RealTime Mandarin | Andrew Methven | Substack

Get your Mandarin skills up to date in 20 minutes a week

A resource to help you maintain and improve your language skills, and stay up to date with the latest language trends in China

Feb 21 •

Most Popular

100,000 protesters take to the streets in Taipei

Jun 1 • Andrew Methven

Price wars in China's solar industry lead to push to go global

Jul 6 • Andrew Methven

17-year-old fashion student beats hundreds of competitors from top universities in a global mathematics competition

Jun 22 • Andrew Methven

Worst floods in 30 years hit parts of southern China

Jul 13 • Andrew Methven

🔈 Society

40:26

Who are China's "unfinished kids"?

Unpacking the social trends that gave rise to this new phrase and what it reveals about China’s education system

Oct 5 •

51:02

China's drug dilemma: patients push back on limited choices

As hospitals push cheaper generics, patients question their effectiveness and limited options

Sep 28 •

20:30

China’s long-expected increase of retirement age sparks widespread criticism

Public reactions to policy change and its implications for pension inequality

Sep 21 •

31:02

China suffers crushing 0-7 defeat to Japan

Historic loss is a painful reminder of ongoing struggles in Chinese football

Sep 14 •

29:21

Delivery worker clashes with security guard

Images of him begging for mercy go viral and spark protest

Aug 24 •

45:57

China food safety scandal: cooking oil transported in fuel tankers

Allegations of companies using the same trucks for fuel and cooking oil

Jul 20 •

34:47

Worst floods in 30 years hit parts of southern China

The never-ending summer "plum rains" cause unprecedented floods in Guangdong and Hunan

Jul 13 •

37:09

17-year-old fashion student beats hundreds of competitors from top universities in a global mathematics competition

A math genius shows how China's competitive education system can crush young talent, rather than cultivate it (and when talent is cultivated it happens…

Jun 22 •

🔈 Politics

28:43

High profile political pundit goes silent

Former Global Times editor Hu Xijin disappears from public view

Aug 17 •

100,000 protesters take to the streets in Taipei

Opposition parties play "black box politics" bringing memories of protests 10 years ago

Jun 1 •

34:40

State media journalists obstructed by police

CCTV reporter forced to stop broadcasting on live TV

Mar 23 •

30:14

How to discuss Taiwan elections in Mandarin

Exploring the unique language of democracy in Chinese

Jan 20 •

34:11

How the death of Li Keqiang is being discussed in the Chinese speaking world

Conversations about the sudden passing of China’s former Premier

Nov 4, 2023 •

31:39

🔈 Business

31:14

IBM cuts 1,000 jobs in minutes amid China layoffs

R&D centres shut down as company faces declining profits

Sep 7 •

39:32

Black Myth: Wukong launch boosts brand collaborations

From retail to tech to tourism, companies leverage China’s biggest video game debut

Aug 31 •

36:34

Bubble tea brand bets big in Paris Olympics

Chagee "Health Ambassador" Zheng Qinwen becomes first Chinese woman to win tennis singles Olympic gold

Aug 10 •

35:42

Top live streamer quits platform to start new venture

Dong Yuhui leaves East Buy with the help of his old boss

Aug 3 •

41:02

Arrival of driverless cars threatens livelihoods of thousands of taxi drivers

Baidu's robotaxi trial in Wuhan is causing concerns

Jul 27 •

34:15

Price wars in China's solar industry lead to push to go global

"Go global, or go down"

Jul 6 •

38:11

Manner Coffee finds itself in hot water

Confrontations between customers and baristas at one of China's fastest growing coffee chains is about much more than just bad customer service

Jun 29 •

32:55

618 shopping festival has its "toughest year yet"

Sales of top livestream influencers fall as brands move towards direct selling

Jun 15 •

31:59

Founder of JD.com criticised after internal speech goes viral

Richard Liu ridiculed for changing definition of one of his best known phrases

Jun 8 •

Speak - RTM Pro

Join weekly live meet-ups to practice your Mandarin

Access the RTM Pro archive

Pre-reads and word lists from previous Pro meet-ups

Listen - RTM+ Podcast

Markets, consumers, entrepreneurs, investors

Social trends, working people, social media, education

Domestic politics, geopolitics, law enforcement, censored news

Connect - Social Media

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Internet buzzwords🔥

Our favourite words of 2023

China in 2023 in 23 words and phrases

Dec 30, 2023 •

China's top internet buzzwords of 2023

What Chinese people are thinking about in 2023, according to three year-end lists of popular buzzwords and internet catchphrases

Dec 16, 2023 •

Our favourite phrases of 2022

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Dec 31, 2022 •

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Dec 24, 2022 •