糕的是，每次风筝绳一拂而过，总有一个游客因帽子被带走而惊慌失措。En: Even worse, each time the kite's string brushed by, it caused panic as it took away a tourist's hat.Zh: 明开始感到心急，他决心要让风筝不在地面惹麻烦。En: Ming began to feel anxious and was determined to keep the kite from causing trouble on the ground.Zh: "我们去那边！人少一点！"他指了指墙的另一边。En: "Let's go over there! Fewer people!" he pointed to the other side of the wall.Zh: 他们移到另一边，那里确实少了很多游客，但风更强。En: They moved to the other side, where indeed there were fewer tourists, but the wind was stronger.Zh: 几次尝试后，风筝再次高高地飞起。En: After several attempts, the kite flew high again.Zh: 可是没过多久，风筝突然俯冲下来，勾住了一位导游的帽子。En: But before long, it suddenly swooped down and hooked onto a tour guide's hat.Zh: 导游本在给游客们讲解，他的帽子飞起，全场安静后却是一阵欢笑。En: The tour guide, who was explaining things to tourists, had his hat taken away, which brought laughter after the initial silence.Zh: "抱歉，抱歉！"明连忙道歉。En: "Sorry, Sorry!" Ming quickly apologized.Zh: 导游哈哈大笑："没关系！天空四通八达，分享快乐吧！让我来试试这个风筝如何？"En: The tour guide laughed heartily, "No worries! The sky is vast and open, let's share the joy! Let me have a go with the kite!"Zh: 随着导游的加入，一切变得更加有趣。En: With the tour guide's participation, everything became more amusing.Zh: 他教大家如何在风中找到平衡，如何让风筝稳稳飞翔。En: He taught everyone how to find balance in the wind and how to keep the kite flying steadily.Zh: 不久，所有人都沉浸在这场意外的快乐中。En: Soon, everyone was immersed in this unexpected joy.Zh: 望着飞到高高云端的风筝，明笑了。En: Watching the kite soar high up to the clouds, Ming smiled.Zh: 他明白，不必追求完美。En: He realized that there was no need to strive for perfection.Zh: “有时候，过程比结果更令人难忘。”他对丽丽和杰说。En: "Sometimes, the process is more unforgettable than the result," he said to Lili and Jie.Zh: "没错，我的帽子是最好的风筝道具！"杰调皮地说。En: "That's right, my hat is the best kite accessory!" Jie joked mischievously.Zh: 在长城上，这一天留下了他们共同的欢笑声，也让明明白了有时候与朋友共同经历不完美，也是一种快乐。En: On the Great Wall, the day left behind their shared laughter, and it also taught Ming that sometimes, going through the imperfections with friends is a form of happiness itself. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 喧闹gigantic: 巨大的hesitantly: 犹豫地surrounding: 周围的confidently: 自信地retrieve: 捡gracefully: 翩翩地wobbled: 晃动fiercely: 厉害地tangled: 缠住brushed: 拂panicked: 惊慌失措anxious: 心急determined: 决心swooped: 俯冲hooked: 勾住apologized: 道歉laughed heartily: 哈哈大笑vast: 四通八达participation: 加入amusing: 有趣balance: 平衡steadily: 稳稳地immersed: 沉浸soar: 飞unforgettable: 难忘perfection: 完美mischievously: 调皮地shared laughter: 共同的欢笑声imperfections: 不完美

Today's Episode:Have you ever met someone online who loves to criticise but never helps? They type fast, speak loud, but do nothing in real life. Do you what they are called in Chinese? Today, let's find out who they are and why they do it!Membership Preview:Want to say “no” in Chinese without hurting feelings? In next MaoMi Chinese+ episode, we reveal 5 polite ways to turn people down while saving face. Master the art of saying “no” like a native—subtle, smooth, and culturally smart!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

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Weathering the Storm: A Community's Strength in Unity Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-20-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 夏天的清晨，阳光洒在绿色的稻田上，空气中弥漫着清新的泥土气息。En: On a summer morning, sunlight spilled over the green fields of rice, and a fresh earthy scent filled the air.Zh: 这是一个安静而美好的早晨，李伟却满心忧虑。En: It was a quiet and beautiful morning, yet Li Wei was filled with worry.Zh: 他是这个农场的主人，一个勤奋而心思细腻的农民。En: He was the owner of this farm, a diligent and meticulous farmer.Zh: 今天，他又站在田埂上，眼神紧紧盯着天边那片暗沉的乌云。En: Today, he stood on the field ridge again, his eyes fixed on the dark clouds at the horizon.Zh: 他知道，一场暴风雨即将来临。En: He knew that a storm was about to come.Zh: 远处的山峰与青绿的稻田交相辉映，但即便这样美丽的景色也不能抚平李伟心中的不安。En: In the distance, the peaks of the mountains and the green rice fields complemented each other, but even such a beautiful scene could not ease the unease in Li Wei's heart.Zh: 稻田是全家人的命根子，如果暴风雨来临，庄稼被毁，那一年辛勤的劳作将付诸东流。En: The rice fields were the lifeblood of his family; if the storm came and destroyed the crops, a year's hard work would be in vain.Zh: 梅，是李伟的妻子，也是他的支柱。En: Mei was Li Wei's wife and his pillar.Zh: 此刻，她站在屋檐下，担忧地看着自己的丈夫。En: At the moment, she stood under the eaves, watching her husband with worry.Zh: 梅总是担心未来，她担心这个家，担心他们的农场。En: Mei always worried about the future, about their home, about their farm.Zh: “不用担心，”李伟轻声对梅说，“我们会找到办法的。”En: "Don't worry," Li Wei said softly to Mei. "We will find a way."Zh: 邻居陈走了过来，他是个经验丰富的农民，常给李伟出主意。En: Neighbor Chen came over; he was an experienced farmer who often gave Li Wei advice.Zh: “李兄弟，我们可以一起合作，把稻田覆盖上篷布，还有挖一些沟渠导水。”En: "Li brother, we can work together to cover the rice fields with tarpaulins and also dig some trenches to divert water."Zh: 李伟心中燃起了希望。En: Hope ignited in Li Wei's heart.Zh: 他立刻点头答应，决定召集所有人，邻里之间齐心协力，一定能战胜这场无情的风暴。En: He nodded immediately and agreed, deciding to gather everyone; united, the community would surely overcome this relentless storm.Zh: 随着乌云加厚，风也越来越大了。En: As the dark clouds thickened, the wind grew stronger.Zh: 李伟、梅、陈和村里其他人，顶着狂风展开篷布，奋力固定在田间。En: Li Wei, Mei, Chen, and other villagers braved the gale, rolling out tarpaulins and fixing them in the fields with effort.Zh: 梅一边拉着篷布一边对李伟说：“你不是一个人在奋斗，我们都在。”En: While pulling the tarpaulins, Mei said to Li Wei, "You're not alone in this fight; we all are."Zh: 雨点逐渐变成瓢泼，李伟和大家在泥泞中奋战。En: The raindrops gradually turned into a downpour, and Li Wei and everyone else fought in the mud.Zh: 风雨无情地拍打着他们，汗水与雨水混合，滴落在地，但他们没有放弃。En: The wind and rain pounded them relentlessly, sweat mixing with rainwater, dripping to the ground, but they did not give up.Zh: 终于，暴风雨逐渐减弱，阳光再次穿透云层洒在田野上。En: Finally, the storm gradually weakened, and sunlight broke through the clouds, spreading over the fields once more.Zh: 虽然一些稻苗受损，但大部分庄稼得到了保护，大家都松了一口气。En: Although some rice seedlings were damaged, most of the crops were protected, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.Zh: 李伟站在田边，看着邻里们，他心中感到满满的温暖和感谢。En: Li Wei stood at the edge of the field, looking at the neighbors, feeling a warmth and gratitude fill his heart.Zh: 从今往后，他知道无论多大的风雨，只要大家团结一致，他们的家园就能继续繁荣下去。En: From now on, he knew that no matter how big the storm, as long as everyone united, their home could continue to prosper.Zh: 这个夏天，李伟找回了信心。En: This summer, Li Wei regained his confidence.Zh: 他明白，农场和家人不仅仅是自己的责任，整个社区都是他坚强的后盾。En: He understood that the farm and his family were not just his responsibility; the entire community was his strong support.Zh: 他不再孤单，每一个帮助过的人，也将在他帮助他们的时候感受同样的力量。En: He was no longer alone; everyone he had helped would feel the same strength when he helped them. Vocabulary Words:sunlight: 阳光spilled: 洒earthy: 泥土worry: 忧虑diligent: 勤奋meticulous: 细腻ridge: 田埂horizon: 天边complemented: 交相辉映unease: 不安lifeblood: 命根子pillar: 支柱eaves: 屋檐experienced: 经验丰富advice: 主意trenches: 沟渠divert: 导ignited: 燃起united: 齐心协力relentless: 无情gale: 狂风downpour: 瓢泼mud: 泥泞pounded: 拍打relief: 松了一口气gratitude: 感谢prosper: 繁荣confidence: 信心responsibility: 责任support: 后盾

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Bonds: A Qixi Festival Reunion on Shanghai Bund Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-07-19-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 梅站在上海外滩，雨滴轻轻地落在她的雨伞上。En: Mei stood on the Shanghai Bund, raindrops gently falling on her umbrella.Zh: 天空被灰色的云层笼罩着，黄浦江的水面泛起阵阵涟漪。En: The sky was shrouded in gray clouds, and ripples spread across the surface of the Huangpu River.Zh: 今天是七夕节，一个充满爱情与团聚的日子，En: Today was Qixi Festival, a day full of love and reunions.Zh: 对梅来说，这一天也是希望与不安的交织。En: For Mei, this day was also a mix of hope and anxiety.Zh: 梅是一个独立的年轻女子，但此刻，她心中充满期待。En: Mei was an independent young woman, but at this moment, her heart was full of anticipation.Zh: 她希望能和许久未见的哥哥君重修旧好。En: She hoped to reconcile with her brother Jun, whom she hadn't seen in a long time.Zh: 君多年前离家，把梅和家人留在身后。En: Jun left home many years ago, leaving Mei and the family behind.Zh: 梅一直努力让自己不去想他，但每当到了这种节日，她就会感到无比的孤单。En: Mei had always tried not to think about him, but on such a holiday, she would feel incredibly lonely.Zh: 君在远处的建筑物下徘徊，雨水打湿了他的肩膀，他心中满是忐忑。En: Jun lingered under a distant building, the rain soaking his shoulders, his heart full of unease.Zh: 他知道，自己欠梅一个道歉，欠家庭一个解释。En: He knew he owed Mei an apology and the family an explanation.Zh: 可是对过去的回忆让他犹豫不决。En: But memories of the past made him hesitant.Zh: 他担心梅不会原谅他，他害怕面对她的失望。En: He worried that Mei wouldn't forgive him and feared facing her disappointment.Zh: 当梅看到君的身影，她心中五味杂陈，En: When Mei saw Jun's figure, her emotions were mixed.Zh: 但她知道，今天的见面至关重要。En: But she knew today's meeting was crucial.Zh: 梅走上前，撑着伞，轻声叫了一声：“哥哥。”En: Mei walked forward, holding the umbrella, and softly called, “Gege.”Zh: 君抬头看到梅，心中的负担似乎更重，En: Jun looked up and saw Mei, and the burden in his heart seemed heavier.Zh: 他想说些什么，但喉咙却仿佛被堵住。En: He wanted to say something, but his throat felt blocked.Zh: 梅看着他不自然的样子，虽然心中有怨，但她决定伸出援手。En: Seeing his awkwardness, Mei felt resentment but decided to offer a helping hand.Zh: “我们去那边坐坐吧。”梅指着旁边的长椅。En: “Let's sit over there.” Mei pointed to a nearby bench.Zh: 两人坐下后，君终于开了口：“梅，对不起，我不应该离开这么久。”En: After they sat down, Jun finally spoke, “Mei, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left for so long.”Zh: 梅静静地听他说，雨一直在下，伞上的水声让两人的对话显得更加私密。En: Mei listened quietly as he spoke, the rain continuing to fall, the sound on the umbrella making their conversation seem more private.Zh: “那时，你为什么走呢？”梅轻声地问。En: “Why did you leave back then?” Mei asked softly.Zh: 君沉默了一会儿，似乎在回忆那些过去的岁月。En: Jun was silent for a while, seemingly recalling those past years.Zh: “我以为那样会更好，但原来给你们带来了痛苦。”En: “I thought it would be better that way, but it ended up causing you pain.”Zh: 梅叹了一口气，“过去的事情无法改变。En: Mei sighed, “We can't change the past.Zh: 重要的是以后我们怎么做。”En: What's important is what we do moving forward.”Zh: 君心中一震，他感激地看着梅，“谢谢你，梅。En: Jun's heart trembled, and he looked at Mei gratefully, “Thank you, Mei.Zh: 能有机会重新开始，我很感激。”En: I am grateful for the chance to start over.”Zh: 雨渐渐小了，天边的乌云也开始显露出一丝阳光。En: The rain gradually lessened, and the clouds began to reveal a hint of sunlight.Zh: 梅和君决定从现在开始，试着彼此靠近，重新建立兄妹的联系。En: Mei and Jun decided to start from now, trying to get closer to each other and rebuild their sibling bond.Zh: 雨后的空气格外清新，两人起身返回灯火通明的街道，心中多了一丝轻松与期待。En: The air was particularly fresh after the rain, and the two stood up, returning to the brightly lit streets, their hearts a bit lighter and filled with anticipation.Zh: 在七夕节这个特殊的日子，他们找到了新的开始。En: On this special day of Qixi Festival, they found a new beginning.Zh: 就这样，梅学会了再次打开自己的心，而君则有勇气去面对过去，寻求救赎。En: In this way, Mei learned to open her heart again, and Jun found the courage to face the past and seek redemption.Zh: 两人心中充满希望，愿他们的生命再度交织，迎接每一个新的日出。En: Their hearts were full of hope, wishing that their lives would intertwine once more, as they welcomed each new sunrise. Vocabulary Words:shrouded: 笼罩ripples: 涟漪anticipation: 期待reconcile: 重修旧好linger: 徘徊unease: 忐忑hesitant: 犹豫不决resentment: 怨trembled: 一震gratefully: 感激地redemption: 救赎intertwine: 交织revealed: 显露anticipation: 期待burden: 负担awkwardness: 不自然crucial: 至关重要reflection: 回忆solitude: 孤单anxiety: 不安apology: 道歉sibling bond: 兄妹的联系frankness: 坦诚clouds: 云horizon: 天边freshness: 清新reunion: 团聚hesitation: 犹豫forgive: 原谅reveal: 显露

In this episode of Live Players, Samo Buja and Erik Torenberg discuss the pivotal role of hardware in the advancement of AI, the strategic importance of semiconductor manufacturing, and the intricate geopolitical dynamics between the US, China, and Taiwan. —

Are we raising children—or building résumés? In this powerful episode of The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast, host Ginny Yurich sits down with internationally bestselling author Carl Honoré (In Praise of Slowness, Under Pressure) to explore the dark undercurrent of modern parenting: the obsession with performance. From Baby Einstein to Mandarin in the Moses basket, today's childhood has become a race—and our kids are burning out before they even begin. Honoré calls out the rise of the “trophy child” and reveals how hyper-parenting, micromanagement, and constant comparison are robbing kids of joy, resilience, and identity. Together, Carl and Ginny unpack why slowing down isn't lazy—it's revolutionary. If you've ever questioned the pressure to do more, be more, and push harder, this episode is your permission slip to opt out. Childhood doesn't need to be upgraded. It needs to be reclaimed. ***

From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his fireworks spectacle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his "sky ladder" of fire reaching to the clouds and new work created with AI — and shows how his art probes the line between destruction and construction, control and freedom, violence and beauty. (This talk was delivered in Mandarin and translated live into English. The translation was put through a custom AI model of Cai Guo-Qiang's voice, powered by technology from Metaphysic. You'll hear how Cai would sound if he were speaking English.)This episode originally aired July 30, 2024.Want to help shape TED's shows going forward? Fill out our survey!Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyouFor the Idea Search application, go to ted.com/ideasearch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kai Cenat’s son Ray joins the boys to discuss joining forces with Logan in WWE, Taiwan women having flat