Fun Learning Chinese
Join me and my Chinese tutor as we explore everyday Chinese vocabulary in ways that make sense to an adult learner.
Episodes
Chinese Lesson Blurb: Christmas Cards and Cartoons
Learning why certain characters aren't used in sound words can be very helpful in both remembering vocabulary. Also in this episode, Laura puts her pronunciation on the line.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
關於聖誕節的提問 – 第一集 A Christmas Quiz – part one
Christmas may be a Christian holiday, but they talk about it in Chinese countries. Take a Christmas quiz to learn fascinating facts about Christmas while discovering how Chinese speakers think about the holiday in their own language.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
My New Robot Slave 我新的機器人奴隸
I grew up watching the Jetsons cartoon, but never imagined there would be robots in my lifetime that would work for me!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
飛行失敗 Failure to Fly
Sometimes a child's imagination tests the limits of reality.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
世界是如何被創造的 第二篇 How the World was Created (part two)
Ancient, verifiable records about creation have also been translated into Chinese. Here is part two about that.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
世界是如何被創造的 第一篇 How the World was Created (part one)
Some things are so obvious that people say it must be more complicated, but when you have a verifiable record there is reason for confidence.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Awning Fell Down 遮陽蓬掉下來了
Sometimes the most ordinary things can get exciting very quickly!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
你是年老了或只是守舊而已？ Are you old or just out of style?
Understanding the connotations of words is very useful in communication. In this episode, we explain how a shocking misunderstanding led to a much better understanding of Chinese words for "old."Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
How to Catch a Mouse 怎麼捕捉老鼠
When you have to deal with invaders, you need to be smart and efficient about it. Otherwise you risk being overrun by the hordes.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 理解「起來」怎麼用 Understanding How to Use 起來
Sometimes it's helpful to be able to expression your perception of things or understand when someone else is wants you to know how things are affecting them. There is a key character combination that is part of that.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
我飼養的雞如何幫我學習中文的相反詞 How My Chickens Help Me Learn Opposites in Chinese
Keeping your opposite straight in a new language can be a challenge, but my chickens help make the concepts stick in my head.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
怎麼做水果奶昔 How to Make a Fruit Smoothie
Practice thinking and speaking in Chinese while making your own yummy lunch or snack! Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
寶寶和狗的骨頭 The Baby and The Dog Bone
Disaster can strike in a moment when a baby is on the move -Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 不可能的任務 Mission Impossible
Sometimes understand the 的 is easy to equate with English grammar and sometimes it's not. But it's never impossible.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
在煙囪裡的鴨子 The Duck in the Chimney
When you've had a high fever and it looks like your house is filling up with flies, it can be hard to know what is real and what is a hallucination.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Christmas Carol: 到各山嶺去傳揚 Go Tell It on the Mountain
This is what people will do when they truly believe something important and exciting has happened! Learn how to share the good news in while practicing and singing Chinese.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Christmas Carol: 平安夜 Silent Night
Use a Chinese translation of the very familiar English Christmas Carol Silent Night to expand your Chinese vocabulary and celebrate while you practice.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
十呎高的火焰 Ten Foot High Flames
Facing a wall of flames puts a whole new perspective on your priorities.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
與河流搏鬥 第四篇 Wrestling the River – part four
Sometimes when you go way outside of your comfort zone, you surprise yourself.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 講虛話 Empty Words
When are thunder and lightning like empty words? This Chinese proverb will explain.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
與河流搏鬥 第三篇 Wrestling the River - part three
Just how far out into the river will I have to go?Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 魚化成龍 Fish Becomes Dragon
Sometimes it doesn't work to just walk through the gate.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
與河流搏鬥 第二篇 Wrestling the River - part two
In part two, we find out what lives in the river and learn about the sucking forces in the river bottom.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 朝的字謎 The Riddle of 朝
One way Chinese speakers have fun remembering their characters is to make riddles about them. This riddle was one my Chinese tutor learned in school.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
與河流搏鬥 第一篇 Wrestling the River – part one
I wouldn't have done it if I had any other choice.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: Why Chinese-Speaking People Are Very 很 Happy
Expressing degree of emotion correctly in Chinese requires understanding their perspective on language. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
毛小孩會自己玩自拍嗎 ? Can pets take selfies ?
The modern camera can be used to alter our perception of reality if we aren't paying attention. This episode is an extensive update of the previous episode How to Take a Photo 如何拍照片.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
在每天的談話中可能提到這本史詩 This Epic Might be Mentioned in Everyday Conversations
There is a man from Chinese history 2000 or so years ago who is still mentioned in everyday conversation, so you need to know who he is.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
ㄧ家自命非凡的餐館 The Restaurant That Refused To Be Normal
Confusion is bound to happen when learning a new language, but sometimes it happens in unexpected places!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
跟鯊魚一起游泳 Swimming with Sharks
It's all about exactly when you are in the water.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
辣椒沾在我的嘴唇上 Hot Peppers on My Lips
Burning kiss doesn't mean the same thing to everyone.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
淺嚐一口鴿子肉 One Bite of Pigeon
I never thought I'd want pigeons living at my house.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
When We Say: It Is None of Your Business 什麼時候說：這不關你的事
There are particular skills to giving and accepting advice, even in Chinese. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
小狗狗的第一個聖誕節 Puppy’s First Christmas
Something should be done to avoid puppy mayhem during the Christmas season!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Psalm 100 第一百篇
If you want to practice being grateful to you Maker while you study Chinese, the translation of this Psalm will help you do that.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: Mastering 就
The Chinese character/word 就 can be confusing. It can mean a variety of things and it can be challenging to know how to use it.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
在龍的肚皮下面The Underbelly of the Dragon
There are believable and numerous reports of what were called dragons in the not so distant past.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 知道什麼時候用否定語氣 Knowing When to be Negative
There are some negatives that are very positive. In this longer than usual Chinese Lesson Blurb, we play games with negative words while telling a simple story.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 未知或者是不知道
To know or not to know - that is the question. In this Fun Learning Chinese lesson blurb we more closely study a couple of common words from episode 178 that sound like they mean the same basic thing, but have different implications.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
距離到未知五秒鐘 Five Seconds Away From the Unknown
When we think of the future, we tend to think of weeks or years ahead. But what about the next five seconds?Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
為小狗狗們放煙火 Fireworks for the Puppies
We found out the hard way that there are some things you should find out before you let your dog have puppies. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
隨性的海上冒險 (第三篇)The Happy-Go-Lucky Ocean Adventure (part three)
The ocean is unpredictable, but sometimes accidents are because people don't anticipate all the physics involved in a situation. This is the finale to the Caribbean tale.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
隨性的海上冒險 (第二篇)The Happy-Go-Lucky Ocean Adventure (part two)
Racing against time before a predicted hurricane, the new and inexperienced crew has to make several important repairs on the sailboat. This involves island hopping and mysterious sounds on the deck.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
隨性的海上冒險 (第一篇)The Happy-Go-Lucky Ocean Adventure (part one)
A sailboat is on its way to the Caribbean islands to pick up some retirees with adventurous spirits. Join in the anticipation for the trip of a lifetime and easily learn some helpful geography along the way. (I wasn't happy with the first recording, so we've already uploaded a new, much clearer one)Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 2
The War Between the Hens 母雞們之間的戰爭
If the henhouse is a microcosm of life, then we're all in trouble.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Taking a Nap to Recharge Your Body 小睡讓身體充電
Some things are vital to be able to communicate.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Disappearing Bean Seedlings 長出來的豆苗不見了
It's a gardening mystery! No clues left behind, so it comes down to a stake out from a nearby window.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Someone Wants to Clone My Daughter 有人想要複製我的女兒
A true story that includes cloning, being a ninja, and kung fu in ways you probably don't expect. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Holes in My Skull 我的腦袋殼子開了洞
What would motivate you to put holes in your skull?Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
My Rooster Cluck Norris and My Horse 我的公雞克拉克諾里斯和我的馬
Are you more like the rooster or more like the horse?Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Important Facts About Having a Baby 關於一個嬰孩誕生重要的真相
Examining the facts of your birth can put life into perspective. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
A Visit from St. Nicholas part three 聖尼可拉斯來拜訪 第三篇
The third and final installment of the translation of this classic Christmas poem. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
A Visit from St. Nicholas part two 聖尼可拉斯來拜訪第二篇
Keep up with the antics of St. Nicholas in part 2 of our 3 part translation of this classic poem! Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
A Visit from St. Nicholas 聖尼可拉斯來拜訪 part one
A translation of the classic poem published in 1823 anonymously in a New York newspaper. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
How to Get a Free Turkey 怎麼得到免費的火雞
Your mom probably told you there's no such thing as a free turkey, but just the idea that it is free can be a great motivator.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Homemade Cookies 自製餅乾
Making homemade cookies can be extra important and extra challenging when living abroad.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Fishing Miracle 一個釣魚的神蹟
A young girl asks to go fishing one more time before she dies.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Walking My Husband’s Bike Back Home 牽我老公的腳踏車回家
You know if it involves a pack of wild dogs in the city on a dark and rainy day, someone is in trouble.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
How to Make a Suggestion 如何建議 in Chinese
In this episode we have some fun sentences for learning how to make a suggestion just the way you want to.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Man with the Hairy Chest 一個有很多胸毛的男人
A hairy chest can cause unforeseen problems in an emergency!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Invisible Glass Door 隱形玻璃門
Invisible doesn't always mean hard to find. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 總而言之 To Sum It All Up
We dissect a Chinese idiom to make it more understandable and more memorable. This idiom was used in the recent episode about keeping a secret.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
How to Keep a Secret 怎麼樣保有自己的秘密
Everyone says they want to help you keep your secret.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Little Pirate 一個小海盜
What should you do if there is a pirate in the house?Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Do you have a frog in your throat? 有沒有一隻青蛙在你的喉嚨裡？
Sometimes you are saying exactly what you mean to, but the person hearing you is getting a completely different message.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Four Frogs in a Glass Pond Part 4 四隻青蛙在玻璃池塘裡 第四篇
In this final segment of the frog's story, we find out what ultimately happens to them and why, as well as what the children think about this.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 我用剪刀去剪蒲公英黃色的花 or I Use Scissors to Cut Dandelions
There was a sentence in Four Frogs in a Glass Pond Part 3 四隻青蛙在玻璃池塘裡 第三篇 that used the character 去 that led to a lot of discussion. Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Four Frogs in a Glass Pond Part 3 四隻青蛙在玻璃池塘裡 第三篇
It was kind of like a bug-eating circus.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Chinese Lesson Blurb: 女人的情緒像天氣的變化 A Woman’s Mood Changes Like the Weather
When a little side discussion of yīn yáng leads to descriptions of the weather.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Automatic Toilet Fiasco 用自動沖水馬桶的慌亂挫折經驗
Timing is everything.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Four Frogs in a Glass Pond Part 2 四隻青蛙在玻璃池塘裡 第二篇
Where will the frogs live now and what will they eat??Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Caterpillars Can Help You Read Amazon Receipts 毛毛蟲們可以幫助你讀亞馬遜購物的收據
A happy convergence of Chinese characters made reading my receipt into a fun learning experience!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
Four Frogs in a Glass Pond Part 1 四隻青蛙在玻璃池塘裡 第一篇
Expectations gone awry lead to adventure for these frogs!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
I Want to Buy Wheat Flour to Make Bread 我要買麵粉做麵包
Sometimes a word, like flour, seems so straightforward, but then you find out it isn't.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
How to Treat a Cold 如何治療感冒
Being able to talk about your cold in Chinese will help take your mind off of your discomfort. Plus, we have some good advice for how to get better sooner!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
I Consider The Freaky Pink Christmas Tree 我認為怪誕的粉紅色聖誕樹
Trying to celebrate Christmas in a foreign country that doesn't have nearly the same traditions is full of surprises.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Secret of the Canyon Shouting 峽谷吶喊的秘密
There are important things that you can learn in a canyon.Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
How to Talk About Your Husband 怎麼談論關於妳的老公
There are several options for talking about your husband (or wife) in Chinese. Do you want to speak in terms of endearment or like a government bureaucrat? There are interesting and often humorous reasons for the different word choices!Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
The Day We Drove Off a Cliff 我們開車墜落山崖的那一天
It was supposed to be a relaxing tropical vacation...Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
If you give a baby a kiss 如果你給寶寶一個親吻
You may want to kiss the baby, but you should be aware of potential consequences...Visit funlearningchinese.com to sign up for FLC Firecracker Newsflash emails and get your 21 Very Helpful Hints for Learning to Speak Chinese!
