Chinese
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in Chinese.
头脑 (tóu nǎo)
In Chinese, '头脑' is used to refer to the human intellect or brain while in English, 'mind' not only refers to the human brain or intellect but also refers to the state of being aware or conscious. It is often used in conversation to refer to one's intention or thoughts.
夹克 (jiákè)
The Chinese word for 'jacket' is '夹克'. It's used in the same manner as English to refer to a form of protective clothing worn on the upper body. It's a common word and can be used in a variety of contexts, from casual to formal.
Example sentences with 夹克 →奇怪 (qí guài)
The word '奇怪' in Chinese is used to describe something unusual or unexpected, similar to the English term 'strange'. It can be used in both positive and negative contexts. For example, you might use it to describe a fascinatingly unusual artwork or a situation that is inexplicably odd.
Example sentences with 奇怪 →奇迹 (qí jì)
In Chinese, '奇迹' is used to describe a remarkable event, or phenomenal occurrence, which is beyond human comprehension and/or abilities and considered supernatural or divine.
Example sentences with 奇迹 →奉献 (fèngxiàn)
In Chinese, the word '奉献' carries the same meaning as 'dedication' in English, signifying the act of selflessly committing oneself to a certain task or cause. It is often used in the context of work, studies, or in reference to one's passion in life.
奋斗 (fèn dòu)
The Chinese word '奋斗' is used much the same way as 'struggle' in English. It can refer to a strenuous effort to overcome a difficulty or achieving a goal. It's often used in a positive context to express determination, perseverance and hard work.
Example sentences with 奋斗 →奖励 (jiǎng lì)
In Chinese, '奖励' is used much like its English equivalent: to refer to something given in recognition of one's service, effort, or achievement. For example, it could be used in the context of receiving a reward for good grades, excellent performance at work, or winning a competition.
奖品 (jiǎng pǐn)
The term '奖品' refers to a reward given for something that a person has done, particularly in contests, competitions, or games. In Chinese, it is commonly used in the same contexts where 'prize' would be used in English.
奖金 (jiǎng jīn)
The Chinese word '奖金' is used similarly to the English word 'bonus', often in terms of additional pay or reward given to an employee as an incentive or after they have fulfilled their tasks exceptionally well. It could also refer to the extra winnings in competitions.
Example sentences with 奖金 →女人 (nǚ rén)
The Chinese word for 'woman' is '女人' (nǚ rén). This term is used almost identically and as broadly as 'woman' in English, referring to an adult human female. In different contexts, it can refer to a wife, girlfriend, female friend, or any women in general.
女儿 (nǚ'ér)
In Chinese, the term for daughter is '女儿', pronounced 'nǚ'ér'. This word is often used in the same contexts it would be in English, to refer to one's female child. It can be used in both formal and casual conversation.
女士 (nǚ shì)
In Chinese, '女士' is used to respectably refer to an adult woman. It can be used in formal conversations or when addressing someone in a polite manner. It's a very useful word to learn when engaging in social or professional interactions.
女孩 (Nǚhái)
In Chinese, the term for 'girl' is '女孩', pronounced as 'Nǚhái'. It can be commonly found in everyday conversations, literature, and media. '女孩' is used to describe a young or adolescent female and is used similarly as 'girl' is used in English.
女性 (nǚ xìng)
The word '女性' is used in Chinese to describe someone who is biologically female or identifies as such in gender identity. It is used in a similar context as the English word 'female', for example, it can be used when filling up forms for gender or discussing gender-specific topics.
Example sentences with 女性 →女朋友 (nǚ péng yǒu)
In Chinese, '女朋友' is used to describe someone's female romantic partner. Unlike English where 'friend' can mean a platonic relationship, in '女朋友', the '朋友' part doesn't imply a platonic relationship, but a romantic one. The word '女' means 'female' and '朋友' means 'friend', implement 'girlfriend' when it comes together.
Example sentences with 女朋友 →女演员 (nǚ yǎnyuán)
The Chinese for 'actress' is '女演员'. It can be used to refer to a woman who performs in films, plays, or television productions. Similar to English, it highlights the gender of the performer. So when talking about a specific woman who performs, we would use '女演员'.
奶奶 (Nǎinai)
The Chinese word '奶奶' refers to one's paternal grandmother. It's often used among family members and is a respectful and affectionate term used to refer to an elderly woman in one's family. When speaking formally or writing, you might hear or see the term '祖母', which is a more formal term for grandmother.
奶油 (nǎi yóu)
The Chinese word '奶油' is used to refer to cream, a dairy product that is composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. It's widely used in cooking, bakery, dessert making, and even in coffee brewing.
奶酪 (nǎi lào)
The Chinese word for 'cheese' is '奶酪', pronounced 'nǎi lào'. It is not a traditional food in China and is often used in Western style dishes. It can be used in similar contexts to the English word 'cheese', such as in conversations about food, cooking, and dining.
她 (tā)
The Chinese word '她' translates to 'her' in English. It is a gender-specific pronoun used to refer to a female individual or entity. In Chinese grammar, it is usually used as the subject or object of the sentence, similar to how 'her' is used in English.
Example sentences with 她 →她自己 (tā zìjǐ)
The Chinese word '她自己' is used to refer to the female person or animal previously mentioned or easily identified. It is usually used to emphasize that the woman or girl does something without help or alone. Also, it can be used to refer back to the subject of the clause, after verbs referring to mental activity.
好 (hǎo)
The Chinese word '好' translates to 'nice' in English. '好' is a commonly used adjective that describes an object, person, place, event, or situation that is pleasant, likeable, or agreeable. The usage of '好' in Chinese is similar to the way the word 'nice' is used in English.
好友 (hǎoyǒu)
'好友' refers to someone who is a very close and good friend. You may not use '好友' as often as '朋友', but it is still a commonly-used word in Chinese.
Example sentences with 好友 →好奇 (hào qí)
The Chinese word '好奇' is used similarly to the English term 'curious'. It indicates a strong desire to know or learn something. Just like in English, the term can be used in a variety of contexts.
Example sentences with 好奇 →好的 (hǎo de)
The Chinese word '好的' is used in the same way as the English word 'ok'. It is a common response to acknowledge agreement, understanding, or approval. Similarly, it can be used to approve or agree with a request or proposal.
如 (rú)
In Chinese, 'as' is translated to '如' (rú). It is used in similar ways to English, often appearing in comparisons or hypotheticals. It can also mean 'like' or 'similar to' in various contexts.
如果 (rúguǒ)
The Chinese word '如果' corresponds to English word 'if'. It is often used in conditions, suppositions or uncertainties. For instance, in a sentence '如果我有时间，我会帮你的' which means 'If I have time, I will help you'.
如此 (rú cǐ)
In Chinese, '如此' is used similarly to the word 'so' in English. It can be used for emphasis, connection or to indicate the degree or extent of something. The term '如此' is commonly used in formal and written Chinese.
Example sentences with 如此 →妈妈 (māmā)
In Chinese, '妈妈' (māmā) is used to refer to one's mother. It is an informal and affectionate term used by children or adults when addressing their mothers. Similar to English, it's very common for children to use this term and is generally acceptable for adults to use when talking about their own mothers.
Example sentences with 妈妈 →妻子 (qīzi)
The Chinese word '妻子' is equivalent to 'wife' in English. It is mostly used in formal contexts or in written language for referring to one's spouse. There is an aspect of respect for the female partner in the household when using this term. Just like in English, it refers to the woman a person is married to.