Classroom Vocabulary List
A collection of words related to classroom settings, ideal for beginner Chinese learners.
书 (shū)
book
The Chinese word for 'book' is '书', pronounce as 'shū'. In Chinese, it is prominently used the same way as in English, to refer to a collection of pages bound together containing text for reading. It can be used in a variety of contexts including textbook (教科书), notebook (笔记本), etc.
写 (xiě)
to write
In Chinese, the character '写' is used for the verb 'to write'. It can be used in various contexts similar to English such as writing a letter ('写信'), writing a book ('写书'), or writing a message ('写消息').
动物学 (dòng wù xué)
zoology
Zoology, or '动物学' in Chinese, is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom. The term is commonly used in Chinese academia and scientific conversation, just as its use in English.
化学 (huà xué)
chemistry
The Chinese word for chemistry, '化学', is used in similar contexts as in English, referring to the scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It can be used both in educational and professional situations, and it includes the study of substances, compounds, and their reactions.
单位 (dān wèi)
unit
In Chinese, '单位' is used to represent 'unit' and it is usually used in context to measure or denote a standard measure for a physical quantity. It's used in a wide variety of situations from scientific calculations to everyday usage and can be used to refer to an individual thing or person that is part of a larger group or system.
历史 (lì shǐ)
history
The Chinese word for 'history' is '历史'. It is used in the same way as in English, to refer to past events, the study of past events, or a record or account, often in written form. For example, '世界历史' refers to 'world history', while '学习历史' means 'study history'.
反馈 (fǎnkuì)
feedback
The Chinese word '反馈' (fǎnkuì) is typically used to refer to feedback, response, or reaction that one gets from others. The word can be used in various contexts such as 'providing feedback on an essay' or 'getting feedback from a teacher'. It is primarily used in professional and academic settings.
同学 (tóngxué)
classmate
'同学' is very commonly-used word in Chinese schools. It is used to refer to someone who is in the same class or school as you.
Example sentences with 同学 →听 (tīng)
to listen
The Chinese word '听' stands for 'to listen'. It is frequently used in spoken and written Mandarin, signifying the act of actively paying attention or giving heed to sounds or speech. It can be used to form composite words or phrases, such as '听音乐' (listen to music) or '听讲座' (listen to a lecture).
回复 (huí fù)
reply
The Chinese word '回复' means reply or response, it can be used in various contexts just like the English word 'reply'. It could refer to a response to an email, a reply to a message, or an answer to a question. In Chinese grammar, '回复' can function as a verb or a noun, depending on the context.
回顾 (huí gù)
to review
In Chinese, the word '回顾' is used to refer to the action of reviewing, recalling, or looking back. It's often used when referring to reviewing study materials, recalling past events, or taking a retrospective view. It can be used in various contexts such as study, work, life events etc.
图书馆 (tú shū guǎn)
library
The Chinese word for library is '图书馆'. It is a place where collections of books, periodicals, and sometimes films and recorded music are kept for public use or borrowing. The term can be used in sentences like 'I am going to the 图书馈' which translates to 'I am going to the library'.
地质学 (dì zhì xué)
geology
In Chinese, '地质学' refers to the study of the solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which they change over time. It can be used in various contexts including academic, scientific research, and industry discussions.
大学 (Dà xué)
university
The Chinese word for university is '大学', pronounced as 'Dà xué'. It is used in much the same way as in English, to refer to institutions of higher learning. The term '大学' can be used for general references to a university or to refer to a specific one when followed by the institution’s name.
天文学 (tiān wén xué)
astronomy
In Chinese, '天文学' is the term used to refer to the scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe as a whole. It is used in the same context as the English word 'astronomy'.
学习 (xué xí)
learn
“学习” is a common Chinese word used to express the activity of acquiring knowledge. It is often used in sentences to express the act of studying, learning, or educating oneself. It's a very popular word in an academic or educational context.
学生 (xué shēng)
student
In Chinese, '学生' represents a learner, especially a person who is studying at school, college, or university. It is used much the same way as 'student' is used in English.
实践 (shíjiàn)
practice
The chinese word '实践' is used similarly to how 'practice' is used in English. It refers to the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as contrasted with theories related to it. It can also refer to repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
审查 (shěn chá)
review
The Chinese word '审查' is the equivalent of the English word 'review'. It is used to describe the process of looking at or considering again an item, idea or piece of work to check its quality or to think about it deeply. '审查' is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, and could be used in situations such as reviewing a book, a paper, a performance etc.
Example sentences with 审查 →年度 (nián dù)
annual
In Chinese, '年度' is used similarly to the English word 'annual', referring to something that happens or is used once every year. It is often used in context of events, reports, meetings, etc. that occur or are prepared once a year.
Example sentences with 年度 →房间 (fáng jiān)
room
The word '房间' in Chinese is used to refer to any enclosed space within a building, typically separated by walls or partitions from other parts. It can refer to a living room, bedroom, bathroom, etc. - any room you might have in a house or building.
指令 (zhǐlìng)
instruction
The Chinese word for 'instruction' is '指令'. It is used in a very similar context as in English, meaning a directive or order given by someone in authority. It is commonly used in settings like classes, meetings, programming, or any scenario that requires following a specific set of steps.
接近 (jiē jìn)
approach
In Mandarin Chinese, '接近' (jìejìn) means 'approach'. It is used to express the idea of coming near or closer to something in a physical, emotional, or metaphorical way. Similar to English, this word can be used in a wide variety of contexts and circumstances. From describing someone walking towards someone else (physically approaching), to talking about the implementation of a strategy (a metaphorical approach).
控制 (kòngzhì)
control
The word '控制' in Chinese is used in the same context as 'control' in English. It can be used to depict domination or power over something or about managing and regulating activities. For instance, '控制你的情绪' means 'control your emotions'.
收养 (shōuyǎng)
adopt
The Chinese word '收养' (shōuyǎng) is used when referring to the act of legally taking another's child and bringing it up as one's own, or the act of taking and using something as one's own, similar to the English term 'adopt'. This term is widely used in both formal and informal contexts.
教 (jiāo)
to teach
Teach, represented as '教' in Chinese, is commonly used in both spoken and written language. It is indeed primarily linked with structured educational settings, but it may also be used in more casual situations. This word can stand as a verb which implies to instruct or educate someone in a specific area of knowledge or skill.
教学 (jiāo xué)
teaching
In Chinese, the word for 'teaching' is '教学', which literally means 'teaching and learning'. This term is used quite commonly in the education sector to refer to the process of teaching or educating others, much like it is used in English.
Example sentences with 教学 →教室 (jiàoshì)
classroom
The Chinese word for classroom is '教室'(jiàoshì). It is commonly used in the context of education and pretty much works in the same way as the English term for classroom. It can be used to refer to both, the physical room where teaching happens, and the division of students taught by one teacher.
Example sentences with 教室 →教授 (jiào shòu)
professor
In Chinese, '教授' is used to refer to a teacher of the highest academic rank in a college or university. Informally, it can also be used to a person who teaches or instructs in a specific subject or is a specialist in a specific area. Unlike the word 'professor' in English, '教授' does not convey any information about tenure.
教育 (jiào yù)
education
The Chinese word for 'education' is '教育'. It is used in the same context as in English, describing the process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university. The term can be used in various contexts such as 'primary education', 'special education', 'distance education', etc.