http://popupchinese.com en-us © 2012 Language Systems Ltd. Learn Chinese with free mandarin podcasts, lessons, HSK sample tests, music videos, movies and more.... Popup Chinese Popup Chinese service@popupchinese.com Clean no Wed, 24 Sep 2014 09:00:00 -0700

With the Alibaba IPO throwing daytraders worldwide into a frenzed adulation of all things China, and the press going wild over Jack Ma and his Chinese e-commerce engine, this week's show takes a closer look at Taobao - the jewel in the Alibaba crown - with a hard-hitting quiz covering the most important things no-one seems to be able to remember about our favourite shopping site. Also on the show: questions about Beijing and the secrets of Uighur time....

Quiz Night is a regular feature here at Popup Chinese that we've put together for intermediate to upper-intermediate students. And our goal is not so much teaching anything in particular so much as producing a half-mandarin, half-english show that features higher-level vocabulary you won't run into in other learning materials. Today, join us and learn everything from the name of Goldman Sachs in Chinese, to the essential catchphrases needed to outsource your thesis to somewhere south of Wuhan.

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With the Alibaba IPO throwing daytraders worldwide into a frenzed adulation of all things China, and the press going wild over Jack Ma and his Chinese e-commerce engine, this week's show takes a closer look at Taobao - the jewel in the Alibaba crown - with a hard-hitting quiz covering the most important things no-one seems to be able to remember about our favourite shopping site. Also on the show: questions about Beijing and the secrets of Uighur time....

Quiz Night is a regular feature here at Popup Chinese that we've put together for intermediate to upper-intermediate students. And our goal is not so much teaching anything in particular so much as producing a half-mandarin, half-english show that features higher-level vocabulary you won't run into in other learning materials. Today, join us and learn everything from the name of Goldman Sachs in Chinese, to the essential catchphrases needed to outsource your thesis to somewhere south of Wuhan.

]]> no 21:31 Mon, 21 Jul 2014 09:00:00 -0700

Did you ever thumb through a fresh copy of City Weekend and wonder why the Readers' Choice Award for Creepiest Park in Beijing has been awarded to Jingshan Park every year since the mid-1660s? In this episode, Megan squares off with returning champion Zhiqiang to answer this as well as questions on rehab and earth's diminishing dolphin population. Normally, Megan and Joakeem are trapped in a discussion on how to define their relationship but during Quiz Night this week they stay off that topic for 16 uninterrupted minutes of bliss.

Learning Chinese? The Popup Chinese Quiz Night is easy-to-digest mixed-language edutainment for intermediate learners. Our goal is offering up stimulating high-level vocabulary that can help you hone your listening comprehension and vocab while havng fun, or at least enjoying the warm feeling of knowing that your Chinese is better than that of the Swedish guy who is hosting the show.

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Did you ever thumb through a fresh copy of City Weekend and wonder why the Readers' Choice Award for Creepiest Park in Beijing has been awarded to Jingshan Park every year since the mid-1660s? In this episode, Megan squares off with returning champion Zhiqiang to answer this as well as questions on rehab and earth's diminishing dolphin population. Normally, Megan and Joakeem are trapped in a discussion on how to define their relationship but during Quiz Night this week they stay off that topic for 16 uninterrupted minutes of bliss.

Learning Chinese? The Popup Chinese Quiz Night is easy-to-digest mixed-language edutainment for intermediate learners. Our goal is offering up stimulating high-level vocabulary that can help you hone your listening comprehension and vocab while havng fun, or at least enjoying the warm feeling of knowing that your Chinese is better than that of the Swedish guy who is hosting the show.

]]> no 15:26 Sun, 04 May 2014 09:00:00 -0700

Occasionally, we think back on our years in China and look back at our casual brushes with death with the sort of nostalgia other people feel for high school prom. For such were those heady days of SARS, when the streets of Beijing were clean, taxis were readily available, and glaston and woad were part of the everyday lexicon here. Also on this show, what happened to the inventor of the flying car who strapped Cessena wings to a Ford Pinto.

Learning Chinese? Our Popup Chinese quiz show is intended for people who already have pretty good mandarin but are looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. This week we have nine questions split into three thematic categories, covering everything from mouthwash to our favorite ineffective Chinese herbal remedies. So if you're an upper-level student, check out the show and let us know what you think.

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Occasionally, we think back on our years in China and look back at our casual brushes with death with the sort of nostalgia other people feel for high school prom. For such were those heady days of SARS, when the streets of Beijing were clean, taxis were readily available, and glaston and woad were part of the everyday lexicon here. Also on this show, what happened to the inventor of the flying car who strapped Cessena wings to a Ford Pinto.

Learning Chinese? Our Popup Chinese quiz show is intended for people who already have pretty good mandarin but are looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. This week we have nine questions split into three thematic categories, covering everything from mouthwash to our favorite ineffective Chinese herbal remedies. So if you're an upper-level student, check out the show and let us know what you think.

]]> no 17:08 Wed, 16 Apr 2014 09:00:00 -0700

After a lengthy hiatus, we're pleased to release another episode of our Chinese Quiz Night. Joining new hosts Joakeem and Grace in our studio are two contestants known and feared by the other residents of Beijing: Martin the Destroyer, famous around Beijing for his mastery on the pub quiz circuit, as well as Ban "the terror from Qinghai" Yan, who is admittedly less intimidating in person that we were expecting.

Not sure what this show is doing in your iTunes feed? Our Chinese Quiz Show at Popup Chinese is a mixed English-Chinese concept show we're developing for upper-intermediate students: a quiz game that mixes Chinese questions with just enough English to keep things intelligible. We're still tweaking the balance, but if you're stretching past the intermediate level and looking for fun listening materials we think you'll like it -- our topics today range from general China knowledge to popular and not-so-popular singers, as well as a final category with language we hope none of us ever to have to use. Listen up and find out why.

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After a lengthy hiatus, we're pleased to release another episode of our Chinese Quiz Night. Joining new hosts Joakeem and Grace in our studio are two contestants known and feared by the other residents of Beijing: Martin the Destroyer, famous around Beijing for his mastery on the pub quiz circuit, as well as Ban "the terror from Qinghai" Yan, who is admittedly less intimidating in person that we were expecting.

Not sure what this show is doing in your iTunes feed? Our Chinese Quiz Show at Popup Chinese is a mixed English-Chinese concept show we're developing for upper-intermediate students: a quiz game that mixes Chinese questions with just enough English to keep things intelligible. We're still tweaking the balance, but if you're stretching past the intermediate level and looking for fun listening materials we think you'll like it -- our topics today range from general China knowledge to popular and not-so-popular singers, as well as a final category with language we hope none of us ever to have to use. Listen up and find out why.

]]> no 14:26 Tue, 25 Jun 2013 09:00:00 -0700

In our fourth episode of Quiz Night, Tony from New Zealand matches matches his wits against Will from Australia in a battle that covers everything from T.S. Eliot's favorite detective novel, to horrific industrial accidents in Russia. Also up for your enjoyment? David repeatedly mispronounces the word "nuclear" and we learn the best place in Beijing for volleying ammunition into the Forbidden City.

Learning Chinese? Our quiz show is geared for anyone with good listening comprehension also looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. This show is a bit heavy on English and we're likely to push back towards a more Chinese-intensive show in future episodes, but even so there is still a decent amount of upper-level mandarin here. So join us for a fun romp through history, pop culture and modern China, and let us know what you think.

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In our fourth episode of Quiz Night, Tony from New Zealand matches matches his wits against Will from Australia in a battle that covers everything from T.S. Eliot's favorite detective novel, to horrific industrial accidents in Russia. Also up for your enjoyment? David repeatedly mispronounces the word "nuclear" and we learn the best place in Beijing for volleying ammunition into the Forbidden City.

Learning Chinese? Our quiz show is geared for anyone with good listening comprehension also looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. This show is a bit heavy on English and we're likely to push back towards a more Chinese-intensive show in future episodes, but even so there is still a decent amount of upper-level mandarin here. So join us for a fun romp through history, pop culture and modern China, and let us know what you think.

]]> no 19:50 Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:00:00 -0700

Nazi refreshments, racist stereotypes from the 1980s and boy bands that refuse to die. Such are just a few of the topics you can expect this week on our Popup Quiz Night, along with our usual round of China questions designed to make you absolutely insufferable to friends and family alike.

Learning Chinese? Our Popup Chinese quiz show is intended for people who already have pretty good mandarin but are looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. It features nine questions split into three thematic categories, with Chinese-heavy questions and a vocabulary review tucked onto the end. We've tried to make this show more difficult than our last one, so let us know what you think, and good luck!

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Nazi refreshments, racist stereotypes from the 1980s and boy bands that refuse to die. Such are just a few of the topics you can expect this week on our Popup Quiz Night, along with our usual round of China questions designed to make you absolutely insufferable to friends and family alike.

Learning Chinese? Our Popup Chinese quiz show is intended for people who already have pretty good mandarin but are looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. It features nine questions split into three thematic categories, with Chinese-heavy questions and a vocabulary review tucked onto the end. We've tried to make this show more difficult than our last one, so let us know what you think, and good luck!

]]> no 19:36 Mon, 06 May 2013 09:00:00 -0700

After succumbing last episode to Brendan's wide-ranging knowledge of everything save contemporary pop music, Echo has switched sides this week to serve as Chinese quizmaster in a show that pits podcaster Sylvia against voice-legend Andy in a China-vs-China battle of the wits. And with a Chinese Mobile recharge card hanging in the balance, and SMS messages just waiting to be sent, the stakes could not be higher for our contestants.

Learning Chinese? Our quiz show is intended for people who already have pretty good mandarin but are looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. And with that in mind, our topics covered this week include famous American companies which have bought other famous American companies, people who did not win the Nobel Peace Prize, and Communist beards we know and love. This is a fun romp through history, pop culture, and German facial hair, so join us for the quiz and let us know what you think.

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After succumbing last episode to Brendan's wide-ranging knowledge of everything save contemporary pop music, Echo has switched sides this week to serve as Chinese quizmaster in a show that pits podcaster Sylvia against voice-legend Andy in a China-vs-China battle of the wits. And with a Chinese Mobile recharge card hanging in the balance, and SMS messages just waiting to be sent, the stakes could not be higher for our contestants.

Learning Chinese? Our quiz show is intended for people who already have pretty good mandarin but are looking for a fun way to expand their vocabulary. And with that in mind, our topics covered this week include famous American companies which have bought other famous American companies, people who did not win the Nobel Peace Prize, and Communist beards we know and love. This is a fun romp through history, pop culture, and German facial hair, so join us for the quiz and let us know what you think.

]]> no 18:54 Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:00:00 -0700

This is the pilot episode of a new concept show we're developing for upper-intermediate students: a quiz game featuring mostly Chinese questions with just enough bilingual discussion thrown in to keep things intelligible. We had a good time producing this, and if you're stretching past the intermediate level we think you'll like it too -- our topics range from ancient Rome to 19th century English literature and there is plenty of useful vocab here you won't find elsewhere, if only because dialogues about malaria are generally considered to be a bummer.

And what exactly is at stake? This week we pitch China against the rest of the world in a climactic showdown that aims to establish definitively whether East or West is better at trivia. So if your Chinese is already pretty good and you're looking for a fun way to make it even better, join us and put your general knowledge to the test. And then don't forget to send us feedback by email at service@popupchinese.com so we can improve on things and hopefully turn this into a regular feature here at Popup Chinese.

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This is the pilot episode of a new concept show we're developing for upper-intermediate students: a quiz game featuring mostly Chinese questions with just enough bilingual discussion thrown in to keep things intelligible. We had a good time producing this, and if you're stretching past the intermediate level we think you'll like it too -- our topics range from ancient Rome to 19th century English literature and there is plenty of useful vocab here you won't find elsewhere, if only because dialogues about malaria are generally considered to be a bummer.

And what exactly is at stake? This week we pitch China against the rest of the world in a climactic showdown that aims to establish definitively whether East or West is better at trivia. So if your Chinese is already pretty good and you're looking for a fun way to make it even better, join us and put your general knowledge to the test. And then don't forget to send us feedback by email at service@popupchinese.com so we can improve on things and hopefully turn this into a regular feature here at Popup Chinese.

]]> no 16:36 Fri, 04 May 2012 09:00:00 -0700

Our clip today has it all: useful language for subverting the local establishment while showcasing the amazing vocal diversity in mainland film-dubbing circles. And for fun, we're happy to offer useful advice on pronouncing Colin Firth's name at no extra charge. So take a listen. And if you can identify our mystery clip, be sure to write Echo for a chance to win a free month of premium access. Good luck!

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Our clip today has it all: useful language for subverting the local establishment while showcasing the amazing vocal diversity in mainland film-dubbing circles. And for fun, we're happy to offer useful advice on pronouncing Colin Firth's name at no extra charge. So take a listen. And if you can identify our mystery clip, be sure to write Echo for a chance to win a free month of premium access. Good luck!

]]> no 9:41 Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:00:00 -0800

In our inaugural episode of the Popup Chinese movie show, opinions split over Let the Bullets Fly, the Chinese western directed by Jiang Wen and starring train-robbing, gun-shooting and horse-riding versions of himself and Chow Yun-Fat. This is the film that broke the Chinese box-office record shortly after its release, but considering that its competition that year included possibly the worst Chinese film ever made, we thought it about time for a discussion of whether the film is actually any good.

Learning Chinese? We're pitching this show at the intermediate to upper-intermediate level and aiming for a discussion that splits half-and-half between English and Chinese. The English is there to help weaker listeners follow the discussion, but there is a lot of Chinese-only material here too, especially as the show goes on. And if you're having trouble following it? We've added a vocabulary list with some of the more difficult words, along with a number of sample sentences to illustrate usage.

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In our inaugural episode of the Popup Chinese movie show, opinions split over Let the Bullets Fly, the Chinese western directed by Jiang Wen and starring train-robbing, gun-shooting and horse-riding versions of himself and Chow Yun-Fat. This is the film that broke the Chinese box-office record shortly after its release, but considering that its competition that year included possibly the worst Chinese film ever made, we thought it about time for a discussion of whether the film is actually any good.

Learning Chinese? We're pitching this show at the intermediate to upper-intermediate level and aiming for a discussion that splits half-and-half between English and Chinese. The English is there to help weaker listeners follow the discussion, but there is a lot of Chinese-only material here too, especially as the show goes on. And if you're having trouble following it? We've added a vocabulary list with some of the more difficult words, along with a number of sample sentences to illustrate usage.

]]> no 13:58 Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:00:00 -0800

In real life, we suspect this Hollywood conversation would have a lot less breathless talk about "revolutionary breakthroughs" and a lot more apologetic mumbling about how "it seemed like a good idea at the time" and "is there any way we can avoid getting the Feds involved?" Not that we'd necessarily do anything differently to be perfectly frank, because what use are close friends and family if they're not going to be supportive about personal development goals and/or hostile to science?

Learning Chinese? Film Friday is our regular film guessing game at Popup Chinese. Join us each episode as we play a clip from a famous Hollywood movie that's been dubbed into mandarin, and then cover some of the more tricky things in the clip. And if you can guess our mystery film from nothing more than its Chinese soundtrack? Write echo@popupchinese.com for a chance to win a free month of premium access to everything at Popup Chinese. Good luck!

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In real life, we suspect this Hollywood conversation would have a lot less breathless talk about "revolutionary breakthroughs" and a lot more apologetic mumbling about how "it seemed like a good idea at the time" and "is there any way we can avoid getting the Feds involved?" Not that we'd necessarily do anything differently to be perfectly frank, because what use are close friends and family if they're not going to be supportive about personal development goals and/or hostile to science?

Learning Chinese? Film Friday is our regular film guessing game at Popup Chinese. Join us each episode as we play a clip from a famous Hollywood movie that's been dubbed into mandarin, and then cover some of the more tricky things in the clip. And if you can guess our mystery film from nothing more than its Chinese soundtrack? Write echo@popupchinese.com for a chance to win a free month of premium access to everything at Popup Chinese. Good luck!

]]> no 9:15 Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:52:45 -0700

Film Friday returns this afternoon with a longer clip from a Hollywood movie that you've almost certainly seen, but that Echo hadn't by the time we recorded this show. After hearing vague mention of the general theme, she promptly cleared her schedule and declared a Popup film night that evening, and the results did not disappoint. So if you're a film buff take a listen to our show today and see if you can guess our mystery movie from nothing more than a short clip dubbed into Chinese. And if you think you can guess? Enter to win a free month of premium access to Popup Chinese by writing Echo with your answer at echo@popupchinese.com.

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Film Friday returns this afternoon with a longer clip from a Hollywood movie that you've almost certainly seen, but that Echo hadn't by the time we recorded this show. After hearing vague mention of the general theme, she promptly cleared her schedule and declared a Popup film night that evening, and the results did not disappoint. So if you're a film buff take a listen to our show today and see if you can guess our mystery movie from nothing more than a short clip dubbed into Chinese. And if you think you can guess? Enter to win a free month of premium access to Popup Chinese by writing Echo with your answer at echo@popupchinese.com.

]]> no 9:47 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 09:00:00 -0700

Spent the summer in withdrawal craving more Hollywood films with Chinese soundtracks? Then join us for the latest episode of our Chinese movie guessing game. This week we feature a short clip from a Hollywood film we're sure you've seen. So listen up, and if you think you know our mystery film then write echo@popupchinese.com with your guess for a chance to win a month of free premium access to Popup Chinese.

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Spent the summer in withdrawal craving more Hollywood films with Chinese soundtracks? Then join us for the latest episode of our Chinese movie guessing game. This week we feature a short clip from a Hollywood film we're sure you've seen. So listen up, and if you think you know our mystery film then write echo@popupchinese.com with your guess for a chance to win a month of free premium access to Popup Chinese.

]]> no 10:14 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:00:00 -0700

In the last three years mandarin has become the de facto language to know for people working in Hollywood. And while we're getting inured to seeing Asian celebrities show up in mainstream Hollywood films, every now and then hell freezes over and we get an A-list American celebrity working their way through actual Chinese dialogue. The results are not often pretty, but we give full points for effort....

Join us this week we take a break from our normal Film Friday routine and try a different sort of guessing game. After highlighting a recent film that made Echo both laugh and cry, we present three mystery clips featuring other Hollywood stars throwing themselves into mandarin with varying degrees of success. Take a listen and see if you can identify them. And if you can? Get your guesses in to echo@popupchinese.com for a chance to win a month of free premium access here at Popup Chinese.

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In the last three years mandarin has become the de facto language to know for people working in Hollywood. And while we're getting inured to seeing Asian celebrities show up in mainstream Hollywood films, every now and then hell freezes over and we get an A-list American celebrity working their way through actual Chinese dialogue. The results are not often pretty, but we give full points for effort....

Join us this week we take a break from our normal Film Friday routine and try a different sort of guessing game. After highlighting a recent film that made Echo both laugh and cry, we present three mystery clips featuring other Hollywood stars throwing themselves into mandarin with varying degrees of success. Take a listen and see if you can identify them. And if you can? Get your guesses in to echo@popupchinese.com for a chance to win a month of free premium access here at Popup Chinese.

]]> no 10:10 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:00:00 -0800

At Popup Chinese, we believe rules are made to be broken. Which is why we're flaunting our regular scheduled programming and bringing you this special Monday edition of none other than Film Friday. The other reason for this shift is of course that we meant to get this out last Friday, but our DVD player refused to cooperate, being overwhelmed with the sheer difficulty of our selection....

But leaving all that as it may, we hope you enjoy this irregularly-scheduled edition of our favorite Hollywood movie guessing game. Join in as we play a challenging clip from a popular Hollywood film dubbed into Chinese. And if you can guess the movie from nothing more than it's Chinese soundtrack? Get your guesses in to echo@popupchinese.com for a chance to win a month of free premium access to Popup Chinese.

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At Popup Chinese, we believe rules are made to be broken. Which is why we're flaunting our regular scheduled programming and bringing you this special Monday edition of none other than Film Friday. The other reason for this shift is of course that we meant to get this out last Friday, but our DVD player refused to cooperate, being overwhelmed with the sheer difficulty of our selection....

But leaving all that as it may, we hope you enjoy this irregularly-scheduled edition of our favorite Hollywood movie guessing game. Join in as we play a challenging clip from a popular Hollywood film dubbed into Chinese. And if you can guess the movie from nothing more than it's Chinese soundtrack? Get your guesses in to echo@popupchinese.com for a chance to win a month of free premium access to Popup Chinese.

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