Best Chinese Podcasts for Learning Mandarin in 2026
Last updated: February 7, 2026
Looking for the best Chinese podcasts to level up your Mandarin?🎧 You're in the right place. I've spent way too much time testing podcasts for Chinese learners, and honestly, most of them fall into two camps: either they're painfully slow and boring, or they're way too advanced and leave you lost. The good news? There are some genuinely solid podcasts out there that actually help you improve without making you want to tear your hair out. Here's what's actually worth your time in 2026.
- Why podcasts work for learning Chinese
- Best beginner podcasts for Chinese learners
- Intermediate Chinese podcasts to push your skills
- Advanced podcasts for serious learners
- Podcasts with the best learner support
- Finding the right podcast platform for language learning
- How to use podcasts to learn Mandarin Chinese effectively
- Combining Mandarin podcasts with other learning methods
Why podcasts work for learning Chinese
Are podcasts (or ) an effective way of learning Chinese? Yeah, they really are. Here's the thing: listening is probably the hardest skill to develop in Mandarin, and podcasts give you consistent exposure to natural speech patterns, tones, and vocabulary in context.
The beauty of podcasts is that you can listen while doing other stuff. Commuting, cooking, walking the dog, whatever. You're getting input hours that you wouldn't otherwise have time for. Plus, unlike textbooks, podcasts expose you to how people actually talk, not just formal written Chinese translated into speech.
But let's be real: you can't just passively listen to a native speaker for a year and expect to become fluent. Someone asked me once, "Can someone learn Mandarin just by listening to another native speaker for a year?" Short answer: no. You need active engagement, repetition, and ideally some way to check your understanding. That's why the best podcasts for learners include transcripts, vocabulary lists, or explanations.
Best beginner podcasts for Chinese learners
ChineseClass101
This podcast is pretty much designed for absolute beginners. Each episode focuses on a specific situation or grammar point, with clear explanations in English. The hosts speak slowly and repeat key phrases multiple times.
The audio quality is solid, and you can find it on Spotify and most other podcast platforms. They cover practical stuff like ordering food, asking for directions, and basic conversations. The main downside? It can feel a bit textbook-y at times, but when you're just starting out, that structure actually helps.
Coffee Break Chinese
Similar vibe to ChineseClass101, but with a different teaching style. The host walks you through Mandarin Chinese basics in short, digestible episodes. Each lesson builds on the previous one, so you're not jumping around randomly.
What I like about this one is that it feels more conversational than most beginner podcasts. The presenter actually explains why certain things work the way they do, rather than just telling you to memorize them.
Slow Chinese
This one does exactly what it says on the tin. Native speakers talk about everyday topics, cultural stuff, and Chinese life, but at a deliberately slow pace. The vocabulary isn't dumbed down though, which is actually pretty cool. You're hearing real Mandarin, just slower.
Each episode comes with a transcript, which is super helpful. You can listen first, see how much you catch, then check the transcript to fill in the gaps. The topics are interesting enough that you won't fall asleep, which is more than I can say for some beginner content.
Intermediate Chinese podcasts to push your skills
ChinesePod
ChinesePod has been around forever, and for good reason. They have a massive library of lessons organized by level. The intermediate content is where they really shine. Each podcast episode presents a dialogue, breaks it down, and explains the grammar and vocabulary.
The conversations are actually realistic, not the weird stilted stuff you get in some textbooks. They cover everything from office politics to dating to dealing with your landlord. Pretty much any situation you'd actually encounter.
Learn Taiwanese Mandarin
This podcast focuses specifically on the Mandarin spoken in Taiwan, which has some differences from mainland Mandarin in terms of vocabulary and accent. The host, Chiayu, explains things clearly and includes cultural context that you won't get elsewhere.
If you're planning to visit or live in Taiwan, this one's essential. Even if you're not, it's still valuable because the teaching style is really effective. Each episode tackles a specific topic or grammar point, with plenty of examples.
Talk Taiwanese Mandarin with Abby
Another great intermediate suggestion: Talk Taiwanese Mandarin with Abby. Similar to Learn Taiwanese Mandarin, but I feel maybe slightly higher level? Abby covers more nuanced topics. The conversations feel more natural and less structured, which is good for training your ear to follow real discussions.
She includes lots of common expressions and slang that you'd actually hear on the street in Taiwan. The cultural insights are solid too, especially if you're interested in Taiwanese culture specifically.
Advanced podcasts for serious learners
Byte Coffee
A tech and startup podcast hosted by Chinese entrepreneurs and investors. If you're into business Chinese or the tech scene, this one's perfect. The discussions are sophisticated and use industry-specific vocabulary.
Fair warning: this is challenging even for advanced learners. But it's also super rewarding when you can follow along with conversations about AI, venture capital, and Chinese tech companies.
Gushi FM
Another storytelling podcast, but with a focus on personal narratives and social issues in China. The hosts interview people from all walks of life, and the conversations get deep. You'll hear different accents depending on where the guests are from, which is great practice.
The emotional range in these episodes also helps you understand how tone and intonation work in Mandarin beyond just the four basic tones. When someone's excited, sad, or angry, how does that affect their speech? This podcast shows you.
Podcasts with the best learner support
Mandarin Monkey
This podcast is specifically designed for learners, with transcripts and vocabulary lists for every episode. The hosts speak clearly and at a moderate pace, landing somewhere between intermediate and advanced.
They cover Chinese culture, current events, and everyday life topics. What sets them apart is the detailed show notes. You get pinyin, character transcripts, and English translations for key phrases. That level of support makes a huge difference when you're trying to bridge the gap to native content.
TeaTime Chinese
Hosted by Nathan who discusses various topics in Mandarin. The podcast is aimed at intermediate to advanced learners, and they provide full transcripts on their website.
The conversations are natural but clear. They avoid overly complex vocabulary unless they're specifically teaching it. Each episode focuses on a theme, like Chinese festivals, modern slang, or cultural differences. The hosts have good chemistry, which makes it easy to listen to.
Finding the right podcast platform for language learning
Most of these podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other major platforms. Some China-based podcasts might be on (Ximalaya) or (Xiaoyuzhou), which are popular Chinese podcast apps.
If you're using a Chinese podcast app, that's actually good immersion practice. You'll need to navigate the interface in Chinese, search for shows, and manage your subscriptions. Little things like that add up.
How to use podcasts to learn Mandarin Chinese effectively
Just playing podcasts in the background while you zone out won't help much. You need some level of active engagement. Here's what actually works:
- Start with content slightly below your level. If you're catching maybe 70-80% of what's being said, that's the sweet spot. Too easy and you're not learning, too hard and you're just hearing noise.
- Use transcripts strategically. Listen first without looking, then check the transcript for parts you missed. Don't read along while listening unless you're a complete beginner, it becomes a reading exercise instead of a listening one.
- Repeat episodes. Yeah, I know it sounds boring, but listening to the same episode multiple times helps cement vocabulary and patterns. The first time you're just trying to follow along, the second time you catch more details, the third time things start to feel natural.
- Take notes on new words or phrases that come up repeatedly. If you hear the same expression in multiple episodes, that's a sign it's common and worth learning.
Combining Mandarin podcasts with other learning methods
Podcasts are awesome for listening practice, but they're just one piece of the puzzle. You still need to work on speaking, reading, and writing separately. That said, podcasts can feed into your other study.
- When you learn a new word or phrase from a podcast, try using it in conversation or writing.
- Look up example sentences, make flashcards, whatever helps it stick. The context from the podcast gives you a natural anchor for remembering how the word is actually used.
- Reading transcripts also helps connect your listening and reading skills. You'll start recognizing characters faster when you've already heard the words pronounced correctly multiple times.
Anyway, if you want to level up your Chinese learning even more, Migaku's browser extension lets you look up words instantly while watching Chinese shows or reading articles online. It's pretty handy for turning any content into learning material. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.
What if you don't like using podcasts for learning Chinese?🥺
Don't force yourself to listen to boring content just because it's "educational." If you're not enjoying it, you won't stick with it. Find topics and media you actually care about, whether that's reality shows, crime dramas, or others. And yeah, it takes time. Your brain needs to adjust to processing Mandarin at speed, recognizing tones in context, and parsing sentences in real time.
But if you consume media in Chinese, and you understand at least some of the messages and sentences within that media, you will make progress. Period.
So long as the input every day is guaranteed!