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Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese

By: FluentFiction.org
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 Are you ready to supercharge your Mandarin Chinese listening comprehension? Our podcast is the perfect tool for you.

Studies show that the key to mastering a second language is through repetition and active processing. That's why each episode of our podcast features a story in Mandarin Chinese, followed by a sentence-by-sentence retelling that alternates between Mandarin Chinese and English.

This approach not only allows you to fully understand and absorb the vocabulary and grammar but also provides a bilingual support to aid your listening comprehension.

But we don't stop there. Research in sociolinguistics highlights the importance of culture in language learning, which is why we provide a list of vocabulary words and a transcript of the audio to help you understand the cultural context of the story. And for your convenience, we also include a transcript of the audio to help you refer back to any parts you may have struggled with.

And our podcast is not just for language learners, it's also for travelers or people who want to connect with their roots. Are you planning a trip to China? Maybe you want to speak Mandarin Chinese with your friends from Beijing or Shanghai? Our podcast will give you the cultural and linguistic background to fully immerse yourself in China.

Our podcast is based on the latest research in linguistics, sociolinguistics, psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience, and education to provide the most effective method for mastering Mandarin Chinese listening comprehension. Don't miss this opportunity, give our podcast a try and see the results for yourself.

今天开始，借助我们的中文故事来提升你的听力理解能力！Copyright FluentFiction.org Language Learning
Episodes
  • Balancing Lanterns and Learning: A Night in Beijing

    Balancing Lanterns and Learning: A Night in Beijing
    Feb 2 2026
    Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Balancing Lanterns and Learning: A Night in Beijing Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-02-02-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 北京的冬天寒冷而清新，校园里飘着一丝灯节的期待。En: The winter in Beijing is cold yet fresh, with a hint of anticipation for the Lantern Festival lingering throughout the campus.Zh: 宿舍里的每个角落都挂上了红色灯笼，仿佛在告诉大家即将到来的欢乐。En: In every corner of the dormitory, red lanterns are hung up, as if announcing the upcoming joy.Zh: 丽娜坐在书桌前，手中拿着一本沉甸甸的教材。En: Lina sits at her desk, holding a heavy textbook in her hands.Zh: 她的目光时而投向窗外，心里想着今晚的灯节。En: Her gaze occasionally drifts towards the window, as she thinks about tonight's festival.Zh: 那是一个充满希望和团聚的传统节日。En: It is a traditional celebration full of hope and reunion.Zh: 丽娜在心里默默计算着，今晚的灯节是她放松和重新融入同学群体的好机会。En: Lina silently calculates in her mind that tonight's festival is a great opportunity to relax and reintegrate with her classmates.Zh: 然而，明天就是重要的考试，她必须取得好成绩。En: However, there's an important exam tomorrow, and she must score well.Zh: 她心里很是纠结。En: She feels a great deal of internal conflict.Zh: 就在这时，她的朋友伟和晨走进宿舍，脸上带着兴奋的笑容。En: Just then, her friends Wei and Chen come into the dormitory, their faces lit up with excitement.Zh: 伟说：“丽娜，准备好了吗？我们要出发去灯节了！”En: Wei says, “Lina, are you ready? We’re heading to the festival!”Zh: 丽娜犹豫不决，心里似乎有个小小的拉锯战。En: Lina hesitates, feeling a small tug-of-war inside.Zh: “你们先走吧，我再看一会书。”她答道，眼睛依旧没有离开课本。En: “You guys go ahead, I'll read a bit more,” she replies, her eyes never leaving the textbook.Zh: 伟和晨对视了一下，晨对丽娜说：“你已经准备得很好了，今天晚上去感受一下灯节的气氛。En: Wei and Chen exchange a glance, and Chen says to Lina, “You've already prepared well, tonight you should go and soak up the atmosphere of the festival.Zh: 也许这正是你需要的灵感。”En: Maybe it’s just the inspiration you need.”Zh: 丽娜知道，他们说得对。En: Lina knows they are right.Zh: 于是她合上书本，嘴角露出一丝微笑：“好吧，我和你们一起去！”En: So she closes the book, a small smile appearing on her face: “Alright, I’ll go with you!”Zh: 她抓起外套，和朋友们一起踏入了寒冷的夜色。En: She grabs her coat and steps into the cold night with her friends.Zh: 灯节的现场热闹非凡，家家户户的灯笼将冬夜照得温暖如春。En: The festival is bustling with activity, and the lanterns from every household light up the winter night like spring.Zh: 丽娜心中的压力随着热闹的人群渐渐消散。En: The stress in Lina's heart gradually dissipates with the lively crowd.Zh: 灯笼上的各种图案讲述着不一样的故事，让她的思绪也随之飘扬。En: The various patterns on the lanterns tell different stories, letting her thoughts wander.Zh: 她与朋友们分享笑声和传统的美食，心中涌起一股久违的欢喜。En: She shares laughter and traditional foods with her friends, a long-lost joy welling up inside her.Zh: 回到宿舍后，丽娜发现自己的思路变得异常清晰。En: Back at the dormitory, Lina finds her mind unusually clear.Zh: 她感受到了一种新鲜的动力，那是一种来自心灵深处的满足。En: She feels a fresh motivation, a deep sense of satisfaction from within.Zh: 她重新打开书本，脑海中回荡着灯节的欢乐，笔在纸上飞快地滑动。En: She reopens her textbook, the joy of the festival resonating in her mind, her pen swiftly gliding across the paper.Zh: 她知道，自己终于明白了如何在责任和个人生活之间找到平衡。En: She knows she has finally understood how to balance responsibility and personal life.Zh: 丽娜轻声对自己说：“学习和生活都是重要的，我应该好好珍惜。”En: Lina softly says to herself, “Both study and life are important, I should cherish them.”Zh: 这个夜晚，丽娜入睡时，脸上挂着轻松的微笑。En: That night, Lina falls asleep with a relaxed smile on her face.Zh: 灯节的光芒依旧在她的梦中照耀，温暖而明亮。En: The light from the festival continues to shine in her dreams, warm and bright. Vocabulary Words:anticipation: 期待dormitory: 宿舍gaze: 目光reunion: 团聚calculate: 计算opportunity: 机会integrate: 融入conflict: 纠结hesitate: 犹豫不决tug-of-war: 拉锯战atmosphere: 气氛...
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    14 mins
  • Rekindling Home: A Yuanxiao Festival in a Foreign Land

    Rekindling Home: A Yuanxiao Festival in a Foreign Land
    Feb 2 2026
    Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: Rekindling Home: A Yuanxiao Festival in a Foreign Land Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-02-02-08-38-20-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 冬天快结束了，大学宿舍仍旧保留着寒意。En: Winter was almost over, but the university dormitory still retained a chill.Zh: 李华坐在桌边，望着窗外的灰色天空。En: Li Hua was sitting by the desk, gazing out at the gray sky.Zh: 虽然人在异国，他的思绪却飘回了故乡。En: Although she was in a foreign country, her thoughts drifted back to her hometown.Zh: 今年的元宵节，她不能和家人一起过。En: This year, she couldn't celebrate the Yuanxiao Festival with her family.Zh: 这个节日，一直是她最期待的时刻——吃元宵，看灯笼，热热闹闹。En: This festival had always been the moment she looked forward to the most—eating yuanxiao, watching lanterns, and being immersed in lively festivities.Zh: 她的室友义洲注意到李华的忧愁。En: Her roommate, Yizhou, noticed Li Hua's sadness.Zh: 义洲是个热情的人，总喜欢把文化传统分享给身边的朋友。En: Yizhou was an enthusiastic person who always liked to share cultural traditions with those around him.Zh: 他决定帮李华在宿舍准备一个小型的元宵节庆祝活动。En: He decided to help Li Hua prepare a small Yuanxiao Festival celebration in the dorm.Zh: “李华，我们来布置灯笼吧！”义洲兴奋地提议。En: "Li Hua, let's decorate with lanterns!" Yizhou suggested excitedly.Zh: 李华犹豫了一下，心想自己或许能借此感受一些家的味道，于是点了点头。En: Li Hua hesitated for a moment, thinking she might feel a touch of home through this, so she nodded.Zh: 宿舍里开始忙碌起来。En: The dormitory began to bustle.Zh: 义洲拿出一堆彩色纸灯笼，还有一些从家里带来的红色剪纸。En: Yizhou took out a bunch of colorful paper lanterns and some red paper cuttings brought from home.Zh: 他们一起挂灯笼，剪窗花，整个宿舍慢慢变得生动起来。En: Together, they hung lanterns and cut window decorations, and the dorm gradually became lively.Zh: 李华的心情也渐渐明亮。En: Li Hua's mood also brightened.Zh: 她甚至小心翼翼地尝试用电饭锅煮了些元宵，En: She even carefully tried to cook some yuanxiao using a rice cooker.Zh: 虽然没有妈妈做得那么好，但心意已到。En: Although it wasn't as good as her mother's, the intention was there.Zh: 终于到了元宵节的晚上，宿舍被灯笼的光芒温暖地笼罩着。En: Finally, it was the night of the Yuanxiao Festival, and the dorm was warmly illuminated by the glow of the lanterns.Zh: 窗外虽然寒风凛冽，室内却是一片温馨。En: Outside, the wind was bitterly cold, but inside, it was cozy.Zh: 李华和义洲坐在桌旁，品尝他们的元宵，看着手机里家人发来的灯会照片，心中充满了感动。En: Li Hua and Yizhou sat by the table, tasting their yuanxiao and looking at photos of lantern festivals sent by their family, filled with emotion.Zh: 李华这才意识到，她不必受限于地域和距离，家和节日的温暖可以在任何地方重现。En: Li Hua realized then that she didn't have to be limited by location and distance; the warmth of family and the festival could be recreated anywhere.Zh: 她心中充满了对义洲的感激，也感受到一种全新的归属感。En: Her heart was full of gratitude for Yizhou and she felt a new sense of belonging.Zh: 在这个元宵节，她学到了如何在新环境中继续她的传统，与此同时，也结交了可以分享这些时刻的新朋友。En: This Yuanxiao Festival taught her how to continue her traditions in a new environment, and at the same time, she made new friends with whom she could share these moments.Zh: 这，是一种幸福。En: This was a kind of happiness.Zh: 在晚上的最后一盏灯慢慢熄灭时，李华便清楚地知道，她已经不再是一个人在庆祝，而是融入了这个充满新的文化和友情的世界。En: As the last lantern slowly extinguished that night, Li Hua knew clearly that she was no longer celebrating alone, but was integrated into this world filled with new cultures and friendships. Vocabulary Words:retained: 保留gazing: 望着drifted: 飘celebrate: 过immersed: 沉浸enthusiastic: 热情decorations: 布置hesitated: 犹豫bustle: 忙碌gradually: 慢慢brightened: 明亮carefully: 小心翼翼intention: 心意illuminated: 笼罩bitterly: 凛冽cozy: 温馨tasting: 品尝filled: 充满gratitude: 感激belonging: 归属感recreated: 重现environment: 环境traditions: 传统shared: 分享extinguished: 熄灭integrated: 融入friendships: 友情chill: 寒意festival: 节日lively: 热闹
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    13 mins
  • New Year Revelations on the Bund: Mei's Journey to Self-Care

    New Year Revelations on the Bund: Mei's Journey to Self-Care
    Feb 1 2026
    Fluent Fiction - Mandarin Chinese: New Year Revelations on the Bund: Mei's Journey to Self-Care Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/zh/episode/2026-02-01-23-34-02-zh Story Transcript:Zh: 上海外滩，冬季的夜晚，寒风夹杂着淡淡的海味。En: Shanghai the Bund, on a winter night, the cold wind carried a faint scent of the sea.Zh: 五颜六色的灯光照在黄浦江上，波光粼粼。En: The multicolored lights reflected on the Huangpu River, shimmering with waves.Zh: 红红火火的灯笼挂满大街小巷，空气中弥漫着新年的喜悦。En: The streets and alleys were filled with bright red lanterns, and the air was filled with the joy of the approaching New Year.Zh: 梅，年轻的职场精英，站在熙熙攘攘的人群中。En: Mei, a young career professional, stood amidst the bustling crowd.Zh: 她微笑着，脸上是即将到来的春节的兴奋。En: She smiled, her face lit up with the excitement of the upcoming Spring Festival.Zh: 然而，在这个欢庆的时刻，她的心却充满了疲惫。En: Yet, amid this celebratory moment, her heart was full of fatigue.Zh: 工作压得她喘不过气来，长久以来的操劳使她感到无比的疲倦。En: Work was overwhelming her, and the long-standing toil made her feel utterly exhausted.Zh: 她拉紧了围巾，心里默默告诫自己要坚持下去。En: She tightened her scarf, silently reminding herself to persevere.Zh: 小和伟是梅的好朋友，他们在外滩的一个角落等着她。En: Xiao and Wei were Mei's good friends, waiting for her in a corner of the Bund.Zh: 他们早就察觉到梅的压力，却不知道该如何劝说她放松下来。En: They had long noticed Mei's stress but didn't know how to persuade her to relax.Zh: 当梅走近时，小笑着说：“梅，好久不见啊！看你忙得都瘦了。”En: As Mei approached, Xiao laughed and said, "Mei, long time no see! You look like you've lost weight from all the work."Zh: 梅露出一个灿烂的微笑：“是啊，最近工作多，再加上过年，确实有点忙。”En: Mei flashed a bright smile, "Yeah, work's been busy lately, and with the New Year coming up, it's a bit hectic."Zh: 语气轻松，仿佛这些根本不算什么。En: Her tone was light, as if it didn't matter at all.Zh: 然而，她心里其实很累，只是她不愿意表露出来。En: However, inside she felt very tired, but she was unwilling to show it.Zh: 随着夜色渐深，外滩的烟花绽放，五彩斑斓的光芒照亮了夜空，En: As night deepened, fireworks burst over the Bund, their colorful lights illuminating the night sky.Zh: 大家都在新年倒计时中欢呼雀跃。En: Everyone was cheering and celebrating for the New Year countdown.Zh: 梅知道大家对她的期待，她要做一个坚定独立的人。En: Mei knew of everyone's expectations for her; she wanted to be a strong and independent person.Zh: 然而，她的身体却渐渐不听使唤，不久后，就在欢声笑语中，她突然感觉天旋地转，身体再也撑不住，向后倒去。En: However, her body gradually refused to cooperate, and soon, amid the laughter and cheers, she suddenly felt the world spinning and could no longer hold on, falling backward.Zh: “梅！怎么了？”小和伟连忙上前，把她扶住。En: "Mei! What's wrong?" Xiao and Wei quickly stepped forward to support her.Zh: 周围的人群也惊呼着围了过来。En: The surrounding crowd gasped and gathered around.Zh: 在这忙碌又充满节庆气氛的时刻，梅忽然意识到自己坚持的代价，她无法再假装没事。En: In this busy and festive moment, Mei suddenly realized the cost of her perseverance; she could no longer pretend that everything was fine.Zh: 身体的崩溃是对她最大的警醒，她必须承认自己的脆弱。En: Her body's collapse was the biggest wake-up call for her, and she had to acknowledge her fragility.Zh: 梅醒来时，发现自己被朋友和家人环绕。En: When Mei woke up, she found herself surrounded by friends and family.Zh: 大家的关心让她心里一暖。En: Their concern warmed her heart.Zh: 小握住她的手说：“梅，我们都在这里。别再硬撑了，有事就告诉我们。”En: Xiao held her hand and said, "Mei, we are all here. Don't push yourself too hard; let us know if you need anything."Zh: 梅感动地点了点头。En: Mei nodded, moved.Zh: 过去她总觉得寻求帮助是软弱，但现在，她知道脆弱也是一种力量。En: In the past, she always thought asking for help was a sign of weakness, but now she knew that vulnerability could also be a strength.Zh: 她不再需要一个人承受一切。En: She no longer needed to bear everything alone.Zh: 那个夜晚，冬风依旧凛冽，但梅心中涌动着新的温暖，这来自于朋友和家人给予的支持与理解。En: That night, the winter wind was still piercingly cold, but within Mei ...
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    15 mins
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