How do you get started with listening in Mandarin? What makes group conversations so challenging? And is it true that news broadcasts in Chinese are harder than in other languages?
This week’s podcast episode is a reader and listener Q&A, where I answer three questions about listening comprehension. For more guidance regarding listening comprehension, please check out my course, The Fluent Listener.
Tune in to the Hacking Chinese Podcast to listen to the related episode (#251):
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and many other platforms!
Links to things mentioned in the introduction
- Chinese listening challenge, June 2025
- The Fluent Listener: Navigating Spoken Mandarin Like a Fish in Water
Links for question 1
- The best YouTube channels for learning Chinese in 2025
- The best podcasts for learning Chinese in 2025
- Beginner Chinese listening practice: What to listen to and how
Links for question 2
Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 3: Using what you already know to aid listening comprehension in Chinese
Links for question 3
Beyond tīng bu dǒng, part 6: Why is listening in Chinese so hard?
