Every year around the third month of the lunar calendar, people in Taiwan take part in the lively and meaningful event called the “Mazu Pilgrimage.” During this event, thousands of followers walk alongside Mazu’s palanquin, joining a long journey to offer incense and pray for blessings. Some people even walk hundreds of kilometers! It’s not just about religion — along the way, you can really see and feel Taiwan’s local culture, friendly people, and beautiful scenery. So, let’s take a closer look at this special tradition and find out what makes it so unique!

在每年農曆三月左右進行的「媽祖遶境」活動中，信徒會跟隨媽祖的腳步虔誠進香，繞境祈福，徒步行走數百公里。跟隨媽祖遶境，你將能從不同的角度看到台灣的文化、風土、民情，跟我們一起來了解這個活動吧！

keywords:

盤點 (pándiǎn) – Inventory, review

媽祖遶(繞)境 (Māzǔ rào/ràojìng) – Mazu Pilgrimage

進香 (jìnxiāng) – Pilgrimage to offer incense

三月瘋媽祖 (Sānyuè fēng Māzǔ) – March Madness for Mazu

女神 (nǚshén) – Goddess

海上的守護神 (hǎishàng de shǒuhùshén) – Guardian of the sea

繞來繞去 (ràolái ràoqù) – Wandering around, circling

宮廟 (gōngmiào) – Temples

出嫁 (chūjià) – Marrying off (symbolic for Mazu’s journey)

回娘家 (huí niángjiā) – Returning to her maternal home (symbolic return journey)

大甲媽 (Dàjiǎ Mā) – Dajia Mazu

白沙屯媽 (Báishātún Mā) – Baishatun Mazu

嘉年華 (jiāniánhuá) – Carnival

馬拉松 (mǎlāsōng) – Marathon

拜拜 (bàibài) – Worship

虔誠 (qiánchéng) – Devotion

神聖 (shénshèng) – Sacred

信仰 (xìnyǎng) – Faith, belief

小偷 (xiǎotōu) – Thief

錢財 (qiáncái) – Wealth, money

中暑 (zhòngshǔ) – Heatstroke

蚊子 (wénzi) – Mosquito

鞭炮 (biānpào) – Firecrackers

Recommend Level: CEFR A2 (and above)

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Whether it’s through language, clothing, or music, a person’s "sense of era" and "cultural bubble" often shine through. Even within the same language, people from different generations tend to use words and expressions differently. If you truly want to understand someone, you must first understand the language and expressions they are accustomed to.

Do you want to learn phrases commonly used in business settings or slang popular among younger generations? How should one go about learning and using them effectively?

不論是語言、衣著、音樂都常常可以看出一個人的「年代感」和「同溫層」。即使是同一個語言，不同年代的人經常會有不太一樣的用法，如果想真正了解一個人，就必須了解他習慣的用法。你想學習商務場合的用語，還是年輕世代的流行語？應該如何去學習和使用呢？

Recommend Level: CEFR A2 (and above)

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Do you prefer a packed, fast-paced itinerary, or a slower, more mindful "slow travel" experience? If you're tired of planning detailed schedules or no longer want to rush through attractions without truly experiencing them, maybe it's time to plan a slow travel journey!

你喜歡行程豐富的充實旅行，還是放慢速度關注感受的「軟旅行」？如果厭煩了規劃行程，或者不想總是走馬看花地拜訪景點，也許你現在該規劃的是一場軟旅行喔！

Recommend Level: CEFR A2 (and above)

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How many "online friends" do you have? Have you ever met your online friends in person? Do they look or act like you imagined? Joanne and April are online friends who have been recording together all this time but have never met in real life! What does it feel like to be so familiar yet so unfamiliar after so many years? Come listen to how we view "online friends"!

你有多少「網友」？你跟網友見過面嗎？你的網友跟你想像中的樣子一樣嗎？Joanne跟April是網友，而且是錄音錄到現在都沒見過面的網友！這麼多年又熟悉又陌生是什麼樣的感覺？來聽聽看我們怎麼看「網友」吧！

Recommend Level: CEFR A2 (and above)

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In this episode, April and three American students discuss what it is like to be a senior in college. Topics include how the students feel about graduating, their plans after graduation, and struggles they have as fourth year students.

在這一集中，April 和三位美國學生一起聊聊大學四年級學生對畢業的感覺。除了討論對畢業後的感覺以外，還說到了畢業後的計畫，以及所面臨的壓力。快來聽聽他們對畢業的看法，也歡迎大家和我們分享自己的經驗！

Recommend Level: CEFR A2 (and above)

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In this episode, April and Julia dive into the special celebration of Thanksgiving! We discuss classic Thanksgiving foods like turkey, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce, as well as fun traditions such as Black Friday and family dinners. Additionally, we explore the history of Thanksgiving, touching on its controversies, and compare it with Christmas. To wrap things up, April poses an interesting question: Does your country have a holiday similar to Thanksgiving? Tune in now and join us as we explore the spirit of Thanksgiving!

在這一集中，April 和佳悅一起聊聊「感恩節」這個特別的節日！我們分享了感恩節經典食物，例如火雞、土豆、地瓜、蔓越莓醬，還有一些有趣的傳統，比如黑色星期五和家人聚餐。除此之外，我們也回顧了感恩節的歷史，討論了其中的爭議點，並比較了感恩節與聖誕節。最後，April 還問了一個很有趣的問題：在你的國家，有沒有像感恩節這樣的節日呢？趕快點擊播放，和我們一起進入感恩節的世界吧！

Recommend Level: CEFR A2 (and above)

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Is writing Chinese characters difficult for you? In fact, for people in Taiwan, writing characters isn’t that easy either. Native speakers spend a lot of time practicing the skill of writing characters and trying to memorize them. Nowadays, even though people type more than they write characters by hand, it can still be a calming and therapeutic activity

你喜歡寫字嗎？對你來說寫中文字是不是一件很困難的事？其實對台灣人來說，寫字也一點都不簡單。但有時候寫字也可能是一件療癒的事情呢！來聽聽看我們對寫字的看法吧！

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Is it the middle of the night where you are now? Many people enjoy a bit of personal time before bed, and sometimes, if they enjoy it for too long, it turns into staying up late. Why is it that more and more modern people are staying up late? Do you like doing things when the night is quiet? Listen to Howto.zhongwen podcast, turn off the lights, and quietly listen to an episode. Let yourself relax, and maybe you won’t stay up late tonight!

你那裡現在是半夜了嗎？許多人喜歡在睡前享受一點屬於自己的時光，有時候一不小心享受太久，就變成了熬夜。為什麼現代人熬夜的情況越來越多？你喜歡在夜深人靜時做事情嗎？打開好土中文、關掉燈光，靜靜地聽一、兩集節目，讓自己放鬆下來，也許今晚就不會熬夜囉！

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Being rejected always feels uncomfortable, but rejecting others is an art. Do you know how to say no? Can you refuse someone without making them feel upset? Let’s explore the art of rejection together!

被拒絕總是讓人難受，而拒絕人則是一門藝術。你懂得拒絕嗎？你能在拒絕別人的同時，還讓對方不感覺到不愉快嗎？讓我們一起研究拒絕的藝術吧！

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The summer heat often leaves people without an appetite. Besides enjoying some cold, tangy, and spicy dishes, what else can you do? Do you try your best to stimulate your appetite, or just snack on random things and skip meals altogether? Let's rediscover our appetite!

夏天天氣好熱，常常讓人沒有胃口。這時候除了可以吃些冰冰涼涼、酸酸辣辣的菜，還可以怎麼做呢？你會想盡辦法開胃，或者就乾脆吃一些「有的沒的」零食，略過正餐？讓「好土中文」陪你一起找回好胃口吧！

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