Mandarin Monkey Podcast

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!

• 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 口香糖 (kǒuxiāngtáng) – Chewing gum

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

• 猪 (zhū) – Pig
• 名字 (míngzì) – Name

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

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

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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.)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unpleasant Sounds or Awkward Pronunciation

膩 (nì) – Greasy, overly rich (often used for food but also for excessive behavior).

黏 (nián) – Sticky, clinging (can refer to textures or overly attached people).

齁 (hōu) – Overly sweet or salty (common in Taiwanese Mandarin but sounds rough).

癢 (yǎng) – Itchy (some dislike the way it sounds when spoken).

喳喳叫 (zhā zhā jiào) – Chattering noisily (annoying both in sound and meaning).

Gross or Unpleasant Associations

痰 (tán) – Phlegm.

膿 (nóng) – Pus.

流湯 (liú tāng) – To ooze fluid (used for wounds or food, can sound disgusting).

爛 (làn) – Rotten, bad quality (commonly used to insult things or people).

發臭 (fā chòu) – To stink.

Overused or Annoying Phrases in Taiwanese Culture

馬上 (mǎ shàng) – "Right away" (often said but not always meant literally).

隨便啦 (suí biàn la) – "Whatever" (can sound dismissive or rude).

沒差啦 (méi chā la) – "Doesn’t matter" (casual, sometimes frustrating to hear).

你家在哪裡？(nǐ jiā zài nǎ lǐ?) – "Where’s your house?" (Common but feels nosy in Taiwan).

這樣可以嗎？(zhè yàng kě yǐ ma?) – "Is this okay?" (Overused in customer service settings).

Forced Taiwanese Internet Slang

母湯 (mǔ tāng) – Taiwanese Hokkien loanword meaning "don’t do that," some find it cringey.

87 (bā qī) – Internet slang for "idiot" (八七 sounds like 白癡 bái chī, meaning stupid).

安安 (ān ān) – Taiwanese internet greeting, can feel outdated.

尬聊 (gà liáo) – "Forced awkward chat" (often overused online).

好扯哦 (hǎo chě ò) – "So ridiculous!" (Overused in younger circles).

Taiwan-Specific Business or Social Annoyances

報稅 (bào shuì) – Tax filing (dreaded every year).

塞車 (sāi chē) – Traffic jam (a huge problem in Taiwan).

外送 (wài sòng) – Food delivery (used too often in daily conversation).

可以加LINE嗎？(kě yǐ jiā LINE ma?) – "Can we add each other on LINE?" (Some find it intrusive).

租屋 (zū wū) – Renting a house (frustrating for many due to high prices in Taiwan).

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The U.S. is taking steps to ban TikTok—so what does this mean for users, creators, and businesses? In this episode of Mandarin Monkey, Ula (speaking Mandarin) and Tom (speaking English) dive into the controversy surrounding TikTok’s potential ban in America. We discuss why the U.S. government is pushing for it, what might happen next, and whether TikTok can survive this legal battle.

Join us for a bilingual discussion that breaks down the issue from multiple angles—political, economic, and cultural. Is this really about security, or is something else at play? Tune in and find out!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.