加油 (jiāyóu): Encouragement You Can Feel

What does it really mean when someone in China says 加油?

Often translated as “keep going” or “you can do it,” 加油 is more than just a phrase of encouragement. It shows up in moments of effort, exhaustion, and perseverance—whether on a race course, before an exam, or in the middle of something difficult.

In this episode of our Beyond Translation season, host Stephanie Wendler is joined by Paul Wendler and Lydia Choi to explore how this simple phrase carries such powerful meaning. From quiet beginnings at a marathon to the shared energy of collective encouragement, they reflect on how their understanding of 加油 has grown while living in China—and how it can transform both individual effort and group experience.

Together, they look beyond the translation to discover what 加油 reveals about encouragement, shared perseverance, and the ways people support one another through everyday challenges.

We’d love to hear from you! https://form.jotform.com/260956093913161

面子 (miànzi): More Than Just “Face”

What does it really mean when someone in China talks about 面子?

Often translated as “face,” 面子 goes far beyond reputation or pride. It shapes how people communicate, how they handle disagreement, and how they protect one another’s dignity—sometimes in ways that aren’t immediately visible to outsiders.

In this episode of our Beyond Translation season, host Stephanie Wendler is joined by Jonathan and Rebecca Chiew, parents of Xi’an International School students, to explore how this concept shows up in everyday life. From moments of misunderstanding to experiences of learning the hard way, they reflect on how their awareness of 面子 has grown while engaging in Chinese contexts—and how it can deeply impact relationships.

Together, they look beyond the translation to discover what 面子 reveals about respect, indirect communication, and the role of preserving dignity in maintaining harmony.

We’d love to hear from you! https://form.jotform.com/260956093913161

辛苦 (xīnkǔ): Seeing the Effort Behind the Work

What does it really mean when someone in China says 辛苦了?

Often translated as something like “you’ve worked hard,” 辛苦 goes beyond simple gratitude. It acknowledges the effort, endurance, and unseen labor behind what someone has done. It’s a way of recognizing not just the action, but the weight someone carried to make it happen.

In this episode of our Beyond Translation season, host Stephanie Wendler is joined by Xi'an International School staff member Cassie Outlaw to explore how this everyday phrase reflects deeper cultural values around work, care, and appreciation. From moments when “thank you” felt strangely distant to the first time hearing 辛苦 in a meaningful way, they reflect on how their understanding of effort and recognition has evolved while living in China.

Together, they look beyond the translation to discover what 辛苦 reveals about noticing one another’s work, honoring shared responsibility, and making effort visible in relationships.

We’d love to hear from you: https://form.jotform.com/260956093913161

热闹 (rènao): When Life Gets Loud

What does it really mean when someone in China says a place is 热闹?

Often translated as lively or bustling, 热闹 is about more than noise or crowds. It reflects a deeper cultural appreciation for shared spaces, community energy, and the feeling that life is happening all around you.

In this first episode of our Beyond Translation season, host Stephanie Wendler is joined by Xi'an International School staff member Vikki Boyd to explore how this everyday word reveals a different way of experiencing public life. From busy night markets and neighborhood courtyards to loud family dinners, they reflect on how their understanding of 热闹 evolved while living in China—and how lively environments can shift from feeling overwhelming to becoming places of connection and belonging.

Together, they look beyond the translation to discover what 热闹 reveals about community, relationships, and the spaces where people feel most alive. We'd love to hear from you! https://form.jotform.com/260956093913161

What happens when words mean more than what the dictionary says?

The Tricolor Chinese Culture Podcast returns for Season 5 with a deeper exploration into the language of everyday life in China—where words are not just definitions, but reflections of relationships, values, and lived experience.

This season, Beyond Translation, dives into Chinese expressions that resist simple explanation. These are the words you hear constantly, think you understand, and then realize carry entire cultural frameworks within them. Through personal storytelling and thoughtful conversations, each episode uncovers how language shapes the way people connect, think, and live.

Hosted through lived experience and curiosity, the show invites guests to share their own encounters with these culturally rich expressions—moments that surprise, challenge, and transform their understanding of life in China.

The podcast concludes each episode with Tricolor Lightning, a fast-paced segment blending storytelling and reflection through a unique card system—bringing humor, insight, and unexpected perspectives to the conversation.

🏆 Featured on MillionPodcasts' "Best 10 Cultural Awareness Podcasts in the US"

Season 5 launches April 14.

Because words don't just describe culture—they reveal it.

In this episode, we sit down with two educators from XIS’s secondary department, Liz Li and Jonathan Venneberg. Liz shares her observations as a coworker, friend, and cultural guide to our foreign staff, while Jonathan offers a dual viewpoint as both a current foreign staff member and an XIS alumnus from the Class of 2018, speaking to the experience of navigating China as both guest and host.

We also hear from another XIS alumnus, Sawyer Papendorf (Class of 2025), who reflects on a few misconceptions about China that his years here have clarified, and shares his ongoing appreciation for the country he loves.

We would love your feedback on Season 4 of Tricolor: https://form.jotform.com/stephaniewendler/tricolor-podcast-feedback

Both within and beyond XIS, Luke and Kiko have had countless opportunities—through a range of professional and personal experiences—to observe and engage with 外国人 (foreigners). In addition to the warm smiles they offer in the Xi’an International School office, they bring valuable wisdom and insight for anyone seeking to live well in China.

At the end of the episode, we also hear from Hayden Feeney, a student from the University of Washington, who taught in XIS’s 2025 secondary summer camp. He shares the moments that impacted him during his stay, as well as the advice he has for others visiting/living in China.

In this episode, we’re joined by long-time friend of Xi'an International School, Steven Hou. From teaching middle school English at an international school, to working with engineers at an IT firm in Shanghai, and now consulting Chinese families on college admissions abroad, Steven brings a wealth of experience working across cultures. We’ll also hear some perceptive cultural insights from XIS G11 student Maia Fong, including the saying “民以食为天” (“The people regard food as their heaven”).