In this episode of Bitesize News, Joeru and Amber unpack the latest headlines around the New Taiwan Dollar (NTD) following the conclusion of Taiwan–US tariff negotiations. We break down what exchange rates actually mean, why Taiwan’s investment commitments to the US are raising concerns about currency depreciation, and how economists interpret the short-term and long-term impact on the NTD.

本集將用清楚、易懂的中文新聞語言，帶你了解什麼是匯率、新台幣為什麼會出現「貶值疑慮」，以及這類經濟新聞和一般人的生活有什麼關係。

News source:《台視新聞網》, 2026/01/19, 林品瑄、王秋明 (https://www.gvm.com.tw/article/125373)

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

In this episode, we cover:
– 什麼是「匯率」？為什麼 1 美元兌 30 元台幣很重要
(What an exchange rate actually means, explained simply)
– 台美關稅談判落幕後，台灣承諾對美投資的背景
(Background of the Taiwan–US tariff deal and investment promises)
– 為什麼「對美投資」會引發新台幣貶值的疑慮
(Why overseas investment can trigger depreciation concerns)
– 新聞中常見的金融用語解析： 「落定」、「貶值」、「短線承壓」、「可望」、「區間震盪」
(Key financial expressions you’ll often hear in Mandarin news)

🌏 Bitesize News series brings you real-world Mandarin through one timely story every two weeks. Our hosts break down the headlines in clear, structured Chinese, helping B2–C1 learners build advanced listening skills while staying informed. Stay curious — and let the Bitesize Chinese newsroom become your Mandarin classroom.

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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Have you ever wondered which apps people in Taiwan actually use every day? In this episode, Joeru walks you through the most common mobile apps in Taiwan — from social media to messaging and mobile payments — and explains how locals really talk about them in Mandarin.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 In this episode, we cover:
– How to say “app” in Chinese: 應用程式 / App / A-P-P
– Popular social apps in Taiwan: Facebook (臉書 / FB), Instagram (IG), and Threads（脆）
– Why LINE is basically a must-have app in Taiwan
– Stickers, Line Pay, and how people actually use mobile payments
– Everyday apps that make life in Taiwan easy for foreigners

🗣 Listener Challenge:
你們國家有哪些「一定要下載」的手機 App？
If a foreigner visited your country, which apps would you recommend?
Share with us on Instagram 👉 @bitesize.chinese 💬

☕️ About Bitesize Talks:
Welcome to ☕️ 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 ☕️ — a podcast series designed for A1–A2 level Mandarin learners who want a bit more challenge! Join Mindy and Joeru as they share casual, real-life stories in natural Mandarin, helping you grow your confidence one conversation at a time. 📱 Follow us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese or Facebook for this week’s key vocabulary and tips!

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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How do you talk about Instagram in Mandarin? 📱✨
In this episode, Mindy and Joeru break down the most practical Mandarin expressions for using IG — from posting and stories to liking, saving, and sending DMs. You’ll learn how Taiwanese speakers actually talk about social media, using simple, everyday language you can start using right away.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 Today’s Topic:
Essential Instagram vocabulary and common actions on social media

🗝 Key Sentence:
我不常發文，可是我常發限動。
(Wǒ bù cháng fā wén, kěshì wǒ cháng fā xiàndòng.)
– I don’t post very often, but I post stories a lot.

🗣 Listener Challenge:
你比較常發文，還是發限動？你會按讚、留言，還是收藏？
Do you post more, or share stories more often? What do you usually do on IG? Try answering in Mandarin and tag us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese — we’d love to see your sentences!

🍰 About Bitesize Basics 🍰
Welcome to 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 — a podcast series for beginner Mandarin learners (A1)! Each episode teaches one useful grammar point or vocabulary set through fun, practical conversations. Learn with Mindy and Joeru and build your Mandarin step by step!

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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Do Taiwanese people actually drink a lot? 🍺 In this episode, Mindy and Joeru take a closer look at Taiwan’s drinking culture — when people drink, where they drink, and why drinking in Taiwan feels very different from many Western countries.

From family dinners and 熱炒店 to KTV and cocktail bars, we talk about how alcohol is tied to social context, not daily habit — and how traditional “battle-style” drinking culture is slowly shifting in modern Taiwan.

📘 Podcast Notes

Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.

Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 In this episode, we cover:

– Do Taiwanese people drink often? Comparing Taiwan with France, the UK, and Japan

– Why drinking in Taiwan is usually occasion-based, not everyday behavior

– Common drinking settings: home, restaurants, KTV, and bars — and how the vibe changes

– Traditional drinking culture: 拚酒、不醉不歸、敬酒、給面子

– Modern shifts toward choice, boundaries, and relaxed social drinking

– Common Mandarin expressions you’ll hear when drinking in Taiwan (like 小酌、乾杯、我敬你)

🗣 Listener Challenge:

喝酒對你來說是日常習慣，還是多半只在慶祝的場合才會喝？你在台灣有過什麼「飲酒文化衝擊」的經驗嗎？歡迎到 Instagram @bitesize.chinese 跟我們分享 🍻

Is drinking more of a daily habit, or something you do mainly for special occasions? Have you ever experienced any drinking culture shock in Taiwan? Share your thoughts with us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese 🍻

🎙️ The Bitesize Chinese Podcast helps you bridge the gap between classroom Mandarin and how people actually speak — with all the quirks, slang, and culture that come with it. Each bi-weekly episode is a bite-sized challenge designed to stretch your skills and bring you from intermediate to almost advanced — one conversation at a time. Tune in, take a bite, and keep growing with us! 🎧💬

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記

🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡

🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我

🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website

🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram

🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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Walking into a bar can be intimidating — especially when you don’t know the cocktail names. In this episode of Bitesize Basics, Mindy and Joeru show you a much easier way to order drinks in Mandarin: by describing the base spirit, the flavor, and the feeling you want.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning. Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 Today’s Topic:
How to order cocktails in Mandarin by describing what you want, not naming drinks

🗝 Key Sentence:
我要一杯烈一點的調酒 (Wǒ yào yì bēi liè yìdiǎn de tiáojiǔ) - I want a stronger cocktail.

🗣 Listener Challenge:
Imagine you’re at a bar. What would you order?
Try saying one sentence in Mandarin, for example:
👉 我想喝清爽一點的調酒
👉 我想喝甜甜的、奶類的調酒Share your sentence and tag us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese — we’d love to see what you’d order 🍸

🍰 About Bitesize Basics 🍰
Welcome to 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 — a podcast series for beginner Mandarin learners (A1)! Each episode teaches one useful grammar point or vocabulary set through fun, practical conversations. Learn with Mindy and Joeru and build your Mandarin step by step!

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記

🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡

🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我

🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website

🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram

🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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In this episode of Bitesize News, Amber and Joeru break down a major international headline involving Donald Trump and Venezuela — and explain why this story has sparked intense discussion in Taiwan.

本集將用清楚、可理解的新聞中文，帶你拆解「唐羅主義」是什麼、新聞標題裡的關鍵詞怎麼看懂，以及這起事件為什麼不只是拉丁美洲的事，也牽動台灣人對國際政治與安全的關注。我們會一步步從新聞標題出發，解析重要生詞、句型，再延伸討論不同國家立場背後的政治與經濟因素。

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 In this episode, we cover:
– 什麼是「唐羅主義」？ (What is the “Tangluo Doctrine”?)
– 為什麼部分委內瑞拉人民支持這次行動？ (Why do some people in Venezuela support this action?)
– 這則新聞為什麼在台灣引起高度關注？ (Why has this news drawn so much attention in Taiwan?)
– 新聞生詞與句型重點解析 (Key news vocabulary and sentence patterns explained in clear, learner-friendly Mandarin)

🌏 Bitesize News series brings you real-world Mandarin through one timely story every two weeks. Our hosts break down the headlines in clear, structured Chinese, helping B2–C1 learners build advanced listening skills while staying informed. Stay curious — and let the Bitesize Chinese newsroom become your Mandarin classroom.

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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If you’ve been to Taiwan, you’ve probably noticed one thing very quickly — drink shops are everywhere. In this episode of Bitesize Talks, Mindy talks about Taiwan’s famous 手搖飲文化 and why bubble tea is much more than just a drink.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 In this episode, you’ll hear about:
– What 「手搖飲」 really means in Taiwan
– How bubble tea grew out of Taiwan’s tea culture
– Why customization, price, and convenience matter so much
– How buying drinks became a social habit in everyday life

🗣 Listener Challenge:
What’s your favorite hand-shaken drink — or one you really want to try?
Share your answer with us on Instagram and tag @bitesize.chinese 🧋

☕️ About Bitesize Talks:
Welcome to ☕️ 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸𝘀 ☕️ — a podcast series designed for A1–A2 level Mandarin learners who want a bit more challenge! Join Mindy and Joeru as they share casual, real-life stories in natural Mandarin, helping you grow your confidence one conversation at a time.

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

Powered by Firstory Hosting

Ordering drinks in Taiwan can feel overwhelming — so many teas, toppings, sugar levels, and ice options. In this episode, Mindy and Joeru break it down step by step and show you how locals actually order drinks, starting from one simple sentence and building up naturally.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 Today’s Topic: How to order drinks in Mandarin, from tea names to toppings, sugar, and ice

🗝 Key Sentence: 我要一杯紅茶拿鐵。(Wǒ yào yì bēi hóngchá nátié.) - I want a cup of fresh milk tea.

🗣 Listener Challenge:
Can you decode this popular “drink code”: 珍奶微微?

🍰 About Bitesize Basics 🍰
Welcome to 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 — a podcast series for beginner Mandarin learners (A1)! Each episode teaches one useful grammar point or vocabulary set through fun, practical conversations. Learn with Mindy and Joeru and build your Mandarin step by step!

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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Setting a study plan sounds simple — but why do so many learners end up feeling stressed, bored, or stuck? In this episode, Mindy and Joeru talk about how to 制定學習計畫 (set a study plan) in a way that’s realistic, flexible, and actually sustainable. From exam preparation experiences to language learning routines, we break down what works, what doesn’t, and why copying other people’s methods often backfires.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯 In this episode, we cover:
– What 「制定」 really means in Mandarin (安排 / 設計 + 決定)
– Common mistakes in learning plans (too big, too ideal, too strict)
– Why motivation fades — and how planning can help
– How to build a study plan that fits your time, energy, and resources
– The “take a bite” philosophy behind 一口中文

🗣 Listener Challenge:
你 2026 年想設定的一個學習目標是什麼？這個星期，你可以先做哪一個小小、可行的行動？
What’s one learning goal you want to set for 2026 — and what’s one small, realistic step you can take this week?

🎙️ The Bitesize Chinese Podcast helps you bridge the gap between classroom Mandarin and how people actually speak — with all the quirks, slang, and culture that come with it. Each bi-weekly episode is a bite-sized challenge designed to stretch your skills and bring you from intermediate to almost advanced — one conversation at a time. Tune in, take a bite, and keep growing with us! 🎧💬

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

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New year, new habits! ✨ In this episode, Mindy and Joeru dive into one of the most practical topics for the start of 2026 — how to talk about the habits you want to build and the habits you want to quit in Mandarin. From classics like “sleep early, wake early” to deeper lifestyle changes like 記帳、投資理財、斷捨離, you’ll learn natural patterns you can use right away.

📘 Podcast Notes
Full transcripts and structured study support to help you turn listening into real learning.
Now Available here: https://ko-fi.com/bitesizechinese

🎯Today’s Topic:
How to express good and bad habits in Mandarin

🗝Key Patterns:
養成～的好習慣 (yǎngchéng ~ de hǎo xíguàn) — to build a good habit
戒掉～的壞習慣 (jièdiào ~ de huài xíguàn) — to quit a bad habit

🗣Listener Challenge:
今年你想養成什麼好習慣？想戒掉什麼壞習慣？
What’s one habit you want to start — or one you want to stop — in 2026?
Make a sentence using today’s patterns and tag us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese so we can cheer you on!

🍰 About Bitesize Basics 🍰
Welcome to 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 — a podcast series for beginner Mandarin learners (A1)! Each episode teaches one useful grammar point or vocabulary set through fun, practical conversations. Learn with Mindy and Joeru and build your Mandarin step by step!

🔅 Podcast Notes | 逐字稿＋學習筆記
🔅 Buy us a coffee｜贊助我們一杯咖啡
🔅 Leave a comment | 留言給我
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Website
🔅 Bitesize Chinese 一口中文 Instagram
🔅 Learn Chinese with us | 跟我們學中文

Powered by Firstory Hosting