Most people like hearing compliments, and they allow you to express your liking for someone and provide an opportunity for people to open up to each other. When they’re heard in a sincere manner, people feel appreciated. With that being said, when you have the opportunity to compliment someone, do it. It’s the key to their heart!

There are many kinds of compliments in Chinese, and they need to be used in different situations. In addition, there’s a wide spectrum of tones and ways to say them. Don’t worry, though; they’re not difficult at all. As long as you follow our guide, you can become a master of giving Chinese compliments!

Table of Contents

1. Complimenting Someone’s Look
2. Complimenting Someone’s Work
3. Complimenting Someone’s Skills
4. Other Compliments
5. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere
6. What to Expect After Giving Compliments
7. Conclusion

1. Complimenting Someone’s Look

1-

Example situation: Suppose your friend is dressing up today for a party, and you think they look very nice.
In Chinese: 你今天穿得怎么这么好看。
Pinyin: Nǐ jīn tiān chuān de zěn me zhè me hǎo kàn.
In English: “Your outfit looks great today.”

2-

Example situation: Suppose your friend did her makeup perfectly today.
In Chinese: 你今天的妆容好精致啊。
Pinyin: Nǐ jīn tiān de zhuāng róng hǎo jīng zhì a.
In English: “Your makeup looks great today.”

3-

Example situation: Suppose a guy is admiring the girl he likes and thinks she looks pretty while smiling.
In Chinese: 你笑起来可真美。
Pinyin: Nǐ xiào qǐ lái kě zhēn měi.
In English: “You are so pretty when you are smiling.”

4-

Example situation: Suppose your friend is wearing a suit today for a presentation, and he looks very nice in the suit.
In Chinese: 你这身西装穿起来非常绅士。
Pinyin: Nǐ zhè shēn xī zhuāng chuān qǐ lái fēi cháng shēn shì.
In English: “Your suit makes you look like such a gentleman.”

Compliment your dream girl with the best you’ve got!

5-

Example situation: Suppose your relative just had her baby, and you want to say something nice about the baby. You happen to notice that her eyes are pretty.
In Chinese: 瞧这双大眼睛，多么炯炯有神啊。
Pinyin: Qiáo zhè shuāng dà yǎn jīng, duō me jiǒng jiǒng yǒu shén a.
In English: “Look at these big eyes, how bright and full of life.”

6-

Example situation: Suppose your friend is going to have a football game, and you see that he looks very confident and ready for it.
In Chinese: 你今天可真是神采飞扬。
Pinyin: Nǐ jīn tiān kě zhēn shì shén cǎi fēi yáng.
In English: “Today you seem so full of spirit.”

2. Complimenting Someone’s Work

7-

Example situation: Suppose your teammate in a basketball match just scored for your team.
In Chinese: 干得漂亮。
Pinyin: Gàn de piào liang.
In English: “Good job.”

8-

Example situation: Suppose you did something good for your company and your boss wants to compliment you in front of other people so that they will learn from you.
In Chinese: 你是大家的楷模。
Pinyin: Nǐ shì dà jiā de kǎi mó.
In English: “You are everyone’s role model.”

When we have done something with genuine effort, we deserve to be appreciated.

9-

Example situation: Suppose your classmate offered a very creative and smart idea for a group project.
In Chinese: 你可真是个有想法的人。
Pinyin: Nǐ kě zhēn shì gè yǒu xiǎng fǎ de rén.
In English: “You have some good ideas.”

10-

Example situation: Suppose your friends were confused about what to do, and you offered a great idea that everyone liked.
In Chinese: 你简直就是我们的智多星。
Pinyin: Nǐ jiǎn zhí jiù shì wǒ men de zhì duō xīng.
In English: “You deserve to be called the most resourceful person among us.”

11-

Example situation: Suppose your friend taught you how to make a dish that seemed pretty hard for you.
In Chinese: 你这也太厉害了吧。
Pinyin: Nǐ zhè yě tài lì hai le ba.
In English: “I can’t believe you are so great at this.”

3. Complimenting Someone’s Skills

12-

Example situation: Suppose you’re asking your friend what to wear for a date and she gives you a good idea of what to wear.
In Chinese: 你的品味也太好了。
Pinyin: Nǐ de pǐn wèi yě tài hǎo le.
In English: “Your taste is so good.”

13-

Example situation: Suppose your friend invited you over to his house and cooked something delicious for you.
In Chinese: 你做饭好棒啊。
Pinyin: Nǐ zuò fàn hǎo bàng a.
In English: “You are a fantastic cook.”

14-

Example situation: Suppose you’re unsure about your future, and your friend showed great wisdom and helped you understand what you should pursue.
In Chinese: 你太有智慧了。
Pinyin: Nǐ tài yǒu zhì huì le.
In English: “You are such a wise person.”

15-

Example situation: Suppose you just saw your friend’s new photo shots on social media; you think they look great and want to say something nice.
In Chinese: 你照相技术好牛啊。
Pinyin: Nǐ zhào xiàng jì shù hǎo niú a.
In English: “Your photography skill is amazing.”

How are your photography skills?

16-

Example situation: Suppose you just asked your friend for life advice, and what he told you was very helpful.
In Chinese: 你有着成熟的思想。
Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu zhe chéng shú de sī xiǎng.
In English: “You have an extremely mature mind.”

17-

Example situation: Suppose you asked your friend about philosophy, and he discussed something deep.
In Chinese: 你的见解很有深度。
Pinyin: Nǐ de jiàn jiě hěn yǒu shēn dù.
In English: “Your ideas are very insightful.”

18-

Example situation: Suppose your friend just told a very funny joke.
In Chinese: 你可真是富有幽默感啊。
Pinyin: Nǐ kě zhēn shì fù yǒu yōu mò gǎn a.
In English: “You are so full of a sense of humor.”

4. Other Compliments

19-

Example situation: Suppose your friend showed great talent for singing and you enjoy people who sing well.
In Chinese: 你简直就是我的偶像。
Pinyin: Nǐ jiǎn zhí jiù shì wǒ de ǒu xiàng.
In English: “You are like an idol to me.”

20-

Example situation: Suppose your friend received a high test score without even studying, but you received a lower score after studying so much.
In Chinese: 我可真是羡慕死你了。
Pinyin: Wǒ kě zhēn shì xiàn mù sǐ nǐ le.
In English: “I envy you so much that I could die for it.”

We should all strive to become a better person.

21-

Example situation: Suppose your friend is a very hardworking person, which motivates you to work hard.
In Chinese: 是你让我想成为一个更好的人。
Pinyin: Shì nǐ ràng wǒ xiǎng chéng wéi yī gè gèng hǎo de rén.
In English: “You make me a better person.”

22-

Example situation: Suppose your friend just helped you with a difficult math problem that you couldn’t solve, so you want to show your admiration.
In Chinese: 你可真让我自叹不如啊。
Pinyin: Nǐ kě zhēn ràng wǒ zì tàn bù rú a.
In English: “You are so good that it makes me feel like I am so far from your excellence.”

5. How to Make Your Compliments Sound More Sincere

Sometimes, compliments can sound pretentious if they’re not given properly, which can make the effect backfire. We want to express our compliments in a sincere manner to make the other person feel comfortable accepting the compliment. This is a great way to enhance a relationship.

The compliments in Chinese that we listed here are all in a sincere tone. If you notice, we sometimes add particles such as 啊 (a) and 呀 (ya) to emphasize the tone and make it sound more friendly. Moreover, you can add more personal details to specify why you want to offer the compliment while avoiding vague Chinese compliments such as 挺好 (tǐng hǎo) or 不错 (bú cuò), meaning “It’s good” or “Not bad.” Phrases like these don’t provide enough depth to the compliment.

6. What to Expect After Giving Compliments

Unlike in Western culture, where you’ll probably prefer to directly accept the compliment and say “Thank you,” the Chinese response to compliments is different. Chinese people like to shy away from compliments and appear to be modest. Traditionally, accepting a compliment without being self-deprecating would be impolite. But now, more and more people are learning to reply to compliments with a “Thank you.”

If you ever receive a compliment in Chinese, don’t panic! Here, we’ve prepared a list of phrases you can use to respond to compliments in an appropriate manner.

1-

Example situation: Suppose you’re receiving a compliment from your friend, and your friend’s skill on the matter is not bad, so you compliment your friend back by saying that the two of you are on the same level.
In Chinese: 彼此彼此。
Pinyin: Bǐ cǐ bǐ cǐ.
In English: “You are just the same as I am.”

2-

Example situation: Suppose you just showed that you have good skills in something, and you want to seem modest. You can say that your skill is poor.
In Chinese: 献丑了。
Pinyin: Xiàn chǒu le.
In English: “Sorry to show my poor skills.”

3-

Example situation: Suppose you’re receiving compliments from your friend, but you want to seem modest.
In Chinese: 哪有。
Pinyin: Nǎ yǒu
In English: “Not at all.”

4-

Example situation: Suppose you’re receiving compliments from your friend, but you want to seem modest.
In Chinese: 我还差得远呢。
Pinyin: Wǒ hái chà dé yuǎn ne
In English: “I’m still far from that.”

7. Conclusion

Want to win a girl’s heart with a good compliment? Do you feel awkward when you receive a compliment in Chinese? Now you’ve found all the answers in this article. As long as you keep practicing, you’ll definitely be able to produce a healthy social life, knowing when and how to say the right compliments.

Of course, a diligent Chinese language learner like you probably won’t feel content with only this article. We have more for you at ChineseClass101.com, where we deliver free, high-quality Chinese lessons to you every week, allowing you to enjoy an immersive and interesting learning experience with professional teachers! Why not give it a try right now?

Question: If ordering food, asking for directions, and exchanging contact information are only beginner-level language skills, what makes an advanced-level Chinese learner?

Here’s my answer: Using the perfect Chinese phrases to express your anger. If you’ve experienced the frustration of not being able to defend yourself in a heated conversation because of your limited vocabulary, you know what I’m talking about.

In this article, you’ll find over thirty phrases and expressions to use in intense situations. These will help you understand what that angry Chinese man might be yelling about, as well as expand your vocabulary to help you express your own feelings and emotions more freely.

Before we proceed, I’d like to assure you that there are no overly vulgar or profane angry Chinese phrases below. That said, you should still be cautious when using any of these phrases—while they’re not too strong, they can still be offensive or rude, especially if used in the wrong context. If you’re curious about curse words in Chinese, you can read all about them in a separate lesson.

Table of Contents

1. Angry Imperatives
2. Angry Warnings
3. Angry Blames
4. Describe Your Feelings
5. Ways to Calm Down When You’re Angry
6. Final Round: Apologizing
7. Conclusion

1: Angry Imperatives

When annoyed, we tend to give impatient and harsh imperatives. For example, in English, we say things like “Shut up,” “Cut it out,” or “Get out of here.”

In Chinese, some of these phrases have translations with the exact same meanings, while others vary a bit.

走开! (Zǒukāi!)

This phrase literally means “Walk away,” but it’s really a stronger phrase to tell someone: “Get out of the way!”

滚蛋! (Gǔndàn!)

The literal translation of this phrase sounds a little too cute (or yummy): “to roll an egg.”

滚 (gǔn), meaning “to roll,” here is asking someone to “get lost.” The word 蛋 (dàn), or “egg,” in Chinese slang is often associated with something indecent, such as 王八蛋 (wángbādàn), the equivalent of “bastard,” and 妈蛋 (mā dàn), the equivalent of “crap.”

滚 and 蛋 together is a common phrase that translates as “Get the heck out of here!”

闭嘴! (Bìzuǐ!)

Just like its literal translation, this phrase means “Shut your mouth!”

To make this command, or any of the others, stronger and angrier, stick the phrase 你给我 (nǐ gěi wǒ) before the verb.

你给我 (nǐ gěi wǒ) literally means “you give me,” but in imperatives, it’s short for “I’m ordering you to do …” This is a tone intensifier that presumably makes the speaker feel more powerful.

你给我闭嘴！(Nǐ gěi wǒ bìzuǐ!)

闭嘴 (bìzuǐ), as we mentioned earlier, means “Shut your mouth.” Adding 你给我 (nǐ gěi wǒ) doesn’t change the meaning. Instead, it only makes the tone stronger.

你给我滚蛋！(Nǐ gěi wǒ gǔndàn!)

As explained earlier, 滚蛋 (gǔndàn) means “Get the heck out of here!” 你给我 (nǐ gěi wǒ) only makes 滚蛋 more potent, similar to the English “Get the hell outta here!”

The subject 你 (nǐ), meaning “you,” can be omitted.

给我滚蛋! (Gěi wǒ gǔndàn!) has the same meaning and effect.

你给我听好！(Nǐ gěi wǒ tīng hǎo!)

This literally translates to “You give me listen well!” But it means something more like: “You better listen to me carefully!”

To sternly order someone not to do something, like a parent would tell a child not to interrupt, we can use the 不许 (bùxǔ) + verb pattern.

不许 (bùxǔ) means “not allowed.” Here are some examples using the 不许 before verbs:

不许插嘴。(Bùxǔ chāzuǐ.)

This literally means “Interrupting is not allowed.” It translates as “No interrupting.”

不许胡说。(Bùxǔ húshuō.)

胡说 (húshuō) means “to talk nonsense.” 不许胡说 is telling someone to stop making stuff up.

不许说脏话。(Bùxǔ shuō zānghuà.)

This phrase is typically used by a parent telling his or her child not to say bad words.

脏话 (zānghuà) means “dirty words” or “bad words.”

2: Angry Warnings

When the angry imperatives don’t work, it might be time to upgrade to some intimidating warnings. These warning phrases are a great way to show someone you’re about to get very angry in Chinese.

别惹我。(Bié rě wǒ.)

The verb 惹 (rě) means “to provoke,” but here it means “to mess with” or “to irritate.”

别惹我 is used to warn someone: “Don’t mess with me.”

你给我小心点。(Nǐ gěi wǒ xiǎoxīn diǎn.)

You just learned that 你给我 (nǐ gěi wǒ) intensifies an imperative. It also intensifies a warning.

小心点 (xiǎoxīn diǎn) literally means “to be a little careful.” Together, the phrase 你给我小心点 translates to “You better watch out.”

我警告你，这是最后一次。 (Wǒ jǐnggào nǐ, zhè shì zuìhòu yí cì.)

This is a firm warning that says: “I’m warning you, this is the last time.”

我的忍耐已经达到极限了。(Wǒ de rěnnài yǐjīng dádào jíxiàn le.)

This one means: “My tolerance has reached its limit.”

别怪我不客气。(Bié guài wǒ bú kèqi.)

The phrase 不客气 (bú kèqi) here has a different meaning than the 不客气 that’s used to say “You’re welcome.”

客气 (kèqi) is a unique and almost untranslatable word in Chinese. It has the positive meaning of being courteous, nice, and formal. Its negative form, 不客气 (bú kèqi), means “not nice” or “without any courtesy or etiquette.”

别怪我 means “Don’t blame me.” Together, the phrase 别怪我不客气 means something like “Don’t blame me for being mean.”

This is a common phrase used in trash talk.

3: Angry Blames

When it’s time to really get angry in Chinese, angry blames take the stage. During the exchange of angry words and phrases, putting blame on the other person and name-calling always bring tension to the next level. We’ll introduce these phrases, but hope you never have to use them.

The common blaming and name-calling phrases in Chinese we’ve listed below are in order from least harsh to most harsh.

你太过分了。(Nǐ tài guòfèn le.)

This phrase means: “You crossed the line.”

你这个人真是莫名其妙。(Nǐ zhège rén zhēnshì mòmíngqímiào.)

莫名其妙 (mòmíngqímiào) is a Chinese idiom, or 成语 (chéngyǔ), that means “confusing” or “can’t be explained.”

你这个人真是莫名其妙 translates as “You are such an oddball,” implying that you don’t understand why the person is doing what they’re doing.

你活该。(Nǐ huógāi.)

This phrase is just like the English “You deserve it.”

你算老几？(Nǐ suàn lǎojǐ?)

A little cultural background before we break down this phrase:

When a family has more than one child, the children are referred to not only by name, but also by their birth order. The firstborn is 老大 (lǎodà), the second is 老二 (lǎoèr), the third is 老三 (lǎosān), and so on. The oldest child, 老大 (lǎodà), is usually put in charge when the parents aren’t around. Therefore, 老大 also means “boss” in slang.

The phrase 你算老几? literally means “You are what number down the line?” implying “You’re not the one in charge.” Oftentimes, it’s translated as: “Who do you think you are?”

你脑子有病吧？(Nǐ nǎozi yǒubìng ba?)

The literal translation is “Is your brain sick?” It could also be translated as: “What the heck is going on with you?” but with a slightly stronger tone.

Calling someone 有病 (yǒubìng), or “sick,” is one of the most common ways in Chinese colloquial language to vent anger. This is by no means vulgar, but still serves the purpose of expressing your despise and disgust.

Another way of calling someone sick in the head is 神经病 (shénjīngbìng), meaning “psycho.”

After “sicko” and “psycho,” the list of name-calling slang words goes on. Below are some commonly used name-calling words, also in order from least to most harsh:

大嘴巴 (dà zuǐbā)

This is literally “big mouth,” but it refers to someone who can’t keep a secret.

铁公鸡 (tiě gōngjī)

This literally translates to “iron rooster,” referring to someone who is cheap and stingy.

This term comes from the 歇后语 (xiēhòuyǔ), or “two-part saying”:

• 铁公鸡 — 一毛不拔
  Tiě gōngjī — yīmáobùbá.
  “An iron rooster — never pulls out a feather.”

It’s used to describe the same type of people.

自恋狂 (zìliàn kuáng)

This word literally means “self-love maniac.” This is someone who thinks the world of themselves, always posts their selfies on social media, and can’t stop staring at themselves in the mirror.

It could translate to “egocentric” in English.

戏精 (xìjīng)

This word is similar to “drama queen.” It refers to the type of person who likes to over-exaggerate and make a scene.

妈宝男 (mā bǎo nán)

The literal translation of this phrase is “mom’s baby man,” which is similar to “mama’s boy” in English. But it only applies to adult men who are spoiled by their mothers, and who still rely on their mothers whenever something comes up.

白痴 (báichī)

This refers to someone who knows nothing. An idiot.

二百五 (èrbǎiwu)

“Two hundred fifty” is not an ordinary number in Chinese. It’s a symbol for stupid people.

绿茶婊 (lǜchá biǎo)

This literally means “green tea b*tch.” It’s used to call the type of girl who appears innocent and harmless like a cup of refreshing green tea, but deep down they’re calculating or could even be evil.

脑残 (nǎocán)

This word literally means “brain handicapped” or “mentally disabled.” They’re the kind of people, usually young folks, who make stupid decisions.

To use the above name-calling words in sentences, you can use the 你就是个… (nǐ jiùshì ge…) pattern.

• 你就是个妈宝男。
  Nǐ jiùshì ge mā bǎo nán.
  “You’re such a mom’s boy.”
• 你就是个戏精。
  Nǐ jiùshì ge xìjīng.
  “You’re such a drama queen.”
• 你就是个二百五。
  Nǐ jiùshì ge érbǎiwu.
  “You’re such an idiot.”

4: Describe Your Feelings

Arguing and fighting is exhausting, especially with all the yelling and name-calling. It may be hard to do, but always try to tell the other person how you feel instead of saying something you’ll regret later—or for the rest of your life.

Here are some examples of phrases you can use to express that you’re feeling angry in Chinese, or to tell someone about your other negative feelings:

• 我实在是受够了。
  Wǒ shízài shì shòu gòu le.
  “I’m so fed up.”
• 我对你太失望了。
  Wǒ duì nǐ tài shīwàng le.
  “I’m so disappointed in you.”
• 我不想跟你吵架。
  Wǒ bùxiǎng gēnnǐ chǎojià.
  “I don’t want to fight with you.”
• 我只想一个人静一静。
  Wǒ zhǐ xiǎng yīgerén jìngyījìng.
  “I just want to be alone and have some quiet time by myself.”
• 你为什么要这样对我？
  Nǐ wèishénme yào zhèyàng duì wǒ?
  “Why are you treating me like this?”

5: Ways to Calm Down When You’re Angry

When none of the above actions can resolve the issue and you’re only finding yourself getting more angry, try to walk away and do something to distract yourself.

To calm yourself down, you can try:

1. 深呼吸。 (Shēn hūxī.)

“Take a deep breath.” Getting some cleansing air into your body usually helps to slow down your heart rate and lower your blood pressure.

2. 走一走。 (Zǒuyizǒu.)

“Take a walk.” Go for a walk outside to get your mind off the things that upset you. It gives you a chance to slow your mind down and think about what made you so mad and if it’s really worth being upset over.

3. 听音乐。(Tīng yīnyuè.)

“Listen to music.” Music has the power to heal. Either cry it out with some sad music, or crank up the dance music to let the negative energy out.

4. 写下来。 (Xiě xiàlai.)

“Write it down.” Write down in your journal, or on a piece of paper, about what happened, why it happened, and what you could have done better. When you read it back to yourself, you’ll be surprised to find how silly and trivial these things are.

You can also try to write a letter or message to the person you had a fight with. When people communicate through written words, it often turns out to be more calm and logical than the face-to-face confrontations.

5. 记住：生气就是用别人的错误惩罚自己。(Jìzhu: Shēngqì jiùshì yòng biérén de cuòwù chéngfá zìjǐ.)

“Remember: Getting angry is punishing yourself for the mistakes of others.”

6: Final Round: Apologizing

A sincere apology is magical. It ends fights, mends relationships, and heals wounds. After you manage to calm down, chances are you’ll feel sorry for being angry and using hurtful words that were totally unnecessary.

Here are some soothing apologies you can use:

• 对不起。
  Duìbuqǐ.
  “I’m sorry.”
• 我错了。
  Wǒ cuò le.
  “I was wrong.” Or “It was my fault.”
• 我向你道歉。
  Wǒ xiàng nǐ dàoqiàn.
  “I apologize to you.”
• 我也有不对的地方。
  Wǒ yěyǒu búduì de dìfang.
  Literally: “I also had improper places,” meaning “I also did something improper.”
• 我们和好吧。
  Wǒmen hé hǎo ba.
  “Let’s make up.”
• 我们以后都要有话好好说。
  Wǒmen yǐhòu dōu yàoyǒu huà hǎohǎo shuō.
  Literally: “We should always talk to each other peacefully,” meaning “Let’s communicate without yelling in the future.”

7: Conclusion

As much as we don’t want you to use the angry and strong Chinese words and phrases introduced in this article, they’re still something you need to understand and know how to use, just in case. Seeking peace and co-existence is one of the essential philosophies in Chinese culture. So try to avoid disputes and fights when you’re in China.

To learn more about the language, the people, and the culture of China, explore ChineseClass101.com for more hidden treasures!

Before you go, let us know in the comments how you calm yourself down when angry. We’d love to hear from you!

Sometimes, a single sentence can allow humans to easily connect with each other, especially wishes phrases that everyone wants to hear. There are some unique life events, and different ways of celebrating them, in every single country even between the local people, and that’s where they share the same values and embrace each other’s traditions. So how do you wish someone well in Chinese? And what can you gain from learning how to say Happy New Year in Chinese, and other holiday greetings?

As a language learner, such events can establish a great communication channel with native speakers and provide a better look at the local culture so you can really be a part of it. In China, you can have a variety of opportunities to get involved, as long as you know the right thing to say. Now is the best time to learn those phrases of congratulations in Chinese that pave your way toward integrating into Chinese culture!

Table of Contents

1. Birthday
2. Mid-Autumn Festival
3. Chinese Congratulations: Graduation
4. Lantern Festival
5. Chinese New Year Congratulations
6. Wedding
7. Bad News
8. Death/Funeral
9. Injured/Sick
10. Holidays
11. Conclusion

1. Birthday

Undeniably, birthdays are one of the biggest events across all cultures! Traditionally, Chinese people like to eat longevity noodles, which is a type of noodle that’s all in one string. Nowadays, however, more and more people eat western birthday cakes. Now, imagine that you’re invited to a birthday party and don’t know how to say Happy Birthday in Chinese. How embarrassing is that? Don’t worry, though; the answer is here for you!

In Chinese: 生日快乐！
Pinyin: Shēng rì kuài lè!
In English: Happy birthday!
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; informal.

In Chinese: 恭喜你又长大了一岁。
Pinyin: Gōng xǐ nǐ yòu zhǎng dà le yī suì.
In English: Congratulations on growing a year older.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

In Chinese: 恭喜你又向成年迈出了一步！
Pinyin: Gōng xǐ nǐ yòu xiàng chéng nián mài chū le yī bù.
In English: Congratulations that you are one step closer to becoming an adult!
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

2. Mid-Autumn Festival

Mid-Autumn Festival happens when there is a full moon.

Mid-Autumn Festival is another holiday where Chinese people like to unite together with their families. On the night of this holiday, the moon will be completely round. In ancient times, people appreciated the moon in an artistic way, which is why there’s so much Chinese old-style poetry about the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The staple food for this holiday is called 月饼 (yuè bǐng), meaning “moon cake.” It looks round and golden like the moon, usually with a whole salted duck egg inside.

Eat mooncake and appreciate the moon with families!

In Chinese: 中秋节快乐。
Pinyin: Zhōng qiū jié kuài lè.
In English: Happy Mid-Autumn Festival.
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 祝你们合家欢乐。
Pinyin: Zhù nǐ men hé jiā huān lè.
In English: Wish you a happy family.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

In Chinese: 你吃月饼了吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ chī yuè bǐng le ma?
In English: Did you eat a mooncake?
Usage: More natural for speaking; informal.

3. Chinese Congratulations: Graduation

Graduation means a whole new chapter in life!

Graduations in China are very similar to other graduation ceremonies. Students take pictures and wish each other a bright future. Despite celebrating academic achievements, people may shed some tears on their graduation, as it could be time to part with some of their close friends from school. One way to keep the beautiful memories alive is to sign each other’s uniforms.

In Chinese: 毕业快乐。
Pinyin: Bì yè kuài lè.
In English: Happy graduation!
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

In Chinese: 祝你前程似锦。
Pinyin: Zhù nǐ qián chéng sì jǐn.
In English: Hope you will have a bright future.
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 希望你毕业之后一切顺利。
Pinyin: Xī wàng nǐ bì yè zhī hòu yī qiē shùn lì.
In English: Hope everything goes well for you after graduation.
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; informal.

4. Lantern Festival

Let’s put on some lanterns for the Lantern Festival!

The fifteenth day of the lunar calendar is the Lantern Festival, a holiday that’s arranged very close to the Chinese New Year. On this special day, Chinese people eat 元宵 / 汤圆 (yuán xiāo / tāng yuán), a dessert made from glutinous rice flour, to celebrate. They also give each other riddles to solve with a theme associated with the holiday.

In Chinese: 元宵节快乐！
Pinyin: Yuán xiāo jié kuài lè!
In English: Happy Lantern Festival!
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 我来给你出个灯谜吧。
Pinyin: Wǒ lái gěi nǐ chū gè dēng mí ba.
In English: Let me give you a riddle.
Usage: More natural for speaking; informal.

In Chinese: 祝您一家人团团圆圆。
Pinyin: Zhù nín yī jiā rén tuán tuán yuán yuán.
In English: Wish your family a great reunion.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

5. Chinese New Year Congratulations

When you see these, you know Chinese New Year is running right now!

Wondering how to say “Happy New Year” in Chinese? Well, you better know that if you’re studying Chinese, because the Chinese New Year is like Christmas in western countries. On this important holiday, people celebrate it by eating dumplings, visiting family, and lighting fireworks. If you ever want to be a part of Chinese culture, learn how to wish congratulations on Chinese New Year with some must-know phrases for the Chinese New Year!

In Chinese: 新年快乐，恭喜发财！
Pinyin: Xīn nián kuài lè, gōng xǐ fā cái!
In English: Happy new year, (I) wish you prosperity.
Usage: More natural for writing; informal.

In Chinese: 祝您万事如意。
Pinyin: Zhù nín wàn shì rú yì.
In English: May all your wishes come true.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

In Chinese: 我在这给您拜年了！
Pinyin: Wǒ zài zhè gěi nín bài nián le!
In English: Allow me to give you my new year’s blessing!
Usage: More natural for speaking; informal.

6. Wedding

Traditionally, Chinese couples wore red for their wedding. However, modern Chinese weddings are very similar to western wedding ceremonies. A special custom that Chinese people still like to do is to give 份子钱 (fèn zi qián), or “gift money,” to the newly married couple for a wedding. This Chinese congratulations gift is one of the defining aspects of a Chinese wedding.

What do you say at a Chinese wedding? Make sure to study the Chinese marriage congratulations below to have something to say when you’re invited to a wedding!

In Chinese: 新婚快乐！
Pinyin: Xīn hūn kuài lè!
In English: Happy new wedding!
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 祝你们长长久久。
Pinyin: Zhù nǐ men cháng cháng jiǔ jiǔ.
In English: I wish you a long time together.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

In Chinese: 祝你们一生恩爱幸福。
Pinyin: Zhù nǐ men yī shēng ēn ài xìng fú.
In English: Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

7. Bad News

Of course, there are always dark sides of life as long as there are bright sides. Now that we’ve learned all the happy Chinese wishes phrases, it’s time to learn some comforting phrases to show your support when hearing bad news.

In Chinese: 一切都会好起来的。
Pinyin: Yī qiè dōu huì hǎo qǐ lái de.
In English: Everything will get better.
Usage: More natural for speaking; informal.

In Chinese: 节哀顺变。
Pinyin: Jié āi shùn biàn.
In English: Please save your sadness and let things slide (for someone’s loss).
Usage: More natural for speaking; formal.

In Chinese: 别难过了，有我在呢。
Pinyin: Bié nán guò le, yǒu wǒ zài ne.
In English: Don’t be sad, I’m here for you.
Usage: More natural for speaking; informal.

8. Death/Funeral

Death is an inevitable topic in every culture, China included. The Chinese have a holiday where people go to the graveyard of their dead families to clean the grave and awake the past family memories. If you ever accompany someone on this special holiday, or go to a Chinese funeral, here are some Chinese wishes phrases you can use for the dead.

In Chinese: 安息吧，你会永远在我们的心里。
Pinyin: Ān xī ba, nǐ huì yǒng yuǎn zài wǒ men de xīn lǐ.
In English: Rest in peace and know that you will always be in our hearts.
Usage: More natural for speaking; informal.

In Chinese: 一路走好。
Pinyin: Yī lù zǒu hǎo.
In English: Have a good trip.
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 希望你在天堂一切都好。
Pinyin: Xī wàng nǐ zài tiān táng yī qiè dōu hǎo.
In English: Hope everything is good in heaven.
Usage: More natural for writing; informal.

9. Injured/Sick

We are all human, and we may get injured or sick once in a while. When we’re in such a vulnerable state, we need nothing more than a heartwarming wish from loved ones. Traditionally, staple foods for sick people are boiled chicken soup or some porridge; if you ever want to show your care beyond words, that’s the way to go. But for now, let’s first learn some basic Chinese phrases for condolences, such as “wishing you good health” in Chinese. Here are some phrases to show your friends and loved ones that you care!

In Chinese: 好好照顾自己。
Pinyin: Hǎo hǎo zhào gù zì jǐ.
In English: Take care of yourself.
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; informal.

In Chinese: 快点好起来啊。
Pinyin: Kuài diǎn hǎo qǐ lái a.
In English: Get well soon.
Usage: More natural for writing; informal.

In Chinese: 祝您身体健康。
Pinyin: Zhù nín shēn tǐ jiàn kāng.
In English: Wishing you good health.
Usage: More natural for writing; formal.

10. Holidays

More Chinese wish phrases? No problem! There are many more unique holidays in China that you may not know! For example, the Chinese traditional Valentine’s Day is on July 7, which originated from a romantic fairytale of the Weaver Girl. Now, modern Chinese couples like to celebrate Valentine’s Day on May 20 because the pronunciation of 520 in Chinese sounds very similar to “I love you” in Chinese. Holidays like April Fool’s Day are a huge thing in China as well. Many young people take advantage of this day to confess their romantic feelings for one another! Lastly, you’ll learn how to say Chinese Christmas greetings and happy holidays in Mandarin Chinese.

In Chinese: 情人节/七夕快乐。
Pinyin: Qíng rén jié /Qī xī kuài lè.
In English: Happy Valentine’s Day.
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 愚人节快乐！
Pinyin: Yú rén jié kuài lè!
In English: Happy April Fool’s Day!
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 圣诞节快乐！
Pinyin: Shèng dàn jié kuài lè!
In English: Merry Christmas!
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

In Chinese: 假期快乐！
Pinyin: Jiǎ qī kuài lè!
In English: Happy holidays!
Usage: Natural for both speaking and writing; formal.

11. Conclusion

Now, do you remember how to say “happy holidays” in Mandarin Chinese? How about Happy New Year or Merry Christmas in Chinese? This article certainly is a life-saver when it comes to being involved in life events. Now you don’t ever have to worry about being awkward during such occasions.

We’re dedicated to fulfilling every language learner’s needs. If you have any more questions about Chinese in store for us, visit ChineseClass101 to start an adventure in finding those answers. You won’t regret it!

What is an adjective in Chinese? You may have wondered as a beginner in Chinese, considering adjectives’ ability to help you shine in conversation or writing. Without effective Chinese adjectives, a conversation can become dull, and you may easily lose the interest of your listeners.

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to describe your personality in Chinese, talk about the weather in Chinese, and even understand Chinese adjective placement so you can speak fluently. Everything you need can be found in our guide to the top 100 common Chinese adjectives we’ve customized just for you. Now, don’t worry; we’ve prepared some basic Chinese adjectives that can bring your speech to another level!

Adjectives in Chinese modify 名词 (míng cí), nouns. But where do adjectives go in Chinese sentences?

Before we continue to our Chinese adjectives list, keep in mind these two rules you should follow for structuring a sentence with common Chinese adjectives:

1. Chinese subjective + very + adjective
2. Adjective + of + noun

With a little bit more knowledge about Chinese adjectives grammar, you’re now ready to go and learn Chinese adjectives. Let’s get straight into our Chinese adjectives list that everyone should master, whether you want to become a skillful talker or an excellent storyteller!

Table of Contents

1. Describing Dimensions, Sizes, Distance, Number, Frequency, etc.
2. Describing Value
3. Describing Feeling & Sense
4. Personalities and Human Behaviors
5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.
6. Describing Colors in Chinese
7. Describing Shapes & Textures in Chinese
8. Describing Weather in Chinese
9. Chinese Food Adjectives for Describing Taste
10. Adjectives in Chinese for Describing a Situation
11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions
12. Describing Appearance in Chinese
13. How Can You Go Beyond Common Chinese Adjectives?

1. Describing Dimensions, Sizes, Distance, Number, Frequency, etc.

1- 大的 (dà de) vs. 小的 (xiǎo de)

Meaning: Big

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Today is my birthday; my parents bought a big birthday cake for me.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān shì wǒ de shēng rì, bà ba mā ma gěi wǒ mǎi le yí gè hěn dà de shēng rì dàn gāo.
In Chinese: 今天是我的生日，爸爸妈妈给我买了一个很大的生日蛋糕。

Meaning: Small / Little

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I saw a little cat in my yard today.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān wǒ zài zì jiā yuàn zi li kàn jiàn le yì fzhī xiǎo māo.
In Chinese: 今天我在自家院子里看见了一只小猫。

2- 窄的 (zhǎi de) vs. 宽阔的 (kuān kuò de)

Meaning: Narrow

Usage in a sentence:

In English: This corner is too narrow to get our car through.
Pinyin: Zhè ge guǎi jiǎo tài zhǎi le, wǒ men de chē shì guò bú qù de.
In Chinese: 这个拐角太窄了，我们的车是过不去的。

Meaning: Wide

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The park near my house is very wide and big; many kids love to go there and play.
Pinyin: Wǒ jiā fù jìn de gōng yuán hěn kuān kuò, hěn duō hái zi dōu xǐ huān qù nà lǐ wán shuǎ.
In Chinese: 我家附近的公园很宽阔，很多孩子都喜欢去那里玩耍。

3- 高的 (gāo de) vs. 矮的 (ǎi de)

Meaning: Tall

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Every time I get taller, my parents are happy for me because it is the mark of me growing up.
Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ zhǎng gāo fù mǔ dōu hěn wèi wǒ gāo xìng, yīn wèi zhè shì wǒ chéng zhǎng de yìn jì.
In Chinese: 每次我长高父母都很为我高兴，因为这是我成长的印记。

Meaning: Short

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My friend is very short, but he is very good at shooting a basketball.
Pinyin: Suī rán wǒ péng you hěn ǎi, dàn tā tóu lán fēi cháng zhǔn.
In Chinese: 虽然我朋友很矮，但他投篮非常准。

4- 重的 (zhòng de) vs. 轻的 (qīng de)

Meaning: Heavy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Because we needed to move today, I had to carry a lot of heavy furniture.
Pinyin: Yīn wèi jīn tiān yào bān jiā, wǒ bù dé bù bān le hěn duō hěn zhòng de jiā jù.
In Chinese: 因为今天要搬家，我不得不搬了很多很重的家具。

Meaning: Light

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My sister is only three years old; she is very light and easy to carry.
Pinyin: Wǒ mèi mei cái sān suì, bào qǐ lai hěn qīng, háo bú fèi lì.
In Chinese: 我妹妹才三岁，抱起来很轻，毫不费力。

5- 高的 (gāo de) vs. 低的 (dī de)

Meaning: High

Usage in a sentence:

In English: During my trip, I had a ride on a hot air balloon, and it went up high.
Pinyin: Lǚ xíng qī jiān wǒ zuò le rè qì qiú, shēng dào le hěn gāo de dì fang.
In Chinese: 旅行期间我坐了热气球，升到了很高的地方。

Additional notes: In Chinese, tall and high are the same thing, which actually makes it easier to remember. So don’t freak out when you see them used for different meanings in English!

Meaning: Low

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The expert said that the risk of this stock is relatively low.
Pinyin: Zhuān jiā shuō zhè zhī gǔ piào fēng xiǎn jiào dī.
In Chinese: 专家说这只股票风险较低。

6- 近的 (jìn de) vs. 远的 (yuǎn de)

Meaning: Close

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The supermarket is very close to my house; it only takes me five minutes to walk there.
Pinyin: Chāo shì lí wǒ jiā fēi cháng jìn, zǒu lù wǔ fèn zhōng jiù dào.
In Chinese: 超市离我家非常近，走路五分钟就到。

Meaning: Far

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Today is my grandmother’s birthday, so no matter how far away she is, we’ll make it to her birthday party.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān shì lǎo lao de shēng rì, suǒ yǐ jiù suàn lí de zài yuǎn, wǒ men yě yào qù wèi tā qìng shēng.
In Chinese: 今天是姥姥的生日，所以就算离得再远，我们也要去为她庆生。

7- 一些 (yì xiē)

Meaning: Some

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Yesterday, my friend taught me how to bake some bread, and I’m going to bring some home and let mom taste them.
Pinyin: Zuó tiān péng you jiāo wǒ zuò le yì xiē miàn bāo, wǒ dǎ suàn ná huí jiā gěi mā ma cháng chang.
In Chinese: 昨天朋友教我做了一些面包，我打算拿回家给妈妈尝尝。

8- 任何的 (rèn hé de)

Meaning: Any

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I won’t allow any of my friends to get hurt.
Pinyin: Wǒ bú huì yǔn xǔ rèn hé yí gè wǒ de péng you bèi shāng hài.
In Chinese: 我不会允许任何一个我的朋友被伤害。

9- 几个 (jǐ gè)

Meaning: A few

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Although I don’t have that many friends, there are always a few of them whom I can confide in.
Pinyin: Suī rán wǒ de péng you méi yǒu nà me duō, dān zǒng yǒu jǐ gè shì hé wǒ jiāo xīn de.
In Chinese: 虽然我的朋友没有那么多，但总有几个是和我交心的。

10- 很多的 (hěn duō de)

Meaning: Many

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I heard that this restaurant is very good; there are always so many people waiting in line.
Pinyin: Wǒ tīng shuō zhè jiā cān tīng hěn hǎo chī, zǒng shì yǒu hěn duō rén zài pái duì.
In Chinese: 我听说这家餐厅很好吃，总是有很多人在排队。

11- 很少的 (hěn shǎo de)

Meaning: Little / Few

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I waited a long time in line just to buy a certain flavor of ice cream, but when it was my turn, there were only a few choices left.
Pinyin: Wèi le mǎi zhè kuǎn bīng jī líng, wǒ pái le hěn cháng shí jiān de duì. Dàn děng dào wǒ de shí hou, zhǐ shèng xia hěn shǎo de xuǎn zé.
In Chinese: 为了买这款冰激凌，我排了很长时间的队。但等到我的时候，只剩下很少的选择。

2. Describing Value

1- 好的 (hǎo de)

Let’s give good people a thumbs-up!

Meaning: Good

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My younger sister is a very good child; she especially loves to take care of little animals.
Pinyin: Wǒ mèi mei shì gè hěn hǎo de hái zi, tā tè bié ài hù xiǎo dòng wù.
In Chinese: 我妹妹是个很好的孩子，她特别爱护小动物。

2- 糟糕的 (zāo gāo de)

Meaning: Terrible

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I lost my favorite toy, and I am in a terrible mood right now.
Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ xīn ài de wán jù diū le, xiàn zài xīn qíng fēi cháng zāo gāo.
In Chinese: 我把心爱的玩具丢了，现在心情非常糟糕。

3- 棒的 (bàng de)

Meaning: Amazing

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Today, I went to watch a theater show at my school, and all the actors’ performances were amazing.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān wǒ qù kàn le xué xiào de huà jù yǎn chū, yǎn yuán men de biǎo xiàn dōu bàng jí le.
In Chinese: 今天我去看了学校的话剧演出，演员们的表现都棒极了。

4- 差的 (chà de)

Meaning: Bad

Usage in a sentence:

In English: During a teacher-parent conference, my teacher explained to my mom why my grade has been bad recently.
Pinyin: Jiā zhǎng huì shang, lǎo shī xiàng mā ma jiě shì le wǒ zuì jìn chéng ji jiào chà de yuán yīn.
In Chinese: 家长会上，老师向妈妈解释了我最近成绩较差的原因。

3. Describing Feeling & Sense

1- 凉的 (liáng de) vs. 热的 (rè de)

Meaning: Cold

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The pastry that mom baked was already cold when I got home.
Pinyin: Děng wǒ huí jiā de shí hou, mā ma zuò hǎo de diǎn xīn yǐ jīng liáng le.
In Chinese: 等我回家的时候，妈妈做好的点心已经凉了。

Meaning: Hot

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My mom told me to eat the freshly made bun while it’s still hot.
Pinyin: Mā ma shuō ràng wǒ chèn rè bǎ gāng zuò hǎo de bāo zi chī le.
In Chinese: 妈妈说让我趁热把刚做好的包子吃了。

2- 烫的 (tàng de)

Meaning: Burning

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Coffee can be burning (hot) when it’s freshly brewed.
Pinyin: Kā fēi gāng zhǔ hǎo de shí hou hěn tàng.
In Chinese: 咖啡刚煮好的时候很烫。

3- 温暖的 (wēn nuǎn de)

Do you ever feel a certain way, but don’t know the right adjective to describe it in Chinese? We will show you the way!

Meaning: Heartwarming

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My teammates are so united that this whole team feels like one big heartwarming home.
Pinyin: Wǒ de duì yuán men dōu fēi cháng tuán jié, zhè ràng wǒ men de duì wu jiù xiàng yí gè wēn nuǎn de dà jiā tíng yí yàng.
In Chinese: 我的队员们都非常团结，这让我们的队伍就像一个温暖的大家庭一样。

4- 暖和的 (nuǎn huo de)

Meaning: Warm

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The room finally started to get warm after the heater was turned on.
Pinyin: Nuǎn qì dǎ kāi zhī hòu, fáng jiān lǐ zhōng yú nuǎn huo qǐ lai le.
In Chinese: 暖气打开之后，房间里终于暖和起来了。

5- 柔软的 (róu ruǎn de)

Meaning: Soft

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I like to lean on my dog; his hair is very soft and comfortable to be leaned on.
Pinyin: Wǒ hěn xǐ huan kào zài wǒ jiā de gǒu shēn shang, tā de pí máo hěn róu ruǎn, kào qǐ lai hěn shū fu.
In Chinese: 我很喜欢靠在我家的狗身上，他的皮毛很柔软，靠起来很舒服。

6- 舒服的 (shū fu de)

Meaning: Comfortable

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My favorite thing is lying on the beach while enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing through my face; it just feels so comfortable.
Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐ huān tǎng zài hǎi tān shàng, xiǎng shòu hǎi fēng yíng miàn chuī lái de gǎn jué, shū fu jí le.
In Chinese: 我最喜欢躺在海滩上，享受海风迎面吹来的感觉，舒服极了。

7- 疼的 (téng de)

Meaning: Painful

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Tomorrow, I will have to get my teeth pulled. Hopefully it won’t be that painful.
Pinyin: Wǒ míng tiān jiù yào qù bá yá le, xī wàng bú huì hěn téng.
In Chinese: 我明天就要去拔牙了，希望不会很疼。

8- 痛苦的 (tòng kǔ de)

Meaning: Bitter

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The dog that’s been with me ever since I was little just passed away. This makes me feel extremely bitter.
Pinyin: Wǒ cóng xiǎo dào dà yǎng de gǒu qù shì le, zhè ràng wǒ gǎn dào shí fēn tòng kǔ.
In Chinese: 我从小到大养的狗去世了，这让我感到十分痛苦。

4. Personalities and Human Behaviors

How do you describe your personality in Chinese? Here are the answers!

1) Personalities

When you introduce yourself during an interview, or when you talk about personality traits with friends, have you ever wondered how to describe your personality in Chinese Mandarin? Here are the most common Chinese personality adjectives that you can use!

1- 善良的 (shàn liáng de)

Meaning: Kind

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My sister is an extremely kind person; she always tries her best to help others.
Pinyin: Jiě jie shì gè shí fēn shàn liáng de rén, tā zǒng shì huì jié jìn quán lì qù bāng zhù bié rén.
In Chinese: 姐姐是个十分善良的人，她总是会竭尽全力去帮助别人。

2- 开明的 (kāi míng de)

Meaning: Open-minded

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My parents are very open-minded people; they never intervene with my own decisions.
Pinyin: Wǒ de fù mǔ dōu shì fēi cháng kāi míng de rén, tā men cóng lái dōu bú huì gān shè wǒ de jué dìng.
In Chinese: 我的父母都是非常开明的人，他们从来都不会干涉我的决定。

3- 幽默的 (yōu mò de)

Meaning: Hilarious

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My English teacher’s class is so hilarious that I can’t help but crack up.
Pinyin: Wǒ yīng yǔ lǎo shī de kè shí zài shì tài yōu mò le, wǒ zǒng shì rěn bú zhù hā hā dà xiào qǐ lái.
In Chinese: 我英语老师的课实在是太幽默了，我总是忍不住哈哈大笑起来。

4- 友好的 (yǒu hǎo de)

Meaning: Friendly

Usage in a sentence:

In English: She is very friendly and easy to get along with.
Pinyin: Tā shì yí gè fēi cháng yǒu hǎo bìng qiě hǎo xiāng chǔ de rén.
In Chinese: 她是一个非常友好并且好相处的人。

5- 疯狂的 (fēng kuáng de)

Just admit it, we all get crazy sometimes!

Meaning: Crazy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: There are always some crazy and strange ideas in my younger brother’s head.
Pinyin: Wǒ dì di de nǎo dài li zǒng yǒu hěn duō fēng kuáng gǔ guài de xiǎng fǎ.
In Chinese: 我弟弟的脑袋里总有很多疯狂古怪的想法。

6- 开朗的 (lěng jìng de) vs. 内向的 (nèi xiàng de)

Meaning: Outgoing

Usage in a sentence:

In English: He is very popular among people, and everyone likes how outgoing he is.
Pinyin: Tā de rén yuán tè bié hǎo, rén rén dōu xǐ huān tā kāi lǎng de xìng gé.
In Chinese: 他的人缘特别好，人人都喜欢他开朗的性格。

Meaning: Introverted

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Even though she seems to be very introverted, once she is acquainted with you, she will become especially talkative.
Pinyin: Suī rán tā kàn qǐ lai shí fēn nèi xiàng, dàn yí dàn hé nǐ shú luò qǐ lai, tā jiù huì yí xià zi biàn de huà tè bié duō.
In Chinese: 虽然她看起来十分内向，但一旦和你熟络起来，她就会一下子变得话特别多。

2) Feelings

1- 快乐的 / 开心的 (kuài le de / kāi xīn de)

Meaning: Happy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My friends and I were all very happy at our senior prom last night.
Pinyin: Zài zuó wǎn de bì yè wǔ huì shang, wǒ hé wǒ de péng you men dōu wán de hěn kāi xīn.
In Chinese: 在昨晚的毕业舞会上，我和我的朋友们都玩得很开心。

2- 烦躁的 (fán zào de)

Meaning: Agitated

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I feel so agitated because I am not sure whether I did well on the test or not.
Pinyin: Yīn wèi wǒ bú què dìng zì jǐ dào dǐ kǎo méi kǎo hǎo, suǒ yǐ gǎn jué yì cháng fán zào.
In Chinese: 因为我不确定自己到底考没考好，所以感觉异常烦躁。

3- 沮丧的 (jǔ sàng de)

Meaning: Upset

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I thought I was capable of acing this interview, but I can’t believe it turned out this badly. It makes me so upset.
Pinyin: Wǒ běn yǐ wéi zì jǐ duì zhè gè miàn shì hěn yǒu bǎ wò, méi xiǎng dào fā huī de zhè me chà, zhè ràng wǒ gǎn dào shí fēn jǔ sàng.
In Chinese: 我本以为自己对这个面试很有把握，没想到发挥得这么差，这让我感到十分沮丧。

4- 伤心的/难过的 (shāng xīn de)

Meaning: Sad

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My younger sister dropped her cake on the floor by accident, and she got so sad that she started to cry.
Pinyin: Mèi mei yí bù xiǎo xīn bǎ dàn gāo diào dao le dì shang, shāng xīn de kū le qǐ lai.
In Chinese: 妹妹一不小心把蛋糕掉到了地上，伤心的哭了起来。

5- 孤单的 (gū dān de)

Meaning: Lonely

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Ever since I went to study abroad, I often feel very lonely.
Pinyin: Lái dao guó wài liú xué zhī hòu, wǒ jīng cháng gǎn dào shí fēn gū dān.
In Chinese: 来到国外留学之后，我经常感到十分孤单。

6- 百感交集的 (bǎi gǎn jiāo jí de)

Meaning: Emotional

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Every night when everything gets quiet around me, I become emotional and start to overthink things.
Pinyin: Měi dāng wǎn shang yè shēn rén jìng de shí hou, wǒ jiù huì biàn de bǎi gǎn jiāo jí, kāi shǐ xiǎng hěn duō bù gāi xiǎng de shì qíng.
In Chinese: 每当晚上夜深人静的时候，我就会变得百感交集，开始想很多不该想的事情。

7- 冲动的 (chōng dòng de) vs. 冷静的 (lěng jìng de)

Meaning: Impulsive

Usage in a sentence:

In English: We should not make a decision when we are being impulsive.
Pinyin: Wǒ men bù yīng gāi zài chōng dòng de shí hou zuò jué dìng.
In Chinese: 我们不应该在冲动的时候做决定。

Meaning: Calm

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I’m trying to put her at ease and make her calm.
Pinyin: Wǒ shì zhe ān fǔ tā, hǎo ràng tā lěng jìng xià lai.
In Chinese: 我试着安抚她，好让她冷静下来。

5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.

1- 快的 (kuài de) vs. 慢的 (màn de)

Meaning: Fast

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I can’t believe how fast the bus arrived once I got to the bus stop.
Pinyin: Wǒ bù gǎn xiàng xìn zì jǐ gāng dào gōng jiāo chē zhàn, gōng jiāo chē jiù fēi cháng kuài de dào zhàn le.
In Chinese: 我不敢相信自己刚到公交车站，公交车就非常快地到站了。

Meaning: Slow

Usage in a sentence:

In English: A sloth is probably the slowest animal in the world.
Pinyin: Shù lǎn dà gài shì shì jiè zuì màn de dòng wù zhī yī le.
In Chinese: 树懒大概是世界最慢的动物之一了。

2- 简单的 (jiǎn dān de)

Meaning: Simple

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I just want a simple life and I don’t want to always overthink.
Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐ xiǎng yào yí gè jiǎn dān de shēng huó, bù xiǎng zǒng shì xiǎng nà me duō.
In Chinese: 我只想要一个简单的生活，不想总是想那么多。

3- 容易的 (róng yì de) vs. 困难的 (kùn nán de)

Meaning: Easy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: This math question is too easy for a highschool student.
Pinyin: Zhè dào shù xué tí duì yí gè gāo zhōng shēng ér yán shí zài shì tài róng yì le.
In Chinese: 这道数学题对一个高中生而言实在是太容易了。

Meaning: Difficult

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It is very difficult for someone who is not confident to perform on stage.
Pinyin: Duì yú yí gè bú zì xìn de rén lái shuō, shàng tái biǎo yǎn shì fēi cháng kùn nán de.
In Chinese: 对于一个不自信的人来说，上台表演是非常困难的。

4- 重要的 (zhòng yao de) vs. 无关紧要的 (wú guān jǐn yào de)

Meaning: Important

Usage in a sentence:

In English: A passport is a very important document; make sure to check your backpack again for your passport before you leave for the airport.
Pinyin: Hù zhào shì hěn zhòng yào de zhèng jiàn, qù jī chǎng zhī qián yí dìng yào zài jiǎn chá yí biàn hù zhào shì fǒu zài bāo lǐ.
In Chinese: 护照是很重要的证件，去机场之前一定要再检查一遍护照是否在包里。

Meaning: Trivial

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It’s okay if your money is stolen; you can make more as long as you are safe. Compared to one’s safety, everything else seems trivial.
Pinyin: Qián bèi tōu méi yǒu guān xì, hái kě yǐ zài zhèng, zhǐ yào nǐ rén shēn ān quán méi yǒu chū wèn tí jiù hǎo, bǐ qǐ ān quán qí tā dōu shì wú guān jǐn yào de shì qíng.
In Chinese: 钱被偷没有关系，还可以再挣，只要你人身安全没有出问题就好，比起安全其他都是无关紧要的事情。

6. Describing Colors in Chinese

1- 红色的 (hóng sè de)

Meaning: Red

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Most roses are red.
Pinyin: Dà duō shù méi guī dōu shì hóng sè de.
In Chinese: 大多数玫瑰都是红色的。

2- 蓝色的 (lán sè de)

Meaning: Blue

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The sky is very blue today.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān de tiān kōng yí piàn wèi lán.
In Chinese: 今天的天空一片蔚蓝。

3- 绿色的 (lǜ sè de)

Meaning: Green

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Grass becomes extra green after a rain.
Pinyin: Xià guò yǔ zhī hòu, xiǎo cǎo men biàn de gé wài de lǜ.
In Chinese: 下过雨之后，小草们变得格外得绿。

4- 黄色的 (huáng sè de)

Meaning: Yellow

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Bananas are yellow.
Pinyin: Xiāng jiāo shì huáng sè de.
In Chinese: 香蕉是黄色的。

5- 黑色的 (hēi sè de)

Meaning: Black

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I wish to have hair that is black and pretty.
Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng yǒu yì tóu wū hēi piāo liang de tóu fa.
In Chinese: 我想有一头乌黑漂亮的头发。

6- 白色的 (bái sè de)

Meaning: White

Usage in a sentence:

In English: In fairytales, angels wear white clothes.
Pinyin: Chuán shuō zhōng tiān shǐ chuān zhe bái sè de yī fu.
In Chinese: 传说中天使穿着白色的衣服。

7- 深色的 (shēn sè de)

Meaning: Dark-colored

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Every time the moon rises, it throws light on the dark sky.
Pinyin: Měi dāng yuè liang shēng qǐ, shēn sè de tiān kōng biàn yǒu le yì mǒ guāng máng.
In Chinese: 每当月亮升起，深色的天空便有了一抹光芒。

8- 浅色的 (qiǎn sè de)

Meaning: Light-colored

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It would look better if you match these clothes with light-colored shoes.
Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yī fu pèi qiǎn sè de xié gèng hǎo kàn.
In Chinese: 这件衣服配浅色的鞋更好看。

7. Describing Shapes & Textures in Chinese

1- 圆形的 (yuán xíng de)

Meaning: Round

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The bottom of the pillar is round.
Pinyin: Zhè ge zhù zi de dǐ bù shì yuán xíng de.
In Chinese: 这个柱子的底部是圆形的。

2- 环形的 (huán xíng de)

Meaning: Circular

Usage in a sentence:

In English: If the road is too circular, it would be hard for a beginning driver.
Pinyin: Rú guǒ dào lù guò yú huán xíng de huà, duì yú xīn shǒu sī jī huì bǐ jiào yǒu nán dù.
In Chinese: 如果道路过于环形的话，对于新手司机会比较有难度。

3- 光滑的 (guāng huá de) vs. 粗糙的 (cū cāo de)

Meaning: Smooth

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My skin became especially smooth after I put on some lotion.
Pinyin: Tú wán hù shǒu shuāng zhī hòu wǒ de pí fū biàn de yì cháng guāng huá.
In Chinese: 涂完护手霜之后我的皮肤变得异常光滑。

Meaning: Tough

Usage in a sentence:

In English: These clothes feel very tough on the outside; it doesn’t seem to have good quality.
Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yī fu wài miàn mō qǐ lai shí fēn cū cāo, zhì liàng kàn qǐ lai bú shì hěn hǎo.
In Chinese: 这件衣服外面摸起来十分粗糙，质量看起来不是很好。

8. Describing Weather in Chinese

1- 晴朗的 (qíng lǎng de)

Meaning: Sunny

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Today it’s very sunny; it’d be good to take a walk outside.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān de tiān qì shí fēn qíng lǎng, hěn shì hé chū qù sàn sàn bù.
In Chinese: 今天的天气十分晴朗，很适合出去散散步。

2- 闷热的 (mēn rè de)

Meaning: Humid

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I don’t like humid weather; it makes people feel like it’s hard to breathe.
Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐ huan mēn rè de tiān qì, huì gǎn jué ràng rén chuǎn bú guò qì lai.
In Chinese: 我不喜欢闷热的天气，会感觉让人喘不过气来。

3- 多风的 (duō fēng de)

Meaning: Windy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It’s been very windy recently. The trees outside always make noise while being blown around.
Pinyin: Zuì jìn tiān qì hěn duō fēng, wài miàn de shù jīng cháng bèi chuī de dà shēng xiǎng.
In Chinese: 最近天气很多风，外面的树经常被吹得大声响。

4- 多雨的 (duō yǔ de)

Meaning: Rainy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Recently, California has been very rainy.
Pinyin: Jiā zhōu zuì jìn shí fēn duō yǔ.
In Chinese: 加州最近十分多雨。

5- 多云的 (duō yún de)

Meaning: Cloudy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Today is very cloudy; it seems like it’s going to rain.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān tiān qì duō yún, kàn qǐ lai hǎo xiàng yào xià yǔ.
In Chinese: 今天天气多云，看起来好像要下雨。

Additional notes: For more weather words in Chinese, check out our Chinese weather article!

9. Chinese Food Adjectives for Describing Taste

1- 甜的 (tián de)

Meaning: Sweet

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My favorite fruits are grapes, because they taste perfectly sweet.
Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐ huān de shuǐ guǒ jiù shì pú tao, chī qǐ lai tián tián de.
In Chinese: 我最喜欢的水果就是葡萄，吃起来甜甜的。

2- 咸的 (xián de)

Meaning: Salty

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I still remember the very first time I tried to cook, I used lots of salt because I thought it was sugar, so the final dish was extremely salty.
Pinyin: Wǒ hái jì de zì jǐ dì yī cì zuò fàn de shí hou, bǎ yán dāng chéng le táng fàng jìn le cài li, dǎo zhì zuì hòu chéng pǐn hěn xián.
In Chinese: 我还记得自己第一次做饭的时候，把盐当成了糖放进了菜里，导致最后成品很咸。

3- 酸的 (suān de)

Meaning: Sour

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Pregnant women typically prefer sour food.
Pinyin: Huái yùn de nǚ rén yì bān bǐ jiào xǐ huān chī suān de shí wù.
In Chinese: 怀孕的女人一般比较喜欢吃酸的食物。

4- 苦的 (kǔ de)

Meaning: Bitter

Usage in a sentence:

In English: My younger sister hates taking medicine because it tastes too bitter for her.
Pinyin: Wǒ mèi mei fēi cháng tǎo yàn chī yào, yīn wèi shí zài shì tài kǔ le.
In Chinese: 我妹妹非常讨厌吃药，因为实在是太苦了。

5- 辣的 (là de)

Meaning: Spicy

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I can’t handle spicy food, even though I was born in Sichuan.
Pinyin: Wǒ bìng bú shì hěn néng chī là de shí wù, jìn guǎn wǒ shì zài sì chuān chū shēng de.
In Chinese: 我并不是很能吃辣的食物，尽管我是在四川出生的。

6- 麻的 (má de)

Meaning: A pungent flavor that makes your mouth feel numb

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Sichuan pepper can make your tongue go numb.
Pinyin: Sì chuān de huā jiāo kě yǐ ràng nǐ de shé tou fā má.
In Chinese: 四川的花椒可以让你的舌头发麻。

10. Adjectives in Chinese for Describing a Situation

1- 危险的 (wēi xiǎn de)

Meaning: Dangerous

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It’s very dangerous to go out alone as a kid when it’s dark outside.
Pinyin: Zuò wéi yí gè xiǎo hái, tiān hēi zhī hòu yí gè rén chū mén shì hěn wēi xiǎn de.
In Chinese: 作为一个小孩，天黑之后一个人出门是很危险的。

2- 好玩的 (hǎo wán de)

Meaning: Fun

Usage in a sentence:

In English: This amusement park is such a fun place to go.
Pinyin: Zhè ge yóu lè yuán zhēn shì yí gè hǎo wán de dì fang.
In Chinese: 这个游乐园真是一个好玩的地方。

3- 有趣的 (yǒu qù de) vs. 无聊的 (wú liáo de)

Meaning: Interesting

Usage in a sentence:

In English: This storybook is so interesting. I already can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter.
Pinyin: Zhè běn gù shì shū kě zhēn yǒu qù, wǒ yǐ jīng pò bù jí dài xiǎng yào zhī dào xià yì zhāng huì fā shēng shén me le.
In Chinese: 这本故事书可真有趣，我已经迫不及待想要知道下一章会发生什么了。

Meaning: Boring

Usage in a sentence:

In English: All my roommates are out traveling; being by myself is so boring.
Pinyin: Shì yǒu dōu chū qù lǚ xíng le, yí gè rén shēng huó de rì zi hǎo wú liáo a.
In Chinese: 室友都出去旅行了，一个人生活的日子好无聊啊。

4- 刺激的 (cì jī de)

Meaning: Exciting

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It is so exciting to be on a roller coaster!
Pinyin: Zuò guò shān chē shí zài shì tài cì jī le!
In Chinese: 坐过山车实在是太刺激了！

11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions

Here are some adjectives in Mandarin Chinese to talk about physical traits or conditions. These are essential for describing people in Chinese!

1- 老的 (lǎo de) vs. 年轻的 (nián qīng de)

Meaning: Old

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Bodies can turn old, but hearts can always remain young.
Pinyin: Shēn tǐ kě yǐ biàn lǎo, dàn xīn kě yǐ yǒng yuǎn bǎo chí nián qīng.
In Chinese: 身体可以变老，但心可以永远保持年轻。

Meaning: Young

Usage in a sentence:

In English: When we are young, we should be brave and pursue our dreams.
Pinyin: Chèn zhe wǒ men hái nián qīng, jiù yào yǒng gǎn de qù zhuī mèng.
In Chinese: 趁着我们还年轻，就要勇敢地去追梦。

2- 强壮的 (qiáng zhuàng de) vs. 弱小的 (ruò xiǎo de)

Meaning: Strong

Usage in a sentence:

In English: He always exercises at the gym, so his body is very strong.
Pinyin: Tā jīng cháng qù jiàn shēn fáng duàn liàn, suǒ yǐ shēn tǐ fēi cháng qiáng zhuàng.
In Chinese: 他经常去健身房锻炼，所以身体非常强壮。

Meaning: Weak

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I heard that she always gets sick and isn’t very healthy, so no wonder she appears to be very weak.
Pinyin: Tīng shuō tā jīng cháng shēng bìng, shēn tǐ hěn bù hǎo, guài bu de kàn qǐ lai nà me ruò xiǎo.
In Chinese: 听说她经常生病，身体很不好，怪不得看起来那么弱小。

3- 病的 (bìng de)

Meaning: Sick

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I had to stay in bed and rest the whole day today, because I was sick.
Pinyin: Wǒ jīn tiān yì zhěng tiān dōu zài chuáng shàng tǎng zhe xiū xi, yīn wèi wǒ bìng le.
In Chinese: 我今天一整天都在床上躺着休息，因为我病了。

4- 敏捷的 (mǐn jié de)

Meaning: Agile

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Rabbits are very agile animals; their size is small, but they run very fast.
Pinyin: Tù zi shì fēi cháng mǐn jié de dòng wù, suī rán tǐ xíng xiǎo, dàn què pǎo de hěn kuài.
In Chinese: 兔子是非常敏捷的动物，虽然体型小，但却跑得很快。

12. Describing Appearance in Chinese

1- 漂亮的 (piào liang de)

Meaning: Pretty

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The dress that model is wearing looks so pretty, even though it’s overpriced.
Pinyin: Nà ge mó tè chuān de qún zi zhēn piāo liang, suī rán jià gé guò gāo le.
In Chinese: 那个模特穿的裙子真漂亮，虽然价格过高了。

2- 丑陋的 (chǒu lòu de) vs. 美丽的 (měi lì de)

Meaning: Ugly

Usage in a sentence:

In English: An ugly appearance is born with, but an ugly heart is caused by ourselves.
Pinyin: Chǒu lòu de wài biǎo kě yǐ shì tiān shēng de, dàn chǒu lòu de nèi xīn què shì wǒ men zì jǐ zào chéng de.
In Chinese: 丑陋的外表可以是天生的，但丑陋的内心却是我们自己造成的。

Meaning: Beautiful

Usage in a sentence:

In English: The nature here is so beautiful that I can’t take my eyes off it.
Pinyin: Zhè lǐ de zì rán fēng jǐng shí zài shì tài guò měi lì le, yǐ zhì yú wǒ gēn běn wú fǎ jiāng mù guāng zhuǎn yí dào bié de dì fang.
In Chinese: 这里的自然风景实在是太过美丽了，以至于我根本无法将目光转移到别的地方。

3- 胖的 (pàng de) vs. 瘦的 (shòu de)

Meaning: Fat

Usage in a sentence:

In English: Although he looks a bit fat, he can run really fast.
Pinyin: Suī rán tā kàn qǐ lai yǒu xiē pàng, dàn tā pǎo bù fēi cháng kuài.
In Chinese: 虽然他看起来有些胖，但他跑步非常快。

Meaning: Thin

Usage in a sentence:

In English: She looks so incredibly thin that I think she barely eats.
Pinyin: Tā kàn qǐ lai shí zài shì guò yú shòu le, yǐ zhì yú wǒ jué de tā jī hū dōu bù zěn me chī dōng xi.
In Chinese: 她看起来实在是过于瘦了，以至于我觉得她几乎都不怎么吃东西。

4- 苗条的 (miáo tiao de)

Meaning: Skinny

Usage in a sentence:

In English: She is on a diet right now because she wants to get skinny.
Pinyin: Tā yīn wèi xiǎng yào biàn shòu, xiàn zài zhèng zài jiē shí zhōng.
In Chinese: 她因为想要变瘦，现在正在节食中。

5- 好看的 (hǎo kàn de)

Meaning: Good-looking

Usage in a sentence:

In English: It’s good to have a good-looking appearance, but it’s even more important to have a kind heart on the inside.
Pinyin: Yōng yǒu yí gè hǎo kàn de wài biǎo gù rán shì hǎo de, dàn yōng yǒu yì kē shàn liáng de nèi xīn gèng wéi zhòng yào.
In Chinese: 拥有一个好看的外表固然是好的，但拥有一颗善良的内心更为重要。

6- 可爱的 (kě ài de)

Meaning: Adorable

Usage in a sentence:

In English: All the little animals in the zoo are so adorable!
Pinyin: Dòng wu yuán li de xiǎo dòng wu men dōu hǎo kě ài ya!
In Chinese: 动物园里的小动物们都好可爱呀！

7- 有魅力的 (yǒu mèi lì de)

Meaning: Attractive

Usage in a sentence:

In English: This young actor is so attractive.
Pinyin: Zhè wèi nián qīng de nán yǎn yuán kě zhēn yǒu mèi lì.
In Chinese: 这位年轻的男演员可真有魅力。

8- 贫穷的 (pín qióng de) vs. 富有的 (fù yǒu de)

Meaning: Poor

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I wish I could help those poor people who can’t afford food.
Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn xī wàng zì jǐ kě yǐ bāng zhù nà xiē qióng de chī bu qǐ fàn de rén men.
In Chinese: 我真希望自己可以帮助那些穷得吃不起饭的人们。

Meaning: Rich

Usage in a sentence:

In English: I hope to become a rich person in the future.
Pinyin: Wǒ xī wàng yǐ hòu huì chéng wéi yí gè fù yǒu de rén.
In Chinese: 我希望以后会成为一个富有的人。

9- 有气质的 (yǒu qì zhi de)

What kind of adjective would you use to describe this model? Let’s learn it!

Meaning: To have an attractive air

Usage in a sentence:

In English: This model seems to have an attractive air to her.
Pinyin: Zhè ge mó tè kàn qǐ lai hěn yǒu qì zhi.
In Chinese: 这个模特看起来很有气质。

Additional notes: For all the Chinese Mandarin adjectives we mentioned above, we primarily put them in dictionary form with 的 (de), meaning “of” in English. However, while structuring actual sentences, this can often be omitted to make it sound more natural. That’s why you often see 的 in the dictionary, but don’t hear it in daily talks.

13. How Can You Go Beyond Common Chinese Adjectives?

Now, let me ask you this question again: What is adjectives’ meaning in Chinese? Is the word 形容词 etched in your memory now? Did our Chinese adjectives list enrich your vocabulary? I’m certain the answer is positive.

These 100 common Chinese adjectives may sound overwhelming at first, but always keep in mind that practice makes perfect! To practice your knowledge, tell us about yourself in the comments below using some of these Chinese adjectives!

Whether you wish to get more Chinese adjectives PDF or wish to get more enchanted in the wonder of Chinese language other than Chinese mandarin adjectives, remember that you are only one click away from getting the magic from our amazing resourceful website ChineseClass101.com. We are here waiting for your arrival so you can join our journey together in studying Chinese!

What’s the secret weapon to achieving more fluent Chinese?

You must have struggled with Chinese grammar as a beginner. But after all that sweat and hard work, you may have reached a higher level in Chinese grammar now and are eagerly looking for something more exciting to perfect your sentences. One of the keys is to utilize Chinese grammar conjunctions.

Conjunctive adverbs are a significant part of every language in both writing and speaking. They allow you to connect ideas, make comparisons, string together sentences, and most importantly, make your speech flow more smoothly and naturally. Without proper conjunctions, your speech may not function as effectively as it should. This makes Chinese conjunctions for intermediate language-learners a can’t-miss lesson!

Don’t panic just yet! Conjunctions in the Chinese language function just like English conjunctions. They indicate to the listener about different relationships between subclauses to help you better understand the sentence. Now, we’ve prepared for you a Chinese conjunction words list.

Let’s go straight to them, and enhance your Chinese learning!

Table of Contents

1. What is a Conjunction?
2. Chinese Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts
3. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Condition
4. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Cause (Chinese Causal Conjunctions)
5. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Opposition
6. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Purpose
7. Final Thoughts

1. What is a Conjunction?

A conjunction is a phrase that’s used to connect ideas or related sentences to make them join smoothly together. In Chinese grammar, conjunctions are very similar to English conjunctions, although there are some special ones that don’t make much sense in English but are considered common Chinese conjunctions.

2. Chinese Conjunctions to Correlate Similar Thoughts

The most common conjunctions in Chinese are those that correlate similar thoughts. In this Chinese conjunctions list, you’ll find all the words and information you need to do so smoothly!

1- With / And

Would you like to go hiking with your friends?

Meaning #1:

In English: With
Pinyin: hé / gēn / yǔ / tóng
In Chinese: 和 / 跟 / 与 / 同

Usage in a sentence:
In English: The weather today is very nice, so I decided to hike with my best friend.

Pinyin: Jīn tiān tiān qì hěn hǎo, yú shì wǒ jué dìng hé / gēn / yǔ / tóng zuì hǎo de péng yǒu chū qù dēng shān.

In Chinese: 今天天气很好，于是我决定和 / 跟 / 与/ 同最好的朋友出去登山。

Grammar Explanation:
In this case, the word indicates being accompanied by someone or something.

Meaning #2:

In English: And
Pinyin: hé / gēn / yǔ / tóng
In Chinese: 和 / 跟 / 与 / 同

Usage in a sentence:
In English: My sister and I went shopping yesterday.

Pinyin: Wǒ hé jiě jie zuó tiān yì qǐ qù guàng jiē le.

In Chinese: 我和姐姐昨天一起去逛街了。

Grammar Explanation:
In this case, it’s used to connect words that share the same part of speech.

Additional Notes:
These four words are basically the same, and can be replaced by each other. However, a slight difference between them is that 和 (hé) and 跟 (gēn) are used more often in speech, while 与 (yǔ) and 同 (tóng) are more suitable for writing and sound more formal.

2- Or

Drinking milk everyday is a good habit!

In English: Or
Pinyin: huò / huò zhě
In Chinese: 或 / 或者

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I like to add sugar or honey in my milk.

Pinyin: Wǒ xǐ huān zài niú nǎi lǐ jiā táng huò / huò zhě fēng mì.

In Chinese: 我喜欢在牛奶里加糖或 / 或者蜂蜜。

Grammar Explanation:
Here, the word is used to connect alternative words or clauses.

Additional Notes:
There isn’t really a huge difference between 或 (huò) and 或者 (huò zhě). However, 或 (huò) is used more frequently for connecting small words since it’s a simpler version of 或者 (huò zhě), while 或者 (huò zhě) can be used for a longer alternative clause.

3- As well as

Remember to wear formal clothing at a job fair!

In English: As well as
Pinyin: yǐ jí
In Chinese: 以及

Usage in a sentence:
In English: When you go to a job fair, it’s necessary to wear formal clothing and bring your notebook and pens, as well as the most important thing which is your resume.

Pinyin: Nǐ qù cān jiā zhāo pìn huì shí wù bì yào shēn zhuó zhèng zhuāng, dài shàng bǐ jì běn hé bǐ, yǐ jí zuì zhòng yào de jiǎn lì.

In Chinese: 你去参加招聘会时务必要身着正装，带上笔记本和笔，以及最重要的简历。

Grammar Explanation:
Here, the word simply means “additionally.”

4- Also

Do you like making wishes at your birthday party?

In English: Also
Pinyin: bìng qiě
In Chinese: 并且

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I am very sick today, I am afraid I cannot make it to your birthday party, also the time doesn’t allow either.

Pinyin: Wǒ jīn tiān bìng de hěn lì hài, qù bù liǎo nǐ de shēng rì pài duì le, bìng qiě shí jiān yě lái bù jí le.

In Chinese: 我今天病得很厉害，去不了你的生日派对了，并且时间也来不及了。

Grammar Explanation:
This word means “in addition to.”

5- What’s more

The schedule can be tight when you need to catch a flight!

In English: What’s more
Pinyin: hái yǒu
In Chinese: 还有

Usage in a sentence:
In English: You have to remember to bring your passport before you head to the airport. What’s more, leave a little bit early just in case.

Pinyin: Zài qù jī chǎng zhī qián nǐ yī dìng yào jì dé dài shàng zì jǐ de hù zhào, hái yǒu jì dé zǎo diǎn chū fā, yǐ fáng wàn yī.

In Chinese: 在去机场之前你一定要记得带上自己的护照，还有记得早点出发，以防万一。

Grammar Explanation:
To add something that has a greater degree of importance.

Additional Notes:
Unlike how we use this conjunction in English, remember to avoid putting a comma after 还有.

6- Both

Do you plan to travel to somewhere as beautiful as this?

In English: Both
Pinyin: dōu
In Chinese: 都

Usage in a sentence:
In English: Both my friend and I are looking forward to our trip this year on summer break.

Pinyin: Wǒ péng yǒu hé wǒ dōu fēi cháng qī dài jīn nián shǔ jià de lǚ yóu.

In Chinese: 我朋友和我都非常期待今年暑假的旅游。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction in Chinese is used to describe two subjects or objects that are identified in the same way.

7- Not only … but also …

In English: Not only … but also…
Pinyin: bú dàn…ér qiě… / bù jǐn…hái …
In Chinese: 不但……而且…… / 不仅……还……

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I not only enjoy eating delicious food but also love how proud I feel while cooking.

Pinyin: Wǒ bú dàn / bù jǐn xiǎng shòu chī měi shí de kuài gǎn, ér qiě / hái rè ài xià chú shí de chéng jiù gǎn.

In Chinese: 我不但 / 不仅享受吃美食的快感，而且 / 还热爱下厨时的成就感。

Grammar Explanation:
This Chinese conjunction is used to express ideas in parallelism, although the second conjunction usually indicates a more important idea.

Additional Notes:
The two sets of conjunctions mean exactly the same thing and can be used the same way. However, in English, we usually don’t put a comma between the two conjunctions; remember to put a comma between the two clauses that the two Chinese conjunctions lead, to make it sound more smooth.

3. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Condition

The next Chinese language conjunctions we’ll look at are those used to express condition. This is an essential skill to have for fluent speech and writing!

1- If

In English: If
Pinyin: rú guǒ / tǎng ruò / yào shì / jiǎ rú
In Chinese: 如果 / 倘若 / 要是 / 假如

Usage in a sentence:
In English: If it doesn’t rain tomorrow, let’s have a picnic at the park.

Pinyin: Rú guǒ / tǎng ruò / yào shì / jiǎ rú míng tiān bú xià yǔ, wǒ men jiù qù gōng yuán yě cān ba.

In Chinese: 如果 / 倘若 / 要是 / 假如明天不下雨，我们就去公园野餐吧。

Grammar Explanation:
This Chinese conjunction is used to express a hypothesis.

Additional Notes:
These four words all mean the same thing and they can substitute one another.

2- As long as

In English: As long as
Pinyin: zhǐ yào
In Chinese: 只要

Usage in a sentence:
In English: As long as you promise not to tell anyone, I will share this secret with you.

Pinyin: Zhǐ yào nǐ bǎo zhèng bù gēn bié rén shuō, wǒ jiù bǎ zhè gè mì mì gào sù nǐ.

In Chinese: 只要你保证不跟别人说，我就把这个秘密告诉你。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction is only used when a particular situation is provided.

3- If not / Otherwise

In English: If not / Otherwise
Pinyin: bù rán / fǒu zé
In Chinese: 不然 / 否则

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I think she must be sick; if not / otherwise, she would never skip a class according to her hardworking personality.

Pinyin: Wǒ jué de tā yī dìng shì shēng bìng le, bù rán / fǒu zé yǐ tā qín fèn de xìng gé shì bú huì quē kè de.

In Chinese: 我觉得她一定是生病了，不然 / 否则以她勤奋的性格是不会缺课的。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction is used if a different condition is brought up than what was mentioned.

Additional Note:
Just like in English, these words indicate almost the same meaning. However, 否则 (fǒu zé) sounds more serious.

4- Only…then…

In English: Only…then…
Pinyin: zhǐ yǒu… cái…
In Chinese: 只有……才……

Usage in a sentence:
In English: Only when you develop confidence in yourself, then other people will recognize how good you are.

Pinyin: Zhǐ yǒu nǐ zì jǐ duì zì jǐ xiān yǒu le xìn xīn, bié rén cái néng rèn kě nǐ de yōu xiù.

In Chinese: 只有你自己对自己先有了信心，别人才能认可你的优秀。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction is used in a unique situation, where only in one particular condition can a specified result occur.

5- No matter

In English: No matter
Pinyin: bù guǎn
In Chinese: 不管

Usage in a sentence:
In English: No matter what happens, my friends will always stand by me.

Pinyin: Bù guǎn fā shēng shén me, wǒ de péng yǒu zǒng shì jiān dìng de zhàn zài wǒ shēn biān.

In Chinese: 不管发生什么，我的朋友总是坚定地站在我身边。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction can also mean “in spite of” or “despite.”

6- Unless

In English: Unless
Pinyin: chú fēi
In Chinese: 除非

Usage in a sentence:
In English: You are not allowed to park here, unless you are disabled.

Pinyin: Nǐ bù kě yǐ zài zhè lǐ tíng chē, chú fēi nǐ shì cán jí rén.

In Chinese: 你不可以在这里停车，除非你是残疾人。

Grammar Explanation:
This can also mean “except for the fact that…”

7- However

In English: However
Pinyin: wú lùn rú hé
In Chinese: 无论如何

Usage in a sentence:
In English: However, I can’t let you risk this.

Pinyin: Wú lùn rú hé wǒ yě bù néng ràng nǐ mào zhè gè xiǎn.

In Chinese: 无论如何我也不能让你冒这个险。

Grammar Explanation:
This can also mean “no matter what happens.”

4. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Cause (Chinese Causal Conjunctions)

1- Thus

In English: Thus
Pinyin: yīn cǐ
In Chinese: 因此

Usage in a sentence:
In English: Yesterday the rain was incredibly heavy, thus I could not visit my grandmother as promised.

Pinyin: Zuó wǎn yǔ xià de shí zài tài dà le, yīn cǐ wǒ bìng méi yǒu rú yuē qù bài fǎng wài pó.

In Chinese: 昨晚雨下得实在太大了，因此我并没有如约去拜访外婆。

Grammar Explanation:
This can also mean “as a result” or “because of which was mentioned.”

2- Because…so…

In English: Because…so…
Pinyin: yīn wèi…suǒ yǐ…
In Chinese: 因为……所以……

Usage in a sentence:
In English: Because my brother is sick today, I had to stay at home and take care of him.

Pinyin: Yīn wèi dì di jīn tiān shēng bìng le, suǒ yǐ wǒ bù dé bù liú zài jiā lǐ zhào gù tā.

In Chinese: 因为弟弟今天生病了，所以我不得不留在家里照顾他。

Grammar Explanation:
This can also mean “for the reason of … which leads to…”

Additional Notes:
Unlike English conjunctions, we usually need to use “because” and “so” at the same time to make a reasonable sentence and explain the relationship more clearly.

3- Because of

In English: Because of
Pinyin: yóu yú
In Chinese: 由于

Usage in a sentence:
In English: Because of my personal mistake, it made our whole team lose the opportunity to be in the first position.

Pinyin: Yóu yú wǒ yī gè rén de shī wù, dǎo zhì le wǒ men zhěng gè duì wǔ shī qù le qǔ dé dì yī de jī huì.

In Chinese: 由于我一个人的失误，导致了我们整个队伍失去了取得第一的机会。

Grammar Explanation:
This can also mean “it comes from the thing that…” or “the reason of something particular.”

4- The reason why…it’s because…

In English: The reason why…it’s because…
Pinyin: zhī suǒ yǐ…shì yīn wèi…
In Chinese: 之所以……是因为……

Usage in a sentence:
In English: The reason why I couldn’t make my sister’s wedding, it’s because I just had a surgery a little while ago and had to rest at the hospital for some days.

Pinyin: Wǒ zhī suǒ yǐ méi néng qù jiě jie de hūn lǐ, shì yīn wèi zài bù jiǔ zhī qián wǒ zuò le yī chǎng shǒu shù, bù dé bú zhù yuàn xiū xi yī duàn shí jiān.

In Chinese: 我之所以没能去姐姐的婚礼，是因为在不久之前我做了一场手术，不得不住院休息一段时间。

Grammar Explanation:
The conjunction itself is pretty straightforward. The set of conjunctions introduce the result first, and then introduce the reason that caused the former clause.

5. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Opposition

1- But

In English: But
Pinyin: dàn shì
In Chinese: 但是

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I planned to learn how to cook a western meal today, but I forgot to buy the necessary ingredients.

Pinyin: Wǒ jīn tiān běn lái jì huá xué xí zuò yī dùn xī cān, dàn shì wàng jì mǎi xū yào de shí cái le.

In Chinese: 我今天本来计划学习做一顿西餐，但是忘记买需要的食材了。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction is used to introduce something that contrasts with what was mentioned before.

2- Yet

In English: Yet
Pinyin: kě shì
In Chinese: 可是

Usage in a sentence:
In English: My dad really wants me to become a doctor just like him in the future, yet it’s not what I’m passionate about.

Pinyin: Bà ba fēi cháng xī wàng wǒ néng xiàng tā yī yàng jiāng lái chéng wéi yī míng yī shēng, kě shì zhè bìng bú shì wǒ rè ài de zhí yè.

In Chinese: 爸爸非常希望我能像他一样将来成为一名医生，可是这并不是我热爱的职业。

Grammar Explanation:
This can also mean “but at the same time.”

3- However

In English: However
Pinyin: rán ér
In Chinese: 然而

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I thought there would be a happy ending for this TV show, however, it was not like I imagined.

Pinyin: Wǒ yǐ wéi zhè gè diàn shì jù zuì hòu yī dìng shì gè xǐ jù jié wěi, rán ér bìng bú shì wǒ xiǎng de nà yàng.

In Chinese: 我以为这个电视剧最后一定是个喜剧结尾，然而并不是我想的那样。

Grammar Explanation:
This conjunction is used to indicate a turning point or a different result from what was expected.

Additional Notes:
A comma can be used after this conjunction, if the sentence after it is long and there is a natural pause in speaking. If the sentence after it is short and there’s no pause needed in speaking, don’t use a comma after this conjunction.

6. Chinese Conjunctions to Express Purpose

1- So that

In English: So that
Pinyin: yǐ biàn
In Chinese: 以便

Usage in a sentence:
In English: I will put the backup key underneath the carpet by the door so that you can come in when I’m not home.

Pinyin: Wǒ huì bǎ bèi yòng yào shi fàng zài mén qián de tǎn zi xià miàn, yǐ biàn wǒ bú zài jiā shí nǐ kě yǐ jìn lái.

In Chinese: 我会把备用钥匙放在门前的毯子下面，以便我不在家时你可以进来。

Grammar Explanation:
This is used when describing how you’re going to make it convenient for something, or to serve a purpose for something.

7. Final Thoughts

If you’ve developed a great understanding of these Mandarin Chinese conjunctions, then congratulations! You’re officially an intermediate learner in Chinese now. If you’re still not content with what you’ve learned so far, and are desperate to enrich your Chinese skills, feel free to check out our website at ChineseClass101.com.

We offer a variety of fun Chinese lessons, both about interesting Chinese local culture and professional language teaching. You’ll find it extremely difficult to be disappointed with your Chinese learning when using our website.

We hope you enjoyed learning about conjunctions with us, and that you were able to take away something valuable. Which of these conjunctions do you plan on practicing soon? Were our Chinese conjunctions examples helpful, or are you still struggling to understand some of these Chinese conjunctions? Let us know in the comments!

We’re all social animals, and we all interact with each other in a certain way in order to achieve the most harmony possible, depending on our cultural background and generational differences. Every country has a set of rules about etiquette for its own unique culture. China, a country that evolved over thousands of years of history, of course has its secrets for developing the great civilization it hosts today.

But what is Chinese etiquette?

Chinese etiquette (especially Chinese business etiquette!) can differ greatly from that of western countries. Some Chinese etiquette rules may be exactly the opposite, so don’t be surprised when you hear them. These unspoken Chinese etiquette customs help Chinese people build their respect, bonds, and understanding between each other. Some of the modern Chinese etiquette we’re going to introduce here is the heart of Chinese society, so be careful and keep them in mind so that you don’t embarrass yourself!

Table of Contents

1. How to Discuss Etiquette
2. Chinese Table Manners and Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts for Dining
3. Do’s and Don’ts for Sightseeing
4. Do’s and Don’ts for Greetings
5. Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a House
6. Do’s and Don’ts When Riding Public Means of Transportation
7. Do’s and Don’ts for Business Occasions
8. Do’s and Don’ts for Celebrations
9. Let ChineseClass101 Help You Master the Language & Culture!

1. How to Discuss Etiquette

If you’re wondering how to learn Chinese etiquette, first things first. Let’s have a little warm-up and start with the most useful phrases for discussing basic Chinese etiquette. Mastering these phrases is a wonderful place to start your learning journey in Chinese etiquette.

• When talking about DON’Ts, use this sentence pattern:

  In Chinese: 你不应该[动词] -> 你不应该擤鼻涕。
  Pinyin: Nǐ bù yīng gāi [dòng cí] -> Nǐ bù yīng gāi xǐng bí tì.
  In English: Don’t [verb] -> Don’t blow your nose.

• When talking about DO’s:

  In Chinese: 你应该[动词] -> 你应该带个礼物过来。
  Pinyin: Nǐ yīng gāi [dòng cí] -> Nǐ yīng gāi dài gè lǐ wù guò lái.
  In English: You should [verb] -> You should bring a present.

2. Chinese Table Manners and Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts for Dining

Do’s:

• Do join the toasts or initiate one at the table.

  In Chinese etiquette, dining usually requires toasts at the table, especially when it’s a formal occasion where you’re eating with elders or people you need to show respect to. If you’re new to the Chinese dining table, you’ll probably feel overwhelmed by the number of toasts Chinese people do. However, toasts in Chinese table etiquette is a tradition, and a way to show your respect and kindness to the people you’re eating with. While initiating a toast, you can simply say (the wishing words may be altered):

  In Chinese: 我来敬您一杯酒，祝您万事如意。
  Pinyin: Wǒ lái jìng nín yī bēi jiǔ, zhù nín wàn shì rú yì.
  In English: Let me raise a glass of wine to you and wish that all your wishes will come true.

• Do show that you’re willing to try all the food.

  If a Chinese person is passionately inviting you to try the dishes, do feel free to try them to show that you’re embracing his hospitality.

Don’ts:

• Do not stick your chopsticks perpendicularly on rice.

  In Chinese etiquette, chopsticks shouldn’t be put in the rice this way. This is considered bad etiquette in China, and is thought to bring bad fortune. Although it sounds superstitious, many traditional Chinese people do pay attention to details like this.

• Do not mind sharing food on the same plate.

  Unlike in western restaurants, most of the Chinese dishes in Chinese restaurants are shared among everyone, which is the family style. Thus, be prepared for this when you’re eating with Chinese people. You’ll have to pick dishes that will please both you and your dining partners. Also, remember to always leave the last piece of a dish for other people to show your kindness.

• Do not mind when others (especially elders) get food for your plate.

  Most Chinese elders are likely to have the habit of getting food for you with their chopsticks, sometimes even despite your own preferences. When this happens, remember not to refuse their kindness and just pretend that you’re glad to have the dishes.

3. Do’s and Don’ts for Sightseeing

Sightseeing is an area where Chinese culture social etiquette is important to keep in consideration. Here are a few Chinese etiquette tips to help you go sightseeing in a polite and respectful manner.

Do’s:

• Do walk on your right side.

  As most countries do, Chinese people prefer to walk on the right side of the road to provide convenience for other people who walk in the opposite direction.

• Do always stay in lines when it’s necessary.

  As you all know, China is a crowded country. As a tourist, it may be time-consuming to wait in line for things. However, it’s a basic Chinese social etiquette rule to do so. People who cut in line are considered extremely rude in China.

Don’ts:

• Do not throw trash as you want.

  Considering that China is having a severe environmental problem right now, throwing trash on the road is especially prohibited. Choosing to litter anyway is totally against Chinese culture customs and etiquette today.

• Do not touch property if it’s not allowed.

  China is a country full of ancient properties and a long history. Many properties are protected stringently to preserve their historical beauty. Remember to be careful when you touch a property, and treat them gently.

4. Do’s and Don’ts for Greetings

When it comes to Chinese etiquette, greetings are an important aspect of the culture to keep in mind. Here are some Chinese introduction etiquette rules that you should follow when greeting.

Do’s:

• Do shake hands, especially when you meet someone for the first time.

  In Chinese body language etiquette, shaking hands is a basic way of greeting someone you’re not very familiar with.

• Do bow when it’s needed.

  Bowing is viewed as a formal way of greeting people who you show special respect to. For example, in China, students sometimes bow to their teachers.

Don’ts:

• Do not ask people about age or income.

  In Chinese etiquette, money (income) and age are considered extremely personal topics. If these happen to be a taboo for the person you’re greeting, you may cause embarrassment for them and yourself.

• Do not hug someone you’re not close with as a way of greeting.

  Hugging someone is very common in western culture, even when meeting people for the first time. Nevertheless, there is a huge difference here between China and western countries. In China, hugging is not a common way of greeting. If you hug someone who’s not close to you, your enthusiasm may overwhelm the person who’s not used to this method of greeting.

5. Do’s and Don’ts for Visiting a House

Next up in our guide on Chinese etiquette: visiting friends. Here are some tips for how to act when visiting someone’s home in China.

Do’s:

• Do bring a gift if you’re visiting someone important.

  It’s a great way to show your kindness by bringing a little gift when invited to visit a house.

• Do arrive on time.

  Being on time is a way to show your level of respect for the person you’re visiting. This is also considered Chinese professional etiquette, so do keep punctuality in mind.

Don’ts:

• Do not feel frightened if the family is hosting you with too much hospitality.

  Chinese people are very hospitable. You may never know how much preparation they’ve done for your arrival. They may buy lots of additional food and clean the house thoroughly just to welcome you warmly.

• Do not go into bedrooms without an invitation.

  In China, it’s considered rude to visit the bedrooms in a house without the homeowner’s permission or invitation.

6. Do’s and Don’ts When Riding Public Means of Transportation

Do’s:

• Do care for elders, pregnant women, disabled people, and kids, by giving your seat to them if necessary.

  It’s a custom in China to give your seat to people who need more care when on a bus or subway. Elders, pregnant women, disabled people, and young children are all considered as such.

• Do stay in line while waiting for a bus.

  There are usually bus numbers written on the ground for people who are waiting for different buses. Be careful to wait by the right numbers and stay politely within the line.

Don’ts:

• Do not push other people when the place is crowded.

  Sometimes the public transportation in China can get incredibly crowded due to China’s huge population. When this happens, remain calm and try not to push people around by stabilizing yourself.

• Do not lean against the doors on a bus.

  You’ll see this reminder on most of the buses in China because it’s extremely dangerous when the door opens. If you don’t follow this rule, it will not only put you in danger, but may also cause inconvenience for people who need to get on the bus.

7. Do’s and Don’ts for Business Occasions

Now it’s time for Chinese business etiquette tips. If you plan on working in China, or are visiting for work-related purposes, knowing basic Chinese etiquette for business is essential.

Do’s:

• Do prepare a business card.

  Although this is a digital era, in China, a business card is still of high value during a business occasion. Be sure to bring a professional business card that represents your personal expert profile.

• Do dress professionally.

  If you notice, Chinese people have a focus on appearance in many things. A professional look will definitely serve as a crutch to help you succeed during a business occasion.

Don’ts:

• Do not cross your legs while sitting down.

  When it comes to Chinese etiquette, businesses are often uncomfortable with you crossing your legs (even if most people in casual situations are totally comfortable with this). During a business occasion, it’s considered bad-looking and rude.

• Do not overly use Internet slang.

  Many people in modern society may be used to speaking with Internet slang in daily life. However, it’s extremely unprofessional to do so during a business occasion and may damage your professional profile.

8. Do’s and Don’ts for Celebrations

Even when celebrating, there’s some Chinese traditional etiquette that you need to be mindful of. Here are the do’s and don’ts for celebrations in China.

Do’s:

• Do pay great attention to how you present the package for a gift.

  Chinese people place heavy importance on the presentation of a gift. When you prepare a gift, be sure to wrap it carefully enough.

• Do give out some money to the newly married couple when you’re invited to a wedding.

  Giving out money is a traditional gift for weddings in China. Even though you’ve prepared a gift already, the money as a gift for the newly married couple is still essential!

Don’ts:

• Do not open your gifts in front of the giver.

  This is another huge cultural difference between western countries and China. In western countries, it’s considered good manners to show people how much you’re pleased with the gift by opening it in front of the giver. However, in China, it’s not appropriate to open a gift immediately in front of the giver (unless the person asks you to do so).

• Do not accept a red packet without refusing it first.

  You may have the opportunity to visit people during the Chinese New Year. As a tradition, elders may give red packets that include money inside to youngsters as a way to celebrate the new year. In western cultures, it’s rude to refuse a gift, so this may surprise you. But it’s actually rude to accept a red packet immediately from the elders. To show respect, you’ll have to ask them to take it back, which is very unlikely for them to do so. But refusing the gift is still a necessary process before finally accepting it.

9. Let ChineseClass101 Help You Master the Language & Culture!

It’s great that you’ve made it through the whole article! I’m certain you’re now well-informed and almost an expert on basic Chinese etiquette. As long as you follow the guidelines in this article, you’ll most likely excel in performing your best of manners.

If you still don’t feel confident enough, why not try our lessons at ChineseClass101.com to gain more interesting knowledge related to Chinese culture and obtain professional teaching? You’re only one click away from the real adventure!

But before you go, let us know in the comments if you learned any new Chinese etiquette facts! What are they? Are there any situations we missed? We look forward to hearing from you. 🙂

Each day is filled with events, big and small, that are worth being remembered; every day of our lives can be unique and special. If you’ve just gotten started learning Chinese, there might be times when you wish to express dates in Chinese to specify important events. Indeed, being able to express a date accurately is essential to everyday life. This is why learning the Chinese calendar, as well as how to say dates in Chinese, is so important as you learn the language.

In this article, we’ll go over how to write dates in Chinese characters, as well as dates in Chinese pinyin, so that you’re never at a loss!

In Chinese, the use of dates is incredibly simple and convenient. As long as you put your brain to work, you’ll master it in no time. Talking about dates in Chinese, knowing the Chinese numbers will greatly complement your understanding—feel free to check out our article about Chinese numbers. Now, get ready to hunt some treasure with us in this vital step of your Chinese learning journey!

Table of Contents

1. How are Dates Written in Chinese?
2. How to Read Dates in Chinese: Years
3. How to Say the Months in Chinese
4. Talking About the Day in Chinese
5. How to Say the Days of the Week
6. Must-Know Phrases for Months and Dates in Chinese
7. Bonus: Learn How to Find Your Animal of the Year in Chinese
8. Conclusion: How ChineseClass101 Can Help You Master Chinese

1. How are Dates Written in Chinese?

Dates written in Chinese are organized based on cardinal numbers, and when a date is expressed, the order is as follows: 年 – 月- 日 (nián – yuè – rì) or year – month – day.

In Chinese: 我是1998年出生的。
Pinyin: Wǒ shì yī jiǔ jiǔ bā nián chū shēng de.
In English: I was born in 1996.

In Chinese: 我的生日是八月三十号。
Pinyin: Wǒ de shēng rì shì bā yuè sān shí hào.
In English: My birthday is on August 30.

Dates are essential for everyone to learn.

2. How to Read Dates in Chinese: Years

It’s very simple to read a date in Chinese. While reading the year, all you need to do is read every single number out loud in order from left to right. And lastly, add 年 (meaning “year” in English) to the end. Here are a few examples for you to practice:

• 1990[年]: 一九九零[年] (yī jiǔ jiǔ líng [nián])
• 2008[年]: 二零零八[年] (èr líng líng bā [nián])
• 2019[年]: 二零一九[年] (èr líng yī jiǔ [nián])
• 1976[年]: 一九七六[年] (yī jiǔ qī liù [nián])
• 2020[年]: 二零二零[年] (èr líng èr líng [nián])

3. How to Say the Months in Chinese

• January: 一月 (yī yuè)
• February: 二月 (èr yuè)
• March: 三月 (sān yuè)
• April: 四月 (sì yuè)
• May: 五月 (wǔ yuè)
• June: 六月 (liù yuè)
• July: 七月 (qī yuè)
• August: 八月 (bā yuè)
• September: 九月 (jiǔ yuè)
• October: 十月 (shí yuè)
• November: 十一月 (shí yī yuè)
• December: 十二月 (shí èr yuè)

Examine your schedule carefully and remember the important dates!

4. Talking About the Day in Chinese

All thirty-one days:

• 1st: 一号 / 一日 (yī hào / yī rì)
• 2nd: 二号 / 二日 (èr hào / èr rì)
• 3rd: 三号 / 三日 (sān hào / sān rì)
• 4th: 四号 / 四日 (sì hào / sì rì)
• 5th: 五号 / 五日 (wǔ hào / wǔ rì)
• 6th: 六号 / 六日 (liù hào / liù rì)
• 7th: 七号 / 七日 (qī hào / qī rì)
• 8th: 八号 / 八日 (bā hào / bā rì)
• 9th: 九号 / 九日 (jiǔ hào / jiǔ rì)
• 10th: 十号 / 十日 (shí hào / shí rì)
• 11th: 十一号 / 十一日 (shí yī hào / shí yī rì)
• 12th: 十二号 / 十二日 (shí èr hào / shí èr rì)
• 13th: 十三号 / 十三日 (shí sān hào / shí sān rì)
• 14th: 十四号 / 十四日 (shí sì hào / shí sì rì)
• 15th: 十五号 / 十五日 (shí wǔ hào / shí wǔ rì)
• 16th: 十六号 / 十六日 (shí liù hào / shí liù rì)
• 17th: 十七号 / 十七日 (shí qī hào / shí qī rì)
• 18th: 十八号 / 十八日 (shí bā hào / shí bā rì)
• 19th: 十九号 / 十九日 (shí jiǔ hào / shí jiǔ rì)
• 20th: 二十号 / 二十日 (èr shí hào / èr shí rì)
• 21st: 二十一号 / 二十一日 (èr shí yī hào / èr shí yī rì)
• 22nd: 二十二号 / 二十二日 (èr shí èr hào / èr shí èr rì)
• 23rd: 二十三号 / 二十三日 (èr shí sān hào / èr shí sān rì)
• 24th: 二十四号 / 二十四日 (èr shí sì hào / èr shí sì rì)
• 25th: 二十五号 / 二十五日 (èr shí wǔ hào / èr shí wǔ rì)
• 26th: 二十六号 / 二十六日 (èr shí liù hào / èr shí liù rì)
• 27th: 二十七号 / 二十七日 (èr shí qī hào / èr shí qī rì)
• 28th: 二十八号 / 二十八日 (èr shí bā hào / èr shí bā rì)
• 29th: 二十九号 / 二十九日 (èr shí jiǔ hào / èr shí jiǔ rì)
• 30th: 三十号 / 三十日 (sān shí hào / sān shí rì)
• 31st: 三十一号 / 三十一日 (sān shí yī hào / sān shí yī rì)

In Chinese: 周末
Pinyin: zhōu mò
In English: weekend

In Chinese: 工作日
Pinyin: gōng zuò rì
In English: weekdays

Additional notes: As you can see, all days can be expressed through Chinese numbers, with the word 号 or 日 following behind. 号 is usually used informally when saying dates in Chinese in daily life, and 日 is used formally for dates in Chinese writing and sometimes in daily life as well.

5. How to Say the Days of the Week

In Chinese: 周一 / 礼拜一 / 星期一
Pinyin: zhōu yī / lǐ bài yī / xīng qī yī
In English: Monday

In Chinese: 周二 / 礼拜二 / 星期二
Pinyin: zhōu èr / lǐ bài èr / xīng qī èr
In English: Tuesday

In Chinese: 周三 / 礼拜三 / 星期三
Pinyin: zhōu sān / lǐ bài sān / xīng qī sān
In English: Wednesday

In Chinese: 周四 / 礼拜四 / 星期四
Pinyin: zhōu sì / lǐ bài sì / xīng qī sì
In English: Thursday

In Chinese: 周五 / 礼拜五 / 星期五
Pinyin: zhōu wǔ / lǐ bài wǔ / xīng qī wǔ
In English: Friday

In Chinese: 周六 / 礼拜六 / 星期六
Pinyin: zhōu liù / lǐ bài liù / xīng qī liù
In English: Saturday

In Chinese: 周日 /礼拜天 / 礼拜日 / 星期日 /星期天
Pinyin: zhōu rì / lǐ bài tiān / lǐ bài rì / xīng qī rì / xīng qī tiān
In English: Sunday

Additional note: As you can see, there are three different forms when “week” is expressed when talking about Chinese weekdays. The difference is that both 礼拜 and 星期 are used more informally in daily life, especially 礼拜 which means “chapel” and originated from the influence of western religion. The most formal is 周; a little less formal is 星期; the least formal is 礼拜.

6. Must-Know Phrases for Months and Dates in Chinese

You need to know when your school starts!

In Chinese: 你什么时候开学？
Pinyin: Nǐ shén me shí hòu kāi xué?
In English: When does your school start?

In Chinese: 你在二月十四号有什么安排吗？
Pinyin: Nǐ zài èr yuè shí sì hào yǒu shén me ān pái ma?
In English: Do you have any plans for February 14th?

Why not ask the person out on a romantic Valentine’s Day date?

In Chinese: 你什么时候有空？
Pinyin: Nǐ shén me shí hòu yǒu kòng?
In English: When will you be free?

In Chinese: 我只有周五晚上有空。
Pinyin: Wǒ zhī yǒu zhōu wǔ wǎn shàng yǒu kòng.
In English: I am only free on Friday night.

In Chinese: 那我们约七月五号晚上见吧。
Pinyin: Nà wǒ men yuē qī yuè wǔ hào wǎn shàng jiàn ba.
In English: Let’s meet on July 5 at night.

In Chinese: 我想在五月八号安排预约。
Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng zài wǔ yuè bā hào ān pái yù yuē.
In English: I want to schedule an appointment on August 5.

In Chinese: 今天是几号？
Pinyin: Jīn tiān shì jǐ hào?
In English: What day is it?

It’s always important to keep your loved ones’ birthday in mind and give them a sweet birthday cake!

In Chinese: 你的生日是什么时候？
Pinyin: Nǐ de shēng rì shì shén me shí hòu?
In English: When is your birthday?

7. Bonus: Learn How to Find Your Animal of the Year in Chinese

Do you know that Chinese years are based on twelve animals?

One fun fact about dates in Chinese calendars is that Chinese years have a unique traditional expression, which is based on the Chinese Zodiac as a twelve-year cycle, and each year represents an animal.

To find out which animal is associated with a certain year, be ready to do a bit of math. Here’s what you need to do:
          – Divide the number of the year by 12.
          – Find the remainder of the division. (Considering the number of the year may not be perfectly divided by 12, you’ll get a remainder between 0 and 11.)
          – Check the list below to see which animal corresponds to the remainder.

Remainder and Chinese zodiac in accordance:

• 0: Monkey 猴 (hóu)
• 1: Rooster 鸡 (jī)
• 2: Dog 狗 (gǒu)
• 3: Pig 猪 (zhū)
• 4: Rat 鼠 (shǔ)
• 5: Ox 牛 (niú)
• 6: Tiger 虎 (hǔ)
• 7: Rabbit 兔 (tù)
• 8: Dragon 龙 (lóng)
• 9: Snake 蛇 (shé)
• 10: Horse 马 (mǎ)
• 11: Goat 羊 (yáng)

For example, let’s find out what animal 1990 represents. Follow our step-by-step guide.

Step 1: Divide 1990 by 12.
          1990/12 = 165.8333…

Step 2: Ignore the decimals and take the quotient 165.

Step 3: Find the remainder of the division with this formula: Year – (12 x quotient without decimals) = remainder.
          1990 – (12 x 165) = 10

Step 4: Look at the list above. The remainder 10 corresponds to Horse. Now we know that 1990 is the Year of the Horse.

Let’s try another example and find out what animal 2016 represents.

Step 1: Divide 2016 by 12.
          2016/12 = 168

Step 2: Take the quotient 168.

Step 3: Find the remainder.
          2016 – ( 12 x 168 ) = 0.

Step 4: Look up at the list. The remainder 0 corresponds to Monkey. Now we know that 2016 is the Year of the Monkey.

Here are the most recent twelve years in Chinese Zodiac. You can try to practice using the steps above to see if you can get the answers right.

2019 – Year of Pig 猪年 (zhū nián)
2018 – Year of Dog 狗年 (gǒu nián)
2017 – Year of Rooster 鸡年 (jī nián)
2016 – Year of Monkey 猴年 (hóu nián)
2015 – Year of Goat 羊年 (yáng nián)
2014 – Year of Horse 马年 (mǎ nián)
2013 – Year of Snake 蛇年 (shé nián)
2012 – Year of Dragon 龙年 (lóng nián)
2011 – Year of Rabbit 兔年 (tù nián)
2010 – Year of Tiger 虎年 (hǔ nián)
2009 – Year of Ox 牛年 (niú nián)
2008 – Year of Rat 鼠年 (shǔ nián)

Now, are you able to find your own animal according to the year you were born? As you can see, birth dates in Chinese hold a lot of meaning.

8. Conclusion: How ChineseClass101 Can Help You Master Chinese

If you’ve followed along with this article, you must have grasped the essence of expressing dates in Chinese and leveraged your Chinese skills another rung up the ladder. Do you feel more comfortable writing dates in Chinese characters now? Let us know in the comments; we always look forward to hearing from you!

As you might imagine, there’s much more in the Chinese language to explore and learn. If you wish to acquire more fortune in this learning journey, why not give ChineseClass101.com a try? Here, we offer you a wide spectrum of resources and a spectacular learning experience; you’re just one click away from starting your magical journey right away!

China, a country with a great expanse of ancient history (up to nearly five-thousand years’ worth) is filled with both abundant beautiful landscapes where you can embrace nature and urban cities where you can enjoy a unique Asian culture experience.

When you first visit an unfamiliar country, there will be uncertainties and difficulties regarding the culture and language barriers, but this will all be a piece of cake once you learn Chinese travel phrases with us! Now let ChineseClass101.com set your mind on mastering these Chinese phrases for tourists, for your future trip to China! And keep in mind that for more basic Chinese words and pronunciation for tourists, you can check out our vocabulary lists on our website!

Table of Contents

1. Basic Expressions
2. Transports
3. Shopping
4. Restaurants
5. Asking for and Giving Directions
6. Emergencies
7. Flattery Phrases
8. Useful Phrases to Go Through Language Problems
9. Conclusion

1. Basic Expressions

While in China, it’s important to uphold good manners and to know how to greet others. Thus, you should learn Mandarin Chinese travel phrases regarding this. Take a look at this list of useful Chinese travel phrases to help you make a good impression!

1- Manners

• In Chinese: 谢谢你。
  Pinyin: Xiè xiè nǐ.
  In English: Thank you.
• In Chinese: 打扰一下。
  Pinyin: Dǎ rǎo yī xià.
  In English: Excuse me.
• In Chinese: 抱歉/对不起。
  Pinyin: Bào qiàn /duì bù qǐ.
  In English: Sorry.

2- Greetings

• In Chinese: 你好。
  Pinyin: Nǐ hǎo.
  In English: Hello.
• In Chinese: 再见。
  Pinyin: Zài jiàn.
  In English: Goodbye.
• In Chinese: 你最近怎么样？
  Pinyin: Nǐ zuì jìn zěn me yàng?
  In English: How are you?

3- Others

• In Chinese: 是的。
  Pinyin: Shì de.
  In English: Yes.
• In Chinese: 不是。
  Pinyin: Bú shì.
  In English: No.
• In Chinese: 我喜欢这个。
  Pinyin: Wǒ xǐ huān zhè gè.
  In English: I like it.
• In Chinese: 我不喜欢这个。
  Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐ huān zhè gè.
  In English: I don’t like it.
• In Chinese: 太好了。
  Pinyin: Tài hǎole.
  In English: Great.
• In Chinese: 能麻烦您帮我照个相吗？
  Pinyin: Néng má fán nín bāng wǒ zhào gè xiàng ma?
  In English: Could you please take my picture?

2. Transports

Of course, you’ll need to have some mode of transportation to get around the country. That’s why we’ve prepared this list of useful Chinese travel phrases for transportation!

1- Phrases for Taking a Taxi:

• In Chinese: 请问您可以载我去[地点]吗？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn nín kě yǐ zài wǒ qù [dì diǎn] ma?
  In English: Can you take me to [location] please?
• In Chinese: 请问去[地点]要多少钱？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn qù [dì diǎn] yào duō shǎo qián?
  In English: How much is it to go to [location]?

2- Phrases for Taking a Bus:

• In Chinese: 我应该在哪站下车？
  Pinyin: Wǒ yīng gāi zài nǎ zhàn xià chē?
  In English: Where should I get off?
• In Chinese: 我想去[地点]。
  Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng qù [dì diǎn].
  In English: I want to go to [location].
• In Chinese: 请在到站的时候告诉我一声。
  Pinyin: Qǐng zài dào zhàn de shí hòu gào sù wǒ yī shēng.
  In English: Please tell me when we arrive.
• In Chinese: 请问这趟车去往[地点]吗？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn zhè tàng chē qù wǎng [dì diǎn] ma?
  In English: Does this bus go to [location]?

3- Phrases for Taking a Train:

• In Chinese: 我想买一张去[地点]的票。
  Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yī zhāng qù [dì diǎn] de piào.
  In English: Can I get one ticket to [location]?
• In Chinese: 火车终点站到了。
  Pinyin: Huǒ chē zhōng diǎn zhàn dào le.
  In English: It is the final stop for the train.

3. Shopping

You can use your cards to pay in many stores in China.

Our list of travel phrases in the Chinese language extends out to shopping phrases, because we know you’ll want to grab a souvenir or two! With these Mandarin Chinese travel words and phrases, you’ll be able to shop, barter, and bring home your bounty of Chinese goods!

• In Chinese: 这个要多少钱？
  Pinyin: Zhè gè yào duō shǎo qián?
  In English: How much does it cost?
• In Chinese: 能给我个优惠吗？
  Pinyin: Néng gěi wǒ gè yōu huì ma?
  In English: Can I get a discount?
• In Chinese: 便宜一点吧。
  Pinyin: Pián yí yī diǎn ba.
  In English: Make it cheaper.

  Additional notes: There are many small shops in China that allow you to bargain. Many products are usually offered initially at 200% of the original price; if this happens, don’t hesitate to use this phrase to bargain.

• In Chinese: 这里的实时汇率是多少呢？
  Pinyin: Zhè lǐ de shí shí huì lǜ shì duō shǎo ne?
  In English: What is the currency here?
• In Chinese: 我可以用信用卡吗？
  Pinyin: Wǒ kě yǐ yòng xìn yòng kǎ ma?
  In English: Can I use a credit card?

4. Restaurants

From ordering your food to letting your server know how many people are in your group, Chinese travel phrases for restaurants will come in handy time and time again! Here are travel phrases in Chinese characters (with English translations, of course) to help you enjoy your meal to the fullest!

Go to a nice restaurant and enjoy some local food!

• In Chinese: 我想要这个。
  Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng yào zhège.
  In English: Can I get this, please?
• In Chinese: 我是一名素食者/我是一名纯素食者。
  Pinyin: Wǒ shì yī míng sù shí zhě/wǒ shì yī míng chúnsù shí zhě.
  In English: I am a vegetarian/vegan.
• In Chinese: 请问可以结一下帐吗？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn kě yǐ jié yī xià zhàng ma?
  In English: Can I get the bill please?
• In Chinese: 我们一共[数字] 个人。
  Pinyin: Wǒ men yī gòng [shù zì] gè rén.
  In English: We have [number] people.
• In Chinese: 服务生/小姐！
  Pinyin: Fú wù shēng/xiǎo jiě!
  In English: Waiter/waitress!
• In Chinese: 这个太好吃了。
  Pinyin: Zhè gè tài hǎo chī le.
  In English: It’s delicious.
• In Chinese: 你有什么推荐的吗？
  Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu shén me tuī jiàn de ma?
  In English: Do you have any recommendations?

5. Asking for and Giving Directions

A list of Chinese phrases for travellers, of course, necessitates a section for directions! We don’t want you getting lost while exploring China (or heading to your business meeting). Study and practice this list of Chinese travel phrases and words to keep yourself on the right track and headed in the right direction!

1- A List of General Locations

• 酒店 (jiǔ diàn) — hotel
• 餐厅 (cān tīng) — restaurant
• 公园 (gōng yuán) — park
• 地铁站 (dì tiě zhàn) — subway station
• 公交车站 (gōng jiāo chē zhàn) — bus stop
• 洗手间 (xǐ shǒu jiān) — restroom
• 房间 (fáng jiān) — room
• 图书馆 (tú shū guǎn) — library
• 失物认领处 (shī wù rèn lǐng chù) — lost and found

2- Basic Phrases for Directions

• In Chinese: [地点]在哪里？
  Pinyin: [dì diǎn] zài nǎ lǐ?
  In English: Where is [location]?
• In Chinese: 请问去[地点]应该怎么走？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn qù [dì diǎn] yīng gāi zěn me zǒu?
  In English: How can I get to [location]?
• In Chinese: 往左拐。
  Pinyin: Wǎng zuǒ guǎi.
  In English: Turn left.
• In Chinese: 往右拐。
  Pinyin: Wǎng yòu guǎi.
  In English: Turn right.
• In Chinese: 直走。
  Pinyin: Zhí zǒu.
  In English: Go straight.

Additional notes: Workers in most big hotels in China are well-trained and speak English fluently, so don’t worry about check-in and check-out at your hotel.

6. Emergencies

If there’s an emergency, stay calm and find help!

Emergencies are rarely expected, especially when you’re on vacation or taking a trip to your dream country. But it’s important to be prepared in case you do find yourself in an emergency situation. Study and practice these basic Chinese travel phrases for emergencies in order to stay safe and be prepared!

• In Chinese: 救命啊！
  Pinyin: Jiù mìng a!
  In English: Help!
• In Chinese: 我护照/钱包丢了，请问你有没有看见过？
  Pinyin: Wǒ hù zhào /qián bāo diū le, qǐng wèn nǐ yǒu méi yǒu kàn jiàn guò?
  In English: I lost my passport/wallet, did you see it?
• In Chinese: 有医生吗？
  Pinyin: Yǒu yī shēng ma?
  In English: Is there a doctor?
• In Chinese: 请问你可以帮我一下吗？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn nǐ kě yǐ bāng wǒ yī xià ma?
  In English: Can you please help me?

Additional notes: Please remember that the ambulance number in China is 120 and the police number is 110, just in case there’s an emergency in need of those numbers. If so, you should call them immediately.

7. Flattery Phrases

Aside from the more common Chinese travel phrases, it’ll be good to know some flattery phrases to let your new Chinese friends or associates know that you appreciate them (and love their country!). Take a look:

Don’t hesitate to give the people who once helped you a big thumbs-up 🙂

• In Chinese: 中国人真友好。
  Pinyin: Zhōng guó rén zhēn yǒu hǎo.
  In English: Chinese people are so nice.
• In Chinese: 中国文化可真有意思。
  Pinyin: Zhōng guó wén huà kě zhēn yǒu yì sī.
  In English: Chinese culture is so interesting.
• In Chinese: 中国真是一个美丽的国家啊。
  Pinyin: Zhōng guó zhēn shì yī gè měi lì de guó jiā a.
  In English: China is such a beautiful country.
• In Chinese: 中国美食实在是太好吃了。
  Pinyin: Zhōng guó měi shí shí zài shì tài hǎo chī le.
  In English: Chinese food tastes delicious.
• In Chinese: 我们可以成为好朋友吗？
  Pinyin: Wǒ men kě yǐ chéng wéi hǎo péng yǒu ma?
  In English: Can we become good friends?

8. Useful Phrases to Go Through Language Problems

Our list of travel words in Chinese to English is sure to help you out as you navigate our beautiful country. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a few bumps in the road. Check out this list of helpful words and phrases for overcoming language barriers during your visit!

• In Chinese: 请问你会说英语吗？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ ma?
  In English: Can you speak English?
• In Chinese: 我不明白你什么意思，可以麻烦你再说一遍吗？
  Pinyin: Wǒ bù míng bái nǐ shén me yì sī, kě yǐ má fán nǐ zài shuō yī biàn ma?
  In English: I don’t understand, can you repeat?
• In Chinese: 可以麻烦您帮我写下来吗？
  Pinyin: Kě yǐ má fán nín bāng wǒ xiě xià lái ma?
  In English: Can you write it down for me please?
• In Chinese: 抱歉，我的中文不是很好，可以麻烦你慢点说吗？
  Pinyin: Bào qiàn, wǒ de zhōng wén bú shì hěn hǎo, kě yǐ má fán nǐ màn diǎn shuō ma?
  In English: Sorry, I’m not good at Chinese, can you speak slowly?
• In Chinese: 请问您这个的中文怎么表达？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn nín zhè gè de zhōng wén zěn me biǎo dá?
  In English: How do you say it in Chinese?

9. Conclusion

Through this guide for traveling phrases, we hope you’ve successfully boosted your confidence in planning your future trip. Knowing these Chinese to English travel phrases is sure to help you out in a pinch, and will allow you to fully enjoy your China experience!

If you wish to be even more prepared and knowledgeable for your visit to China, you’ll find everything you need here for wonderful Chinese culture and language lessons at ChineseClass101.com!

Our daily life is always closely associated with numbers. They’re a great tool that provides us with convenience and better understanding with precision. Especially in language learning, Chinese numbers are one of the most necessary things to study right from the start.

Grammar rules and writing numbers in Chinese are quite simple and straightforward. If you follow the guide and practice often enough, I’m sure you’ll become a Chinese-number master in no time! Now let’s get right into the magical world of Chinese numbers!

Table of Contents

1. Numbers 0-9
2. Numbers 10-100
3. Numbers up to 1000
4. Numbers from 1000 – 10,000
5. Regarding to Phone Numbers
6. Saying Prices
7. How to Use Numbers When Shopping
8. How to Express Time
9. Bonus – Fun Chinese Number Slangs
10. Conclusion

1. Numbers 0-9

Let’s start with the simplest single numbers you can use!

Numbers in Chinese are called 数字 (shùzì), which literally means “counting words.” The basic numbers in Chinese are extremely simple, and the writings for number of Chinese characters are easy. Especially if you take a closer look at the writings for one to three, you’ll notice that the number of lines is the same as the number itself.

With this in mind, let’s go over a common trick people use to remember numbers. How do you write number one? One line. For number two is two lines, and number three is three lines.

How about four? – Of course, four lines!

So just remember, the “line” writing will start to change after three. Also, before you start to practice, here are a few tips for the line writing for numbers two and three:

• For number two, you need to write the line below longer.
• For number three, you need to write the line in the middle shorter than the top one, and the line at the bottom should be the longest line!

• 0 – 零 (líng)
• 1 – 一 (yī)
• 2 – 二 (èr)
• 3 – 三 (sān)
• 4 – 四 (sì)
• 5 – 五 (wǔ)
• 6 – 六 (liù)
• 7 – 七 (qī)
• 8 – 八 (bā)
• 9 – 九 (jiǔ)

These are a few of the most important numbers in learning Chinese, so be sure to go over these again before moving forward.

2. Numbers 10-100

Here are Chinese characters for numbers 10 to 100.

• 10 – 十 (shí)
• 20 – 二十 (èr shí)
• 30 – 三十 (sān shí)
• 40 – 四十 (sì shí)
• 50 – 五十 (wǔ shí)
• 60 – 六十 (liù shí)
• 70 – 七十 (qī shí)
• 80 – 八十 (bā shí)
• 90 – 九十 (jiǔ shí)
• 100 – 一百 (yī bǎi)

3. Numbers up to 1000

And here are the numbers in Chinese characters for numbers up to 1000.

• 200 – 二百 (èr bǎi) [formal]
• 200 – 两百 (liǎng bǎi) [casual]
• 300 – 三百 (sān bǎi)
• 400 – 四百 (sì bǎi)
• 500 – 五百 (wǔ bǎi)
• 600 – 六百 (liù bǎi)
• 700 – 七百 (qī bǎi)
• 800 – 八百 (bā bǎi)
• 900 – 九百 (jiǔ bǎi)
• 536 – 五百三十六 (wǔ bǎi sān shí liù)

4. Numbers from 1000 – 10,000

• 1000 – 一千 (yī qiān)
• 2000 – 两千 (liǎng qiān)
• 3000 – 三千 (sān qiān)
• 4000 – 四千 (sì qiān)
• 5000 – 五千 (wǔ qiān)
• 6000 – 六千 (liù qiān)
• 7000 – 七千 (qī qiān)
• 8000 – 八千 (bā qiān)
• 9000 – 九千 (jiǔ qiān)
• 10,000 – 一万 (yī wàn)

Additional notes: To express a random number, just put the measurement of the numbers involved in order. For example, 536 needs to be expressed in the following order: 500, 30, and 6. Thus, it’s 五百三十六(wǔ bǎi sān shí liù). It’s not that difficult to grasp!

5. Regarding to Phone Numbers

1- Expressing Your Phone Number

• In Chinese: 我的号码是: “一三零九四二五零六三七”
• Pinyin: Wǒ de hàomǎ shì: “yāo sān líng jiǔ sì èr wǔ líng liù sān qī”
• In English: My phone number is: “13094250637.”

2- Format for Saying the Phone Number

There are two formats for pausing while saying your phone number aloud:

• Format 1: 1-3-0-9-4-2-5-0-6-3-7 (yāo – sān – líng – jiǔ – sì – èr – wǔ – líng – liù – sān – qī)
• Format 2: 130-9425-0637 (yāo sān líng – jiǔ sì èr wǔ – líng liù sān qī)

Additional notes: When number 1 is presented as a series of numbers instead of a quantity, the pronunciation may vary and can be read as yāo.

6. Saying Prices

Wondering how to express price when you see one at the market? It’s not hard!

There are different measurements in prices in Chinese price, which is called 价钱 (jià qián):

• In Chinese: 角 / 毛
  Pinyin: jiǎo [formal] / máo [casual]
  Equivalent in U.S. money: dime
• In Chinese: 分
  Pinyin: fēn
  Equivalent in U.S. money: cent
• In Chinese: 元
  Pinyin: yuán
  Equivalent in U.S. money: dollar
• In Chinese: 五元钱 / 五块钱
  Pinyin: wǔ yuán qián [formal] / wǔ kuài qián [casual]

7. How to Use Numbers When Shopping

• In Chinese: 我买一斤。
  Pinyin: Wǒ mǎi yī jīn.
  In English: I will buy a pound.
• In Chinese: 这个多少钱?
  Pinyin: Zhè gè duō shǎo qián?
  In English: How much is this?
• In Chinese: 给我来五个。
  Pinyin: Gěi wǒ lái wǔ gè.
  In English: I want five of those.
• In Chinese: 我要付现金。
  Pinyin: Wǒ yào fù xiàn jīn.
  In English: I want to pay in cash.
• In Chinese: 便宜点吧。
  Pinyin: Pián yí diǎn ba.
  In English: Make it cheaper.

A reminder: In many Chinese stores that aren’t officially structured, it’s common to bargain. So feel free to use the last phrase and save some money if you’re shopping somewhere casual!

8. How to Express Time

1- Time Measurements

• In Chinese: 时/小时
  Pinyin: shí [formal] / xiǎo shí [casual]
  In English: hour
• In Chinese: 分
  Pinyin: fēn
  In English: minute
• In Chinese: 秒
  Pinyin: miǎo
  In English: second

2- Asking About Time

• In Chinese: 请问现在几点了？/ 现在是什么时间？
  Pinyin: Qǐng wèn xiàn zài jǐ diǎn le? / Xiàn zài shì shén me shí jiān?
  In English: What time is it right now?

3- Expressing Specific Time

• A whole time: hour of time + 点 (diǎn) / 点钟 (diǎn zhōng)

  Example:
  In Chinese: 五点 / 五点钟
  Pinyin: wǔ diǎn / wǔ diǎn zhōng
  In English: five o’clock

• Half hour passed: hour of time + 点半 (diǎn bàn)

  Example:
  In Chinese: 五点半
  Pinyin: wǔ diǎn bàn
  In English: five-thirty

• Little time passed: hour of time + 点多 (diǎn duō)

  Example:
  In Chinese: 三点多
  Pinyin: sān diǎn duō
  In English: Some time past three

• Almost the time: 快 (kuài wǔ diǎn le) + hour of time + 点 (diǎn) + 了(le)

  Example:
  In Chinese: 快六点了。
  Pinyin: Kuài liù diǎn le.
  In English: It is almost six o’clock.

Please note that the Chinese time system is based on military time. If you use AM/PM, that might cause some confusion.

9. Bonus – Fun Chinese Number Slangs

Four-character slangs are a part of Chinese culture that’s deeply ingrained in people’s daily speaking. They can make your conversation more engaging and entertaining!

Numbers also play a great role in many four-character slangs in order to create a better picture. If you speak any of those slangs, people will probably be impressed in how rich your vocabularies in Chinese are!

Additional notes: There are also some slangs mentioned below that include more than one number.

0 – 零 (líng)

• In Chinese: 零零散散
• Pinyin: líng líng sàn sàn
• Usage: To describe things that are messy and are scattered everywhere

1 – 一 (yī)

• In Chinese: 一清二楚
• Pinyin: yī qīng èr chǔ
• Usage: To describe things that are expressed explicitly and clearly

2 – 二 (èr)

• In Chinese: 三心二意
• Pinyin: sān xīn èr yì
• Usage: To describe a person who gets distracted and doesn’t focus on doing the things they’re supposed to be doing

3 – 三 (sān)

• In Chinese: 三生有幸
• Pinyin: sān shēng yǒu xìng
• Usage: To describe a situation where you feel that you are extremely lucky

4 – 四 (sì)

• In Chinese: 挑三拣四
• Pinyin: tiāo sān jiǎn sì
• Usage: To describe someone who’s very picky

5 – 五 (wǔ)

• In Chinese: 五花八门
• Pinyin: wǔ huā bā mén
• Usage: To describe something that has a great variety of choices

6 – 六 (liù)

If you ever decide to do something selfish and refuse to consider your family’s feelings…here’s the word, which I hope will never happen. 🙁

• In Chinese: 六亲不认
• Pinyin: liù qīn bú rèn
• Usage: To describe when someone does something morally wrong to one’s family or someone that is as close as family, despite the familial bond they shared

7 – 七 (qī)

Look at how messy this is! Want to learn a word to describe it? Here’s the right one!

• In Chinese: 乱七八糟
• Pinyin: luàn qī bā zāo
• Usage: To describe something that’s disorganized and messy

8 – 八 (bā)

• In Chinese: 八面玲珑
• Pinyin: bā miàn líng lóng
• Usage: To describe someone who’s sophisticated and can deal with all kinds of situations and changes wisely and smoothly

9 – 九 (jiǔ)

A dangerous situation like this can be described by an idiom that entails number 9.

• In Chinese: 九死一生
• Pinyin: jiǔ sǐ yī shēng
• Usage: To describe something that’s so dangerous that it’s hard to survive

10 – 十 (shí)

Have you ever done something that’s so perfect that everyone gives you a thumbs-up?

• In Chinese: 十全十美
• Pinyin: shí quán shí měi
• Usage: To describe something or some situation that’s entirely perfect and ideal

10. Conclusion

Numbers, in learning the Chinese language, are very important. I’m sure you had a great experience and paid much effort to learning Chinese numbers and how to utilize them! This is only a brief introduction to Chinese numbers, though, so if you wish to go any further with these, our website is a perfect place for that. Check out ChineseClass101.com and get ready to have a delightful journey in learning Chinese with our fun lessons!

If you’ve just started learning Chinese, you may have wondered at some point, “How do I say sorry in Chinese?” Indeed, it’s vital to learn how to say sorry in Chinese culture, and any culture for that matter. We’re all human, and we all tend to make mistakes in the long journey of life, both small and large, and a fitting apology is almost always desired afterwards. This is when we need to say the “magic word” to make everything right again. Apologizing is the key to harmony in a relationship, as it can help you move past many unnecessary conflicts and misunderstandings.

There are different ways of how to say sorry in the Chinese language. As a language learner who just set sail for Chinese, this article will help you get a sense of the unique way native Chinese people apologize. After you master the art of apologizing in Chinese with this article, you’ll never have to worry about not knowing what to say when you make forgivable mistakes! What are you waiting for? Let’s delve into how to give an apology in Chinese Mandarin. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Chinese Skills! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. The Most Important Apologizing Words
2. How to Take the Blame
3. Expressions for Formal and Business Situations
4. Condolences
5. Other Expressions
6. How to respond
7. Conclusion

1. The Most Important Apologizing Words

First things first! Here are some of the most common ways to apologize in Chinese, with some grammar explanations to make things clearer for you. This includes how to say “sorry” and “excuse me” in Chinese, which are two phrases you definitely will want to know!

• In Chinese: 对不起。
  Pinyin: dui bu qǐ
  In English: Sorry

The origin of this phrase is very interesting. Ancient Chinese people liked to showcase their knowledge by using couplets, which is a traditional form of art in the Chinese language. However, it’s often difficult to complete the pair. So, in order to express that they weren’t as knowledgeable as the person they were speaking to, people would say 对不起, which meant they weren’t able to complete the couplet. Later, it spread and become a popular way to apologize.

Now, you can use 对不起 for a simple sincere apology. But keep in mind that it also indicates that you owe someone for what you did, so be careful when you use it, as it can be seen as a strong word. It’s best suited for an occasion where you feel the need to own up to your mistake and desire forgiveness in return. To make it even more formal, you can add the subjective and objective, such as in: 我对不起你 (wǒ duì bu qǐ nǐ), meaning “I am sorry to you.”

• In Chinese: 抱歉。
  Pinyin: bào qiàn
  In English: I am sorry (I hold my apology).

Compared to 对不起, 抱歉 is a lighter way to say I’m sorry in Chinese than the degree of apology that 对不起 entails. If there’s something you strongly feel sorry about and you feel desperate to express your apology, don’t use 抱歉 as it’s not sufficient to express your emotion in this context. 抱 literally means “hold,” and 歉 means “apology.” The whole word conveys a sense of guilt and regret, so if you ever feel bad about something and want to express it, this word is a good fit.

• In Chinese: 不好意思。
  Pinyin: bù hǎo yì sī
  In English: Excuse me.

The literal meaning of 不好意思 is “feeling embarrassed or shy,” which indicates an even lighter degree of apology compared to 抱歉. For things that aren’t as significant or that you don’t personally feel extremely bad about, feel free to use this phrase to politely show your apology for the little inconvenience you caused, such as being late.

Sometimes Chinese people also use it for expressing their shy or awkward feelings. For example, when people feel too flattered and thus are embarrassed by a compliment, they might say 你说的我都不好意思了(nǐ shuō de wǒ dōu bù hǎo yì sī le), meaning “You are making me feel embarrassed.”

Additional note: You can also add 真 before any of the three phrases above. It means “really,” which adds a sincerity to the apology.

2. How to Take the Blame

• In Chinese: 我错了。
  Pinyin: wǒ cuò le
  In English: It is my fault.

This can be used both seriously and casually. In a serious situation, it emphasizes the fact that you’re willing to admit your mistakes. You can also repeat it to comfort someone who’s unsatisfied or irritated by something trivial you did, usually with people you’re close with.

• In Chinese: 是我不好。
  Pinyin: shì wǒ bù hǎo
  In English: It is my bad.

You can bravely admit your mistake by saying this. This is a neutral expression as well, which suits both serious and casual situations. You may want to add 原谅我吧 (yuán liàng wǒ ba), meaning “please forgive me,” right after to make your apology sound more genuine.

• In Chinese: 责任全在我/是我的责任。
  Pinyin: zé rèn quán zài wǒ /shì wǒ de zé rèn
  In English: All the responsibility lies on me/It is all my responsibility.

This is a powerful expression for owning up to all the responsibility for something you’ve done. Essentially, this puts all of the blame on yourself.

• In Chinese: 要怪就怪我吧。
  Pinyin: yào guài jiù guài wǒ ba
  In English: If you have to blame someone, blame me.

If there’s an embarrassing situation where someone has to own up to his/her mistake for the sake of a group, and you want to be the one who takes the fall, this is the right phrase to use. Usually, you need to add some good explanation right after in order to support the reason why you should be the one to take the blame. It’s sometimes good to be the one who admits the mistake, because everyone else may dearly appreciate your sacrifice for turning the embarrassment into a better atmosphere.

3. Expressions for Formal and Business Situations

You’ll find this section extremely helpful and relevant if you’ve ever wondered how to say phrases like “Sorry I’m late,” in Chinese. Let’s take a look at the most common formal and business Chinese apologies.

• In Chinese: 抱歉/不好意思/对不起，麻烦你了。
  Pinyin: bào qiàn / bù hǎo yì sī / duì bu qǐmá fán nǐ le
  In English: I am sorry to trouble you.
• In Chinese: 抱歉/不好意思/对不起，我今天不能去了。
  Pinyin: bào qiàn / bù hǎo yì sī / duì bu qǐ, wǒ jīn tiān bú néng qù le
  In English: I am sorry that I won’t make it today.
• In Chinese: 抱歉/不好意思/对不起，我要先走一步。
  Pinyin: bào qiàn / bù hǎo yì sī / duì bu qǐ, wǒ yào xiān zǒu yī bù
  In English: Sorry, I have to go.
• In Chinese: 抱歉/不好意思/对不起，我来晚了。
  Pinyin: bào qiàn / bù hǎo yì sī / duì bu qǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le
  In English: Sorry that I am late.
• In Chinese: 不好意思/抱歉，借过一下可以吗？
  Pinyin: bú hǎo yì sī / bào qiàn，jiè guò yī xià kě yǐ ma
  In English: Sorry, do you mind stepping aside?

For the phrases mentioned above, you can use different forms of “sorry” depending on the degree of importance regarding the specific event, and the part after the comma conveys different situations. Please feel free to substitute the phrase, keeping in mind that 对不起 indicates the strongest degree of apology, and 抱歉 is the second strongest one. 不好意思 indicates the least degree of apology of the three. You can always add some additional explanation after saying sorry, to make your situation more clear so that people can better understand your apology.

• In Chinese: 打扰一下，请问发生什么了？
  Pinyin: dǎ rǎo yī xià, qǐng wèn fā shēng shén me le
  In English: Excuse me, what happened?

Although “Excuse me” in English indicates a sorry feeling, in Chinese it literally means “allow me to disturb you,” where 打扰 means “to disturb.”

4. Condolences

• In Chinese: 很抱歉听到这个消息。
  Pinyin: hěn bào qiàn tīng dào zhè gè xiāo xī
  In English: I am sorry to hear that.

When learning how to say “I am sorry to hear that” in Chinese, you can now entail what we learned earlier. 抱歉, in this sentence, is used to express some specific event that you feel sorry about. You can also substitute 听到这个消息 meaning “to hear the news,” with many other things that you want to express your sadness about. This also goes for “I am sorry that…”.

• In Chinese: 节哀顺变。
  Pinyin: jiē āi shùn biàn
  In English: I am so sorry for your loss.

Learning how to say “sorry for your loss” in Chinese may be one of the most important phrases you can master, and can be the difference between clearly expressing your sorrow for a loved one—or failing to. This is an old traditional phrase for comforting people who lost someone dear to them. 节哀 means “repress sadness,” and 顺变 means “let go of the accident and change.”

5. Other Expressions

• In Chinese: 我向你赔礼道歉。
  Pinyin: wǒ xiàng nǐ péi lǐ dào qiàn
  In English: Let me apologize to you.

赔礼 represents the action of compensating a formality for apologizing, which suggests a serious situation. When you use it, it may require some physical performance to fully express the apology, such as a bow or treating the person to a meal.

• In Chinese: 你能原谅我吗？
  Pinyin: nǐ néng yuán liàng wǒ ma
  In English: Will you forgive me?

This phrase conveys a powerful desire for forgiveness, which is usually used for a fault that’s caused by a very serious condition.

• In Chinese: 你别生气啊。
  Pinyin: nǐ bié shēng qì a
  In English: Don’t be mad.

This can be used for both serious and casual occasions when apologizing. Whenever a sentence-final interjection such as 啊 is included, the sentence is usually not as formal or serious, and indicates a softer expression.

• In Chinese: 我不是故意的。
  Pinyin: wǒ bú shì gù yì de
  In English: I didn’t do it on purpose.

You can definitely use this phrase for self-defense for an act you didn’t intentionally commit. It’s usually added right after a “sorry” phrase.

• In Chinese: 你别怪我啊。
  Pinyin: nǐ bié guài wǒ a
  In English: Please don’t blame me.

怪 can mean different things depending on the situation. For example, for an adjective it can mean “weird” or “strange.” Please keep in mind that it’s used as a verb meaning “blame” here.

6. How to respond

• In Chinese: 没关系。
  Pinyin: méi guān xi
  In English: It’s fine.
• In Chinese: 没事。
  Pinyin: méi shì
  In English: It’s okay.
• In Chinese: 没什么大不了的。
  Pinyin: méi shén me dà bú liǎo de
  In English: It is no big deal.
• In Chinese: 这有什么的。
  Pinyin: zhè yǒu shén me de
  In English: That is nothing.
• In Chinese: 别放在心上。
  Pinyin: bié fàng zài xīn shàng
  In English: Don’t mind it.

7. Conclusion

Are you gaining more confidence after learning all the expressions along with the explicit explanations provided? It’s not as difficult as you thought, as long as you come to the right teacher and source to study Chinese!

Fortunately, here at ChineseClass101.com, you can find just this. Here, you’ll be able to obtain a delightful learning experience and acquire the best resources to help you speak Chinese like a native. What are you waiting for? Come visit us right now!

In the meantime, be sure to continue practicing these various ways of how to say “I am sorry” in the Chinese language. You’ll get the hang of it in no time!