Popup Chinese

As Christmas draws nigh we return to our Big Boss series with this lesson about the overriding concern of the Chinese mafia: maintaining an adequate supply of trousers. This is somewhat amazingly the real deal. So check out today's show and learn to speak mandarin just like the Godfather. And if you enjoy this lesson, be sure to check out our earlier mob shows on ordering a hit and ordering diner.

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Brent's palm stretched back and - in a flashing rush - the TiVo was airborn. Once the proud centerpiece of some family's home entertainment center, the digital video recorder was now living a less sedentary life, flying over the net in a graceful serve before a clumsy return brought it back, brushing across the top of the net as it came. And then the return and the counter-return and the game was on in earnest.

Hunched forward peering at the court below, the spectators gasped as yet another piece of home electronics took flight before settling into a hushed tension as the game found its stride. Digital volleyball had become popular for much the same reason as Greek tragedy. Who would win and who would lose was in many ways irrelevant to the main attraction: watching tragedy unfold in an uncertain but inevitable way. There could be only one ending to this game.

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"Don't worry about me," the voice on the phone hoarsely whispered after its wave of violent coughing finally subsided. "I'll be down in an hour so we can keep working on that report."

Join us in our Absolute Beginner lesson for today as we learn a polite way of telling others to keep themselves and their infections out of your working space. There is a lot of simple but useful mandarin in this podcast. In addition to introducing a number of common adjectives you can use to express your fatigue and frustration, we also give you a simple sentence pattern you can use whenever you're feeling under the weather yourself.

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Laif could hardly breathe. Through tinted pinholes he looked out at an unearthly sea of noontime traffic. The unending flow of cars rolled past in slow motion, horns honking and tempers flaring. On the sidewalks pedestrians bustled past, hurriedly looking down or to the side to ignore his outstretched arms. And topping it all was the stultifying heat, which wrapped around them all, an invisible cage that shimmered in the distance like a snake poised to strike.

He had of course heard whispers about the state of the job market. Everyone had. Rumors on campus said it had been tough for new graduates for years now. It was basic economics. The workforce exceeded the demand for labor. Salaries had been inching down for years as a result, but were especially bad this year as the economy tightened. What was anyone to do?

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Ever wonder what a Chinese chicken sounds like, or what to do when someone tells you they are one? In today's lesson Brendan, David and Echo take to the studio and talk about Chinese horoscopes. You may not believe in the Chinese zodiac, but you'll need to know how it works if you're ever going to navigate the animal barnyard that is the dating scene in China. If only because when you meet someone special here you can be sure they're going to be thinking about it.

This podcast is part language lesson and part simple proof of an impressive disconnect between urban China and the natural world. If you don't know your own sign, we've posted more information on the Chinese zodiac in the comments section below. Feel free to write us at [email protected] with any questions about your own star sign. We admit to being suckers for romantic gossip.

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If you're listening to our advanced podcasts our site statistics tell us you're already fluent or close to getting there. And the bad news for most of you is that at this level you've likely passed the point where native speakers will correct your mistakes or help you master the subtleties of their language. Which is why we have podcasts like this. Join us as we help you push through the last mile with a lesson that focuses on a word so advanced even Chinese speakers often get it wrong.This word is 何况, an advanced conjunction with two different meanings. In the first case 何况 can be translated as "and also" and gets used interchangeably with 再说. Its second usage is closer to 更别说 and is better translated as "let alone" or "not to mention". Our podcast sorts out these two meanings with plenty of examples and a lot of fun, so give it a listen. We think you'll come out more fluent on the other side.

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It was the ocean Henry saw on waking, and the ocean he saw again at dusk. The water was nothing like his dreams. In the tourist brochures that had lured him south, the sea was a shimmering creature of tranquil calm splashed with patches of azure blue. It had been welcoming then, a far cry from the grey beast that spread out before him in all four directions. In all other respects the cruise has lived up to its promise to deliver "a life-changing adventure on the high seas."

Our intermediate listening test for today uses a brief mandarin-only dialogue to tell a story of adventure on the high seas. If you think your Chinese is up to snuff, listen to our short recording just once. Then check out our quiz section to test yourself on your comprehension. Are you as good as you think? If you have any questions just leave a comment below or check our manually annotated transcript of this dialogue on the text page. Good luck!

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You may have been on a vacation like this. The radiator is overheating, the air conditioner is broken, and what began as a nice weekend jaunt into the countryside has morphed into something much, much uglier. Join us in this Elementary Chinese lesson as we explore the heart of darkness you'll only see in your family after spending eight hours in a car with them totally and utterly lost.

In addition to a nice dialogue with plenty of useful vocabulary and phrases (especially for drivers), our lesson today covers the 再不... 就 construction and goes over how to use it to make vaguely threatening demands on those you love. So listen up and let us know what you think. And if you find the Chinese a bit above your level relax. Click through to the text page to consult our annotated popup version of the text for instant illumination. You'll be at the Intermediate level in no time.

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Curious why the pinyin for some characters is written with an umlaut which vanishes in similar-sounding words? Is there really a difference in the way we should pronounce these sounds? The answer to these questions and more is revealed in our pinyin practice lesson for today, which will take you on a whirlwind tour through a maze of similar sounding words.

For extra feedback, we've enabled our recording hotline for this lesson to give you an opportunity to get personal feedback on your pronunciation. If you're a premium subscriber call us using the custom PIN number that you'll find on this lesson's text page. Practice reading our sample sentences for this lesson and one of our teachers will get back to you shortly with one-on-one feedback on your pronunciation. And doubtless compliments too.

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Remember the epic road trips of your youth? Our lesson today goes out to every eight year old who has ever had to sit still in the backseat for eight hours trapped between two quarreling siblings while the family enjoyed a nice drive into the countryside.

If you're a premium subscriber, please note that we've enabled our Speaking Practice recording service for this lesson. Click through to our text page to find our toll-free telephone number. Call us and enter your dedicated PIN number when prompted. Then tell us all about the worst vacation you've ever had. Or just practice reading us the dialogue and vocabulary for this lesson. Our teachers will review your recording and give you personal feedback on your pronunciation by email in a day or two.

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

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