Find a conversation or story that fits your Chinese.
126 published lessons
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L5
月光族
He Thought It Meant "Night Owls" 🌙 | 月光族 Moonlight Clan | Simply Natural Chinese
What is a 月光族 (yuè guāng zú)? Leo is 100% sure he knows — it must be people who love the moonlight and go out partying at night, right? Wrong. In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue and Leo unpack one of the most relatable words for young people in China today. You'll find out why the 月 is not the moon but your monthly salary, why the 光 means "all used up," and how a paycheck can vanish before it even gets warm (工资还没焐热). Along the way: 花呗 (buy-now-pay-later), 月底吃土 ("eating dirt" at month-end), 报复性消费 (revenge spending), 剁手 ("chopping off your hands"), 记账 and 强制储蓄, plus 精致穷 — looking fancy while completely broke. One little word, and suddenly you understand a whole generation's wallet.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
办卡一时爽
Bliss Buying the Gym Card, Tears Lifting Iron 💪 | 办卡一时爽 | Simply Natural Chinese
Ever bought a gym membership, gone three times, and never come back? You're not alone — in this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Tian Tian and A-Jie unpack the most painfully relatable saying in modern Chinese: "办卡一时爽，撸铁两行泪" (bàn kǎ yī shí shuǎng, lū tiě liǎng xíng lèi) — buying the gym card feels great for a moment, lifting iron brings two streams of tears. From A-Jie's "撸铁血泪史" (three gym cards, all failed), to why even a 1万元 personal trainer couldn't save him, to the dark science behind why crash dieting actually makes you heavier — this is everything you need to know before you swipe that gym membership card.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
防晒
Why Chinese Women Wear Ninja Beach Masks ☀️ | 防晒 | Simply Natural Chinese
Ever wondered why Chinese women cover their entire face at the beach with what looks like a ski mask? Or why office girls in China will literally team-buy a bottle of sunscreen and gift it to their male coworkers? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Tian Tian and A-Jie unpack everything you need to know about "防晒" (fáng shài) — the national obsession with sun protection. From A-Jie's hiking sunburn disaster, to the SPF/PA numbers that actually matter, to the legendary "脸基尼" (liǎn jī ní) — China's famous beach facekini invented by Qingdao aunties — this is the cultural deep-dive on why Chinese summer style looks more like a stealth mission than a vacation. ☀️
Conversation podcastsBeginner · L3
你的中文比你想象中的好
Your Chinese Is Better Than You Think! 🗣️ | 别怕开口说中文 | Simply Natural Chinese
Have you ever wanted to say something in Chinese, then froze and said nothing at all? You're not alone — and here's the truth: your Chinese is better than you think. In this episode, Xiao Yue and Leo have a slow, easy HSK 2-3 conversation about why learners are afraid to open their mouths, what Chinese people actually think when they hear you speak (spoiler: they're happy, and they don't care about your grammar), and the small, doable ways to finally start talking — from 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhè ge) when you order food to Leo's very first solo taxi ride, where 火车站 (huǒ chē zhàn) — three words — was all he needed. If you've been waiting until you feel ready to speak, this is the episode that tells you the day is already here.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
火锅
He Almost Cried Eating Hotpot 🌶️ | Hotpot Across China | 中国的火锅 | Simply Natural Chinese
Why do Chinese people eat hotpot even in 35°C summer heat? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue and Leo talk about Leo's first Chongqing hotpot — the one that almost made him cry — and then take a tour of how completely different hotpot is across China: the fiery red-oil 麻辣 pot with its 鸳鸯锅 (mandarin-duck divider) and 九宫格 (nine-grid pot), Beijing's clear-broth 涮羊肉 in a copper pot with sesame sauce, Guangdong's light 打边炉 and its amazing 粥底火锅 (congee-base hotpot), and Yunnan's wild-mushroom hotpot — where you'd better cook it long enough or you'll start "看到小人" (seeing little people). One hotpot, half of China.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
看病
What's "挂号"?! Going to a Chinese Hospital | 看病 | Simply Natural Chinese
Leo's caught a cold — and he's terrified. Not of the cold, but of going to a Chinese hospital. "I don't know the process. I'm afraid I won't figure it out." Sound familiar? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue walks Leo (and you) through the entire experience of seeing a doctor in China — from the moment you walk in the door to the moment you leave with your medicine. What is 挂号 (guà hào) and why does it confuse every foreigner? What's the difference between 普通号 and 专家号? Why do people line up at 6 a.m. at a 三甲 hospital? How does 医保 (medical insurance) actually work — and what do foreigners do without it? And in the final stretch, a peek into 中医: 把脉, 气, 针灸, 推拿, 拔罐, and the classic Chinese saying about why TCM is more "治本". This is everything you need to know.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L5
相亲
"我只是去见个朋友"?! Chinese Blind Dates Explained | 相亲 | Simply Natural Chinese
"I'm just meeting a friend." Sound familiar? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue and Leo dive into one of China's most talked-about social traditions — 相亲 (xiāng qīn), the arranged blind date. Why do Chinese parents start panicking at 25? What exactly goes into a "相亲简历" (blind date résumé)? What does "门当户对 (mén dāng hù duì)" mean and why does it still matter? And how did a 70-year-old grandma called "王婆" go viral for playing matchmaker in a public square? Xiao Yue even shares her own blind date story. Whether you're learning Chinese or just curious about modern Chinese dating culture — this is everything you need to know.
Conversation podcastsBeginner · L3
天气
"热死了"! Surviving Summer in Hangzhou | 夏天来了 | Simply Natural Chinese
Thinking about visiting Hangzhou in summer? Think again. In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue and Leo break down everything foreigners get wrong about Chinese summers — from the famous "闷热" (mèn rè, hot AND stuffy) humidity trap, to why everyone opens an umbrella on a sunny day, to the legendary stretch of heat called "三伏天" (Sānfútiān). Leo just arrived in Hangzhou and is already melting — we'll teach you how to say it the natural Chinese way: 热死了! (rè sǐ le). This is your complete survival guide for summer in China.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
租房
"押一付三"?! Renting an Apartment in China | 租房 | Simply Natural Chinese
Looking for an apartment in China? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Tiantian and Ajie walk you through Ajie's recent move from a noisy north-facing room to a brand-new apartment with great natural light. From the magic phrase "押一付三" (one month deposit + three months upfront), to the secret "二房东" (second landlord) scam, to the tactic of photographing EVERY scratch on the wall on day one — this is everything you actually need to know to rent in China.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
黄金周
May Day Golden Week: Travel or Staycation? | 五一黄金周：出去玩还是宅在家？ | Simply Natural Chinese
Travel or stay home for the May Day holiday? Compare the trade-offs of crowds, tickets and rest while practising how to explain your holiday plans in Chinese.
Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4
i人还是e人
Are you an "I" or an "E"? | “I 人”还是“E 人”？ | Simply Natural Chinese
HSK 3-4 | Are you an "I" or an "E"? | “I 人”还是“E 人”？ | Simply Natural Chinese
Conversation podcastsBeginner · L3
宠物
Cat Person or Dog Person? | Do you have a pets? 你有宠物吗？ | Simply Natural Chinese
A little white dog leads Xiaoyue and Leo into a conversation about cats, dogs, pet care and the changing pet culture among young people in China.
