Did you know saying “ghost” out loud can bring bad luck? 👻 In this episode, Mindy and Joeru show you softer ways to talk about death and ghosts in Mandarin, especially during Ghost Month (鬼月) in Taiwan. You’ll learn how to avoid sounding too direct, respect cultural taboos, and better understand the hidden meanings behind words like 走了and 不在了.
🎯 Today’s Topic: Euphemisms for “death” and “ghost” in Mandarin — and how tone and context can change everything!
🗝 Key Sentence: 我奶奶去世了。 (Wǒ nǎinai qùshì le.) – My grandma passed away.
🗣 Listener Challenge:
你聽得出來嗎？What’s the difference between 不在 and 不在了？Try using both in a sentence and tag us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese!
🍰 About Bitesize Basics 🍰
Welcome to 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 — a podcast series for beginner Mandarin learners (A1)! Each episode teaches one useful grammar point or vocabulary set through fun, practical conversations. Learn with Mindy and Joeru and build your Mandarin step by step! 📱 Follow us on Instagram @bitesize.chinese for this week’s vocabulary recap and practice tips!
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