Personal Hygiene
beginner个人卫生
Learn vocabulary for daily hygiene routines, grooming, skincare, and health habits in Chinese.
38 words12 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
38 words — click any row for an example sentence
Bathroom
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 洗手 | xǐ shǒu | to wash hands | verb |
| 洗脸 | xǐ liǎn | to wash face | verb |
| 刷牙 | shuā yá | to brush teeth | verb |
| 洗澡 | xǐ zǎo | to take a shower / to bathe | verb |
| 泡澡 | pào zǎo | to take a bath / to soak in a tub | verb |
| 毛巾 | máojīn | towel | noun |
| 肥皂 | féizào | soap | noun |
| 浴室 | yùshì | bathroom / shower room | noun |
Products
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 洗发水 | xǐfàshuǐ | shampoo | noun |
| 沐浴露 | mùyùlù | body wash / shower gel | noun |
| 牙膏 | yágāo | toothpaste | noun |
| 牙刷 | yáshuā | toothbrush | noun |
| 化妆品 | huàzhuāngpǐn | cosmetics / makeup products | noun |
| 防晒霜 | fángshàishuāng | sunscreen | noun |
| 护手霜 | hùshǒushuāng | hand cream | noun |
| 洗面奶 | xǐmiànnǎi | facial cleanser | noun |
| 面膜 | miànmó | face mask (beauty) | noun |
| 涂 | tú | to apply / to spread on | verb |
| 香水 | xiāngshuǐ | perfume | noun |
| 电动牙刷 | diàndòng yáshuā | electric toothbrush | noun |
Grooming
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 剪头发 | jiǎn tóufa | to get a haircut | verb |
| 理发店 | lǐfàdiàn | barbershop / hair salon | noun |
| 化妆 | huàzhuāng | to put on makeup | verb |
| 卸妆 | xièzhuāng | to remove makeup | verb |
| 护肤 | hùfū | skincare | noun |
| 刮胡子 | guā húzi | to shave (facial hair) | verb |
| 梳头 | shū tóu | to comb hair | verb |
| 吹头发 | chuī tóufa | to blow-dry hair | verb |
| 剪指甲 | jiǎn zhǐjia | to cut nails | verb |
| 镜子 | jìngzi | mirror | noun |
| 皮肤 | pífū | skin | noun |
Health Habits
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 消毒 | xiāodú | to disinfect / to sterilize | verb |
| 口罩 | kǒuzhào | face mask (medical) | noun |
| 洗手液 | xǐshǒuyè | hand soap / hand wash | noun |
| 干净 | gānjìng | clean | adjective |
| 脏 | zāng | dirty | adjective |
| 卫生 | wèishēng | hygiene / sanitary | noun |
| 纸巾 | zhǐjīn | tissue / napkin | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
你洗手了吗？
Nǐ xǐ shǒu le ma?
Did you wash your hands?
A common question from parents to children, or before meals.
我要去洗个澡。
Wǒ yào qù xǐ gè zǎo.
I am going to take a shower.
Announcing that you are about to shower, commonly said at home.
洗发水用完了。
Xǐfàshuǐ yòng wán le.
The shampoo is all used up.
Letting someone know a product has run out and needs to be replaced.
出门前记得涂防晒。
Chūmén qián jìde tú fángshài.
Remember to apply sunscreen before going out.
A reminder from family or friends, especially in summer.
我想剪短一点。
Wǒ xiǎng jiǎn duǎn yìdiǎn.
I would like to have it cut a bit shorter.
Telling a hairdresser what kind of haircut you want.
你的皮肤真好，怎么保养的？
Nǐ de pífū zhēn hǎo, zěnme bǎoyǎng de?
Your skin is so nice, how do you take care of it?
A compliment that naturally leads into a skincare conversation.
睡觉前别忘了刷牙。
Shuìjiào qián bié wàng le shuā yá.
Do not forget to brush your teeth before bed.
A common reminder, especially for children.
我需要买一些洗漱用品。
Wǒ xūyào mǎi yìxiē xǐshù yòngpǐn.
I need to buy some toiletries.
When preparing for a trip or when supplies run low.
这个面膜效果很好。
Zhège miànmó xiàoguǒ hěn hǎo.
This face mask works really well.
Recommending a skincare product to a friend.
你用什么牌子的洗面奶？
Nǐ yòng shénme páizi de xǐmiànnǎi?
What brand of facial cleanser do you use?
Asking about skincare product recommendations.
感冒了要戴口罩。
Gǎnmào le yào dài kǒuzhào.
You should wear a mask when you have a cold.
Reminding someone to be considerate of others when sick.
浴室有人吗？
Yùshì yǒu rén ma?
Is anyone in the bathroom?
Checking if the bathroom is free before entering.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
At the Barbershop
A customer visits a barbershop to get a haircut and discusses what style they want.
Speaker A
你好，我想剪头发。
Speaker B
好的，请坐。你想剪成什么样的？
Speaker A
两边短一点，上面不要剪太多。
Speaker B
需要洗头吗？
Speaker A
先洗一下吧。
Speaker B
水温可以吗？
Speaker A
可以的，很舒服。
Speaker B
好了，你看看这样行不行。
Cultural note: In Chinese barbershops, a hair wash and head massage are typically included before or after the haircut, sometimes both. Hairdressers often ask about water temperature, pressure preference, and whether you want any styling products applied. It is also common for the barber to try to upsell treatments like hair masks, dye, or perms.
Shopping for Skincare Products
Two friends are shopping for skincare products at a store and discussing what to buy.
Speaker A
我的防晒霜快用完了，你有什么推荐的吗？
Speaker B
我一直用这个牌子的，很清爽，不油腻。
Speaker A
多少钱一瓶？
Speaker B
八十多块。对了，你要不要买面膜？这个牌子在打折。
Speaker A
好啊，我正好需要。我也想看看洗面奶。
Speaker B
你是什么肤质？油性还是干性？
Speaker A
混合型的，T区比较油。
Speaker B
那你试试这个，控油效果很好。
Cultural note: Skincare discussions are very common in Chinese daily life, among people of all genders. The Chinese beauty market is enormous, and conversations about skincare routines, product recommendations, and skin types are normal social topics. Many Chinese consumers are very knowledgeable about skincare ingredients and pay close attention to their routines.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Personal Hygiene Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
6 of 38 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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