Send us a Text Message. (If you notice the texting link above, it seems that my hosting site Buzzsprout is testing a new feature without creators enabling it: Buzzsprout's latest feature delivers listener love straight to your phone — Fan Mail! We dive into how we've been secretly testing this new tool and how you can turn it on for your own podcast. I don't know how it will work otu) Hello everyone! Welcome to another episode of "5 Minute Chinese." Today, I'm sharing a recent health...

Send us a Text Message. In this episode of "Five Minutes Chinese," I share the excitement and significance of prom night, a cherished tradition for American high school students. I recount my experience of volunteering at our school's prom, from the meticulous preparations to the elegant attire and the joyous atmosphere created by photographers and DJs. I also reveal the heartfelt story behind my special yellow dress, a gift from my students, marking our seven-year journey from middle school...

Send us a Text Message. In this episode of "5 Minutes Chinese," I delve into the captivating topic of solar eclipses, known as 日食 (rì shí) in Chinese. I recently witnessed a partial solar eclipse on April 8th here in the United States, and I share insights into the scientific principle behind these phenomena. While some regions enjoyed a total eclipse, my East Coast location only saw a partial eclipse, called 日偏食 (rì piān shí). Despite this, I share my excitement and attempts to photograph...

Hi everyone! Today's episode delves into the significance of March 15th in China, designated as Consumer Rights Day. It aims to heighten awareness about consumer protection, shedding light on issues like deceptive marketing, subpar product quality, and exorbitant pricing. This year's examples range from the sale of inferior food products to overpriced items with false health claims. It reminds consumers to stay vigilant, understand their rights, and report any violations. Despite regulatory...

Hello everyone, welcome to the latest episode of "5 Minute Mandarin." Today, I want to chat with you about my experiences with driving in the United States. As you may know, having a car is essential in most parts of the US, unlike in China where I never felt the need to drive. Upon moving to the US, I relied on public transportation and walking, as my first city had good infrastructure for both. However, when I found a job in a smaller town, owning a car became necessary. So, I decided to...

Hello everyone! Happy Lunar New Year! In today's podcast I talk about Lunar New Year celebratory activities at school. We went on a field trip on Tuesday, including a hotpot buffet meal and a visit to the Asian supermarket next door. We also did various other activities such as Chinese paper cutting and a "Cake Day" on Friday, where students brought cakes to celebrate. I also share my own Lunar New Year traditions, including wearing red, especially because it's my zodiac year. If you...

Hello everyone! In this episode I discuss the difficulty of learning Chinese compared to other languages, using the Foreign Service Institute's categorization. It classifies languages into four levels of difficulty for English speakers. Chinese is considered a "super-hard language," requiring approximately 88 weeks (2200 class hours) to achieve general professional fluency. By comparison, Spanish requires 30 weeks (750 class hours).  While the ease of learning a language can be influenced by...

Hello everyone! Welcome to a new episode of 5 Minute Chinese. I want to begin by thanking you for listening to my podcast. I sincerely hope that it helps make learning Mandarin Chinese authentic and fun.  Secondly, I want to update you on the busy period from the end of last year to the beginning of 2024. I share the unusually short winter break , lasting less than two weeks. After the brief break, teachers worked hard to finalized the semester grades and comments, which were due last...

Hi all! Welcome to another episode of '5 Minutes Chinese'! In today's episode, we delve into the intriguing world of '轻断食' or intermittent fasting. I share my personal experiences with intermittent fasting and talk about the potential benefits, from weight management to improved insulin sensitivity, and overall health. Have you tried light fasting, or do you have questions about it? I would love to hear your story! You can share your thoughts by email or leaving a comment on Spotify. Script...

Hello everyone! In this episode of 5-Minute Chinese, I want to share my personal experience with my recently purchased Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset. I talked about what VR is and my experience with the popular game Beat Saber. I also acknowledge some comfort issues, especially for glasses wearers like me. But overall I'm really satisfied with the virtual experience and look forward to exploring more on Meta Quest 2. If you also have a VR set, I would love to hear your experience!...

Hello everyone! In this episode, I explore the modern hustle culture in the US and the pursuit a slower-paced living.  I delve into the good and bad the contrasting worlds of relentless ambition and intentional simplicity and talk about how we can balance both life styles.  Support the showThank you for listening. If you like 5 Minute Chinese, please help me by subscribing, liking, and sharing the show so that it can help more people. Thank you for your support. If you have any questions, you...

Hello everyone! In today's episode, I answer the question: Do Chinese people celebrate Thanksgiving? The short answer is no. Thanksgiving is not a holiday in China. However, China has its own harvest festival: the Mid-Autumn Festival. Though only a handful of countries celebrate "Thanksgiving",  a lot of cultures have harvest festivals with a family feast  focusing on family reunions and celebrating abundance. Thanks for listening. Scripts and useful expressions below. Email or comment if you...

Hello, everyone! Welcome to another episode of 5 Minutes Chinese! In today's episode I want to share how I celebrated my birthday with a wonderful performance by the Beijing Dance Theater based on the Oscar Wilde fairy tale "The Nightingale and the Rose." Thank you for tuning in. Find the script and useful expression below. Have a great...

Hello everyone! Today I talk about a friend's recent trip to China. This episode is not scripted like I always do. As my friend just returned to the US today,  I asked her about her experiences. If you recall, in Episode 114, I discussed why you might want to think twice about traveling to China. In today's episode, we talk about how her trip aligns with the challenges I previously mentioned, such as navigating China without a Chinese phone number and bank account since everything happens on...

Hello everyone! In today's episode I describe my first time experience watching a cross country race at a local park and share the excitement and joy of seeing my students participate in the race, and the sense of fulfillment that comes from witnessing their accomplishments. It was such a positive experience to be part of students' success and the wider community.  Scripts and useful expression below. Let me know if you have any questions or have any suggestions. Have a wonderful...

Hello everyone! Hope you are each well! Today's episode discusses the topic of foreign celebrities who can speak Chinese. The first two notable examples are Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, who made an effort to speak Chinese during a visit to Beijing, and Kevin Rudd, the former Australian Prime Minister, who is known for his deep understanding of Chinese culture and fluency in Mandarin. Lastly we have John Cena, a WWE wrestler, actor, and TV host, who has impressed audiences with his...

In this episode of "5 Minutes in Chinese," I discuss the influence of traditional Chinese medicine and wellness principles from the ancient classic The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic or "Huangdi Neijing." I specifically highlights the concept of the "Five Strains," which are habits or postures that can harm health if not managed. I also emphasize the importance of adapting to the changing seasons and maintaining a balanced lifestyle. These ancient principles align with modern healthy living...

Hello everyone! In today's episode, I do a recap of my recent school camping trip experience and reflect on seven years of memories marked by the K-pop girl group Blackpink. I also share an update of my Blackpink-related YouTube channel, which almost has 6k subscribers now. I want to express my gratitude to all my followers here and on YouTube with whom I share my life. Thank you.  Scripts and useful expressions below. Email me if you have any questions or need help with anything! Have a...

Hello everyone! In this episode I wanted to explain why I wasn't able to update this weekend. First, I woke up super early at 5 AM to watch an online concert by Blackpink, which took place in Seoul, South Korea, with a significant time difference from my location. It left me feeling tired all day. Additionally, I need to prepare for a school trip, similar to the one I went on last year, involving camping and canoeing for 10th-grade students. Time flies! I hope you find this episode enjoyable...

Hello everyone! In this episode I discuss the Chinese solar term "Bailu," its cultural significance, and presented some traditional advice for this transitional period from summer to autumn which includes dietary and dressing recommendations. Hope everyone stay healthy as fall draws near. Script and useful expressions...

Hello everyone! In this episode I share my first-hand experience about my new YouTube channel, which has gained over 1000 subscribers in just two weeks. It has been a lot of fun sharing content and learning about video uploading tips. I plans to continue sharing BLACKPINK concert videos, but I also plan to start another channel for podcast-like content. If you have any suggestions, please email me or comment where you can. Thank you all so much for the ongoing support. I wish you all the...

Hello everyone! In this episode I first want to announce that I launched my YouTube channel, "greatdestination," last week! Though right now it only has videos from my two Blackpink encore concerts in New York, I plans to upload both concert content and podcast to the channel, including short videos introducing popular phrases and sharing fun stuff in Chinese. I had a lot fun exploring YouTube and would love for you to join the channel. I can't believe 5 Minute Chinese is almost 2 years old!...

Hello everyone! Welcome to another episode of 5 Minute Chinese. First I want to apologize for the extended gap between my episodes. And since it's been some time, I want to give you an update on what I've been doing recently, including the start of the school this week, the two Blackpink concerts in Newark last weekend, my ear infection, and my new gym. Hope you like it! Please email me or leave a comment if I can help you in any way. Thank you for listening! Script and useful expressions...

Hello everyone! Hope you are doing well. Today's episode discusses why traveling to China might not be as easy as expected. While China offers rich cultural experiences, great historic and natural sites, and friendly locals, there are challenges such as limited flights and high costs, internet restrictions (Great Firewall) & barriers with local apps, and specific accommodation requirements for foreigners. Some extra research and preparation are essential for a smooth trip to...