Podcasts about Mandarin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Crafting West Lake's Allure: A Creative Fusion Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-07-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的西湖，比油画更加绚丽。En: Autumn at West Lake is more brilliant than an oil painting.Zh: 金黄和火红的树叶在水面上摇曳，湖边的小路满是落叶，轻踩过去，发出沙沙的响声。En: Golden and fiery red leaves sway on the water's surface, and the path by the lake is covered with fallen leaves, producing a rustling sound as they lightly tread on it.Zh: 在这样美丽的季节，贾浩和美丽坐在湖边的长椅上，眼前的一切都充满诗意。En: In such a beautiful season, Jia Hao and Mei Li sit on a bench by the lake, surrounded by a poetic view.Zh: 可是，他们的心情却没那么轻松。En: However, their mood is not as relaxed.Zh: 贾浩是一名热情洋溢的旅游规划师。En: Jia Hao is an enthusiastic travel planner.Zh: 他希望通过这次演示推广杭州的文化遗产，把西湖的美丽分享给全世界。En: He hopes to promote Hangzhou's cultural heritage through this presentation and share the beauty of West Lake with the world.Zh: 美丽则是一位富有创造力的平面设计师，擅长将美与实用结合。En: Mei Li is a creative graphic designer, skilled at combining beauty with practicality.Zh: 今天，他们需要在短时间内完成一份令人惊叹的演示文稿。En: Today, they need to complete an astonishing presentation in a short amount of time.Zh: “贾浩，我觉得现在的问题是，我们的时间不多，你的描述太过诗意了。”美丽微微皱着眉头说，En: "Jia Hao, I think the problem now is we don't have much time, and your description is too poetic," Mei Li said with a slight frown.Zh: “我们需要更为明确的结构和信息。”En: "We need more clear structure and information."Zh: 贾浩有些不服气，En: Jia Hao was somewhat unconvinced.Zh: 他认为打动人心需要美的力量。En: He believed that moving people's hearts required the power of beauty.Zh: “但这就是西湖的魅力啊，En: "But that is the charm of West Lake.Zh: 难道我们不该传达这种感动吗？”En: Shouldn't we convey this emotion?"Zh: 美丽深吸一口气，秋天的清新扑鼻而来。En: Mei Li took a deep breath, the fresh scent of autumn filling her lungs.Zh: 她决定不再拖延，直截了当地说出她的想法。En: She decided not to delay any longer and directly expressed her thoughts.Zh: “我们可以结合。En: "We can combine.Zh: 用你的故事吸引他们，然后用我的设计让他们记住。”En: Use your story to attract them, and then my design to make them remember."Zh: 贾浩怔了一下，环顾四周。En: Jia Hao paused for a moment, looking around.Zh: 黄昏的余晖洒在湖面上，像是大自然的画板。En: The twilight glow scattered on the lake, like nature's canvas.Zh: 他点点头。“好，我们试试看。”En: He nodded. "Alright, let's try it."Zh: 他们决定一边走一边交换意见。En: They decided to exchange ideas while walking.Zh: 走在长满秋叶的小路上，两人的思绪就像这绚烂的秋色一样逐渐清晰起来。En: Walking on the leaf-covered path, their thoughts gradually became clearer like the brilliant autumn colors.Zh: 美丽用她的平板展示了一些设计草案，贾浩则用动人的故事补充内容。En: Mei Li showed some design drafts on her tablet, while Jia Hao supplemented with captivating stories.Zh: 经过一番激烈的交流，他们在湖边的凉亭下找到了解决的方案。En: After an intense exchange, they found a solution under a lakeside pavilion.Zh: 贾浩的诗意语言结合美丽的精美设计，形成了一份完美的演示文稿。En: Jia Hao's poetic language combined with Mei Li's exquisite design created a perfect presentation.Zh: 公司董事会被他们的作品深深打动，对未来的计划充满了期待。En: The company board was deeply moved by their work and was full of anticipation for future plans.Zh: 他们看到了杭州吸引世界游客的巨大潜力。En: They saw the great potential of Hangzhou in attracting tourists from around the world.Zh: 贾浩学会了欣赏结构带来的清晰，美丽也更深入地理解了情感和诗意的力量。En: Jia Hao learned to appreciate the clarity brought by structure, and Mei Li gained a deeper understanding of the power of emotion and poetry.Zh: 西湖的夜晚，灯火初上，映照在水上的灯影和星光，一切都是那么和谐。En: At night, the lights began to shine at West Lake, reflecting in the water with the starlight, creating a harmonious scene.Zh: 贾浩和美丽对着湖水微笑，仿佛看见了一个更加美好的未来。En: Jia Hao and Mei Li smiled at the water, as if envisioning a brighter future. Vocabulary Words:brilliant: 绚丽sway: 摇曳rustling: 沙沙enthusiastic: 热情洋溢heritage: 遗产graphic designer: 平面设计师poetic: 诗意slight: 微微unconvinced: 不服气convey: 传达breath: 吸canvas: 画板twilight glow: 黄昏余晖captivating: 动人exquisite: 精美potential: 潜力structure: 结构anticipation: 期待supplemented: 补充harmonious: 和谐envisioning: 看见creative: 创造力astonishing: 令人惊叹solution: 解决board: 董事会presentation: 演示lakeside: 湖边drafts: 草案fresh scent: 清新glow: 余晖

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

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

Product Sourcing in China with Omer Sasson Omer Sasson, founder of The Sasson Company Limited, has spent more than ten years helping e-commerce brands—especially mid-sized Amazon sellers—simplify the challenges of product sourcing in China. By working directly with manufacturers, he provides his clients with greater transparency, control, and confidence throughout every step of the production process. Fluent in Mandarin and experienced across Chinese, Vietnamese, and other Asian markets, Omer understands the realities behind product sourcing in China: how to balance cultural differences, build strong supplier relationships, and avoid expensive mistakes or delays. Known for his honesty and deep grasp of both Western business expectations and Asian operations, Omer turns sourcing problems into opportunities for growth. His firsthand knowledge and practical insights make him a trusted expert on global supply chains and the art of product sourcing in China. Want to avoid the most common mistakes when working internationally? Read this article. Product Sourcing in China with Omer Sasson More stories and culture can be found here. Culture Matters The Culture Matters Podcast on International Business & Management Podcast Build your Cultural Competence, listen to interesting stories, learn about the cultural pitfalls and how to avoid them, and get the Global perspective here at the Culture Matters podcast on International Business. We help you understand Cultural Diversity better by interviewing real people with real experiences. Every episode there is an interview with a prominent guest, who will tell his or her story and share international experiences. Helping you develop your cultural competence. Welcome to this culture podcast and management podcast. To Subscribe to this Management Podcast, Click here. The Culture Matters Culture Podcast. Available on iTunes and Stitcher Radio Click here to get the podcast on Spotify Talk to your Amazon Alexa and listen to the Podcast Listen directly on Amazon If you have a minute, please leave me an honest rating and review on iTunes by clicking here. It will help the visibility and the ranking of this culture podcast on iTunes immensely! A BIG THANK YOU! Enjoy this FREE culture podcast! Music: Song title - Bensound.com More Ways of Listening: Get a Taste of How Chris Presents, Watch his TEDx Talk     Name Email Address Phone Number Message 9 + 8 = Send Call Direct: +32476524957   European Office (Paris) Whatsapp: +32476524957   The Americas (USA; Atlanta, GA; también en Español):  +1 678 301 8369 Book Chris Smit as a Speaker If you're looking for an Engaging, Exciting, and Interactive speaker on the subject of Intercultural Management & Awareness you came to the right place. Chris has spoken at hundreds of events and to thousands of people on the subject of Cultural Diversity & Cultural Competence. This is What Others Say About Chris: “Very Interactive and Engaging” “In little time he knew how to get the audience inspired and connected to his story” “His ability to make large groups of participants quickly and adequately aware of the huge impact of cultural differences is excellent” “Chris is a dedicated and inspirational professional” In addition, his presentations can cover specific topics cultural topics,...

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets of Jiuzhaigou: A Balance of Mystery and Respect Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-06-23-34-01-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 九寨沟的秋天，五彩斑斓，景色如画。En: The autumn in Jiuzhaigou is vibrant and picturesque.Zh: 这里的山谷中铺满金黄的叶子，瀑布欢快地流淌，湖水如碧玉般清澈。En: The valleys are blanketed with golden leaves, the waterfalls flow joyfully, and the lake waters are as clear as jade.Zh: 一天，佳豪与美莹来到这里徒步旅行。En: One day, Jiahao and Meiying came here for a hiking trip.Zh: 佳豪是一位对历史和超自然现象充满热情的人。En: Jiahao is someone who is passionate about history and supernatural phenomena.Zh: 他从小就听过关于九寨沟古老寺庙的传说。En: Since childhood, he has heard legends about the ancient temples in Jiuzhaigou.Zh: 他希望能找到一个传说中的神秘文物，据说拥有神秘的力量。En: He hopes to find a legendary mysterious artifact that is said to have magical powers.Zh: 美莹是个务实的人，性格稳重，常常在佳豪激进的时候拉住他。En: Meiying is a practical person with a steady personality, often reining in Jiahao when he gets too radical.Zh: 尽管如此，她也喜欢和佳豪一起冒险。En: Nonetheless, she also enjoys going on adventures with Jiahao.Zh: 在秋天的一个清晨，阳光透过薄雾洒在地上，佳豪和美莹踏上了探险的路。En: On a clear autumn morning, as sunlight filtered through the mist, Jiahao and Meiying set off on their adventure.Zh: 佳豪心中有个愿望，他总觉得寺庙在召唤他。En: Jiahao had a wish in his heart; he always felt that the temples were calling him.Zh: 而美莹心中仍有疑虑，她笑着说：“小心那位传说中的守护神哦。”En: But Meiying had her doubts and jokingly said, "Watch out for that legendary guardian spirit."Zh: 走了很久，两人发现一条被灌木掩盖的小路。En: After walking for a long time, they discovered a small path hidden by bushes.Zh: 佳豪决定深入探索。En: Jiahao decided to explore further.Zh: 他对美莹说：“我真的感觉到这里有东西在呼唤我。”En: He said to Meiying, "I really feel something here is calling me."Zh: 美莹犹豫了一下，但仍选择跟随佳豪。En: Meiying hesitated for a moment but chose to follow him anyway.Zh: 穿过密林，他们忽然停下脚步，眼前出现了一座古老的寺庙。En: As they passed through the dense forest, they suddenly stopped in their tracks, faced with an ancient temple.Zh: 寺庙被藤蔓覆盖，仿佛在大自然中隐藏了千年。En: The temple was covered in vines, as if hidden by nature for a thousand years.Zh: 佳豪的心跳加速，他轻声说：“找到了！”En: Jiahao's heart raced, and he whispered, "Found it!"Zh: 然而，就在两人想要进一步探索时，身后传来轰隆声。En: However, just as they wanted to explore further, a rumbling sound came from behind them.Zh: 一场山体滑坡，封住了他们的来路。En: A landslide had blocked their path back.Zh: 此刻，天地寂静，只剩下佳豪和美莹，以及面前神秘的寺庙。En: At that moment, the world fell silent, with only Jiahao, Meiying, and the mysterious temple in front of them.Zh: 佳豪意识到了传说的分量，“也许我们该尊重这些传说，把秘密留给这里。”他对美莹说。En: Jiahao realized the weight of the legends, “Perhaps we should respect these legends and leave the secrets here.” He said to Meiying.Zh: 美莹点头，决定先离开这里。En: Meiying nodded, deciding they should leave.Zh: 两人携手走出森林，他们小心翼翼地绕过障碍，终于回到了安全的路线。En: The two of them held hands as they made their way out of the forest, carefully maneuvering around obstacles, and finally returned to the safe path.Zh: 他们经历了这次冒险，彼此感到更加信任和欣赏。En: After this adventure, they felt more trust and appreciation for each other.Zh: 佳豪学会了欣赏美莹的实际和谨慎，美莹也开始接受神秘的吸引。En: Jiahao learned to appreciate Meiying's practicality and caution, while Meiying began to accept the allure of the mysterious.Zh: 虽然他们没能带走什么文物，但这次的经历让他们明白了探索和尊重之间的平衡。En: Although they couldn't bring back any artifacts, this experience taught them the balance between exploration and respect.Zh: 在夕阳的余晖中，他们望着身后的九寨沟。En: In the glow of the setting sun, they looked back at Jiuzhaigou.Zh: 佳豪轻声说：“也许，有些秘密就该留在历史中。”En: Jiahao quietly said, “Perhaps some secrets are meant to stay in history.”Zh: 美莹微笑着点头，两人握紧了彼此的手，踏上归家的路。En: Meiying smiled and nodded, and the two of them held each other's hands tightly as they embarked on the journey home. Vocabulary Words:vibrant: 五彩斑斓picturesque: 如画valleys: 山谷blanketed: 铺满supernatural: 超自然phenomena: 现象legends: 传说artifact: 文物mysterious: 神秘practical: 务实steady: 稳重reining: 拉住radical: 激进filtered: 透过mist: 薄雾guardian: 守护spirit: 神bushes: 灌木hesitated: 犹豫dense: 密vines: 藤蔓landslide: 山体滑坡obstacles: 障碍maneuvering: 小心翼翼地appreciation: 欣赏allure: 吸引perspective: 角度adventure: 探险trust: 信任balance: 平衡

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Lost and Found: An Unforgettable Adventure in Autumn Woods Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-06-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在秋天的一片密林中，嘉伟和美琳参加了学校组织的露营旅行。En: In an autumn-filled dense forest, Jiawei and Meilin participated in a school-organized camping trip.Zh: 树林里，红黄相间的树叶如同地毯，空气中夹杂着大地的芬芳。En: In the woods, the red and yellow leaves were like carpets, with the fragrance of the earth blending into the air.Zh: 嘉伟是个好奇心很强的学生，他正在为一个学校讲故事比赛做准备。En: Jiawei was a student with a strong curiosity, preparing for a school storytelling competition.Zh: 与他一同露营的美琳则比较谨慎，平常做事总是喜欢提前计划。En: His camping companion, Meilin, was relatively cautious, always preferring to plan things in advance.Zh: 这一天，学校安排大家去森林里探险。En: That day, the school arranged for everyone to go on an adventure in the forest.Zh: 嘉伟想要找到一个隐藏的地点，希望那里能激发他的灵感写出个好故事。En: Jiawei wanted to find a hidden spot, hoping it would inspire him to write a good story.Zh: 然而，随着队伍深入密林，嘉伟和美琳不知不觉中迷失了方向。En: However, as the group delved deeper into the dense forest, Jiawei and Meilin unknowingly lost their way.Zh: 他们跟不上一组，同学们的声音渐渐消失在耳边，只剩下树叶沙沙的声音。En: They couldn't keep up with the group, and their classmates' voices gradually faded, leaving only the rustling sound of leaves.Zh: “嘉伟，我们该回去了。”美琳担心地说。En: "Jiawei, we should go back," Meilin said worriedly.Zh: 嘉伟心里也有些忐忑，但他仍未放弃找到那个理想中的地点。En: Jiawei felt a bit uneasy inside, but he had not given up on finding that ideal spot.Zh: 他犹豫不决，眼前是探险的诱惑，脑子里则是安全的提醒。En: He hesitated, as the temptation of adventure stood before him while safety reminders lingered in his mind.Zh: 就在天色渐渐暗下来时，嘉伟终于发现了一个别致的小空地。En: As the sky gradually darkened, Jiawei finally discovered an exquisite little clearing.Zh: 那儿有一片小湖，湖面上漂浮落叶，周围是一圈高大的古树，En: There was a small lake where leaves floated on the surface, surrounded by a circle of tall ancient trees.Zh: 阳光从树林间斜射下来，让整个地方充满了神秘和安宁。En: Sunlight slanted down through the woods, filling the area with mystery and tranquility.Zh: 这个地方正是嘉伟梦寐以求的地方。En: This was exactly the place Jiawei had dreamed of.Zh: 然而，看着西沉的太阳，嘉伟心中还是闪过一丝不安。En: However, as he watched the sun sink westward, a trace of unease flickered in Jiawei's heart.Zh: 他转头看向美琳，看到她也满脸担忧。En: He turned to Meilin, seeing that she was also full of worry.Zh: 他意识到，或许安全和朋友的陪伴比一个短暂的灵感更为重要。En: He realized that perhaps safety and companionship were more important than a fleeting moment of inspiration.Zh: “我们还是回去吧。”嘉伟终于决定。En: "We should head back," Jiawei finally decided.Zh: 他们用科学课上学到的方向辨认知识，小心翼翼地走出密林。En: They carefully used the direction-finding skills learned in science class to exit the dense forest.Zh: 尽管没能在那儿待多久，但那片隐秘之地的景象和这段旅程已经深深烙在他们心底。En: Although they couldn't stay there for long, the sight of that hidden place and the journey they took were deeply imprinted in their hearts.Zh: 回到营地后，嘉伟在篝火旁向同学们绘声绘色地讲述了自己的冒险经历。En: Back at the campsite, Jiawei vividly recounted his adventure by the campfire to his classmates.Zh: 大家听得入神，而嘉伟也意识到，灵感可以来自于与朋友的共同经历，而非孤独的探险。En: Everyone listened intently, and Jiawei realized that inspiration could come from shared experiences with friends rather than solitary exploration.Zh: 这个中秋，他们没有明月和桂花树，但笼罩在秋风中的温暖友情，成了最令人难忘的记忆。En: This Mid-Autumn Festival, they had no bright moon or osmanthus trees, but the warm friendship enveloped in the autumn breeze became the most unforgettable memory.Zh: 嘉伟和美琳都明白了，故事不只是文字构成，而是人与人之间的温暖连结。En: Both Jiawei and Meilin understood that stories consist not just of words but of the warm connections between people. Vocabulary Words:dense: 密curiosity: 好奇心cautious: 谨慎fragrance: 芬芳camping: 露营unintentionally: 不知不觉中rustling: 沙沙temptation: 诱惑exquisite: 别致traces: 一丝unease: 忐忑tranquility: 安宁companion: 朋友fleeting: 短暂的harmony: 和谐solitary: 孤独的vividly: 绘声绘色地intently: 入神campfire: 篝火imprinted: 烙在心底mystery: 神秘direction-finding: 方向辨认adventure: 冒险inspiration: 灵感festival: 中秋companionship: 陪伴connections: 连结carpets: 地毯hidden: 隐秘autumn breeze: 秋风

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Mystery of the Desert Symbols: An Artful Mid-Autumn Revelation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-05-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 李娟站在内蒙古的红色沙丘上，秋天的风吹过她的头发，带来了一丝凉意。En: Li Juan stood on the red sand dunes of Inner Mongolia, with the autumn wind blowing through her hair, bringing a hint of chill.Zh: 沙子在她脚下细腻地滑动，仿佛沙漠本身在轻声低语。En: The sand slid delicately beneath her feet, as if the desert itself was whispering softly.Zh: 最近，每天早晨，在沙丘的边缘，总能看到一些奇怪的符号，这令她无比着迷。En: Lately, every morning, at the edge of the dunes, some strange symbols could always be seen, which fascinated her immensely.Zh: 为了找出这些符号的来历，她决定在沙漠中待一个晚上，寻找答案。En: To find out the origin of these symbols, she decided to stay out in the desert for a night, seeking answers.Zh: 村子里的其他人都认为这只是某个淘气孩子的恶作剧，风一吹，符号便消失无踪。En: The other villagers thought it was just a prank by some mischievous child, and when the wind blew, the symbols would disappear without a trace.Zh: 然而，李娟不这么认为；她的祖母总是讲一些关于神秘风沙的故事，而李娟心中认为这些符号是某种超自然力量的证据。En: However, Li Juan didn't think so; her grandmother always told stories about mysterious sandstorms, and Li Juan believed these symbols were evidence of some supernatural force.Zh: 于是，她在一个星光灿烂的晚上，带着毯子和手电筒，出发了。En: So, on a starry night, she set out with a blanket and a flashlight.Zh: 夜幕降临，气温骤降，李娟裹紧了毯子。En: As night fell, and the temperature dropped, Li Juan wrapped the blanket tightly around herself.Zh: 她注视着天空中璀璨的星星，想起祖母小时候讲的关于满月下沙漠的神话。En: She gazed at the dazzling stars in the sky, recalling the myths about the desert under the full moon that her grandmother had told her when she was a child.Zh: 渐渐地，李娟的眼皮开始变重，她几乎要入睡时，远处出现了一个人影。En: Gradually, Li Juan's eyelids began to droop, and just as she was about to fall asleep, a figure appeared in the distance.Zh: 她悄悄地靠近，透过微弱的月光，她看到了一个年轻男子在沙中用一根长棍子画着什么。En: She quietly crept closer, and through the faint moonlight, she saw a young man drawing something in the sand with a long stick.Zh: 她心中一紧，是那个神秘的“符号制造者”！En: Her heart tightened—that must be the mysterious "symbol maker"!Zh: “你是谁？”李娟大声问道，声音在沙丘间回荡。En: "Who are you?" Li Juan shouted, her voice echoing among the dunes.Zh: 那男子转头，有些惊讶，但随即笑了，“我叫浩。En: The young man turned around, a bit surprised, but then smiled, "My name is Hao.Zh: 我在旅行时听说了这里的传说。En: I heard about the legends here while traveling.Zh: 我想用古老的符号和艺术表达这些故事。En: I want to express these stories with ancient symbols and art."Zh: “这些是你画的？”李娟指着沙地上的图案，既惊讶又好奇。En: "Did you draw these?" Li Juan pointed to the patterns in the sand, both surprised and curious.Zh: “是的，我对这些传说着迷。En: "Yes, I'm fascinated by these legends.Zh: 希望让大家通过这些符号感受到故事的魅力。”浩解释道。En: I hope to let people feel the charm of the stories through these symbols," Hao explained.Zh: 李娟心中豁然开朗。En: Li Juan's mind suddenly cleared.Zh: 原来这并不是什么超自然现象，而是来自一个同样热爱故事的人。En: It turned out this wasn't some supernatural phenomenon, but from someone who also loved stories.Zh: 她突然产生了一个想法。“我们可以一起合作，用这些符号和故事庆祝中秋节。En: An idea struck her."We can collaborate to use these symbols and stories to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 让大家看到它们的美和意义。En: Let everyone see their beauty and significance."Zh: 浩点了点头，“这是个好主意。En: Hao nodded, "That's a great idea.Zh: 我们可以在沙丘上举办一个故事和艺术的晚会。En: We can hold a story and art evening on the dunes."Zh: 于是，在那个特别的秋天夜晚，李娟和浩开始计划如何让村民们在中秋节见证这个奇妙的艺术与故事的结合。En: So, on that special autumn night, Li Juan and Hao began planning how to let the villagers witness this wonderful blend of art and story during the Mid-Autumn Festival.Zh: 李娟不仅找到了符号背后的真相，还在祖母的故事和现实之间架起了一座桥梁。En: Li Juan not only discovered the truth behind the symbols but also built a bridge between her grandmother's tales and reality.Zh: 当中秋节的月亮升起时，红色沙丘被灯笼的光辉点亮，李娟和浩的作品在满月的映照下闪闪发光，吸引了村子里所有人的注意。En: When the Mid-Autumn Festival moon rose, the red dunes were illuminated by the glow of lanterns, and the works of Li Juan and Hao sparkled under the light of the full moon, capturing the attention of everyone in the village.Zh: 故事和艺术、传统和现代交织在一起，在沙漠夜空下呈现出别样的美丽。En: Stories and art, tradition and modernity intertwined, presenting a unique beauty under the desert night sky.Zh: 李娟微笑着，终于找到了让传说和现实相遇的方法。En: Li Juan smiled, having finally found a way to bring legend and reality together. Vocabulary Words:dunes: 沙丘whispering: 低语symbols: 符号fascinated: 着迷mischievous: 淘气prank: 恶作剧disappear: 消失trace: 踪迹evidence: 证据supernatural: 超自然starry: 星光灿烂myths: 神话droop: 变重crept: 靠近faint: 微弱charm: 魅力collaborate: 合作festival: 节glow: 光辉lanterns: 灯笼sparkled: 闪闪发光capturing: 吸引attention: 注意intertwined: 交织unique: 别样illuminated: 点亮tightly: 裹紧figure: 人影express: 表达blend: 结合

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Moonlit Quest: Mei's Journey for the Desert's Silver Bloom Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-05-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 美丽的塔克拉玛干沙漠在秋天显得格外壮丽。En: The beautiful Taklamakan Desert looks extraordinarily magnificent in the autumn.Zh: 阳光将沙丘染成金色，给人一种神秘而宁静的感觉。En: The sunlight dyes the dunes golden, giving a mysterious and tranquil feeling.Zh: 梅，是一位热情的植物学家，正踏上寻找传说中月光下盛开的稀有沙漠花的旅程。En: Mei, an enthusiastic botanist, is embarking on a journey to find the rare desert flower that blooms under the moonlight.Zh: 她的目标不仅是科学上的突破，还希望借此获得升职和更多的科研经费。En: Her goal is not only a scientific breakthrough but also the prospect of a promotion and more research funding.Zh: 梅的同事，小丽和陈，也同她一起前行。En: Mei's colleagues, Xiaoli and Chen, accompany her on the journey.Zh: 陈是一位经验丰富的探险家，一直对梅的研究给予支持。En: Chen is an experienced adventurer who has always supported Mei's research.Zh: 小丽负责照顾营地，并为大家准备食物和水。En: Xiaoli is responsible for taking care of the camp and preparing food and water for everyone.Zh: 中秋节的夜晚来临，一轮明月升起，照亮了广袤的沙漠。En: As the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival arrives, a full moon rises, illuminating the vast desert.Zh: 然而，梅在途中却突然感到身体不适。En: However, Mei suddenly starts feeling unwell along the way.Zh: 炎热和长时间的跋涉让她疲惫不堪，脱水和中暑的症状开始显现。En: The heat and prolonged trekking have left her exhausted, and symptoms of dehydration and heatstroke begin to appear.Zh: 尽管如此，她依然心系着那朵花，没能意识到自己的身体已经到达极限。En: Despite this, her mind is still set on that flower, and she fails to realize that her body has reached its limits.Zh: 梅犹豫着，是否应该返回营地。En: Mei hesitates, questioning whether she should return to the camp.Zh: 陈发现了梅的状态，劝她休息。En: Chen notices Mei's condition and advises her to rest.Zh: 但心中的执念让梅继续坚定地前行。En: But her obsession pushes Mei to continue steadfastly onward.Zh: 没过多久，他们在月光下发现了那朵稀有的花。En: Not long after, under the moonlight, they discover the rare flower.Zh: 银色的花瓣在月光中微微闪烁，仿佛等待着她们的到来。En: Its silver petals shimmer faintly, as if waiting for their arrival.Zh: 梅轻轻地将花采摘下来，但她感到眼前一黑，倒在了沙地上。En: Mei gently picks the flower, but she suddenly blacks out and collapses onto the sand.Zh: 陈迅速上前，用力摇晃她，急切地呼喊：“梅！En: Chen quickly rushes forward, shaking her forcefully and urgently shouting, "Mei!Zh: 坚持住！En: Hold on!"Zh: ”小丽也赶来帮忙。En: Xiaoli also hurries over to help.Zh: 他们合力将梅扶回营地，并给予她水和治疗。En: Together, they assist Mei back to the camp, providing her with water and treatment.Zh: 经过小丽和陈的细心照顾，梅慢慢苏醒过来，脸上恢复了一丝血色。En: Thanks to the meticulous care from Xiaoli and Chen, Mei slowly regains consciousness, with a trace of color returning to her face.Zh: 虽然虚弱，但她心满意足地微笑着，手中紧握着那朵珍贵的花。En: Though weak, she smiles contentedly, tightly clutching the precious flower.Zh: 梅终于明白，追求目标不能以健康为代价，团队合作显得尤为重要。En: Mei finally understands that pursuing a goal should not come at the cost of health, and the importance of teamwork is greater than ever.Zh: 回到大本营，他们详细记录了发现，并提交给研究所。En: Back at the base camp, they meticulously document their discovery and submit it to the research institute.Zh: 不仅是科学的成就，梅收获了更重要的东西——对健康的重视和对朋友的信任。En: Beyond the scientific achievement, Mei gains something even more valuable—an appreciation for health and trust in friends.Zh: 塔克拉玛干的沙漠夜晚在他们心中留下了温馨而深刻的记忆。En: The desert night in Taklamakan leaves them with warm and profound memories.Zh: 这一年的中秋节，对他们来说特别圆满。En: This year's Mid-Autumn Festival is particularly fulfilling for them. Vocabulary Words:magnificent: 壮丽dunes: 沙丘tranquil: 宁静botanist: 植物学家embarking: 踏上prospect: 希望promotion: 升职funding: 经费accompany: 前行experienced: 经验丰富adventurer: 探险家illuminating: 照亮vast: 广袤dehydration: 脱水heatstroke: 中暑obsession: 执念steadfastly: 坚定地shimmer: 闪烁petals: 花瓣collapse: 倒下forcefully: 用力urgent: 急切consciousness: 苏醒contentedly: 心满意足clutching: 紧握pursuing: 追求meticulous: 细心document: 记录achievement: 成就profound: 深刻

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Classroom Partners to Lifelong Friends: Li & Xiao's Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-04-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的一所公立高中，秋天的晨光透过窗户洒在桌上，学生们穿着整齐的校服在走廊里走动。En: In a public high school in Beijing, the autumn morning light poured through the windows, illuminating the desks, while students dressed neatly in their uniforms moved about the corridors.Zh: 地上铺满了金色的落叶，校园里充满了青春的气息。En: The ground was covered with golden fallen leaves, and the campus was filled with the aura of youth.Zh: 李伟和小明在课堂上第一次被分到了一组。En: Li Wei and Xiao Ming were assigned to a group for the first time in class.Zh: 他们要合作完成一个关于环保的项目。En: They had to collaborate on a project about environmental protection.Zh: 李伟是一个喜欢埋头学习的学生，他总是坐在教室的角落。En: Li Wei was a student who liked to bury his head in his studies, always sitting in the corner of the classroom.Zh: 他不太爱说话，也不太懂得如何与同学相处。En: He wasn't very talkative and didn't quite know how to interact with his classmates.Zh: 而小明正好相反，他聪明活泼，总是被同学们围绕着。En: In contrast, Xiao Ming was smart and lively, always surrounded by classmates.Zh: 但其实，他心里渴望的是真正的朋友，而不是那种表面上的热闹。En: However, deep down, he longed for true friends, rather than superficial buzz.Zh: 项目开始时，李伟有点紧张。En: At the beginning of the project, Li Wei was a bit nervous.Zh: 他怕小明觉得自己无聊。En: He was afraid Xiao Ming would find him boring.Zh: 但小明主动找他，问他一些关于项目的想法。En: But Xiao Ming took the initiative to approach him, asking for his thoughts on the project.Zh: 李伟有些惊讶，但还是慢慢地打开了话匣子。En: Li Wei was somewhat surprised but gradually began to open up.Zh: 他告诉小明自己对环境保护的兴趣，还聊起了家里的宠物猫和周末的爱好。En: He told Xiao Ming about his interest in environmental protection, and chatted about his pet cat and weekend hobbies.Zh: 小明听得很认真，点头表示赞同。En: Xiao Ming listened intently, nodding in agreement.Zh: 他也谈起了自己，谈到自己在学校的压力和对未来的不安。En: He also talked about himself, mentioning the pressure at school and his anxiety about the future.Zh: 李伟耐心地倾听，他们的谈话变得越来越自然。En: Li Wei listened patiently, and their conversation became increasingly natural.Zh: 渐渐地他们发现彼此的很多想法都相似。En: Gradually, they discovered that many of their ideas were similar.Zh: 随着项目的进行，他们的友情也越来越深厚。En: As the project progressed, so did their friendship.Zh: 但有些同学对他们的友谊有些怀疑，认为李伟和小明不可能成为朋友。En: However, some classmates were skeptical of their friendship, believing that Li Wei and Xiao Ming couldn't possibly become friends.Zh: 一次在食堂，几个同学开玩笑嘲笑李伟，小明站出来为他辩护：“李伟很聪明，我很高兴有他这样的朋友。”En: Once in the cafeteria, a few classmates jokingly teased Li Wei, and Xiao Ming stood up to defend him: "Li Wei is very smart, and I'm glad to have a friend like him."Zh: 食堂顿时安静了下来，大家都看着小明。En: The cafeteria suddenly went quiet, everyone watching Xiao Ming.Zh: 李伟感到一阵温暖，他终于感受到了真正的友谊。En: Li Wei felt a wave of warmth; he finally experienced true friendship.Zh: 项目顺利完成，老师给了他们很高的评价。En: The project was successfully completed, and the teacher gave them high praise.Zh: 比赛结束后，他们不仅收获了优秀的成绩，更收获了一段深厚的友情。En: After the competition, they gained not only excellent results but also a deep friendship.Zh: 李伟逐渐变得自信，开始愿意与更多的人交流。En: Li Wei gradually became more confident, starting to engage with more people.Zh: 而小明明白了友情的真正意义，再不是单纯的热闹和表面的幸福。En: Meanwhile, Xiao Ming understood the true meaning of friendship, no longer just seeking lively and superficial happiness.Zh: 他知道，能够遇到李伟这样的朋友，是他最大的幸运。En: He realized that meeting a friend like Li Wei was his greatest fortune.Zh: 秋天的阳光依旧温暖，他们并肩走在校园的操场上，落叶在他们的脚下沙沙作响。En: The autumn sunlight remained warm as they walked side by side on the campus playground, the fallen leaves rustling beneath their feet.Zh: 他们知道，这段友谊在美丽的秋天里种下了根，会在未来更加坚定地成长。En: They knew that this friendship, rooted in the beautiful autumn, would grow stronger in the future. Vocabulary Words:pour: 洒illuminating: 照亮corridors: 走廊aura: 气息collaborate: 合作buried: 埋头interact: 相处superficial: 表面上的initiative: 主动nodding: 点头intently: 认真地skeptical: 怀疑teased: 嘲笑defend: 辩护confidence: 自信engage: 交流fortune: 幸运remain: 依旧playground: 操场rustling: 沙沙作响youth: 青春assigned: 分到anxiety: 不安praise: 评价experienced: 感受lively: 活泼pressure: 压力competition: 比赛gradually: 逐渐meaning: 意义

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Violin's Calling: Li Wei's Journey to Self-Belief Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-04-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 李伟站在学校的走廊上，微风轻轻拂过他的脸。En: Li Wei stood in the school hallway as a gentle breeze brushed against his face.Zh: 他手里握着小提琴，心里却像装着一只快乐的小鸟，总是想飞出去。En: He held a violin in his hand, but in his heart, there was a joyful little bird that always wanted to fly away.Zh: 深秋的校园被五颜六色的树叶装扮得格外美丽。En: The campus in late autumn was extraordinarily beautiful, adorned by colorful leaves.Zh: 晚秋的阳光明媚，但李伟的心情却紧张得像即将到来的暴风雨。En: The late autumn sun shone brightly, but Li Wei's mood was as tense as an impending storm.Zh: 李伟是个腼腆的学生，通常在人群中很少引起注意。En: Li Wei was a shy student, usually not attracting much attention in a crowd.Zh: 他的好朋友小林和明对他即将参加的学校才艺表演充满了期待。En: His close friends, Xiaolin and Ming, were filled with anticipation for his upcoming performance at the school talent show.Zh: 小林总是对李伟的才艺充满信心，但李伟自己却常常感到不安。En: Xiaolin always had confidence in Li Wei's talent, but Li Wei often felt uneasy himself.Zh: 他害怕在舞台上出错，害怕面对台下那么多双期待的眼睛。En: He was afraid of making mistakes on stage, scared of facing so many expectant eyes from the audience.Zh: 距才艺表演还有一星期，李伟在音乐教室练习，小提琴的声音在空气中回旋。En: With a week until the talent show, Li Wei practiced in the music classroom, the sound of the violin resonating through the air.Zh: 他开始犹豫，是坚持下去，还是退出比赛。En: He began to hesitate, unsure whether to persevere or withdraw from the competition.Zh: 就在这时，小林走了进来，她拍拍李伟的肩膀说：“你可以的，我们都相信你。”En: Just then, Xiaolin walked in and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "You can do it, we all believe in you."Zh: 明也点头赞同。En: Ming nodded in agreement.Zh: 李伟心里暖暖的，他决定不再逃避。En: Li Wei felt a warmth in his heart and decided not to avoid it anymore.Zh: 他找到了音乐老师，悄悄分享了自己的担心。En: He found the music teacher and quietly shared his worries.Zh: 老师微笑着说：“音乐是从心里演奏出来的，不用害怕，让它自然流淌。”En: The teacher smiled and said, "Music is played from the heart. Don't be afraid, let it flow naturally."Zh: 才艺表演的那天晚上，学校礼堂座无虚席，舞台灯光明亮。En: On the night of the talent show, the school auditorium was packed, and the stage lights were bright.Zh: 李伟穿着整洁的演出服，紧张地站在舞台一侧，他的手心微微出汗。En: Dressed neatly in performance attire, Li Wei stood nervously at one side of the stage, his palms slightly sweaty.Zh: 轮到他上场的时候，所有的灯光都对准了他。En: When it was his turn, all the lights focused on him.Zh: 台下一片安静，李伟却慌了神。En: The audience was silent, but Li Wei felt a wave of panic.Zh: 就在此时，他看见了坐在前排的小林，她正在对他微笑，并给了他一个坚定的点头。En: At that moment, he saw Xiaolin sitting in the front row, smiling at him and giving him a steadfast nod.Zh: 李伟深吸一口气，抚慰自己内心的紧张，慢慢将弓拉过琴弦。En: Li Wei took a deep breath, calming his inner nerves, and slowly drew the bow across the strings.Zh: 悠扬的琴声在寂静的礼堂中荡漾开来。En: The melodious sound of the violin spread throughout the silent auditorium.Zh: 当最后一个音符消散在空气中时，全场爆发出热烈的掌声。En: When the last note faded into the air, the entire hall erupted in enthusiastic applause.Zh: 李伟从未想过自己能得到这样的认可，他的心中涌出一股难以言喻的自豪感。En: Li Wei had never imagined receiving such recognition, and an indescribable sense of pride surged within him.Zh: 经过这次表演，李伟不再只是那个胆小内向的学生。En: After this performance, Li Wei was no longer just the timid and introverted student.Zh: 他发现自己可以在朋友和老师的支持下，面对任何挑战。En: He discovered that with the support of his friends and teachers, he could face any challenge.Zh: 他走下舞台，和小林、明交换了一个胜利的微笑。En: He stepped off the stage and exchanged a victorious smile with Xiaolin and Ming.Zh: 李伟知道，这是一个新的开始。En: Li Wei knew this was a new beginning.Zh: 通过这一次的努力和成功，他明白了一个重要的道理：自信是一点一点积累起来的，只要相信自己，就能创造出奇迹。En: Through his effort and success this time, he understood an important truth: confidence is built up bit by bit, and as long as you believe in yourself, you can create miracles.Zh: 秋天的校园仍然热闹非凡，而李伟的心情，已如同这灿烂的阳光，灿烂而温暖。En: The campus in autumn was still bustling, but Li Wei's mood was now as splendid and warm as the radiant sunlight. Vocabulary Words:hallway: 走廊breeze: 微风brushed: 拂过violin: 小提琴joyful: 快乐adorned: 装扮extraordinarily: 格外tense: 紧张impending: 即将到来的storm: 暴风雨shy: 腼腆anticipation: 期待performance: 表演uneasy: 不安persevere: 坚持withdraw: 退出steadfast: 坚定melodious: 悠扬resonating: 回旋auditorium: 礼堂attire: 服装slightly: 微微sweaty: 出汗panic: 慌了神calm: 抚慰enthusiastic: 热烈recognition: 认可pride: 自豪感victorious: 胜利splendid: 灿烂

Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan has been the focus of attention and anger over his visit to Israel. The UUP have lost a councillor, Linzi McLaren resigned her seat and quit the party citing concerns over Irish language policy and the absence of female voices. Plans are afoot to install street signage in Greek, Mandarin and Hebrew in Belfast – but will it actually happen? And finally, who keeps trying to flood Stormont? Ciarán Dunbar is joined by commentators Tim Cairns and Ursula Savage to discuss the week in NI politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Jewels and Bargains: A Medieval Market Adventure Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-03-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个秋天的下午，李华走进了一家中世纪主题的餐厅。En: On an autumn afternoon, Li Hua walked into a medieval-themed restaurant.Zh: 推开厚重的木门，她感受到浓浓的历史氛围。En: Pushing open the heavy wooden door, she was enveloped by a rich historical atmosphere.Zh: 餐厅里，烛光摇曳，墙上挂满了色彩鲜艳的旗帜，服务生穿着古装，仿佛将人带回了古代的集市。En: Inside the restaurant, candlelight flickered, vibrant banners adorned the walls, and the waitstaff dressed in period costumes, as if transporting patrons back to an ancient marketplace.Zh: 李华是个喜爱历史的年轻女子，一直梦想能为自己的收藏增添一件独特的中世纪风格的首饰。En: Li Hua was a young woman who loved history and had always dreamed of adding a unique piece of medieval-style jewelry to her collection.Zh: 她听说这家餐厅里有个市场，专卖手工制作的历史物件，因此她满怀期待地赶来。En: She had heard that the restaurant housed a market specializing in handmade historical items, so she came with great anticipation.Zh: 餐厅内的摊位商品琳琅满目，有古老的剑、精美的盾牌，还有许多闪烁着光辉的小饰品。En: The stalls inside the restaurant were filled with a dazzling array of merchandise, featuring ancient swords, exquisite shields, and many small, shimmering trinkets.Zh: 李华的目光很快被一个展示柜里的一枚项链吸引。En: Li Hua's attention was quickly captured by a necklace in a display case.Zh: 项链上镶嵌着一颗深蓝色的宝石，宛如夜空中的星星。En: The necklace was set with a deep blue gem, resembling a star in the night sky.Zh: “这是我想要的！En: "This is what I want!"Zh: ”李华暗自高兴，但她知道这枚项链名额有限，许多收藏家都虎视眈眈。En: Li Hua thought to herself joyfully, but she knew that the necklace was in limited supply, with many collectors eyeing it greedily.Zh: 李华走到柜台前，心中计算着自己的预算。En: Li Hua approached the counter, calculating her budget in her mind.Zh: “你好，这项链多少钱？En: "Hello, how much is this necklace?"Zh: ”她问摊主。En: she asked the vendor.Zh: 摊主微笑着回答：“这可是我这里的珍品，价格比较高哦。En: The vendor smiled and replied, "This is a treasure here, so it's quite pricey.Zh: 不过，说句实话，库存也不多了。En: Honestly, though, we don't have much stock left."Zh: ”李华心里一紧。En: Li Hua's heart tightened.Zh: 她的预算并不多，但那颗蓝宝石让她难以割舍。En: Her budget was limited, but the blue gemstone was hard to part with.Zh: 她悄悄看了看周围，看到一个男人也盯着这枚项链，眼中透出浓厚的兴趣。En: She discreetly glanced around and noticed a man also eyeing the necklace with intense interest.Zh: 此时气氛开始紧张，李华必须做出抉择。En: The atmosphere began to grow tense, and Li Hua had to make a decision.Zh: 她想起自己收藏的一件罕见的中世纪戒指，虽然割舍不易，但这或许是她手中的一张好牌。En: She recalled a rare medieval ring in her collection; although it was not easy to part with, it might be her bargaining chip.Zh: “如果我用这枚戒指来交换呢？En: "What if I trade this ring for it?"Zh: ”她小心翼翼地问摊主，亮出自己的戒指。En: she cautiously asked the vendor, showing her ring.Zh: 摊主仔细端详了戒指，眼中闪过一丝惊讶。En: The vendor examined the ring closely, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.Zh: “这枚戒指确实罕见，”他说，“可以交换。En: "This ring is indeed rare," he said, "a trade would be acceptable."Zh: ”那位竞争者失望地离开了，李华心头一松，终于得到了心爱的项链。En: The competitor left disappointed, and Li Hua felt relieved, having finally acquired the beloved necklace.Zh: 她感觉自己不仅收获了一件宝物，还学会了如何珍惜和利用现有的珍藏。En: She felt that not only had she gained a treasure, but she also learned how to cherish and utilize her existing collection.Zh: 握着项链，她离开了餐厅，秋风中充满了即将到来的温暖节日的期待。En: Holding the necklace, she left the restaurant, the autumn breeze filled with the anticipation of the warm festivities to come. Vocabulary Words:medieval-themed: 中世纪主题atmosphere: 氛围candlelight: 烛光flickered: 摇曳banners: 旗帜adorned: 挂满patrons: 顾客marketplace: 集市collection: 收藏anticipation: 期待array: 琳琅满目merchandise: 商品exquisite: 精美shimmering: 闪烁trinkets: 饰品resembling: 宛如greedily: 虎视眈眈budget: 预算vendor: 摊主pricey: 价格高surprise: 惊讶bargaining chip: 好牌rare: 罕见competitor: 竞争者discreetly: 悄悄intense: 浓厚decision: 抉择trade: 交换utilize: 利用cherish: 珍惜

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Secrets Unveiled: A Scholar's Quest on Zhongqiu Jie Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-03-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 中秋节的清晨，古老的茶馆坐落在繁华的中世纪村庄中心。En: On the morning of the Zhongqiu Jie, an ancient teahouse was nestled in the heart of a bustling medieval village.Zh: 茶馆里飘散着茉莉花茶的香气，墙上挂着彩色的纸灯笼，木雕精美细致。En: The aroma of Molihua cha wafted through the teahouse, with colorful paper lanterns hanging on the walls and intricately carved wooden sculptures.Zh: 村庄的集市上，人来人往，彩色的丝绸幡子随风飘扬，象征着节日的到来。En: In the village market, people came and went, colorful silk banners fluttering in the wind, symbolizing the arrival of the festival.Zh: 魏是一位年轻的学者，对古文物和古老卷轴有着浓厚的兴趣。En: Wei was a young scholar with a keen interest in ancient artifacts and old scrolls.Zh: 他一直在寻找一卷有关家族历史的卷轴。En: He had been searching for a scroll about his family's history.Zh: 他怀疑这卷轴刚被一位对手学者偷走，潜入不远处的树林中，但没有人相信他的故事。En: He suspected that the scroll had just been stolen by a rival scholar who had sneaked into the nearby woods, but no one believed his story.Zh: 魏急需盟友的帮助。En: Wei urgently needed the help of an ally.Zh: 他想到了莉娜，一位勇敢的本地工匠。En: He thought of Lina, a brave local artisan.Zh: 莉娜擅长与人交流，也熟悉村庄的每一个角落。En: Lina was skilled in communicating with people and was familiar with every corner of the village.Zh: 魏找到莉娜，把事情经过一五一十地告诉了她。En: Wei found Lina and told her the whole story.Zh: 莉娜答应帮助魏，一起在茶馆寻找线索。En: Lina agreed to help Wei, and together they searched for clues in the teahouse.Zh: 茶馆里，魏和莉娜仔细检查每一个角落，找到了学者留下的笔记。En: In the teahouse, Wei and Lina carefully examined every corner and found notes left by the scholar.Zh: 笔记里提到了一个隐藏在森林中的地点，似乎暗示了关于卷轴的所在。En: The notes mentioned a location hidden in the forest, which seemed to hint at the whereabouts of the scroll.Zh: 两人一路上遇到了商贾金。En: Along the way, they encountered a mysterious trader named Jin.Zh: 金为人神秘，对此事知之甚少。魏却敏锐地察觉金或许知道些什么。En: Although Jin knew little about the matter, Wei keenly sensed Jin might know something.Zh: 经过一番交谈，金透露，学者正是因为卷轴地图上的藏宝地点而消失的。En: After some conversation, Jin revealed that the scholar had disappeared because of a treasure location marked on the scroll map.Zh: 他们决定追踪学者。En: They decided to track the scholar.Zh: 终于，在浙江郊外的树林里，他们发现学者正试图解读卷上的秘密。En: Finally, in the woods on the outskirts of Zhejiang, they found the scholar trying to decipher the secrets on the scroll.Zh: 经过一番交锋，魏终于拿回了卷轴。En: After a confrontation, Wei finally retrieved the scroll.Zh: 揭开卷轴，魏不仅发现了遗失已久的家族历史，还发现这卷轴是一幅藏宝图。En: Unrolling the scroll, Wei discovered not only the long-lost family history but also that the scroll was a treasure map.Zh: 卷轴上指引的宝藏，比他想象的更为珍贵。En: The treasure guided by the scroll was more precious than he had imagined.Zh: 通过这场冒险，魏变得更加自信。En: Through this adventure, Wei grew more confident.Zh: 他意识到历史的保护和传承，远不止个人的渴望那么简单。En: He realized that the preservation and inheritance of history were not as simple as personal desire.Zh: 他望向月亮高挂的夜空，在心中默默感谢这个值得纪念的中秋夜。En: He looked up at the moon hanging high in the night sky and silently thanked this memorable Mid-Autumn night.Zh: 这个秋天，魏不仅找到了家族的秘密，也找到了历史的真谛。En: This autumn, Wei not only discovered his family's secret but also found the true meaning of history.Zh: 茶馆外，月光洒在大地上，给这个故事画上了圆满的句点。En: Outside the teahouse, moonlight drenched the earth, bringing this story to a fulfilling close. Vocabulary Words:nestled: 坐落bustling: 繁华aroma: 香气intricately: 精美细致scholar: 学者artifacts: 文物scrolls: 卷轴suspected: 怀疑sneaked: 潜入urgently: 急需artisan: 工匠clues: 线索examined: 检查mysterious: 神秘trader: 商贾decipher: 解读confrontation: 交锋retrieved: 拿回unrolling: 揭开precious: 珍贵adventure: 冒险confident: 自信preservation: 保护inheritance: 传承personal desire: 个人的渴望fulfilling: 圆满secrets: 秘密memorable: 值得纪念mid-autumn: 中秋drenched: 洒

Today's Episode:Where do Chinese people love to move to — and why?

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Science Spark: Xiaoli's Triumph in Teamwork and Innovation Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-02-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在金色的秋天，阳光透过科学博物馆的大玻璃窗洒在地板上，给人一种暖意。En: In the golden autumn, sunlight spilled onto the floor through the large glass windows of the Kexue Bowuguan (Science Museum), giving a sense of warmth.Zh: 小丽正在为新科学博览会筹备一个特别的展览。En: Xiaoli was preparing a special exhibition for the new science fair.Zh: 她是一位充满好奇心且敬业的博物馆策展人，一心想让科学变得有趣、易懂。En: She was a curious and dedicated museum curator with a passion for making science interesting and understandable.Zh: 小丽面对很多问题。En: Xiaoli faced many challenges.Zh: 首先，展览设备出了技术故障。En: Firstly, the exhibition equipment was experiencing technical faults.Zh: 其次，预算很紧张，她必须在有限的资源中创作出彩的展示。En: Secondly, the budget was tight, and she had to create impressive displays with limited resources.Zh: 为了克服这些挑战，小丽决定邀请梅和静的帮助。En: To overcome these challenges, Xiaoli decided to invite Mei and Jing to help.Zh: 梅是互动展览的专家，静则是本地的艺术家，擅长制作醒目的展品。En: Mei is an expert in interactive exhibits, and Jing is a local artist skilled in creating eye-catching displays.Zh: 他们一起工作，日夜不休。En: They worked together, tirelessly, day and night.Zh: 梅处理技术问题，确保所有的互动设备正常运转。En: Mei handled the technical problems, ensuring that all interactive equipment operated smoothly.Zh: 静则用她的艺术天赋，把简单的材料变成吸引人的视觉效果。En: Jing used her artistic skills to transform simple materials into captivating visuals.Zh: 经过几天不眠不休的努力，他们终于准备好了。En: After days of sleepless efforts, they were finally ready.Zh: 科学博览会的开放日到了，博物馆里人来人往。En: The opening day of the science fair arrived, and the museum was bustling with people.Zh: 孩子们满脸好奇地穿梭在各个展台之间。En: Children wandered through the different exhibits with curiosity.Zh: 一切看起来都很顺利，小丽暗自松了一口气。En: Everything seemed to be going smoothly, and Xiaoli breathed a sigh of relief.Zh: 然而，就在这个时候，主要的展品突然发生故障。En: However, just then, the main exhibit suddenly malfunctioned.Zh: 心急如焚的小丽迅速思考对策。En: Anxious, Xiaoli quickly brainstormed solutions.Zh: 没有时间犹豫，小丽立刻召集梅和静。En: Without hesitating, Xiaoli immediately gathered Mei and Jing.Zh: 在大家的努力之下，他们用另一件作品替代了故障设备。En: With everyone's efforts, they replaced the faulty equipment with another piece.Zh: 尽管不是原计划中的展品，却依然引起了参观者的兴趣，尤其是孩子们，他们充满惊喜地观察这个替代展品。En: Although it wasn't part of the original plan, it still captured the visitors' interest, especially the children who observed the substitute exhibit with delight.Zh: 最终，展览获得巨大成功，吸引许多人参观。En: In the end, the exhibition was a huge success, attracting many visitors.Zh: 小丽受到大家的一致好评。En: Xiaoli received unanimous praise.Zh: 她意识到，原来他人的帮助可以如此重要，也体会到团队合作的力量。En: She realized how crucial the help of others can be and also experienced the power of teamwork.Zh: 小丽在心里决定，以后她要更加开放地接受不同的观点与创意，继续为科学传播贡献她的力量。En: Xiaoli decided in her heart to be more open to different perspectives and ideas in the future, continuing to contribute her strength to the promotion of science. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天sunlight: 阳光curator: 策展人exhibition: 展览challenges: 问题equipment: 设备faults: 故障budget: 预算resources: 资源interactive: 互动displays: 展示artistic: 艺术captivating: 吸引人的visuals: 视觉效果bustling: 人来人往wandered: 穿梭sigh of relief: 松了一口气brainstormed: 思考对策malfunctioned: 发生故障hesitating: 犹豫substitute: 替代delight: 惊喜unanimous: 一致crucial: 重要perspectives: 观点experience: 体会promotion: 传播dedicated: 敬业understandable: 易懂tirelessly: 不休

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Family Ties and Jade Heirlooms: A Chongyang Festival Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-02-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在上海的科学博物馆里，秋天的阳光穿透玻璃窗，洒在展厅的地板上。En: In the ke xue bo wu guan in Shanghai, the autumn sunlight penetrated the glass windows, casting light on the exhibition hall's floor.Zh: 各式各样的展柜中展示着中外的古代科技发明，吸引着孩子和游客们的目光。En: Various display cases showcased ancient technological inventions from both China and abroad, capturing the attention of children and visitors.Zh: 今天是重阳节，门外的小摊上燃着蜡烛，En: Today is the Chongyang Festival, and candles are lit on the small stalls outside.Zh: 温暖的火光伴随着外面飘落的黄叶，让节日的气氛更加浓厚。En: The warm glow of the candles, along with the falling yellow leaves, adds to the festive atmosphere.Zh: 小明是大哥，认为家族传承非常重要。En: Xiaoming is the eldest brother and believes that family heritage is very important.Zh: 他一边感受着博物馆的氛围，一边思考着今天的计划。En: As he absorbed the museum's atmosphere, he contemplated today's plan.Zh: 他决定今天和妹妹美玲谈谈关于家传玉佩的事。En: He decided to talk to his sister, Meiling, about the heirloom jade pendant.Zh: 美玲是个富有创造力的女孩，渴望独立和认同。En: Meiling is a creative girl, yearning for independence and recognition.Zh: 玉佩是祖父母留下的家族遗物，小明希望把它交给能真正珍惜家族传统的人。En: The jade pendant was a family heirloom left by their grandparents, and Xiaoming hoped to give it to someone who truly cherishes family traditions.Zh: 就在他们走到古代发明展览区时，小明趁机说起家族传承的事。En: As they reached the ancient inventions exhibition area, Xiaoming took the opportunity to bring up the family heritage issue.Zh: “美玲，我觉得我们得谈谈玉佩的继承问题了。”他语气坚定。En: "Meiling, I think we need to talk about the inheritance of the jade pendant," he said firmly.Zh: 美玲皱眉，她不想让哥哥支配一切，她也认为自己有权继承它。En: Meiling frowned; she didn't want her brother to control everything and believed she had the right to inherit it too.Zh: 争吵在此时开始升温，他们的声音在宽敞的展厅中回荡，引起了周围人的侧目。En: The argument began to heat up at this point, and their voices echoed through the spacious exhibition hall, drawing the attention of those around them.Zh: 这时，最小的弟弟小伟走上前来，En: At this moment, their youngest brother, Xiaowei, stepped forward.Zh: 他一直在旁观着哥哥姐姐的对峙。En: He had been observing the standoff between his older siblings.Zh: 他是家里的调和者，总能找到平衡的办法。En: As the family's peacemaker, he always found a way to balance things out.Zh: 他对小明和美玲说：“我们都是家的一部分，为什么不能共享这个玉佩？”En: He said to Xiaoming and Meiling, "We are all part of the family. Why can't we share the jade pendant?"Zh: 小伟继续解释：“我们可以轮流保管玉佩，同时每个人都负责组织一次家族聚会，En: Xiaowei continued to explain, "We can take turns keeping the pendant, and everyone can be responsible for organizing a family gathering.Zh: 这样不仅尊重了传统，也尊重了每个人的想法。”En: This way, we respect tradition and everyone's ideas."Zh: 哥哥姐姐听罢，愣了片刻，随后都点头同意。En: His older siblings paused for a moment, and then both nodded in agreement.Zh: 小明意识到，聆听和理解是保持家庭和睦的关键。En: Xiaoming realized that listening and understanding are key to maintaining family harmony.Zh: 美玲也欣然接受，她知道这样能让每个人都更亲近彼此。En: Meiling also gladly accepted, knowing that this way, everyone would feel closer to each other.Zh: 这次争执终于落下帷幕，兄弟姐妹们脸上都露出了释怀的微笑。En: The dispute finally came to an end, and the siblings had relieved smiles on their faces.Zh: 在这座充满历史和未来的博物馆深处，他们达成了共识。En: In the depths of this museum, full of history and the future, they reached a consensus.Zh: 走出博物馆时，黄叶在脚下轻轻作响，空气中弥漫着重阳节的温暖气息，家庭的纽带更加坚固。En: As they walked out of the museum, the yellow leaves crunched lightly underfoot, and the warmth of Chongyang Festival filled the air, solidifying the family bonds.Zh: 故事的结尾，每个人都明白，无论发生什么，他们永远都是一家人，共同分享快乐和责任。En: By the story's end, everyone understood that no matter what happens, they would always be family, sharing happiness and responsibilities together. Vocabulary Words:penetrated: 穿透casting: 洒showcased: 展示exhibition: 展览heirloom: 家传pendant: 玉佩yearning: 渴望contemplate: 思考heritage: 传承firmly: 坚定frowned: 皱眉standoff: 对峙peacemaker: 调和者consensus: 共识crunched: 作响inheritance: 继承responsible: 负责relieved: 释怀harmony: 和睦recognition: 认同traditions: 传统spacious: 宽敞siblings: 兄弟姐妹reside: 居住captured: 吸引bond: 纽带gathering: 聚会absorbed: 感受atmosphere: 氛围cherishes: 珍惜

如果你想更深入地了解这些和生活紧密相关的中文表达，一个很好的方法就是每天读一个中文故事。加入maayot吧！我们每天都会给你发送一个适合你水平的中文阅读， 无论是文章类故事，或是对话类故事。阅读里，无论是故事内容，还是文化场景，都会和我们的生活息息相关。而且，不仅仅是阅读，你同时能练习你的听说，和写作。你还能和老师互动，得到即时反馈，就像身边有一个24小时的中文教师。

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Chasing Lanterns and Dreams: Li Wei's Journey of Self-Discovery Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-01-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 灯笼节的夜晚，市场上人头攒动，五光十色的灯笼把天空照得如同白昼。En: On the evening of the Lantern Festival, the market was crowded with people, and the colorful lanterns lit up the sky as if it were daylight.Zh: 李伟、张美和陈明漫步在热闹的人群中，空气中弥漫着甜甜的糖葫芦和烤鱿鱼的香气。En: Li Wei, Zhang Mei, and Chen Ming strolled through the lively crowd, the air filled with the sweet scent of tanghulu and roasted squid.Zh: 李伟的心情有些沉重。En: Li Wei felt a bit heavy-hearted.Zh: 每每家人聚会，总有人会拿他和表姐张美作比较。En: Every time there was a family gathering, someone would compare him with his cousin Zhang Mei.Zh: 张美在事业上是一个成功人士，家族中人人赞美。En: Zhang Mei was a successful person in her career, admired by everyone in the family.Zh: “伟子，你要加油啊，看看你表姐！”长辈们常常这样说。En: "Wei Zi, you need to work harder, look at your cousin!" the elders would often say.Zh: 李伟知道他们的意思，但他心中有自己的梦想，却一直不敢说出来，怕遭到批评。En: Li Wei understood what they meant, but he had his own dreams in mind, ones he never dared to speak out loud for fear of criticism.Zh: 那天晚上，李伟决定改变。En: That night, Li Wei decided to change.Zh: 他要在这次灯笼节上跟爷爷陈明坦白心事。En: He wanted to confide in his grandfather Chen Ming during the Lantern Festival.Zh: 他深吸一口气，看着爷爷慈祥的面容，内心却是忐忑不安。En: He took a deep breath, looking at his grandfather's kind face, yet he felt anxious inside.Zh: “爷爷，我有件事想告诉您。”李伟终于鼓起勇气。En: "Grandpa, there's something I want to tell you," Li Wei finally mustered the courage to speak.Zh: “哦？伟子，有什么要说的？”陈明和蔼地问，目光投向孙子。En: "Oh? Wei Zi, what do you want to say?" Chen Ming asked kindly, his gaze falling on his grandson.Zh: “爷爷，我想追求自己的梦想。En: "Grandpa, I want to pursue my own dreams.Zh: 我......我不想一直被拿来和表姐比较。En: I... I don't want to always be compared to my cousin.Zh: 我尊敬张美姐姐，但我有自己的路要走。”李伟语气坚定，心跳加速，等待爷爷的回应。En: I respect Zhang Mei too, but I have my own path to follow." Li Wei spoke with determination, his heart racing, as he awaited his grandfather's response.Zh: 陈明默默地听着，然后微微点头。En: Chen Ming listened silently, then nodded slightly.Zh: 他拍拍李伟的肩膀说：“伟子，人生是自己的。En: He patted Li Wei's shoulder and said, "Wei Zi, life is your own.Zh: 你要记住，不要被别人的想法左右，你的路自己走，我相信你。”En: Remember, don't be swayed by others' opinions, walk your own path, I believe in you."Zh: 李伟感觉如释重负，终于听到了他真正向往的话。En: Li Wei felt relieved, finally hearing the words he truly longed for.Zh: 他不禁感到一阵温暖，心中庞大的压力瞬间消散。En: He couldn't help but feel a warm wave, and the great pressure in his heart instantly dissipated.Zh: 他的脸上绽放出轻松的微笑，看着夜空中闪烁的灯笼，仿佛看见了自己的未来。En: A relaxed smile appeared on his face as he looked at the twinkling lanterns in the night sky, as if seeing his own future.Zh: 故事的结尾，李伟牵着爷爷的手，和家人们一起沉浸在灯笼节的欢乐中。En: At the end of the story, Li Wei held his grandfather's hand, immersing in the joy of the Lantern Festival with his family.Zh: 他知道，他再也不会感到孤单，因为家人和梦想始终陪伴在他的身边。En: He knew he would never feel alone again because family and dreams would always be by his side. Vocabulary Words:crowded: 人头攒动colorful: 五光十色strolled: 漫步lively: 热闹scent: 香气heavy-hearted: 沉重gathering: 聚会admired: 赞美confide: 坦白anxious: 忐忑不安mustered: 鼓起courage: 勇气determination: 坚定racing: 加速swayed: 左右relieved: 如释重负pressure: 压力dissipated: 消散twinkling: 闪烁immersing: 沉浸joy: 欢乐future: 未来fear: 怕path: 路opinion: 想法believe: 相信pursue: 追求compare: 比较elders: 长辈kind face: 慈祥的面容

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Vote for Hope: Li Hua's Courageous Autumn Journey Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-11-01-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的早晨，筛满了金黄色的阳光。En: On an autumn morning, the sunshine filtered in golden throughout.Zh: 落叶在风中轻轻地旋转，像是大自然在悄声地变换舞步。En: Leaves swirled gently in the wind, as if nature was silently changing its dance steps.Zh: 这一天是亡灵节，在一个挂满万寿菊和彩色剪纸的投票点，李华、伟和梅一同排队等待投票。En: This day was the Day of the Dead, and at a polling place adorned with marigolds and colorful paper cuttings, Li Hua, Wei, and Mei were standing in line, waiting to vote.Zh: 李华站在人群中，心里却并不平静。En: Li Hua stood among the crowd, but her heart was not at peace.Zh: 最近，医生告诉她要做一个重要的医疗检查。En: Recently, the doctor had told her she needed to undergo an important medical test.Zh: 她一直在等待结果，心里充满了不安。En: She had been waiting for the results, with her heart filled with unease.Zh: 可是，她知道今天必须来投票。En: However, she knew she had to come to vote today.Zh: 作为一个社区的一员，她希望自己的选票能够带来变化。En: As a member of the community, she hoped her ballot would bring about change.Zh: “李华，你还好吗？En: "Li Hua, are you okay?"Zh: ”伟关切地问。En: Wei asked with concern.Zh: 伟是李华的好朋友，总是能感受到她的情绪变化。En: Wei is Li Hua's good friend and always seems able to sense her emotional changes.Zh: “我没事的，谢谢你，伟。En: "I'm fine, thank you, Wei."Zh: ”李华微笑着回答，但声音中透着一丝不安。En: Li Hua replied with a smile, but there was a hint of unease in her voice.Zh: 线慢慢地移动，李华尽量让自己不去想着那些可能的结果。En: The line moved slowly, and Li Hua tried not to think about the possible outcomes.Zh: 她努力去体会周围的氛围。En: She made an effort to take in the surroundings.Zh: 万寿菊的香味与剪纸的彩色图案交织在一起，充满节日气息，让人感受到生命与死亡的轮回。En: The scent of marigolds intertwined with the colorful patterns of the paper cuttings, full of festive spirit, making one feel the cycle of life and death.Zh: 就在李华站在投票箱前准备填写选票时，她的手机突然响了。En: Just as Li Hua stood before the ballot box, ready to fill out her ballot, her phone suddenly rang.Zh: 是医生的电话。En: It was a call from the doctor.Zh: 她的心跳加速，手指微微颤抖。En: Her heartbeat quickened, and her fingers trembled slightly.Zh: 接，还是不接？En: To answer, or not to answer?Zh: 李华深深吸了一口气，决定先专注当下。En: Li Hua took a deep breath, deciding to focus on the present moment first.Zh: 她将手机调成静音，小心地填完选票，这一刻，她把所有的焦虑暂时搁置一旁。En: She put her phone on silent mode and carefully completed her ballot, momentarily setting aside all her anxieties.Zh: 投票结束，她心中感到了一种未曾有过的平静。En: After voting, she felt a kind of peace she had never experienced before.Zh: 走出投票站后，李华终于拿起手机，听了语音留言。En: After stepping out of the polling station, Li Hua finally picked up her phone and listened to the voicemail.Zh: 无论结果如何，她都知道今天已经完成了一件重要的事情。En: No matter the result, she knew she had accomplished something important today.Zh: 通过这样的方式，她为自己和他人的未来贡献了一份力量。En: Through this act, she contributed a part of her strength to the future of herself and others.Zh: 李华抬头望着天空，阳光穿过树叶洒下斑驳的光影。En: Li Hua looked up at the sky, with sunlight filtering through the leaves, casting dappled shadows.Zh: 她感受到一种坚韧的力量，这力量来自于内心的安定，以及对社区的责任感。En: She felt a resilient strength, a strength that came from inner peace and a sense of responsibility to the community.Zh: 投票站外，梅笑着对李华说：“走吧，庆祝一下今天的胜利。En: Outside the polling station, Mei smiled at Li Hua and said, "Let's go celebrate today's victory."Zh: ”李华点点头，微笑着走进秋天的阳光里，心中满是希望。En: Li Hua nodded and smiled, stepping into the autumn sunlight with her heart full of hope. Vocabulary Words:swirled: 旋转ballot: 选票filter: 筛满adorned: 挂满marigolds: 万寿菊unease: 不安patterns: 图案polling: 投票dappled: 斑驳victory: 胜利voicemail: 语音留言resilient: 坚韧contribute: 贡献trembled: 颤抖undergo: 做intertwined: 交织responsibility: 责任感focus: 专注scent: 香味outcomes: 结果accomplished: 完成unease: 不安strength: 力量peace: 平静hope: 希望dance steps: 舞步trembled: 微微颤抖festive: 节日shadows: 光影community: 社区

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Gamble of Trust: A Mystical Night at the Poker Table Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-31-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天的夜晚，灯火辉煌的赌场中，气氛紧张而神秘。En: On an autumn night, within the brightly lit duchang, the atmosphere was tense and mysterious.Zh: 一排排南瓜灯在黑暗中微微闪烁，秋季的落叶香味于空气中若隐若现。En: Rows of jack-o'-lanterns flickered faintly in the darkness, and the scent of autumn leaves lingered in the air.Zh: 李威坐在一张圆桌旁，身着侦探装的他，低调而深沉。En: Li Wei sat at a round table, dressed as a detective, low-key and profound.Zh: 他必须赢得这场高风险的扑克比赛，来帮助一个深陷债务的朋友。En: He had to win this high-stakes poker game to help a friend who was deep in debt.Zh: 他的对手中，有一位特别引人注目的人——景。En: Among his opponents, there was one particularly intriguing person—Jing.Zh: 景穿着1920年代的经典纳西头女郎装，神秘而迷人。En: Jing was dressed as a classic 1920 niandai Naxi tou nulang from the 1920s, mysterious and enchanting.Zh: 每一次她出牌，目光都坚定而自信，让李威不禁对她产生了好奇与警惕。En: Every time she played a card, her eyes were firm and confident, causing Li Wei to feel both curious and wary of her.Zh: “今晚一定要小心，”李威心想，“但景，让人无法不关注。”En: "Tonight, I must be careful," Li Wei thought, "but Jing is impossible to ignore."Zh: 随着游戏的进行，李威越发发现，自己总是分神去注意景的动向。En: As the game progressed, Li Wei increasingly found himself distracted by Jing's moves.Zh: 他知道，这种心不在焉可能带来危险。En: He knew this absent-mindedness could be dangerous.Zh: 可每当景微微一笑，李威又忍不住想，她的微笑背后，是否藏着更深的意图。En: Yet, whenever Jing smiled slightly, he couldn't help but wonder if there was a deeper intention behind her smile.Zh: 在紧张对决的间隙，景看向李威，轻声道：“为什么不合作呢？我们可以成为双赢的组合。”En: During a tense break in the duel, Jing looked at Li Wei and softly said, "Why not cooperate? We could form a winning combination."Zh: 李威犹豫片刻，但内心深处，他感受到一种莫名其妙的信任。En: Li Wei hesitated for a moment, but deep inside, he felt an inexplicable trust.Zh: “好吧，”他说，“但如果发现你耍花招，我绝不会留情。”En: "Alright," he said, "but if I find out you're playing tricks, I won't hold back."Zh: 游戏进入最后的白热化阶段。En: The game reached its final, fervent stage.Zh: 他们面临一个艰难的选择：是各自为战，还是联手对抗其余玩家？En: They faced a difficult choice: should they battle individually, or join forces against the other players?Zh: 李威和景对视一眼，决定冒险一搏。En: Li Wei and Jing exchanged a glance and decided to risk everything.Zh: 一个大胆的诈唬，他们将手里的牌桌面朝下，面带自信。En: With a bold bluff, they laid their cards face down on the table, brimming with confidence.Zh: 这一招瞒天过海，最终奇迹般地奏效了。En: This deception succeeded miraculously.Zh: 赢得比赛的欣喜随着一阵秋风而来，带来新的友情与可能性。En: The joy of winning the game came with the autumn breeze, bringing new friendships and possibilities.Zh: 走出赌场时，李威与景并肩而行，秋叶在他们身边舞动。En: As they left the duchang, Li Wei and Jing walked side by side, autumn leaves dancing around them.Zh: 李威意识到，游戏中的合作，不仅仅是为了胜利。En: Li Wei realized that the cooperation in the game was not only for victory.Zh: 某些时候，信任与合作，也可能带来意想不到的温暖。En: Sometimes, trust and cooperation could also bring unexpected warmth.Zh: 他看着身边的景，轻轻说道：“也许，有些风险是值得冒的。”En: He looked at Jing beside him and gently said, "Perhaps, some risks are worth taking."Zh: 景回以微笑。En: Jing returned his smile.Zh: 秋夜静谧，只有两人的心跳在跳动着，诉说着新的开始。En: The autumn night was quiet, with only their heartbeats speaking of a new beginning. Vocabulary Words:duchang: 赌场jack-o'-lantern: 南瓜灯profound: 深沉high-stakes: 高风险intriguing: 引人注目enchanting: 迷人absent-mindedness: 心不在焉deeper: 更深intention: 意图cooperate: 合作hesitated: 犹豫inexplicable: 莫名其妙tricks: 花招fervent: 白热化bold: 大胆bluff: 诈唬brimming: 面带deception: 瞒天过海miraculously: 奇迹般地possibilities: 可能性dancing: 舞动unexpected: 意想不到warmth: 温暖quiet: 静谧heartbeats: 心跳amicable: 和谐glance: 对视risk: 风险stake: 赌注distracted: 分神

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Night Market Sparks: A Tale of Unexpected Connection Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-31-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 台北的夜市是一个让人流连忘返的地方。En: The Taipei night market is a place that leaves people longing to linger.Zh: 秋天的夜晚，空气中弥漫着淡淡的桂花香，五光十色的灯笼点缀着整条街道。En: On autumn nights, the air is filled with a faint scent of osmanthus flowers, and the dazzling lanterns adorn the entire street.Zh: 李伟是个摄影师，他负责拍摄一组关于夜市的杂志特写。En: Li Wei is a photographer tasked with shooting a magazine feature about the night market.Zh: 他的相机时刻准备着，寻找那些美丽的瞬间。En: His camera is always at the ready, searching for those beautiful moments.Zh: 小陈是个大学生，学习文化人类学，对城市空间充满好奇。En: Xiao Chen is a college student studying cultural anthropology, full of curiosity about urban spaces.Zh: 他常常走在夜市中，观察人群，体验当地的文化。En: He often walks through the night market, observing the crowds and experiencing the local culture.Zh: 这天晚上，他们两个都来到了同一个夜市。En: On this night, both of them found their way to the same night market.Zh: 李伟穿梭于各个摊位，按下快门，捕捉夜市的热闹与烟火气。En: Li Wei shuttled between various stalls, pressing the shutter to capture the bustling and vibrant atmosphere of the night market.Zh: 而小陈则在思考，自己与所学传统之间的距离。En: Meanwhile, Xiao Chen was pondering the distance between himself and the traditions he studied.Zh: 当他们正各自沉浸于自己的世界时，意外发生了。En: While they were each immersed in their own worlds, an unexpected event occurred.Zh: 突然，整个夜市陷入了一片黑暗。En: Suddenly, the entire night market was plunged into darkness.Zh: 电力中断。En: A power outage.Zh: 李伟停下了拍摄，他习惯了通过镜头观察世界，却在此时感到视觉受限。En: Li Wei halted his shooting, accustomed to seeing the world through his lens, he found his vision limited.Zh: 小陈感到有些惶恐，他没有带手电，路上漆黑一片。En: Xiao Chen felt a bit anxious since he hadn't brought a flashlight, and the road was pitch black.Zh: 但李伟没有放弃，他决定利用微弱的灯笼光继续拍摄。En: However, Li Wei did not give up.Zh: 他想要记录下这不期而遇的真实瞬间。En: He decided to take advantage of the faint light from the lanterns to continue shooting.Zh: 小陈则在黑暗中摸索着，觉得这个许多人经历同样境遇的时刻，值得深入体验。En: He wanted to capture this unexpectedly genuine moment.Zh: 他的好奇心战胜了焦虑。En: Xiao Chen fumbled through the darkness, feeling that this moment, where many people were experiencing the same situation, was worth delving into.Zh: 就在一个卖小吃的摊位，两个世界交汇了。En: His curiosity triumphed over his anxiety.Zh: 李伟和小陈在昏暗中碰到了一起。En: At a snack stall, the two worlds converged.Zh: 李伟手中的相机轻轻撞到了小陈，二人对视一笑。En: Li Wei's camera gently bumped into Xiao Chen.Zh: “抱歉，我正试图用自然光拍些照片，”李伟说道。En: They exchanged a smile in the dim light.Zh: “我也是在享受这难得的黑暗。En: "Sorry, I'm trying to take some photos with natural light," Li Wei said.Zh: ”小陈答道。En: "I'm also enjoying this rare darkness," Xiao Chen replied.Zh: 他们坐下来，一起享用摊主的美味夜宵。En: They sat down and shared a delicious night snack from the vendor.Zh: 聊天中，他们发现彼此有着相似的追求和梦想。En: During their conversation, they discovered they had similar pursuits and dreams.Zh: 李伟感受到了真正的交流，而不仅是通过镜头的观察。En: Li Wei felt a genuine connection, not just observation through the lens.Zh: 小陈也开始从学术的严谨中走出来，体验到交流带来的温暖。En: Xiao Chen also began to step out from academic rigor, experiencing the warmth brought by interaction.Zh: 漫长的夜晚，他们谈论着彼此的经历和未来的计划。En: Throughout the long night, they talked about their experiences and future plans.Zh: 那一瞬间，电灯重启，但夜市的喧闹似乎已不再重要。En: At that moment, the lights came back on, but the noise of the night market seemed less important.Zh: 重要的是，他们找到了属于自己的契合。En: What mattered was that they found a connection synchronized with their own.Zh: 李伟对未能拍到完美照片不再遗憾，他收获了意料之外的友谊。En: Li Wei was no longer regretful about not capturing the perfect photo; he gained an unexpected friendship.Zh: 小陈明白到，文化的体验不仅是观察，更是参与和感受。En: Xiao Chen realized that experiencing culture is not just about observing, but also participating and feeling it.Zh: 这个夜晚，秋风轻拂，灯火再亮，却也没有比心灵间的火花更温暖的光芒。En: That night, as the autumn breeze gently blew and the lights shone again, no light was warmer than the sparks of connection between their hearts. Vocabulary Words:longing: 流连忘返linger: 流连scent: 香osmanthus: 桂花adorn: 点缀shuttled: 穿梭pondering: 思考traditions: 传统plunged: 陷入outage: 中断halted: 停下accustomed: 习惯了fumbled: 摸索curiosity: 好奇心triumph: 战胜converged: 交汇vendor: 摊主pursuits: 追求rigor: 严谨immersed: 沉浸anxious: 惶恐genuine: 真实experience: 体验breezed: 轻拂interaction: 交流connection: 契合observe: 观察participating: 参与sparks: 火花bustling: 热闹

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Pumpkin Lanterns and Leadership: A Halloween Office Drama Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-30-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 办公室的天花板上挂满了南瓜灯，幽灵贴纸贴在墙上，整个办公室被装饰得非常有节日气氛。En: The office ceiling was covered with nanguadeng (pumpkin lanterns) and ghost stickers adorned the walls, giving the entire office a festive atmosphere.Zh: 庄重的办公环境此刻被搞怪的气息笼罩，电脑的嗡嗡声和员工们的窃窃私语交织在一起。En: The solemn work environment was now shrouded in a spooky aura, with the humming of computers and the whispering of employees intertwining.Zh: 正值秋天，树叶变黄，大街上满是枫叶，空气中飘着淡淡的果香。En: It was autumn, the leaves were turning yellow, the streets were full of fengye (maple leaves), and a faint fruity scent lingered in the air.Zh: 伟，一位默默无闻的项目经理，看着自己负责的文件。En: Wei, an unassuming project manager, was looking over the files he was responsible for.Zh: 他心里想着，今天的万圣节派对一定要让大家团结起来，同时被上司看到自己的工作能力。En: He thought to himself that today's Halloween party must bring everyone together while also demonstrating his work capabilities to his boss.Zh: 这是公司的一次团建活动，由他和其他两位同事小梁和静策划。En: This was a team-building event organized by him and two other colleagues, Xiao Liang and Jing.Zh: 此刻，伟站在办公桌前，开始思考如何在不惹麻烦的情况下确保活动的顺利进行。En: At this moment, Wei stood in front of his desk, pondering how to ensure the event's smooth execution without causing any trouble.Zh: 小梁是团队的领头，她一直以创造性而闻名，不过有时这也带来不小的混乱。En: Xiao Liang was the team leader, known for her creativity, but sometimes this also brought about considerable chaos.Zh: 为了提高团队凝聚力，她策划了一场即兴服装比赛，希望能带动大家的兴趣。En: To enhance team cohesion, she planned an impromptu costume contest, hoping to spark everyone's interest.Zh: 静则是个注重细节的分析师，她寻求安静的环境，因此对小梁激烈的计划心存疑虑。En: Jing, on the other hand, was a detail-oriented analyst who sought a quiet environment, so she was skeptical of Xiao Liang's intense plans.Zh: 活动开始后，员工们纷纷换上搞怪的服装。En: After the event started, employees donned their quirky costumes.Zh: 小梁大声宣布：“大家，现在开始我们的即兴服装比赛了！En: Xiao Liang announced loudly, "Everyone, let's start our improv costume contest now!Zh: 尽情展现你们的创意吧！En: Show off your creativity!"Zh: ”然而，比赛刚开始，便引起了争论。En: However, as soon as the contest began, it sparked a debate.Zh: 静觉得规则不够明确，参与者没有边界，忙乱成了一团。En: Jing felt the rules were unclear, participants had no boundaries, and everything turned into a chaotic mess.Zh: 伟知道是时候做出决定了。En: Wei knew it was time to make a decision.Zh: 他见争执不下，便走到小梁和静中间，微笑着说：“我们不如来个折中，让大家组成小组，各展所长。En: Seeing the unresolved dispute, he stepped between Xiao Liang and Jing, smiling as he said, "How about we compromise and let everyone form groups, showcasing their strengths?Zh: 这样既有趣，也更有秩序。En: This way, it's both fun and orderly."Zh: ”两人听完后，觉得这是个好主意，纷纷开始组织各自的小组活动。En: After hearing this, both agreed it was a great idea and began organizing their respective group activities.Zh: 最终，活动在欢快的气氛中圆满结束。En: In the end, the event concluded successfully in a joyful atmosphere.Zh: 伟的决策不仅化解了争执，还让活动更加成功。En: Wei's decision not only resolved the dispute but also made the event more successful.Zh: 上司向伟投来了赞许的目光，团队成员也对他的领导表示感谢。En: The boss gave Wei a look of approval, and team members also thanked him for his leadership.Zh: 通过这次派对，伟不单单获得了应得的认可，更学会了如何在团队中调和个人需求与集体利益。En: Through this party, Wei not only gained the recognition he deserved but also learned how to balance individual needs with collective interests within the team.Zh: 他意识到领导力不仅在于个人能力的展示，更在于英明的决策和有效的沟通。En: He realized that leadership lies not only in showcasing personal skills but in wise decision-making and effective communication.Zh: 办公室在笑声和欢呼中重回平静，而伟的心里，却多了一份自信与成就感。En: The office returned to calmness amidst laughter and cheers, while in Wei's heart, there was a newfound sense of confidence and accomplishment. Vocabulary Words:ceiling: 天花板adorned: 装饰solemn: 庄重shrouded: 笼罩aura: 气息intertwining: 交织unassuming: 默默无闻demonstrating: 展示smooth: 顺利execution: 进行cohesion: 凝聚力impromptu: 即兴creative: 创造性quirky: 搞怪debate: 争论participants: 参与者unresolved: 争执不下dispute: 争执compromise: 折中showcasing: 展现orderly: 有秩序joyful: 欢快concluded: 结束recognition: 认可balance: 调和collective: 集体effective: 有效confidence: 自信accomplishment: 成就感lingered: 飘

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: From Rainfall to Triumph: Ming's Quest for Success Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-30-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在一个阴沉的秋日早晨，明从窗外望去，细雨无声地拍打着玻璃。En: On a gloomy autumn morning, Ming gazed out the window as fine rain silently tapped against the glass.Zh: 今天是重阳节，公司休息了一天，En: Today was the Chongyang Festival, and the company had a day off.Zh: 然而有一个重要会议需要明参加，他已经准备了很久。En: However, there was an important meeting that Ming needed to attend, one he had been preparing for a long time.Zh: 对他来说，这次会议决定了升迁的机会，这个机会对他和他的家人都至关重要。En: For him, this meeting could determine a promotion opportunity, which was crucial for both him and his family.Zh: 明平时是个勤奋的员工，总是承担着比别人更多的工作。En: Ming was typically a diligent employee, always taking on more work than others.Zh: 他希望今天的表现能打动严格但公正的老板嘉，赢得她的称赞。En: He hoped that his performance today could impress his strict yet fair boss, Jia, and earn her praise.Zh: 可是，天有不测风云，En: But, as fate would have it, unexpected events occurred.Zh: 他踏入地铁站后，被告知有突发的交通问题：由于大量的秋叶落在铁轨上，加上大雨，列车延误。En: When he stepped into the subway station, he was informed of sudden traffic issues: due to a large amount of fallen autumn leaves on the tracks, combined with heavy rain, the trains were delayed.Zh: 时间在一分一秒地流逝，明站在站台上，心急如焚。En: Time ticked by second by second as Ming stood on the platform, anxious.Zh: 为了不浪费更多时间，他马上拨通了同事亮的电话。En: Not wanting to waste more time, he quickly dialed his colleague Liang's phone number.Zh: “亮，帮我个忙，我可能会迟到。En: "Liang, can you do me a favor? I might be late.Zh: 能不能先帮我撑一下会议？”明尽量让自己的声音不显得慌乱。En: Could you cover for me at the meeting?" Ming tried to keep his voice calm.Zh: 亮总是很乐于助人，他安慰明：“放心吧，交给我。En: Liang was always helpful and reassured Ming: "Don't worry, leave it to me.Zh: 我先替你说几句。”挂掉电话后，明焦急地在脑中盘算着如何到达公司。En: I'll start with a few words for you." After hanging up, Ming anxiously planned in his head how to get to the company.Zh: 打车是最快的选择，但费用不菲。En: A taxi was the fastest option, but costly.Zh: 他犹豫了一下，决定寻找其他路线。En: He hesitated for a moment and decided to look for alternative routes.Zh: 终于，他发现还可以搭乘一条鲜有人知的小路公交，虽然这样他不得不淋湿在雨中，却别无选择。En: Finally, he discovered he could take a little-known bus route, although this meant getting wet in the rain, he had no other choice.Zh: 来到公司时，明的衣服已经湿透。En: When he arrived at the company, Ming's clothes were already soaked.Zh: 他急冲冲进了会议室，会议正进行得如火如荼。En: He rushed into the meeting room, where the meeting was in full swing.Zh: 他喘息着走到前面，亮已经把他的演讲稿准备好放在桌子上。En: Panting, he went to the front, and Liang had already prepared his presentation on the table.Zh: 明开始他的演讲，虽然开场有些紧张，但他很快镇定下来，流利地讲述自己的计划和建议。En: Ming began his presentation, and although he was initially nervous, he quickly composed himself and eloquently outlined his plans and proposals.Zh: 期间，他奋力抑制身体的寒意，全神贯注于会议。En: Throughout, he fought to suppress the chill in his body, fully concentrating on the meeting.Zh: 会议结束后，嘉点头表示认可，并对明说：“虽然过程有些曲折，但你的努力得到了体现。”En: After the meeting ended, Jia nodded in approval and said to Ming, "Although the process was a bit turbulent, your efforts were evident."Zh: 她赞扬明在困难前表现出的顽强和创新精神。En: She praised Ming for his tenacity and innovation in the face of difficulties.Zh: 那一天，明不仅赢得了老板的嘉许，也学会了如何依赖团队的力量。En: That day, Ming not only gained his boss's approval but also learned how to rely on the power of teamwork.Zh: 明白了自己的同事其实是可依靠的伙伴，能够在关键时刻伸出援手。En: He realized that his colleagues were indeed reliable partners who could lend a hand at critical times.Zh: 从此以后，明不再孤军奋战，而是与同事们更加紧密地合作。En: From then on, Ming no longer fought alone but collaborated more closely with his colleagues.Zh: 他意识到，寻求帮助并不是软弱，而是表示一种成熟与智慧。En: He realized that seeking help was not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of maturity and wisdom. Vocabulary Words:gloomy: 阴沉autumn: 秋日gazed: 望silently: 无声地promotion: 升迁diligent: 勤奋strict: 严格praise: 称赞fate: 不测风云unexpected: 突发anxious: 心急如焚hesitate: 犹豫alternative: 其他discovered: 发现eloquently: 流利地outlined: 讲述composed: 镇定panting: 喘息turbulent: 曲折tenacity: 顽强innovation: 创新rely: 依赖collaborated: 合作maturity: 成熟wisdom: 智慧lend a hand: 伸出援手critical: 关键reassured: 安慰suppressed: 抑制full swing: 如火如荼

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Harvesting Friendship: A Mid-Autumn Festival Tale Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-29-07-38-19-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 秋天到了，秋风轻轻地吹过，树叶在空中飘舞，瀑布般的金黄和火红装点着门禁社区的每一个角落。En: Autumn has arrived, the autumn breeze gently blowing through, leaves dancing in the air, with cascading gold and fiery red decorating every corner of the gated community.Zh: 梅和健住在这里。En: Mei and Jian live here.Zh: 他们是邻居。En: They are neighbors.Zh: 梅是一个很讲究的人，做事一丝不苟。En: Mei is a very meticulous person, doing things with great precision.Zh: 健刚搬来不久，随性自然，喜欢参加社区活动。En: Jian has only recently moved in, is carefree, and likes to participate in community activities.Zh: 中秋节快到了，梅想组织一个中秋节聚会。En: Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching, and Mei wants to organize a Mid-Autumn gathering.Zh: 她希望这次聚会能促进邻里之间的友情。En: She hopes this gathering can foster friendships among the neighbors.Zh: 但是单靠她一个人准备，显得非常忙碌。En: But preparing by herself makes her very busy.Zh: 梅在社区里的超市来回奔走，心里紧张，因为她想让这次聚会完美无瑕。En: Mei runs back and forth in the community supermarket, feeling anxious because she wants the gathering to be flawless.Zh: 某一天，在超市，梅正在挑选月饼。En: One day, at the supermarket, Mei is selecting mooncakes.Zh: 此时，健也走了进来，看到梅忙碌的样子，说：“需要帮忙吗？En: At this moment, Jian walks in, seeing Mei looking busy, and says, "Do you need help?"Zh: ”梅犹豫了一下。En: Mei hesitates for a moment.Zh: 她平时喜欢严格按照自己的计划来，一时不知道是否该接受健的帮助。En: She usually likes to follow her plans strictly and doesn't know if she should accept Jian's help.Zh: “我对中秋节不是很熟。En: "I'm not very familiar with the Mid-Autumn Festival," Jian continues, "but I really want to help."Zh: ”健继续说道，“但我真的很想帮忙。En: Mei thinks for a moment, trying hard to let go of her desire for control.Zh: ”梅想了想，努力放下心中控制的渴望。En: So, she nods: "Alright, let's prepare together."Zh: 于是，她点了点头：“好吧，我们一起准备。En: From that day on, Mei and Jian are busy together every day.Zh: ”从那天起，梅和健每天都一起忙碌。En: They select lanterns and decorate the venue together.Zh: 他们一起挑选灯笼，一起布置场地。En: They also designed some small games and prepared small gifts for the neighbors.Zh: 他们还设计了一些小游戏，为邻居们准备小礼物。En: Mei gradually finds out how wonderful it is to have someone to share with and help her.Zh: 梅逐渐发现，有人分享和帮助的感觉是多么美好。En: She no longer feels lonely and helpless.Zh: 她不再感到孤单无助。En: The night of the Mid-Autumn Festival finally arrives.Zh: 中秋之夜终于到来了。En: The moon hangs high in the sky, illuminating the community bathed in silvery light.Zh: 月亮高挂在天上，照亮了沐浴在银辉中的社区。En: Children carry lanterns, joyfully running around; people gather to taste mooncakes and watch performances.Zh: 孩子们提着灯笼，欢快地跑来跑去；人们围坐在一起，品尝月饼，看着节目表演。En: Mei looks at the lively atmosphere and feels a warmth in her heart.Zh: 梅看着热闹的氛围，心中涌起一阵暖意。En: Due to this gathering, she and Jian have not only become friends but also strengthened her connections with the neighbors.Zh: 因为这次聚会，她和健不仅成了朋友，也加强了她与邻居之间的联系。En: She feels the power of unity and understands the importance of cooperation.Zh: 她感觉到了团结的力量，明白了合作的重要性。En: In the evening, Jian says to Mei, "The gathering was truly a success, everyone is very happy.Zh: 晚上，健对梅说：“这次聚会真成功，大家都很高兴。En: Thank you for bringing me in."Zh: 谢谢你把我拉进来。En: Mei smiles, "Actually, I should thank you.Zh: ”梅笑了：“其实要谢谢你，是你的帮助让我明白了，社区的意义。En: Your help made me realize the meaning of community."Zh: ”秋夜微凉，但梅心里却无比温暖。En: The autumn night is slightly cool, but Mei feels incredibly warm in her heart.Zh: 因为在这个中秋节，她收获了友情，也收获了心灵的成长。En: Because during this Mid-Autumn Festival, she harvested friendship and also personal growth. Vocabulary Words:autumn: 秋天breeze: 微风cascading: 瀑布般的gated community: 门禁社区meticulous: 一丝不苟carefree: 随性自然participate: 参加approaching: 快到了gathering: 聚会foster: 促进flawless: 完美无瑕hesitate: 犹豫strictly: 严格familiar: 熟悉lantern: 灯笼decorate: 布置gradually: 逐渐lonely: 孤单helpless: 无助illuminating: 照亮bathed: 沐浴lively: 热闹atmosphere: 氛围unity: 团结cooperation: 合作success: 成功meaning: 意义harvested: 收获friendship: 友情growth: 成长

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Books and Boos: Li Wei's Autumn Epiphany Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-29-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 在北京的一个现代化小区里，秋天的风夹杂着轻微的寒意，落叶在干净的街道上翩翩起舞。En: In a modern residential area in Beijing, the autumn wind carried a slight chill, and fallen leaves danced gracefully across the clean streets.Zh: 小区中间矗立着李伟的学校，那是一座典型的城市公立中学，四周是金黄的银杏树。En: In the center of the community stands Li Wei's school, a typical urban public middle school, surrounded by golden ginkgo trees.Zh: 李伟是一个努力学习的中学生，最近他感觉到学业压力越来越大，尤其是当他看着自己最近不太理想的数学成绩。En: Li Wei is a hardworking middle school student, recently feeling increasing academic pressure, especially when he looked at his not-too-satisfactory math grades.Zh: 他的母亲虽然忙于工作，却始终关注着儿子的学习情况，而班主任张老师也是一个严厉而关心学生的老师。En: Although his mother is busy with work, she always keeps an eye on her son's studies, and his homeroom teacher, Teacher Zhang, is a strict yet caring teacher.Zh: 这时，听说小区即将举办万圣节活动，李伟心里充满期待。En: At this time, news spread that the community would soon host a Halloween event, and Li Wei felt full of anticipation.Zh: 他喜欢这种节日带来的乐趣，特别是在学校和家之间奔波的日子里。En: He enjoyed the fun that such festivals brought, especially during the hectic days between school and home.Zh: 但是，他也知道，如果不能提高成绩，母亲和张老师对他的担心只会增加。En: However, he also knew that if he couldn't improve his grades, the concerns from his mother and Teacher Zhang would only increase.Zh: 今天是家长会的日子，李伟和母亲一起走进学校。En: Today was the day of the parent-teacher meeting, and Li Wei walked into the school with his mother.Zh: 教室里，张老师正在一一和家长们交流。En: In the classroom, Teacher Zhang was communicating with the parents one by one.Zh: 轮到李伟时，张老师微笑着说：“李伟是一个很有潜力的学生，他有很强的学习能力。但有时候，我们也需要平衡学习和娱乐。”En: When it was Li Wei's turn, Teacher Zhang smiled and said, "Li Wei is a student with great potential; he has strong learning abilities. But sometimes, we need to balance study and entertainment."Zh: 听到这里，李伟的母亲不禁皱起眉头，En: Hearing this, Li Wei's mother couldn't help but frown.Zh: 她总是希望孩子能把学习放在第一位。En: She always wished for her child to prioritize studying.Zh: 李伟在一旁紧张地等待着。En: Li Wei, standing by, waited nervously.Zh: 不久后，会议结束了，回家的路上，母亲说道：“我知道你很努力，但我们或许也应该给自己一些放松的时间。”En: Shortly after, the meeting ended, and on the way home, his mother said, "I know you work hard, but perhaps we should also give ourselves some time to relax."Zh: 李伟点了点头，心里有了新的想法。En: Li Wei nodded, having a new idea in his mind.Zh: 晚上，他认真计划了一下自己的时间表，决定在合理安排学习时间的同时，也参加小区的万圣节活动。En: That evening, he carefully planned his schedule, deciding to balance his study time wisely while also participating in the community's Halloween event.Zh: 他向母亲承诺道：“我一定能够管理好我的时间。”En: He promised his mother, "I will manage my time well."Zh: 在万圣节当晚，李伟穿着精心准备的服装，和小区里的小伙伴们度过了一个愉快的夜晚。En: On Halloween night, Li Wei wore a carefully prepared costume and spent an enjoyable evening with his friends in the community.Zh: 他感受到了一种久违的轻松，也明白了平衡生活的重要。En: He experienced a long-lost sense of relaxation and understood the importance of balancing life.Zh: 从那以后，李伟变得更加自信。En: From then on, Li Wei became more confident.Zh: 他既在学习上取得了进步，又不忘享受生活。En: He made progress in his studies while also remembering to enjoy life.Zh: 他的母亲和老师都为他的成长感到骄傲。En: His mother and teacher were proud of his growth.Zh: 秋风继续吹拂着校园，而李伟在这片落叶中逐渐迈向更广阔的未来。En: The autumn wind continued to blow through the campus, and Li Wei gradually stepped towards a broader future amid the fallen leaves. Vocabulary Words:residential: 小区autumn: 秋天chill: 寒意gracefully: 翩翩surrounded: 四周ginkgo: 银杏hardworking: 努力academic: 学业pressure: 压力satisfactory: 理想homeroom teacher: 班主任anticipation: 期待festivals: 节日balance: 平衡entertainment: 娱乐prioritize: 放在第一位nervously: 紧张地relaxation: 放松schedule: 时间表confidence: 自信participating: 参加growth: 成长potential: 潜力manage: 管理vigorously: 精心broader: 广阔future: 未来progress: 进步hectic: 奔波concerns: 担心

This week I sit back down with François Morin in his third appearance on the show. François is the World Nuclear Association's point person on China. He works and travels inside China, speaks fluent Mandarin, and spends time at the conventional and advanced reactor sites that the rest of us argue about on Twitter. We cover how quickly China is really building nuclear power compared to the heyday of the French Mesmer plan, how that compares to Chinese coal and gas deployment, why Chinese nuclear is still mostly coastal, and the use case, build times and performance of the so-called “advanced reactors” that China is operating while Western startups are still in the powerpoint phase pitching to investors.Watch the full conversation on YouTube.Listen to Decouple on:• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6PNr3ml8nEQotWWavE9kQz • Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/decouple/id1516526694?uo=4 • Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1516526694/decouple • Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ehbfrn44 • RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/23775178/podcast/rss Website: https://www.decouple.media

聊中西文化，也聊很多东西！第七十九期，这期讲讲我和家人坐游轮去日本鹿儿岛和冲绳的经历，不好意思让大家久等了。 00:00 选择游轮的原因05:22 游轮优点1：丰富的娱乐设施与活动15:00 游轮缺点1：昂贵的WiFi15:40 游轮优点2：免签，手续方便  游轮缺点2：岸上自由活动时间紧张18:36 岸上观光的趣事22:30 游轮优点3：丰富的餐饮  游轮缺点3：很多额外消费29:00 其他优缺点31:35 最终总结与建议 欢迎给我们来信： ttmiChinese@gmail.comHave online class with Candice, please email candicex2018@gmail.comYouTube: Candice X Chinese MandarinInstagram: CandiceXMandarin2022免费学习资料 Free study materials please visit Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/candicexPDF full script for episode 79: https://www.patreon.com/posts/142216277Full subtitles with Pinyin for episode 79: https://youtu.be/T18Owx1HnOs

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Reunion Under the Moon: A Mid-Autumn Tale at Beijing Airport Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-28-07-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京首都国际机场熙熙攘攘，人声嘈杂，空气中弥漫着一种特别的节日气氛。En: Beijing Capital International Airport was bustling, the air filled with a particular festive ambiance.Zh: 今天是中秋节，李娟特意赶到这里，等待从国外回来的老朋友浩然。En: Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Li Juan specifically rushed there to wait for her old friend Haoran, who was returning from abroad.Zh: 秋天的北京微凉，天空澄澈，金黄的叶子在风中簌簌作响。En: Autumn in Beijing was slightly cool, the sky was clear, and golden leaves rustled in the wind.Zh: 李娟站在出口处，手里紧紧握着一个小盒子，里面装着她为浩然准备的月饼。En: Li Juan stood at the exit, tightly clutching a small box in her hands, which contained the mooncakes she had prepared for Haoran.Zh: 自从他们上一次见面，已经过去了好几年。En: Several years had passed since they last met.Zh: 李娟心中充满了期待，也有些不安。En: Li Juan was filled with anticipation, but also a bit of anxiety.Zh: 时间和距离会不会让他们的友情显得生疏？En: Would time and distance make their friendship feel distant?Zh: 不久，一批旅客终于从门口出现。En: Before long, a group of travelers finally appeared at the doorway.Zh: 李娟看见了浩然，他的脸上带着熟悉的微笑，只是比以前更加成熟。En: Li Juan saw Haoran, his face adorned with a familiar smile, though more mature than before.Zh: 一瞬间，过去的回忆涌上心头。En: In that instant, past memories surged in her heart.Zh: 她向他挥手，压抑住心中的紧张。En: She waved to him, suppressing the nervousness inside.Zh: 浩然快步走向她，脸上满是欣喜。En: Haoran walked quickly toward her, his face full of delight.Zh: 他们互相拥抱，那一刻，言语显得如此多余。En: They hugged each other, and at that moment, words seemed so unnecessary.Zh: 李娟将手中的小盒子递给浩然：“这是给你的中秋礼物。”En: Li Juan handed him the small box in her hand, "This is your Mid-Autumn gift."Zh: 浩然接过礼物，笑了：“谢谢你，李娟。我想念咱们一起过中秋的时光。”En: Haoran accepted the gift and smiled, "Thank you, Li Juan. I miss the times we spent together celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival."Zh: 两人找了一个安静的角落，坐下来。En: The two found a quiet corner and sat down.Zh: 浩然约李娟分享她的生活，李娟则好奇浩然的旅行故事。En: Haoran invited Li Juan to share about her life, while Li Juan was curious about Haoran's tales of travel.Zh: 开始时，话题有些拘谨，但随着月饼的分享，气氛逐渐轻松。En: Initially, the conversation was a bit restrained, but as they shared the mooncakes, the atmosphere gradually relaxed.Zh: “我在国外看到许多美丽的风景，也认识了很多人。但最想念的，还是咱们以前的日子。”浩然感慨道。En: "I saw many beautiful landscapes abroad and met many people. But what I miss most are the days we used to have," Haoran said with emotion.Zh: “我们一起看过很多月亮，是吗？”李娟微笑道，目光望向窗外那轮圆月，回忆涌上心头。En: "We watched many moons together, didn't we?" Li Juan smiled, her gaze shifting to the round moon outside the window, memories washing over her.Zh: “对，那次我们还一起在湖边赏月，特别美。”浩然回应着，语气中满是温暖。En: "Yes, that time we watched the moon by the lake, it was especially beautiful," Haoran responded warmly.Zh: 在共同回忆中，他们仿佛又回到了过去的时光。En: In their shared memories, they seemed to return to past times.Zh: 那一刻，他们重新找到了彼此的默契和亲密。En: At that moment, they rediscovered their mutual understanding and closeness.Zh: 李娟感到，一切都未来得及变化，他们仍然是好朋友。En: Li Juan felt that everything had yet to change; they were still good friends.Zh: 夜幕降临，李娟和浩然走出机场，心里涌动着温暖和期待。En: As night fell, Li Juan and Haoran walked out of the airport, their hearts brimming with warmth and expectation.Zh: 两人决定去往旧地重游，迎接新的回忆。En: They decided to revisit old places and welcome new memories.Zh: 友谊经得起时间和距离的考验，李娟和浩然都感受到这一点。En: Friendship withstands the test of time and distance, and both Li Juan and Haoran felt this.Zh: 生活或许改变了很多东西，但他们的连接依旧坚固。En: Perhaps many things had changed, but their bond remained strong.Zh: 秋风轻轻拂过，月光洒下，温柔而宁静，像是对他们友谊的最好祝福。En: The autumn breeze blew gently, the moonlight shone softly, as if it was the best blessing for their friendship. Vocabulary Words:bustling: 熙熙攘攘festive: 节日ambiance: 气氛specifically: 特意anticipation: 期待anxiety: 不安distance: 距离clutching: 握着mature: 成熟surged: 涌上adorned: 带着suppressing: 压抑delight: 欣喜unnecessary: 多余restrained: 拘谨beautiful landscapes: 美丽的风景emotion: 感慨warmth: 温暖mutual understanding: 默契closeness: 亲密withstand: 经得起bond: 连接softly: 温柔而宁静revisit: 重游moonlight: 月光expectation: 期待brimming: 涌动memories: 回忆blessing: 祝福gentle breeze: 轻轻拂过

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: A Serendipitous Encounter at Beijing Airport: Courage & Hope Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2025-10-28-22-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京首都国际机场的大厅里，充满了行人的喧闹声。En: The hall of Beijing Capital International Airport was filled with the noise of travelers.Zh: 人们来来往往，欢声笑语的气氛中夹杂着月饼的香甜味。En: People came and went, and amidst the atmosphere of laughter and joy was the sweet aroma of mooncakes.Zh: 这是中秋节的前夕，机场的装饰上挂满了象征团圆的灯笼和剪纸。En: It was the eve of the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the airport was decorated with lanterns and paper cuttings symbolizing reunion.Zh: 美丽是一位忙碌的商业女性，此时的她正急匆匆地拉着行李箱，穿梭在人群之中。En: Meili was a busy businesswoman, and at this moment she was hurriedly pulling her suitcase, weaving through the crowd.Zh: 她要飞往国外完成一笔重要的商业交易，这是她事业的一次大好机会。En: She needed to fly abroad to complete an important business deal, which was a great opportunity for her career.Zh: 然而，尽管她看似坚强自信，心中却不断滋生着对飞行的恐惧。En: However, despite appearing strong and confident, her heart was growing increasingly fearful of flying.Zh: 越接近登机口，她的心跳得越快。En: The closer she got to the boarding gate, the faster her heart beat.Zh: 在另一个角落，向是一名认真负责的空乘人员。En: In another corner, Xiang was a diligent and responsible flight attendant.Zh: 他正忙于检查乘客的登机手续。En: He was busy checking the boarding passes of passengers.Zh: 向心中有些许不安，他答应家人中秋节回去，但如今只能尽力维持机场的秩序。En: Xiang felt a bit uneasy; he had promised his family he would come back for the Mid-Autumn Festival, but now he could only try to maintain airport order.Zh: 他多么希望能与家人一起赏月吃月饼。En: How he wished he could watch the moon and eat mooncakes with his family.Zh: 登机快要开始，美丽在排队时感到一阵晕眩，呼吸也越来越急促。En: As boarding was about to begin, Meili felt dizzy while waiting in line, with her breathing becoming more and more rapid.Zh: 她的恐惧终于爆发——一场严重的恐慌袭来。En: Her fear finally erupted—a serious panic attack hit her.Zh: 她不得不靠在墙上，感觉整个人要瘫倒。En: She had to lean against the wall, feeling as if she might collapse.Zh: 正在忙碌的向无意中看见了美丽，于是他走上前询问：“女士，您还好吗？需要帮助吗？”En: Busy with his tasks, Xiang happened to notice Meili, so he approached and asked, “Ma'am, are you okay? Do you need help?”Zh: 美丽无力地摇头，但眼神透出无奈和求助。En: Meili shook her head weakly, but her eyes showed helplessness and a plea for assistance.Zh: 向知道，这样的情况需要冷静处理。En: Xiang knew that such situations required calm handling.Zh: “请跟我做，先慢慢吸气，然后慢慢吐气。”向温柔地指引着美丽做呼吸练习。En: “Please follow me, first breathe in slowly, then exhale slowly,” Xiang gently guided Meili through breathing exercises.Zh: 几分钟后，美丽的心情逐渐平复。En: A few minutes later, Meili began to calm down.Zh: 她努力挤出微笑，“谢谢你，真是麻烦了。”En: She managed a smile, “Thank you, really sorry for the trouble.”Zh: “不客气，这是我的职责，”向说，“祝您一切顺利。”En: “No problem, it's my duty,” Xiang replied, “I wish you all the best.”Zh: 事情结束后，美丽感激地看着向，又坚定地转向登机口。En: After the incident, Meili looked gratefully at Xiang, then resolutely turned toward the boarding gate.Zh: 她知道，自己必须克服恐惧，勇敢面对未来的挑战。En: She knew she must overcome her fear and bravely face future challenges.Zh: 坐在机舱座位上，美丽感受到了抵达目标的希望。En: Sitting in her seat on the plane, Meili felt the hope of reaching her goal.Zh: 而此时的向，终于收到家人传来的视频电话。En: Meanwhile, Xiang finally received a video call from his family.Zh: 他们的脸在屏幕上笑得那么温暖。En: Their faces smiling warmly on the screen.Zh: “我们等你回来呢！”母亲在电话里轻轻地说。En: “We're waiting for you to come back!” his mother said gently over the call.Zh: 挂断电话后，向的内心感到无比踏实。En: After hanging up, Xiang felt an incomparable sense of peace within.Zh: 这天，他不仅帮助了美丽，也更加明白了自己的选择，是值得的。En: That day, he not only helped Meili, but also understood even more that his choice was worthwhile.Zh: 北京的秋风依旧凉爽，但夹杂着那份温暖和爱，En: The autumn wind in Beijing remained cool, but carried with it warmth and love.Zh: 这个中秋夜，为每个人带来了希望和勇气。En: This Mid-Autumn night brought hope and courage to everyone. Vocabulary Words:atmosphere: 气氛aroma: 香甜味reunion: 团圆weaving: 穿梭abroad: 国外confident: 自信diligent: 认真maintain: 维持uneasy: 不安anxiety: 恐慌collapse: 瘫倒guide: 指引calm: 平复resolutely: 坚定incident: 事情incomparable: 无比courage: 勇气challenge: 挑战transaction: 交易responsible: 负责boarding pass: 登机手续breathing exercises: 呼吸练习help: 帮助persistence: 坚强fearful: 恐惧opportunity: 机会smile: 微笑gratitude: 感激encounter: 遇见autumn: 秋

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. 

California's infinite wisdom strikes again! They've handed out 62,000 commercial driver's licenses to people whose legal status couldn't be verified – because nothing says "road safety" like putting someone behind an 18-wheeler when you don't know if they're here legally, speak English, or can even read a stop sign. What could go wrong?We dive into the deadly consequences of sanctuary state policies gone wild, from drug-addled drivers plowing through multiple vehicles to truckers who only speak Mandarin navigating American highways. Meanwhile, Governor Newsom sees "no problem here" as families bury their loved ones and Florida sues California and Washington over their reckless CDL policies.How did we get to the point where following basic federal licensing requirements became optional? Why are states prioritizing virtue signaling over public safety? And when will politicians be held accountable for policies that literally get people killed?This is what happens when ideology trumps common sense and taxpayer safety takes a backseat to sanctuary city politics. The wheels are coming off, folks.

How small can Chinese characters be while still being legible? How much information do they contain per unit area? And what can a big Rubik's cube teach us about Chinese characters?#learnchinese #hanzi #characters #pixelfont #rubikscubeLink to the article on Hacking Chinese: What a big Rubik's Cube taught me about Chinese characters: https://www.hackingchinese.com/what-a-big-rubiks-cube-taught-me-about-chinese-characters/What's in a name? Hacking Chinese, 揭密中文: https://www.hackingchinese.com/whats-name-hacking-chineseLargest rotating puzzle cube mosaic: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/473622-largest-rubiks-cube-mosaic-imageAre simplified characters really simpler to learn? https://www.hackingchinese.com/are-simplified-characters-really-simpler-to-learnBeyond tīng bu dǒng, part 2: From sound to meaning in Mandarin: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beyond-ting-bu-dong-part-2-from-sound-to-meaning-in-mandarinBeyond ting bu dong part 3 using what you already know to aid listening comprehension in chinese: https://www.hackingchinese.com/beyond-ting-bu-dong-part-3-using-what-you-already-know-to-aid-listening-comprehension-in-chineseEscape: A text adventure game for Chinese learners: https://www.hackingchinese.com/escape-text-adventure-game-chinese-learners36 samples of Chinese handwriting from students and native speakers: https://www.hackingchinese.com/36-samples-of-chines-handwriting-from-students-and-native-speakersMore information and inspiration about learning and teaching Chinese can be found at https://www.hackingchinese.comMusic: "Traxis 1 ~ F. Benjamin" by Traxis, 2020 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0)