Chinese
Vocab Builder for commonly used words in Chinese.
倒 (dào)
The Chinese character for 'pour' is '倒'. It can be used in the context of something being knocked over or poured out from a container, such as '倒水' which means 'pour water'. Additionally, it is also frequently used in expressions to mean 'fall' or 'collapse' (such as in the verb '倒塌') or in the context of trading or exchanging goods.
Example sentences with 倒 →倒计时 (dào jì shí)
In Chinese, '倒计时' is used to express the concept of counting down to a particular event or moment, similar to how 'countdown' is used in English. It can be used for any event such as a launch, party or new year.
Example sentences with 倒计时 →候选人 (hòu xiǎn rén)
In Chinese, '候选人' is used to refer to a person who is proposed for an election or appointment. It corresponds to the word 'candidate' in English. It can be used in various contexts including politics, competitions or other scenarios where a selection process is applicable.
借 (jiè)
The Chinese word for 'borrow' is '借' (jiè). It is a verb that means to receive a thing from someone temporarily, intending to return it. In Mandarin Chinese, it can be used just like its English equivalent. For example, in the sentence '我可以借你的笔吗？' (Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de bǐ ma?), it means 'Can I borrow your pen?'
Example sentences with 借 →借口 (jiè kǒu)
The Chinese word '借口' means 'excuse'. It can be used in various contexts. For instance, you can use '借口' to express an excuse for being late or for not completing a task. It is an integral word in conversational Chinese.
债务 (zhàiwù)
The Chinese word for debt is 债务 (zhàiwù). It is used to refer to a sum of money that one party owes to a second party. In most contexts, it is used like the English word, referring to situations where money has been borrowed, and yet to be repaid.
Example sentences with 债务 →值得 (zhí dé)
In Chinese, '值得' (zhí dé) is used similarly to 'deserve' in English. It is often used to express that someone or something merits a particular reaction, treatment, or situation, because of their qualities or actions. For instance, '你值得更好的' means 'You deserve better'.
Example sentences with 值得 →倾倒 (qīng dào)
The Chinese word '倾倒' is used to denote the act of dumping or unloading something, just as 'dump' is used in English. It's mostly used in the context of dumping waste or pouring out liquids. This word can also be metaphorically used to express feelings being poured out.
Example sentences with 倾倒 →倾向 (Qīngxiàng)
The Chinese word '倾向' is used to express a tendency, inclination, or preference for something. Similar to English, it can be used in various contexts. For example, when speaking about a person's habits, preferences, or usual course of action.
Example sentences with 倾向 →假日 (jià rì)
The Chinese word for holiday is '假日'. It's typically used to denote both federal and public vacations, similar to its usage in English. You can use it in many contexts where you would use the word 'holiday' in English, such as explaining national holidays, school breaks, or days off from work.
Example sentences with 假日 →假期 (jiàqī)
The Chinese word for vacation is '假期', used to describe a period of time taken off from work or school for rest, travel, or the like. One could use it in a sentence like this: '我正在计划我的假期' which translates to 'I am planning my vacation.'
Example sentences with 假期 →假的 (jia de)
In Chinese, the word '假的’ (pronounced jia de) is used to denote something false or not real. This usage is common in various contexts, whether it be referring to false news (假的新闻), false statements/falsities (假的声明) or even fake products (假的产品). Much like in English, it's used to identify or call out deception or lack of authenticity.
Example sentences with 假的 →假装 (jiǎ-zhuāng)
The Chinese word '假装' is used similarly to the English word 'pretend'. It can be used to describe someone feigning an action, emotion, or physical state they actually do not possess, in order to deceive others for various purposes. It can be widely used in various context, for instance: pretending to be hurt, pretending to sleep etc.
Example sentences with 假装 →假设 (jiǎshè)
The Chinese word '假设' is used in similar contexts as the English word 'assume', denoting supposition or conjecture. For instance, it can be used in sentences to describe scenarios that are hypothetical or not confirmed.
偏好 (piān hào)
In Chinese, preference is translated as '偏好'. It is used when describing someone's likes or interests more than others. Similar to English, it can be used in various contexts whether it be food preference, music preference, or lifestyle preference. It denotes a greater inclination towards one thing over others.
Example sentences with 偏好 →偏爱 (piān ài)
The Chinese word '偏爱' is used to express a stronger liking for one thing over another. Similar to English, it can be used in a variety of contexts, including personal preferences in food, color, sport, etc. For example, '她偏爱红色' means 'She prefers red.'
Example sentences with 偏爱 →做 (zuò)
The Chinese word '做' (zuò) translates to 'does' in English. It is generally used as a verb, similar to its English equivalent, and can be used in a wide variety of contexts to represent the act of doing, making, or performing something. Note that '做' is also used in other contexts with different meanings such as 'to be' (in the sense of posing as) or 'to make' or 'to produce'. Usage depends on context.
停 (tíng)
The Chinese word for 'stop' is '停'. It is used in similar contexts as the English word 'stop', often to command someone or something to cease movement or action. This word is used both verbally and in written form across a range of circumstances.
停车 (tíng chē)
The Chinese word '停车' is used to refer to the action or activity of leaving a vehicle in a particular place for a period of time. It is used in the same context as the English equivalent 'parking'. It could be used in sentences like: 我可以在这里停车吗? (Can I park here?).
Example sentences with 停车 →健康 (jiàn kāng)
The Chinese word for health, '健康', is often used in a similar context as in English. It conjures up ideas of physical wellbeing, mental wellness, and leading a balanced lifestyle. It is used in a variety of phrases and expressions encouraging healthy habits and decisions.
偶尔 (ǒu ěr)
The Chinese word '偶尔' is used to express the English concept of 'occasionally'. It means not something that happens frequently or on a regular basis, but sometimes or once in a while. For example, you can use it when you want to say that you see someone occasionally, indicating that you meet them sometimes but not all the time.
偷 (tōu)
The Chinese word '偷' is used in a similar way as the English word 'steal'. It typically refers to the act of taking someone else's property without permission and with the intention of keeping it. For example, '他偷了我的钱包' means 'He stole my wallet'.
Example sentences with 偷 →储存 (chǔ cún)
In Chinese, '储存' is the term used to denote storage. This can be used in various contexts just like in English, such as data storage (数据储存), food storage (食品储存), and energy storage (能源储存). It essentially refers to the act of keeping things that can be used in the future, similar to its English equivalence.
储蓄 (chǔxù)
The Chinese word for savings is '储蓄'. It is used in the same context as in English, to refer to the part of a person's income that is not spent but rather accumulated or invested. The term can be found in various contexts such as personal finance, banking, and economics.
Example sentences with 储蓄 →傻 (shǎ)
The Chinese word for 'silly' is '傻'. It is used to refer to someone who acts in a foolish or senseless manner. In a less harsh tone, it could also mean someone who is carefree or naive. Just like in English, it is often used lightly to tease friends or loved ones.
Example sentences with 傻 →儿子 (ér zi)
The word '儿子' in Chinese is used in the same context as it is in English. It's used to denote the male offspring of parents. It's a common term used in the family context to refer to a boy or a young adult male. It can be used together with possessive pronouns to signify possession. For instance, '我的儿子' means 'my son'.
Example sentences with 儿子 →允许 (yǔn xǔ)
The Chinese word '允许' is used in similar contexts to the English word 'allow'. It is often used to grant permission, to let something happen, or to admit an assertion. It is commonly used in formal language and everyday conversation.
兄弟 (xiōngdì)
The Chinese word for 'brother' is '兄弟'. It is used to refer to a male sibling. It can also be used in a more general sense to refer to a close male friend or associate, similar to how 'brother' is used in English.
先前 (xiān qián)
The Chinese word '先前' is analogous to 'prior' in English. It is typically used to reference something that occurred before a certain point in time. Just like 'prior', '先前' can be utilized in various contexts, including but not limited to discussing prior experiences, prior knowledge, or actions done prior to a specific event.
Example sentences with 先前 →先生 (xiān shēng)
The Chinese word '先生' is often used to address a man in a respectful and formal manner, much like 'sir' in English. It can be used directly as a title in front of the name or as a polite term of address on its own. It is generally used in formal settings and in a respectful manner towards male elders, bosess, or when interacting with strangers.
Example sentences with 先生 →