Common Chinese Synonyms You Should Know | Learn Chinese Synonyms for Beginners

A synonym is a word that has the same or similar meaning as another word. In this lesson, we list 60 pairs of synonyms with the same meaning, so if you forget one word, don't freak out, you can use the other word instead. Hope you can improve and expand your Chinese vocabulary by learning these common used synonyms.

Part 1: 名词 (Nouns)

1.
父亲 [fù qin]/爸爸 [bà ba]
 
n. father/dad
qin
shì
míng
shēng.
生。
ba
shì
míng
shēng.
生。
My father is a doctor.
2.
母亲 [mǔ qin]/妈妈 [mā ma]
 
n. mother/mum
qin
shì
míng
kuài
shī.
师。
ma
shì
míng
kuài
shī.
师。
My mother is an accountant.
3.
外公 [wài gōng]/姥爷 [lǎo ye]
 
n. grandfather/grandpa (mother's side)
wài
gōng
jīng
tuì
退
xiū
le.
了。
lǎo
ye
jīng
tuì
退
xiū
le.
了。
My grandfather has already retired.
4.
外婆 [wài pó]/姥姥 [lǎo lao]
 
n. grandmother/grandma (mother's side)
wài
shì
shí
duō
nián
le.
了。
lǎo
lao
shì
shí
duō
nián
le.
了。
My grandmother died more than 10 years.
5.
祖父 [zǔ fù]/爷爷 [yé ye]
 
n. grandfather/grandpa (father's side)
shì
ge
zhèng
zhí
de
rén.
人。
ye
shì
ge
zhèng
zhí
de
rén.
人。
My grandfather is an honest man.
6.
祖母 [zǔ mǔ]/奶奶 [nǎi nai]
 
n. grandmother/grandma (father's side)
shì
ge
shàn
liáng
de
rén.
人。
Nǎi
nai
shì
ge
shàn
liáng
de
rén.
人。
My grandmother is a kind woman.
7.
妻子 [qī zi]/老婆 [lǎo po]
 
n. wife
Wáng
xiān
sheng
de
zi
shì
míng
lǎo
shī.
师。
Wáng
xiān
sheng
de
lǎo
po
shì
míng
lǎo
shī.
师。
Mr. Wong's wife is a teacher.
8.
丈夫 [zhàng fu]/老公 [lǎo gōng]
 
n. husband
Zhāng
ā
de
zhàng
fu
shì
míng
shī.
师。
Zhāng
ā
de
lǎo
gōng
shì
míng
shī.
师。
Aunt Zhang's husband is a lawyer.
9.
番茄 [fān qié]/西红柿 [xī hóng shì]
 
n. tomato
Fān
qié
chǎo
dàn
shì
dào
jiā
cháng
cài.
菜。
西
hóng
shì
chǎo
dàn
shì
dào
jiā
cháng
cài.
菜。
Scrambled egg with tomatoes is a homely dish.
10.
马铃薯 [mǎ líng shǔ]/土豆 [tǔ dòu]
 
n. potato
líng
shǔ
qiē
chéng
le
sī.
丝。
dòu
qiē
chéng
le
sī.
丝。
She cut the potato into shreds.
11.
红薯 [hóng shǔ]/地瓜 [dì guā]
 
n. sweet potato
Hóng
shǔ
zhǎng
zài
xia.
下。
guā
zhǎng
zài
xia.
下。
Sweet potatoes grow under the ground.
12.
水饺 [shuǐ jiǎo]/饺子 [jiǎo zi]
 
n. dumplings
chī
le
pán
shuǐ
jiǎo.
饺。
chī
le
pán
jiǎo
zi.
子。
He ate a big dish of dumplings.
13.
云吞 [yún tūn]/馄饨 [hún tun]
 
n. wonton
Bāo
yún
tūn
de
fāng
yǒu
hěn
duō
zhǒng.
种。
Bāo
hún
tun
de
fāng
yǒu
hěn
duō
zhǒng.
种。
There are kinds of ways to fold wonton.
14.
汤圆 [tāng yuán]/元宵 [yuán xiāo]
 
n. glue pudding
Tāng
yuán
shì
yòng
nuò
fěn
zuò
chéng
de.
的。
Yuán
xiāo
shì
yòng
nuò
fěn
zuò
chéng
de.
的。
Glue pudding is made from glutinous rice flour.
15.
雪糕 [xuě gāo]/冰棍儿 [bīng gùnr]
 
n. ice-cream
Hái
zi
men
dōu
ài
chī
xuě
gāo.
糕。
Hái
zi
men
dōu
ài
chī
bīng
gùnr.
棍儿。
All the children are fond of ice-cream.
16.
老鼠 [lǎo shǔ]/耗子 [hào zi]
 
n. mouse
zhī
lǎo
shǔ
pǎo
jìn
le
chú
fáng.
房。
zhī
hào
zi
pǎo
jìn
le
chú
fáng.
房。
A mouse ran into the kitchen.
17.
洗手间 [xǐ shǒu jiān]/厕所 [cè suǒ]
 
n. toilet
Zhè
ge
xiǎo
nán
háir
孩儿
xiǎng
shàng
shǒu
jiān.
间。
Zhè
ge
xiǎo
nán
háir
孩儿
xiǎng
shàng
suǒ.
所。
The little boy wants to go to toilet.
18.
生意 [shēng yi]/买卖 [mǎi mai]
 
n. business
Jīng
shuāi
tuì
退
shí,
时,
shēng
yi
hěn
nán
zuò.
做。
Jīng
shuāi
tuì
退
shí,
时,
mǎi
mai
hěn
nán
zuò.
做。
It's hard to do business in the recession.
19.
计划 [jì huà]/安排 [ān pái]
 
n. plan
Lǎo
bǎn
zàn
tóng
zhè
ge
huà.
划。
Lǎo
bǎn
zàn
tóng
zhè
ge
ān
pái.
排。
The boss agreed with the plan.
20.
热水瓶 [rè shuǐ píng]/暖壶 [nuǎn hú]
 
n. kettle
shuǐ
dào
jìn
le
shuǐ
píng
li.
里。
shuǐ
dào
jìn
le
nuǎn
li.
里。
He poured the water into the kettle.
21.
风筒 [fēng tǒng]/电吹风 [diàn chuī fēng]
 
n. hair drier
Mèi
mei
mǎi
le
ge
xīn
de
fēng
tǒng.
筒。
Mèi
mei
mǎi
le
ge
xīn
de
diàn
chuī
fēng.
风。
My younger sister bought a new hair drier.
22.
螺丝刀 [luó sī dāo]/起子 [qǐ zi]
 
n. screwdriver
men
yào
ge
luó
dāo
cái
néng
zhè
ge
xiāng
zi
kāi.
开。
men
yào
ge
zi
cái
néng
zhè
ge
xiāng
zi
kāi.
开。
We need a screwdriver to open this box.
23.
调羹 [tiáo gēng]/勺子 [sháo zi]
 
n. spoon
men
yòng
tiáo
gēng
chī
fàn,
饭,
yòu
yòng
tiáo
gēng
tāng.
汤。
men
yòng
sháo
zi
chī
fàn,
饭,
yòu
yòng
sháo
zi
tāng.
汤。
We can use spoons to eat and drink soup.
24.
自行车 [zì xíng chē]/单车 [dān chē]
 
n. bicycle
píng
shí
xíng
chē
shàng
bān.
班。
píng
shí
dān
chē
shàng
bān.
班。
He usually goes to work by bike.
25.
公共汽车 [gōng gòng qì chē]/公交车 [gōng jiāo chē]/巴士 [bā shì]
 
n. bus
zài
zhàn
tái
děng
gōng
gòng
chē.
车。
zài
zhàn
tái
děng
gōng
jiāo
chē.
车。
zài
zhàn
tái
děng
shì.
士。
She is waiting the bus at the station.
26.
出租车 [chū zū chē]/的士 [dī shì]
 
n. taxi
men
chéng
chū
chē
huǒ
chē
zhàn.
站。
men
chéng
shì
huǒ
chē
zhàn.
站。
They took a taxi to the railway station.
27.
宿舍 [sù shè]/寝室 [qǐn shì]
 
n. dormitory
Xué
sheng
men
huí
dào
le
宿
shè
li.
里。
Xué
sheng
men
huí
dào
le
qǐn
shì
li.
里。
The students returned to the dormitory.
28.
笤帚 [tiáo zhou]/扫把 [sào ba]
 
n. broom
tiáo
zhou
sǎo
dì.
地。
sào
ba
sǎo
dì.
地。
I pick up the broom to sweep the floor.
29.
拖布 [tuō bù]/拖把 [tuō ba]
 
n. mop
yòng
tuō
tuō
de
gān
gān
jìng
jìng.
净。
yòng
tuō
ba
tuō
de
gān
gān
jìng
jìng.
净。
She mopped the floor clean.
30.
插排 [chā pái]/插座 [chā zuò]
 
n. power strip
men
yào
ge
chā
pái.
排。
men
yào
ge
chā
zuò.
座。
We need a power strip.

2. Part 2: 代词 (Pronoun)

31.
我们 [wǒ men]/咱们 [zán men]
 
pron. we, us
men
lán
qiú
ba.
吧。
Zán
men
lán
qiú
ba.
吧。
Let's go to play basketball.

3. Part 3: 动词 (Verbs)

32.
讲 [jiǎng]/说 [shuō]
 
v. to talk, to speak
jiǎng
shēng
diǎnr
点儿
ma?
吗?
shuō
shēng
diǎnr
点儿
ma?
吗?
Can you speak louder?
33.
爱 [ài]/喜欢 [xǐ huan]
 
v. to love, to like
ài
shàng
le
ge
háir.
孩儿。
huan
shàng
le
ge
háir.
孩儿。
He fell in love with that girl.
34.
考虑 [kǎo lǜ]/想 [xiǎng]
 
v. to think over
zài
kǎo
xià
zhè
jiàn
shì
qing
ba.
吧。
zài
xiǎng
xià
zhè
jiàn
shì
qing
ba.
吧。
Please think about it again.
35.
扔 [rēng]/丢 [diū]
 
v. to throw
yào
luàn
rēng
jī.
圾。
yào
luàn
diū
jī.
圾。
No littering.
36.
整理 [zhěng lǐ]/收拾 [shōu shi]
 
v. to tidy up
zhěng
hǎo
xíng
li,
李,
zhǔn
bèi
chū
fā.
发。
shōu
shi
hǎo
xíng
li,
李,
zhǔn
bèi
chū
fā.
发。
He packed up and ready to go.
37.
举办 [jǔ bàn]/举行 [jǔ xíng]
 
v. to hold
Péng
you
de
hūn
jiāng
zài
xià
ge
yuè
bàn.
办。
Péng
you
de
hūn
jiāng
zài
xià
ge
yuè
xíng.
行。
My friend's wedding is going to be held next month.
38.
打扰 [dǎ rǎo]/打搅 [dǎ jiǎo]
 
v. to disturb
zhèng
zài
xiū
xi,
息,
bié
rǎo
tā.
他。
zhèng
zài
xiū
xi,
息,
bié
jiǎo
tā.
他。
He's having a rest. Don't disturb him.
39.
工作 [gōng zuò]/上班 [shàng bān]
 
v. to work
zài
jiā
ruǎn
jiàn
gōng
gōng
zuò.
作。
zài
jiā
ruǎn
jiàn
gōng
shàng
bān.
班。
He works in a software company.
40.
运动 [yùn dòng]/锻炼 [duàn liàn]
 
v. to do exercise
Jīng
cháng
yùn
dòng
shǐ
使
shēn
qiáng
zhuàng.
壮。
Jīng
cháng
duàn
liàn
shǐ
使
shēn
qiáng
zhuàng.
壮。
Regular exercise makes us strong.
41.
休息 [xiū xi]/歇 [xiē]
 
v. to have a rest
Kuài
xiū
xi
xià
ba,
吧,
bié
tài
lèi
le.
了。
Kuài
xiē
xià
ba,
吧,
bié
tài
lèi
le.
了。
You'd better have a rest now, don't too be tired.
42.
烧饭 [shāo fàn]/做饭 [zuò fàn]
 
v. to cook
ma
zhèng
zài
chú
fáng
li
shāo
fàn.
饭。
ma
zhèng
zài
chú
fáng
li
zuò
fàn.
饭。
Mum is cooking in the kitchen.
43.
乘车 [chéng chē]/坐车 [zuò chē]
 
v. to take a bus
chéng
chē
le
yuàn.
院。
zuò
chē
le
yuàn.
院。
He went to hospital by bus.
44.
旅行 [lǚ xíng]/旅游 [lǚ yóu]
 
v. to travel
Míng
nián
suàn
Běi
jīng
xíng.
行。
Míng
nián
suàn
Běi
jīng
yóu.
游。
I'm going to travel to Beijing next year.

Part 4: 形容词 (Adjective)

45.
高兴 [gāo xìng]/开心 [kāi xīn]
 
adj. glad
Tīng
dào
zhè
ge
hǎo
xiāo
xi,
息,
gāo
xìng
de
tiào
le
lái.
来。
Tīng
dào
zhè
ge
hǎo
xiāo
xi,
息,
kāi
xīn
de
tiào
le
lái.
来。
Hearing this good news, she jumped with joy.
46.
悲伤 [bēi shāng]/伤心 [shāng xīn]
 
adj. sad
jiāng
fēn
lí,
离,
gǎn
dào
hěn
bēi
shāng.
伤。
jiāng
fēn
lí,
离,
gǎn
dào
hěn
shāng
xīn.
心。
To be separated from his parents, he felt grieved.
47.
幸福 [xìng fú]/快乐 [kuài lè]
 
adj. happy
Zhè
duàn
shí
jiān
gǎn
dào
hěn
xìng
fú.
福。
Zhè
duàn
shí
jiān
gǎn
dào
hěn
kuài
lè.
乐。
He feels happy during this time.
48.
马虎 [mǎ hu]/粗心 [cū xīn]
 
adj. careless
hu
de
rén
zuò
hǎo
shì
qing.
情。
xīn
de
rén
zuò
hǎo
shì
qing.
情。
Sloppy people cannot do things well.
49.
著名 [zhù míng]/有名 [yǒu míng]
 
adj. famous
shì
wèi
zhù
míng
de
zuò
jiā.
家。
shì
wèi
yǒu
míng
de
zuò
jiā.
家。
He is a famous writer.
50.
正确 [zhèng què]/对 [duì]
 
adj. right
shuō
de
quán
dōu
shì
zhèng
què
de.
的。
shuō
de
quán
dōu
shì
duì
de.
的。
What he said is all right.
51.
流行 [liú xíng]/火 [huǒ]
 
adj. popular 
Zhè
shǒu
hěn
liú
xíng.
行。
Zhè
shǒu
hěn
huǒ.
火。
This song is popular.
52.
清楚 [qīng chǔ]/明白 [míng bai]
 
adj. clear 
de
xiǎng
shuō
de
hěn
qīng
chǔ.
楚。
de
xiǎng
shuō
de
hěn
míng
bai.
白。
He made his idea clear.
53.
美丽 [měi lì]/漂亮 [piào liang]
 
adj. beautiful
Jiě
jie
dàn
měi
lì,
丽,
hái
hěn
yǒu
cái
huá.
华。
Jiě
jie
dàn
piào
liang,
亮,
hái
hěn
yǒu
cái
huá.
华。
My elder sister is not only beautiful but also talented.
54.
未婚 [wèi hūn]/单身 [dān shēn]
 
adj. unmarried, single
Biǎo
zhì
jīn
wèi
hūn.
婚。
Biǎo
zhì
jīn
dān
shēn.
身。
My cousin is still single.
55.
一切 [yí qiè]/所有 [suǒ yǒu]
 
adj. all
le
qiè
kùn
nan
cái
chéng
gōng.
功。
le
suǒ
yǒu
kùn
nan
cái
chéng
gōng.
功。
She overcame all the difficulties, and finally succeeded.

Part 5: 副词 (Adverb)

56.
忽然 [hū rán]/突然 [tū rán]
 
adv. suddenly
zhèng
yào
chū
mén,
门,
rán
xià
le
yǔ.
雨。
zhèng
yào
chū
mén,
门,
rán
xià
le
yǔ.
雨 。
It suddenly rained heavily when he was going out.
57.
立刻 [lì kè]/马上 [mǎ shàng]
 
adv. immediately
Tīng
dào
zhè
ge
hǎo
xiāo
xi,
息,
diàn
huà
gěi
ba.
爸。
Tīng
dào
zhè
ge
hǎo
xiāo
xi,
息,
shàng
diàn
huà
gěi
ba.
爸。
I telephoned to father immediately when I heard the good news.
58.
迅速 [xùn sù]/飞快 [fēi kuài]
 
adv. rapidly
xùn
de
pǎo
dào
le
zhōng
diǎn.
点。
fēi
kuài
de
pǎo
dào
le
zhōng
diǎn.
点。
He rushed to the finish line.
59.
经常 [jīng cháng]/常常 [cháng cháng]
 
adv. often
jīng
cháng
zài
zhōu
yóu
yǒng.
泳。
cháng
cháng
zài
zhōu
yóu
yǒng.
泳。
He often swims in weekends.
60.
平时 [píng shí]/平常 [píng cháng]
 
adv. usually
ma
píng
shí
hěn
máng,
忙,
zhǐ
yǒu
jié
jià
cái
yǒu
kòng.
空。
ma
píng
cháng
hěn
máng,
忙,
zhǐ
yǒu
jié
jià
cái
yǒu
kòng.
空。
My mother is usually very busy, only free on holidays.