China Myth Podcast
China Myth Podcast
Latest Episodes
How to Set Expectations in Chinese | The Art of Maybe Ep. 4: 我尽量
"I'll do my best" means something very different in Chinese than it does in English — and getting that difference wrong is one of the most common ways Westerners misread their Chinese counterparts. This is Episode 4 of The Art of Maybe, a 6-par...
How to Stall & Buy Time in China | The Art of Maybe Ep. 3: 让我考虑一下
Sometimes the most powerful move in a Chinese negotiation is a well-placed compliment followed by silence. This is Episode 3 of The Art of Maybe, a 6-part series decoding the real Mandarin phrases Chinese people use instead of a flat refusal. (...
How to Decline a Request in Chinese | The Art of Maybe Ep. 2: 可能不太方便
In China, "No" is rarely the word that does the rejecting — the situation is. This is Episode 2 of The Art of Maybe, a 6-part series decoding the real Mandarin phrases Chinese people use instead of a flat refusal, and what's really being commun...
Why Chinese People Never Say No | The Art of Maybe Ep. 1: 也许 (Yěxǔ)
If you've ever asked a Chinese colleague or partner a direct Yes-or-No question and gotten "maybe" back, you weren't being brushed off — you were told everything you needed to know, just not in the words you were listening for. Welcome to The A...
Why Chinese Employees Seem “Vague” | The Trust Gap in China Explained
Why do Chinese employees answer indirectly?Why does communication in China sometimes feel unclear—even when relationships are strong?If you’ve ever felt a “trust gap” working in China, this video explains why that gap may be somet...