Emotions & Feelings
intermediate情绪与感受
Express how you feel in Chinese — from happiness and excitement to frustration, worry, and everything in between.
48 words14 phrases2 dialogues~30 min study time
Vocabulary
48 words — click any row for an example sentence
Positive Emotions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 高兴 | gāoxìng | happy; glad | adjective |
| 快乐 | kuàilè | joyful; happy | adjective |
| 开心 | kāixīn | happy; joyous | adjective |
| 幸福 | xìngfú | blissful; blessed; happiness | adjective |
| 兴奋 | xīngfèn | excited; thrilled | adjective |
| 满意 | mǎnyì | satisfied; pleased | adjective |
| 感动 | gǎndòng | moved; touched (emotionally) | adjective |
| 骄傲 | jiāoʼào | proud | adjective |
| 感激 | gǎnjī | grateful; thankful | adjective |
| 自信 | zìxìn | self-confident | adjective |
| 期待 | qīdài | look forward to; expect | verb |
Negative Emotions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 难过 | nánguò | sad; upset | adjective |
| 伤心 | shāngxīn | sad; broken-hearted | adjective |
| 生气 | shēngqì | angry; mad | adjective |
| 愤怒 | fènnù | furious; enraged | adjective |
| 害怕 | hàipà | afraid; scared | adjective |
| 紧张 | jǐnzhāng | nervous; tense | adjective |
| 焦虑 | jiāolǜ | anxious; worried | adjective |
| 失望 | shīwàng | disappointed | adjective |
| 后悔 | hòuhuǐ | regret; feel remorse | verb |
| 孤独 | gūdú | lonely; solitary | adjective |
| 嫉妒 | jídù | jealous; envious | adjective |
| 尴尬 | gāngà | awkward; embarrassed | adjective |
Physical States
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 累 | lèi | tired; exhausted | adjective |
| 困 | kùn | sleepy; drowsy | adjective |
| 饿 | è | hungry | adjective |
| 渴 | kě | thirsty | adjective |
| 疼 | téng | painful; sore | adjective |
| 舒服 | shūfu | comfortable | adjective |
| 不舒服 | bù shūfu | uncomfortable; unwell | adjective |
| 头疼 | tóuténg | headache | adjective |
Describing Emotions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 心情 | xīnqíng | mood; state of mind | noun |
| 感觉 | gǎnjué | feeling; to feel | noun |
| 情绪 | qíngxù | emotion; mood | noun |
| 表情 | biǎoqíng | facial expression | noun |
| 哭 | kū | to cry; to weep | verb |
| 笑 | xiào | to laugh; to smile | verb |
| 叹气 | tànqì | to sigh | verb |
| 发脾气 | fā píqi | to lose one's temper | phrase |
| 冷静 | lěngjìng | calm; cool-headed | adjective |
| 安慰 | ānwèi | to comfort; to console | verb |
Reactions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 惊讶 | jīngyà | surprised; astonished | adjective |
| 吃惊 | chījīng | shocked; startled | adjective |
| 无聊 | wúliáo | bored; boring | adjective |
| 烦 | fán | annoyed; fed up | adjective |
| 担心 | dānxīn | worried; concerned | verb |
| 害羞 | hàixiū | shy; bashful | adjective |
| 放心 | fàngxīn | relieved; at ease | verb |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
你今天心情怎么样？
Nǐ jīntiān xīnqíng zěnmeyàng?
How are you feeling today?
A common way to ask about someone's mood, more personal than the standard greeting.
我今天心情不太好。
Wǒ jīntiān xīnqíng bú tài hǎo.
I'm not in a great mood today.
A gentle way to express that you are feeling down without being too dramatic.
别难过了，一切都会好起来的。
Bié nánguò le, yíqiè dōu huì hǎo qǐlái de.
Don't be sad; everything will get better.
A comforting phrase used to encourage someone who is going through a tough time.
我气死了！
Wǒ qì sǐ le!
I'm furious!
A colloquial, hyperbolic way to say you are extremely angry. 气死 literally means "angered to death."
你看起来不太高兴，怎么了？
Nǐ kàn qǐlái bú tài gāoxìng, zěnme le?
You don't look very happy. What's wrong?
Showing concern for someone by noting their expression or body language.
我真的很感谢你。
Wǒ zhēn de hěn gǎnxiè nǐ.
I really appreciate you.
A heartfelt way to express gratitude, more emotional than a simple 谢谢.
别担心，没事的。
Bié dānxīn, méi shì de.
Don't worry; it's fine.
A reassuring phrase to calm someone who is worried or anxious.
我紧张得手心都出汗了。
Wǒ jǐnzhāng de shǒuxīn dōu chū hàn le.
I'm so nervous that my palms are sweating.
Describing physical symptoms of nervousness, useful for vivid storytelling.
太让人失望了。
Tài ràng rén shīwàng le.
How disappointing.
Expressing disappointment about a situation or outcome.
想到这件事我就后悔。
Xiǎng dào zhè jiàn shì wǒ jiù hòuhuǐ.
I feel regretful whenever I think about this.
Expressing regret about a past decision or event.
他高兴得跳了起来。
Tā gāoxìng de tiào le qǐlái.
He was so happy that he jumped up.
Using the 得 complement structure to describe the extent of an emotion.
你有什么心事可以跟我说。
Nǐ yǒu shénme xīnshì kěyǐ gēn wǒ shuō.
If something is on your mind, you can tell me.
Offering a listening ear to someone who seems troubled. 心事 means worries or things on one's mind.
我激动得说不出话来。
Wǒ jīdòng de shuō bù chū huà lái.
I was so excited that I was speechless.
Describing being overwhelmed with emotion, often used for positive situations.
没关系，慢慢来。
Méi guānxi, mànmàn lái.
It's okay; take your time.
A patient, comforting phrase used to relieve pressure on someone.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
How Are You Really?
Li Ming notices his friend Wang Fang looks upset at lunch and tries to find out what is wrong.
Speaker A
王芳，你今天看起来不太高兴，怎么了？
Speaker B
没什么，我没事。
Speaker A
真的吗？你可以跟我说，我们是好朋友嘛。
Speaker B
好吧……其实我考试没考好，心情很不好。
Speaker A
别难过了，一次考试不能说明什么。下次一定会更好的。
Speaker B
可是我复习了很久，还是没考好，我真的很失望。
Speaker A
我理解你的感受。要不我们一起复习？下次我帮你。
Speaker B
谢谢你，李明。有你这个朋友我觉得好多了。
Cultural note: In Chinese culture, people often initially deflect when asked about their feelings, saying 没什么 (it's nothing) or 我没事 (I'm fine) even when something is clearly wrong. A good friend will gently persist rather than accepting the first answer at face value. Offering concrete help (like studying together) is often valued more than verbal comfort alone.
Good News
Zhang Wei excitedly shares news about a job offer with his friend Chen Li.
Speaker A
陈丽！我告诉你一个好消息！
Speaker B
什么好消息？看你这么兴奋！
Speaker A
我被那家公司录用了！就是我面试了三次的那家！
Speaker B
真的吗？！太棒了！我真为你高兴！
Speaker A
我激动得一晚上没睡着觉。这几个月的努力终于有回报了。
Speaker B
你值得的！我们得好好庆祝一下！今晚我请你吃饭！
Cultural note: When celebrating good news, Chinese friends often insist on treating each other to a meal. The phrase 我请你 (my treat) is a common and warm gesture. It is also culturally common to attribute success to hard work (努力) rather than luck or talent, which reflects the value placed on diligence in Chinese culture.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Emotions & Feelings Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
48 of 48 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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