Archive - RealTime Mandarin

Special Feature: China’s 10 Most Impactful Digital Stories of 2025

A sinologist’s guide to the viral moments and bigger stories that defined the Chinese internet this year.

Dec 31, 2025 • Manya Koetse

#256: Our Favourite Phrases of 2025

Year in review in 12 phrases

Dec 27, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:37

#255: China’s official top phrases of 2025

Picking the best words from three end-of-year lists

Dec 20, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:58

#254: China’s top high school is in decline

The "Hengshui model" is broken

Dec 13, 2025 • Andrew Methven

24:21

#253: In the aftermath of the Hong Kong fire

Arrests made over gross negligence

Dec 6, 2025 • Andrew Methven

21:24

November 2025

#252: Chery Auto’s marketing blunder

A failed publicity stunt highlights problems with quality and stiff competition among automakers

Nov 29, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:07

#251: China's Double 11 shopping festival loses its shine

The decline of Singles Day reveals nostalgia for past years

Nov 22, 2025 • Andrew Methven

22:49

#250: EV maker unveils life-like humanoid robot

XPENG's IRON makes a controversial debut

Nov 15, 2025 • Andrew Methven

23:02

#249: Xiaomi's self-inflicted PR flop

Consumers are no longer buying Xiaomi "small print" marketing tactics

Nov 8, 2025 • Andrew Methven

26:05

#248: China's biggest tea brand enters the beer market

Mixue acquires draft beer brand in bid to find next area of growth

Nov 1, 2025 • Andrew Methven

24:23

October 2025

#247: China’s unexpected stand-up comedy star

Director Fang creates joy for many from her own suffering

Oct 25, 2025 • Andrew Methven

21:07

#246: China has a new slang word for "middle-aged men"

It went viral in September with some surprising (and not so surprising) faces earning the new label

Oct 18, 2025 • Andrew Methven

21:45

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