Speak Chinese Flashcards
节省
jié2 shěng3 — “economise / save on”
Idea: cut unnecessary use → avoid waste, raise efficiency
Pattern: 节省+thing you want to use less of
- 节省不必要的开支 (cut unnecessary expenses)
- 节省篇幅 (save space in text)
- 节省人力物力 (use manpower & materials sparingly)
- 节省原材料 (economise raw materials)
省 - same as above but shorter (Seems more unprofessional, and for daily things)
省 + STH (that you want to not be wasted, and reduce its the amount used)
省掉不少麻烦 → save a lot of trouble;
省时间 → save time;
我步行上班,可以省车钱 → I save on fares by walking to work.
省着(点)用 → use sparingly;
真理是我们最宝贵的东西,让我们省着用Truth is the most valuable thing we have let us economize it.
存
存 / 储蓄cún — “to deposit / put aside (money)”
Real act of saving money, not cutting expenses
Patterns:
把钱/工资/收入+存入+place (银行 etc.)
存钱 / 存工资
Examples:
他总是把一半薪金存入银行 (He always deposits half his salary in the bank.)
我们存了足够的钱,能一次付清款项买下这所房子 (We saved enough to pay for the house outright.)
结构
结构jiégòu — “structure / composition / framework”
Noun. Refers to how the parts of something are arranged and connected.
Physical: buildings, machinery, atoms.
Abstract: essays, arguments, organizations.
Typical collocations & examples
主体结构 (main structure)
一块镶板已从主体结构上脱落。
One of the panels had detached from the main structure.
原子结构 (atomic structure)
文章结构清晰。
The article’s structure is clear.
不要紧
不要紧bu4yào4jǐn3 — “it doesn’t matter / not serious / no hindrance”
1|Reassuring: “no problem, nothing serious”
Used to comfort or downplay an issue.
Example (CN) Translation (EN)
有点伤风,不要紧。 It’s just a slight cold—nothing serious.
刚摔了一跤?不要紧,擦擦就好。 Took a fall? Never mind, just brush it off.
别介意是谁告诉我的,那不要紧。 Never mind who told me—that’s not important.
“怎么啦?”—“没事,不要紧。” “What’s wrong?” — “Nothing, don’t worry about it.”
2|Surface‑OK (twist to follow)
Placed after an apparent condition to imply “looks fine but…”.
Pattern Example
A+不要紧,(可是/不过)… 这台机器看着不要紧,可是一开就漏水。
The machine looks all right, but it leaks as soon as it’s turned on.
表面+不要紧,(其实)… 他的伤口表面不要紧,其实很深。
The wound doesn’t look bad on the surface, but it’s actually deep.
Key idea: “不要紧” first reassures, then the speaker adds the hidden problem.
Quick cues
Tone: informal, conversational.
Synonyms (reassurance): 没关系, 不碍事, 无妨.
紧急
紧急jǐnjí — “urgent / emergency” (adj.)
緊急 (traditional)
Meaning: Requires immediate action; delay is unacceptable.
Typical collocations:
紧急情况(emergency situation)
紧急消息(urgent message)
紧急措施(emergency measures)
紧急出口(emergency exit)
Usage patterns
紧急+N
紧急情况、紧急通知、紧急任务
在紧急情况下…
在紧急情况下请迅速撤离。
情况/事务 + 很/十分紧急
这件事十分紧急,必须马上处理。
Examples
她向他们说明了紧急情况下应采取的行动。
She explained to them what to do in an emergency.
他不顾一切地试图说明情况是多么紧急。
He tried desperately to convey how urgent the situation was.
她为突然闯入道歉,但说她有紧急消息。
She apologized for the intrusion but said she had an urgent message.
我们得到紧急消息说你父亲病了。
We’ve received an urgent message saying your father is ill.
确保 / 確保
确保 / 確保 (què bǎo) — “to ensure; to guarantee”
Meaning
to ensure; to guarantee; to make sure something happens or stays true.
Typical agents
individuals * teams * organizations * systems / processes
Typical domains and collocations
Business / QA
确保任务完成 ensure task completion
确保产品质量 ensure product quality
Customer service
确保客户满意 ensure customer satisfaction
Safety / health
确保安全 ensure safety
确保健康 ensure good health
Technology / IT
确保数据安全 ensure data security
确保系统稳定 ensure system stability
Grammar patterns
确保 + noun / noun‑phrase
公司确保产品质量
“The company ensures product quality.”
确保 + clause (“make sure that …”)
我们必须确保所有数据都准确无误
“We must ensure that all data are accurate.”
确保 … 以便 / 从而 … (“ensure … so that …”)
确保备份完整,以便出现故障时能迅速恢复
“Ensure backups are complete so that recovery is quick if a failure occurs.”
Example sentences
我确保所有数据都准确无误
“I ensure that all data are accurate.”
公司确保每位客户都得到优质的服务
“The company guarantees that every customer receives quality service.”
系统确保数据安全
“The system ensures data security.”
Alternatives in daily life:
保证 bǎozhèng promise / guarantee
* 我保证明天还你钱 - I promise I’ll repay you tomorrow.
一定要 / 得 yídìngyào / děi be sure to, must
* 出门前一定要关灯 - Be sure to turn off the lights before you leave.
务必 wùbì make certain to (polite but common)
* 路上务必小心 - Make sure you’re careful on the road.
紧迫
紧迫(jǐn pò)
pressing; urgent — no time buffer
pattern很紧迫
examples这个任务很紧迫。
他的要求很紧迫。
迫切
迫切(pò qiè)
urgent; pressing (emotion/desire felt strongly)
pattern迫切 + V / 迫切需要…
examples
* 迫切需要合格教师。
* 他迫切要求展开全面调查。
* 她企图自杀实际上表明她迫切需要帮助。
迫不及待
迫不及待(pò bù jí dài)[idom]
can’t wait; itching to do; impatient to start
pattern迫不及待地 + V
examples
* 我都有点迫不及待地想看了。
* 她迫不及待地要告诉我这个消息。
* 你为什么如此迫不及待地要卖出?
迫害
迫害(pò hài)
to persecute; persecution (esp. political/religious)
pattern遭受 / 进行 + 迫害 | 政治迫害
examples
* 哥白尼因其学说遭到严重迫害。
* 许多人在极权时代遭受政治迫害。
角色
jué sè
- a role / part played by an actor
- metaphorically, a role / function that someone or something assumes in real life
Sense1 — acting
- 这是她所扮演过的最重要的角色之一
“It is one of the greatest roles she has played.” - 扮演这个角色将是他演艺生涯中最大的挑战
“Playing this role will be the biggest challenge of his acting career.”
Sense2 — real‑life role / function
- 文化因素常常对性别的角色有着重要影响
“Gender roles are often conditioned by cultural factors.” - 金钱在他的生活中扮演了重要的角色
“Money played an important role in his life.”
Usage patterns
角色 + noun phrase (演员的角色actor’s role)
扮演 + 角色 (to play / assume a role)
重要的角色
绝不
絕不(traditional)
Pinyin: jué bù
Meaning
“absolutely not; never; under no circumstances.”
A strong adverb placed before a verb or adjective to express total refusal, denial, or prohibition.
Usage pattern
绝不+verb / verbal phrase
绝不+adj. (rare)
→ conveys a firm, categorical stance.
Typical contexts
* Formal pledges or policies(政府绝不妥协)
* Personal vows or promises(我绝不撒谎)
* Business / legal disclaimers(本公司绝不泄露客户信息)
* Moral statements(他绝不出卖朋友)
Examples
她清楚她绝不可以被他迷住。
“She knew she must never fall for his charm.”
说照相机绝不骗人,这是谬见。
“It’s a fallacy to say that the camera never lies.”
我绝不骗别人,也绝不同意你的想法。
“I never deceive people, and I absolutely disagree with your view.”
到我这把年纪,视力绝不会变好。
“At my age, eyesight certainly doesn’t get better.”
我绝不告诉他们——除非你允许。
“I won’t tell them—unless you say I can.”
反映
Pinyin: fǎn yìng
Traditional: 反映
Simplified: 反映
Meaning
To reflect / to mirror / to show indirectly
→ Used when one thing reveals or suggests the presence, truth, or change in something else — not by stating it directly, but through its outcome or appearance.
Core idea
An external phenomenon reveals or shows some inner condition, truth, problem, or quality.
Similar to “to reflect” in English, but often used where A reflects B = A is a result or sign of B.
Common contexts
Psychology / behavior: Actions reflect inner thoughts
Society / change: Trends reflect deeper forces or attitudes
Reports / feedback: Complaints reflect public opinion
Typical collocations
反映出 (Shows the deeper thing)
* 反映出问题 — reflects a problem
反映 (Shows light)
* 反映现实 — reflects reality
* 反映情况 — report (reflect) the situation
* 客观反映 — objectively reflect
* 如实反映 — reflect truthfully
Examples
人生观的这种转变是否反映了日常生活中的真实遭遇?
Does such a change in worldview reflect real-life experiences?
他的表情反映出内心的挣扎。
His expression reflected his inner struggle.
这部电影反映了当代青年的困惑与追求。
This film reflects the confusion and aspirations of today’s youth.
这次事故反映出管理上的漏洞。
The accident revealed flaws in management.
犹如
Pinyin: yóu rú
Traditional: 猶如
Simplified: 犹如
Meaning
“Just like; as if; similar to” — a literary or elevated way to express comparison.
Similar in tone to “如同” or “宛如”, and more poetic/formal than “像” or “好像”.
Usage
犹如 + noun / noun phrase
Often used in descriptive, poetic, or literary writing.
Example
* 他的双眼深不见底,犹如两湾棕色的深潭。His eyes were like bottomless brown pools.
Other examples:
- 她的笑声犹如银铃一般清脆。
Her laughter was as crisp as silver bells.
夜空犹如一块撒满星星的黑绒布。
The night sky was like a velvet cloth sprinkled with stars.
Summary
犹如 = “just like,” with a graceful, poetic tone.
Used when the writer wants to create a vivid or elegant comparison.
特意
Pinyin: tè yì
Traditional: 特意
Simplified: 特意
Meaning
“Specifically; deliberately; on purpose”
→ Refers to doing something with a clear intention or special effort.
Very close in meaning to 专门, though 特意 often adds a tone of personal care or effort.
Usage
特意 + verb phrase
Emphasizes: “I made a special effort just for this.”
Comparison with 专门
Term Tone Focus Example
特意 Intentional + thoughtful Personal effort or meaning 他特意来接你。(He came just to pick you up.)
专门 Functional, neutral Specific purpose or task 他专门负责市场工作。(He specifically handles marketing.)
Examples
他特意从外地赶回来参加婚礼。
He made a special trip back from out of town just to attend the wedding.
我特意为你准备了你最爱吃的菜。
I specifically made your favorite dish.
她特意起了个大早,为大家做早餐。
She got up early on purpose to make breakfast for everyone.
Summary
特意 = “specifically / on purpose / with special effort,” often with a personal or considerate tone.
Very similar to 专门, but more emotional and intentional in feeling.
提倡
Pinyin: tí chàng
Traditional: 提倡
Simplified: 提倡
Meaning
BE IN FAVOUR (AND DO NOT HIDE THIS OPINION)
To advocate; to promote; to endorse (a good practice or behavior)
→ Used when encouraging others to adopt, practice, or support something beneficial, often in public, cultural, educational, or health contexts.
Core idea
You say publicly or formally that something should be done, followed, or spread — because it is good, healthy, right, or progressive.
Typical contexts
Public campaigns: 提倡环保 (promote environmental protection)
Education / morals: 提倡阅读, 提倡节俭
Health: 提倡健康生活方式
Culture / values: 提倡平等、提倡尊重
Usage
提倡 + noun / verb phrase
Often used by: government, teachers, media, experts
Examples
在中国很多人喜欢喝抽烟喝酒。我个人不提倡这种行为。
医生提倡每天运动半小时。
Doctors recommend exercising 30 minutes a day.
学校提倡学生多读书。
The school promotes reading among students.
他一直提倡简约生活。
He has always advocated for a minimalist lifestyle.
政府提倡绿色出行,比如骑自行车或乘地铁。
The government promotes green transportation, such as biking or taking the subway.
Summary
提倡 = to say something is good and should be adopted.
Synonyms: 倡导 (more formal), 鼓励 (encourage)
Spanish equivalents: promocionar, estar a favor de, recomendar públicamente
促进
促进 (cù jìn) — “to promote / to foster / to boost”
Core idea:
One thing positively helps another thing progress or improve.
Used when big entities (government, policies, economy, innovation) cause development, change, or growth.
Structure:
A → B
(subject promotes the development of object)
Tone:
✅ Positive and neutral in tone — always implies advancement or benefit.
Common collocations:
It is normally seen in habits, treatments, diets that promote health in some way.
促进经济发展 — promote economic growth
促进交流合作 — promote communication and cooperation
促进血液循环 — improve blood circulation
Examples:
经济发展促进社会进步。
Economic development promotes social progress.
锻炼有助于促进身体健康。
Exercise helps promote physical health.
✅ Typical Subjects (What promotes)
Usually abstract forces, entities, or processes — often large-scale, structured, or external in nature:
Organizations / Institutions:
政府 (government)
公司 / 企业 (companies)
联合国等国际组织 (UN or international bodies)
Events / Developments:
科技进步 (technological advancement)
改革 (reform)
投资 (investment)
教育普及 (spread of education)
全球化 (globalization)
人口增长 (population growth)
合作 (cooperation)
Actions / Efforts / Policies:
措施 (measures)
战略 (strategies)
活动 (campaigns)
政策 (policies)
沟通 (communication)
Typical Objects (What gets promoted)
Usually positive outcomes, progress, or development in systems or society:
Social / Economic outcomes:
社会进步 (social progress)
经济发展 (economic development)
城市化 (urbanization)
就业 (employment)
Relationships / cooperation:
国际合作 (international cooperation)
中外交流 (Chinese-foreign exchange)
民族团结 (ethnic unity)
Well-being / performance:
健康 (health)
效率 (efficiency)
公平 (fairness)
生产力 (productivity)
Processes / cycles:
新陈代谢 (metabolism)
血液循环 (blood circulation)
技术转化 (tech transfer)
促使
促使 (cù shǐ) — “to cause / to urge / to bring about”
Core idea:
One thing causes or pushes another person or event to take action or change state.
Usually involves a chain reaction: A causes C, which leads to B.
Structure:
A → causes → C → does B
(subject causes someone/something to take action)
Tone:
➖ Neutral or mixed — the result can be good or bad.
Often describes psychological, political, or social pressure.
Common collocations:
促使某人采取行动 — prompt someone to act
促使社会变革 — trigger social change
促使我们反思 — make us reflect
Examples:
经济危机促使政府采取紧急措施。
The economic crisis prompted the government to take emergency action.
他的成功故事促使我重新思考自己的方向。
His success story made me reflect on my own path.
✅ What typically 促使 (Subjects)
The subject of 促使 is usually a condition, event, influence, or force that indirectly drives or triggers a person or system to take action or change.
Common subjects:
Negative or challenging situations
* 危机 (crisis)
* 矛盾 (conflict)
* 压力 (pressure)
* 不满情绪 (dissatisfaction)
* 社会问题 (social issues)
Positive influences
* 启发 (inspiration)
* 成功经验 (success stories)
* 榜样 (role models)
* 需求增长 (rising demand)
Events / changes
* 技术革新 (technological change)
* 政策调整 (policy changes)
* 市场变化 (market shift)
The object of 促使 is usually:
* A person, group, or organization
* Sometimes an abstract process or behavior that takes action or undergoes change
Examples of objects:
* 我们 (us)
* 政府 (the government)
* 企业 (companies)
* 领导层 (leadership)
* 消费者 (consumers)
人们思考 / 改变 / 采取行动 (people to think/change/act)
Subject | 促使 | Object (to act)
经济衰退 | 促使 | 政府出台新政策
压力和挑战 | 促使 | 团队努力突破难关
科技的发展 | 促使 | 人们重新思考教育方式
他的成功故事 | 促使 | 我重新设定了人生目标
社会的不公现象 | 促使 | 年轻人走上街头表达诉求
房租
Pinyin: fáng zū
Traditional: 房租
Simplified: 房租
Meaning:
- Rent (for housing) — the amount of money paid regularly to live in a house or apartment.
- Refers specifically to residential rent, not commercial or equipment rental.
Usage
- Noun, often used with verbs like 交 (pay), 涨 (increase), 付 (pay), 收 (collect).
Often seen in everyday contexts: housing, budgeting, real estate.
- Common collocations
** 交房租 — pay rent
** 房租太贵了 — rent is too expensive
** 涨房租 — rent increase
** 房租到期 — rent is due
Example sentences
* 这个月的房租你交了吗?Did you pay this month’s rent?
* 他们搬家了,因为那里的房租太贵。
They moved because the rent there was too high.
* 我的工资一半都用来付房租了。
Half of my salary goes to paying rent.
* 在成都房租很便宜
强加
Pinyin: qiáng jiā
Traditional: 強加
Simplified: 强加
Meaning:
To force upon; to impose — applying something (an idea, responsibility, rule, emotion, etc.) on others without their consent.
It has a negative or critical tone, suggesting unfairness or overreach.
Structure
强加 + object + 给 + person
“To forcibly impose [object] on [person]”
- 强加责任给别人 → force responsibility onto others
- 强加自己的意愿 → impose one’s own will
Common contexts
* Morality or beliefs: 强加价值观 (impose values)
* Decisions or emotions: 强加意见 / 情绪
* Responsibility or guilt: 强加责任 / 过错
Examples
不要把你的看法强加给别人。
Don’t impose your views on others.
他试图把失败的责任强加在别人身上。
He tried to shift the blame for failure onto others.
她讨厌别人强加情绪给她。
She hates it when others dump their emotions on her.
Summary
强加 = to impose something on others unwillingly — often used to criticize someone for overstepping personal boundaries.
参考
Pinyin: cān kǎo
Traditional: 參考
Simplified: 参考
Meaning
To refer to; reference; consult — looking at information, data, or examples to help guide a decision, opinion, or action, but not directly copying.
Functions
Can be a verb or a noun depending on context.
Often neutral or positive in tone — used in learning, decision-making, design, etc.
As a verb:
参考 + something = “refer to / consult”
你可以参考这篇文章。
You can refer to this article.
老师让我们参考多个案例来写报告。
The teacher asked us to refer to several case studies for the report.
As a noun:
供参考 = “for reference”
本数据仅供参考。
This data is for reference only.
Common collocations
参考资料 — reference materials
供你参考 — for your reference
仅供参考 — for reference only (not final)
作为参考 — used as reference
Summary
参考 = to refer to or use something as guidance, not as a final or copied answer.
Used in academic, technical, and everyday contexts when support information is consulted.
借鉴
Pinyin: jiè jiàn
Traditional: 借鑒
Simplified: 借鉴
Meaning
To draw lessons from; to learn from; to take as a reference or model — especially from others’ experiences, methods, or practices.
It’s deeper than 参考 (which just means to look at); 借鉴 involves absorbing insights and applying them to your own context.
Tone & Use
Formal and thoughtful
Common in business, education, management, policy, design
Structure
借鉴 + 他人经验 / 做法 / 模式
→ learn from someone else’s experience / method / model
Often used with 可以 / 应该借鉴… (can/should learn from…)
Common collocations
* 借鉴经验 — learn from experience
* 借鉴做法 — draw from others’ methods
* 借鉴国外的管理模式 — adopt foreign management models
* 借鉴成功案例 — take reference from successful cases
Examples
* 我们可以借鉴国外的先进技术 - We can learn from advanced foreign technologies.
* 他善于借鉴他人的优点 - He is good at learning from others’ strengths.
* 新政策在设计上借鉴了多个国家的经验 - The new policy draws on the experience of several countries.
Summary
* 借鉴 = thoughtfully learning from others’ experience to improve your own approach
→ It implies absorption + adaptation, not just looking or copying.
出色
Pinyin: chū sè
Traditional: 出色
Simplified: 出色
Meaning
Outstanding; excellent; exceptional — describes someone or something that performs very well or stands out clearly in quality, skill, or results.
Tone
Always positive
Often used to praise ability, performance, or results
Common collocations
出色的表现 — outstanding performance
出色的工作 — excellent work
出色的能力 — exceptional ability
表现得很出色 — performed very well
Examples
他在比赛中的表现非常出色。
He performed exceptionally well in the competition.
她是一位出色的医生。
She is an outstanding doctor.
你完成得很出色,老板很满意。
You did an excellent job — the boss is very pleased.
概括
Pinyin: gài kuò
Traditional: 概括
Simplified: 概括
Meaning
To summarize; to generalize; to sum up
→ It means to capture the main idea or key points from something complex, such as an article, speech, experience, or situation.
Function
Verb: 概括主要内容 → summarize the main content
Noun: 内容的概括 → the summary of the content
Used in academic, formal, and analytical contexts
Common collocations
概括重点 — summarize key points
概括地说 — generally speaking / to put it briefly
概括内容 — summarize content
简单概括 — brief summary
Examples
请你概括一下这段文字的主要意思。
Please summarize the main idea of this passage.
他把会议内容概括得很清楚。
He summarized the meeting content very clearly.
简单概括,就是三个字:效率。
To sum it up simply: efficiency.
Summary
概括 = to extract and express the core meaning
→ Used when distilling ideas, information, or experience into a clear, concise form.