What’s the Word
Learn Mandarin through uncovering the stories behind common Chinese characters.
What's the Word? - Moon Ep1
No matter where you live, it is almost certain that you have come across Chinese characters in your daily life. With thousands of years of history behind them, these ideograms poss
What's the Word? - Tea Ep2
Tea (茶) holds a very special place in Taiwan. When planning your next trip to the island, you must distinguish between the different types of aromatic beverages. In this episode of
What's the Word? - Money Ep3
Have you ever heard of "red envelopes"? These monetary gifts are usually given on special occasions, such as weddings or Lunar New Year celebrations, in many Asian countries, inclu
What's the Word? - Car Ep4
What do the words "bike," "train," and "metro" have in common? They are all centered around the character 車 (car) in Mandarin! Improve your Mandarin skills and go on a journey of d
What's the Word? - Good Ep5
In today's Mandarin lesson, we will study the origins and different pronunciations of the character 好 (good). To combine theory with practice, Elizabeth will hit the streets of Los
What's the Word? - Beauty Ep6
One of the unique aspects of the Mandarin language is that characters convey not only a sound but also an image. In today's episode, you'll learn more about the character 美 (beauty
What's the Word? - Rice Ep7
When it comes to food, Taiwan plays in the big league. In this episode of "What's the Word?" we'll explore the character 飯（rice) and its many combinations.
What's the Word? - Ice Ep8
The character 冰（ice）contains many more secrets than one might think at first glance. In practice, it proves as helpful in ordering a drink as it is for constructing many idioms. Pe
What's the Word? - Deity（神） Ep1
Gods and demons, the foundations of all religions and mythology, are all around us. In this episode of “What’s the Word?”, we’re exploring the word 神 (deity).
What's the Word? - ALCOHOL（酒） Ep2
Taiwanese people know how to enjoy life! And we know you have to enjoy the right food with the right drink. So we tend to have alcohol with our dinners and midnight snacks. Join us
What's the Word? - FLY（飛） Ep3
You know what’s unique about the following sentence: “Faye darted to the airport as her airplane was about to take off” In Mandarin? The word 飛 (fly) is in over half the words in t
What's the Word? - TAI （臺/台） Ep4
台/臺 (Tai)! Not Thai! We’re talking the “Tai” in Taiwan here people! There are two ways to write the word, and most of you may recognize one of them. Join us today on “What’s the Wo
What's the Word? - OPEN/CLOSE （開關） Ep5
開 (Open) and 關 (Close) are words you see throughout daily life, but in this episode of “Whats the Word?” we’ll dive deeper into these words. Opening up a new world on how
What's the Word? - LOVE（愛） Ep6
愛 (Love), 愛 (love), 愛 (love)... Just the word alone warms my heart... And that’s why there’s a heart inside of the word for “Love”! Find out where in today’s episode of “What’s the
What's the Word? - PEOPLE（民） Ep7
民 (People), the core of society and democracy, is what Taiwan prides itself in being. Get a glimpse into Taiwan and the people there to get a better sense of today’s word on “What’
What's the Word? - SPICY（辣） Ep8
Spicy food is in! Everyone wants some extra flavor in their food, and people in Taiwan are no exception. Find out what’s hot on these streets in today’s episode of “What’s the Word