Chinese Language Convo Club

In this week's minisode, Vicky and I have some beef with each other. How exactly would you say that in Chinese? Listen in to find out :)

Chef Wang Makes Steamed Buns with Shrimp:哈喽，大家好，我是王刚。本期视频为大家带来一道特色菜: 馒头炸虾球。首先，我们把大虾去头，从背部切开，去掉虾线和虾壳，然后加入食用盐和柠檬汁，将虾肉腌制十分钟。下一步，我们准备一个白馒头，将馒头切成大小均匀的小粒备用，然后将腌制好的大虾先粘上淀粉，然后再裹上蛋液，最后再均匀的裹上馒头粒，再用手轻轻的压紧。锅中油温烧至六成热的时候下入馒头虾，开中小火炸至五分钟，将虾炸至金黄酥脆的时候倒出备用。然后锅中加入适量的番茄酱，翻炒均匀之后加入白糖两勺，再加入少许白醋，然后加入适量的水淀粉，收紧汤汁，最后加入炸好的虾球下锅翻炒均匀即可。一道非常美味的馒头炸虾球就制作完成。Hā lóu, dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì WángGāng. Běn qi(1) shìpín wei(4) dàjiā dài lái yīdào tèsè cài: Mántou zha(2) xiā qiú. Shǒuxiān, wǒmen bǎ dà xiā qù tóu, cóng bèibù qiē kāi, qùdiào xiā xiàn hé xiā ké, ránhòu jiārù shíyòng yán hé níngméng zhī, jiāng xiā ròu yān zhì shí fēnzhōng. Xià yi(2)bù, wǒmen zhǔnbèi yīgè bái mántou, jiāng mántou qiè chéng dàxiǎo jūnyún de xiǎolì bèiyòng, ránhòu jiāng yān zhì hǎo de dà xiā xiān zhān shàng diànfěn, ránhòu zài guǒ shàng dàn yè, zuìhòu zài jūnyún de guǒ shàng mántou lì, zài yòng shǒu qīng qīng de yā jǐn. Guō zhōng yóu wēn shāo zhì liù chéng rè de shíhòu xià rù mántou xiā, kāi zhōngxiǎo huǒ zha(2) de wǔ fēnzhōng, jiāng xiā zha2) zhì jīnhuáng sūcuì de shíhòu dào chū bèiyòng. Ránhòu guō zhōng jiārù shìliàng de fānqié jiàng, fān chǎo jūnyún zhīhòu jiārù báitáng liǎng sháo, zài jiārù shǎoxǔ báicù, ránhòu jiārù shìliàng de shuǐ diànfěn, shōu jǐn tāng zhī, zuìhòu jiārù zha(2) hǎo de xiā qiú xià guō fān chǎo jūnyún jí kě. Yi(2)dào fēicháng měiwèi de mántou zha(2)xiā qiú jiù zhìzuò wánchéng.Pronunciation:1. 男：切成小粒。。。。切成小粒备用。。。。。大小均匀的。。。。切成大小均匀的。。。。。。切成大小均匀的小粒。。。。。。。切成大小均匀的小粒备用。。。。。。。。将馒头切成大小均匀的小粒备用。。。。。。。。。。。。。女： 下一步，我们准备一个白馒头。要先做什么呢？。。。。。。。。。。。。。男： 将馒头切成大小均匀的小粒备用2. 女：锅中油温。。。。。烧至。。。。油温烧至六成热。。。。。。锅中油温烧至六成热的时候。。。。。。。。。下入。。。下入馒头虾。。。。。锅中油温烧至六成热的时候下入馒头虾。。。。。。。。。。。。男：锅中油需要多热才下入馒头虾？。。。。。。。。。。。。。。女：锅中油温烧至六成热的时候下入馒头虾。3. 男：金黄酥脆。。。。。炸。。。炸至金黄酥脆的时候。。。。。。。倒出备用。。。。。炸至金黄酥脆的时候倒出备用。。。。。。。。。。。。将虾炸至金黄酥脆的时候倒出备用。。。。。。。。。炸至五分钟。。。。。开中小火炸至五分钟。。。。。。开中小火炸至五分钟，将虾炸至金黄酥脆的时候倒出备用。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。女：然后要怎么做？。。。。。。。。。。。。。男：开中小火炸至五分钟，将虾炸至金黄酥脆的时候倒出备用。4. 女：适量。。。适量的水淀粉。。。。。。加入适量的水淀粉。。。。。。。收紧汤汁。。。。。。然后加入适量的水淀粉收紧汤汁。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。翻炒。。。。翻炒均匀。。。。。。下锅翻炒均匀即可。。。。。。。。加入炸好的虾球。。。。。。加入炸好的虾球下锅翻炒均匀即可。。。。。。。。最后加入炸好的虾球下锅翻炒均匀即可。。。。。。。。。。。。。。然后加入适量的水淀粉，收紧汤汁，最后加入炸好的虾球下锅翻炒均匀即可。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。男：最后两步是什么？。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。女： 然后加入适量的水淀粉，收紧汤汁，最后加入炸好的虾球下锅翻炒均匀即可Catch My Drift:女性：你在吃什么？真让人眼馋啊！男性：是我自己做的馒头炸虾球。第一次做的，结果还不错。女性：是吗？你怎么知道怎么做这个？用了什么配料？男性: 我是看视频上的烹饪教程学会的。挺容易的! 它也只需要很普通的配料来做：虾，馒头，盐，淀粉，蕃茄酱，柠檬汁，糖，醋，鸡蛋，就这些。女性：也许我也应该试着做一下。男性：又简单，又快！你先把虾在盐和柠檬酱里腌制10分钟。再把白馒头切成均匀的小片。然后把腌制完的虾先粘上淀粉，再裹上蛋液。裹上蛋液后再裹上切好的白馒头，轻轻的压紧。然后炸10分钟。倒出来备用。在锅里加一点番茄酱，翻炒一会儿，再加两勺白糖，少许白醋，还有适量的水淀粉。最后再加炸好的虾球，翻炒均匀即可。女性：原来没那么简单呀。要不然我来偷吃你做好的馒头炸虾球吧！Pronunciation1. 男： 烹饪。。。烹饪教程。。。。。。我是看烹饪教程学会的。。。。。。。视频上的烹饪教程。。。。。。。。。我是看视频上的烹饪教程学会的。。。。。。。。。。。女：你怎么知道怎么做这个？。。。。。。。。。。。男：我是看视频上的烹饪教程学会的。2. 女： 配料。。。。很普通的配料。。。。。。它只需要很普通的配料。。。。。。。。它只需要很普通的配料来做。。。。。。。。。。男：你说做这个很简单但是配料难找吗？女：它也只需要很普通的配料来做。3. 男：腌制。。。腌制十分钟。。。。。盐和柠檬酱。。。。。在盐和柠檬酱里。。。。。在盐和柠檬酱里腌制十分钟。。。。。。。。。。你先把虾在盐和柠檬酱里腌制十分钟。。。。。。。。。。。女：做这道菜的第一步是什么？。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。男： 你先把虾在盐和柠檬酱里腌制10分钟。

甲：你在吃什么？真让人眼馋啊！ Nǐ zài chī shénme? Zhēn ràng rén yǎnchán a!Person A: What are you eating? It really makes my mouth water!乙：是我自己做的馒头炸虾球。第一次做的，结果还不错。Shì wǒ zìjǐ zuò de mántou zhà xiā qiú. Dì yī cì zuò de, jiéguǒ hái búcuò.Person B: It’s mantou fried shrimp balls that I made myself. It’s my first time making them, and they turned out pretty good.甲：是吗？你怎么知道怎么做这个？用了什么配料？: Shì ma? Nǐ zěnme zhīdào zěnme zuò zhège? Yòngle shénme pèiliào?Person A: Really? How did you know how to make this? What ingredients did you use?乙: 我是看视频上的烹饪教程学会的。挺容易的! 它也只需要很普通的配料来做：虾，馒头，盐，淀粉，蕃茄酱，柠檬汁，糖，醋，鸡蛋，就这些。: Wǒ shì kàn shìpín shàng de pēngrèn jiàochéng xuéhuì de. Tǐng róngyì de! Tā yě zhǐ xūyào hěn pǔtōng de pèiliào lái zuò: xiā, mántou, yán, diànfěn, fānqiéjiàng, níngméng zhī, táng, cù, jīdàn, jiù zhèxiē.Person B: I learned it from a cooking tutorial video. It’s quite easy! It only needs very common ingredients: shrimp, mantou, salt, starch, ketchup, lemon juice, sugar, vinegar, eggs — that’s all.甲：也许我也应该试着做一下。: Yěxǔ wǒ yě yīnggāi shìzhe zuò yíxià.Person A: Maybe I should try making it too.乙：又简单，又快！你先把虾在盐和柠檬酱里腌制10分钟。再把白馒头切成均匀的小片。然后把腌制完的虾先粘上淀粉，再裹上蛋液。裹上蛋液后再裹上切好的白馒头，轻轻的压紧。然后炸10分钟。倒出来备用。在锅里加一点番茄酱，翻炒一会儿，再加两勺白糖，少许白醋，还有适量的水淀粉。最后再加炸好的虾球，翻炒均匀即可。: Yòu jiǎndān, yòu kuài! Nǐ xiān bǎ xiā zài yán hé níngméng jiàng lǐ yānzhì 10 fēnzhōng. Zài bǎ bái mántou qiē chéng jūnyún de xiǎo piàn. Ránhòu bǎ yānzhì wán de xiā xiān zhān shàng diànfěn, zài guǒ shàng dànyè. Guǒ shàng dàn yè hòu zài guǒ shàng qiē hǎo de bái mántou, qīng qīng de yā jǐn. Ránhòu zhà 10 fēnzhōng. Dào chūlái bèiyòng. Zài guō lǐ jiā yīdiǎn fānqié jiàng, fānchǎo yīhuǐ'er, zài jiā liǎng sháo báitáng, shǎoxǔ báicù, háiyǒu shìliàng de shuǐ diànfěn. Zuìhòu zài jiā zhà hǎo de xiā qiú, fānchǎo jūnyún jí kě.Person B: It’s simple and fast! First, marinate the shrimp in salt and lemon juice for 10 minutes. Then cut the white mantou into even small slices. Next, coat the marinated shrimp with starch, then dip it in the egg mixture. After dipping in the egg, wrap it with the sliced mantou and gently press to tighten. Then fry for 10 minutes. Take them out and set aside. In the pan, add some ketchup and stir-fry for a bit, then add two spoonfuls of sugar, a little vinegar, and some water mixed with starch. Finally, add the fried shrimp balls and stir evenly—done!甲：原来没那么简单呀。要不然我来偷吃你做好的馒头炸虾球吧！: Yuánlái méi nàme jiǎndān ya. Yàoburán wǒ lái tōu chī nǐ zuò hǎo de mántou zhà xiā qiú ba!Person A: So it’s not that simple after all. Otherwise, I might just sneak some of your mantou fried shrimp balls!

We watch a Chinese cooking video and try to follow along—spoiler: it’s harder than it looks! Learn tasty new vocabulary, hear real kitchen phrases in Mandarin, and pick up expressions you can use next time you cook (or pretend to).Brought to you by YouTube's Chef Wang. 食用 Edible, to use for food腌制 Marinate均匀 Uniform, evenly 粒 （量词）Small piece, pieces备用 For Future Use粘 To Glue, to stick (if it’s an adj, it’s “sticky”)裹 To Wrap 至 （到）To金黄 Golden酥脆 Crispy适量 Suitable Amount, To Taste翻炒 To Stir-Fry少许 – A pinch, a small amount收紧, 收汁 To Cook Something Down, (to use Reduction to decrease the amount of liquid in a dish)汤汁 - broth炸 （if it’s 2nd tone, it means to deep fry – if it’s 4th tone, it means “to explode”) 即可 （就可以了)...”and that will suffice” or “and that’s it”Chef Wang Makes Shrimp Croquettes:哈喽，大家好，我是王刚。本期视频为大家带来一道特色菜: 馒头炸虾球。首先，我们把大虾去头，从背部切开，去掉虾线和虾壳，然后加入食用盐和柠檬汁，将虾肉腌制十分钟。下一步，我们准备一个白馒头，将馒头切成大小均匀的小粒备用，然后将腌制好的大虾先粘上淀粉，然后再裹上蛋液，最后再均匀的裹上馒头粒，再用手轻轻的压紧。锅中油温烧至六成热的时候下入馒头虾，开中小火炸至五分钟，将虾炸至金黄酥脆的时候倒出备用。然后锅中加入适量的番茄酱，翻炒均匀之后加入白糖两勺，再加入少许白醋，然后加入适量的水淀粉，收紧汤汁，最后加入炸好的虾球下锅翻炒均匀即可。一道非常美味的馒头炸虾球就制作完成。Hā lóu, dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì WángGāng. Běn qi(1) shìpín wei(4) dàjiā dài lái yīdào tèsè cài: Mántou zha(2) xiā qiú. Shǒuxiān, wǒmen bǎ dà xiā qù tóu, cóng bèibù qiē kāi, qùdiào xiā xiàn hé xiā ké, ránhòu jiārù shíyòng yán hé níngméng zhī, jiāng xiā ròu yān zhì shí fēnzhōng. Xià yi(2)bù, wǒmen zhǔnbèi yīgè bái mántou, jiāng mántou qiè chéng dàxiǎo jūnyún de xiǎolì bèiyòng, ránhòu jiāng yān zhì hǎo de dà xiā xiān zhān shàng diànfěn, ránhòu zài guǒ shàng dàn yè, zuìhòu zài jūnyún de guǒ shàng mántou lì, zài yòng shǒu qīng qīng de yā jǐn. Guō zhōng yóu wēn shāo zhì liù chéng rè de shíhòu xià rù mántou xiā, kāi zhōngxiǎo huǒ zha(2) de wǔ fēnzhōng, jiāng xiā zha2) zhì jīnhuáng sūcuì de shíhòu dào chū bèiyòng. Ránhòu guō zhōng jiārù shìliàng de fānqié jiàng, fān chǎo jūnyún zhīhòu jiārù báitáng liǎng sháo, zài jiārù shǎoxǔ báicù, ránhòu jiārù shìliàng de shuǐ diànfěn, shōu jǐn tāng zhī, zuìhòu jiārù zha(2) hǎo de xiā qiú xià guō fān chǎo jūnyún jí kě. Yi(2)dào fēicháng měiwèi de mántou zha(2)xiā qiú jiù zhìzuò wánchéng.Hello, everyone, I’m Wang Gang. This video presents to you a special dish: steamed buns with deep fried shrimp croquettes. First, we remove the head of the prawn, cut it from the back, remove the shrimp vein and shell, then add salt and lemon juice, and marinate the shrimp for ten minutes. In the next step, we prepare the white steamed buns -- cut the steamed buns into evenly-sized small pieces to be used later, then cover the marinated prawns with starch, then brush with egg wash, and finally coat the steamed buns evenly, pressing gently with your hand. When the oil in the pan is heated to 60% hot, add the steamed prawns and fry for five minutes on medium-low heat. When the prawns are fried until golden and crispy, pour out and set aside. Then add the right amount of tomato sauce to the pan, stir evenly, add two spoons of sugar, then add a little white vinegar, then add the appropriate amount of the starch water mix to thicken the soup, and finally add the fried shrimp balls and stir evenly in the pan. A very delicious steamed bun fried shrimp ball is all finished. Additional Words/Sentences:1. Low heat - 小火2. Medium heat - 中火3. High heat - 大火4. Medium Low Heat - 中小火5. Medium High Heat - 中到大火6. Burner - 炉头，灶眼7. Stove - 炉子8. Turn the burner on to medium heat - 开到中火9. Reduce the heat - 把火转（开）小一些。10. Turn up the heat - 把火开大一些11. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat。 - 把料汁在大火上烧开12. Using a medium-sized pot, bring the sauce to boil over high heat - 用一个中等大小的锅，把料汁在大火上烧开。

Restaurant Review:今天来打卡的这家金春禧，专做经典传统鲁菜，走进大厅就可以看到明亮的落地窗，窗外可以看到大海，海景的座位都是需要提前预定的，水饺是这里的特色，口味种类也很多，各种海鲜馅料，都是当天调制，现包现煮，糖醋鱼是特色，酸甜的汤汁，肉质细腻，蟹黄干捞粉丝煲也特别入味，喜欢吃鲁菜的朋友可以去试一下.Jīntiān lái dǎkǎ de zhè jiā JīnChūnXǐ, zhuān zuò jīngdiǎn chuántǒng lǔ cài. Zǒu jìn dàtīng jiù kěyǐ kàn dào míngliàng de luòdìchuāng, chuāngwài kěyǐ kàn dào dàhǎi. Hǎijǐng de zuòwèi dōu shì xūyào tíqián yùdìng de. Shuǐjiǎo shì zhèlǐ de tèsè, kǒuwèi zhǒnglèi yě hěnduō, gè zhǒng hǎixiān xiàn liào, dōu shì dāngtiān tiáozhì, xiàn bāo xiàn zhǔ. Táng Cù Yú shì tèsè, suān tián de tāng zhī, ròuzhì xìnì. Xièhuáng Gàn Lāo Fěnsī Bǎo yě tèbié rùwèi. Xǐhuān chī lǔ cài de péngyǒu kěyǐ qù shì yīxià.Translation:The restaurant, Jin Chun Xi I visited today, specializes in classic traditional Shandong cuisine. As you enter the lobby, you can see bright floor-to-ceiling windows, from which you can view the ocean. Seats with ocean views need to be reserved in advance. Dumplings are the specialty here, and there are many flavors and a variety of seafood fillings. They are all prepared on the same day, wrapped and cooked fresh. Sweet and sour fish is a specialty, with sweet and sour soup and delicate meat. The crab roe and vermicelli casserole is also very flavorful. Those who like Shandong cuisine can go and give it a try.What a Rip-Off! 一点不正宗，特意来吃枣庄辣子鸡，结果做成了新疆大盘鸡，竟然内脏一块都没有，还敢自称一只整鸡，竟然收费118，真是坑！！！Yīdiǎn bù zhèngzōng, tèyì lái chī zǎozhuāng làzǐ jī, jiéguǒ zuò chéngle xīnjiāng dàpán jī, jìngrán nèizàng yīkuài dōu méiyǒu, hái gǎn zìchēng yī zhǐ zhěng jī, jìngrán shōufèi 118, zhēnshi kēng!!Not authentic at all. I came here specifically to eat Zaozhuang spicy chicken, but it turned out to be Xinjiang big plate chicken, without even a piece of internal organs. They still dared to call it a whole chicken, but charged 118, what a rip-off!!!1. 女性：一点不正宗，特意来吃枣庄辣子鸡，结果做成了新疆大盘鸡。。。特意。。特意来。。。特意来吃。。。。 枣庄。。。枣庄辣子鸡。。。。。特意来吃枣庄辣子鸡 。。。。。。。。新疆。。大盘鸡。。。 新疆大盘 鸡。。。。做成了。。。结果。。 结果做成了 。。。。。。结果做成了新疆大盘鸡。。。。。。 特意来吃枣庄辣子鸡，结果做成了新疆大盘鸡。。。。。。。。。。正宗。。不正宗。。。 一点不正宗。。。。。。 一点不正宗，特意来吃枣庄辣子鸡，结果做成了新疆大盘鸡。。。。。。。。。。男性 – 金春禧的枣庄辣子鸡味道怎么样？。。。。。。。。。。女性： 一点不正宗，特意来吃枣庄辣子鸡，结果做成了新疆大盘鸡。2. 男性：竟然内脏一块都没有，还敢自称一只整鸡。。自称。。敢自称。。。还敢自称。。。一只鸡。。整。。一只整鸡。。。。 还敢自称一只整鸡。。。。。内脏。。一块。。都。。没有。。一块都没有。。。。内脏一块都没有。。。。。。竟然。。 竟然内脏一块都没有。。。。。 竟然内脏一块都没有，还敢自称一只整鸡。。。。。。。。。。女性：？。。。。。。。。。。男性： 竟然内脏一块都没有，还敢自称一只整鸡。3. 女性：竟然收费118，真是坑！。。。坑。。真是坑。。。收费。。收费118。。 竟然收费118。。。。 竟然收费118，真是坑。。。。。。。。男性：？。。。。。。。。。。女性：竟然收费118，真是坑！

What does it mean when someone says a place or person is “小资”? In this episode, we break down this nuanced phrase and explore how it’s used to describe a certain type of urban, cultured lifestyle—sometimes elegant, sometimes a little pretentious. Perfect for learners looking to understand modern Mandarin culture and tone.对话：Vicky – 我昨天晚上去了一家新的酒吧，很有小资情调。(Wǒ zuótiān wǎnshàng qùle yījiā xīn de jiǔbā, hěn yǒu xiǎozī qíngdiào.) I went to a new bar last night, it was very bougie.Lindi – 哦是吗？这家酒吧有什么特别的？(ó shì ma? Zhè jiā jiǔbā yǒu shé me tèbié de?) Oh really? What was unique about this bar?Vicky – 它每个周某都有现场的音乐。特别是它的爵士乐，非常好听。有机会我带你去看一看。(Tā měi gè zhōu mǒu dōu yǒu xiànchǎng de yīnyuè. Tèbié shì tā de juéshìyuè, fēicháng hǎotīng. Yǒu jīhuì wǒ dài nǐ qù kàn yī kàn.) They have live music every week. Their jazz music is especially good. If we get chance sometime soon I’ll take you to go check it out.Lindi – 太好了！(tài hǎole!) Great!Supplementary words/phrases:小资情调：它本来的意思就是说：中产阶级 – 他追求精致和有品位生活的这种生活方式叫“小资情调”。“资” 就是“资产阶级”。 (XiǎoZī QíngDiào: Tā běnlái de yìsi jiùshì shuō: Zhōngchǎn jiējí – tā zhuīqiú jīngzhì hé yǒu pǐnwèi shēnghuó de zhè zhǒng shēnghuó fāngshì jiào “xiǎozī qíngdiào”. “Zī” jiùshì “zīchǎn jiējí.”) It originally comes from: The Middle Class - the pursuit of a refined and tasteful lifestyle (of some people in the middle class) which came to be known as “petty bourgeoisie”"Zi" refers to “assets” – “Zī chǎn” - “ Jiē jí” refers to “social class”. “Zīchǎn jiējí” – is known as the “petty bourgeois class” 资本主义 (Zīběn zhǔyì) - Capitalism资本主义者 (Zīběn zhǔyì zhě) Capitalist"情调" – 很有情调。(Qíngdiào – hěn yǒu qíngdiào) – Sentiment – Very Sentimental)Example Sentences:这个人，她很有小资情调。(Zhège rén, tā hěn yǒu xiǎozī qíngdiào.) This person is very bougie.她很喜欢小资情调。(Tā hěn xǐhuān xiǎozī qíngdiào.) She likes bougie things.这个地方很有小资情调。(Zhège dìfāng hěn yǒu xiǎozī qíngdiào.) This place is very bougie.他很小资。(Tā hěn xiǎozī. ) He’s very bougie.他的品味很小资。(Tā de pǐnwèi hěn xiǎozī. ) He has very bougie tastes (not used very often)这点比较有小资情调。(Zhè diǎn bǐjiào yǒu xiǎozī qíngdiào) This is rather bougie.你喝咖啡很小资。(Nǐ hē kāfēi hěn xiǎozī.) You’re pretty bougie about coffee.

Frozen Video Call:小明: 你今天干什么了？。。。(Xiǎomíng: Nǐ jīntiān gān shén me le?) What did you do today?小丽。。。。。小明：嘿。。你能听得见我吗？(Hēi.. Nǐ néng tīng dé jiàn wǒ ma?) Hey..Can you hear me? 小丽: 。。嗯。我现在能听见了，但是你的画面卡住了。(Xiǎo lì:Ǹg. Wǒ xiànzài néng tīngjiànle, dànshì nǐ de huàmiàn kǎ zhùle.) Uhh..I can hear you now, but your picture is frozen.小明: 哦，不好意思。可能是网络问题吧。恐怕我这边也有点卡。(Ó, bù hǎoyìsi. Kěnéng shì wǎngluò wèntí ba. Kǒngpà wǒ zhè biān yěyǒu diǎn kǎ.) Oh sorry. It might be a network problem. I’m afraid it’s a bit stuck on my end too.小丽: 那我们要不要重连一下？(Nà wǒmen yào bù yào chónglián yīxià?) Should we reconnect?小明: 好的，我重新拨一下视频。稍等。(Hǎo de, wǒ chóngxīn bō yīxià shìpín. Shāo děng..) Ok, I’ll try calling you again. One moment...)小丽: 没问题。我等你。(Méi wèntí. Wǒ děng nǐ.) No problem. I’ll wait. （小明挂断视频，几秒钟后重新拨打）(Xiǎomíng guà duàn shìpín, jǐ miǎo zhōng hòu chóngxīn bōdǎ) (Xiao Ming hangs up the call and redials a few minutes later.)小明: 现在怎么样？画面清楚吗？(Xiànzài zěnme yàng? Huàmiàn qīngchǔ ma?)How is it now? Is the picture clear?小丽: 还是不清楚，声音也断断续续的。( Háishì bù qīngchǔ, shēngyīn yě duànduànxùxù de.) It’s still not clear, and the sound is intermittent. 小明: 哦。。是吗？那我可以试试重启路由器，也许会好一点。(Ó.. Shì ma? Nà wǒ kěyǐ shì shì chóngqǐ lùyóuqì, yěxǔ huì hǎo yīdiǎn.) Oh really? Then I can try restarting the router. Maybe that will help.小丽: 没问题。。等你好了，我们再试一次。(Méi wèntí.. Děng nǐ hǎole, wǒmen zài shì yīcì.) No problem. When it’s finished (restarting) we’ll try again. （在打视频时） (Zài dǎ shìpín shí) (While starting the video call)小明：现在怎么样？(Xiànzài zěnme yàng? ) How is it now? 小丽：还是不行。。算了！我们还是打电话吧！(Háishì bùxíng.. Suànle! Wǒmen háishì dǎ diànhuà ba!) Still not working...Forget it! Let’s just use the phone!Pronunciation Training: 1. 女性: 我。。。现在。。。能。。。听见了。。。我现在能听见了。。。但是。。。你的。。。画面。。。停住了。。。但是你的画面停住了。。。我现在能听见了，但是你的画面停住了。男性: 你能听到我说话吗？女性: 我现在能听见了，但是你的画面停住了。 2. 男性: 可能。。。是。。。网络。。。问题。。。吧。。。可能是网络问题吧。。。我这边。。。也。。。有点。。。卡。。。我这边也有点卡。。。可能是网络问题吧。我这边也有点卡。女性: 你觉得是什么问题？男性: 可能是网络问题吧。我这边也有点卡。 3. 女性: 好的。。。我。。。重新。。。拨一下。。。视频。。。重新拨一下视频。。。好的，我重新拨一下视频。男性: 你可以重新拨一下吗？女性: 好的，我重新拨一下视频。 4. 男性: 还是。。。不。。。清楚。。。还是不清楚。。。声音。。。也。。。断断续续。。。的。。。声音也断断续续的。。。还是不清楚，声音也断断续续的。女性: 现在听得清吗？男性: 还是不清楚，声音也断断续续的。 5. 女性: 那。。。我。。。可以。。。试试。。。重启。。。路由器。。。重启路由器。。。可以试试重启路由器。。。也许。。。会。。。好一点。。。也许会好一点。。。那我可以试试重启路由器，也许会好一点。男性: 还有什么别的办法吗？女性: 那我可以试试重启路由器，也许会好一点。Tips for Online Meetings: 大家好，为了避免上次会议中的翻车现场，我决定通过电子邮件向大家分享一下会议的内容。 下面是开视频会议时的几点建议： 1. 不要把问题留到最后。 2. 提前征求反馈建议。 3.使用电子问卷调查。 4. 预先考虑到一些会被提到的问题。 5.了解你的讨论内容 6. 保持持续的对话 --承诺在会后回答任何未被回答的问题。 7. 任何一次好的会议都不是以一个问题来结束的----而是以你希望大家记住的三个重点来结束的。如果你有任何问题或者建议， 随时和我沟通. 祝好,王雪梅Dàjiā hǎo, Wèile bìmiǎn shàng cì huìyì zhōng de fānchē xiànchǎng, wǒ juédìng tōngguò diànzǐ yóujiàn xiàng dàjiā fēnxiǎng yīxià huìyì de nèiróng. Xiàmiàn shì kāi shìpín huìyì shí de jǐ diǎn jiànyì: 1. Bùyào bǎ wèntí liú dào zuìhòu.2. Tíqián zhēngqiú fǎnkuì jiànyì.3. Shǐyòng diànzǐ wènjuàn diàochá.4. Yùxiān kǎolǜ dào yīxiē huì bèi tí dào de wèntí.5. Liǎojiě nǐ de tǎolùn nèiróng6. Bǎochí chíxù de duìhuà --chéngnuò zài huì hòu huídá rènhé wèi bèi huídá de wèntí.7. Rènhé yīcì hǎo de huìyì dōu bùshì yǐ yīgè wèntí lái jiéshù de----ér shì yǐ nǐ xīwàng dàjiā jì zhù de sān gè zhòngdiǎn lái jiéshù de.Rúguǒ nǐ yǒu rènhé wèntí huòzhě jiànyì, suíshí hé wǒ gōutōng. Zhù hǎo, WángXuěMéiPronunciation Training:1. 男性：承诺。。承诺在会后。。。。未被。。未被回答的。。。。未被回答的问题。。。。回答任何。。。回答任何未被回答的问题。。。。。承诺在会后回答任何未被回答的问题。女性: 为了保持持续的对话，要做什么？。。。。。。。。。。男性：承诺在会后回答任何未被回答的问题。2. 女性：以一个问题来结束的。。。。不是以一个问题来结束的。。。。都不是以一个问题来结束的。。。。。任何一次好的会议。。。。 任何一次好的会议都不是以一个问题来结束的。。。。。。。。。而是。。而是以三个重点来结束的。。。。。你希望大家记住的。。。。。而是以你希望大家记住的三个重点来结束的。。。。。。。 任何一次好的会议都不是以一个问题来结束的----而是以你希望大家记住的三个重点来结束的。。。。。。。。。。。。。男性：好的会议是怎么结束的？女性：任何一次好的会议都不是以一个问题来结束的----而是以你希望大家记住的三个重点来结束的

我们今天讨论一下关于怎么样更好的开视频会议，能吸引人们来参加视频会议的时候，多一些讨论并且提出问题.Today we will be talking about how to have more interactive online meetings - a rebroadcast of a favorite episode Vicky and I recorded early on.If you like this one, pls check out The Zoom Meeting Disaster, which delves a bit deeper into what can go wrong when online meetings get hacked.Email us at: chineseconvoclub@gmail.comWebsite: https://apextutoring.org/Vocabulary:预先 - In Advance保持 - Maintain承诺 - To Promise未被 - Un..未被回答的 - Unanswered Questions。。。以。。。。以。。。- By or Through重点 - Key Points, Unimportant Points煮好 - Best, Best WishesDialogue:邮件: 大家好，为了避免上次会议中的翻车现场，我决定通过电子邮件向大家分享一下会议的内容。 下面是开视频会议时的几点建议： 1. 不要把问题留到最后。 2. 提前征求反馈建议。 3.使用电子问卷调查。 4. 预先考虑到一些会被提到的问题。 5.了解你的讨论内容 6. 保持持续的对话 --承诺在会后回答任何未被回答的问题。 7. 任何一次好的会议都不是以一个问题来结束的----而是以你希望大家记住的三个重点来结束的。如果你有任何问题或者建议， 随时和我沟通.祝好,王雪梅

措手不及小李：你听说了吗？公司要裁员！(Xiǎo Lǐ: Nǐ tīng shuōle ma? Gōngsī yào cáiyuán!) Have you heard? The company’s about to go through lay-offs.小张：真的？我完全措手不及！(Xiǎo Zhāng: Zhēn de? Wǒ wánquán cuòshǒubùjí! )Really? I was totally unaware!小李：是啊，昨天还正常开会，今天就来了这个消息。(Shì a, zuótiān hái zhèngcháng kāihuì, jīntiān jiù láile zhège xiāoxī.) Yes, just yesterday we had our meeting as usual, but today got the news.小张：我们得赶紧准备，找新的工作吧。(Wǒmen déi gǎnjǐn zhǔnbèi, zhǎo xīn de gōngzuò ba.) We better get ready and find a new job! 小李：对，不能坐等。我会更新我的简历!(Duì, bùnéng zuòděng. Wǒ huì gēngxīn wǒ de jiǎnlì!) Yes, we can’t sit around and wait. I’m going to update my resume!Example Sentences: 1. 老师突然说要考试。同学们都觉得措手不及。 The teacher suddenly announced a pop quiz. All the students were caught off guard。2. 他的问题让我（有一点儿）措手不及。His question caught me （a little) off guard.3. 听说飓风就要来了，我得准备一些应急用品，免得措手不及。I heard a hurricane is coming through. I need to get a few emergency supplies ready so I’m not caught off guard.

*There was a small mistake which I didn't catch until after posting this episode. We had changed the script from 你的画面停住了 to 你的画面卡住了， the difference being along the lines of .."your video (or picture) has stopped" v/s "your picture is frozen". Both can be used in Chinese, but we liked 卡住了 a bit better. We reached out to our voice actors and had them re-record this small part in the dialogue and pronunciation training. Thanks for your patience!We will be back to posting regularly in a few weeks! Until then, please enjoy a very practical lesson on what to say when having technical difficulties during video calls.视频卡住了: 1. 听得见 (tīng de jiàn) - Can hear 2. 画面 (huà miàn) - Screen, picture 3. 卡住 (kǎ zhù) - Frozen 4. 网络 (wǎng luò) - Network, internet 5. 重连 (chóng lián) - Reconnect 6. 重新 (chóng xīn) - Again, once more 7. 拨打 (bō dǎ) - Dial, call 8. 视频 (shì pín) - Video 9. 清楚 (qīng chu) - Clear 10. 声音 (shēng yīn) - Sound, voice 11. 断断续续 (duàn duàn xù xù) - Intermittent, off&on 12. 重启 (chóng qǐ) - Restart 13. 路由器 (lù yóu qì) - Router 14. 再试一次 (shì yī cì) – Try one more time小明: 你今天干什么了？。。。小丽。。。。。小明：嘿。。你能听得见我吗？小丽: （忧郁地说话。。）。。嗯。我现在能听见了，但是你的画面卡住了。小明: 哦，不好意思。可能是网络问题吧。恐怕我这边也有点卡。小丽: 那我们要不要重连一下？小明: 好的，我重新拨一下视频。稍等。小丽: 没问题。我等你。（小明挂断视频，几秒钟后重新拨打）小明: 现在怎么样？画面清楚吗？小丽: 还是不清楚，声音也断断续续的。小明: 哦。。是吗？那我可以试试重启路由器，也许会 好一点。小丽: 没问题。。等你好了，我们再试一次。（在打视频时）小明：现在怎么样？小丽：还是不行。。算了！我们还是打电话吧！Useful Phrases for Video Calls:1. 你能听见吗？你能看见我吗？Can you hear me? Can you see me?2. 我有一点 听不清楚 – 你的声音很小。I can’t hear you very clearly – your sound is very low.3. 我换个耳机。 - I’ll change over to headphones4. 你卡住了 – you’re frozen5. 你能再说一遍吗？刚才你卡住了。Can you say that again? You were frozen just a moment ago.6. 信号不好 – The signal is bad.7. 网络很差。- The internet connection isn’t very good.8. 你没开麦克风 – Your microphone isn’t on.9. 你静音了。- You’re on mute.10. 你那边断断续续的 – You’re breaking up.11. 我先挂了，等一下再打给你。- Let me hang up, I’ll call you right back.12. 不好意思，我刚才不小心按错了。- Sorry, I just accidentally hit the wrong thing13. 他还没上线 – He’s not online yet14. 大家都到齐了吗？ - Are we waiting on anyone? Or Is everyone here?15. 我的手机快没电了，我找一下充电器 – My cell phone is about to go dead. Let me go find a charger.16. 我的电脑快没电了，我换手机登录 – My computer is about to go dead. I’ll switch over to my phone and log in.

Come exploring as Vicky takes us on a walk along the charming and historic street known as Silver Fish Lane. We'll see historic old homes, a few shops and cafes, and get a brief glimpse of the lives of QingDao's past fishermen in the Silver Fish Museum. We will be returning soon with new podcast episodes. Below is the video transcript including PinYin: To watch our video on YouTube, please follow this link: https://youtube.com/shorts/rzSe0KxtSa0?feature=share 银鱼巷位于青岛老城区，距离栈桥仅几步之遥。 它因青岛沿海盛产的银鱼而得名，是一条隐匿于 城市深处、充满韵味的小巷。 自19世纪未以来，这里见证了青岛历史发展的沧 桑变迁。今天，我们将走进这条独具魅力的街 巷，一起探寻它的前世与今生。 Yín yú xiàng wèiyú QīngDǎo lǎo chéngqū, jùlí zhànqiáo jǐn jǐ bù zhī yáo. Tā yīn QīngDǎo yánhǎi shèngchǎn de yín yú ér dé míng, shì yītiáo yǐnnì yú chéngshì shēn chù, chōngmǎn yùnwèi de xiǎo xiàng zì. 19 shìjì mou yǐlái, zhèlǐ jiànzhèngle QīngDǎo lìshǐ fāzhǎn de cāng sāng biànqiān. Jīntiān, wǒmen jiāng zǒu jìn zhè tiáo dú jù mèilì de jiē xiàng, yīqǐ tànxún tā de qiánshì yǔ jīnshēng. Silverfish Lane is located in the old city of Qingdao, just a few steps away from the trestle bridge. It is named after the silverfish that are abundant in the coastal areas of Qingdao. It is a charming alley hidden deep in the city. Since the late 19th century, it has witnessed the vicissitudes of Qingdao's historical development. Today, we will walk into this unique street and explore its past and present. 漫步银鱼巷，映入眼帘的是拱形门窗、雕花阳台 和红砖外墙。一座座老宅保留了原始风貌，仿佛 在静静诉说岁月的故事。 这里不仅延续着历史的印记，也焕发出现代的活 力。特色小店、文艺咖啡馆和手工艺品商铺，无 论是寻找独特的纪念品、享受一杯咖啡，还是拍 摄打卡，这里都能满足你的期待． Mànbù yín yú xiàng, yìng rù yǎnlián de shì gǒng xíng ménchuāng, diāohuā yángtái hé hóng zhuān wài qiáng. Yī zuò zuò lǎo zhái bǎoliúle yuánshǐ fēngmào, fǎngfú zài jìng jìng sùshuō suìyuè de gùshì. Zhèlǐ bùjǐn yánxùzhe lìshǐ de yìnjì, yě huànfā chū xiàndài de huó lì. Tèsè xiǎo diàn, wényì kāfēi guǎn hé shǒu gōngyìpǐn shāngpù, wú lùn shì xúnzhǎo dútè de jìniànpǐn, xiǎngshòu yībēi kāfēi, háishì pāi shè dǎkǎ, zhèlǐ dōu néng mǎnzú nǐ de qídài. Strolling down Silverfish Lane, what comes into view are arched doors and windows, carved balconies and red brick exterior walls. The old houses retain their original appearance, as if quietly telling the story of the years. This place not only continues the imprint of history, but also exudes modern vitality. Specialty shops, literary cafes and handicraft shops, whether looking for unique souvenirs, enjoying a cup of coffee, or taking photos and checking in, here can fulfill your expectations. 银鱼巷博物馆是深入了解这条街巷历史与文化的 窗口。从渔民的日常生活到城市的发展变迁，每 一件展品都在诉说着过往的动人故事。 如今，这条承载百年历史与无尽故事的街巷，已 成为青岛一道独特的风景线。岁未年初，漫步于 此，成就了一段值得铭记的时光。愿所有家人和 朋友在新的一年平安健康、幸福如意！ Yín Yú Xiàng BóWùGuǎn shì shēnrù liǎojiě zhè tiáo jiē xiàng lìshǐ yǔ wénhuà de chuāngkǒu. Cóng yúmín de rìcháng shēnghuó dào chéngshì de fǎ zhǎn biànqiān, měi yī jiàn zhǎnpǐn dōu zài sùshuōzhe guòwǎng de dòngrén gùshì. Rújīn, zhè tiáo chéngzài bǎinián lìshǐ yǔ wújìn gùshì de jiē xiàng, yǐ chéngwéi qīngdǎo yīdào dútè de fēngjǐngxiàn. Suì wèi niánchū, mànbù yú cǐ, chéngjiùle yīduàn zhídé míngjì de shíguāng. Yuàn suǒyǒu jiārén hé péngyǒu zài xīn de yī nián píng'ān jiànkāng, xìngfú rúyì! Silverfish Lane Museum is a window into the history and culture of this lane, giving us an in-depth understanding of it. From the daily life of fishermen to the development and changes of the city, each exhibit tells a moving story of the past. Today, this lane, which carries a century of history and endless stories, has become a unique landscape in Qingdao. At the end of the year and the beginning of the year, strolling here has created a memorable time. May all family and friends be safe, healthy, happy and prosperous in the new year!

Ever tried to bluff your way through an exam, a project, or even a date? In this episode, we dive into the hilarious (and slightly sneaky) Chinese idiom 蒙混过关, which literally means “to muddle through a checkpoint.” We’ll chat about this useful expression, when it’s risky, and how Chinese people use it in daily life.🎧 Learn Mandarin through real examples, personal stories, and our usual dose of laughter!Sentence Examples1. 他靠蒙混过关拿到了那份工作。Tā kào méng hùn guò guān ná dào le nà fèn gōngzuò.He got the job through deception.2. 这次考试不能蒙混过关，要认真复习。Zhè cì kǎoshì bù néng méng hùn guò guān, yào rènzhēn fùxí.You can’t b.s. your way through this exam; you have to study seriously. 3. 有些人试图蒙混过关，但最终被发现了。Yǒu xiē rén shìtú méng hùn guò guān, dàn zuìzhōng bèi fāxiàn le.Some people tried cheating to get by, but were eventually found out.Dialogue 1A: 听说小张考试的时候蒙混过关了？ Tīngshuō Xiǎo Zhāng kǎoshì de shíhòu méng hùn guò guān le? I heard Xiao Zhang faked his way through the exam?B: 是的，他没好好复习，靠作弊蒙混过关。 Shì de, tā méi hǎohǎo fùxí, kào zuòbì méng hùn guò guān.Yeah — he didn’t study properly; he cheated to get by.A: 这样很危险吧？一旦被抓就麻烦了。 Zhèyàng hěn wēixiǎn ba? Yídàn bèi zhuā jiù máfan le. That’s really risky, right? If he gets caught it’ll be a big problem.B: 对啊，老师现在越来越严格了。 Duì a, lǎoshī xiànzài yuè lái yuè yángé le. Totally — teachers are getting stricter and stricter now.A: 我觉得还是踏实学习，不要想蒙混过关。 Wǒ juéde háishì tàshí xuéxí, bú yào xiǎng méng hùn guò guān.I think it’s better to study properly — don’t try to bluff your way through.B: 我也是，靠实力才是长久之计。 Wǒ yě shì, kào shílì cái shì chángjiǔ zhī jì. Same here — relying on real ability is the long-term plan.Dialogue 2A: 你觉得我们这次项目能蒙混过关吗？ Nǐ juéde wǒmen zhè cì xiàngmù néng méng hùn guò guān ma? Do you think we can get away with this project?B: 不能，我们必须准备充分，不能耍花招。 Bù néng, wǒmen bìxū zhǔnbèi chōngfèn, bù néng shuǎ huāzhāo. No — we must prepare thoroughly; we can’t pull any tricks.A: 但是时间不够，蒙混过关好像很诱人。 Dànshì shíjiān bù gòu, méng hùn guò guān hǎoxiàng hěn yòurén. But there isn’t enough time — bluffing our way through sounds tempting.B: 这不好，如果被发现，后果很严重。 Zhè bù hǎo, rúguǒ bèi fāxiàn, hòuguǒ hěn yánzhòng. That’s not good — if we get found out, the consequences will be serious.

Practice your Mandarin with a chilling Chinese ghost story 空无一人的巷子! Learn spooky new words like 纸钱 (zhǐqián) “ghost money,” 低语 (dīyǔ) “whisper,” and 门缝 (ménfèng) “crack of a door” as you follow 小王 (Xiǎo Wáng) through a deserted alley late at night.🎧 Listen for comprehension, build vocabulary, and test yourself with our mini-quiz at the end! Perfect for intermediate learners who love stories, culture, and a little bit of creepiness in their study routine.Story:深夜，小王下班回家，经过一条空无一人的小巷。Shēnyè, Xiǎo Wáng xiàbān huí jiā, jīngguò yì tiáo kōng wú yī rénde xiǎoxiàng.Late at night, Xiao Wang washeading home from work, passing through a deserted alley.风吹过，纸钱飘舞。Fēng chuī guò, zhǐqián piāowǔ.The wind blew, andghost money fluttered in the air.他忽然听见身后有人轻声喊他的名字。Tā hūrán tīngjiàn shēnhòu yǒu rén qīngshēng hǎn tā demíngzi.Suddenly, he heard someone softly callinghis name from behind.回头，却什么也没有。Huítóu, què shénme yě méiyǒu.He turned around, butnothing was there.加快脚步时，耳边又传来低语：“别走那么快……”Jiākuài jiǎobù shí, ěrbiān yòu chuánlái dīyǔ: “Bié zǒu nàmekuài……”As he quickened his pace, a whisperbrushed past his ear: “Don’t walk so fast…”小王吓得跑回家，猛地关上门，透过门缝，却看到一双苍白的手，缓缓拍着门板。Xiǎo Wáng xià de pǎo huí jiā, měng de guān shàng mén, tòuguò ménfèng, què kàndào yì shuāng cāngbái de shǒu, huǎnhuǎn pāizhe ménbǎn.Terrified, Xiao Wang ran home andslammed the door shut. Through the crack, he saw a pair of pale hands slowly tapping on the door.Mini-Quiz:1. 故事发生在什么时候？(When does the story take place?)2. 小王在什么地方听见有人叫他？(Where was Xiao Wang when he heard someone call his name?)3. 小王回到家后，从门缝里看到了什么？(What did Xiao Wang see through the crack of the door?)

In this episode, we explore the Chinese phrase 离不开 (lí bù kāi) — which means “can’t live without.” Learn how native speakers use it to express dependence, habits, and deep connections. We’ll break it down with clear examples, a short dialogue, and pronunciation practice to help you sound more natural when speaking Mandarin. Examples: 1. 他离不开咖啡，每天都要喝。 Tā lí bù kāi kāfēi, měitiān dōu yào hē. He can’t live without coffee; he drinks it every day. 2. 他离不开他的家人。 Tā lí bù kāi tā de jiārén. He can't be apart from his family 3. 成功离不开努力和机会。 Chénggōng lí bù kāi nǔlì hé jīhuì. Success depends on both effort and opportunity. 4.这件事离不开大家的努力。 Zhè jiàn shì lí bù kāi dàjiā de nǔlì. This matter can't succeed without everyone's effort. 🗣 Dialogue: 离不开 (Lí bù Kāi)A: 你觉得你离不开什么东西？Nǐ juéde nǐ lí bù kāi shénme dōngxī?What do you think you can’t live without?B: 我觉得我离不开手机和家人。Wǒ juéde wǒ lí bù kāi shǒujī hé jiārén.I think I can’t live without my phone and my family.A: 为什么手机排在第一位呢？Wèishénme shǒujī páizài dì yī wèi ne?Why is your phone in first place?B: 因为手机帮我工作，也让我跟朋友保持联系。Yīnwèi shǒujī bāng wǒ gōngzuò, yě ràng wǒ gēn péngyǒu bǎochí liánxì.Because my phone helps me with work and lets me stay in touch with my friends.A: 是啊，现在大家都离不开手机了。Shì a, xiànzài dàjiā dōu lí bù kāi shǒujī le.Yeah, these days everyone can’t live without their phones.B: 对，而且家人也很重要，离开他们我会很孤单。Duì, érqiě jiārén yě hěn zhòngyào, lí kāi tāmen wǒ huì hěn gūdān.Right, and family is very important too — without them, I’d feel really lonely.

In this episode, we dive into the Chinese slang phrase 露馅儿 (lòu xiànr) — literally “the filling is showing.” Learn how native speakers use it to describe moments when secrets slip out, someone accidentally reveals too much, or a cover-up fails. We’ll share clear examples, cultural context, and easy practice sentences so you can start using 露馅儿 naturally in conversation.在这一集节目里，我们要聊一聊中文俚语“露馅儿 (lòu xiànr)”——字面意思是“馅儿露出来了”。它常常用来形容秘密被揭穿了、有人不小心说漏了嘴，或者掩饰失败的情况。我们会分享清晰的例子、文化背景，以及简单的练习句子，帮助你在对话中自然地使用“露馅儿"。Zài zhè yì jí jiémù lǐ, wǒmen yào liáo yī liáo Zhōngwén lǐyǔ “lòu xiànr” —— zìmiàn yìsi shì “xiànr lòu chū lái le.”Tā chángcháng yòng lái xíngróng mìmì bèi jiēchuān le, yǒu rén bù xiǎoxīn shuō lòu le zuǐ, huòzhě yǎnshì shībài de qíngkuàng.Wǒmen huì fēnxiǎng qīngxī de lìzi, wénhuà bèijǐng, yǐjí jiǎndān de liànxí jùzi, bāngzhù nǐ zài duìhuà zhōng zìrán de shǐyòng “lòu xiànr.”Conversation 1:小张: 你不是说你今天请假是去看医生吗？(Xiǎo Zhāng): Nǐ bù shì shuō nǐ jīntiān qǐngjià shì qù kàn yīshēng ma?小李: 是啊，怎么了？(Xiǎo Lǐ): Shì a, zěnme le?小张: 可是我在商场看到你在排队买鞋，你露馅儿啦！(Xiǎo Zhāng): Kěshì wǒ zài shāngchǎng kàndào nǐ zài páiduì mǎi xié, nǐ lòu xiànr la!小李: 哎呀，被你发现了……(Xiǎo Lǐ): Āiyā, bèi nǐ fāxiàn le……English Translation – Conversation 1:Xiaozhang: Didn’t you say you took the day off to see a doctor?Xiaoli: Yeah… why?Xiaozhang: I saw you at the mall lining up to buy shoes—your cover’s blown!Xiaoli: Aiya, you caught me…Conversation 2:小美: 你是不是偷偷喜欢他？(Xiǎo Měi): Nǐ shì bù shì tōutōu xǐhuan tā?小芳: 没有啊，别乱说！(Xiǎo Fāng): Méiyǒu a, bié luàn shuō!小美: 可你一听到他的名字就脸红，早就露馅儿啦！(Xiǎo Měi): Kě nǐ yì tīng dào tā de míngzì jiù liǎnhóng, zǎo jiù lòu xiànr la!小芳: 啊？我有吗？(Xiǎo Fāng): A? Wǒ yǒu ma?English Translation – Conversation 2:Xiaomei: Do you secretly like him?Xiaofang: No way—don’t say that!Xiaomei: But you blush every time you hear his name. You totally gave yourself away!Xiaofang: Huh? I did?Example Sentences: • 他紧张得说错了话，一下子就露馅儿了。He got nervous and said the wrong thing—he totally gave himself away. • 他们本来想骗我，结果一问就露馅儿了。They tried to fool me, but I caught them right away. • 假装不知道结果，结果自己先露馅儿了。Pretended not to know, but ended up revealing it accidentally.

It’s that time of year again — back to school season! In this episode, we dive into the popular Chinese expression 神兽归笼 (“the mythical beasts return to their cages”), a humorous way parents describe sending kids back to school after summer break. You’ll learn how this phrase is used in daily conversation and pick up practical Mandarin expressions to talk about the social aspect of this time of year. Perfect for Chinese learners who want to sound more natural and stay up-to-date with trending slang.对话：小李：哎，今天开学第一天，家长群都在刷屏。Xiǎo Lǐ: Āi, jīntiān kāixué dì yī tiān, jiāzhǎng qún dōu zài shuāpíng.(Sigh, it’s the first day of school, and the parents’ group is blowing up.)小王：哈哈，是啊，大家都在感叹“神兽归笼”。Xiǎo Wáng: Hāhā, shì a, dàjiā dōu zài gǎntàn “shénshòu guī lóng.”(Haha, yeah, everyone is sighing with relief: “the little beasts are back in their cages.”)小李：终于能安静一点了，不用每天被孩子吵醒。Xiǎo Lǐ: Zhōngyú néng ānjìng yīdiǎn le, bùyòng měitiān bèi háizi chǎoxǐng.(Finally some peace and quiet—no more being woken up by the kids every day.)小王：可不是嘛. 暑假天天陪着我女儿，累得不行。现在上班反而像休息Xiǎo Wáng: Kě bù shì ma, Shǔjià tiāntiān péizhe wǒ nǚ’ér, lèi de bùxíng. Xiànzài shàngbān fǎn’ér xiàng xiūxi.(Tell me about it—During summer vacation I was with my daughter every single day — it was exhausting. Now going to work actually feels like taking a break.”)小李：现在交给老师了，我们也能喘口气。Xiǎo Lǐ: Xiànzài jiāogěi lǎoshī le, wǒmen yě néng chuǎn kǒuqì.(Now that the teachers are in charge, we can finally take a breather.)小王：不过老师才是真正的英雄，得面对几十只“神兽”！Xiǎo Wáng: Bùguò lǎoshī cái shì zhēnzhèng de yīngxióng, děi miànduì jǐshí zhī “shénshòu”!(But the teachers are the real heroes—they have to face dozens of these “little beasts”!)

Fall means Pumpkin Spice Latte season! ☕🍂 In this episode, we dive into the phenomenon of the PSL while teaching you how to order it in Mandarin Chinese. Learn essential café vocabulary, practice real-life dialogues, and discover how seasonal drinks are talked about in Chinese. Perfect for language learners who love coffee and culture.顾客：你好，我要一杯南瓜香料拿铁。Gùkè: Nǐ hǎo, wǒ yao yì bēi nánguā xiāngliào nátiě.Customer: Hello, I'd like a Pumpkin Spice Latte.咖啡师：好的，要多大杯？中杯还是大杯？Kāfēishī: Hǎo de, yào duō dà bēi? Zhōng bēi háishì dà bēi?Barista: Okay, what size? Medium or large?顾客：中杯就好，谢谢。对了，可以少糖吗？Gùkè: Zhōng bēi jiù hǎo, xièxiè. Duì le, kěyǐ shǎo táng ma?Customer: Medium is fine, thank you. Oh, and can you make it less sweet?咖啡师：没问题，请稍等。Kāfēishī: Méi wèntí, qǐng shāo děng.Barista: No problem, please wait a moment.For a link to the full transcipt of this episode, click here:https://turboscribe.ai/transcript/share/927741523293021000/vH-Kvog1yzZVTOqVfbfhzLiNOAm6uTTGFWVyJMf6Sg4/pumpkin-spice-latte-the-fall-favorite-explained-in-chinese-or-mandarin-learning-podcast-pre-intermediateCheck out my friend Kapa Zhao's Video on a favorite Shanghai Coffee Spot: http://xhslink.com/m/3A44hcyH3JV

Want to sound more natural in Mandarin? Learn the Chinese idiom that can mean not only making the kind of mistakes that hurt yourself, but also when your plans to harm someone else backfire. 小李：听说老赵匿名举报同事偷懒。Xiǎo Lǐ: Tīng shuō Lǎo Zhào nìmíng jǔbào tóngshì tōulǎn.Xiao Li: I heard Old Zhao anonymously reported a coworker for slacking off.小王：结果呢？Xiǎo Wáng: Jiéguǒ ne?Xiao Wang: And what happened?小李：结果调查时才发现，他自己摸鱼更严重。Xiǎo Lǐ: Jiéguǒ diàochá shí cái fāxiàn, tā zìjǐ mōyú gèng yánzhòng.Xiao Li: Turns out, when they investigated, they found he was slacking off even worse.小王：哈哈，这不就是搬起石头砸自己的脚嘛！Xiǎo Wáng: Hāhā, zhè bú jiù shì bān qǐ shítou zá zìjǐ de jiǎo ma!Xiao Wang: Haha, isn’t that just “lifting a rock only to drop it on your own foot”? (Chinese idiom meaning “to shoot yourself in the foot”)For a full transcript of this episode, follow the link below:https://turboscribe.ai/transcript/share/7539025776270928496/jOXVaUiFnSTesYK1gstei-9dv5a0Fb_nF6Iaz4K7OG4/shoot-oneself-in-the-foot

不得已："不得已" is typically used to express that an action or decision was made out of necessity rather than desire, usually because of circumstances that leave no alternative. It's often used in situations where one is reluctantly forced to make a choice.小明: 你怎么突然辞职了？不是说好要坚持下去的吗？(Xiǎo Míng): Nǐ zěnme túrán cí zhí le? Bù shì shuō hǎo yào jiānchí xiàqù de ma?小李: 其实我也很不想辞职，可是公司最近的变化让我不得已做出了这个决定。(Xiǎo Lǐ): Qíshí wǒ yě hěn bù xiǎng cí zhí, kěshì gōngsī zuìjìn de biànhuà ràng wǒ bù dé yǐ zuò chū le zhège juédìng.小明: 哦，原来是这样。你打算做什么？(Xiǎo Míng): Ó, yuánlái shì zhèyàng. Nǐ dǎsuàn zuò shénme?小李: 我还没想好，但总不能一直这样下去，我得找到更适合自己的工作。(Xiǎo Lǐ): Wǒ hái méi xiǎng hǎo, dàn zǒng bù néng yīzhí zhèyàng xiàqù, wǒ děi zhǎodào gèng shìhé zìjǐ de gōngzuò.Translation:Xiao Ming: Why did you suddenly resign? Didn’t you say you were going to stick it out?Xiao Li: Actually, I really didn’t want to quit, but the recent changes at the company left me no choice but to make this decision.Xiao Ming: Oh, I see. So what are you planning to do?Xiao Li: I haven’t figured it out yet, but I can’t go on like this forever. I need to find a job that suits me better.Dialogue #2:小杰: 你为什么不参加今晚的聚会？大家都很期待你来！(Xiǎo Jié): Nǐ wèishéme bù cānjiā jīn wǎn de jùhuì? Dàjiā dōu hěn qīdài nǐ lái!小芳: 我本来很想去，但我得照顾生病的妈妈，实在是不得已。(Xiǎo Fāng): Wǒ běnlái hěn xiǎng qù, dàn wǒ děi zhàogù shēngbìng de māmā, shízài shì bù dé yǐ.小杰: 哦，那就没办法了，家人最重要。(Xiǎo Jié): Ó, nà jiù méi bànfǎ le, jiārén zuì zhòngyào.Translation:Xiaojie: Why aren’t you coming to the gathering tonight? Everyone’s looking forward to seeing you!Xiaofang: I really wanted to go, but I have to take care of my sick mom. I really have no choice.Xiaojie: Oh, then there’s nothing we can do. Family is the most important.Example Sentences:1. 他们这样做是出于不得已。(Tāmen zhèyàng zuò shì chū yú bùdéyǐ.) They did it that way b/c they had no choice.2. 不到万不得已，他不亲自出马。(Bù dào wànbùdéyǐ, tā bù qīnzì chūmǎ) Unless absolutely necessary, he never appears in person.3. 他知道这只是万不得已的办法。(Tā zhīdào zhè zhǐshì wànbùdéyǐ de bànfǎ.) He knew it was the last resort.

In our most recent short video, Vicky takes us to explore some of the highlights of New York City. Come along with us as we take in the sights of The Big Apple, all in Chinese.