Thinking in Chinese Podcast | Speak Fluent Mandarin with Stories

The Great Wall is not the only wall Chinese people talk about. In today’s episode, we look at 4 everyday phrases about "墙 (walls)". They cover everyday moments, like getting rejected or dealing with stubborn people. Tune in and pick up some useful phrases for daily conversations.✅Become confident Mandarin speaker. Join our Patreon to get the full transcript ：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-174539577Perfect for Intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #beginner Chinese #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories #slow Chinese

Sometimes, we only see what we expect to see. In today’s episode, we look at the story behind the ancient Chinese idiom 疑邻盗斧 (yí lín dào fǔ). It shows how our minds can fool us in everyday life. Listen in to learn some useful Chinese words and phrases for everyday conversations.✅Become confident Mandarin speaker. Join our Patreon to get the full transcript ：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-173415110Perfect for Lower-intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #beginner Chinese #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories #slow Chinese

✅Become confident Mandarin speaker. Join our Patreon to get the full transcript ：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-173341437Do you like dessert? Have you ever heard a Chinese friend eat a dessert and say, “It’s not sweet at all”? Sounds a little strange, right? But in China, "not too sweet" is actually the best compliment for any dessert.In today’s episode, we’ll talk about why we love "not too sweet" desserts and share some super useful Chinese phrases for everyday conversations.Perfect for Upper-beginner (HSK 2+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #beginner Chinese #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories #slow Chinese

Download the FREE PDF of the lesson:🎁https://go.thinkinginchinese.com/jishi/Confused about the differences between 及时 (jíshí), 准时 (zhǔnshí), and 按时 (ànshí) in Chinese? In English, you might just say "on time" or "timely," but in Mandarin, each word has a distinct nuance! Watch to master these time-related words with clear real-life examples.📍 Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:40 及时 (jíshí) – Just in time03:13 准时 (zhǔnshí) – Right on time / Punctual 04:54 按时 (ànshí) – On Schedule / According to Plan07:07 Practice Quiz & Explanations☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #beginner Chinese #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories #slow Chinese

People always mention big companies or powerful friends in casual conversations. It’s a common habit, but why do we do it?In today’s episode, we explore the story behind the ancient Chinese idiom 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi). It means borrowing someone else’s authority to stand tall. Listen in to learn key vocabulary and natural Chinese phrases for everyday conversations.✅Join our Patreon to get the full transcript ：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-172762494Perfect for Lower-Intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #beginner Chinese #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories #slow Chinese"Guzheng City"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Have you ever worked extra hard on a project, only to realize you overcomplicated it? Or tried to improve something that was already good enough? Doing too much can easily ruin a great result. You might know this as "gilding the lily," and China has a famous story about it.In this episode, we explore the ancient story behind the Chinese idiom 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú) and teach you some new vocabulary for everyday conversations.✅Join our Patreon to get the full transcript ：⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-172027503⁠⁠Perfect for Lower-Intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories"Guzheng City"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

How do you handle conflict when two groups want completely different things?When you look at the Great Wall, do you ever wonder why ancient China built a 13,000-mile barrier? Was the Great Wall built purely for war? And how did two totally different cultures manage to live side by side?In this episode, we dive into the real story behind the Great Wall and what it teaches us about boundaries. You’ll master 5 useful Chinese phrases to speak naturally.✅Join our Patreon to get the full transcript & vocab list：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-171293620Perfect for Intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk5 #hsk3 #hsk4 #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories"Guzheng City"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

💬Join our Chinese Speaking Club:⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/join-chinese-161607686Ever worked with an "armchair general"? They build great plans on paper, but freeze when it's time to act.We often call this "great on paper, useless in practice." In ancient China, a famous story captured this exact pattern with the idiom 纸上谈兵 (zhǐ shàng tán bīng). It shows why theory alone fails in real life.In this episode, we share the story behind the idiom and practical Chinese phrases for natural everyday conversations.✅Join our Patreon to get the full transcript & vocab list：⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-170679887Perfect for Lower-Intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories"Guzheng City"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Do you ever bring facts and logic to a family dinner, only to feel like you’re talking to a brick wall?In this episode, we unpack the famous story behind the Chinese idiom 对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín). It's about a master musician who plays beautiful music to a cow that just wants to eat grass.Discover how this ancient story can help you truly connect with people from different worlds. Learn to express everyday communication gaps using natural Chinese phrases. Perfect for Lower-Intermediate learners (HSK 3+) looking to build vocabulary through stories, master real-world grammar in context, and speak fluent Chinese confidently. ✅Join our Patreon to get the full transcript & vocab list：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/full-transcript-169471371☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories"Guzheng City"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We’ve all seen it: A brand preaches sustainability on Monday, then urges us to buy the "latest model" by Friday.When two ideas can’t both be true, that's the core of "Máo Dùn" (矛盾).In this episode, we explore a 2,000-year-old Chinese paradox and learn 4 practical ways to express inner conflicts, mixed feelings, and social tension in daily Mandarin.Perfect for Higher- Beginner to Lower-Intermediate learners (HSK 2-3) who want to learn authentic Chinese through real stories and cultural logic instead of just textbooks.✅Join our Patreon to get the full transcript & vocab list：https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/when-your-own-of-168735962☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📮Contact me: [email protected]🌟If you enjoy this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help more Chinese learners discover it! Thank you!#learn Chinese #learn Mandarin #Chinese podcast #Mandarin podcast #Chinese listening #Chinese story #hsk2 #hsk3 #hsk4 #Intermediate Chinese #learn Chinese through stories"Guzheng City"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/