Chinese vocabulary: upper intermediate (B2)
The 166 words and phrases taught in the upper intermediate chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
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1. Discussing and debating
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- 小区xiǎoqūhousing compound, residential estate · a gated group of apartment blocks with its own management
- 业主yèzhǔ(property) owner · (gèwèi yèzhǔ), dear owners, everyone
- 停车位tíngchēwèiparking space · short: (chēwèi); a free space is (kòngwèi)
- 改成gǎichéngto change into, to turn into · (bǎ chēwèi gǎichéng yóulèchǎng)
- 游乐场yóulèchǎngplayground; amusement park · (értóng yóulèchǎng), children's playground; (wán), to play
- 安全ānquánsafe; safety · (bù ānquán), not safe
- 打断dǎduànto interrupt · (dǎduàn yíxià), to interrupt for a moment
- 尽管jǐnguǎneven though, although · with (háishi) or (yě) in the second half
- 即使jíshǐeven if · (jíshǐ … yě …)
- 不管bùguǎnno matter (what, how …) · (bùguǎn … dōu …); formal: (wúlùn)
- 占zhànto take up, to occupy · (zhàn dìfang), to take up space
- 与其…不如…yǔqí … bùrú …rather than …, it's better to …
- 总之zǒngzhīin short, all in all
- 投票tóupiàoto vote; vote · (àn tóupiào jiéguǒ bàn), to go by the result of the vote; (tǎolùn) and (shāngliang), to discuss, to talk over
2. Work in depth
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- 客户kèhùclient, customer · a business client; (mǎnyì), satisfied
- 方案fāng'ànplan, proposal · (shèjì fāng'àn), design proposal
- 反馈fǎnkuìfeedback; to give feedback · (yǒu fǎnkuì le), feedback has come in
- 细节xìjiédetail
- 调整tiáozhěngto adjust; adjustment
- 截止日期jiézhǐ rìqīdeadline · (tíqián), to bring forward
- 恐怕kǒngpàI'm afraid (that), probably · softens bad news
- 沟通gōutōngto communicate, to talk things through · (gēn kèhù gōutōng yíxià)
- 推迟tuīchíto postpone, to push back
- 未必wèibìnot necessarily · more formal than (bù yídìng)
- 毕竟bìjìngafter all
- 除非chúfēiunless · (chúfēi … fǒuzé …); (kěndìng), definitely
- 预算yùsuànbudget · (zēngjiā yùsuàn), to increase the budget
- 否则fǒuzéotherwise · spoken: (bùrán)
3. Film, books and media
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- 剧情jùqíngplot, story (of a film or series) · (jùqíng hěn jiǎndān), the plot is simple
- 节奏jiézòupace, rhythm
- 导演dǎoyǎndirector (of a film) · the audience is (guānzhòng)
- 主角zhǔjuémain character, lead role · (jué) has this reading here; (nǚ zhǔjué), the heroine
- 演员yǎnyuánactor, actress · (yǎn), to act, to play a role
- 结局jiéjúending
- 居然jūránactually, to my surprise · also (jìngrán)
- 感人gǎnrénmoving, touching
- 终于zhōngyúfinally, at last
- 于是yúshìand so, thereupon · links events in a story
- 小说xiǎoshuōnovel · measure word (běn); (shū), book; (shūdiàn), bookshop
- 改编gǎibiānto adapt · (gēnjù xiǎoshuō gǎibiān), based on a novel
- 评价píngjiàreview, rating; to assess · (píngjià hěn gāo), highly rated; (wǎngshang de píngjià), online reviews
- 值得zhídeto be worth · (zhíde yí kàn), worth seeing
4. Science and technology
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- 太阳能tàiyángnéngsolar energy · (tàiyáng), sun; (néng), energy
- 电池板diànchíbǎn(solar) panel · (wūdǐng), roof
- 发电fādiànto generate electricity · (yì nián néng fā yíwàn dù diàn), can make 10,000 kWh a year; (dù) is a kilowatt hour
- 原理yuánlǐprinciple (how something works) · (yuánlǐ bú fùzá), the principle isn't complicated
- 利用lìyòngto use, to make use of
- 转化zhuǎnhuàto transform, to convert · 把 A 转化成 B (bǎ A zhuǎnhuà chéng B)
- 通过tōngguòby means of, through · (tōngguò zhè zhǒng fāngshì), in this way; (zhǒng), kind, type
- 节省jiéshěngto save (money, energy) · spoken: (shěng)
- 电费diànfèielectricity bill, electricity costs
- 由于yóuyúbecause, due to (written) · spoken: (yīnwèi)
- 因此yīncǐtherefore, so (written) · spoken: (suǒyǐ)
- 安装ānzhuāngto install · spoken: (zhuāng)
- 效率xiàolǜefficiency · (xiàolǜ hěn gāo), very efficient
- 环保huánbǎoenvironmentally friendly; environmental protection · (yòu shěng qián yòu huánbǎo), saves money and is green too; (shāo méi), to burn coal
5. Society and the environment
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- 垃圾分类lājī fēnlèirubbish sorting · (lājī), rubbish; (rēng lājī), to throw away rubbish; (shī lājī), food waste, the Shanghai term
- 回收huíshōuto recycle · (kě huíshōu wù), recyclables
- 塑料sùliàoplastic · (sùliàodài), plastic bag
- 难免nánmiǎnhard to avoid, bound to happen
- 假如jiǎrúif, supposing · slightly more formal than (rúguǒ)
- 意识yìshíawareness · (huánbǎo yìshí), environmental awareness; (zhòngshì), to take seriously
- 措施cuòshīmeasure, step (taken to solve a problem)
- 空气质量kōngqì zhìliàngair quality · (zhìliàng), quality
- 污染wūrǎnpollution; to pollute · (kōngqì wūrǎn), air pollution
- 甚至shènzhìeven
- 万一wànyīwhat if, in case (something bad happens) · (yī) keeps its first tone here
- 后果hòuguǒconsequence (usually bad) · (hòuguǒ hěn yánzhòng), the consequences are serious
- 环境huánjìngenvironment · (bǎohù huánjìng), to protect the environment
- 浪费làngfèito waste; waste
6. Public life
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- 市政府shìzhèngfǔcity government · (zhèngfǔ), government; (fèiyòng yóu shìzhèngfǔ chéngdān), the city government covers the cost
- 宣布xuānbùto announce · (fābùhuì), press conference
- 老年人lǎoniánrénolder people, the elderly · more formal than (lǎorén)
- 免费miǎnfèifree (of charge)
- 表示biǎoshìto state, to express
- 政策zhèngcèpolicy · measure word (xiàng): (zhè xiàng zhèngcè)
- 强调qiángdiàoto stress, to emphasise
- 措施cuòshīmeasure, step · from chapter 5; (línshí cuòshī), temporary measure
- 实施shíshīto put into effect, to implement · (jùtǐ bànfǎ), the detailed arrangements; (jùtǐ), specific, exactly
- 指出zhǐchūto point out
- 于yúat, on, in (written) · spoken: (zài)
- 将jiāngwill (written) · spoken: (huì), (yào)
- 公共交通gōnggòng jiāotōngpublic transport · spoken: (gōngjiāo) usually means the bus
- 据报道jù bàodàoaccording to reports · (bàodào), report; to report
7. Education and learning
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- 高考gāokǎonational university entrance exam · taken in June at the end of (gāosān), the last school year
- 分数fēnshùscore, marks · (wǔbǎi liùshí fēn), 560 points
- 后悔hòuhuǐto regret
- 本来běnláioriginally, at first · (běnlái yīnggāi … de), should have …
- 复习fùxíto revise, to review (for an exam)
- 补习班bǔxíbānextra classes, cram school
- 早知道zǎo zhīdàoif I'd known (earlier) · (zǎo zhīdào … jiù … le)
- 重新chóngxīnagain, anew · (chóngxīn kǎo), to retake the exam; (fùdú), to repeat the final school year
- 只有…才…zhǐyǒu … cái …only if …, (then) …
- 考上kǎoshàngto pass the entrance exam (for a school) · (kǎoshàng dàxué), to get into university
- 家长jiāzhǎngparent (of a pupil) · used for parents in relation to school
- 兴趣xìngqùinterest · (duì … gǎn xìngqù), to be interested in …
- 专业zhuānyèsubject, major (at university) · (jìsuànjī zhuānyè), computer science
- 既…又…jì … yòu …both … and …
8. Idioms and everyday speech
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- 端午节DuānwǔjiéDragon Boat Festival · on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month
- 粽子zòngzizongzi, sticky rice wrapped in leaves · (tián zòngzi), sweet zongzi; (xián zòngzi), savoury zongzi, often with (ròu), meat
- 包bāoto wrap · (bāo zòngzi), (bāo jiǎozi); (sàn le), fell apart
- 糯米nuòmǐsticky rice, glutinous rice
- 到底dàodǐexactly, actually, in the end (in questions)
- 手艺shǒuyìcraft, (manual) skill · (nǎinai de shǒuyì), Grandma's cooking skills; (péipei wǒ), keep me company
- 一举两得yì jǔ liǎng déto kill two birds with one stone
- 成语chéngyǔfour-character idiom
- 熟能生巧shú néng shēng qiǎopractice makes perfect
- 马马虎虎mǎmahūhūcareless; so-so · (mǎmahūhū de), sloppy; (hái mǎmahūhū), not too bad
- 入乡随俗rù xiāng suí súwhen in Rome, do as the Romans do
- 半途而废bàn tú ér fèito give up halfway
- 反正fǎnzhènganyway, in any case
- 龙舟lóngzhōudragon boat · (lóngzhōusài), dragon boat race
9. Humour and informal language
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- 得了吧déle bacome off it, give me a break
- 放鸽子fàng gēzito stand someone up · (fàng wǒ gēzi), to stand me up
- 难道nándàosurely … not?, do you mean to say …? · (nándào … ma?)
- 靠谱kàopǔreliable, sensible · (bú kàopǔ), unreliable
- …死了… sǐ leextremely, to death (after an adjective) · (lèi sǐ le), dead tired; (jǐnzhāng sǐ le), stressed out of my mind; (jǐnzhāng), nervous, stressed
- 学霸xuébàtop student, swot
- 吐槽tǔcáoto make fun of, to moan about
- 请客qǐngkèto treat (someone), to pay for everyone · (wǒ qǐngkè), it's on me
- 啥sháwhat (northern, casual) · = (shénme)
- 挺…的tǐng … dequite, pretty
- 小气xiǎoqistingy, mean · (bú shì xiǎoqi, shì qióng), I'm not stingy, I'm broke; (qióng), poor
- 逗dòufunny; to tease · (nǐ zhēn dòu), you're so funny
- 蹭饭cèngfànto eat at someone else's expense · (qù sùshè cèngfàn), to come round to the dorm for free meals; (shítáng), canteen
- 厉害lìhaiamazing, brilliant; severe
10. Formal writing
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- 物业wùyèproperty management (company) · (wùyè guǎnlǐchù), property management office
- 投诉tóusùto complain (officially); complaint · (xiě yóujiàn tóusù), to complain by email; (yóujiàn), email; (fǎnyìng), to report (a problem)
- 电梯diàntīlift, elevator · (lóutī), stairs; (chūxiàn gùzhàng), to break down
- 尊敬的zūnjìng deDear … (formal greeting) · (zūnjìng de Wáng jīnglǐ:)
- 至今zhìjīnuntil now, to date (written)
- 维修wéixiūto repair, to maintain; repairs · more formal than (xiū)
- 此外cǐwàiin addition, besides (written)
- 然而rán'érhowever (written)
- 鉴于jiànyúin view of, considering (written)
- 尽快jǐnkuàias soon as possible
- 予以yǔyǐto give (formal, before a verb) · (yǔyǐ dáfù), to reply
- 以便yǐbiànso that, in order to (written)
- 盼复pànfùI look forward to your reply · at the end of a letter
- 此致 敬礼cǐzhì jìnglǐwith respect, yours faithfully · the closing formula of a formal letter
11. Giving a presentation
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- 分享fēnxiǎngto share
- 项目xiàngmùproject
- 乡村xiāngcūnvillage, rural area · (cūnzi), village
- 流动图书馆liúdòng túshūguǎnmobile library · (liúdòng), mobile, moving; (yí liàng chē), one vehicle, with (liàng), the measure word for vehicles
- 接下来jiēxiàláinext, following that
- 效果xiàoguǒeffect, result · (xiàoguǒ hěn hǎo), it works well
- 正如zhèngrújust as · (zhèngrú dàjiā suǒ jiàn), as you can see
- 数据shùjùdata, figures
- 显示xiǎnshìto show, to indicate
- 成本chéngběncost · (chéngběn dī), low cost
- 可行kěxíngfeasible, workable
- 总而言之zǒng ér yán zhīin short, to sum up · a formal (zǒngzhī)
- 感谢gǎnxièto thank · more formal than (xièxie)
- 报告bàogàopresentation, talk; report · (zuò bàogào), to give a presentation
12. Final review
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- 变化biànhuàchange; to change · (yìdiǎnr biànhuà dōu méiyǒu), not changed at all
- 老样子lǎo yàngzithe same as ever · (nǐ háishi lǎo yàngzi), you haven't changed
- 一言难尽yì yán nán jìnit's hard to explain in a few words · (yì yán), one word; (nán jìn), hard to finish
- 记者jìzhějournalist, reporter · (cǎifǎng), to interview (as a journalist)
- 创业chuàngyèto start a business · it takes (yǒngqì), courage
- 当年dāngniánback then, in those years
- 说来话长shuō lái huà chángit's a long story
- 毕竟bìjìngafter all · from chapter 2
- 合作hézuòto cooperate, to work together; partnership
- 耽误dānwuto hold up, to take up (someone's time) · (bù dānwu nín shíjiān le), I won't take up more of your time
- 不管怎么说bùguǎn zěnme shuōanyway, whatever the case
- 回头huítóulater, some time soon (spoken) · (huítóu zài liáo), talk later
- 联系liánxìto be in touch, to contact · (fā dào wǒ yóuxiāng), send it to my email
- 珍惜zhēnxīto treasure, to value
Other levels: Beginner (A1) · Elementary (A2) · Intermediate (B1)