Chinese Vocab
Typical phrases
最近怎么样 = Zuìjìn zěnme yàng = How's it going?
还好 = Hái hǎo = Fine
还可以 = Hái kěyǐ = Well enough
老样子 = Lǎo yàngzǐ = Same as usual
多少钱？= Duōshǎo qián? = How much?
请慢一点儿 = Qǐng màn yīdiǎn er = Please slow down a bit
什么意思？= Shénme yìsi? = What do you mean?
不好意思 = Bù hǎoyìsi = Excuse me
抱歉 = bàoqiàn = Sorry
恭喜发财 = Gōngxǐ fācái = May you prosper
摸鱼 = Mō yú = slacking off
划水 = huà shuǐ = goofing off
内卷 / 内耗 = Nèi juǎn/ nèihào = Involution / internal friction
前天 = Qiántiān = the day before yesterday
昨天 = Zuótiān = yesterday
今天 = Jīntiān = today
明天 = Míngtiān = tomorrow
后天 = Hòutiān = the day after tomorrow
几月 = Jǐ yuè = which month?
几号 = Jǐ hào = what date is it?
今天几月几号 = Jīntiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào = What is today's date?
明天几月几号 = Míngtiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào = What is tomorrow's date?
今天是2026年8月18号 = Jīntiān shì 2026 nián 8 yuè 18 hào = Today is August 18, 2026
你今年多大了 = Nǐ jīnnián duōdàle = How old are you this year?
我今年25岁 = Wǒ jīnnián 25 suì = I am 25 years old this year
前年 = Qiánnián = the year before last
去年 = Qùnián = last year
今年 = Jīnnián = this year
明年 = Míngnián = next year
后年 = Hòunián = the year after next
你今年几岁了 = Nǐ jīnnián jǐ suìle = (TO A CHILD) How old are you this year?
你今年多大了 = Nǐ jīnnián duōdàle = (TO AN ADULT) How old are you this year?
你今年多大年纪了 = Nǐ jīnnián duōdà niánjìle = (TO AND ELDERLY PERSON) How old are you this year?
你妈妈 = Nǐ māmā = Your mum
你爸爸 = Nǐ bàba = Your dad
比 = Bǐ = Compares
老 = Lǎo = old
你妈妈比你爸爸 老吗 = Nǐ māmā bǐ nǐ bàba lǎo ma = Is your mother older than your father?
中国 = Zhōngguó = China
城市 = Chéngshì = City
有很 = Yǒu hěn = There is a lot of...
多大 = Duōdà = How big? / How old?
中国有很多大城市 = Zhōngguó yǒu hěnduō dà chéngshì = There are many large cities in China
没那么好 = Méi nàme hǎo = Not that good
没那么多 = Méi nàme duō = Not that many
北方 = běifāng = North
北部 = běibù = Northern part
南方 = nánfāng = South
南部 = nánbù = Southern part
东方 = dōngfāng = East
东部 = dōngbù = Eastern
西方 = Xīfāng = Western
西部 = xībù = The West
亚洲 = Yàzhōu = Asia
欧洲 = Ōuzhōu = Europe
非洲 = Fēizhōu = Africa
美洲 = Měizhōu = America
你来自哪个国家 = Nǐ láizì nǎge guójiā = Which country are you from?
我来自英国 = Wǒ láizì yīngguó = I am from the UK
你父母来自哪个国家 = Nǐ fùmǔ láizì nǎge guójiā = Which country are your parents from?
我父母来自英国 = Wǒ fùmǔ láizì yīngguó = My parents are from the UK
你住英国哪里 = Nǐ zhù yīngguó nǎlǐ = Where do you live in the UK?
我住在英国南部 = Wǒ zhù zài yīngguó nánbù = I live in the south of England
温切斯特在英国哪里 = Wēn qiè sī tè zài yīngguó nǎlǐ = Where is Winchester in the UK?
北京在中国哪里 = Běijīng zài zhōngguó nǎlǐ = Where is Beijing located in China?
北京在中国 =
———————————————————
The "shi... de" construction for emphasizing details
This construction is used to draw attention to certain information in a sentence. It's often used to ask questions that seek specific information, or to explain a situation by emphasizing a particular detail. The ‘shi…de’ construction is frequently used when asking or telling details about the past.
了 = le = [something happened]
是⋯⋯的 is not generally used for reporting new information but for adding important details that make the information clearer. You could think of 是⋯⋯的 as being equivalent to saying one of the following in English:
"The situation is that..."
"It's that... "
"It was... that... "
Phrases for you to think about
1. 你们是在哪里认识的？
2. 你是坐飞机来的吗？
3. 你是哪里来的？
4. 你是哪里出生的？
你们是在哪里认识的 = Nǐmen shì zài nǎlǐ rènshí de = Where did you meet?
You people (shi) where knowing (de)?
你是坐飞机来的吗 = Nǐ shì zuò fēijī lái de ma? = Did you come by plane?
You (shi) take a flight to come here (de) ?
你是哪里来的 = Nǐ shì nǎlǐ lái de = Where are you from?
You (shi) where come from (de)
你是哪里出生的 = Nǐ shì nǎlǐ chūshēng de = Where were you born?
You (shi) where born (de)
Professions
工作 = Gōngzuò = Work
医生 = Yīshēng = doctor
老师 = Lǎoshī = teacher
模特儿 = Mótè ér = model
律师 l = Lǜshī l = mawyer
经理 = Jīnglǐ = manager
推销员 = Tuīxiāo yuán = salesperson
艺术家 = Yìshùjiā = artist
司机 = Sījī = driver
网红 = Wǎng hóng = Internet celebrity / Influencer
你喜欢你的工作吗 = Nǐ xǐhuān nǐ de gōngzuò ma = Do you like your job?
Describing your job
有意思 = Yǒuyìsi = interesting
好玩 = Hǎowán = fun
无聊 = Wúliáo = boring
辛苦 = Xīnkǔ = hard (this can also be said to someone to acknowledge their struggles)
稳定 = Wěndìng = stablize / stable
友好 = yóuhǎo = friendly
有用 = Yǒuyòng = it works/ it’s useful
你问一个中国人‘你喜欢你的工作吗 = Nǐ wèn yīgè zhōngguó rén ‘nǐ xǐhuān nǐ de gōngzuò ma = If you ask a Chinese person, "Do you like your job?"
我不喜欢我的工作 = Wǒ bù xǐhuān wǒ de gōngzuò = I don't like my job
我的工作很稳定 = Wǒ de gōngzuò hěn wěndìng = My job is very stable
但是我很无聊很辛苦 = Dànshì wǒ hěn wúliáo hěn xīnkǔ = But I'm bored and having a really hard time
我没有老板 = Wǒ méiyǒu lǎobǎn = I don't have a boss
我是我的老板 = Wǒ shì wǒ de lǎobǎn = I am my boss
我是自己的老板 = Wǒ shì zìjǐ de lǎobǎn = I am my own boss
工作不太稳定 = Gōngzuò bù tài wěndìng = The job isn't very stable
我是网红 = Wǒ shì wǎng hóng = I am an internet celebrity
=Expressing opinion
认为 = Rènwéi = believe
觉得 = Juédé = think
感觉 = Gǎnjué = feel
好 = hǎo = good
坏 = huài = bad
我认为我老板是坏人 = Wǒ rènwéi wǒ lǎobǎn shì huàirén = I think my boss is a bad person
1)I think my job is fun
Wo juede wo de gongzuo haowan
2) I think his job is boring
Wo juede ta de gongzuo wuliao
3) We feel that this job is stable
Women ganjue zhege gonzuo wending
4) I think her job is useful
I juede ta de gongzuo youyong
5) I think your job is difficult
Wo ganjue ni de gongzuo hen xinku
在中国人家一般几点下班 = Zài zhōngguó rénjiā yì bān jǐ diǎn xiàbān = What time do people in China usually get off work?
zai zhongguo renjia yiban shan xiaban shàngwǔ jiu diǎn he xiaban wǎnshàng jiu diǎn
在英国人家一般几点上下班 = Zài yīngguó rénjiā yì bān jǐ diǎn shàng xiàbān = What time do people in the UK generally start and finish get off work?
zai yingguo renjia yi ban shang xiaban shangwu jiu dian he xiaban wangshang wu dian
人家 = rénjiā = people
一般 = yībān = generally
下班 = xiàbān = get off work
上下班 = shàng xiàbān = starting and finishing work
Talking about family
她才40岁 = Tā cái 40 suì = She is only 40 years old
Travel
Wo shangwu/zaoshang ba dian zuo huoche
Ta xiawu er dian zuo huoche
Women zaoshang liu dian zuo huoche
Tamen