English–Chinese pinyin glossary

This glossary is in pinyin only. For corresponding character words, see the Chinese–English glossary which has both pinyin and characters. able to see, to be kàn de jiàn about, approximate zuǒ yòu after/in/…later hòu afternoon xiàwǔ ago/before qián ahead qiánmian air-conditioning kōngtiáo airport jīchǎng Alipay zhīfùbǎo all suǒyǒude…dōu/dōu all right/fine hái hǎo/hǎo ba all right; is it all right?/is it okay? hǎo bù hǎo?/xíng ma? all right; it’s all right/it doesn’t matter/it’s okay méi guānxi almost jīhū already yǐjing also, too yě altogether yīgòng Amazon Yàmǎxùn American Měiguórén and hé another thing; also hái yǒu answer huídá any/anything shénme any time/whenever shénme shíhou anybody/somebody yǒu rén anything else biéde apology; many apologies zhēn bàoqiàn apple píngguǒ approximately/about/around dàyuē arrive (v.) dào/lái (as) you say…then… nĭ shuō…jiù… ask (question) (v.) wèn ask (sb. to do sth.) (v.) ràng at/be at/be in zài attend/take part (v.) cānjiā attend(v.) meeting/conference kāi huì August bāyuè aunt (on father’s side) gūgu aunt (on mother’s side) ā’yí Australia Àodàlìyà autumn qiūtiān avenue dàjiē away/to go away (v.) chūmén banana xiāngjiāo bank (financial) (n.) yínháng bar jiūbā bargain, good hésuàn bathroom wèishēng jiān to be (am, is, are) (v.) shì beautiful (adj.)/be beautiful (pred. adj.) měi/piàoliang/měilì because yīnwéi become (v.)/be dāng bed chuáng beef niúròu beer píjiǔ beginners chūxuézhě Beijing person/Beijingnese Běijīngrén believe (v.) xiāngxìn best wishes zhù hǎo bicycle (n.) zìxíngchē big, large (adj.)/to be big, large (pred. adj.) dà bill please qǐng mǎi dān book (n.) shū borrow (v.) jiè boss lǎobǎn both; all dōu bottle píng breakfast zǎofàn/zǎocān bring/take (v.) dài Britain Yīngguó British Yīngguórén broken down, to be/does not work (v.) huài le brother, elder gēge

brother, younger

bullet train

dìdi

gāo tiĕ

bureau/office jú bus gōnggòng qìchē/chē to be busy (pred. adj.) máng but dànshì/kĕshì buy (v.) mǎi call/called (v.) jiào can/be able to (v.) huì can/could (ability) (v.) néng can/could/may (permission) (v.) kěyi car chē

case; in that case

catch (train, etc.) (v.)

nà: zhème shuō/ nàme

gǎn

celebrate/spend (v.)

centre

change (n. coin)

guò

zhōngxīn

língqián

change (v.) huàn be cheap/inexpensive (pred. adj.) piányi check (v.) chá check in (hotel) (v.) rù zhù chicken/diced chicken jī/jī dīng children háizi China Zhōngguó Chinese (as a language) Zhōngwén

Chinese New Year

Chinese-English

Chūnjié

hàn-yīng

city chéngshì classmate tóngxué

clear/clearly/be sure

client

qīngchǔ

kèhù

close/to be closed (v.)

clothing

guānmén

fúzhuāng

coffee kāfēi cold (adj.)/to be cold (pred. adj.) lěng collect/meet (somebody) (v.) jiē colour (n.) yánsè come/come to (v.) lái to be comfortable (pred. adj.)/nice shūfu company gōngsī compared with bǐ

computer

confirm/firm up (v.)

diànnao

dìngxialái

contain (v.)/include

cot

hán

yīng’ér chuáng

country guó

crossroads

dad

lùkǒu

bàba

dark (colour); deep shēn date (n.) hào daughter nǚ’ér day tiān day after tomorrow hòu tiān dear qīn’àide decide (v.)/decision (n.); you decide juédìng; nǐ juédìng

definitely

deliver (v.); delivery

yīdìng

sònghuò

depart (v.)

departure station

departure time (rail)

fāchē

shǐfā zhàn

fāchē shíjiān

depend; it depends yào kàn qíngkuàng deputy/vice fù destination zhōngdiǎn zhàn diced chicken jī dīng dictionary cídiăn did not expect méi xiǎngdào difficult, to be (pred. adj.) nán dining room (public); restaurant cāntīng discuss/consult (v.) shāngliang do (v.) gàn do not bié do/does/are/is… or…? háishi double room shuāngrén fángjiān drink (v.) hē duck (n.) yā

early/to be early (adj./adv./pred.adj.)

early morning

zǎo

yī dà zǎo

east dōng eat (v.) chī eight bā enough, to be (pred. Adj.) gòu evening; this evening/tonight wǎnshang; jīntiān wǎnshang every měi everything yīqiè

excellent/superb

to be excited/exciting

bàng

jīdòng

excuse me/l’m sorry duìbùqǐ expensive, to be (pred. Adj.) guì extension fēnjī extremely/very fēicháng/tèbié/shffēn/tài…le family jiā fast kuài feel; it feels (with hands)… mōshangqu female; ladies nǚ find (v.) zhǎo find, not easy to bù hǎo zhǎo fine, to be (pred. adj.) hǎo finish (work) xià bān

first

first-class seat

dì yī

yīděng zuò

first of all xiān

first time/for the first time

first to notify

dì yī cì

dì yī shíjiān

fish (n.) yú five wŭ flatter (v.); I’m flattered guò jiǎng floor/layer céng follow gēn following day dì èr tiān forget wàng found, to have zhǎo dào four sì frankly speaking/to be honest lǎoshí shuō free, to be yǒu kòng/yǒu shíjiān fresh xīnxiān friend; good friend péngyou; hǎo yǒu friendly yǒuhǎo from…to… cóng…dào… fruit shuíguǒ full bǎo get off (v.) xià chē get up (v.) qǐchuáng give (v.) gěi glad, to be (pred. adj.) gāoxìng go/go to (v.) qù go into (v.) jìn qu go shopping (v.) mǎi dōngxi go to (school) (v.) shàng go to work (v.) shàng bān good (adj.)/to be good (pred. adj.) hǎo good-looking, to be (pred. adj.) hǎokàn

goodbye

good night

grandma, maternal

grandma, paternal

zàijiàn

wǎn ān

wàipó/lǎolao

nǎinai

Great Wall Cháng Chéng green lǜ guess (v.) cāi Hainan Island Hǎinán Dǎo half bàn

half a kilo

handsome; smart (in dress)

yī jīn

shuài

happen to gānghǎo

happy, to be (pred. adj.)

happy (birthday)

gāoxìng

kuàilè

hard-sleeper (on a train) yìngwò have/has (v.) yǒu have to/must (v.) děi he/him tā health shēntǐ hear (v.) tīng heard, have tīngshuō hello (only used on the telephone) wéi be on holiday/go on holiday dùjià home jiā hot (adj.)/to be hot (pred. adj.) rè hot and sour suānlà hotel/hostel jiŭdiàn/lǚguăn hour xiǎoshí how zěnme how are you?/how are things? zěnme yàng? how do I get there?/how do I get to…? zěnme zǒu? how do you do?/hello nǐ hǎo how long duō jiǔ how many? jǐ/duō shǎo how much? duō shǎo how much is it? duō shǎo qián? however/but búguò hundred bǎi hungry, to be (pred. adj.) è hurry up (adv.) kuài husband zhàngfu/xiānsheng/àiren I/me wǒ idea, good hǎo zhǔyi ideally zuìhǎo

if

immediately

impressive

rúguǒ

măshàng

lìhai

incorrect bú duì inside lǐ interesting, to be (pred. adj.) yǒu yìsi

internet

be in touch

hùliángwǎng

lián luò

introduce

invite/take someone out (v.)

jièshào

qǐng

January yīyuè journey/trip yīlù July qīyuè just/just a second gāng/shāo děng key (n.) yàoshi kind (sort) zhǒng king prawn dà xiā know (somebody) rènshi know/be aware of zhīdào landline zuòjī large one/big one dà de last (not first) zuìhòu last (previous) shàng ge last minute/temporary línshí late chí learn/study (v.) xué leave (v.) zǒu left (adj.) zuǒ lend (v.) jiè let/allow (v.) ràng lift (n.) diàntī light bulb diàn dēng like (v.) xǐhuān listen (v.) carefully tīng hǎo listen (v.) to tīng a little/some diǎnr a little bit yīdiǎnr/yǒu (yī) diǎnr little, small (adj.)/to be little, to be small (pred. adj.) xiǎo live (v.) zhù local dāngdì London Lúndūn long (adj.) jiǔ long (adj.)/to be long (pred. adj.) cháng look around (v.) guàng look for (v.) zhǎo look/seem kànshangqu look, have a (v.) nǐ kàn love (v.) ài lunch wǔfàn lychee lìzhī male nán man nánde manager jīnglǐ many/much hěnduō map dìtú market shìchǎng married jiēhūn matter (this) zhè jiàn shì meet (v.) jiànmiàn/jiàndào mention/talk (v.) shuōqǐ menu càidān minute (duration of time) fēnzhōng minute (telling the time) fēn Miss xiǎojie mobile phone shǒu jī money qián month yuè more duō more than/over duō morning zǎoshang most zuì mother/mum māma Mr xiānsheng Mrs tàitai

must

my turn, it’s

děi

gāi wǒ le

name míngzi nearby/close by fùjìn nearly kuài need (v.) xūyào need, do not bú yòng new (adj.)/to be new (pred. adj.) xīn next xià ge next door gébì next stop xià yī zhàn next time xià cì next year míng nián nice (adj.)/to be nice (pred. adj.) hǎo/hǎokàn nine jiŭ no bú shì noisy chǎo noodles miàntiáo not bù/méi/méiyǒu not bad bú cuò not really/not at all nǎlǐ now xiànzài number hàomǎ/cì/hào o’clock diǎn October shíyuè office bàngōngshì often/always/frequently cháng okay hǎo de/xíng old (adj.)/to be old (pred. adj.) lǎo/dà once yī cì once again zài one yī/yāo one cup yī bēi

one day…

online

yǒu yī tiān…

wǎng shàng

only zhǐyǒu the only thing/downside is… jiù shì… open (something) (v.) kāi

open (v.)/to be open (pred. adj.)

or (in statement only)

kāimén

huòzhě

orange juice chéngzi zhī

order (books, etc) (v.)

order (food) (v.)

dìng

diǎn cài

other qítā/biéde

our/ours

Oxford

wǒmende

Niújīn

pancake bǐng

parents

party

fúmǔ

pàiduì

pass (v.) dì peach táozi people rénmín perhaps yěxǔ person/people rén photograph zhàopiān

plan (v.)

plane; flight

dǎsuàn

fēijī

please qǐng pleased, to be (pred. adj.) gāoxìng plus jiā

post office

postcard

yóujú

míngxìnpiàn

postcode yóubiān presents lǐwù primary school xiǎo xué problem; no problem wèntí; méi wèntí/méishìde

public (adj.)

publisher

purchase (v. n.)

gōnggòng

chūbǎnshè

gòuwù

quarter ké a quarter of a kilo bàn jīn quite/rather/relatively bǐjiào quite good/pretty good; quite well bú cuò railway station huǒchē zhàn rain/raining xiàyǔ really zhēn really?/is that so? shì ma?/zhēn de? received by…/receive shōu recently zuìjìn remember jìde

repair (v.)

reply (email) (v.)

xiū

huí

require/need (v.) xūyào restaurant cān’guǎn retired (adj.)/to be retired (pred. adj.) tuìxiū return (v.) huílai return (give back) (v.) huán ride (v.) qí roast duck kǎo yā romantic (adj.) làngmàn room fángjiān route/road lù same yīyàng sauce jiàng scarf wéijīn scenery fēngjǐng seafood hǎixiān season jìjié

seasonal vegetables

second-class seat

shícài

èrděng zuò

secondary/middle school zhōng xué secretary mìshū see/visit/watch/read kàn see to/handle chǔlǐ see you again/see you later huíjiàn sell (v.) mài send for someone (v.) ràng rén seven qī several jǐ she/her tā shop shāngdiàn should/ought to yīnggāi side (n.) biān silk; pure silk sīchóu; zhēn sī

single

sister, elder

sister, younger

dān

jiějie

mèimei

sit/sit down (v.) zuò situation/present condition qíngkuàng six liù sleep (v.) (n.) shuìjiào slowly (adv.)/slow (adj.) màn small (adj.)/to be small (pred. adj.) xiǎo small one xiǎo de small plate yī xiǎo pán smooth, to be (pred. adj.) shùnlì snow (v.) xiàxuě so zhème sold out mài guāng le some yīxiē son érzi soon/quickly kuài sorry; l’m sorry/excuse me duìbuqǐ soup tāng speak/say (v.) shuō spring (season) (n.) chūntiān starving è sǐ le stay (v.) dāi steamed bun with filling bāozi still/also hái

stir-fried noodles

stir-fry (v.)

chǎo miàn

chǎo

strawberry cǎoméi subject/major (academic) zhuǎnyè

successful (adj.)/success (n.)

be suitable

chénggōng

shìhé

summer xiàtiān Sunday xīngqītān superb! Tài bàng le! supermarket chāoshì surf the web/go online (v.) shàng wăng sweater/jumper màoyī sweet and sour tángcù swim (v.) yóuyǒng swimming pool yóuyǒng chí take (sb. to somewhere) (v.) dài…qù take (a picture)/shoot (v.) pāi take (bus) (v.) zuò/chéng talk/chat (v.) tánhuà/tán talk (about) (v.) shuōqǐ taste (v.) cháng tasty, to be (pred. adj.) hǎochī taxi chūzūchē tea chá telephone (n.) diànhuà telephone (v.) dǎ diànhuà tell (v.) gàosu Temple of Heaven Tiān Tán

ten

text message

shí

duănxìn

thank you xièxie thanks; many thanks duō xiè that nà/nà ge that is jiù shì there nàr these zhèxiē thing (an issue, a matter) shì thing (an item/object) dōngxi think/feel (v.) juéde think; I think… wó xiǎng… this zhè three sān ticket piào ticket office shòupiào chù tie (n.) lǐngdài time; this time shíjiān; zhè cì time; have time/ yǒu kòng/ make time (v.) chōu kòng tired, to be (pred. adj.) lèi to/for (somebody) gěi today jīntiān tofu dòufu toilet cèsuǒ tomorrow míngtiān tourist guide (person) dǎoyóu traffic light hónglǜ dēng train lièchē train ticket huǒchē piào tram/streetcar diànchē travel (n.) (v.) lǜyóu (the) trip to zhī xíng Tuesday xīngqī’èr turn (v.) wǎng…guǎi

two

uncle, maternal

uncle, paternal

liǎng/èr

jiùjiu

shūshu

underground/subway dìtiě understand (v.) dǒng university dàxué university student dà xuéshēng until (up to) dào urgent jí urgent matter jí shì use (v.) yòng vacant kòng various/various kinds gè zhǒng very hěn/hǎo

very much

visit family

wait until/after

hěn

tān qīn

dĕng…hòu

walk (v.) zǒu/zǒulù want (something) (v.) yào way; by the way duì le we (colloquial) zánmen we/us wǒmen

wear (v.)

weather; climate

WeChat/WeChat pay

chuān

tiānqì

wēixìn

wedding hūnlǐ week xīngqī weekend; this weekend zhōumò; zhè ge zhōumò welcome (v.); you are welcome huānyíng; bú kèqi well, to be (pred. adj.) hǎo what shénme what good luck! zhēn qiǎo what’s the matter? zěnme huí shì? when (question) shénme shíhou when/while (statement) …de shíhou where/what place nǎr/shénme dìfang where exactly/whereabouts náli

which

white

nǎ/něi

bái

who shéi/shuí who is it speaking? Nǎ yī wéi? whoops! āiyō! why wèishénme wife tàitai/qīzi/àiren will (v.) huì…de

winter

wish/wishing

dōngtiān

zhù

with tóng/hé wonderful tài hǎo le

work (n.) (v.)

worth a trip

gōngzuò

zhí dé yī yóu

would like/want (to do) xiǎng write (v.) xiě wrong (to have done something wrong) (adv.) cuò year; this year/last year nián; jīn nián/qù nián …years old suì yes shì de yesterday zuótiān you nǐ you’d better… nǐ zuì hǎo… you (polite form) nín young (adj.)/to be young (pred. adj.) niánqīng your/yours nǐde

your/yours (pl.)

youth

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