This channel is designed to help intermediate and advanced learners of German. We use real German language and conversation to discuss and learn about the German culture.

Next Level German with Daniel

提起水坝，人们脑海中可能会出现很多宏伟的大坝建筑： When you think of DAMS, you probably think of a lot of grand dam buildings:
比如：美国的胡佛水坝和中国的三峡大坝等。For example, the Hoover Dam in the United States and the Three Gorges Dam in China.
它们的建筑材料是：土石或钢筋水泥。Their construction material is: earth stone or reinforced cement.
在山东省临沂市，我见到了一个另类的水坝：用橡胶材料建造的。因为建坝地址的原始村名叫“小埠东（bù dōng）”，所以叫“小埠东橡胶坝。” In Linyi, Shandong Province, I saw a different kind of dam: it was made of rubber material. The native village where the dam is built is named “xiǎo bù dōng”, so that is the reason.


新鲜事儿（Anecdote）

小埠东橡胶坝

A record 78% of Japanese people feel anxious or worried, according to a new government survey.

That's the highest proportion in the 43 years the government has been asking people about these feelings.

Common worries among the adults who took part included health, life after retirement, and future income. Almost 64% of people said they're worried about their health, while 63% said they're worried about what their lives will look like after they stop working.

This was quite a small survey, however, and it was done by mail, with only 1,830 people across the country taking part.

Previous surveys have been done in person, and the government said people should be cautious before making comparisons between this year's survey and those done in the past.

But the survey did find that people in Japan are a little happier with their finances this year than they were in 2023.

However, 66% of people said they think the government should do more to combat inflation.

It's not just in Japan that people are anxious. Other reports have found that this is a real problem around the world.

At the end of 2023, almost half of young workers from seven countries said they found it difficult to work because they were so worried about what they saw in the news. Many felt they were living in a time of uncertainty, with wars happening across the world and geopolitical tensions rising.



Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Japanese People More Anxious than Ever — Survey

Short story 「はなこさんの まいにち《 Hanako's daily life》」
This is an original story I created.
This episode is N5 level.

I created a quiz on this episode.
After listening, please take the quiz!

Please use this audio for listening and shadowing practices.

☆Script for this episode
The scripts (URL) are listed in the overview section of the channel.

Simple Japanese Listening with Meg（めぐ）Smile

#5 Short story /  Hanako's daily life / storytelling // N5 Level

This is 1 episode of Tongue Twisters/Скороговорки/Fjalëshpejta in Albanian language. Enjoy it! 

Tongue Twisters

Tongue Twisters/Скороговорки/Fjalëshpejta 

In this episode we will learn a short conversation between a student and a taxi driver.

Merhaba Türkçe 

Turkish Podcast: Talking with a Taxi Driver

The character "舌" is composed of the radical "舌" (tongue) itself. It is a pictographic character, resembling a tongue extending from a mouth.

Meaning (字义)
The character "舌" primarily means "tongue." It can also extend to meanings related to speech and taste.

 Usage (用法)
"舌" is commonly used in words and phrases related to the tongue, speech, or taste. 

Example Words (例词)
1.舌头 (shé tou) - tongue
他咬了自己的舌头。 (Tā yǎo le zìjǐ de shé tou.)
He bit his tongue.

2.口舌 (kǒu shé) - quarrel, dispute (literally "mouth and tongue")
他们之间有很多口舌。 (Tāmen zhījiān yǒu hěnduō kǒu shé.)
There are many quarrels between them.

3.舌尖 (shé jiān) - tip of the tongue
舌尖尝味道。 (Shé jiān cháng wèidào.)
The tip of the tongue tastes flavors.

Example Sentences (例句)

他用舌头舔冰淇淋。 (Tā yòng shé tou tiǎn bīngqílín.)
He licks the ice cream with his tongue.

她的舌头很灵活。 (Tā de shé tou hěn línghuó.)
Her tongue is very flexible.

用舌头说话。 (Yòng shé tou shuō huà.)
Speak with the tongue.

Summary
The character "舌" is related to the tongue and its functions, including tasting and speaking. Its usage is straightforward and can be found in common expressions and daily language.

Four-Character Idiom (四字成语)

成语: 舌战群儒 (shé zhàn qún rú)

Meaning (意义)
"舌战群儒" literally means "to battle a group of Confucian scholars with one's tongue." It refers to using eloquent speech to argue and defeat a group of scholars or debaters.

Usage (用法)
This idiom is used to describe a situation where someone wins an argument or debate against multiple opponents through the power of speech.

Example Sentence (例句)
在辩论会上，他舌战群儒，赢得了观众的掌声。 (Zài biànlùn huì shàng, tā shé zhàn qún rú, yíngdé le guānzhòng de zhǎngshēng.)
At the debate competition, he eloquently argued against a group of scholars and won the audience's applause.


每日一字

こんにちは！
Japanese daily life podcast のAtsushiです。
このPodcastは、日本語を楽しく勉強しているみなさんに向けたPodcastです。

ぼくの日常生活の話を聞くことで、日本語のリスニングをよくしたり、新しい言葉を知ってもらえたらいいなと思います。


みなさんお元気でしょうか。
今日もジョージアでPodcastを録っています。

今回はバレンタインデーについて。
日本の変わったバレンタインについての話です。

日本では、「女性が男性にチョコレートを贈る日」とされてきました。

一方それに対して国内で批判や不満もあります。
日本のバレンタインデーも変わってきています。

はじまりは1930年代にモロゾフというお菓子屋さんが広告を出したのが始まりとされています。

1970年代以降、この習慣が定着しました。
その後、
義理チョコー会社の中で女性が男性に義務的に渡すようなチョコ
本命チョコー好きという気持ちを伝えるためのチョコ
が一般的になりました。

時がたち、義理チョコなどに対するネガティブな意見が増え、たぶん最近はほとんどないと思います。

今は友達のために買ったり、自分のために買ったりするチョコが多いようです。

今でも、小学生や中学生は、好きな男の子にチョコレートと作ってあげたりするようです。　

子供の時に、誰かのために何かをする、というイベントがあるのはいいことかなと思います。でもそれが女性から男性などと決まった形だけではなく、誰でも良いようになるといいなと思います。



イベントの時に何かをあげる、というのは楽しい反面、大変なことも多いですね。

海外の人と話していると、クリスマスの時に同じようなことを感じることがあります。


みなさんの国のバレンタインはどんな感じですか？
男性が女性にプレゼントする日ですか？
それは今も変わらず続いていますか？

そんなことをオンラインレッスンでお話しましょう！
お待ちしています！

　
ということで、今回は以上です。

最後まで聞いていただき、ありがとうございます！
ではまた！




