Here are some Chinese TV shows you might enjoy. Watching will expose you to native speakers, authentic conversations, and cultural nuances. The shows are in order from easiest for a learner to understand to the hardest. The evaluation is based upon pacing, language complexity, context, and familiarity and is subjective. You might find some shows much easier than others due to individual preference, language proficiency and contextual understanding. Try some of the shows out and happy watching!
爸爸去哪儿 (Where are we going, Dad?) – This show has lots of dialogue with children so the speaking is often slower, making it ideal for beginners. Watching the interactions between children and their parents is always entertaining.
舌尖上的中国 (Bite of China) – Some people like cooking shows, others don’t. If you are a fan of delicious food then this show is for you. It showcases food from around China and has a clear-sounding narrator.
咱们结婚吧 (We get Married) – A love story based around the idea of “leftover women” who are considered too old for marriage. The show proves it wrong! It is quite easy to understand because there is a lot of context provided.
中国好声音 (The Voice of China) – A popular singing competition showcasing talented vocalists. The show provides exposure to different singing styles, emotional performances, and interviews with contestants. As it follows a similar format to almost every other talent show, you will understand a lot of the language used because the context is so familiar.
我们的挑战 (Our Challenge) – A reality show where celebrities take on various physical and mental challenges. It offers a mix of entertaining content and conversations that cover a range of topics.
爱情公寓 (iPartment) – A sitcom that revolves around a group of friends living in the same apartment complex. The show offers humorous situations and everyday conversations, allowing learners to pick up slang and casual language. Really popular show considered to be China’s version of Friends.
暗黑者 (Death Notify) – A personal favourite – fast-paced, funny, and sometimes quite creepy detective show. Starts off difficult to understand but after a few episodes you will find that they often repeat the same vocabulary again and again.
奇葩说 (Quirky Chinese) – This talk show features debates and discussions on various topics, allowing learners to practice listening to different perspectives and opinions. The conversations can be tricky to follow and some of the speakers both talk quickly and mix in a lot of humour which can be hard to understand without pausing and listening several times.
快乐大本营 (Happy Camp) – Mainly for advanced learners as this topical show can be quite fast-paced. Funny games and conversation.
三国演义 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms) – A historical drama based on the classic Chinese novel. While the language used can be more formal, it offers an opportunity to learn about Chinese history (The story is described as 70% history 30% fiction) and immerse yourself in a captivating story. Great for advanced learners who enjoy binge watching long series.
人民的名义 (In the Name of the People) – A political drama focusing upon an anti-corruption police officer. For advanced learners and even then, some of it is very fast.
If you are struggling to find a place to watch Chinese tv, there is a fantastic Chinese video platform called iQiyi (Chinese name: 爱奇艺). It has a lot of movies and tv series available for you to stream. Youku (Chinese equivalent of Youtube) is another option. Youtube has a lot of shows although the sound and picture quality is usually lower.
Thanks for reading
Be warned: simply having a TV show on in the background is not enough when it comes to actively learning Chinese (although if you are watching solely for entertainment, go for it). We have a post on how to get maximal benefits for your Mandarin fluency from watching TV. Give it a read and follow the advice. You will be amazed at how fast you progress!