RealTime Review #1
A monthly digest of our top posts, upcoming events, and recommended reads
Welcome to the RealTime Review.
It’s a monthly digest of things in the RealTime Mandarin universe.
This month:
Upcoming events
What we’re reading
Editor’s pick from RTM
1. Upcoming events
If you’re looking to connect with Mandarin enthusiasts and China nerds like you in your city, join us in one of these casual gatherings:
London: The China Nerdfest on Wednesday 19 March in partnership with Trivium and others (RSVP)
Shanghai: On Friday 28 March in partnership with Go East Mandarin (RSVP)
New York: On Thursday 3 April in partnership with China Career Newsletter (RSVP)
Washington DC: On Saturday 29 March (RSVP)
Please share this post with anyone who might like to join!
2. What we’re reading
The ChinaWeek is a new Substack which gives you all the news you need to know about China, once a week.
It’s written by Jeremy Goldkorn and is a quick and entertaining read.
There’s always something in there which I’ve missed.
➡️Subscribe to The China Week.
3. Editor’s pick
This month’s editor’s pick is from our RTM Conversations podcast, just published today.
It’s a five-minute conversation putting some of the key vocab from Saturday and Sunday’s episodes into a natural conversational context.
This week we’re discussing life as a high school student in China today.
We cover phrases like:
“611” (liù yāo yāo)—the school day (6am to 11pm)
“烧高香” (shāo gāo xiāng) – To burn high incense; used metaphorically to mean "to be extremely grateful" or "to count oneself lucky" (normally sarcastically)
“没苦硬吃” (méi kǔ yìng chī) – To endure hardship even when it's not necessary, or for making things unnecessarily difficult
I’ll be back in your inbox this Saturday!
Andrew
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Ps—When you’re ready, here are two ways I can help you get fluent in Mandarin:
RTM Plus: A self-paced program offering weekly news-based content through newsletters and podcasts, along with app integrations and tailored resources. Members also receive personalised onboarding, one-month check-ins, and ongoing support.
RTM Pro: A structured immersion experience with weekly group calls in Mandarin, a consistent study framework, and access to a private community. Pro members receive all the content, resources, and onboarding from RTM Plus, along with a more intensive, guided approach bringing it to life in conversations.