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Conversation podcasts

Natural back-and-forth Chinese for shopping, work and everyday life.

72 published lessons

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L5

催婚

"你表姐都二胎了!" Surviving Chinese Marriage Pressure 😅 | 催婚 | Simply Natural Chinese

"Are you seeing anyone yet?" — asked SEVEN times in one family dinner. Welcome to 催婚 (cuīhūn), the Chinese art of marriage pressure. In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue reports back from a family dinner that turned into a police-style interrogation ("查户口"), while Leo reveals how his blind date from our last episode ended — and why his relative is already arranging round two. From the legendary "seven aunts and eight aunties", to moms staging fake chance encounters ("安排偶遇"), to the five survival moves every young Chinese person knows — ending with the ultimate answer: 随缘, let fate decide. This is the episode your Chinese textbook would never dare to teach.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

梅雨季

Why Are My Walls Sweating?! 🌧️ Plum Rain Season | 梅雨季 | Simply Natural Chinese

Why are the walls, the mirror, even the floor at home suddenly "sweating"? If you live in southern China, you already know the answer — it's 回南天 (huí nán tiān), and it means the dreaded 梅雨季 (méi yǔ jì), the plum rain season, has arrived. In this episode, Xiao Yue explains to Leo everything about the month when it rains without end: why your clothes 晾不干 (won't dry) no matter what, why everything 发霉 (grows mold), why a 除湿机 (dehumidifier) becomes your best friend, and why the muggy air leaves you 汗流浃背 (drenched in sweat). You'll also learn the perfect comeback 借你吉言, why opening the window is a big mistake, and discover the surprisingly beautiful side of rainy Jiangnan. This is everything you need to survive — and talk about — the rainy season, in Simply Natural Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L5

减肥

A Dessert Chef Tries to Diet 🍰 | 减肥 | Simply Natural Chinese

How do you lose weight when you run a dessert shop? In this episode, Xiao Yue makes a bold decision — she's going on a diet — while standing in a shop full of cakes she can't stop tasting. Together with Leo, they break down the real Chinese vocabulary people use to talk about dieting: why you fail when you 管不住嘴 (can't control your mouth), the trap of 报复性进食 (revenge eating), the rule of 三分练七分吃 (30% training, 70% diet), and why she keeps saying 明天再说 (I'll start tomorrow). You'll also learn to 立flag, find a 减肥搭子 (diet buddy), and understand 贴秋膘 — plus a warm reminder that health matters more than the number on the scale. This is everything you need to talk about weight loss — in Simply Natural Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

搭子

What's a "Dāzi"? China's Buddy Culture 🧋 | 搭子 | Simply Natural Chinese

Have you heard the word 搭子 (dāzi)? It's everywhere in China right now — and it's quietly changing how young people make friends. In this episode, Xiao Yue and Leo break down China's "activity buddy" culture: the 饭搭子 (meal buddy), the 旅游搭子 (travel buddy), even a 通勤搭子 (commute buddy). You'll learn what makes a dāzi different from a real friend, the unspoken rules behind it (AA制 and 边界感), and how to find one safely. This is everything you need to understand one of China's hottest social trends — in Simply Natural Chinese.

Conversation podcastsBeginner · L3

暑假计划

What Are Your Summer Break Plans? ☀️ | 暑假计划 | Simply Natural Chinese

Two whole months of summer break — and Tian Tian has no idea what to do with it! In this episode, she and A-Jie map out the perfect summer, from heading back to her 老家 (lǎo jiā, hometown) to finding a 暑假工 (shǔ jiǎ gōng, summer job), traveling to 避暑 (bì shǔ, escape the heat), and yes — a few guilt-free days of 躺平 (tǎng píng, 'lying flat'). Along the way you'll pick up the everyday words real Chinese students use to talk about their summer. Slow, natural, and made for HSK 2-3 learners — this is everything you need to plan your own summer in Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

端午节

Sweet or Savory Zongzi?! Dragon Boat Festival 🐉 | 端午节 | Simply Natural Chinese

The Dragon Boat Festival is here! In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Leo walks into Xiao Yue's dessert shop to find it buried in 粽子 (zòngzi) — and his company just handed him a festival gift box he can't read. Together they unpack everything about 端午节: the 2,000-year-old story of 屈原 (Qū Yuán) behind the zongzi, 赛龙舟 (dragon boat racing), the never-ending "甜咸之争" (sweet-vs-savory zongzi war), 咸鸭蛋 (salted duck eggs), 绿豆糕 (mung bean cake), 香囊 (fragrant sachets) and 艾草 (mugwort), why you say "端午安康" instead of "端午快乐" to elders, and the idea of 入乡随俗 (when in Rome). This is everything you need to talk about the Dragon Boat Festival in natural Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

世界杯

"铁杆球迷"?! Watch the World Cup in Chinese! ⚽ | 世界杯 | Simply Natural Chinese

The 2026 World Cup is here! In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Leo the die-hard fan drags Xiao Yue (a self-confessed "伪球迷" — fake fan) into football season, and together they teach you to talk about the World Cup like a real Chinese fan. From "铁杆球迷" (die-hard fan) vs "伪球迷" (bandwagon fan), to shouting "进了！进了！进了！" at a goal and groaning "踢得真臭" at a bad one, to commentary jargon like "爆冷" (upset), "黑马" (dark horse), "乌龙球" (own goal) and "绝杀" (last-second winner) — plus why this is China's first-ever Breakfast World Cup — this is everything you need to watch the Cup in Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

拖延症

Why We Can't Stop Procrastinating ⏰ | 拖延症 | Simply Natural Chinese

Be honest — do you always say "明天再说" (I'll do it tomorrow)? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Tian Tian and A-Jie confess their own 拖延症 (procrastination): leaving a paper until the night before, putting off a work report until 4 p.m. Friday, saving tons of study videos they never open, and that "three-minute enthusiasm" that fizzles after three days. Then they dig into WHY we procrastinate (hint: it's not just laziness) and share the simple tricks that actually help — all in natural, everyday Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

讨价还价

How Chinese Grandmas Haggle Like Pros 🛒 | 讨价还价 | Simply Natural Chinese

Ever watched a Chinese grandma bargain at a wet market? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Leo tags along with his grandma to the 菜市场 and is completely stunned by her 砍价 (haggling) skills. Xiao Yue then breaks down the whole playbook — from the opening line "太贵了，便宜点吧", to "抹零头" (dropping the small change), to scoring a free bunch of scallions as a "添头" (freebie), all the way to grandma's legendary "以退为进" move (pretending to walk away). This is everything you need to bargain like a local.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L4

周末计划

How Do You Spend Your Weekend? 🛋️ | 周末怎么过 | Simply Natural Chinese

How do you spend your weekend — do you recharge at home, or run around the whole city? In this episode, Tian Tian (a die-hard go-getter) and A-Jie (a proud homebody) compare their totally opposite weekends. Along the way you'll pick up the slang Chinese people actually use to talk about days off: "回血" (recharging your HP), "报复性熬夜" (revenge bedtime procrastination), plus the painful office-worker reality of "调休" and "补班". Whether you're a couch person or an adventure person, this is everything you need to chat about weekends in natural Chinese.

Conversation podcastsIntermediate · L5

婚礼

Invited to a Chinese Wedding! How Much "份子钱"?! 💒 | 喝喜酒 | Simply Natural Chinese

Got invited to a Chinese wedding and have absolutely no idea what to do? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Leo receives a red invitation stamped with a golden "囍" and instantly panics — "I'm not even the groom, why am I more nervous than him?" — so Xiao Yue walks him through the whole thing, step by step. From why going to a wedding is called "喝喜酒" (hē xǐ jiǔ, literally "drinking wedding wine"), to exactly how much "份子钱" (fèn zi qián, cash gift) to tuck into the red envelope — and why the number has to be lucky (六 and 八 good, anything with 四 absolutely forbidden) — to the toast blessings "百年好合" and "白头偕老" that will instantly win over the whole table, this is everything you need to know to show up at a Chinese wedding and look like a pro. 💒

Conversation podcastsBeginner · L3

儿童节

Why Do Grown-Ups Celebrate Children's Day? 🎈 | 童心未泯 | Simply Natural Chinese

Why is a grown woman this excited about Children's Day? In this episode of Simply Natural Chinese, Xiao Yue and Leo dig into a fun trend in China — young adults celebrating 六一 (Children's Day, June 1st) as their very own holiday. Along the way you'll pick up three gems: 童心未泯 (tóng xīn wèi mǐn), being young at heart; 怀念 (huái niàn), to miss the past; and the playful 我也是宝宝 (I'm a baby too). From blind boxes (盲盒) to old cartoons and Leo's childhood dog Max, this is everything you need to talk about childhood and growing up in natural Mandarin.