Popup Chinese

One of the not-so-secret secrets about China is how great the train system is. Especially when compared to air travel (here's looking at you, Shenzhen airport), the train system is reliable, clean and inexpensive. And the Harmony line is making it extremely fast as well. Combine that with the convenience of showing up 15 minutes before departure at a downtown terminal and we think you'll agree: the train is the best way to travel domestically.
That said, China Rail workers are not exactly known for their command of the English language. So to take advantage of the rail system you really need to know mandarin. Which is where this podcast comes in. So listen up and then practice, practice, practice with weekend trips. And with all of the money you save on air travel, buy a subscription and accelerate your learning even more.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

Occasionally, when one grows weary of the medical superstitions of Chinese friends and family, it is useful to head to a major hospital and hear the same platitudes from the professionals. It helps put things in perspective.
In this podcast we follow Apple on a trip to the hospital after a freak boating pile-up on Houhai. What you'll hear is what happened before consensus opinion settled on the drip. So listen in as we teach some general medical terminology and also share some secrets on how to sound like a native speaker. Oh yeah, and don't move that arm for at least 100 days so the bone has time to knit. You heard it from us first.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

Unless you're legally blind and picked it up by mistake when trying to buy a Coke, you probably haven't run into the Chinese superbrand that is Wanglaoji. A potent mix of crystal and liquid sugar, artificial sweetener, syrup, and a little bit of tea and water, this drink is distinctive and perhaps unique in the annals of beverage history.

Never tried it? Rest assured that your state of ignorance will pass. In this podcast we'll learn to demand the concoction by name. And for bonus points, we'll even tell you how to take the plunge and order it at room temperature. Because the only thing that refreshes better than a glass of cold water on a hot summer day is a nice cup of lukewarm sugar. Welcome to China!

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

Our alternate lesson title for today is "how to pickup Chinese girls or guys". So those of you who are single pay attention as our site designer and veteran clubber Baifan delves into the art of the chase with its first step: the fearless, persistent and somewhat oblivious pursuit of the ever-critical telephone number.
We'd say we hope it works out smoothly for you, but who are we kidding? China is to romance as the Hindenburg is to air travel. Once you've got the number you're on your own.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

First there is your furniture, including the cast-iron futon you picked up in college. And then your clothing, packed neatly in the solid-oak antique chesterfield you got from your great aunt. And then there are your books, boxes upon boxes of them, your 1970s vinyl collection, and the entire kitchen.
Packing everything and lugging it across town can be a real hassle. Fortunately, moving is a lot less trouble when you have lots of friends willing to lend a hand. There is something strange about this move though. Listen to our intermediate listening test for today and see if you can pick up on it.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

"That was a great movie," Echo blurted out halfway up the escalator. We had all just left the theater after watching Feng Xiaogang's latest New Years film "If You are the One". That's the one where Shu Qi plays a clinically depressed stewardess looking for a rich husband. A love story with Chinese characteristics.
Echo's enthusiasm was met with a curious silence at first. "I guess it was ok," Zhang Wei finally replied, "but I wouldn't call it great. And it was a good thing we had those discount tickets." Another pause. "Actually, I'm not sure it was even ok. The first half hour was funny, but then it got boring pretty quickly."
Not surprisingly, even good friends have different taste in film. But since everyone likes getting asked to a movie, here is a lesson on how to get a date in mandarin, Chinese.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

In this podcast we push the boundaries of social propriety with our first lesson all about sex. Broadcast from our street-smart and sexy hutong studio in downtown Beijing, this podcast goes where others fear to tread. Don't thank us, it's just another day in our mission to help you learn everything you always wanted to know about animal sexing, but were afraid to ask.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

Christmas is a time for gift-giving, and so we are happy to present you with this podcast to help you make the most of the Yuletide season. And there's no reason for thanks. Just listen to it sometime in the next seven days, the sooner the better.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

Put down that frying pan and get out of your apartment's absurdly-narrow kitchenette. And don't even think of heading outside in this weather. You are in China and cooking for yourself is more expensive than ordering take-out anyway. You've got the restaurant's phone number right there on that card. All you need to do is overcome your fear of the woman who answers the phone and fends off your ting-bu-dong with shrieks of impatience.
This podcast is like the parable of the man who teaches another man to fish. Except that we're teaching you how to order roast duck. So take a deep breath. Then listen to the podcast. Then pick up the phone and get yourself some cooked bird. When the hunger pangs subside you can put your savings into a Popup Chinese subscription so we have the cash to order some duck ourselves. Hunger is a two-way street.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese

Sometimes a touch of winter blows down from the north, opens its icy mouth and lets loose a bone-chilling squall. And we're not talking about the weather. In this podcast prepare your ears for the Dongbei onslaught as we pay a Popup Chinese tribute to northern China, and the northeasterner.

Navigate the reincarnated Popup Chinese archives, including the original customized word-to-word transcripts for this and every other lesson as PDF files:

Reincarnated Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese — Popup Chinese

Reincarnated Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese — Popup Cantonese