Chinese language podcasts are the best way to improve your Mandarin.

As an advanced learner, they can help you stay on top of the latest trending topics, while maintaining and improving your language skills.

But only from the right sources.

The problem is there are too many to choose from. Over 3 years of not being able to travel to China, I kept my Chinese going by listening to these 4 Chinese podcasts:

#1 News and Pickles Restaurant (新闻酸菜馆 xīn wén suān cài guǎn)

Conversations with two hosts about what's happening in daily life in China. Good authentic language, lighthearted content, but they talk very quickly!

#2 Stochastic Volatility (随机波动 suí jī bō dòng)

Discussions about lives of ordinary people in China. It's conversations with 3 people which are more natural, but more challenging. Really great listening!

#3 Bumingbai Pod (不明白播客 bù míng bái bō kè)

Excellent discussions on what's happening in China. Topics are more edgy going into politics, geopolitics, and the challenges of life in China. Lots of interviews with people on the ground there.

#4 StoryFM (故事FM)

This is probably my favourite, but also the most challenging of all. Hosted by Kou Aizhe, who tells stories of real China, including interviews with people from all over the country. So lots of challenging dialects!

Sign up to at least one of these and start to listen. Just 10 minutes every day!