Hobbies
beginner爱好
Talk about your hobbies and free-time activities in Chinese, from creative pursuits and outdoor adventures to indoor pastimes and social activities.
38 words12 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
38 words — click any row for an example sentence
Creative
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 画画 | huàhuà | to draw / to paint | verb |
| 摄影 | shèyǐng | photography | noun |
| 写作 | xiězuò | writing | noun |
| 手工 | shǒugōng | handicraft / DIY | noun |
| 做饭 | zuòfàn | to cook | verb |
| 书法 | shūfǎ | calligraphy | noun |
| 弹钢琴 | tán gāngqín | to play the piano | verb |
| 弹吉他 | tán jítā | to play the guitar | verb |
Active
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 爬山 | páshān | to hike / to climb a mountain | verb |
| 骑车 | qí chē | to ride a bicycle / cycling | verb |
| 钓鱼 | diàoyú | to fish / fishing | verb |
| 露营 | lùyíng | camping | noun |
| 旅行 | lǚxíng | to travel / traveling | verb |
| 散步 | sànbù | to take a walk | verb |
| 跑步 | pǎobù | to jog / running | verb |
Indoor
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 看书 | kànshū | to read (books) | verb |
| 玩游戏 | wán yóuxì | to play games / gaming | verb |
| 下棋 | xiàqí | to play chess | verb |
| 追剧 | zhuījù | to binge-watch a TV series | verb |
| 听音乐 | tīng yīnyuè | to listen to music | verb |
| 看电影 | kàn diànyǐng | to watch a movie | verb |
| 看电视 | kàn diànshì | to watch TV | verb |
| 上网 | shàngwǎng | to go online / to surf the internet | verb |
| 拼图 | pīntú | jigsaw puzzle | noun |
Social
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 跳舞 | tiàowǔ | to dance | verb |
| 唱歌 | chànggē | to sing | verb |
| 打牌 | dǎpái | to play cards | verb |
| 打麻将 | dǎ májiàng | to play mahjong | verb |
General
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 爱好 | àihào | hobby / interest | noun |
| 兴趣 | xìngqù | interest | noun |
| 休闲 | xiūxián | leisure / recreation | noun |
| 业余 | yèyú | spare time / amateur | adjective |
| 放松 | fàngsōng | to relax | verb |
| 无聊 | wúliáo | bored / boring | adjective |
| 有意思 | yǒu yìsi | interesting / fun | adjective |
| 喜欢 | xǐhuan | to like | verb |
| 空闲 | kòngxián | free time / leisure | noun |
| 收藏 | shōucáng | to collect / collection | verb |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
你有什么爱好？
Nǐ yǒu shénme àihào?
What hobbies do you have?
A classic conversation starter, commonly used when getting to know someone.
你平时喜欢做什么？
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuan zuò shénme?
What do you like to do in your free time?
A natural way to ask about hobbies without using the word 爱好 directly.
我对这个很感兴趣。
Wǒ duì zhège hěn gǎn xìngqù.
I am very interested in this.
Expressing interest when someone introduces you to a new activity.
你要不要一起试试？
Nǐ yào bu yào yìqǐ shìshi?
Do you want to try it together?
Inviting a friend to try a new hobby or activity.
我从小就喜欢画画。
Wǒ cóng xiǎo jiù xǐhuan huàhuà.
I have liked drawing since I was little.
Talking about a hobby you have had since childhood.
周末在家太无聊了。
Zhōumò zài jiā tài wúliáo le.
Staying home on the weekend is too boring.
Expressing boredom and hinting that you want to do something.
这个活动很有意思，你应该试试。
Zhège huódòng hěn yǒu yìsi, nǐ yīnggāi shìshi.
This activity is really fun. You should try it.
Recommending an activity to a friend.
我最近迷上了摄影。
Wǒ zuìjìn míshàng le shèyǐng.
I have recently become obsessed with photography.
Describing a new hobby you have become passionate about.
我们去KTV唱歌吧！
Wǒmen qù KTV chànggē ba!
Let us go to KTV to sing!
Suggesting a popular social activity in China.
你下棋下得真好！
Nǐ xiàqí xià de zhēn hǎo!
You play chess really well!
Complimenting someone on their skill at a hobby.
听音乐让我很放松。
Tīng yīnyuè ràng wǒ hěn fàngsōng.
Listening to music makes me feel very relaxed.
Explaining why you enjoy a particular hobby.
你最近在追什么剧？
Nǐ zuìjìn zài zhuī shénme jù?
What show are you binge-watching lately?
A very common question among friends and coworkers in China.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Talking About Hobbies at a Party
Two people meet at a friend's party and start talking about their hobbies.
Speaker A
你平时喜欢做什么？
Speaker B
我喜欢画画和摄影。你呢？
Speaker A
我喜欢爬山和骑车。我比较喜欢户外活动。
Speaker B
那你一定去过很多地方吧？
Speaker A
对啊，上个月我去爬了黄山，风景太美了！
Speaker B
我也想去！下次你去的时候叫上我，我可以拍照。
Speaker A
好啊！那我们加个微信吧。
Cultural note: Sharing hobbies is one of the fastest ways to build friendships in China. Suggesting that you exchange WeChat contacts to plan a future activity together is a very natural and common way to deepen a new acquaintance.
A Weekend Plan to Go to KTV
Friends are deciding what to do on Saturday evening and settle on going to KTV.
Speaker A
周六晚上大家想做什么？
Speaker B
去KTV唱歌怎么样？好久没去了。
Speaker A
好主意！你唱歌唱得很好听。
Speaker B
哪有！我唱歌一般般。你会唱中文歌吗？
Speaker A
会一点，但是唱得不太好。没关系，去玩就好。
Speaker B
对，开心最重要。那我订一个包间，晚上七点怎么样？
Speaker A
没问题！到时候见！
Cultural note: KTV (karaoke) is one of the most popular social activities in China, enjoyed by people of all ages. Unlike Western-style karaoke bars, Chinese KTV venues typically have private rooms (包间, bāojiān) where groups can sing without performing in front of strangers. It is common to order food, drinks, and snacks while singing.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Hobbies Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
22 of 38 words appear in HSK levels