Listen with the text
First read along while you listen. Matching sounds to written words trains your ear to break the stream of Chinese into real words.
Chinese Listening Practice
Chinese Listening Practice
Train your ear with 95 Chinese stories narrated by native speakers — every one shown with the full text so you can listen and read along. From slow, clear A0 narration to natural-speed B2, this is graded listening practice that grows with you, with key vocabulary and comprehension quizzes built in.
95stories95narrated with audio~5min average read
Listen to the openingGrandpa's Whistle Only Blew Halfway
▶ NarratedA02 minMusic & Arts
Grandpa's Whistle Only Blew Halfway
Open with podcast modeListen straight through — a narration playlist
- Grandpa's Whistle Only Blew HalfwayA0 · 2m
- Who Should the First Ladle of Water Be Splashed On During the Dai Water Splashing Festival?A0 · 2m
- Misunderstanding Caused by Being Five Minutes LateA0 · 2m
- Two People Sharing an UmbrellaA0 · 2m
- The Scale That Was Always Short One Gram in the Food MarketA0 · 2m
- The 'Ren Zi' Curve on Zhan Tianyou's BlueprintA0 · 2m
How to practice Chinese listening
Listening grows fastest when you pair audio with text and then gradually take the text away.
Listen without looking
Play the audio again with your eyes off the screen. See how much you can follow by ear alone — the real workout.
Shadow the narrator
Replay short sections and repeat out loud right after the narrator, copying rhythm and intonation. Shadowing builds listening and speaking at once.
Move up in speed
Start with slow A0–A1 narration, then climb toward natural-speed B1–B2 audio as your ear adjusts.
Narrated stories to listen to
All with native-speaker audioMusic & Arts
Grandpa's Whistle Only Blew Halfway
A short story about a grandfather who remembers a special song with the help of his grandson.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
Culture & Travel
Who Should the First Ladle of Water Be Splashed On During the Dai Water Splashing Festival?
A story about a girl participating in the traditional Dai Water Splashing Festival.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
Daily Life
Misunderstanding Caused by Being Five Minutes Late
A short story about a small misunderstanding at a coffee shop between two friends.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
Relationships & Drama
Two People Sharing an Umbrella
A short story about a woman who meets a new friend while waiting in the rain.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
Mystery
The Scale That Was Always Short One Gram in the Food Market
A little girl helps a vegetable seller discover a secret hidden under her scale.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
History
The 'Ren Zi' Curve on Zhan Tianyou's Blueprint
An engineer named Zhan Tianyou finds a clever way to build a railway through a tall mountain.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
Food & Cuisine
That jar of aged vinegar on Grandma's stove
Grandma's favorite jar of vinegar is missing from the kitchen, and her granddaughter helps her find it.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
History
岳飞背上刺的那四个字
A story about a brave man named Yue Fei and the meaning of the words his mother tattooed on his back.
A02 min listenNarratedQuiz
Myths & Legends
The Rules of the Rabbit Pounding Medicine on the Moon
A hardworking rabbit makes medicine on the moon to keep it shining bright.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Relationships & Drama
转学生课桌里那架纸飞机
A new student named Xiao Mei finds a special paper plane on her desk that leads to a new friendship.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Myths & Legends
The Day the Stone Lion's Eyes Turned Red
A little girl discovers a warning from a stone lion that saves her village from a flood.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
History
唐朝公主种下的那棵石榴树
A princess in the Tang Dynasty plants a pomegranate tree and cares for it as it grows over time.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Nature & Adventure
漓江竹筏上掉进水里的草帽
A young girl and her father enjoy a ride on a bamboo raft until an unexpected gust of wind creates a small problem.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Nature & Adventure
云雾中的独木桥
A brave girl helps a scared puppy cross a dangerous bridge in the mountains.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Sports
跳绳比赛数错的那一下
A story about a skipping rope competition where the teacher makes a mistake while counting.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
History
The Dish the Emperor Left Over
An emperor shares his leftover food with a hungry boy, leading to a happy day for everyone.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Music & Arts
The Lantern in the Shadow Puppet Artist's Hand
An elderly shadow puppet artist finds a way to keep his traditional performance alive with the help of a friend.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Relationships & Drama
The Name Crossed Off the Duty Roster
A story about a student who discovers her name has been crossed off the duty roster and finds out why.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Sports
The Hands That Suddenly Let Go in the Tug-of-War Match
A story about a fun and friendly tug-of-war match between the Red Team and the Blue Team.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Culture & Travel
The Night Market Stall Owner Remembers His Regular Customer
A friendly noodle stall owner recognizes his regular customer and remembers her specific taste preferences.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Food & Cuisine
The Spoonful of Porridge Shared with the Neighbor on Laba Festival
This story is about a young boy sharing traditional Laba porridge with his neighbor on a cold winter day.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Daily Life
The Lost and Found Notice Posted in the Elevator
A kind neighbor finds a missing cat after seeing a notice in the elevator.
A03 min listenNarratedQuiz
Mystery
The Watch Running Backward in the Shop Window
A curious girl discovers a watch in a shop window that runs backward and learns the touching reason behind it.
A13 min listenNarratedQuiz
Culture & Travel
The Secret Code for Waiting in Line at the Morning Tea Shop
A grandmother teaches her granddaughter a secret code to get a table faster at a crowded morning tea restaurant.
A13 min listenNarratedQuiz
Listening practice by level
Chinese StoriesA0 Chinese listening
View all →Grandpa's Whistle Only Blew Halfway
A short story about a grandfather who remembers a special song with the help of his grandson.
Who Should the First Ladle of Water Be Splashed On During the Dai Water Splashing Festival?
A story about a girl participating in the traditional Dai Water Splashing Festival.
Misunderstanding Caused by Being Five Minutes Late
A short story about a small misunderstanding at a coffee shop between two friends.
Two People Sharing an Umbrella
A short story about a woman who meets a new friend while waiting in the rain.
The Scale That Was Always Short One Gram in the Food Market
A little girl helps a vegetable seller discover a secret hidden under her scale.
The 'Ren Zi' Curve on Zhan Tianyou's Blueprint
An engineer named Zhan Tianyou finds a clever way to build a railway through a tall mountain.
That jar of aged vinegar on Grandma's stove
Grandma's favorite jar of vinegar is missing from the kitchen, and her granddaughter helps her find it.
岳飞背上刺的那四个字
A story about a brave man named Yue Fei and the meaning of the words his mother tattooed on his back.
A1 Chinese listening
View all →The Watch Running Backward in the Shop Window
A curious girl discovers a watch in a shop window that runs backward and learns the touching reason behind it.
The Secret Code for Waiting in Line at the Morning Tea Shop
A grandmother teaches her granddaughter a secret code to get a table faster at a crowded morning tea restaurant.
The Bend in the Lanzhou Noodle Master's Wrist
An old noodle master teaches his apprentice the secret to making perfect noodles through a physical lesson about his own wrist.
The Sheep Lost Deep in the Bamboo Forest
A young girl searches for her lost sheep in a bamboo forest and meets a panda.
A note that popped out after the vending machine swallowed the coin
A heartwarming story about a daily interaction between a girl and a vending machine repairman through handwritten notes.
The Loose Chinese Knot Button in the Wings of Yue Opera
A young Yue opera actress finds comfort in a special jade pendant hidden inside her costume before her performance.
Grandma's Hidden Chili Oil Recipe
A story about a girl who learns the true secret behind her grandmother's famous chili oil recipe.
武术比赛前折断的那杆枪
A young martial arts student learns a valuable lesson when his spear breaks right before a big competition.
A2 Chinese listening
View all →
The Extra Figure in the Old Photo Studio Negatives
A story about a grandfather and his grandson discovering a mysterious figure in old photo negatives that leads to a touching family reunion.
Opponent Faking Injury at Provincial Team Selection Match
A story about a girl who learns that honesty is more important than winning a competition after her friend fakes an injury.
昆曲牡丹亭改了三次的唱词
A story about a Kunqu teacher who teaches his student the deep emotional meaning behind changing lyrics over time.
A Note Received Before a Badminton Match
A girl finds a mysterious note before a badminton match and learns to trust her partner.
古琴谱里缺的那个音
Story description
The Candy the Kitchen God Ate Before Ascending to Heaven
A story about a young boy who learns the value of honesty after accidentally breaking his grandmother's bowl before the Kitchen God ascends to heaven.
The Unfinished Chess Game on the Eve of the Xi'an Incident
A story about a young soldier and his sergeant on the night of the historic Xi'an Incident.
The Unclaimed Pothos on the Balcony
A story about a woman who finds an unclaimed plant on her balcony and builds a friendship with the person who left it behind.
B1 Chinese listening
View all →
The Guide Who Went Missing on the Himalayan Snow Line
A story about a photographer and her guide who encounters a dangerous blizzard in the Himalayas while searching for a snow leopard.
两代人争的那坛月子米酒
A heartwarming story about two grandmothers whose competitive love for their postpartum daughter-in-law leads to a creative solution to their disagreement over rice wine recipes.
不能推开的第九扇门
After returning to her late grandmother's old house, a young woman named Lin Xue faces the mystery of a forbidden door that holds a family secret.
Why Did the Terracotta Army Artisans Disappear Overnight?
A touching story about a veteran artisan who makes a life-saving sacrifice for his apprentice as the construction of the Terracotta Army reaches its final, secret stage.
包子铺每天多出的那一笼
A story about a kind-hearted steamed bun shop owner and a secret act of charity that brings warmth to a neighborhood.
张大千临摹敦煌壁画的三年
This story follows artist Zhang Daqian as he spends three years in Dunhuang meticulously copying ancient murals despite financial hardship and moral dilemmas.
That Never-Replied Message in the Neighborhood Group
A story about a resident who discovers an old, unanswered message in her neighborhood chat group and learns the value of real-world connections.
The Thirty-Year Lost Dragon Boat Race
A young girl discovers the secret behind her village's thirty-year losing streak in a dragon boat race and leads her team to an unexpected victory.
Listen anywhere with the app
The Inklingo app lets you listen to narrated Chinese stories on the go, save the words you hear, and review them with spaced repetition so your listening keeps improving.
Chinese listening practice FAQ
How can I practice Chinese listening for free?
Every story here includes free native-speaker audio with the full text. Listen while reading, then listen again without the text to train your ear — no sign-up.
What is the best way to improve Chinese listening?
Combine listening with reading at your level, then gradually drop the text. Listening to graded stories you mostly understand, and shadowing the narrator out loud, beats passive listening.
Is the audio slow enough for beginners?
Yes. A0 and A1 stories are narrated slowly and clearly, while B1 and B2 use more natural speed. Because the collection is graded, you can step up gradually.
Can I read along while listening?
Yes — every narrated story shows the full Chinese text alongside the audio, with tap-to-translate vocabulary.