Entertainment and the arts in Chinese
The Chinese word for "entertainment and the arts" is 娱乐 (yú lè). Below are 35 Chinese words for entertainment and the arts, each with pinyin, English and its level in the new HSK 3.0 word list. They cover HSK 2 to HSK 6, in the order a learner meets them.
Entertainment, Arts & Media HSK 3 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 音乐 | yīn yuè | music | 3 |
| 节目 | jié mù | program | 3 |
| 故事 | gù shì | story | 3 |
| 表演 | biǎo yǎn | to perform; performance | 3 |
| 游戏 | yóu xì | game | 3 |
| 比赛 | bǐ sài | competition (sports etc) | 3 |
| 上网 | shàng wǎng | to go online | 2 |
| 画 | huà | to draw; to paint | 2 |
| 照片 | zhào piàn | photograph | 3 |
| 照相机 | zhào xiàng jī | camera | – |
| 新闻 | xīn wén | news | 3 |
| 电子 | diàn zǐ | electronic | – |
Culture, arts & media HSK 4 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 京剧 | jīng jù | Beijing opera | 4 |
| 艺术 | yì shù | art | 4 |
| 演出 | yǎn chū | to act (in a play) | 4 |
| 民族 | mín zú | nationality; ethnic group | 4 |
| 举办 | jǔ bàn | to conduct | 4 |
| 参观 | cān guān | to look around | 4 |
| 活动 | huó dòng | activity; event | 4 |
| 小说 | xiǎo shuō | novel | 4 |
| 广播 | guǎng bō | broadcast | 4 |
| 广告 | guǎng gào | advertisement; commercial | 4 |
| 流行 | liú xíng | popular; fashionable; in vogue | 4 |
| 弹 | tán | to play (a stringed instrument) | 4 |
| 鼓掌 | gǔ zhǎng | to applaud | 5 |
Arts, Literature & Classical Culture HSK 5 lesson
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | HSK 3.0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 博物馆 | bó wù guǎn | museum | 5 |
| 成语 | chéng yǔ | Chinese four-character set expression | 6 |
| 导演 | dǎo yǎn | to direct (a film/play); director | 5 |
| 风格 | fēng gé | style | 5 |
| 服装 | fú zhuāng | costume; clothing | 5 |
| 滑冰 | huá bīng | to skate | 6 |
| 划船 | huá chuán | to row a boat | – |
| 建筑 | jiàn zhù | building; to construct | 5 |
| 讲座 | jiǎng zuò | a (public) lecture | 5 |
| 经典 | jīng diǎn | the classics; classic | 5 |
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 "entertainment and the arts" in Chinese?
娱乐 (yú lè), meaning "entertainment". The most common words in this topic are 音乐 (yīn yuè, music), 节目 (jié mù, program), 故事 (gù shì, story), 表演 (biǎo yǎn, to perform).
How many Chinese words for entertainment and the arts do I need?
This page lists 35, from HSK 2 to HSK 6. The 12 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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