Mandarin Monkey Podcast

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✍️ Skritter - Learn to write Chinese

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🎓 Book Mandarin lessons and explore Mandarin Monkey:

https://mandarinmonkey.com/

Support Monkey Plays Patreon Page: https://patreon.com/monkeyplaysgames?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:

   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  

🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons?

Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts.

Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/

Could we survive a three-day backpacking adventure without destroying our feet—or each other? 😅

In episode 474 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we chat in Mandarin and English about our upcoming Isle of Wight hiking and camping trip. We discuss what to pack, walking for hours every day, camping food, uncomfortable sleeping mats, blisters, hiking shoes, carrying too much equipment—and Tom’s collection of unnecessary survival gadgets.

We also talk about:

🏢 Working remotely vs having a physical Mandarin Monkey office

👩‍💼 Whether Ula was born to be a boss

👨‍🏫 What makes someone a great Mandarin teacher

💼 Hiring people based on attitude, not just experience

📱 The difficulty of separating work from personal life

🥾 Preparing for our first proper backpacking adventure

⛺ Camping gear, food, shoes and surviving sore feet

Have you ever been backpacking? Tell us what we should pack to make the trip easier and more comfortable!

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Skritter - Learn to write Chinese

skritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkey

Use promoCode: MANDARINMONKEY

for 10% off everything

🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/

Support Monkey Plays Patreon Page: https://patreon.com/monkeyplaysgames?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:

   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  

🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons?

Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts.

Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/

In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Tom shares the story of unexpectedly spending an hour getting a dental crown instead of a quick check-up, while Ula teaches essential Mandarin vocabulary for visiting the dentist in Taiwan.

Along the way we compare:

• 🦷 UK vs Taiwan dentists
• 💉 Pain, injections and funny dental stories
• 🏥 Healthcare and privacy differences
• 🇹🇼 Useful Mandarin words and phrases for dental appointments
• 😂 Real conversations between a British husband and Taiwanese wife

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

Links:

Skritter - Learn to write Chinese

skritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkey

Use promoCode: MANDARINMONKEY

for 10% off everything

🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/

🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:

   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  

🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons?

Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts.

Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/

Description:

The UK is melting, every air conditioner is sold out, and all five of us ended up sleeping together in the living room. 🥵

In Episode 472 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Tom and Ula talk about surviving the UK heatwave without air conditioning, buying second-hand things, dreaming about winning £10 million, and what they would build in their dream house.

Then the conversation gets deeper: Are new generations becoming less intelligent because of technology and AI? Do difficult experiences make people more successful? Why do Tom and Ula both struggle to stop working and simply relax?

And finally, Tom admits that his Mandarin has been pushed to the bottom of his priority list since moving back to the UK. Is it time for him to start taking Mandarin lessons again?

In this episode:

🔥 Surviving a UK heatwave without air conditioning

🛋️ Why the whole family slept in the living room

🛍️ Would you buy clothes or electronics second-hand?

💰 What would we do if we won £10 million?

🏊 Our ridiculous dream house plans

📱 Is technology making us less intelligent?

💪 Does hardship make people more successful?

🧠 Why we both find it difficult to stop working

🇨🇳 Why Tom wants to start learning Mandarin seriously again

The Mandarin Monkey Podcast is a real bilingual conversation podcast where we naturally switch between Mandarin Chinese and English. Listen to authentic conversations, improve your Mandarin listening skills, and learn how Chinese is actually spoken in everyday life.

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

🔗 Links:

Skritter - Learn to write Chinese

skritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkey

Use promoCode: MANDARINMONKEY

for 10% off everything

🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/

🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:

   / @monkeyplaysmandarin  

🗣️ Want more opportunities to speak Mandarin outside of lessons?

Join learners from around the world for fun discussions, games, and real conversations in our Mandarin Hangouts.

Start speaking more Mandarrin today: https://mandarinmonkey.com/hangouts/

❓ How did we talk about?

How do they choose their Mandarin names? What does your Mandarin name actually say about you?

In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Ula and Tom talk about how Mandarin names are chosen, why parents sometimes use birth dates and birth times when naming their children, and how Mandarin learners can choose a Mandarin name based on pronunciation, personality and meaning.

Tom also shares the story behind his Mandarin name, 唐明偉 Tang Ming Wei, and Ula explains why Mandarin names often carry parents’ hopes and expectations for their children.

Along the way, we also talk about:

🔥 Surviving another UK heatwave without air conditioning

💬 Why British people complain about the weather so much

🎙️ Whether podcast hosts should talk to each other or directly to the audience

🔢 A surprisingly difficult number-guessing game

👓 Whether Ula’s new glasses suit her face — or her personality

🏷️ The differences between Chinese and English naming culture

This is a natural bilingual conversation in Mandarin and English, perfect for upper beginner, intermediate Mandarin learners who want to improve their listening skills and hear how Mandarin is actually used in real conversation.

What’s your Mandarin name? How did you choose it? Tell us in the comments! 👇

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

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

Can AI replace human connection? What do Freemasons actually do? And how can learning Mandarin shape your career and life opportunities?

In Episode 470 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Tom and Ula explore language learning, artificial intelligence, online education, social media, mental health, and modern life through a relaxed Mandarin and English conversation.

In this episode:

• A listener from Germany shares how Mandarin transformed their career

• The benefits of staying connected to Chinese after formal study

• What Freemasons really do and the charity work behind the organisation

• Building the new Mandarin Monkey learning platform using AI

• Why many language learners feel nervous meeting a new teacher

• The UK's planned social media restrictions for under-16s

• AI as a tool for productivity, creativity, and emotional support

• Whether AI can ever truly understand human struggles

• The future of AI assistants booking travel, events, and everyday tasks

• A surprisingly passionate debate about coconuts

This episode is ideal for Mandarin learners, language enthusiasts, expats, bilingual families, AI enthusiasts, and anyone interested in personal growth, education, and technology.

The Mandarin Monkey Podcast is a bilingual Mandarin Chinese and English podcast designed to help learners improve their listening skills through natural conversations about culture, life, parenting, language learning, travel, technology, and current events.

If you're learning Mandarin and want more natural Chinese listening practice, you'll hear real conversations, authentic vocabulary, and everyday expressions used in context.

Resources:

🐵 Learn Mandarin with us:

https://mandarinmonkey.com/

✍️ Learn Chinese writing with Skritter:

https://skritter.com?ref=mandarinmonkey

Use promo code MANDARINMONKEY for 10% off.

🎮 Watch Monkey Plays:

https://www.youtube.com/@monkeyplaysmandarin

Enjoyed the episode?

Follow the podcast, leave a rating and review, and share this episode with another Mandarin learner. Your support helps us continue creating free Mandarin listening content for learners around the world.

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Can a Taiwanese really dislike bubble milk tea? 😱

In this episode, Ula, Tom, and Yating sit down for a relaxed Mandarin-English conversation covering everything from bubble tea and Taiwanese food to relationships, life abroad, and cultural differences.

Yating shares what it's like living in Sweden for nearly a decade and reveals a surprising opinion that leaves Ula heartbroken. Tom joins the conversation with his experiences living in Taiwan, his advice for foreigners considering a move there, and his thoughts on adapting to a completely different culture.

The trio also discuss one of the questions they're asked most often: how have Ula and Tom managed to work together, build Mandarin Monkey, raise a family, and stay happily married for so many years?

🥤 Topics in this episode:

• A Taiwanese who doesn't like bubble tea?!

• Chinese zodiac vs Western star signs

• Living in Sweden as a Taiwanese expat

• Tom's advice on moving to Taiwan

• Working with your spouse every day

• Building a business together

• Long-term relationships and marriage

• Taiwan culture, food, and daily life

• Real Mandarin and English conversation

Whether you're learning Mandarin, interested in Taiwan, living abroad, or simply enjoy authentic bilingual conversations, this episode is full of natural language, cultural insights, and plenty of laughs.

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

🎙️ Listen while you walk, relax, or practise your Mandarin with us.

🐵 Learn Mandarin with us: https://mandarinmonkey.com/

🎮 Check out our Monkey Plays channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@monkeyplaysmandarin

In this episode of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, we take you on a countryside walk while sharing the story of our recent family camping trip.

What started as a relaxing getaway quickly turned into a series of disasters: a heatwave, sunburn, locked car keys, an unexpected £100 locksmith bill, a very nosey campsite neighbour, and plenty of family chaos along the way.

We also chat about village life in the UK, friendly communities, parenting moments, camping with kids, and a proud moment for our daughter at school.

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In this episode of Meeting Yating, Ula and Yating continue getting to know each other through a series of fun, unexpected, and surprisingly personal questions.

How can two Leos be so shy? Why do both teachers give off a "don't talk to me" first impression? And perhaps most shocking of all... how can a Taiwanese person not love stinky tofu?

The conversation jumps from personality types and school memories to food culture, including the great fried vs. steamed stinky tofu debate, sweet vs. savoury rice dumplings, and what it really means to be a foodie in Taiwan.

Yating also shares the story of how she ended up living in Sweden after meeting her partner, including long-distance challenges, visa interviews, Swedish relationship laws, and the unique concept of sambo.

Along the way, they discuss how they cope with bad moods, the benefits of exercise, chocolate therapy, whether they're cat people or dog people, and the different ways people show their true personalities depending on the situation.

A relaxed and natural Mandarin conversation filled with cultural insights, personal stories, and plenty of unexpected tangents.

In this episode:

• Why two Leos can still be shy
• First impressions vs. reality
• Fried or steamed stinky tofu?
• Sweet or savoury rice dumplings?
• Life in Sweden as a Taiwanese expat
• Long-distance relationships and visa challenges
• How exercise can improve your mood
• Cat people vs. dog people
• Food culture in Taiwan
• 
  

Perfect for Mandarin learners who enjoy authentic conversations, real-life stories, and getting to know the people behind Mandarin Monkey.

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

In Episode 466 of the Mandarin Monkey Podcast, Ula and Tom dive into the strange world of AI language learning apps, including one that judged Tom’s Mandarin level almost instantly after saying “你好”! We chat about why language confidence matters, how AI should assess learners, and what actually helps people improve their Chinese naturally.

We also share exciting updates about the brand-new Mandarin Monkey learning platform currently in development, including progress tracking, flashcards, homework tools, vocabulary lists, teacher feedback, and more community features coming soon.

Then we play Headbands in Mandarin and English. Expect confusion, ridiculous clues, paintbrush disasters, clothing misunderstandings, and one of the hardest guessing games we’ve ever played.

We also talk about:

• Learning Mandarin through conversation and context
• Why vocabulary alone doesn’t define your level
• AI chat partners for language practice
• Walking podcasts and GoPro ideas
• Monkey Plays and bilingual gaming content
• Future plans for Mandarin Monkey learners and teachers

Thanks for listening and supporting Mandarin Monkey!

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