Learn Taiwanese Mandarin With Ben — A Slow Chinese Podcast for Intermediate Learners
A Podcast by Ben Wu
Learn Taiwanese Mandarin With Ben
A slow, clear Mandarin podcast for intermediate Chinese learners
HSK 4–5 · TOCFL Band B · 100% Taiwanese Mandarin
Why I Made This Podcast
I'm Ben, a software engineer from Taiwan. I've spent years learning English and Japanese through podcasts — and I noticed how few slow, real, conversational Mandarin podcasts exist for learners who are past the textbook stage but not yet fluent.
So I started Learn Taiwanese Mandarin With Ben — a weekly podcast where I talk about my daily life, work, travel between Taiwan and Japan, and Taiwanese culture, in authentic Taiwanese Mandarin (台灣國語) at a comfortable pace.
What makes it different
- 🐢 Slow but natural — Not robotic textbook audio. Real spoken Mandarin, just paced for learners.
- 🇹🇼 Taiwanese accent and vocabulary — Including local expressions you won't find in HSK textbooks.
- 🌏 Real-world topics — Software engineering, food culture, internet slang, and what life actually looks like in 2026.
- 📜 Transcripts included so you can study any episode in detail.
Who it's for
- Intermediate Chinese learners (HSK 4–5 / TOCFL Band B)
- Anyone who's done the basics but wants real listening practice
- Learners specifically interested in Taiwanese Mandarin rather than mainland Mandarin
- Listeners who like personal, unscripted stories over formal lessons
⭐ Start Here: Featured Episodes
Jobs in Taiwan & WFH — The "Three Shi" Professions
What 三師 (sān shī) and 鐵飯碗 mean, plus modern slang like 條碼師 and 外送師.
Procrastination — 拖延症
Why we put things off, in plain Mandarin. Useful vocabulary for talking about habits and self-improvement.
Police Academies — Japan vs. Taiwan
Inspired by the J-drama Kyojo. Comparing two cultures through institutional life.
Pokémon GO in Japan & Otters
Kyushu travel, gaming, and animal vocabulary. A relaxed listening practice episode.
Lunar New Year in Japan, Vibe Coding
Celebrating Lunar New Year as a Taiwanese in Japan, plus my favorite TV shows.
🗂 Browse by Topic
- 💼 Work & Tech — software engineering, remote work, AI
- 🇯🇵 Japan Life — food, transport, culture
- 🇹🇼 Taiwan Culture — festivals, food, slang, traditions
- 🐱 Daily Life — cats, hobbies, dental visits, scooter problems
- 🌏 Travel — Kyushu, Kyoto, Italy, and beyond
- 🧠 Personal Growth — procrastination, year-end reviews, learning
👋 About Ben
I grew up in Taiwan and now work as a software engineer.
My language-learning story: I learned English mostly through American TV shows and tech podcasts; Japanese through anime and JLPT prep. The thing that helped me most wasn't textbooks — it was listening to native speakers talk about ordinary things.
This podcast is my attempt to give that same gift back, for my own native language.
If you've ever sat in a Mandarin class wondering "okay but how do real people in Taiwan actually talk?" — this show is the answer.
You can also read my travel and life blog, follow me on Twitter.