Chinese listening level: HSK 4 / CEFR B1.

Why mǎ dào chéng gōng?

Why did the ancients in China invariably associate the horse with wishes for success? In this video, we delve into the military logic and cultural significance behind the idiom "Success Upon the Horse's Arrival" (*Ma Dao Cheng Gong*) and share Lunar New Year greetings for the Year of the Horse from global organizations like the UN and ASEAN. May you take the lead and find everything going your way in the 2026 Year of the Horse!

2026 丙午马年奔腾而来！2026 : 为什么 “马到成功”?

为什么中国古人预祝成功一定要用“马”？本期视频带你深度拆解“马到成功”背后的军事逻辑与文化底蕴，并分享来自联合国、东盟等全球各界的马年新春祝福。祝你在2026马年，一马当先 ，万事如意！

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247video

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Chinese listening level: HSK 5 / CEFR B2.

UK PM Starmer leads 60 CEOs to China

The U.K Prime Minister was joined by a high-level delegation, including top executives from HSBC, AstraZeneca, and BP etc

英首相率高层代表团访华

#斯塔默访华 (Starmer's visit to China)

#中英关系 (UK-China relations)

#英国首相 (British Prime Minister)

#2026外交 (Diplomacy 2026)

#KeirStarmer

#中国免签 (China visa-free)

#威士忌关税 (Whisky tariff)

#务实外交 (Pragmatic diplomacy)

#商务代表团 (Business delegation)

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C

更多视频 More videos:

3 Survival Chinese Phrases: Speak Like a Native in Public! 3句超实用的日常救场汉语

Video: Chinese and English subtitles： https://youtu.be/VGkCD-TlVuQ ⁠

Chinese listening level: HSK 5 / CEFR B2.

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C

China-Canada 2026 Trade Agreement: Electric Vehicles for Rapeseed

中加2026贸易协议：电动汽车换油菜籽　

#Mark Carney #China-Canada# Trade Deal, 2026# EV Tariffs# Canola# Xi Jinping# Trump# 中加关系# 贸易协议# 电动汽车,# 油菜籽# 关税

说明：本期节目的数据参考了中国新华社，加拿大《环球邮报》、CCTV、　及公开政务信息等多家媒体的最新报道。

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更多视频 More videos:

3 Survival Chinese Phrases: Speak Like a Native in Public! 3句超实用的日常救场汉语

Video: Chinese and English subtitles： https://youtu.be/VGkCD-TlVuQ ⁠

Chinese listening level: HSK 6 / CEFR C1.

Brief:  Greenland: Tensions are rising, threats are being made, and the world is watching. Is Greenland the next geopolitical front-line under Trump? Listen in to find out what is really going on.

格陵兰岛：局势升级、威胁逼近、全球瞩目。这片宁静的冰原会成为下一个地缘风暴中心吗？点进来，听懂这场正在酝酿的危机。

#格陵兰 #特朗普 #2026局势 #地缘政治 #北极争夺战 #国际新闻 #Greenland #Trump #ArcticSecurity #NATO

特朗普,格陵兰,丹麦,北约,稀土,2026局势

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C

更多视频 More videos:

3 Survival Chinese Phrases: Speak Like a Native in Public! 3句超实用的日常救场汉语

Video: Chinese and English subtitles： https://youtu.be/VGkCD-TlVuQ ⁠

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Chinese listening level: HSK 5 / CEFR B2.

⁠⁠2026: Four Stories of the New Year

Summary: At the start of 2026, China is witnessing a profound shift in technology and social values. This episode explores four key events: the rise of "Agentic AI" through a dialogue between NVIDIA and Lenovo; Beijing's environmental milestone of having only one heavy pollution day in 2025; a high-profile family break-up at a legacy shoe maker over the successor's nationality; and the 200 million domestic trips that define the new "experience-driven" economy.

2026开年四件事

摘要： 2026年伊始，中国正处于技术与观念的剧烈交替中。本期播客通过四件开年大事，带你观察这个时代的切面：英伟达与联想对话，预示“代理式AI”将开启效率革命；北京空气治理交出成绩单，全年重污染仅1天；老牌鞋企“双星名人”爆发家族决裂，折射出接班人国籍背后的价值冲突；以及2亿人次跨省出游，展示了理性的消费时代里，人们对“好心情”的坚持。

#2026开年 #AI代理 #人工智能 #北京蓝 #环境治理 #双星名人 #汪海 #家族企业接班 #元旦旅游 #消费趋势 #中国观察#HSK4 #中级汉语听力

#China2026 #AgenticAI #NVIDIA #Lenovo #BeijingAirQuality#FamilyBusiness #SuccessionConflict #TravelTrend #ChinaEconomy #PodcastChina#MandarinLearning #B1Chinese

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C

Chinese listening level: HSK 5 / CEFR B2.

Background: On December 2, 2025, Canon (Zhongshan) Office Equipment Co., Ltd.—a subsidiary of Japan’s Canon located in Zhongshan, Guangdong—informed the media outlet *The Paper* that it had made the difficult decision to cease operations. This move followed careful deliberation by headquarters, as the company faced mounting operational difficulties driven by drastic changes in the market environment, a continuing contraction in the LBP (laser printer) market, and the rapid rise of domestic LBP brands in China; despite various efforts to adjust, the company was unable to turn the situation around.

This podcast episode discusses the compensation provided to departing employees by Canon (Zhongshan)—"Delighting You Always."

新闻背景：日本佳能旗下位于广东中山的佳能（中山）办公设备有限公司２０２５年１２月２日对媒体澎拜新闻社说，由于市场环境急剧变化，LBP（激光打印机）市场持续萎缩、中国国内LBP品牌快速崛起等，公司经营困难持续加剧，虽经多方努力尝试调整，公司仍无法扭转局面，总部经慎重研究，作出停止公司生产经营的艰难决定。

这期播客讨论的是广东中山佳能对离职员工的补偿 - 感动常在

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C⁠⁠

Chinese listening level: HSK 4 / CEFR B1.

Dan Koe:  “If you're bored, create something. Anything. Software. Designs. Photos. Videos. Writing. A business. A body. A relationship. A mind. How can you not be excited to wake up when you have the ability to create. "

最近看到一个网络流行作家，也是YouTube 的年轻的视频制作者，Dan Koe 在社交媒体上的发言。他说， “如果你感到无聊，那就创造点什么。任何东西。软件，设计，照片，视频。写作，创办企业， 塑造人格，建立关系，构思思想，当你拥有创造的能力时，怎能不兴奋地醒来呢？”

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C

今天 我们就 #聊一聊# ‘无聊 ’ #这个话题。

Chinese listening level: HSK 6 / CEFR C2.

Hong Kong's High-Rise Blazes: Lessons and Warnings

In this episode, we delve into the major residential fire that recently occurred at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, Hong Kong, and the profound lessons we can learn from this tragedy. We will go beyond a simple recap to systematically analyze:

1 The root causes of this high-rise fire.

2 The tragic consequences and casualties resulting from the fire.

3 The key rescue measures taken by the Hong Kong government and emergency services.

4 First-hand accounts from victims and their families regarding their experiences and emotions during the incident.

5 Finally, we focus on high-rise residential safety, summarizing the most critical fire safety lessons this tragedy holds for everyone living in high-rise buildings.

香港住宅楼 火灾 Brief: 本期播客将深入探讨最近发生在香港大埔宏福苑的一场特大住宅楼火灾，以及这场悲剧带给我们的深刻警示。我们将不只是回顾事件，更将系统性地剖析：

1 导致这场高层火灾的核心原因是什么？

2 火灾造成了怎样的悲剧性后果和人员伤亡？

3 香港政府和救援部门采取了哪些关键的救援措施？

4 听听受害人及家属讲述他们在那一刻的经历和感受。

5 最后， 我们会将目光聚焦于高层住宅安全，总结这场火灾对于所有居住在高楼大厦中的人来说，最重要的消防安全警示是什么。

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C⁠⁠

Chinese listening level: HSK 6 / CEFR C1.

Sino-Japanese relations: new waves of tensionIn this episode, we explore:

1 The history of Sino-Japanese relations and public sentiment in recent years.

2 Recent official conflicts between China and Japan stemming from the Taiwan issue.

3 Public reactions to these official conflicts—and the reasons behind them.

4 The future trajectory and ultimate outcome of Sino-Japanese relations.

中日关系：又现波澜

Brief：这篇播客探讨了：

1 最近几年中日关系发展历史和民众的态度

2 最近由于台湾问题 ，中日官方发生了什么冲突？

3中日民众对官方冲突的态度是什么？ 为什么？

4 中日关系的走向和结局是什么？

* Test your HSK 3, 4, 5, or 6 vocabulary here:⁠⁠ https://www.mandarin247.com/mandarin-quizzes⁠⁠

* Check out the videos with subtitles on the M247 YouTube channel at ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@M247C

Chinese listening level: HSK 5 / CEFR B2.

Chinese Consumers: A Slump in Spending or a Shift in Priorities?

In recent years, both domestic and international media have reported on "consumption downgrading" within the Chinese market. The prevailing impression is that Chinese consumers are afraid to spend due to economic concerns, with saving money seemingly becoming the top priority. However, the reality may differ from what we imagine.

Today, let us explore a question: Is the apparent "slump" in Chinese consumer spending actually an illusion? Where exactly is the money that Chinese people are *not* spending on traditional goods actually going?

中国的消费者：消费低迷还是另有打算?

近几年，中外媒体都在报道中国市场和消费者在“消费降级”，感觉中国的消费者由于经济原因，都不敢花钱了，存钱似乎是第一选择。但真实情况可能跟我们想象的不一样。

今天我们就来探讨一个问题：中国的消费群体的“消费低迷”到底是不是一个假象？中国人那些没花在传统商品上的钱，到底花到哪里去了？