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Check out sample episodes at your level below!
Arranged from Foundations (HSK 1) to Mastery (HSK 6+), so you can quickly find your level—or challenge yourself with something harder.
Level 1: Foundations
The Food I Like
Foundations is roughly equivalent to our Get Speaking Mandarin 1 course, or around HSK 1-2/TOCFL 1.
Transcript:
Traditional Characters
大家好，我是Christine，歡迎來到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你現在聽的是基礎級。 今天的故事叫做「我喜歡的食物」。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài tīng de shì jīchǔ jí. Jīntiān de gùshì jiàozuò “Wǒ xǐhuān de shíwù.”
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Basic level. Today’s story is called “The Food I Like.”
每個人都有自己喜歡的食物，有些人喜歡吃麵，有些人喜歡吃飯。 今天的內容，是關於一個人最喜歡吃的——水餃。一起來聽聽看他的飲食習慣和想法吧。
Měi gèrén dōu yǒu zìjǐ xǐhuān de shíwù, yǒuxiē rén xǐhuān chī miàn, yǒuxiē rén xǐhuān chī fàn. Jīntiān de nèiróng, shì guānyú yīgè rén zuì xǐhuān chī de——shuǐjiǎo. Yīqǐ lái tīngting kàn tā de yǐnshí xíguàn hé xiǎngfǎ ba.
Everyone has foods they enjoy. Some people like noodles, while others prefer rice. Today’s episode is about someone’s favorite food—dumplings. Let’s listen to their eating habits and thoughts.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Simplified Characters
大家好，我是Christine，欢迎来到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你现在听的是基础级。 今天的故事叫做「我喜欢的食物」。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài tīng de shì jīchǔ jí. Jīntiān de gùshì jiàozuò “Wǒ xǐhuān de shíwù.”
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Basic level. Today’s story is called “The Food I Like.”
每个人都有自己喜欢的食物，有些人喜欢吃面，有些人喜欢吃饭。 今天的内容，是关于一个人最喜欢吃的——水饺。 一起来听听看他的饮食习惯和想法吧。
Měi gèrén dōu yǒu zìjǐ xǐhuān de shíwù, yǒuxiē rén xǐhuān chī miàn, yǒuxiē rén xǐhuān chī fàn. Jīntiān de nèiróng, shì guānyú yīgè rén zuì xǐhuān chī de——shuǐjiǎo. Yīqǐ lái tīngting kàn tā de yǐnshí xíguàn hé xiǎngfǎ ba.
Everyone has foods they enjoy. Some people like noodles, while others prefer rice. Today’s episode is about someone’s favorite food—dumplings. Let’s listen to their eating habits and thoughts.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Level 2: Basic
The Night Market
Basic is roughly equivalent to our Get Speaking Mandarin 2 course, or around HSK 2-3/TOCFL 2.
Transcript:
Traditional Characters
大家好，我是Christine，歡迎來到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你現在收聽的是初級。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì chūjí.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Beginner level.
夜市對很多人來說，不只是吃飯的地方，也是體驗生活的一部分。今天的故事，是關於一段在夜市裡的用餐經驗，也有一些小小的觀察與想法。
Yèshì duì hěn duō rén lái shuō, bù zhǐ shì chīfàn de dìfāng, yě shì tǐyàn shēnghuó de yí bùfèn. Jīntiān de gùshì, shì guānyú yí duàn zài yèshì lǐ de yòngcān jīngyàn, yě yǒu yīxiē xiǎoxiǎo de guānchá yǔ xiǎngfǎ.
For many people, night markets are not just a place to eat, but also a way to experience life. Today’s story is about a dining experience at a night market, along with some small observations and thoughts.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Simplified Characters
大家好，我是Christine，欢迎来到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你现在收听的是初级。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì chūjí.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Beginner level.
夜市对很多人来说，不只是吃饭的地方，也是体验生活的一部分。今天的故事，是关于一段在夜市里的用餐经验，也有一些小小的观察与想法。
Yèshì duì hěn duō rén lái shuō, bù zhǐ shì chīfàn de dìfāng, yě shì tǐyàn shēnghuó de yí bùfèn. Jīntiān de gùshì, shì guānyú yí duàn zài yèshì lǐ de yòngcān jīngyàn, yě yǒu yīxiē xiǎoxiǎo de guānchá yǔ xiǎngfǎ.
For many people, night markets are not just a place to eat, but also a way to experience life. Today’s story is about a dining experience at a night market, along with some small observations and thoughts.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Level 3: Intermediate
My Eating Habits
Intermediate is roughly equivalent to our Get Speaking Mandarin 3 course, or around HSK 3-4/TOCFL 3.
Transcript:
Traditional Characters
大家好，我是Christine，歡迎來到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你現在收聽的是中級。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì zhōngjí.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Intermediate level.
有沒有人跟我一樣，小時候最喜歡的食物就是炸雞和薯條？那種香味和酥脆的口感，真的讓人停不下來。不過，長大後，身體會告訴你，是時候做一些改變了。
Yǒu méiyǒu rén gēn wǒ yīyàng, xiǎoshíhòu zuì xǐhuān de shíwù jiùshì zhájī hé shǔtiáo? Nà zhǒng xiāngwèi hé sūcuì de kǒugǎn, zhēn de ràng rén tíng bù xiàlái. Bùguò, zhǎng dà hòu, shēntǐ huì gàosù nǐ, shì shíhòu zuò yīxiē gǎibiàn le.
Did anyone else love fried chicken and fries the most as a kid? That smell and crispy texture are really irresistible. But as you grow up, your body will tell you—it’s time to make some changes.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Simplified Characters
大家好，我是Christine，欢迎来到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你现在收听的是中级。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì zhōngjí.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Intermediate level.
有没有人跟我一样，小时候最喜欢的食物就是炸鸡和薯条？那种香味和酥脆的口感，真的让人停不下来。不过，长大后，身体会告诉你，是时候做一些改变了。
Yǒu méiyǒu rén gēn wǒ yīyàng, xiǎoshíhòu zuì xǐhuān de shíwù jiùshì zhájī hé shǔtiáo? Nà zhǒng xiāngwèi hé sūcuì de kǒugǎn, zhēn de ràng rén tíng bù xiàlái. Bùguò, zhǎng dà hòu, shēntǐ huì gàosù nǐ, shì shíhòu zuò yīxiē gǎibiàn le.
Did anyone else love fried chicken and fries the most as a kid? That smell and crispy texture are really irresistible. But as you grow up, your body will tell you—it’s time to make some changes.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Level 4: Advanced
The Rhythm of the Seasons and Life
Advanced is roughly equivalent to our (forthcoming) Get Speaking Mandarin 4 course, or around HSK 4-5/TOCFL 4.
Transcript:
Traditional Characters
大家好，我是Christine，歡迎來到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你現在收聽的是高級。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì gāojí.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Advanced level.
你有沒有發現，季節的變化，除了讓你穿上不同的衣服、吃不同的東西，也悄悄改變了你看待生活的方式？
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu fāxiàn, jìjié de biànhuà, chúle ràng nǐ chuān shàng bùtóng de yīfú, chī bùtóng de dōngxī, yě qiāoqiāo gǎibiàn le nǐ kàndài shēnghuó de fāngshì?
Have you noticed how seasonal changes not only affect what you wear and eat, but also quietly shift how you view life?
今天這一集，想和你聊聊四季，還有我們怎麼在這些循環裡，一點一點地認識自己，調整步伐，慢慢長大。
Jīntiān zhè yì jí, xiǎng hé nǐ liáoliáo sìjì, háiyǒu wǒmen zěnme zài zhèxiē xúnhuán lǐ, yì diǎn yì diǎn de rènshì zìjǐ, tiáozhěng bùfá, màn man zhǎngdà.
In this episode, I want to talk with you about the four seasons, and how—within these cycles—we gradually come to know ourselves, adjust our pace, and slowly grow.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Simplified Characters
大家好，我是Christine，欢迎来到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你现在收听的是高级。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì gāojí.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Advanced level.
你有没有发现，季节的变化，除了让你穿上不同的衣服、吃不同的东西，也悄悄改变了你看待生活的方式？
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu fāxiàn, jìjié de biànhuà, chúle ràng nǐ chuān shàng bùtóng de yīfú, chī bùtóng de dōngxī, yě qiāoqiāo gǎibiàn le nǐ kàndài shēnghuó de fāngshì?
Have you noticed how seasonal changes not only affect what you wear and eat, but also quietly shift how you view life?
今天这一集，想和你聊聊四季，还有我们怎么在这些循环里，一点一点地认识自己，调整步伐，慢慢长大。
Jīntiān zhè yì jí, xiǎng hé nǐ liáoliáo sìjì, háiyǒu wǒmen zěnme zài zhèxiē xúnhuán lǐ, yì diǎn yì diǎn de rènshì zìjǐ, tiáozhěng bùfá, màn man zhǎngdà.
In this episode, I want to talk with you about the four seasons, and how—within these cycles—we gradually come to know ourselves, adjust our pace, and slowly grow.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Level 5: Mastery
Traveling Taught Me to Live Within the Unknown
Mastery is beyond our Get Speaking Mandarin series, around HSK 6/TOCFL 5 or above.
Transcript:
Traditional Characters
大家好，我是Christine，歡迎來到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你現在收聽的是優級。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì yōují.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Mastery level.
我們總以為旅行是為了抵達某個地方，但其實，更多時候，旅行是為了離開某個節奏。
Wǒmen zǒng yǐwéi lǚxíng shì wèile dǐdá mǒu gè dìfāng, dàn qíshí, gèng duō shíhòu, lǚxíng shì wèile líkāi mǒu gè jiézòu.
We often think that travel is about reaching a destination, but more often, it’s about stepping away from a certain rhythm.
不是為了尋找風景，而是為了在陌生中，重新看見熟悉的自己。
Bù shì wèile xúnzhǎo fēngjǐng, ér shì wèile zài mòshēng zhōng, chóngxīn kànjiàn shúxī de zìjǐ.
Not to chase scenery, but to rediscover a familiar version of ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
Simplified Characters
大家好，我是Christine，欢迎来到Outlier Linguistics的Get Listening Mandarin podcast！你现在收听的是优级。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ shì Christine, huānyíng láidào Outlier Linguistics de Get Listening Mandarin podcast! Nǐ xiànzài shōutīng de shì yōují.
Hello everyone, I’m Christine. Welcome to Outlier Linguistics’ Get Listening Mandarin podcast! You’re now listening to the Mastery level.
我们总以为旅行是为了抵达某个地方，但其实，更多时候，旅行是为了离开某个节奏。
Wǒmen zǒng yǐwéi lǚxíng shì wèile dǐdá mǒu gè dìfāng, dàn qíshí, gèng duō shíhòu, lǚxíng shì wèile líkāi mǒu gè jiézòu.
We often think that travel is about reaching a destination, but more often, it’s about stepping away from a certain rhythm.
不是为了寻找风景，而是为了在陌生中，重新看见熟悉的自己。
Bù shì wèile xúnzhǎo fēngjǐng, ér shì wèile zài mòshēng zhōng, chóngxīn kànjiàn shúxī de zìjǐ.
Not to chase scenery, but to rediscover a familiar version of ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings.
...and so on. Join us to get the full transcript!
What it is & How it Works
This isn’t just another Chinese podcast.
Every episode is carefully designed to help you understand real Mandarin—the kind you’ll actually hear in conversations, movies, and daily life.
Here’s how it works:
Bite-sized episodes – Just 5–10 minutes a day so you can actually stick with it.
3 Episodes per week – Constant, fresh content covering different topics (and yes, we take requests!)
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Full transcripts in traditional & simplified characters – Follow along, look up words, and lock in what you’re hearing.
Expert tips & cultural notes – Understand not just the words, but the meaning behind the words.
Active community of learners – Join over 5000 other learners and get direct access to us!
Why it works:
Most learners listen too little, too late. By starting now, with content you can understand and enjoy, you’ll train your ear to catch tones, words, and patterns automatically—without thinking.
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I learned Mandarin in Taiwan and am used to the Taiwan accent. But I am interested in viewing Chinese media, and that is usually delivered with the standard accent that Christine has on these podcasts. So her podcasts are getting me more used to that accent. When the transcript comes out, I can check the phrases I didn't know. It was very interesting and well-written.
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Meet Your Host
Christine Shen
Lead teacher
Christine is an experienced Chinese instructor with two master’s degrees in language teaching. Before joining Outlier, she taught diplomats, actors, and high-ranking managers in major companies, providing instruction from basic daily Chinese to advanced professional language. Her extensive background in language education and hands-on experience with diverse professional clientele allows her to offer tailored and practical lessons. She is passionate about helping students achieve fluency and confidence in Chinese, empowering them to excel in both personal and professional contexts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. 100% free. No hidden charges, no credit card required. We do have paid courses, but the podcast is completely free for you to enjoy.
How much time will this take?
Each episode is about 3-10 minutes long, depending on the level. You can listen (or watch) anywhere—on your commute, during a break, or while cooking dinner.
What level is this for?
We’ve got episodes for all levels, from brand new learners to advanced. You’ll see your level clearly labeled, and you can skip around if you want to try harder (or easier) material.
Do I have to join your community to listen?
The podcast will be available for free on major podcast platforms soon, and also on social media like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. However, the transcripts are only available in our free Outlier Mandarin Community, so you’ll need an account. When you sign up, you’ll get instant access to the episodes, transcripts, and the rest of the community.
Do I need to use my real photo in the community?
Nope! The setup asks for a profile picture, but it doesn’t have to be of your face or anything personally identifying. Use your favorite character, your pet, or a cool landscape if you'd prefer.
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