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Chinese synonyms

The look-alike words learners mix up, how to tell them apart, and each in a sentence with pinyin and sound.

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高兴 · 开心 · 快乐 · 愉快: happy

高兴 is glad about something now; 开心 is having fun; 快乐 is happiness itself, the word in wishes; 愉快 is pleasant, a little formal.

  1. jiàndào见到nǐ你hěn很gāoxìng高兴。

    Nice to meet you.

    高兴 gāoxìng · glad, pleased

  2. jīntiān今天wán玩de得hěn很kāixīn开心。

    We had a lot of fun today.

    开心 kāixīn · having fun

  3. zhù祝nǐ你shēngrì-kuàilè生日快乐！

    Happy birthday!

    快乐 kuàilè · happy, in wishes

  4. zhù祝nǐ你lǚtú旅途yúkuài愉快！

    Have a pleasant trip!

    愉快 yúkuài · pleasant

漂亮 · 美丽 · 好看: beautiful

漂亮 is pretty, said of people and things; 美丽 is beautiful, mostly written, for scenery; 好看 is good to look at, a film or a book included.

  1. tā她de的qúnzi裙子hěn很piàoliang漂亮。

    Her skirt is pretty.

    漂亮 piàoliang · pretty

  2. zhèlǐ这里de的fēngjǐng风景hěn很měilì美丽。

    The scenery here is beautiful.

    美丽 měilì · beautiful (written)

  3. zhè这bù部diànyǐng电影hěn很hǎokàn好看。

    This film is really good.

    好看 hǎokàn · good-looking; good to watch

知道 · 认识 · 了解: to know

知道 is knowing a fact; 认识 is knowing a person, or recognising a character; 了解 is knowing a lot about something.

  1. wǒ我zhīdào知道tā他de的míngzi名字。

    I know his name.

    知道 zhīdào · to know (a fact)

  2. wǒ我rènshi认识tā他。

    I know him.

    认识 rènshi · to know (a person)

  3. tā他hěn很liǎojiě了解Zhōngguó中国wénhuà文化。

    He knows Chinese culture well.

    了解 liǎojiě · to know well; to understand

觉得 · 认为 · 想: to think

觉得 gives a feeling or an opinion; 认为 gives a considered view, more formal; 想 is thinking about something, or wanting to.

  1. wǒ我juéde觉得yǒudiǎnr有点儿lěng冷。

    I feel a bit cold.

    觉得 juéde · to feel; to think

  2. wǒ我rènwéi认为zhè这gè个bànfǎ办法bù不duì对。

    I don’t think this method is right.

    认为 rènwéi · to hold that

  3. wǒ我zài在xiǎng想míngtiān明天zuò做shénme什么。

    I’m thinking about what to do tomorrow.

    想 xiǎng · to think about; to want

会 · 能 · 可以: can

会 is a skill you learned; 能 is being able to, or it being possible; 可以 is being allowed.

  1. wǒ我huì会shuō说zhōngwén中文。

    I can speak Chinese.

    会 huì · can (a learned skill)

  2. wǒ我jīntiān今天bùnéng不能lái来。

    I can’t come today.

    能 néng · can (able to)

  3. zhèlǐ这里kěyǐ可以pāizhào拍照ma吗？

    Can I take photos here?

    可以 kěyǐ · can (allowed)

有点儿 · 一点儿: a little

有点儿 goes before an adjective, often for something you don’t like; 一点儿 goes after it, or before a noun.

  1. jīntiān今天yǒudiǎnr有点儿lěng冷。

    It’s a bit cold today.

    有点儿 yǒudiǎnr · a bit (before an adjective)

  2. néng能piányi便宜yīdiǎnr一点儿ma吗？

    Can you make it a little cheaper?

    一点儿 yīdiǎnr · a little (after an adjective)

很 · 非常 · 太: very

很 is the everyday very, and often only joins the adjective; 非常 is stronger; 太…了 is “so …!” or “too …”.

  1. wǒ我hěn很hǎo好。

    I’m fine.

    很 hěn · very

  2. zhè这gè个cài菜fēicháng非常hǎochī好吃。

    This dish is extremely good.

    非常 fēicháng · extremely

  3. tàihǎole太好了！

    That’s great!

    太 tài · so; too

常常 · 经常 · 往往: often

常常 and 经常 both mean often, 经常 a little more formal; 往往 is what tends to happen as a rule, never for a plan.

  1. wǒ我chángcháng常常qù去nà那jiā家kāfēiguǎn咖啡馆。

    I often go to that café.

    常常 chángcháng · often

  2. tā他jīngcháng经常jiābān加班。

    He often works overtime.

    经常 jīngcháng · often; regularly

  3. zhōumò周末de的shíhou时候，dìtiě地铁wǎngwǎng往往hěn很jǐ挤。

    At the weekend the subway tends to be crowded.

    往往 wǎngwǎng · tends to

二 · 两: two

二 is the number two when you count or say a number; 两 is two of something, before a measure word.

  1. yī一、èr二、sān三，kāishǐ开始！

    One, two, three, go!

    二 èr · two (the number)

  2. wǒ我yǒu有liǎng两gè个gēge哥哥。

    I have two older brothers.

    两 liǎng · two (of something)

也 · 还: also

也 is “also”, “too”; 还 is “still”, or “in addition”, more of something.

  1. wǒ我yě也xǐhuan喜欢hēchá喝茶。

    I like drinking tea too.

    也 yě · also; too

  2. wǒ我hái还yào要yī一bēi杯kāfēi咖啡。

    I’d like another coffee.

    还 hái · still; in addition

以后 · 后来: after

以后 is “after” or “in the future”; 后来 is “afterwards”, only for the past.

  1. bìyè毕业yǐhòu以后，wǒ我xiǎng想qù去Zhōngguó中国gōngzuò工作。

    After I graduate, I want to work in China.

    以后 yǐhòu · after; in future

  2. hòulái后来wǒmen我们chéng成le了hǎo好péngyou朋友。

    Afterwards we became good friends.

    后来 hòulái · afterwards (past)

刚 · 刚才: just now

刚 goes right before the verb: just did; 刚才 is a time, “a moment ago”, and can start the sentence.

  1. wǒ我gāng刚dào到。

    I’ve just arrived.

    刚 gāng · just

  2. gāngcái刚才shéi谁lái来le了？

    Who came just now?

    刚才 gāngcái · a moment ago

帮 · 帮忙 · 帮助: to help

帮 and 帮助 take who you help (帮我); 帮忙 takes no object, so it’s 帮个忙 or 帮我的忙. 帮助 is also the noun, “help”.

  1. nǐ你néng能bāng帮wǒ我ma吗？

    Can you help me?

    帮 bāng · to help (someone)

  2. nǐ你néng能bāng帮ge个máng忙ma吗？

    Can you do me a favour?

    帮忙 bāngmáng · to help out

  3. xièxie谢谢nǐ你de的bāngzhù帮助。

    Thank you for your help.

    帮助 bāngzhù · to help; help

累 · 困: tired

累 is tired from effort; 困 is sleepy.

  1. zǒu走le了yī一tiān天，wǒ我hěn很lèi累。

    I’ve walked all day and I’m tired.

    累 lèi · tired

  2. wǒ我zuówǎn昨晚méi没shuì睡hǎo好，xiànzài现在hěn很kùn困。

    I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m sleepy now.

    困 kùn · sleepy

看 · 看见 · 见: to see

看 is looking or watching; 看见 is catching sight of something; 见 is meeting someone.

  1. wǒ我zài在kàn看diànshì电视。

    I’m watching TV.

    看 kàn · to look; to watch

  2. nǐ你kànjiàn看见wǒ我de的shǒujī手机le了ma吗？

    Have you seen my phone?

    看见 kànjiàn · to see; to catch sight of

  3. míngtiān明天jiàn见！

    See you tomorrow!

    见 jiàn · to meet

说 · 讲 · 谈: to speak

说 is saying or speaking; 讲 is telling or explaining, a story or a lesson; 谈 is talking something over.

  1. tā他huì会shuō说sān三zhǒng种yǔyán语言。

    He can speak three languages.

    说 shuō · to say; to speak

  2. lǎoshī老师gěi给wǒmen我们jiǎng讲le了yī一gè个gùshi故事。

    The teacher told us a story.

    讲 jiǎng · to tell; to explain

  3. wǒmen我们tántan谈谈zhè这gè个wèntí问题ba吧。

    Let’s talk this problem over.

    谈 tán · to talk over

次 · 遍: times

次 counts how many times something happens; 遍 counts times through, from start to end.

  1. wǒ我qù去guo过sāncì三次Běijīng北京。

    I’ve been to Beijing three times.

    次 cì · time (an occurrence)

  2. zhè这běn本shū书wǒ我kàn看le了liǎng两biàn遍。

    I’ve read this book twice.

    遍 biàn · time (once through)

要 · 想: to want

要 is wanting or going to, firm; 想 is wanting, softer, or would like to.

  1. wǒ我yào要yī一bēi杯kāfēi咖啡。

    I want a coffee.

    要 yào · to want; going to

  2. wǒ我xiǎng想qù去Zhōngguó中国lǚyóu旅游。

    I’d like to travel in China.

    想 xiǎng · would like to

Does Chinese have synonyms?

Yes. Words that mean the same are 同义词 (tóngyìcí), and words that are close but used differently are 近义词 (jìnyìcí), like the sets here. Opposites are 反义词 (fǎnyìcí).

What are the Chinese words for happy?

高兴 (gāoxìng) for being glad about something, 开心 (kāixīn) for having fun, 快乐 (kuàilè) in wishes like 生日快乐, and 愉快 (yúkuài) for pleasant, as in 祝你周末愉快 (have a nice weekend).

What is the difference between 会, 能 and 可以?

会 is a skill you learned (我会游泳, I can swim), 能 is being able to right now (我今天不能来, I can’t come today), and 可以 is being allowed (这里可以拍照吗, can I take photos here?).

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