Best Teach Yourself Chinese Podcasts (2025)

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Leaving Money on the Table: Why It Still Happens—And How to Stop Doing It in 2026 12:49

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3d ago12:49

12:49

A TWiT Talk with Stan "The Radio Man" Hustad On this post-Thanksgiving "Black Friday," veteran broadcaster and performance economist Stan Hustad explores why so many people still "leave money on the table." With sharp insights and light humor, this 15-minute TWiT Talk explains the real origin of the phrase and how it applies to modern business, med…

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"Give Thanks, Be Useful" — A Thanksgiving Eve Message from the Do It Right Collective 10:53

5d ago10:53

10:53

On Thanksgiving Eve—one of the most meaningful, reflective, and even quietly complicated days on the American calendar—veteran broadcaster and business-performance coach Stan Hustad steps into the "How to Be Useful" virtual studio with a simple story and a profound invitation: Let this Thanksgiving Eve be different. Let it be useful, grateful, and …

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"When I Think of You, I Give Thanks: The Hidden Power of Doing It Right" A Stan Hustad Thanksgiving Reflection from What It Takes Radio 10:06

6d ago10:06

10:06

As Thanksgiving week arrives, What It Takes Radio brings forward another thoughtful, 10-minute conversation from veteran broadcaster and business performance coach Stan Hustad—a message wrapped in gratitude, wisdom, a touch of humor, and a powerful challenge to do it right in life and business In this Thanksgiving meditation—part encouragement, par…

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A Czech Perspective on Learning Chinese: Renata Mirkova’s Story 47:02

1h ago47:02

47:02

In this episode, Jared sits down with Renata Mirkova, a Chinese language educator from the Czech Republic whose journey into Mandarin began not with a grand plan, but almost by accident. What started as a university entrance decision led her to master Chinese, live in China, and now teach both Czech and Chinese across cultural boundaries. Renata sh…

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The 7 Worst Ways to Learn Chinese (And What to Do Instead) 33:04

16d ago33:04

33:04

After 300 days of secretly studying Chinese, one guy surprises his partner with phrases like “the cheesecake is grieving” and “the purple elephant eats passion for breakfast.” It’s a bit humorous, but it also highlights a bigger issue: extreme learning methods that feel productive but fall flat in practice. In this episode, Jared and John dive into…

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Gary is still in The Transplant Zone and Dick Cheney has left RIP... And they have very similar stories 7:30

27d ago7:30

7:30

Living on the Edge — Lessons from a Heart and a Life A Transplant Zone Reflection with Gary Register In this moving short feature from The Transplant Zone, host Stan Hustad sits down once again with Gary Register — a man living day by day in the tension between hope and uncertainty as he awaits a heart transplant. Today's conversation was framed by…

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Turning Point Tuesday: Donald Trump has the Russians, the Chinese and the Democrats right where he wants them! 16:20

1M ago16:20

16:20

And he and you must decide what to do next because we are all at turning points. In this latest episode of Inconvenient Ideas with Stan "the Radio Man" Hustad, listeners are invited to step into the Curiosity Zone—that place where everything you thought you knew might be wrong. With his signature mix of humor, insight, and challenge, Stan declares …

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Fluency Now with Marko Jovanovic: No Classes, Just Progress 50:09

1M ago50:09

50:09

Can you become fluent in Chinese without teachers, classes, or even Chinese speakers around you? For Serbian software engineer Marko Javoanovic, the answer is “yes” by focusing on “fluency now”. In this episode, Marko shares how he started learning Japanese out of a love for anime but quickly pivoted to Chinese when he realized there were far more …

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Donald Trump Is Still King — And Why many of his Opponents and some of Us Are Taking NAPs 17:41

1M ago17:41

17:41

The Tuesday Truth: Reflections from the Radio Man On a brisk Tuesday morning, broadcaster and performance coach Stan Hustad—known to listeners as The Radio Man—takes his audience on another insightful journey through modern leadership and media reality. His latest episode of Inconvenient Ideas begins, as always, not with politics, but with a princi…

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Does It Matter Where You Learn Chinese? Yes And Here’s Why 30:36

1M ago30:36

30:36

Ever wonder how the place you study Chinese can shape your accent, comprehension, and even identity as a learner? In this episode, Jared and John dive into the importance of where you learn Mandarin in China and how different regions can affect your speaking and listening skills. From Beijing’s “pirate R’s” to the relaxed tones of Taipei and the “h…

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The King of POP: Why Donald Trump Is Smiling —"Inconvenient Ideas" Reflection with Stan Hustad 15:57

2M ago15:57

15:57

In this thought-provoking edition of Inconvenient Ideas, Stan Hustad offers a 15-minute story-time reflection on power, personality, and perception — all wrapped around a provocative headline: "Donald Trump is smiling now because he's the King of POP." But in Stan's hands, POP doesn't mean "Prince of Peace." It means Power, Opportunity, and Persona…

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Friends, foes, empty threats, & performances you have to make... Welcome to the Performance Economy 13:45

2M ago13:45

13:45

The latest episode of TWIT Talks with Stan Hustad dives into a topic we all know but rarely name: the strange power of empty threats, the certainty of foes when you try to do good, and the absolute necessity of performing in today's world. Stan kicks off with a smile and a sting: "If you're doing well—and especially if you're helping others do well…

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From Stage to Strategy: What Pete Hegseth Teaches Us About the Performance Economy 15:55

2M ago15:55

15:55

The Curiosity Zone, hosted by Stan Hustad, has always been a place where inconvenient ideas meet everyday wisdom. In his latest program, Stan takes listeners on a thought-provoking ride through media, leadership, and the surprising lessons of a fiery presentation given by former Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. Whether you loved the message or loathe…

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When the Messiah Comes: A Yom Kippur Conversation Between Stan and Steve 11:12

2M ago11:12

11:12

What It Takes Radio Company presents a special 10-minute program of clarity, curiosity, and a touch of charity. On the eve of Yom Kippur—the holiest day of the Jewish calendar—broadcaster Stan Hustad sat down with his longtime friend Steve Lear for a spirited and heartfelt conversation about faith, forgiveness, and what it means to live humbly in "…

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From Bubble Tea to Boxing Rings: How Freddy Buechel Found His Voice in Chinese 31:55

2M ago31:55

31:55

What happens when you move abroad at age 10 and suddenly find yourself in daily Chinese class? For Freddy Buechel, it was the start of an adventure that took him from Singapore to Taiwan, back to the U.S., and eventually to Shanghai for a full-on study abroad immersion. In this episode, Freddy shares his winding journey of learning Chinese across m…

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Remembering 9/11, My story is a little bit more frightening than others & Living the Days of Awe. 21:02

3M ago21:02

21:02

Today I shared a deeply personal reflection on two converging realities: the recent tragic loss of Charlie Kirk, and the remembrance of September 11, 2001—now twenty-four years past. I began by acknowledging the heavy weight of this day. Though much is being said about Kirk's assassination, I chose not to dwell on speculation. Instead, I wanted to …

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You Can Speak Chinese, but Can You Understand the Reply? (And Other Listener Questions) 32:54

3M ago32:54

32:54

Jared and John are back with a full episode dedicated to answering listener questions covering everything from language learning strategies to cultural quirks. They explore the challenges of using sarcasm in Mandarin, how to prepare for a trip to China if you're not yet fluent, and whether watching Chinese TV shows actually helps improve listening …

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Living a zone full life A new map for flourishing in the age of massive change in the world of AI 22:38

3M ago22:38

22:38

In a timely presentation released as summer turns to autumn, broadcaster and coach Stan Hustad introduced a daring new framework for what he calls a 'Zone-Full Life.' Built on years of reflection, conversations, and teaching, Hustad offers a way of understanding life not as a series of random events, but as a movement through a sequence of zones—ea…

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How to Learn to Read Chinese: Developing Fluency Now (Replay) 58:49

3M ago58:49

58:49

In this replay of a fan-favorite episode, John and Jared discuss the concept of fluency now as opposed to some distant time in the future and how reading will get you there.Guest interview is with Olle Linge of Hacking Chinese and Chinese language enthusiast extraordinaire. He offers the Chinese learning tips that he wishes someone had told him bac…

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Fun First, Fluency Follows: Karl Vilhelmsson’s Chinese Strategy 32:24

4M ago32:24

32:24

What happens when a Swedish physics student decides to go all-in on Chinese? Meet Karl Vilhelmsson, a particle physics student at Stanford’s SLAC lab and a self-described language adventurer. From a middle school classroom in Stockholm to immersive conversations with a Taiwanese friend and a solo Chinese language-only trip to Suzhou, Carl shares ho…

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Too Many Chinese Videos, Too Little Progress? Lets Fix That 25:14

4M ago25:14

25:14

Chinese learners today are surrounded by video, TikToks from tutors, YouTube explainers, online courses, sitcoms, and AI-powered tools promising to boost your progress. But with so much content, it's easy to feel overwhelmed or stuck in passive learning. In this episode, we dive into how to actually learn Chinese through video. Jared and John discu…

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Burnout, Breakthrough, and Fluency: Chaniece’s Story 51:40

5M ago51:40

51:40

Chaniece Chen didn’t just study Chinese, she built her own major, battled burnout in an intensive language program, and came back for more. In this episode, Jared talks with Chaniece about her 12-year journey in China, from struggling with tones to thriving in Shanghai as a translator, community organizer, and content creator. Chaniece opens up abo…

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Today I have a challenge for you... it's all about being a good TWIT 17:04

5M ago17:04

17:04

As I've said before I am now in my burning bush year so I can do a lot of things and July 1 of 2025 is here and I'm going to start doing what I call TWIT Talks from Time to Time and I'm hoping that you will join me in being a good TWIT Talker! ... So let me tell you the story because there are a lot of them,,, and STOSH something to say for greater…

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It's my Burning Bush year and if you're not Streaming you're just Dreaming about being successful ~ 18:42

5M ago18:42

18:42

... In the media and in the marketplace today. First of all let me tell you about my burning bush birthday and maybe you can figure out what it was and what it means. If you still can't figure it out let me know and I'll tell you the whole story personally because it's important for you too! But since everybody in America listens to the radio or wa…

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Crutch or Catalyst? The Truth About Pinyin 27:40

5M ago27:40

27:40

You’re reading Chinese, and there it is, pinyin over every character. It feels helpful, even comforting. But is it actually holding you back? In this episode, Jared and John explore how pinyin can become a crutch that cripples your Chinese progress and keeps you from truly mastering characters. They revisit Jared’s blog post from years ago, Pinyin …

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To be successful today you have to know about ZONE BASED LIVING.. Here's a start to knowing about it 14:43

6M ago14:43

14:43

The world is full of people right now trying to tell you that they have the secret to success. I'm not one of them. No matter how good an idea you might have to remember that nothing works all the time and there's something wrong with everything. But for your thought and consideration let me speakand seek to explain what I have learned about what I…

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If the Pope needs to do a Podcast maybe you do too! 11:17

6M ago11:17

11:17

Well maybe the Pope doesn't have to after all he is the Pope. But maybe he wants to. But he is a missionary just as I was a missionary and still am, and that means that we will do any media in any way we can to reach people with good news and good ideas and tell good stories. That's where I learned to do radio, as a missionary radio guy broadcastin…

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Starting Over in China: Chimsy’s Story of Risk, Grit, and Growth 49:19

6M ago49:19

49:19

In this episode, Jared sits down with Chimsy—marketer, meme connoisseur, and host of the China University Podcast—to dive deep into his unconventional journey from Costa Rica to China. What started as a challenge to prove a dismissive restaurant owner wrong turned into a life-changing adventure of language, culture, and self-discovery. Chimsy share…

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I'm going to have a Burning Bush Summer It could change my life and maybe my world. What about you? 13:24

6M ago13:24

13:24

Well it really is the summer season now here in North America. And I am going to start the summer by having a burning bush birthday and I'm gonna turn that into a burning bush summer. No I don't plan to burn anything down but this is a metaphor for a very powerful principle that could guide our life if we fully understood it and acted upon it. And …

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Did Joe Biden commit the original sin? Did you?... Let's talk about some stuff like that! 14:26

6M ago14:26

14:26

Two journalists have written a book that is making them millions of dollars called Original Sin... And they claim that former President Joe Biden was the sinner. What do you think about that and what is going on, and I would love to hear your opinion. But could it be that once again that everything we thought we knew might be wrong and should we co…

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He threw himself on the grenade for me . A story of transformations for Memorial Day ... But a special play for you today! 15:47

6M ago15:47

15:47

I tell stories. That's what I do. And today I want to tell you some stories about Memorial Day, and being on the radio, and how old time towns celebrated Memorial Day many years ago. And then I want to tell you about my friend Brennan... He is the one that the title of the program is all about. So please take about 15 minutes to be inspired, and pe…

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Are AI Tutors the Future of Language Learning? 36:55

6M ago36:55

36:55

AI tutors are everywhere—but are they actually good for learning Chinese? In this episode, Jared and John take a deep dive into the fast-evolving world of AI-powered language learning tools. They explore how these AI tutors work and why tools that work well in English often fall short in Chinese. You'll learn: - The surprising limitations of AI whe…

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Could it be that everything you've learned is wrong?... And maybe it's time to change a name! 13:36

6M ago13:36

13:36

Here you go friends for a Monday evening. First of all I have a celebration day and it's always nice to be able to share a happy day. But I also have decided that because so many things are changing in my life that we all need to get used to not only changing things but also changing names. So I have a little 12 minute story that I think will be am…

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City 不 City: How Paul Mike Ashton Memed His Way to Fame in China 52:29

6M ago52:29

52:29

Meet Paul Mike Ashton, the American content creator who turned a quirky catchphrase into a nationwide sensation with his viral "City 不 City" meme. Growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, Paul's curiosity for Asian cultures led him to study Chinese, setting him on a path that would take him from the Amish countryside to the neon lights of Shangh…

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May is the month where many young graduates have a quarter life crisis as they meet the marketplace! 7:17

7M ago7:17

7:17

Right now there are a lot of crazies and crises going on in a lot of peoples lives, careers, and business. And this month it will get even more so as millions of young graduate who have their new diplomas and certificates and degrees and also a mountain load of debt have to meet marketplace. What kind of advice would you give them? I would like to …

1
I want to introduce you to a new company that will help you have the power to live generously! 7:21

7M ago7:21

7:21

Please give me seven minutes to introduce you to a remarkable idea and to a remarkable entrepreneur who through many years of entrepreneurial living and coaching others in the ways to financial success can now help you discover some of the secrets of true success and powerful living. And now I asked STOSH the robot to do a complementary comment sec…