Learning Chinese with Podcasts (3): 7 Theme-Based Mandarin Podcast Categories for Learners

Who Are These Theme-Based Mandarin Podcasts For?

In the previous post, Learning Chinese with Podcasts (2): 10 Mandarin Learning Podcasts for Learners, we introduced ten shows focused specifically on teaching Mandarin. This installment is for more advanced learners — those who are ready to engage with content that native Mandarin speakers actually listen to. We’ve organized the recommendations into seven thematic categories: technology, finance and business, news and current affairs, travel and culture, knowledge and science, literature, and celebrity interviews.

After a conference session wrapped up, a friend and I got to chatting about language learning experiences, and I heard a story that stuck with me.

There was a Japanese grandfather who had been recording his everyday life as a podcast. One day he checked his analytics and was surprised to find a large overseas audience. It turned out that people learning Japanese abroad were tuning in — not because it was a language-learning show (which might feel too easy or too scripted), but because a natural, everyday conversation in Japanese was exactly what they needed to practice listening.

It’s the same instinct that leads English learners to start watching English-language TV once they reach a certain level. I’m sure there are plenty of Mandarin learners at that stage who are hungry for exactly this kind of content. So here’s a categorized list of Mandarin-language podcasts, organized by topic, for anyone interested in a particular area.

Since there are so many platforms, I’m primarily linking to Spotify; you can also search for any of these shows by name on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and elsewhere. :) The order is completely arbitrary — just whatever I happened to come across. XD

Technology

科技島讀 (Tech Island Reads)

星箭廣播 (StarRocket Radio)

Finance & Business

Gooaye 股癌 (Stock Cancer)

大人的small talk (Adult Small Talk)

News & Current Affairs

轉角國際 Daily Podcast (Global Turning Point Daily)

轉角國際 重磅廣播 (Global Turning Point Heavy Broadcast)

百靈果NEWS (BilinguNews)

敏迪選讀 (Mindi’s Reads)

The Real Story — By 報導者 (The Reporter)

記者手札 (Reporter’s Notebook)

Travel & Culture

解鎖地球 Unlock the Earth

旅行熱炒店 (Travel Stir-Fry)

Knowledge & Science

知識好好玩 (Knowledge Playground)

A small plug: I host the “語言好好玩 (Language Playground)” segment in Seasons 1–4 of this show, which covers topics related to language education and Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCSL). :P

哇賽心理學 (WOW Psychology)

法客電台 BY楊貴智 (Flaw-Less Radio by Yang Guizhi)

歷史下酒菜 (History as a Drinking Snack)

Literature

鏡文化為你朗讀 (Mirror Culture Reads to You)

Celebrity Interviews

馬力歐陪你喝一杯 (Mario Drinks With You)

There are so many Mandarin-language podcasts out there these days. The ones listed here are shows I personally enjoy or listen to regularly — but recommendations are very welcome!

Thanks for following this series. If you want to go deeper, feel free to read the original academic paper: Not Just for Learners: New-Generation Podcasts and Their Diverse Applications for Mandarin Language Learners and Teachers. XD

Other posts in this series:

Learning Chinese with Podcasts (1): 3 Reasons Every TCSL Teacher Should Know About Podcasts Learning Chinese with Podcasts (2): 10 Mandarin Learning Podcasts for Learners Learning Chinese with Podcasts (4): 7 Teaching-Related Podcasts for TCSL Teachers

Questions, comments, or podcast recommendations? Drop them below — I’d love to hear from you. <3

Thanks for reading :D

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to click the coffee button in the lower right to support us and give Lottery a can 🐾