Thinking in Chinese 中文思维

Xiaohan
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Thinking in Chinese（中文思维） is a podcast for intermediate and advanced Chinese learners who want to do more than just study grammar and vocabulary. I really believe thinking in Chinese is the secret to fluency. Each episode uses the Comprehensible Input method to explore fascinating topics. We cover Chinese culture, history, literature, economics, philosophy, and society. It’s perfect for leveling up your language skills, prepping for the HSK, or just immersing yourself in the culture. You’ll discover new ideas and improve your Chinese all at once.

  1. 3d ago

    27. How a Librarian Changed the World？ 老子的故事（二）

    How a librarian became one of the greatest thinkers in history? In this episode, we continue the story of Lao Tzu. You heard about his library job last time. But today, you'll step inside: What will you see in a library 2,500 years ago with no paper? What did Lao Tzu actually do there every day? And why he chose to leave it all behind?一个图书管理员，怎么成了历史上最伟大的思想家之一？这期节目，我们继续来讲老子的故事。上一期我们提到了，他在国家图书馆工作。今天我们一起来看看：2500年前，没有纸的图书馆是什么样的？老子每天在图书馆的工作，具体是做什么的？还有，他为什么最后选择离开？ 📖 Timestamps:00:00 Introduction00:42 Is being a librarian a great job?04:57 Chapter 1: What would you see inside Lao Tzu‘s library with no paper？14:27 Chapter 2: What did Lao Tzu actually do?17:02 Chapter 3: Why did he leave it all behind?22:11 Vocabulary Breakdown 📝 FREE Transcript available on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠⁠ Music: [Guzheng City] by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

    29 min

  2. Jun 21

    26. History-Makers: Who Was Lao Tzu? 老子是谁？

    We all know The Daodejing is full of amazing wisdom. But have you ever wondered if the man behind it, Lao Tzu, was actually a real person? Today, we're starting part one of our Lao Tzu series to find out who he really was, why he got that unusual name, and if he was a real person or just a legend. 你知道《道德经》吗？很多人都喜欢这本书。但是，写这本书的“老子”，到底是一个真实的人，还是一个传说？ 今天的节目，我们一起聊聊老子背后的故事，看看老子到底是谁。 📖 Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:43 The 2500-Year-Old Mystery: Are we sure he even existed? 07:36 Chapter 1: Decoding the Name: What was his actual name? 11:32 Chapter 2: The Making of a Legend: What makes Lao Tzu so mysterious? 18:41 Chapter 3: The Era of Lao Tzu: When He Met Confucius26:38 Vocabulary Breakdown 📝 FREE Transcript available on Patreon: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠⁠ Music: [Guzheng City] by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

    34 min

  3. Jun 14

    25. Eight Must-know Chinese Phrases to Speak like a Native 你一定要知道的8个常用中文表达

    Understand Chinese perfectly but struggle to sound natural when you speak? In this episode, you’ll learn 8 daily expressions that Chinese people use all the time. They’ll help you move past that "textbook" feel and make your conversations sound way more natural and authentic. 你能听懂中文，自己说的时候，却总是有些生硬，不够地道？ 今天，你将学会中国人每天都在说的8个实用表达。学会以后，你的中文不只是说得对，还会听起来更像中国人聊天的感觉。 📍 Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:39 不太清楚 (bú tài qīng chu) - Not quite sure. 02:09 没事 (méi shì) - It’s okay. 03:46 算了 (suàn le) - Forget it. 05:13 要不 (yào bù) - How about. 07:54 没听过 (méi tīng guo) - Never heard of it. 08:59 挺不容易的 (tǐng bù róng yì de) - It's really not easy. 10:36 累死了 (lèi sǐ le) - Exhausted. 12:30 到时候再说吧 (dào shí hou zài shuō ba) - Let's see when the time comes. 📝 FREE Transcript available on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese

    17 min

  4. Jun 7

    24. Could you live without a smartphone in China？不用手机的生活是什么样？

    How many hours a day do you spend scrolling on your phone? Could you survive a single day without it? Today, we dive into a real-life experiment of a young man who traveled throughout China for 134 days without a phone. We explore how smartphones have penetrated our lives so deeply and what happens when we finally turn them off and look up. You'll also learn some highly practical Chinese vocabulary about technology and modern life. 你每天花多少时间刷手机？如果一天不用手机，你能受得了吗？ 今天，我们要聊聊一个很有意思的真实故事。一个中国小伙子做了个实验，他不带手机，在中国旅行了134天。 我们会一起聊聊智能手机是怎么改变我们生活的，以及放下手机以后，世界会变成什么样。另外，你还能学到很多关于科技和现代生活的实用中文词汇。 📖 Timestamps: 00:18 开始 Introduction 02:29 小测试 Quiz question 04:30 挑战不带手机：在中国旅行134天 Going phone-free: 134 days traveling around China 09:26 离开智能手机，生活到底有多难？Life without a smartphone: How hard is it? 12:28 放下手机后，那些意想不到的收获 Unexpected benefits of putting down your phone 15:57 总结与思考：在数字时代找到生活的平衡 Reflection: Striking a balance in a digital age 18:56 核心词汇讲解 Vocabulary Breakdown 📝 FREE Transcript available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese 👉 Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese

    29 min

  5. May 31

    23. Ten Natural Chinese Alternatives to “wǒ juéde” “我觉得”的10个说法

    Ready to upgrade your Chinese? STOP saying '我觉得' all the time. Say these instead! Discover 10 native Chinese phrases to share your thoughts in any conversation, formal or informal. 想让你的中文更地道吗？别只会说“我觉得”啦！学会这10个中国人常说的表达，聊天、开会都能用！ 📍 Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:54 我感觉 (Wǒ gǎnjué) – I feel like. 01:41 我发现 (Wǒ fāxiàn) – I noticed / I found that. 02:29 我认为 (Wǒ rènwéi) – I believe / In my opinion 03:25 说实话 / 老实说 / 说真的 (Shuō shíhuà / Lǎoshí shuō / Shuō zhēnde) – To be honest / Honestly / Truthfully 04:44 在我看来 (Zài wǒ kànlái) – From my perspective / The way I see it… 05:42 Practice Break: Sentence Substitution 08:26 要我说 (Yào wǒ shuō) – If you ask me / I'd say 09:18 说到底 (Shuō dǎodǐ) – At the end of the day. 10:30 对我来说 (Duì wǒ láishuō) – For me / In my case. 11:14 就我而言 (Jiù wǒ ér yán) – As far as I'm concerned. 12:18 就我个人来说 (Jiù wǒ gèrén lái shuō) – Personally speaking. 12:57 Paragraph Challenge: Putting all 10 phrases together 17:34 Review & Summary of the 10 Expressions 18:41 Shadowing Practice: Example sentences at slow and normal speeds. 📝 FREE Transcript (CN/PY/EN) available on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese

    27 min

  6. May 24

    22. Confucius: China's Greatest Teacher? 孔子是谁？（Part 3）

    Ever wonder how a teacher who died 2,500 years ago still shapes modern life today? How did Confucius influence the intense exam culture millions of students still face? In this last episode of Confucius's story, we’re diving into Confucius’s later years after returning to his hometown, how he finally found peace and simple joy in his seventies, and how his teachings transformed into the cultural bedrock of modern China. Perfect for Intermediate to Advanced learners (HSK 3+) who want to learn Chinese through real history and logic instead of just textbooks.📖 Timestamps:00:20 Introduction03:24 Recap: Confucius's Life So Far 05:06 Chapter 5: Finding Peace in Teaching09:16 Chapter 6: The Lasting Legacy of Confucius16:59 Top Confucius Quotes for Learners 18:09 Summary & Final Thoughts20:44 Vocabulary Breakdown 📝 FREE Transcript (CN/PY/EN) available on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese⁠ Music: [Guzheng City] by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

    33 min

  7. May 17

    21.How to Learn Chinese Vocabulary Faster and Smarter 怎么高效学习中文词汇？

    Struggling to remember Chinese vocabulary? In this video, we talk about a smarter way to learn Chinese vocabulary naturally — without endless memorization. Instead of forcing your brain to translate word-for-word, you'll learn how to treat Chinese characters like LEGO bricks so you can build vocabulary intuitively and finally start thinking directly in Chinese. Vocabulary: ✔️卡住(qiǎzhù) - To get stuck / bogged down.✔️考虑到 (kǎolǜ dào) - To consider / take into consideration.✔️死记硬背(sǐ jì yìng bèi) - Rote memorization.✔️自助(zìzhù) - Self-service.✔️万能 (wànnéng) - All-purpose / versatile.✔️说白了(shuōbáile) - Simply put / bluntly speaking.✔️真烂(zhēn làn) - Really terrible / sucks. 📝 FREE Transcript (CN/PY/EN) available on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese

    21 min

  8. May 10

    20. Chinese Vocabulary Lesson : 8 Common Chinese Expressions with "打" To Sound Like a Native Speaker 8个关于“打”的表达

    Learn 8 common Chinese expressions with “打” that native speakers actually use. These expressions will help you speak more naturally and sound like a native Chinese speaker. In this Chinese vocabulary lesson, we’ll dive into 8 common '打' phrases with real-life examples. Then, we’ll practice together with 16 shadowing sentences at slow and normal speeds to improve your pronunciation and speak more fluently! Timestamps： 00:00 Introduction00:58  打下手 (Dǎ xiàshǒu) – Lending a hand. 03:58  打交道 (Dǎ jiāodào) – Dealing with people or things. 06:40  打酱油 (Dǎ jiàngyóu) – Just passing by (it’s not my business). 10:37  打水漂 (Dǎ shuǐpiāo) – Money or effort down the drain. 13:32  打圆场 (Dǎ yuánchǎng) – Smoothing things over in a conversation. 16:13  打预防针 (Dǎ yùfángzhēn) – Giving someone a heads-up. 17:28  打马虎眼 (Dǎ mǎhǔyǎn) – Playing dumb to get away with something. 19:47  打退堂鼓 (Dǎ tuìtánggǔ) – Backing out when things get tough. 22:18 Shadowing Practice: Example sentences at slow and normal speeds. 📝 FREE Transcript (CN/PY/EN) available on Patreon: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ ☕️ Support me with a coffee so I can keep making content for you: ⁠https://ko-fi.com/thinkinginchinese⁠ 👉 Find us on YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@thinkinginchinese

    29 min
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About

Thinking in Chinese（中文思维） is a podcast for intermediate and advanced Chinese learners who want to do more than just study grammar and vocabulary. I really believe thinking in Chinese is the secret to fluency. Each episode uses the Comprehensible Input method to explore fascinating topics. We cover Chinese culture, history, literature, economics, philosophy, and society. It’s perfect for leveling up your language skills, prepping for the HSK, or just immersing yourself in the culture. You’ll discover new ideas and improve your Chinese all at once.

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