Chinese
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in Chinese.
作者 (zuò zhě)
The Chinese word '作者' is used to refer to the individual who has created or written a particular piece of work. This might be a book, poem, article, or any other creative work. Similar to English, it can also be used in conjunction with other words. For example, '作者的观点' means 'author's opinion'.
你 (nǐ)
The character '你' translates to 'you' in English. It is the common way of addressing a person directly in Chinese, similar to how 'you' is used in English. However, be aware that in Chinese the way of addressing someone can be subject to the relationship or social ranking between the speaker and the addressee.
Example sentences with 你 →你好 (nǐ hǎo)
The Chinese word '你好' is widely used in Mandarin speaking areas to greet others. It literally translates to 'you good' in English, conveying a sense of wishing well for the other person. It is considered polite and is appropriate to use at any time of day and in any situation, and can be used whether you're greeting one person or a group.
你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma)
你好吗 is a casual way to ask 'what's up?' in Chinese. It is generally used among friends to inquire about each other's wellbeing or to start a conversation. It does not require a literal answer about what is happening, but it instead invites the other person to share any important or interesting news about their lives.
你好吗？ (Nǐ hǎo ma?)
你好吗？or 'Nǐ hǎo ma?' is a common way to greet someone in Chinese, especially those you are familiar with. It directly translates to 'you good?' or 'are you well?'. You can use it in both formal and informal situations, similar to 'how are you?' in English. But keep in mind, in China, this question is more often used when the asker really wants to know about the other person's well-being, not as a casual greeting like in English.
你的 (nǐ de)
In Chinese, '你的' (your) is used to denote possession towards something. This can be a tangible or intangible item. For instance, if you wanted to say 'your book', you would say '你的书'. It is also used the same way as 'your' in English when referring to relationships, like '你的朋友' (your friend).
你自己 (nǐ zìjǐ)
In Chinese, '你自己' is used to refer to the person that the speaker is talking to, in a similar way to 'yourself' in English. It is often used to show emphasis and can be used in a variety of contexts.
使用 (shǐ yòng)
The Chinese word '使用' is a versatile term that is used in a variety of situations, similar to its English counterpart. It can be used to represent the act of using items or services, applying methods or ideas, or utilizing resources. Its usage is common in both formal and informal Chinese speech and writing.
Example sentences with 使用 →例子 (lì zi)
The Chinese word '例子' is commonly used to depict an instance or an instance to be followed or imitated. It's considered a noun and can be used in various contexts to give an illustration or serve as a prototype for something.
供应 (gōng yìng)
In Chinese, '供应' refers to the act of providing something that is needed or wanted. It can be used in various contexts, such as in economics to discuss the production of goods and services, or in everyday language to talk about providing for someone's needs.
Example sentences with 供应 →依赖 (yīlài)
The Chinese term '依赖' is pronounced as yīlài and translates to 'depend' in English. This verb is often used in Chinese just as we would use 'depend' in English, such as to rely or count on someone or something. It often indicates a reliance that is necessary or unchangeable, and the nature of its context can range from physical, as in to depend on a certain tool, to abstract like depending on somebody's support. Variety of phrases can be created with this term like dependency, dependent etc.
侧面 (cèmiàn)
The Chinese word '侧面' is used to mean side. It can be used in sentences to refer to the side of object or space. Like in English, '侧面' can also be used metaphorically to refer to an aspect or facet of something.
侵略性的 (qīn lüè xìng de)
In Chinese, '侵略性的' is used similarly to 'aggressive' in English. It can describe someone who is constantly ready to attack or confront, or something existing or happening in a high volume or degree. It can be used metaphorically to describe an aggressive company strategy, or literally to describe an aggressive animal behavior.
便宜 (pián yí)
The Chinese word '便宜' (pronounced as 'pián yí') is used to describe something that costs little money or less than usual. For example, if you want to say 'This shirt is cheap', you would say '这件衬衫很便宜' in Chinese.
Example sentences with 便宜 →促销 (cù xiāo)
The Chinese word '促销' literally translates to 'promote' and 'sell'. It is often used in the context of marketing, advertising, and sales to refer to promotional deals, sales offers, or marketing campaigns, similar to the English term 'promotion'.
Example sentences with 促销 →保存 (bǎocún)
In Chinese, '保存' (bǎocún) is used similarly to the English 'save'. It can mean to preserve something, like saving a document or an email, but also to conserve resources, like saving electricity or water. It usually conveys the idea of 'keep for future use'.
保护 (bǎohù)
The Chinese word '保护' implies safeguarding or defending something. It can be used in various contexts just like in English, such as to protect people, to protect one's rights, to protect the environment etc.
保持 (bǎo chí)
The Chinese word '保持' is used in the same way as the English word 'keep'. For example, to maintain or continue existing conditions or to retain something, such as keeping a promise would be '保持承诺', keeping peace would be '保持和平'. It also could mean to stay in a state or condition, similar to 'keep calm' which would translate to '保持冷静'.
保留 (bǎoliú)
In Chinese, '保留' (bǎoliú) is used in a variety of contexts similarly to 'retain' in English. It can be used to denote the act of keeping or reserving something, such as preserving a job, keeping a physical item or holding onto an idea or thought. For example, when one reserves judgment, they can say they '保留' judgment.
保证 (bǎo zhèng)
The Chinese word '保证' is used similarly to the English word 'assure'. It refers to a promise or guarantee that something will happen or be done. There is a sense of giving confidence to the person the assurance is given to. For example, 你可以向他保证你不会迟到吗？ means 'Can you assure him that you won't be late?'
Example sentences with 保证 →保险 (bǎo xiǎn)
The Chinese word '保险' means insurance in English. It is used in the same context as in English - referring to a policy from a company that compensates for particular potential future losses or damages in exchange for regular payments.
Example sentences with 保险 →信 (xìn)
In Chinese, the word for 'letter' is '信'. It's often used in the context of mailing or writing a letter to someone. In Chinese, it holds a similar usage like in English, where it can signify a paper correspondence sent to someone. However, it doesn't mean the alphabet letters.
信仰 (xìn yǎng)
The Chinese word '信仰' represents a strong belief in religious doctrines or a firm belief in something for which there is no proof. It can be used the same way as it's counterpart in English.
Example sentences with 信仰 →信任 (xìn rèn)
The Chinese word '信任' can be used in the same way as the English word 'trust'. It can apply to trust in people or in abstract ideas, such as trust in a process or system. It can also imply a sense of reliance and confidence in someone or something.
Example sentences with 信任 →信号 (xìn hào)
The Chinese word '信号' directly translates to 'signal' in English. It is primarily used to refer to a sign, a hint, or an indication, much like in English. It can also be used to refer to a signal in telecommunications. It can be used in various contexts like traffic signal (交通信号), signal light (信号灯), etc.
信息 (xìn xī)
The Chinese word '信息' is used in exactly the same way as the English word 'information'. It refers to collected facts and data about a specific subject. You can use it in sentences like '这是什么信息？' (What information is this?)
信用 (xìn yòng)
The term '信用' in Chinese is similar to how 'credit' is used in English. It could refer to the confidence in a party's ability and commitment to fulfill their financial obligations, typically regarding loans, installment plans, or other financial agreements. It's often used in banks, retail businesses, and financial organizations. Additionally, it might also refer to a person's reputation or trustworthiness.
Example sentences with 信用 →修复 (xiū fù)
The Chinese word '修复' is used similarly to the English word 'fix'. It can be used to refer to repairing something that is broken or does not work correctly, such as a machine or system. It can also be used more metaphorically to refer to correcting or remedying a situation or problem.
Example sentences with 修复 →修理 (xiū lǐ)
The Chinese word '修理' translates to 'repair' in English. It is used to describe the act of fixing something that is broken or not working properly. It could be used in various contexts such as repairing a computer, a car, a house, etc. Just like in English, '修理' can be used both as a noun and a verb.
Example sentences with 修理 →俱乐部 (jù lè bù)
The Chinese word '俱乐部' directly translates to 'club'. It is often used in the same context as in English to denote an organization or a group of people who have a common interest or activity. For example, a 'basketball club' would be '篮球俱乐部'.