Life Stage and Thinking Words in Chinese

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Chinese Vocabulary · 中文词汇

Life Stage and Thinking Words in Chinese

人生阶段与思想词汇 rénshēng jiēduàn yǔ sīxiǎng cíhuì

Before we get into the vocab, here’s a fun fact. Many teens in China tend to be cautious about dating, largely because parents and teachers steer them toward waiting until adulthood for serious relationships. Surveys of middle schoolers have found that a large share are hesitant to get romantically involved at that age, worried it could affect their health or their relationships with the people around them.

From childhood to old age

Life Stage Words in Chinese

ChinesePinyinEnglishKoreanJapanese
小时候xiǎoshíhouChildhood어릴때小さい時
少年shàoniánEarly youth (9–13)소년少年
青少年qīngshàoniánTeenager (14–18)청소년青年
青年qīngniánYouth (18–34)청장년壮年
中年zhōngniánMiddle age중년中年
老年lǎoniánElderly (65+)노인老年
大人dàrénAdult성인大人

Putting it all together

Examples

我wǒ小时候xiǎoshíhou不bù吃chī茄子qiézi I didn’t eat eggplant when I was a child.

青少年qīngshàonián的de孩子háizi特别tèbié麻烦máfan Teenagers can be particularly troublesome.

What’s on your mind

Thinking Words in Chinese

ChinesePinyinEnglishKoreanJapanese
信心xìnxīnFaith, confidence자신信心
意思yìsiMeaning의미意味
意见yìjiànOpinion의견意見
看法kànfǎPerspective견해見解
心情xīnqíngMood기분気持ち
心里xīnlǐIn one’s mind마음속心中
态度tàidùAttitude태도態度
理想lǐxiǎngIdeal이상理想
道理dàolǐPrinciple, truth도리道理
爱情àiqíngRomantic love애정愛情

Putting it all together

Examples

我wǒ对duì你nǐ信心xìnxīn不bú大dà I don’t have much faith in you.

他tā被bèi爱情àiqíng蒙住mēngzhù眼睛yǎnjing He’s blinded by love.

Test yourself

Vocabulary Quiz

A2
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