Learning standard Chinese words is important, but if you want to truly sound like a local and understand everyday conversations, learning Chinese slang is essential.
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Slang words are widely used among young people, in casual conversations, on social media, and even in pop culture. They often reflect humor, emotions, and social trends, making your conversations more natural and engaging. In this blog-post, we will introduce 15 must-know Chinese slang words for expats, complete with example sentences, pinyin, and English translations, so you can use them confidently in daily life.
1. 给力 (gěilì) – Awesome / Impressive
This slang expresses something powerful, impressive, or cool. It’s often used to compliment someone or something.
Example Sentences:
- 你的演讲真给力 (nǐ de yǎnjiǎng zhēn gěilì)- Your presentation was really awesome.
- 这部电影太给力了 (zhè bù diànyǐng tài gěilì le)- This movie is super impressive.
2. 土豪 (tǔháo) – Rich Person / Big Spender
Originally used humorously, 土豪 (tǔháo) now refers to someone who spends money lavishly.
Example Sentences:
- 他买了最新款的跑车，真是土豪 (tā mǎi le zuìxīn kuǎn de pǎochē, zhēn shì tǔháo)- He bought the newest sports car, what a big spender.
- 看他吃自助餐吃到撑，我觉得他是土豪 (kàn tā chī zìzhùcān chī dào chēng, wǒ juéde tā shì tǔháo)- Watching him eat all-you-can-eat buffet to the max, I think he’s a big spender.
3. 吃瓜 (chī guā) – Watching Drama / Gossiping
Literally “eating melon,” it means observing a situation or gossip without participating.
Example Sentences:
- 今天办公室又有八卦，我就在旁边吃瓜 (jīntiān bàngōngshì yòu yǒu bāguà, wǒ jiù zài pángbiān chī guā)- There’s office gossip today, I’m just watching from the side.
- 网络上大家都在吃瓜，看明星的绯闻 (wǎngluò shàng dàjiā dōu zài chī guā, kàn míngxīng de fēiwén)- Everyone online is following the celebrity gossip.
4. 雷 (léi) – Awkward / Shocking
Used to describe something awkward, shocking, or surprising.
Example Sentences:
- 他的穿着真雷 (tā de chuānzhuó zhēn léi)- His outfit is really shocking.
- 这个笑话太雷了，我笑不出来 (zhège xiàohuà tài léi le, wǒ xiào bù chū lái)- This joke is so awkward, I can’t even laugh.
5. 小白 (xiǎobái) – Beginner / Newbie
Refers to someone who is inexperienced or new at something.
Example Sentences:
- 我是学中文的小白，请多指教 (wǒ shì xué zhōngwén de xiǎobái, qǐng duō zhǐjiào)- I’m a newbie learning Chinese, please guide me.
- 他对电脑操作是小白，需要帮忙 (tā duì diànnǎo cāozuò shì xiǎobái, xūyào bāngmáng)- He’s a computer newbie and needs help.
6. 撩 (liáo) – Flirt
This slang refers to flirting or teasing someone playfully.
Example Sentences:
- 他在微信上一直撩她 (tā zài wēixìn shàng yīzhí liáo tā)- He keeps flirting with her on WeChat.
- 她被男朋友撩得脸红了 (tā bèi nánpéngyǒu liáo de liǎnhóng le)- She blushed because her boyfriend flirted with her.
7. 吐槽 (tùcáo) – Complain / Roast
Used when someone humorously complains or criticizes something.
Example Sentences:
- 我想吐槽今天的会议太无聊了 (wǒ xiǎng tùcáo jīntiān de huìyì tài wúliáo le)- I want to complain that today’s meeting is so boring.
- 他总喜欢在群里吐槽老板 (tā zǒng xǐhuān zài qún lǐ tùcáo lǎobǎn)- He always likes roasting the boss in the chat group.
8. 开心 (kāixīn) – Happy / Excited
Though a standard word, it’s widely used in slang contexts online to express excitement.
Example Sentences:
- 今天拿到奖金，太开心了 (jīntiān ná dào jiǎngjīn, tài kāixīn le)- I got my bonus today, so happy.
- 和朋友一起玩让我很开心 (hé péngyǒu yīqǐ wán ràng wǒ hěn kāixīn)- Hanging out with friends makes me very happy.
9. 高冷 (gāolěng) – Aloof / Cool
Describes someone who is stylish, distant, or hard to approach.
Example Sentences:
- 她看起来很高冷，不容易接近 (tā kàn qǐlái hěn gāolěng, bù róngyì jiējìn)- She seems aloof and hard to approach.
- 他总是一副高冷的样子 (tā zǒng shì yī fù gāolěng de yàngzi)- He always acts cool and distant.
10. 萌 (méng) – Cute / Adorable
Used to describe something or someone as cute.
Example Sentences:
- 这只猫真萌 (zhè zhī māo zhēn méng)- This cat is so adorable.
- 小宝宝的笑容很萌 (xiǎo bǎobǎo de xiàoróng hěn méng)- The baby’s smile is so cute.
11. 吃土 (chī tǔ) – Broke / No Money
Literally “eating dirt,” meaning you’re out of money.
Example Sentences:
- 这次购物花太多钱了，我得吃土一个月 (zhè cì gòuwù huā tài duō qián le, wǒ děi chī tǔ yī gè yuè)- I spent too much shopping, I’ll be broke for a month.
- 学生党经常开玩笑说自己在吃土 (xuéshēng dǎo jīngcháng kāiwánxiào shuō zìjǐ zài chī tǔ)- Students often joke that they are broke.
12. 翻车 (fānchē) – Fail / Mess Up
Used when something goes wrong or unexpectedly fails.
Example Sentences:
- 我的考试翻车了，考得很差 (wǒ de kǎoshì fānchē le, kǎo de hěn chà)- I failed my exam badly.
- 他在表演中翻车，摔倒了 (tā zài biǎoyǎn zhōng fānchē, shuāidǎo le)- He messed up during the performance and fell.
13. 撕 (sī) – Argue / Tear Into
Used to describe heated arguments or dramatic conflicts online or in real life.
Example Sentences:
- 他们在群里撕起来了 (tāmen zài qún lǐ sī qǐlái le)- They started arguing in the chat group.
- 明星被网友撕得很惨 (míngxīng bèi wǎngyǒu sī de hěn cǎn)- The celebrity was criticized harshly online.
14. 酷 (kù) – Cool / Stylish
Similar to English, 酷 (kù) is used to compliment someone or something trendy.
Example Sentences:
- 你的新鞋子很酷 (nǐ de xīn xiézi hěn kù)- Your new shoes are cool.
- 这家咖啡店的装修很酷 (zhè jiā kāfēidiàn de zhuāngxiū hěn kù)- The decoration of this coffee shop is really stylish.
15. 给面子 (gěi miànzi) – Save Face / Respect
Used to describe giving someone respect or not embarrassing them publicly.
Example Sentences:
- 请你给我面子，不要在大家面前批评我 (qǐng nǐ gěi wǒ miànzi, bù yào zài dàjiā miànqián pīpíng wǒ)- Please save my face and don’t criticize me in front of everyone.
- 他总是给领导面子 (tā zǒng shì gěi lǐngdǎo miànzi)- He always respects his boss publicly.
Vocabulary
- 给力 (gěilì)- Awesome / Impressive
- 土豪 (tǔháo)- Rich person / Big spender
- 吃瓜 (chī guā)- Watching drama / Gossiping
- 雷 (léi)- Awkward / Shocking
- 小白 (xiǎobái)- Beginner / Newbie
- 撩 (liáo)- Flirt
- 吐槽 (tùcáo)- Complain / Roast
- 高冷 (gāolěng)- Aloof / Cool
- 萌 (méng)- Cute / Adorable
- 吃土 (chī tǔ)- Broke / No money
- 翻车 (fānchē)- Fail / Mess up
- 撕 (sī)- Argue / Tear into
- 酷 (kù)- Cool / Stylish
- 给面子 (gěi miànzi)- Save face / Respect
- 开心 (kāixīn)- Happy / Excited
These 15 slang words will help you understand casual conversations, online discussions, and daily interactions in China. Using them appropriately will make your Mandarin sound more natural, fun, and modern.
