Sports & Fitness
beginner运动健身
Learn how to talk about sports, exercise, and fitness in Chinese, from popular ball games to gym workouts and watching live matches.
40 words12 phrases2 dialogues~25 min study time
Vocabulary
40 words — click any row for an example sentence
Ball Sports
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 足球 | zúqiú | football / soccer | noun |
| 篮球 | lánqiú | basketball | noun |
| 乒乓球 | pīngpāngqiú | table tennis / ping-pong | noun |
| 羽毛球 | yǔmáoqiú | badminton | noun |
| 排球 | páiqiú | volleyball | noun |
| 网球 | wǎngqiú | tennis | noun |
| 棒球 | bàngqiú | baseball | noun |
Individual Sports
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 游泳 | yóuyǒng | to swim / swimming | verb |
| 跑步 | pǎobù | to run / jogging | verb |
| 爬山 | páshān | to climb a mountain / hiking | verb |
| 骑车 | qí chē | to ride a bicycle / cycling | verb |
| 滑冰 | huábīng | ice skating | verb |
| 滑雪 | huáxuě | skiing | verb |
Actions
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 打球 | dǎqiú | to play ball (general) | verb |
| 踢球 | tīqiú | to kick a ball / to play football | verb |
| 赢 | yíng | to win | verb |
| 输 | shū | to lose (a game) | verb |
| 比赛 | bǐsài | competition / match / to compete | noun |
| 训练 | xùnliàn | to train / training | verb |
| 锻炼 | duànliàn | to exercise / to work out | verb |
| 运动 | yùndòng | sports / exercise / to exercise | noun |
| 练习 | liànxí | to practice | verb |
Watching Sports
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 看比赛 | kàn bǐsài | to watch a game / match | phrase |
| 球迷 | qiúmí | sports fan | noun |
| 加油 | jiāyóu | come on! / go! (cheering) | verb |
| 冠军 | guànjūn | champion | noun |
| 比分 | bǐfēn | score | noun |
| 队 | duì | team | noun |
Fitness
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 健身 | jiànshēn | to work out / fitness | verb |
| 瑜伽 | yújiā | yoga | noun |
| 太极拳 | tàijíquán | tai chi | noun |
Places
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 体育馆 | tǐyùguǎn | stadium / gymnasium | noun |
| 球场 | qiúchǎng | court / playing field | noun |
| 游泳池 | yóuyǒngchí | swimming pool | noun |
| 健身房 | jiànshēnfáng | gym | noun |
| 操场 | cāochǎng | sports field / playground | noun |
Equipment
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 运动鞋 | yùndòngxié | sports shoes / sneakers | noun |
| 运动员 | yùndòngyuán | athlete | noun |
| 教练 | jiàoliàn | coach | noun |
| 身体 | shēntǐ | body / health | noun |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
你喜欢什么运动？
Nǐ xǐhuan shénme yùndòng?
What sports do you like?
A common conversation starter when getting to know someone's hobbies and interests.
我们去打球吧！
Wǒmen qù dǎqiú ba!
Let us go play ball!
Inviting friends to play a sport casually.
加油！加油！
Jiāyóu! Jiāyóu!
Go! Go! / Come on!
The most common cheer in Chinese, used at sporting events and to encourage anyone.
比分是多少？
Bǐfēn shì duōshao?
What is the score?
Asking about the current score during or after a game.
这场比赛太精彩了！
Zhè chǎng bǐsài tài jīngcǎi le!
This game was amazing!
Expressing excitement after watching an exciting match.
你今天有没有去锻炼？
Nǐ jīntiān yǒu méiyǒu qù duànliàn?
Did you go exercise today?
Asking a friend about their workout routine.
我最近开始健身了。
Wǒ zuìjìn kāishǐ jiànshēn le.
I recently started working out.
Sharing that you have started a new fitness routine.
你支持哪个队？
Nǐ zhīchí nǎge duì?
Which team do you support?
Asking about team allegiance when watching sports together.
他跑得真快！
Tā pǎo de zhēn kuài!
He runs really fast!
Commenting on someone's athletic ability.
我想办一张健身卡。
Wǒ xiǎng bàn yì zhāng jiànshēnkǎ.
I want to get a gym membership card.
Expressing interest in joining a gym.
运动完以后要喝水。
Yùndòng wán yǐhòu yào hē shuǐ.
You should drink water after exercising.
Giving advice about staying hydrated after a workout.
我们赢了！
Wǒmen yíng le!
We won!
Celebrating a victory after a game or match.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Planning to Play Basketball Together
Two friends are making plans to play basketball after work.
Speaker A
下班以后你有空吗？
Speaker B
有空啊，怎么了？
Speaker A
我想去打篮球，你要不要一起来？
Speaker B
好啊！去哪里打？
Speaker A
公司旁边有一个球场，免费的。
Speaker B
太好了！我要带运动鞋，你等我一下。
Speaker A
没问题，我在楼下等你。
Speaker B
好，五点半见！
Cultural note: Basketball is one of the most popular sports in China, especially among young men. Many residential complexes and schools have outdoor basketball courts. Pickup games with strangers are common and a good way to make friends.
Watching a Football Match on TV
Two roommates are watching a football match at home and cheering for different teams.
Speaker A
快来看！比赛开始了！
Speaker B
来了来了！今天是哪两个队比赛？
Speaker A
中国队对日本队。我支持中国队！
Speaker B
加油！进球了吗？
Speaker A
还没有。现在比分是零比零。
Speaker B
太紧张了！这场比赛一定很精彩。
Speaker A
进了进了！一比零！太棒了！
Cultural note: Football (soccer) has a huge following in China, even though the Chinese national team has had limited international success. Many Chinese fans follow European football leagues and the World Cup with great enthusiasm. Watching games with friends and family over snacks and drinks is a cherished pastime.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the Sports & Fitness Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
21 of 40 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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