ChinesePod

It's no secret that most of the DVDs sold in China are not what you might call "legit." But with this Chinese lesson we're just going to sidestep that whole "legal issue" and get right into the topic of DVD quality. You might be paying bottom dollar, but you still want top quality!

In this Chinese lesson, ChinesePod marketing manager Kay rounds off her three-point localization list with point number three: localizing management. Did you know that managers in China have to worry about issues like mooncakes and hongbao? Learn about it here.

Modern China is a country bursting with entrepreneurship and big business, but there was a time when everyone was singing songs glorifying labor. In this Chinese lesson, we harken back to that time, providing a musical link to the past which surprisingly few mainland Chinese don't know. And remember: don't learn from the butterfly!

Now that Moore's Law has gotten bored with desktop computers and moved on to smartphones, we don't often find ourselves replacing entire office computers. The amount of data we store is only increasing, though. In this lesson, learn how to discuss your needs for more hard drive storage.

If you're familiar at all with Shanghai's modern Pudong skyline, you know that "interesting" is a good way to describe it. And with so much interesting architecture going up, you know there are going to be some nicknames given. In this Chinese lesson, we cover not only Shanghai's tallest buildings, but also some of Beijing's iconic structures.

In this lesson, a concerned mother learns that her daughter is dating a man with a child from a previous marriage. Do you think she's going to happily accept the idea of her daughter becoming a young stepmother? (Hint: no, she's not. Not at all.)

"My mind is filled with your lovely smiling face. Your sweet smile warms up this frigid winter. Can I still see you tomorrow - in that secluded place?" ...If you found a love letter like this written by your teenage son, how would you react? Listen in as a Chinese parent flips out in this lesson.

Today's lesson features a very serious topic that affects many families. Learn not only how to talk about divorce in Chinese, but also learn about the divorce process in China.

In Chinese culture, there's a special celebration when a baby turns one month old. The gift-giving details can be a little confusing, even to the Chinese, so listen to this lesson for an explanation. While you're at it, learn what gift is given to celebrate a newborn's birth.

A new generation of Chinese honeymooners are looking abroad for exotic yet affordable destination options. In this lesson, hear about the benefits of three special places within easy travel distance from China.

The growing number of drivers in China is a big deal for the government; there's not enough room on the roads for 1.3 billion cars, especially in big cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Learn about the different ways the local government in Beijing and Shanghai are dealing with the issue, and what exactly you'll have to go through to get a license plate for your car.

Maybe you showed up in China with nothing more than the clothes on your back and a sense of adventure, but some people bring a lot more... including pets. If you need to bring your furry friend to the Middle Kingdom, there are just a few procedures you need to be aware of. Learn about them in this lesson!

When there's a new employee in the office, someone has to show them around and show them the ropes. In this "Intermediate to Upper Intermediate" transitional Chinese lesson, learn some of the basic words and expressions used in such a situation.

For the growing numbers of affluent Chinese mainlanders, Hong Kong is a shopping paradise. That is, until this year, when some new tax policies kicked in. In this lesson, learn about the difficulties of buying an iPad cheap in Hong Kong, as well as a rather sneaky (if legally questionable) little plot to avoid those taxes.

Foreigners raising their young children in China face a very difficult choice regarding schooling. Is it better to send one's child to a local school to learn along with all the Chinese kids and grow up culturally Chinese, or to attend an international school where English is used much more often and Chinese language is not emphasized? Learn to discuss these issues with this lesson.

It takes a lot of hard work to build a business, but sometimes things go wrong. You may have taken various measures to get the company back on track, but in some cases you just have to consider bankruptcy. In this lesson, learn to discuss this unhappy situation in Chinese.

For all those tourists who have showed up in China dismayed at the modern economies and booming metropolises, the tourism industry has an answer, and that answer is the Chinese river towns. The old-style housing, traditional eats, and arts and crafts will charm Chinese and foreigners alike.

In this lesson, two radio announcers discuss the Jewish "Festival of Lights" in Chinese. Get the abridged history of the holiday along with your essential candle vocabulary. You'll be ready for your first Chinese Hanukkah in no time.

With Expo fever in full swing, we're getting into the nitty-gritty of the event itself. Having already covered how to buy tickets and Haibao, the ubiquitous Expo mascot, we're spending today's lesson focusing on the much-anticipated China Pavilion and how to talk about it in Chinese. Join us!

A nerve-wracking situation in any culture, today we're meeting the girlfriend's parents. Will they be impressed or disappointed in their daughter's choice of boyfriend? Check out today's lesson to find out!

Gifts range from the practical to the extravagant, and in today's lesson we're learning about both the language and culture of gift-giving in China. It might be news to you, but green hats are a big no-no. Find out why by tuning in!

Today's lesson focuses on a conversation between an employee and his boss. Learn the language appropriate for dealing with superiors, and find out how to ask for that raise you've been wanting - in Chinese!

As spring arrives, the parks are beginning to liven up again. In today's show, we'll be exploring a popular park activity: kite flying. Join us to learn all about this fun hobby in this lesson!

Today, ChinesePod is exploring the four words no one ever wants to hear from the person they care about. Learn how to ask a friend to take things to the next level - and how to gently let someone down - in this heart-breaker of a lesson!

It's a mad dash to make the best of today's killer discount! Find out how to describe clothing sizes and styles in today's shopping-focused ChinesePod lesson!

Ever wonder why you see some people in China wearing a little bit of red every single day? Well we've got an interesting explanation for you in today's astrology themed lesson. Oh - and happy year of the tiger!

The language of sales and advertising is very unique. It's meant to get you excited enough to run to the store and buy that brand new cell phone you never wanted (again). In today's lesson, find out just what those guys in the TV advertisements are saying to get people to buy, buy buy!

Drip. Drip. Drip... we've got a leaky faucet today - time to call the plumber! Learn some great plumbing terms that will help you get your bathroom and kitchen in working order again.

It's the end of the Chinese year, and you know what that means! No, we're not talking about long waits in the ticket line at the train station. And we're not talking about fireworks, either. We're talking about the very exciting end of the year bonus. Let's just hope it was a good year... if not, you might have to scratch that new flat screen off of your shopping wishlist!

Choosing glasses is always a challenge, but throw in a system of glasses prescriptions completely different from any you're used to, and it's a recipe for confusion and frustration. But not to worry! ChinesePod is here to provide you with the tools to make your next trip to get eye glasses a success.

Being a parent means making tough decisions all the time. In today's podcast, we'll be learning about a very important parenting moment in an age-old debate: are righties smarter than lefties? Or vice versa? The parents in this dialog struggle with old Chinese stereotypes and try to respect the individuality of their toddler.

Once a year people across the world celebrate the women who brought them into the world. Join us today as we cover some of the essentials for wishing mom a wonderful Mother's Day!

One of the great things about restaurants in China is that they often bring out your food faster than you can order it. On the downside, sometimes the food isn't quite what you had in mind... Learn about a common dish today, and about how to describe something you might not have ordered!

The 2010 Shanghai World Expo's mascot has been a source of excitement, the butt of jokes and a topic of conversation since its unveiling a few years back. In today's lesson we're talking about Haibao and trying to figure out just what it is he is supposed to resemble.

Sometimes we take for granted the little things offered to us for free at many restaurants. In today's lesson, we'll be learning about a particularly useful item that many restaurants in China ask you to pay for.

It's April Fool's day and someone is about to get punk'd. Find out just what happens by tuning in to today's ChinesePod lesson all about practical jokes!

Someone's got a date tonight, and he's getting some important advice from a friend. The main question: do women dig the facial hair, or is it better to go for the clean shave? Find out how to talk about facial hair in today's lesson. We hope you'll add your two cents to this very personal debate after listening to the show!

Have you heard? The Expo is coming, the Expo is coming! You've read the signs, you've seen the countdown. The time has arrived to get your tickets to the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Check out today's lesson to learn how (and where) to buy tickets.

KTV features prominently in the Chinese social scene. And everyone, everyone has their turn at the mic. Sometimes your friends surprise you with their ability to belt out pop standards. Other times, though, you find yourself suffering through butchered John Denver classics. If you're experiencing the latter of these two situations, check out today's lesson to find out how to get your friends off stage!

In this increasingly connected world, it's important to maintain contact with friends and colleagues, even when you're outside the house or the office. Cafés all over the world cater to this by offering free or paid wifi. But how do you ask for the password in Chinese? Find out in today's super-useful lesson.

Ever been in a restaurant when the food just doesn't seem to be coming out fast enough? In today's lesson we'll be bugging the server to speed things up a bit!

We're at the airport today, and it's time to say our heartfelt goodbyes! Learn how to send a person off in Chinese in this elementary level lesson.

Today's show covers important language for anyone planning on visiting a friend in a doorman building. Learn the basics for interacting with security, 保安(bǎo'ān), in today's helpful ChinesePod lesson.

Often times in China when you're running out the door you notice the street cleaners have just washed down the streets and sidewalks. This can be especially dangerous in the winter when water freezes into ice. In today's lesson, learn how to tell someone to watch out if the ground is slippery. You'll also be learning how to verbally rebound from a not-so-graceful spill!

As you start busting out your Chinese and making Chinese friends, one of the topics that's going to come up is hobbies. (Spoiler alert: you're going to hear a lot of "listening to music" and "watching movies.") If one of your hobbies is playing basketball, this lesson is perfect. If you just like watching basketball, this lesson is still perfect. If you like hitting people, it's also pretty good.

So you're studying Chinese? Is it hard? As a student of Chinese, you better be prepared to answer these questions. And don't worry... Chinese people won't mind if you tell them you're finding it a tad bit difficult. They've wrestled with it their whole lives too.

You ever lose your passport? Or your wallet? Or your wallet and your passport? We hope not, but just in case, it's probably a good idea to know how to say these things. (At the very least, the Chinese people around you will understand why you're totally freaking out.) This lesson will help.

OK, so you can express that you're going to China, in Chinese. That's great! But if you're telling any Chinese person this, their immediate next question is always going to be: where in China?. With this lesson, learn how to face that question and stay just one step ahead. (OK, so it's only two steps total, but you're getting somewhere!)

Shanghai might not have a "Great Wall" or an army of "Terracotta Warriors," but it does have a few famous landmarks of its own. In this lesson, learn the Chinese names for the Bund and Nanjing Road, two must-see spots for any tourist in Shanghai.

You'll have many fantastic experiences on your trip to China, but, unfortunately, "squeezing into an elevator" or "waiting in line" are not going to be on that list. For most travelers, there's going to be a bit of "jostling." Arm yourself with a few phrases to help you push back (linguistically, at least).