In this episode, we explore 20 of the most ridiculous, real world records ever set — and learn how to talk about them in Mandarin. From smashing toilet seats with your head to balancing snails on your face, this is your crash course in weirdness and useful Mandarin vocabulary. Whether you’re a language learner or just love strange facts, we’ve got you covered.

Mandarin Vocabulary List (Traditional + Pinyin + English)

1. 一次穿最多件T恤 | yī cì chuān zuì duō jiàn T xù | Most T-shirts worn at once
2. 最長指甲 | zuì cháng zhǐ jiǎ | Longest fingernails
3. 最快吃完生洋蔥 | zuì kuài chī wán shēng yáng cōng | Fastest time to eat a raw onion
4. 一分鐘內用頭撞碎最多馬桶蓋 | yī fēn zhōng nèi yòng tóu zhuàng suì zuì duō mǎ tǒng gài | Most toilet seats broken with head in 1 minute
5. 最大橡皮筋球 | zuì dà xiàng pí jīn qiú | Largest rubber band ball
6. 最遠丟洗衣機距離 | zuì yuǎn diū xǐ yī jī jù lí | Furthest washing machine throw
7. 身上平衡最多湯匙 | shēn shàng píng héng zuì duō tāng chí | Most spoons balanced on a human body
8. 吊在電鑽上一分鐘內轉最多圈 | diào zài diàn zuàn shàng yī fēn zhōng nèi zhuǎn zuì duō quān | Most spins on a power drill in 1 minute
9. 全身接觸冰塊最久時間 | quán shēn jiē chù bīng kuài zuì jiǔ shí jiān | Longest full-body contact with ice
10. 最多人扮成藍色小精靈的聚會 | zuì duō rén bàn chéng lán sè xiǎo jīng líng de jù huì | Largest gathering of people dressed as Smurfs
11. 用鼻子打出字母最快時間 | yòng bí zi dǎ chū zì mǔ zuì kuài shí jiān | Fastest time to type the alphabet with your nose
12. 臉上放最多蝸牛（五分鐘） | liǎn shàng fàng zuì duō guā niú (wǔ fēn zhōng) | Most snails on a face (in 5 minutes)
13. 穿高跟鞋跑100公尺最快時間 | chuān gāo gēn xié pǎo yì bǎi gōng chǐ zuì kuài shí jiān | Fastest 100m run in high heels
14. 單腳轉呼拉圈最多次 | dān jiǎo zhuǎn hū lā quān zuì duō cì | Most hula hoop spins on one leg
15. 一生中吃最多巨無霸 | yī shēng zhōng chī zuì duō jù wú bà | Most Big Macs eaten in a lifetime
16. 全身著火被馬拉最遠距離 | quán shēn zháo huǒ bèi mǎ lā zuì yuǎn jù lí | Longest distance pulled by a horse while on fire
17. 蒙眼穿十件T恤最快時間 | méng yǎn chuān shí jiàn T xù zuì kuài shí jiān | Fastest time to put on 10 T-shirts blindfolded
18. 三十秒內被濕海綿打最多次 | sān shí miǎo nèi bèi shī hǎi mián dǎ zuì duō cì | Most wet sponge hits in 30 seconds
19. 頭頂牛奶瓶走最遠距離 | tóu dǐng niú nǎi píng zǒu zuì yuǎn jù lí | Longest distance walked balancing a milk bottle on head
20. 同時刷牙人數最多 | tóng shí shuā yá rén shù zuì duō | Most people brushing their teeth simultaneously

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From baby mop outfits to chopstick fans and silent karaoke mics — the world has no shortage of strange inventions. In this episode, Tom and Ula explore 20 bizarre gadgets from around the globe and break down the Mandarin vocabulary behind each one. It’s the perfect mix of language learning, cultural curiosity, and a whole lot of "Wait… that's real?"

Whether you're here for the vocab or just want to hear us try to explain what a "nose stylus" is in Mandarin… this one’s for you.

1. 嬰兒拖把衣 | yīng ér tuō bǎ yī | Baby mop clothes
2. 印臉吐司機 | yìn liǎn tǔ sī jī | Face-printing toaster
3. 擁抱枕頭 | yǒng bào zhěn tóu | Hugging pillow
4. 香蕉切片器 | xiāng jiāo qiē piàn qì | Banana slicer
5. 防色狼腿毛褲襪 | fáng sè láng tuǐ máo kù wà | Anti-pervert hairy tights
6. 寵物管家機器人 | chǒng wù guǎn jiā jī qì rén | Pet butler robot
7. 鞋子雨傘 | xié zi yǔ sǎn | Shoe umbrella
8. USB領帶風扇 | USB lǐng dài fēng shàn | USB tie fan
9. 鼻子觸控筆 | bí zi chù kòng bǐ | Nose stylus
10. 無聲卡拉OK麥克風 | wú shēng kǎ lā OK mài kè fēng | Silent karaoke mic
11. 減肥水 | jiǎn féi shuǐ | Diet water
12. 馬桶高爾夫球組 | mǎ tǒng gāo ěr fū qiú zǔ | Toilet golf set
13. 瘦臉面罩 | shòu liǎn miàn zhào | Face slimming mask
14. 髮夾風扇 | fà jiā fēng shàn | Hair clip fan
15. 貓語翻譯項圈 | māo yǔ fān yì xiàng quān | Cat translation collar
16. 奶油棒 | nǎi yóu bàng | Butter stick
17. 筷子風扇 | kuài zi fēng shàn | Chopstick fan
18. 遙控拖鞋拖把 | yáo kòng tuō xié tuō bǎ | Remote mop slippers
19. 鼻塞濾網 | bí sāi lǜ wǎng | Nose plug filters
20. 午睡枕頭 | wǔ shuì zhěn tóu | Nap desk pillow

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1. Balut – Fertilized duck embryo (Philippines)

鴨仔蛋 | yā zǐ dàn | Duck embryo egg

2. Surströmming – Fermented herring (Sweden)

瑞典酸鯡魚 | ruì diǎn suān fèi yú | Swedish sour herring

3. Casu Marzu – Maggot cheese (Italy)

活蛆乳酪 | huó qū rǔ lào | Live maggot cheese

4. Fried Tarantula (Cambodia)

炸狼蛛 | zhà láng zhū | Fried tarantula

5. Hákarl – Fermented shark (Iceland)

發酵鯊魚肉 | fā xiào shā yú ròu | Fermented shark meat

6. Sannakji – Live baby octopus (Korea)

活章魚 | huó zhāng yú | Live octopus

7. Escamoles – Ant larvae (Mexico)

蟻卵 | yǐ luǎn | Ant eggs / larvae

8. Century Egg – Preserved black egg (China)

皮蛋 | pí dàn | Century egg

9. Blood Pancake (Finland)

血煎餅 | xuè jiān bǐng | Blood pancake

10. Witchetty Grub (Australia – Aboriginal delicacy)

大白蟲 | dà bái chóng | Big white grub

11. Tuna Eyeball (Japan)

鮪魚眼球 | wěi yú yǎn qiú | Tuna eyeball

12. Snake Wine (Vietnam/China)

蛇酒 | shé jiǔ | Snake wine

13. Guinea Pig (Cuy) (Peru/Ecuador)

天竺鼠肉 | tiān zhú shǔ ròu | Guinea pig meat

14. Mopane Worms (Southern Africa)

莫潘蟲 | mò pān chóng | Mopane worms

15. Frog Smoothie (Peru)

青蛙果汁 | qīng wā guǒ zhī | Frog juice

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Ever heard of a law that bans you from handling salmon "suspiciously"? Or a rule that says men must wear Speedos at public pools in France? In this episode, we dive into some of the strangest, most ridiculous laws from around the world. From kites being outlawed in the UK to Japan’s weight regulations, we break down these bizarre rules, their origins, and whether they actually make any sense. Plus, we’ll throw in some Mandarin vocabulary along the way, so you can learn while you laugh!

Would you obey these laws or break them just for fun? Tune in to find out!

General Law-Related Words

• 法律 (fǎlǜ) – Law
• 法规 (fǎguī) – Regulation
• 非法 (fēifǎ) – Illegal
• 违法 (wéifǎ) – Against the law
• 规定 (guīdìng) – Rule/regulation
• 政府 (zhèngfǔ) – Government
• 批准 (pīzhǔn) – Approval

Weird Law Examples & VocabularyIllegal to handle salmon suspiciously (UK 🇬🇧)

• 鲑鱼 (guīyú) – Salmon
• 可疑 (kěyí) – Suspicious
• 处理 (chǔlǐ) – To handle

No flying kites in public places (UK 🇬🇧)

• 风筝 (fēngzhēng) – Kite
• 公共场所 (gōnggòng chǎngsuǒ) – Public place

Illegal to be drunk in a pub (UK 🇬🇧)

• 酒吧 (jiǔbā) – Pub/bar
• 喝醉 (hē zuì) – To be drunk

No ice cream in your back pocket (US 🇺🇸, Alabama)

• 冰淇淋 (bīngqílín) – Ice cream
• 口袋 (kǒudài) – Pocket

Illegal to wake a sleeping bear for a photo (US 🇺🇸, Alaska)

• 熊 (xióng) – Bear
• 拍照 (pāizhào) – Take a photo

No donkeys sleeping in bathtubs (US 🇺🇸, Arizona)

• 驴 (lǘ) – Donkey
• 浴缸 (yùgāng) – Bathtub

Men must wear Speedos in public pools (France 🇫🇷)

• 泳池 (yóuyǒngchí) – Swimming pool
• 紧身泳裤 (jǐnshēn yǒngkù) – Speedos

No chewing gum in Singapore (🇸🇬)

• 口香糖 (kǒuxiāngtáng) – Chewing gum

You must walk your dog daily (Germany 🇩🇪)

• 遛狗 (liù gǒu) – Walk the dog
• 宠物 (chǒngwù) – Pet

Illegal to name your pig ‘Napoleon’ (France 🇫🇷)

• 猪 (zhū) – Pig
• 名字 (míngzì) – Name

No flushing toilets after 10 PM (Switzerland 🇨🇭)

• 厕所 (cèsuǒ) – Toilet
• 晚上 (wǎnshàng) – Nighttime

In China, you cannot reincarnate without government approval (China 🇨🇳)

• 转世 (zhuǎnshì) – Reincarnation
• 灵魂 (línghún) – Soul

Illegal to change a lightbulb without a license (Australia 🇦🇺)

• 灯泡 (dēngpào) – Lightbulb
• 执照 (zhízhào) – License

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Unusual Hobbies (特殊的爱好 - tè shū de ài hào)

1. Extreme Ironing (极限熨烫) – jí xiàn yùn tàng
2. Quidditch (魁地奇) – kuí dì qí
3. Cheese Rolling (奶酪滚动比赛) – nǎi lào gǔn dòng bǐ sài
4. Toy Voyaging (玩具旅行) – wán jù lǚ xíng
5. Competitive Duck Herding (竞技赶鸭子) – jìng jì gǎn yā zi
6. Trainspotting (火车观察) – huǒ chē guān chá
7. Mooing Competitions (学牛叫比赛) – xué niú jiào bǐ sài
8. Soapbox Racing (肥皂盒赛车) – féi zào hé sài chē
9. Bog Snorkeling (泥潭浮潜) – ní tán fú qián
10. Stone Skipping (打水漂比赛) – dǎ shuǐ piāo bǐ sài
11. Ferret Legging (裤子养雪貂比赛) – kù zi yǎng xuě diāo bǐ sài
12. Wife Carrying Race (扛妻比赛) – káng qī bǐ sài
13. Beetle Fighting (甲虫格斗) – jiǎ chóng gé dòu
14. Cardboard Tube Dueling (纸板管决斗) – zhǐ bǎn guǎn jué dòu
15. Underwater Hockey (水下曲棍球) – shuǐ xià qū gùn qiú
16. Competitive Air Guitar (空气吉他比赛) – kōng qì jí tā bǐ sài
17. Canine Freestyle (狗狗舞蹈比赛) – gǒu gǒu wǔ dǎo bǐ sài
18. Lawn Mower Racing (割草机比赛) – gē cǎo jī bǐ sài
19. Soap Carving (肥皂雕刻) – féi zào diāo kè
20. Pencil Sharpening as an Art (削铅笔艺术) – xuē qiān bǐ yì shù

Unusual Cultural Activities (特殊的文化活动 - tè shū de wén huà huó dòng)

1. La Tomatina (番茄大战) – fān qié dà zhàn
2. Baby Jumping Festival (跳婴节) – tiào yīng jié
3. Monkey Buffet Festival (猴子自助餐节) – hóu zi zì zhù cān jié
4. Goose Pulling (拔鹅比赛) – bá é bǐ sài
5. Polterabend (婚前碎瓷习俗) – hūn qián suì cí xí sú
6. Gurning Contests (扭脸比赛) – niǔ liǎn bǐ sài
7. Famadihana (换尸节) – huàn shī jié
8. Up-Helly-Aa (维京火节) – wéi jīng huǒ jié
9. Kanamara Matsuri (钢铁阴茎祭) – gāng tiě yīn jīng jì
10. Naki Sumo (婴儿哭泣相扑赛) – yīng ér kū qì xiàng pū sài
11. The Battle of the Oranges (橙子大战) – chéng zi dà zhàn
12. Tunarama Festival (金枪鱼投掷节) – jīn qiāng yú tóu zhì jié
13. Toe Wrestling (脚趾摔跤) – jiǎo zhǐ shuāi jiāo
14. Golden Retriever Festival (金毛犬节) – jīn máo quǎn jié
15. Krampusnacht (克朗普斯之夜) – kè lǎng pǔ sī zhī yè
16. Blackened Teeth (染黑牙齿, 日本旧习俗) – rǎn hēi yá chǐ, rì běn jiù xí sú
17. Frozen Dead Guy Days (冰冻死人节) – bīng dòng sǐ rén jié
18. Giant Omelette Festival (巨型煎蛋节) – jù xíng jiān dàn jié
19. Hadaka Matsuri (裸体祭, 日本裸祭) – luǒ tǐ jì, rì běn luǒ jì
20. Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling (库珀山奶酪滚动比赛) – kù pò shān nǎi lào gǔn dòng bǐ sài

Festival (节日) – jié rì

Competition (比赛) – bǐ sài

Traditional (传统的) – chuán tǒng de

Cultural Event (文化活动) – wén huà huó dòng

Unusual (特殊的) – tè shū de

Weird (奇怪的) – qí guài de

Challenge (挑战) – tiǎo zhàn

Sport (运动) – yùn dòng

Activity (活动) – huó dòng

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In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we chat about the Eisenhower Matrix (艾森豪威尔矩阵, Àisēnháowēi’ěr jǔzhèn)—not as experts, but just as two people trying to figure out where all our time goes. We’ve all been there: feeling 忙碌 (mánglù, busy) but not necessarily productive (有成效的, yǒu chéngxiào de). So, what actually makes something 重要 (zhòngyào, important) versus just 紧急 (jǐnjí, urgent)?

我们不是在教你如何管理时间，而是聊聊我们自己是怎么思考这些问题的。为什么有些任务看起来很急 (hěn jí)，但其实没什么意义？为什么真正重要的事情，往往被推到最后才做？我们的生活中有哪些任务是“假忙碌”？

我们讨论了工作、生活、甚至一些让人忍不住拖延的事。听完后，你有没有类似的感受？你的时间管理方式是怎样的？欢迎留言和我们一起讨论!

放松 (fàngsōng) – Relax

压力 (yālì) – Pressure

享受 (xiǎngshòu) – Enjoy

节奏 (jiézòu) – Rhythm/Pace

平衡 (pínghéng) – Balance

忙碌 (mánglù) – Busy

幸福 (xìngfú) – Happiness

瞬间 (shùnjiān) – Moment

简单 (jiǎndān) – Simple

呼吸 (hūxī) – Breathe

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In episode #392 of Mandarin Monkey, we speculate about what it’s like moving to the mountains in Taiwan (we don't live in the mountains) and the joys (and challenges) of using Starlink for internet. We also dive into the differences between nosy neighbors in English and Taiwanese culture—who’s watching, who’s gossiping, and who just doesn’t care? Finally, we put our translation skills to the test with I Do It Anyway by Yoshi 2.0. Some lyrics make sense, some... not so much. Tune in for a mix of language, culture, and a few laughs along the way!

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In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Tom and Ula dive into the world of untranslatable words—those linguistic gems that exist in Mandarin but leave English speakers scratching their heads, and vice versa. They explore phrases like "懒得理 (lǎn de lǐ)"—the perfect expression for when you just can’t be bothered—and "面子 (miànzi)", the all-important social concept of saving face.

From the emotional richness of "心酸 (xīn suān)"—that bittersweet feeling of nostalgia—to the English quirk of feeling "hangry" when hunger turns you into a monster, this episode uncovers the fascinating differences that shape how we express ourselves across cultures.

Plus, they challenge each other to guess the meaning behind some of the weirdest literal translations—like "wolf swallows, tiger gulps"—and invent some brand-new words for those everyday moments we all recognize but never knew how to name.

Tune in for laughs, language insights, and a new appreciation for the wonderfully weird world of words!

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In this engaging episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, hosts Tom and Ula delve into the fascinating world of literal translations between Mandarin and English. They explore how certain phrases, when translated word-for-word, can lead to humorous or confusing interpretations due to cultural and linguistic differences. The discussion includes idioms and expressions from both languages, highlighting the challenges and amusement that arise in translation. Listeners are treated to examples such as "It's raining cats and dogs" and its potential literal Mandarin translation, as well as Mandarin idioms like "一日三秋" (yī rì sān qiū), which literally means "one day, three autumns," but conveys the feeling of missing someone deeply. This episode offers a delightful blend of language learning and cultural insights, making it a must-listen for those interested in the nuances of Mandarin and English expressions.

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Ula and Tom speak about some confusing Mandarin and English words. All in Mandarin and English (Chinglish) for your listening pleasure.

Mandarin Lessons

www.mandarinmonkey.com

帶 (dài) vs. 戴 (dài)

• 帶 (dài): to bring/carry (請帶你的護照。Qǐng dài nǐ de hùzhào. – Please bring your passport.)
• 戴 (dài): to wear (accessories) (她戴了一條項鍊。Tā dài le yī tiáo xiàngliàn. – She wore a necklace.)

買 (mǎi) vs. 賣 (mài)

• 買 (mǎi): to buy (我買了一本書。Wǒ mǎi le yī běn shū. – I bought a book.)
• 賣 (mài): to sell (這家店賣衣服。Zhè jiā diàn mài yīfú. – This store sells clothes.)

見 (jiàn) vs. 見面 (jiànmiàn)

• 見 (jiàn): to see (我昨天見到了他。Wǒ zuótiān jiàn dào le tā. – I saw him yesterday.)
• 見面 (jiànmiàn): to meet (我們下週見面。Wǒmen xià zhōu jiànmiàn. – We will meet next week.)

聽 (tīng) vs. 停 (tíng)

• 聽 (tīng): to listen (請聽我說。Qǐng tīng wǒ shuō. – Please listen to me.)
• 停 (tíng): to stop (請停車。Qǐng tíngchē. – Please stop the car.)

還 (hái) vs. 還 (huán)

• 還 (hái): still/yet (我還沒吃飯。Wǒ hái méi chīfàn. – I haven’t eaten yet.)
• 還 (huán): to return something (請還我書。Qǐng huán wǒ shū. – Please return my book.)

做 (zuò) vs. 作 (zuò)

• 做 (zuò): to do/make (我要做飯。Wǒ yào zuò fàn. – I am going to cook.)
• 作 (zuò): to act as or create (這是他的作品。Zhè shì tā de zuòpǐn. – This is his work.)

借 (jiè) vs. 接 (jiē)

• 借 (jiè): to borrow/lend (我可以借你的筆嗎？Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma? – Can I borrow your pen?)
• 接 (jiē): to pick up (phone/person) or receive (我要去機場接他。Wǒ yào qù jīchǎng jiē tā. – I am going to the airport to pick him up.)

試 (shì) vs. 是 (shì)

• 試 (shì): to try (請試試這個。Qǐng shì shì zhège. – Please try this.)
• 是 (shì): to be (我是老師。Wǒ shì lǎoshī. – I am a teacher.)

借 (jiè) vs. 還 (huán)

• 借 (jiè): to borrow (他借了我的書。Tā jiè le wǒ de shū. – He borrowed my book.)
• 還 (huán): to return (請還我書。Qǐng huán wǒ shū. – Please return my book.)

光 (guāng) vs. 亮 (liàng)

• 光 (guāng): light (陽光很好。Yángguāng hěn hǎo. – The sunlight is nice.)
• 亮 (liàng): bright (這盞燈很亮。Zhè zhǎn dēng hěn liàng. – This lamp is very bright.)

換 (huàn) vs. 變 (biàn)

• 換 (huàn): to exchange/change (我要換錢。Wǒ yào huàn qián. – I need to exchange money.)
• 變 (biàn): to transform (他變了很多。Tā biàn le hěn duō. – He has changed a lot.)

想 (xiǎng) vs. 要 (yào)

• 想 (xiǎng): to think or miss someone (我想你。Wǒ xiǎng nǐ. – I miss you.)
• 要 (yào): to want or need (我要喝水。Wǒ yào hē shuǐ. – I want to drink water.)

近 (jìn) vs. 進 (jìn)

• 近 (jìn): near (我家很近。Wǒ jiā hěn jìn. – My home is close.)
• 進 (jìn): to enter (請進來。Qǐng jìnlái. – Please come in.)

難 (nán) vs. 男 (nán)

• 難 (nán): difficult (這題很難。Zhè tí hěn nán. – This question is very difficult.)
• 男 (nán): male (他是男生。Tā shì nánshēng. – He is a boy.)

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