Thinking in Chinese | Speak Fluent Mandarin with Stories
About the show
Latest episodes
-
39. Intermediate | Are You Looking for Common Ground with People Who Think Differently? The Real History of the Great Wall 长城的故事 | Learn Chinese with Stories
October 4, 2026 · 23 minHow do you handle conflict when two groups want completely different things? When you look at the Great Wall, do you ever wonder why ancient China built a 13,000-mile barrier? Was the Great Wall built purely for war? And how did two…
-
38. Lower-Intermediate | How Do You Bridge the Gap Between Planning and Doing? 为什么我们总是计划容易，做起来难?| Learn Chinese with Stories
September 27, 2026 · 17 min💬Join our Chinese Speaking Club: https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginchinese/posts/join-chinese-161607686 Ever worked with an "armchair general"? They build great plans on paper, but freeze when it's time to act. We often call this "great…
-
37. Lower-Intermediate | Are You Talking to a Brick Wall? What 对牛弹琴 Teaches Us About Connection | Learn Chinese with Stories
September 14, 2026 · 14 minDo you ever bring facts and logic to a family dinner, only to feel like you’re talking to a brick wall? In this episode, we unpack the famous story behind the Chinese idiom 对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín). It's about a master musician who plays…
-
36. Lower-Intermediate | How Do You Handle Someone Who Contradicts Themselves? Understanding "矛盾 Máo Dùn" in Daily Chinese| Learn Chinese with Simple Stories
September 6, 2026 · 11 minWe’ve all seen it: A brand preaches sustainability on Monday, then urges us to buy the "latest model" by Friday. When two ideas can’t both be true, that's the core of "Máo Dùn" (矛盾). In this episode, we explore a 2,000-year-old Chinese…
-
35. Intermediate | Are You Hurting Feelings by Speaking the Truth? The Chinese Art of Polite Silence 为什么大家爱听漂亮话？ | Learn Chinese with Stories
August 24, 2026 · 14 minHave you ever smiled and agreed with a polite lie just to keep the peace? In the West, we call it "reading the room." In China, famous writer Lu Xun wrote about a similar situation: why honest people often get into trouble, while people…
-
34. Intermediate | How Can You Win Without Fighting? The Chinese Wisdom of Lao Tzu & Bruce Lee 上善若水 | Learn Chinese with Stories
August 12, 2026 · 24 minEver wonder why Bruce Lee’s “be like water” quote resonated so deeply worldwide? Today, we’re exploring the surprising connection between Bruce Lee and the ancient philosopher Lao Tzu. We’ll look at why being like water is actually a…
-
33. Intermediate | Why You Might Agree with Something You Know Is Wrong: The Story Behind 指鹿为马 | Learn Chinese with Stories
August 2, 2026 · 27 minDo you always say what you really think, or is it sometimes easier to just nod along to avoid conflict? Today we’re diving into an ancient Chinese story (指鹿为马) where a powerful leader forced an entire court to call a deer a horse. We’re…
-
32. Intermediate | "It’s all in your head?" Master the Idiom 杯弓蛇影 | Learn Chinese with Stories
July 31, 2026 · 23 minEver worried so much about something that turned out to be nothing? 2,000 years ago in China, someone's imagination actually made them sick! In this episode, we’ll dive into this classic story to learn the idiom 杯弓蛇影 (bēi gōng shé yǐng)…