What is an adjective in Chinese? You may have wondered as a beginner in Chinese, considering adjectives’ ability to help you shine in conversation or writing. Without effective Chinese adjectives, a conversation can become dull, and you may easily lose the interest of your listeners.
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to describe your personality in Chinese, talk about the weather in Chinese, and even understand Chinese adjective placement so you can speak fluently. Everything you need can be found in our guide to the top 100 common Chinese adjectives we’ve customized just for you. Now, don’t worry; we’ve prepared some basic Chinese adjectives that can bring your speech to another level!
Adjectives in Chinese modify 名词 (míng cí), nouns. But where do adjectives go in Chinese sentences?
Before we continue to our Chinese adjectives list, keep in mind these two rules you should follow for structuring a sentence with common Chinese adjectives:
- Chinese subjective + very + adjective
- Adjective + of + noun
With a little bit more knowledge about Chinese adjectives grammar, you’re now ready to go and learn Chinese adjectives. Let’s get straight into our Chinese adjectives list that everyone should master, whether you want to become a skillful talker or an excellent storyteller!
Table of Contents
- Describing Dimensions, Sizes, Distance, Number, Frequency, etc.
- Describing Value
- Describing Feeling & Sense
- Personalities and Human Behaviors
- Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.
- Describing Colors in Chinese
- Describing Shapes & Textures in Chinese
- Describing Weather in Chinese
- Chinese Food Adjectives for Describing Taste
- Adjectives in Chinese for Describing a Situation
- Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions
- Describing Appearance in Chinese
- How Can You Go Beyond Common Chinese Adjectives?
1. Describing Dimensions, Sizes, Distance, Number, Frequency, etc.
1- 大的 (dà de) vs. 小的 (xiǎo de)
Meaning: Big
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Today is my birthday; my parents bought a big birthday cake for me.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān shì wǒ de shēng rì, bà ba mā ma gěi wǒ mǎi le yí gè hěn dà de shēng rì dàn gāo.
In Chinese: 今天是我的生日，爸爸妈妈给我买了一个很大的生日蛋糕。
Meaning: Small / Little
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I saw a little cat in my yard today.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān wǒ zài zì jiā yuàn zi li kàn jiàn le yì fzhī xiǎo māo.
In Chinese: 今天我在自家院子里看见了一只小猫。
2- 窄的 (zhǎi de) vs. 宽阔的 (kuān kuò de)
Meaning: Narrow
Usage in a sentence:
In English: This corner is too narrow to get our car through.
Pinyin: Zhè ge guǎi jiǎo tài zhǎi le, wǒ men de chē shì guò bú qù de.
In Chinese: 这个拐角太窄了，我们的车是过不去的。
Meaning: Wide
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The park near my house is very wide and big; many kids love to go there and play.
Pinyin: Wǒ jiā fù jìn de gōng yuán hěn kuān kuò, hěn duō hái zi dōu xǐ huān qù nà lǐ wán shuǎ.
In Chinese: 我家附近的公园很宽阔，很多孩子都喜欢去那里玩耍。
3- 高的 (gāo de) vs. 矮的 (ǎi de)
Meaning: Tall
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Every time I get taller, my parents are happy for me because it is the mark of me growing up.
Pinyin: Měi cì wǒ zhǎng gāo fù mǔ dōu hěn wèi wǒ gāo xìng, yīn wèi zhè shì wǒ chéng zhǎng de yìn jì.
In Chinese: 每次我长高父母都很为我高兴，因为这是我成长的印记。
Meaning: Short
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My friend is very short, but he is very good at shooting a basketball.
Pinyin: Suī rán wǒ péng you hěn ǎi, dàn tā tóu lán fēi cháng zhǔn.
In Chinese: 虽然我朋友很矮，但他投篮非常准。
4- 重的 (zhòng de) vs. 轻的 (qīng de)
Meaning: Heavy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Because we needed to move today, I had to carry a lot of heavy furniture.
Pinyin: Yīn wèi jīn tiān yào bān jiā, wǒ bù dé bù bān le hěn duō hěn zhòng de jiā jù.
In Chinese: 因为今天要搬家，我不得不搬了很多很重的家具。
Meaning: Light
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My sister is only three years old; she is very light and easy to carry.
Pinyin: Wǒ mèi mei cái sān suì, bào qǐ lai hěn qīng, háo bú fèi lì.
In Chinese: 我妹妹才三岁，抱起来很轻，毫不费力。
5- 高的 (gāo de) vs. 低的 (dī de)
Meaning: High
Usage in a sentence:
In English: During my trip, I had a ride on a hot air balloon, and it went up high.
Pinyin: Lǚ xíng qī jiān wǒ zuò le rè qì qiú, shēng dào le hěn gāo de dì fang.
In Chinese: 旅行期间我坐了热气球，升到了很高的地方。
Additional notes: In Chinese, tall and high are the same thing, which actually makes it easier to remember. So don’t freak out when you see them used for different meanings in English!
Meaning: Low
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The expert said that the risk of this stock is relatively low.
Pinyin: Zhuān jiā shuō zhè zhī gǔ piào fēng xiǎn jiào dī.
In Chinese: 专家说这只股票风险较低。
6- 近的 (jìn de) vs. 远的 (yuǎn de)
Meaning: Close
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The supermarket is very close to my house; it only takes me five minutes to walk there.
Pinyin: Chāo shì lí wǒ jiā fēi cháng jìn, zǒu lù wǔ fèn zhōng jiù dào.
In Chinese: 超市离我家非常近，走路五分钟就到。
Meaning: Far
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Today is my grandmother’s birthday, so no matter how far away she is, we’ll make it to her birthday party.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān shì lǎo lao de shēng rì, suǒ yǐ jiù suàn lí de zài yuǎn, wǒ men yě yào qù wèi tā qìng shēng.
In Chinese: 今天是姥姥的生日，所以就算离得再远，我们也要去为她庆生。
7- 一些 (yì xiē)
Meaning: Some
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Yesterday, my friend taught me how to bake some bread, and I’m going to bring some home and let mom taste them.
Pinyin: Zuó tiān péng you jiāo wǒ zuò le yì xiē miàn bāo, wǒ dǎ suàn ná huí jiā gěi mā ma cháng chang.
In Chinese: 昨天朋友教我做了一些面包，我打算拿回家给妈妈尝尝。
8- 任何的 (rèn hé de)
Meaning: Any
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I won’t allow any of my friends to get hurt.
Pinyin: Wǒ bú huì yǔn xǔ rèn hé yí gè wǒ de péng you bèi shāng hài.
In Chinese: 我不会允许任何一个我的朋友被伤害。
9- 几个 (jǐ gè)
Meaning: A few
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Although I don’t have that many friends, there are always a few of them whom I can confide in.
Pinyin: Suī rán wǒ de péng you méi yǒu nà me duō, dān zǒng yǒu jǐ gè shì hé wǒ jiāo xīn de.
In Chinese: 虽然我的朋友没有那么多，但总有几个是和我交心的。
10- 很多的 (hěn duō de)
Meaning: Many
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I heard that this restaurant is very good; there are always so many people waiting in line.
Pinyin: Wǒ tīng shuō zhè jiā cān tīng hěn hǎo chī, zǒng shì yǒu hěn duō rén zài pái duì.
In Chinese: 我听说这家餐厅很好吃，总是有很多人在排队。
11- 很少的 (hěn shǎo de)
Meaning: Little / Few
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I waited a long time in line just to buy a certain flavor of ice cream, but when it was my turn, there were only a few choices left.
Pinyin: Wèi le mǎi zhè kuǎn bīng jī líng, wǒ pái le hěn cháng shí jiān de duì. Dàn děng dào wǒ de shí hou, zhǐ shèng xia hěn shǎo de xuǎn zé.
In Chinese: 为了买这款冰激凌，我排了很长时间的队。但等到我的时候，只剩下很少的选择。
2. Describing Value
1- 好的 (hǎo de)
Let’s give good people a thumbs-up!
Meaning: Good
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My younger sister is a very good child; she especially loves to take care of little animals.
Pinyin: Wǒ mèi mei shì gè hěn hǎo de hái zi, tā tè bié ài hù xiǎo dòng wù.
In Chinese: 我妹妹是个很好的孩子，她特别爱护小动物。
2- 糟糕的 (zāo gāo de)
Meaning: Terrible
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I lost my favorite toy, and I am in a terrible mood right now.
Pinyin: Wǒ bǎ xīn ài de wán jù diū le, xiàn zài xīn qíng fēi cháng zāo gāo.
In Chinese: 我把心爱的玩具丢了，现在心情非常糟糕。
3- 棒的 (bàng de)
Meaning: Amazing
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Today, I went to watch a theater show at my school, and all the actors’ performances were amazing.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān wǒ qù kàn le xué xiào de huà jù yǎn chū, yǎn yuán men de biǎo xiàn dōu bàng jí le.
In Chinese: 今天我去看了学校的话剧演出，演员们的表现都棒极了。
4- 差的 (chà de)
Meaning: Bad
Usage in a sentence:
In English: During a teacher-parent conference, my teacher explained to my mom why my grade has been bad recently.
Pinyin: Jiā zhǎng huì shang, lǎo shī xiàng mā ma jiě shì le wǒ zuì jìn chéng ji jiào chà de yuán yīn.
In Chinese: 家长会上，老师向妈妈解释了我最近成绩较差的原因。
3. Describing Feeling & Sense
1- 凉的 (liáng de) vs. 热的 (rè de)
Meaning: Cold
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The pastry that mom baked was already cold when I got home.
Pinyin: Děng wǒ huí jiā de shí hou, mā ma zuò hǎo de diǎn xīn yǐ jīng liáng le.
In Chinese: 等我回家的时候，妈妈做好的点心已经凉了。
Meaning: Hot
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My mom told me to eat the freshly made bun while it’s still hot.
Pinyin: Mā ma shuō ràng wǒ chèn rè bǎ gāng zuò hǎo de bāo zi chī le.
In Chinese: 妈妈说让我趁热把刚做好的包子吃了。
2- 烫的 (tàng de)
Meaning: Burning
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Coffee can be burning (hot) when it’s freshly brewed.
Pinyin: Kā fēi gāng zhǔ hǎo de shí hou hěn tàng.
In Chinese: 咖啡刚煮好的时候很烫。
3- 温暖的 (wēn nuǎn de)
Do you ever feel a certain way, but don’t know the right adjective to describe it in Chinese? We will show you the way!
Meaning: Heartwarming
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My teammates are so united that this whole team feels like one big heartwarming home.
Pinyin: Wǒ de duì yuán men dōu fēi cháng tuán jié, zhè ràng wǒ men de duì wu jiù xiàng yí gè wēn nuǎn de dà jiā tíng yí yàng.
In Chinese: 我的队员们都非常团结，这让我们的队伍就像一个温暖的大家庭一样。
4- 暖和的 (nuǎn huo de)
Meaning: Warm
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The room finally started to get warm after the heater was turned on.
Pinyin: Nuǎn qì dǎ kāi zhī hòu, fáng jiān lǐ zhōng yú nuǎn huo qǐ lai le.
In Chinese: 暖气打开之后，房间里终于暖和起来了。
5- 柔软的 (róu ruǎn de)
Meaning: Soft
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I like to lean on my dog; his hair is very soft and comfortable to be leaned on.
Pinyin: Wǒ hěn xǐ huan kào zài wǒ jiā de gǒu shēn shang, tā de pí máo hěn róu ruǎn, kào qǐ lai hěn shū fu.
In Chinese: 我很喜欢靠在我家的狗身上，他的皮毛很柔软，靠起来很舒服。
6- 舒服的 (shū fu de)
Meaning: Comfortable
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My favorite thing is lying on the beach while enjoying the feeling of the wind blowing through my face; it just feels so comfortable.
Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐ huān tǎng zài hǎi tān shàng, xiǎng shòu hǎi fēng yíng miàn chuī lái de gǎn jué, shū fu jí le.
In Chinese: 我最喜欢躺在海滩上，享受海风迎面吹来的感觉，舒服极了。
7- 疼的 (téng de)
Meaning: Painful
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Tomorrow, I will have to get my teeth pulled. Hopefully it won’t be that painful.
Pinyin: Wǒ míng tiān jiù yào qù bá yá le, xī wàng bú huì hěn téng.
In Chinese: 我明天就要去拔牙了，希望不会很疼。
8- 痛苦的 (tòng kǔ de)
Meaning: Bitter
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The dog that’s been with me ever since I was little just passed away. This makes me feel extremely bitter.
Pinyin: Wǒ cóng xiǎo dào dà yǎng de gǒu qù shì le, zhè ràng wǒ gǎn dào shí fēn tòng kǔ.
In Chinese: 我从小到大养的狗去世了，这让我感到十分痛苦。
4. Personalities and Human Behaviors
How do you describe your personality in Chinese? Here are the answers!
1) Personalities
When you introduce yourself during an interview, or when you talk about personality traits with friends, have you ever wondered how to describe your personality in Chinese Mandarin? Here are the most common Chinese personality adjectives that you can use!
1- 善良的 (shàn liáng de)
Meaning: Kind
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My sister is an extremely kind person; she always tries her best to help others.
Pinyin: Jiě jie shì gè shí fēn shàn liáng de rén, tā zǒng shì huì jié jìn quán lì qù bāng zhù bié rén.
In Chinese: 姐姐是个十分善良的人，她总是会竭尽全力去帮助别人。
2- 开明的 (kāi míng de)
Meaning: Open-minded
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My parents are very open-minded people; they never intervene with my own decisions.
Pinyin: Wǒ de fù mǔ dōu shì fēi cháng kāi míng de rén, tā men cóng lái dōu bú huì gān shè wǒ de jué dìng.
In Chinese: 我的父母都是非常开明的人，他们从来都不会干涉我的决定。
3- 幽默的 (yōu mò de)
Meaning: Hilarious
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My English teacher’s class is so hilarious that I can’t help but crack up.
Pinyin: Wǒ yīng yǔ lǎo shī de kè shí zài shì tài yōu mò le, wǒ zǒng shì rěn bú zhù hā hā dà xiào qǐ lái.
In Chinese: 我英语老师的课实在是太幽默了，我总是忍不住哈哈大笑起来。
4- 友好的 (yǒu hǎo de)
Meaning: Friendly
Usage in a sentence:
In English: She is very friendly and easy to get along with.
Pinyin: Tā shì yí gè fēi cháng yǒu hǎo bìng qiě hǎo xiāng chǔ de rén.
In Chinese: 她是一个非常友好并且好相处的人。
5- 疯狂的 (fēng kuáng de)
Just admit it, we all get crazy sometimes!
Meaning: Crazy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: There are always some crazy and strange ideas in my younger brother’s head.
Pinyin: Wǒ dì di de nǎo dài li zǒng yǒu hěn duō fēng kuáng gǔ guài de xiǎng fǎ.
In Chinese: 我弟弟的脑袋里总有很多疯狂古怪的想法。
6- 开朗的 (lěng jìng de) vs. 内向的 (nèi xiàng de)
Meaning: Outgoing
Usage in a sentence:
In English: He is very popular among people, and everyone likes how outgoing he is.
Pinyin: Tā de rén yuán tè bié hǎo, rén rén dōu xǐ huān tā kāi lǎng de xìng gé.
In Chinese: 他的人缘特别好，人人都喜欢他开朗的性格。
Meaning: Introverted
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Even though she seems to be very introverted, once she is acquainted with you, she will become especially talkative.
Pinyin: Suī rán tā kàn qǐ lai shí fēn nèi xiàng, dàn yí dàn hé nǐ shú luò qǐ lai, tā jiù huì yí xià zi biàn de huà tè bié duō.
In Chinese: 虽然她看起来十分内向，但一旦和你熟络起来，她就会一下子变得话特别多。
2) Feelings
1- 快乐的 / 开心的 (kuài le de / kāi xīn de)
Meaning: Happy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My friends and I were all very happy at our senior prom last night.
Pinyin: Zài zuó wǎn de bì yè wǔ huì shang, wǒ hé wǒ de péng you men dōu wán de hěn kāi xīn.
In Chinese: 在昨晚的毕业舞会上，我和我的朋友们都玩得很开心。
2- 烦躁的 (fán zào de)
Meaning: Agitated
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I feel so agitated because I am not sure whether I did well on the test or not.
Pinyin: Yīn wèi wǒ bú què dìng zì jǐ dào dǐ kǎo méi kǎo hǎo, suǒ yǐ gǎn jué yì cháng fán zào.
In Chinese: 因为我不确定自己到底考没考好，所以感觉异常烦躁。
3- 沮丧的 (jǔ sàng de)
Meaning: Upset
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I thought I was capable of acing this interview, but I can’t believe it turned out this badly. It makes me so upset.
Pinyin: Wǒ běn yǐ wéi zì jǐ duì zhè gè miàn shì hěn yǒu bǎ wò, méi xiǎng dào fā huī de zhè me chà, zhè ràng wǒ gǎn dào shí fēn jǔ sàng.
In Chinese: 我本以为自己对这个面试很有把握，没想到发挥得这么差，这让我感到十分沮丧。
4- 伤心的/难过的 (shāng xīn de)
Meaning: Sad
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My younger sister dropped her cake on the floor by accident, and she got so sad that she started to cry.
Pinyin: Mèi mei yí bù xiǎo xīn bǎ dàn gāo diào dao le dì shang, shāng xīn de kū le qǐ lai.
In Chinese: 妹妹一不小心把蛋糕掉到了地上，伤心的哭了起来。
5- 孤单的 (gū dān de)
Meaning: Lonely
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Ever since I went to study abroad, I often feel very lonely.
Pinyin: Lái dao guó wài liú xué zhī hòu, wǒ jīng cháng gǎn dào shí fēn gū dān.
In Chinese: 来到国外留学之后，我经常感到十分孤单。
6- 百感交集的 (bǎi gǎn jiāo jí de)
Meaning: Emotional
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Every night when everything gets quiet around me, I become emotional and start to overthink things.
Pinyin: Měi dāng wǎn shang yè shēn rén jìng de shí hou, wǒ jiù huì biàn de bǎi gǎn jiāo jí, kāi shǐ xiǎng hěn duō bù gāi xiǎng de shì qíng.
In Chinese: 每当晚上夜深人静的时候，我就会变得百感交集，开始想很多不该想的事情。
7- 冲动的 (chōng dòng de) vs. 冷静的 (lěng jìng de)
Meaning: Impulsive
Usage in a sentence:
In English: We should not make a decision when we are being impulsive.
Pinyin: Wǒ men bù yīng gāi zài chōng dòng de shí hou zuò jué dìng.
In Chinese: 我们不应该在冲动的时候做决定。
Meaning: Calm
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I’m trying to put her at ease and make her calm.
Pinyin: Wǒ shì zhe ān fǔ tā, hǎo ràng tā lěng jìng xià lai.
In Chinese: 我试着安抚她，好让她冷静下来。
5. Describing Speed, Difficulty, Importance, etc.
1- 快的 (kuài de) vs. 慢的 (màn de)
Meaning: Fast
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I can’t believe how fast the bus arrived once I got to the bus stop.
Pinyin: Wǒ bù gǎn xiàng xìn zì jǐ gāng dào gōng jiāo chē zhàn, gōng jiāo chē jiù fēi cháng kuài de dào zhàn le.
In Chinese: 我不敢相信自己刚到公交车站，公交车就非常快地到站了。
Meaning: Slow
Usage in a sentence:
In English: A sloth is probably the slowest animal in the world.
Pinyin: Shù lǎn dà gài shì shì jiè zuì màn de dòng wù zhī yī le.
In Chinese: 树懒大概是世界最慢的动物之一了。
2- 简单的 (jiǎn dān de)
Meaning: Simple
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I just want a simple life and I don’t want to always overthink.
Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐ xiǎng yào yí gè jiǎn dān de shēng huó, bù xiǎng zǒng shì xiǎng nà me duō.
In Chinese: 我只想要一个简单的生活，不想总是想那么多。
3- 容易的 (róng yì de) vs. 困难的 (kùn nán de)
Meaning: Easy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: This math question is too easy for a highschool student.
Pinyin: Zhè dào shù xué tí duì yí gè gāo zhōng shēng ér yán shí zài shì tài róng yì le.
In Chinese: 这道数学题对一个高中生而言实在是太容易了。
Meaning: Difficult
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It is very difficult for someone who is not confident to perform on stage.
Pinyin: Duì yú yí gè bú zì xìn de rén lái shuō, shàng tái biǎo yǎn shì fēi cháng kùn nán de.
In Chinese: 对于一个不自信的人来说，上台表演是非常困难的。
4- 重要的 (zhòng yao de) vs. 无关紧要的 (wú guān jǐn yào de)
Meaning: Important
Usage in a sentence:
In English: A passport is a very important document; make sure to check your backpack again for your passport before you leave for the airport.
Pinyin: Hù zhào shì hěn zhòng yào de zhèng jiàn, qù jī chǎng zhī qián yí dìng yào zài jiǎn chá yí biàn hù zhào shì fǒu zài bāo lǐ.
In Chinese: 护照是很重要的证件，去机场之前一定要再检查一遍护照是否在包里。
Meaning: Trivial
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It’s okay if your money is stolen; you can make more as long as you are safe. Compared to one’s safety, everything else seems trivial.
Pinyin: Qián bèi tōu méi yǒu guān xì, hái kě yǐ zài zhèng, zhǐ yào nǐ rén shēn ān quán méi yǒu chū wèn tí jiù hǎo, bǐ qǐ ān quán qí tā dōu shì wú guān jǐn yào de shì qíng.
In Chinese: 钱被偷没有关系，还可以再挣，只要你人身安全没有出问题就好，比起安全其他都是无关紧要的事情。
6. Describing Colors in Chinese
1- 红色的 (hóng sè de)
Meaning: Red
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Most roses are red.
Pinyin: Dà duō shù méi guī dōu shì hóng sè de.
In Chinese: 大多数玫瑰都是红色的。
2- 蓝色的 (lán sè de)
Meaning: Blue
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The sky is very blue today.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān de tiān kōng yí piàn wèi lán.
In Chinese: 今天的天空一片蔚蓝。
3- 绿色的 (lǜ sè de)
Meaning: Green
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Grass becomes extra green after a rain.
Pinyin: Xià guò yǔ zhī hòu, xiǎo cǎo men biàn de gé wài de lǜ.
In Chinese: 下过雨之后，小草们变得格外得绿。
4- 黄色的 (huáng sè de)
Meaning: Yellow
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Bananas are yellow.
Pinyin: Xiāng jiāo shì huáng sè de.
In Chinese: 香蕉是黄色的。
5- 黑色的 (hēi sè de)
Meaning: Black
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I wish to have hair that is black and pretty.
Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng yǒu yì tóu wū hēi piāo liang de tóu fa.
In Chinese: 我想有一头乌黑漂亮的头发。
6- 白色的 (bái sè de)
Meaning: White
Usage in a sentence:
In English: In fairytales, angels wear white clothes.
Pinyin: Chuán shuō zhōng tiān shǐ chuān zhe bái sè de yī fu.
In Chinese: 传说中天使穿着白色的衣服。
7- 深色的 (shēn sè de)
Meaning: Dark-colored
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Every time the moon rises, it throws light on the dark sky.
Pinyin: Měi dāng yuè liang shēng qǐ, shēn sè de tiān kōng biàn yǒu le yì mǒ guāng máng.
In Chinese: 每当月亮升起，深色的天空便有了一抹光芒。
8- 浅色的 (qiǎn sè de)
Meaning: Light-colored
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It would look better if you match these clothes with light-colored shoes.
Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yī fu pèi qiǎn sè de xié gèng hǎo kàn.
In Chinese: 这件衣服配浅色的鞋更好看。
7. Describing Shapes & Textures in Chinese
1- 圆形的 (yuán xíng de)
Meaning: Round
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The bottom of the pillar is round.
Pinyin: Zhè ge zhù zi de dǐ bù shì yuán xíng de.
In Chinese: 这个柱子的底部是圆形的。
2- 环形的 (huán xíng de)
Meaning: Circular
Usage in a sentence:
In English: If the road is too circular, it would be hard for a beginning driver.
Pinyin: Rú guǒ dào lù guò yú huán xíng de huà, duì yú xīn shǒu sī jī huì bǐ jiào yǒu nán dù.
In Chinese: 如果道路过于环形的话，对于新手司机会比较有难度。
3- 光滑的 (guāng huá de) vs. 粗糙的 (cū cāo de)
Meaning: Smooth
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My skin became especially smooth after I put on some lotion.
Pinyin: Tú wán hù shǒu shuāng zhī hòu wǒ de pí fū biàn de yì cháng guāng huá.
In Chinese: 涂完护手霜之后我的皮肤变得异常光滑。
Meaning: Tough
Usage in a sentence:
In English: These clothes feel very tough on the outside; it doesn’t seem to have good quality.
Pinyin: Zhè jiàn yī fu wài miàn mō qǐ lai shí fēn cū cāo, zhì liàng kàn qǐ lai bú shì hěn hǎo.
In Chinese: 这件衣服外面摸起来十分粗糙，质量看起来不是很好。
8. Describing Weather in Chinese
1- 晴朗的 (qíng lǎng de)
Meaning: Sunny
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Today it’s very sunny; it’d be good to take a walk outside.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān de tiān qì shí fēn qíng lǎng, hěn shì hé chū qù sàn sàn bù.
In Chinese: 今天的天气十分晴朗，很适合出去散散步。
2- 闷热的 (mēn rè de)
Meaning: Humid
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I don’t like humid weather; it makes people feel like it’s hard to breathe.
Pinyin: Wǒ bù xǐ huan mēn rè de tiān qì, huì gǎn jué ràng rén chuǎn bú guò qì lai.
In Chinese: 我不喜欢闷热的天气，会感觉让人喘不过气来。
3- 多风的 (duō fēng de)
Meaning: Windy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It’s been very windy recently. The trees outside always make noise while being blown around.
Pinyin: Zuì jìn tiān qì hěn duō fēng, wài miàn de shù jīng cháng bèi chuī de dà shēng xiǎng.
In Chinese: 最近天气很多风，外面的树经常被吹得大声响。
4- 多雨的 (duō yǔ de)
Meaning: Rainy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Recently, California has been very rainy.
Pinyin: Jiā zhōu zuì jìn shí fēn duō yǔ.
In Chinese: 加州最近十分多雨。
5- 多云的 (duō yún de)
Meaning: Cloudy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Today is very cloudy; it seems like it’s going to rain.
Pinyin: Jīn tiān tiān qì duō yún, kàn qǐ lai hǎo xiàng yào xià yǔ.
In Chinese: 今天天气多云，看起来好像要下雨。
Additional notes: For more weather words in Chinese, check out our Chinese weather article!
9. Chinese Food Adjectives for Describing Taste
1- 甜的 (tián de)
Meaning: Sweet
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My favorite fruits are grapes, because they taste perfectly sweet.
Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐ huān de shuǐ guǒ jiù shì pú tao, chī qǐ lai tián tián de.
In Chinese: 我最喜欢的水果就是葡萄，吃起来甜甜的。
2- 咸的 (xián de)
Meaning: Salty
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I still remember the very first time I tried to cook, I used lots of salt because I thought it was sugar, so the final dish was extremely salty.
Pinyin: Wǒ hái jì de zì jǐ dì yī cì zuò fàn de shí hou, bǎ yán dāng chéng le táng fàng jìn le cài li, dǎo zhì zuì hòu chéng pǐn hěn xián.
In Chinese: 我还记得自己第一次做饭的时候，把盐当成了糖放进了菜里，导致最后成品很咸。
3- 酸的 (suān de)
Meaning: Sour
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Pregnant women typically prefer sour food.
Pinyin: Huái yùn de nǚ rén yì bān bǐ jiào xǐ huān chī suān de shí wù.
In Chinese: 怀孕的女人一般比较喜欢吃酸的食物。
4- 苦的 (kǔ de)
Meaning: Bitter
Usage in a sentence:
In English: My younger sister hates taking medicine because it tastes too bitter for her.
Pinyin: Wǒ mèi mei fēi cháng tǎo yàn chī yào, yīn wèi shí zài shì tài kǔ le.
In Chinese: 我妹妹非常讨厌吃药，因为实在是太苦了。
5- 辣的 (là de)
Meaning: Spicy
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I can’t handle spicy food, even though I was born in Sichuan.
Pinyin: Wǒ bìng bú shì hěn néng chī là de shí wù, jìn guǎn wǒ shì zài sì chuān chū shēng de.
In Chinese: 我并不是很能吃辣的食物，尽管我是在四川出生的。
6- 麻的 (má de)
Meaning: A pungent flavor that makes your mouth feel numb
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Sichuan pepper can make your tongue go numb.
Pinyin: Sì chuān de huā jiāo kě yǐ ràng nǐ de shé tou fā má.
In Chinese: 四川的花椒可以让你的舌头发麻。
10. Adjectives in Chinese for Describing a Situation
1- 危险的 (wēi xiǎn de)
Meaning: Dangerous
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It’s very dangerous to go out alone as a kid when it’s dark outside.
Pinyin: Zuò wéi yí gè xiǎo hái, tiān hēi zhī hòu yí gè rén chū mén shì hěn wēi xiǎn de.
In Chinese: 作为一个小孩，天黑之后一个人出门是很危险的。
2- 好玩的 (hǎo wán de)
Meaning: Fun
Usage in a sentence:
In English: This amusement park is such a fun place to go.
Pinyin: Zhè ge yóu lè yuán zhēn shì yí gè hǎo wán de dì fang.
In Chinese: 这个游乐园真是一个好玩的地方。
3- 有趣的 (yǒu qù de) vs. 无聊的 (wú liáo de)
Meaning: Interesting
Usage in a sentence:
In English: This storybook is so interesting. I already can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter.
Pinyin: Zhè běn gù shì shū kě zhēn yǒu qù, wǒ yǐ jīng pò bù jí dài xiǎng yào zhī dào xià yì zhāng huì fā shēng shén me le.
In Chinese: 这本故事书可真有趣，我已经迫不及待想要知道下一章会发生什么了。
Meaning: Boring
Usage in a sentence:
In English: All my roommates are out traveling; being by myself is so boring.
Pinyin: Shì yǒu dōu chū qù lǚ xíng le, yí gè rén shēng huó de rì zi hǎo wú liáo a.
In Chinese: 室友都出去旅行了，一个人生活的日子好无聊啊。
4- 刺激的 (cì jī de)
Meaning: Exciting
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It is so exciting to be on a roller coaster!
Pinyin: Zuò guò shān chē shí zài shì tài cì jī le!
In Chinese: 坐过山车实在是太刺激了！
11. Describing Physical Traits or Physical Conditions
Here are some adjectives in Mandarin Chinese to talk about physical traits or conditions. These are essential for describing people in Chinese!
1- 老的 (lǎo de) vs. 年轻的 (nián qīng de)
Meaning: Old
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Bodies can turn old, but hearts can always remain young.
Pinyin: Shēn tǐ kě yǐ biàn lǎo, dàn xīn kě yǐ yǒng yuǎn bǎo chí nián qīng.
In Chinese: 身体可以变老，但心可以永远保持年轻。
Meaning: Young
Usage in a sentence:
In English: When we are young, we should be brave and pursue our dreams.
Pinyin: Chèn zhe wǒ men hái nián qīng, jiù yào yǒng gǎn de qù zhuī mèng.
In Chinese: 趁着我们还年轻，就要勇敢地去追梦。
2- 强壮的 (qiáng zhuàng de) vs. 弱小的 (ruò xiǎo de)
Meaning: Strong
Usage in a sentence:
In English: He always exercises at the gym, so his body is very strong.
Pinyin: Tā jīng cháng qù jiàn shēn fáng duàn liàn, suǒ yǐ shēn tǐ fēi cháng qiáng zhuàng.
In Chinese: 他经常去健身房锻炼，所以身体非常强壮。
Meaning: Weak
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I heard that she always gets sick and isn’t very healthy, so no wonder she appears to be very weak.
Pinyin: Tīng shuō tā jīng cháng shēng bìng, shēn tǐ hěn bù hǎo, guài bu de kàn qǐ lai nà me ruò xiǎo.
In Chinese: 听说她经常生病，身体很不好，怪不得看起来那么弱小。
3- 病的 (bìng de)
Meaning: Sick
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I had to stay in bed and rest the whole day today, because I was sick.
Pinyin: Wǒ jīn tiān yì zhěng tiān dōu zài chuáng shàng tǎng zhe xiū xi, yīn wèi wǒ bìng le.
In Chinese: 我今天一整天都在床上躺着休息，因为我病了。
4- 敏捷的 (mǐn jié de)
Meaning: Agile
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Rabbits are very agile animals; their size is small, but they run very fast.
Pinyin: Tù zi shì fēi cháng mǐn jié de dòng wù, suī rán tǐ xíng xiǎo, dàn què pǎo de hěn kuài.
In Chinese: 兔子是非常敏捷的动物，虽然体型小，但却跑得很快。
12. Describing Appearance in Chinese
1- 漂亮的 (piào liang de)
Meaning: Pretty
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The dress that model is wearing looks so pretty, even though it’s overpriced.
Pinyin: Nà ge mó tè chuān de qún zi zhēn piāo liang, suī rán jià gé guò gāo le.
In Chinese: 那个模特穿的裙子真漂亮，虽然价格过高了。
2- 丑陋的 (chǒu lòu de) vs. 美丽的 (měi lì de)
Meaning: Ugly
Usage in a sentence:
In English: An ugly appearance is born with, but an ugly heart is caused by ourselves.
Pinyin: Chǒu lòu de wài biǎo kě yǐ shì tiān shēng de, dàn chǒu lòu de nèi xīn què shì wǒ men zì jǐ zào chéng de.
In Chinese: 丑陋的外表可以是天生的，但丑陋的内心却是我们自己造成的。
Meaning: Beautiful
Usage in a sentence:
In English: The nature here is so beautiful that I can’t take my eyes off it.
Pinyin: Zhè lǐ de zì rán fēng jǐng shí zài shì tài guò měi lì le, yǐ zhì yú wǒ gēn běn wú fǎ jiāng mù guāng zhuǎn yí dào bié de dì fang.
In Chinese: 这里的自然风景实在是太过美丽了，以至于我根本无法将目光转移到别的地方。
3- 胖的 (pàng de) vs. 瘦的 (shòu de)
Meaning: Fat
Usage in a sentence:
In English: Although he looks a bit fat, he can run really fast.
Pinyin: Suī rán tā kàn qǐ lai yǒu xiē pàng, dàn tā pǎo bù fēi cháng kuài.
In Chinese: 虽然他看起来有些胖，但他跑步非常快。
Meaning: Thin
Usage in a sentence:
In English: She looks so incredibly thin that I think she barely eats.
Pinyin: Tā kàn qǐ lai shí zài shì guò yú shòu le, yǐ zhì yú wǒ jué de tā jī hū dōu bù zěn me chī dōng xi.
In Chinese: 她看起来实在是过于瘦了，以至于我觉得她几乎都不怎么吃东西。
4- 苗条的 (miáo tiao de)
Meaning: Skinny
Usage in a sentence:
In English: She is on a diet right now because she wants to get skinny.
Pinyin: Tā yīn wèi xiǎng yào biàn shòu, xiàn zài zhèng zài jiē shí zhōng.
In Chinese: 她因为想要变瘦，现在正在节食中。
5- 好看的 (hǎo kàn de)
Meaning: Good-looking
Usage in a sentence:
In English: It’s good to have a good-looking appearance, but it’s even more important to have a kind heart on the inside.
Pinyin: Yōng yǒu yí gè hǎo kàn de wài biǎo gù rán shì hǎo de, dàn yōng yǒu yì kē shàn liáng de nèi xīn gèng wéi zhòng yào.
In Chinese: 拥有一个好看的外表固然是好的，但拥有一颗善良的内心更为重要。
6- 可爱的 (kě ài de)
Meaning: Adorable
Usage in a sentence:
In English: All the little animals in the zoo are so adorable!
Pinyin: Dòng wu yuán li de xiǎo dòng wu men dōu hǎo kě ài ya!
In Chinese: 动物园里的小动物们都好可爱呀！
7- 有魅力的 (yǒu mèi lì de)
Meaning: Attractive
Usage in a sentence:
In English: This young actor is so attractive.
Pinyin: Zhè wèi nián qīng de nán yǎn yuán kě zhēn yǒu mèi lì.
In Chinese: 这位年轻的男演员可真有魅力。
8- 贫穷的 (pín qióng de) vs. 富有的 (fù yǒu de)
Meaning: Poor
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I wish I could help those poor people who can’t afford food.
Pinyin: Wǒ zhēn xī wàng zì jǐ kě yǐ bāng zhù nà xiē qióng de chī bu qǐ fàn de rén men.
In Chinese: 我真希望自己可以帮助那些穷得吃不起饭的人们。
Meaning: Rich
Usage in a sentence:
In English: I hope to become a rich person in the future.
Pinyin: Wǒ xī wàng yǐ hòu huì chéng wéi yí gè fù yǒu de rén.
In Chinese: 我希望以后会成为一个富有的人。
9- 有气质的 (yǒu qì zhi de)
What kind of adjective would you use to describe this model? Let’s learn it!
Meaning: To have an attractive air
Usage in a sentence:
In English: This model seems to have an attractive air to her.
Pinyin: Zhè ge mó tè kàn qǐ lai hěn yǒu qì zhi.
In Chinese: 这个模特看起来很有气质。
Additional notes: For all the Chinese Mandarin adjectives we mentioned above, we primarily put them in dictionary form with 的 (de), meaning “of” in English. However, while structuring actual sentences, this can often be omitted to make it sound more natural. That’s why you often see 的 in the dictionary, but don’t hear it in daily talks.
13. How Can You Go Beyond Common Chinese Adjectives?
Now, let me ask you this question again: What is adjectives’ meaning in Chinese? Is the word 形容词 etched in your memory now? Did our Chinese adjectives list enrich your vocabulary? I’m certain the answer is positive.
These 100 common Chinese adjectives may sound overwhelming at first, but always keep in mind that practice makes perfect! To practice your knowledge, tell us about yourself in the comments below using some of these Chinese adjectives!
Whether you wish to get more Chinese adjectives PDF or wish to get more enchanted in the wonder of Chinese language other than Chinese mandarin adjectives, remember that you are only one click away from getting the magic from our amazing resourceful website ChineseClass101.com. We are here waiting for your arrival so you can join our journey together in studying Chinese!
