Emotions and feelings in Chinese
The Chinese word for "emotions and feelings" is 情绪 (qíng xù). Below are 69 Chinese words for emotions and feelings, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 1 to HSK 7-9, in the order a learner meets them.
The 10 words to learn first
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 高兴 | gāo xìng | happy | 1 |
| 快乐 | kuài lè | happy; joyful | 2 |
| 难过 | nán guò | to feel sad | 3 |
| 生气 | shēng qì | to get angry | 3 |
| 害怕 | hài pà | to be afraid | 3 |
| 紧张 | jǐn zhāng | nervous/tense | 4 |
| 担心 | dān xīn | to worry | 3 |
| 喜欢 | xǐ huan | to like; to be fond of | 1 |
| 爱 | ài | to love; to be fond of; to like | 1 |
| 累 | lèi | tired | 2 |
Feelings and Adjectives HSK 1 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 想 | xiǎng | to think (about) | 1 |
| 好 | hǎo | good | 1 |
| 大 | dà | big; large; great | 1 |
| 小 | xiǎo | small | 1 |
| 漂亮 | piào liang | pretty | 1 |
| 冷 | lěng | cold | 1 |
| 热 | rè | hot | 1 |
| 少 | shǎo | few | 1 |
| 多 | duō | many; much | 1 |
Emotions and States HSK 2 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 笑 | xiào | to laugh; to smile | 2 |
| 忙 | máng | busy | 1 |
| 错 | cuò | wrong; mistake; bad | 2 |
| 真 | zhēn | really; true | 1 |
| 希望 | xī wàng | to hope; hope | 2 |
| 觉得 | jué de | to think that ...; to feel that ... | 1 |
| 欢迎 | huān yíng | to welcome | 3 |
Emotions & Attitudes HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 满意 | mǎn yì | satisfied | 3 |
| 热情 | rè qíng | enthusiastic; warm | 3 |
| 哭 | kū | to cry; to weep | 3 |
| 着急 | zháo jí | to worry; to feel anxious | 3 |
| 可爱 | kě ài | adorable | 3 |
| 关心 | guān xīn | to be concerned about | 3 |
| 同意 | tóng yì | to agree | 3 |
| 愿意 | yuàn yì | to be willing; to wish | 3 |
Positive emotions & feelings HSK 4 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 幸福 | xìng fú | happiness | 4 |
| 兴奋 | xīng fèn | excited | 4 |
| 激动 | jī dòng | to move emotionally | 4 |
| 感动 | gǎn dòng | to move (sb) | 4 |
| 愉快 | yú kuài | cheerful | 4 |
| 感谢 | gǎn xiè | (express) thanks | 4 |
| 感情 | gǎn qíng | emotion | 4 |
| 友谊 | yǒu yì | friendship | 4 |
| 浪漫 | làng màn | romantic | 4 |
| 亮 | liàng | bright | 4 |
| 爱情 | ài qíng | romance; love (romantic) | 4 |
Negative emotions & reactions HSK 4 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 伤心 | shāng xīn | to grieve | 4 |
| 后悔 | hòu huǐ | to regret; to feel remorse | 4 |
| 失望 | shī wàng | disappointed | 4 |
| 孤单 | gū dān | lone | 7-9 |
| 烦恼 | fán nǎo | to be worried | 4 |
| 害羞 | hài xiū | shy | 4 |
| 可怜 | kě lián | pitiful | 6 |
| 可惜 | kě xī | it is a pity | 4 |
| 流泪 | liú lèi | to shed tears | – |
| 同情 | tóng qíng | to sympathize with | 5 |
| 吃惊 | chī jīng | to be startled | 4 |
| 讨厌 | tǎo yàn | to dislike | 4 |
| 羡慕 | xiàn mù | to envy | 4 |
Emotions & Moods HSK 6 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 唉 | āi | sigh; interjection of resignation or regret (ugh, oh well) | 5 |
| 安慰 | ān wèi | to comfort | 5 |
| 不安 | bù ān | unpeaceful | 6 |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎo yì si | to feel embarrassed | 2 |
| 惭愧 | cán kuì | ashamed | 7-9 |
| 操心 | cāo xīn | to worry about | 7-9 |
| 沉默 | chén mò | taciturn | 5 |
| 发愁 | fā chóu | to worry | 6 |
| 发抖 | fā dǒu | to tremble | 7-9 |
| 灰心 | huī xīn | to lose heart | 6 |
| 寂寞 | jì mò | lonely | 6 |
Every word links to its dictionary entry, with audio, example sentences and stroke order. The words are grouped by the GraphChinese lesson that teaches them, so a few in each group belong to the lesson and sit a little outside the topic.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say "emotions and feelings" in Chinese?
情绪 (qíng xù), meaning "mood; emotion". The most common words in this topic are 高兴 (gāo xìng, happy), 快乐 (kuài lè, happy), 难过 (nán guò, to feel sad), 生气 (shēng qì, to get angry).
How many Chinese words for emotions and feelings do I need?
This page lists 69, from HSK 1 to HSK 7-9. The 10 at the top are enough to start; the rest follow level by level.
What do the HSK levels on this page mean?
Each word shows where the new HSK 3.0 word list places it, from level 1 to the 7-9 band. A dash means the word is taught in the course and is not on the HSK 3.0 list. HSK 3.0, complete.
How do I pronounce these words?
The pinyin beside each word gives the sound and the tone. Each word links to its dictionary entry, where you can hear it. If the tone marks are new to you, start with the four tones, explained.
GraphChinese teaches these words in dependency order, with audio, and only moves on when each one is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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