10 Words That Sound Alike but Mean Different Things I Part 2

More tricky Chinese word pairs to watch out for 🔍

If you've started learning Chinese, you've likely noticed that many words sound surprisingly similar — sometimes nearly identical.

Our previous article explored 8 common pairs of Chinese words that often confuse learners. Now, let's discover 5 more pairs that sound alike but mean very different things 🔍

10 Words That Sound Alike

but Mean Different Things

              

01. To Queue vs. Party‍

These two words look and sound similar but mixing them up might have you telling someone to "queue for a party" — which would cause some raised eyebrows.

排队

pái duì

to line up; queue

派对

pàiduì

party; gathering

 EXAMPLES 

请排队等候。

Qǐng pái duì děnghòu.

Please queue up and wait.

我们今晚有一个派对。

Wǒmen jīn wǎn yǒu yí gè pàiduì.

We have a party tonight.

02. Four vs. To Die‍‍‍

The tone difference here is crucial: the number four (四, sì) sounds very close to death (死, sǐ), and mixing these up can lead to awkward or even serious misunderstandings. 

四

sì

four

死

sǐ

to die

 EXAMPLES 

我有四本书。

Wǒ yǒu sì běn shū.

I have four books.

他快要死了。

Tā kuài yào sǐ le.

He is about to die.

🤓 Because of this superstition, many buildings skip floor numbers like 4, 14, or 24 — you might notice elevators labeling these floors differently to avoid bad luck.

03. Glass vs. Blanket

This funny mix-up has happened to many learners ordering in restaurants — asking for a glass of water but accidentally asking for a blanket instead.

杯子

bēizi

glass; cup

被子

bèizi

blanket; quilt

 EXAMPLES 

请给我一个杯子。

Qǐng gěi wǒ yí gè bēizi.

Please give me a glass.

冬天的时候，我喜欢盖被子。

Dōngtiān de shíhou, wǒ xǐhuan gài bèizi.

In winter, I like to cover myself with a blanket.

04. Shirt vs. Market

The words shirt (衬衫, chènshān) and market (市场, shìchǎng) don't share the same pinyin exactly, but they sound quite similar. Because of this, many learners (especially beginners) often confuse them easily.

衬衫

chènshān

shirt

市场

shìchǎng

market

 EXAMPLES 

我买了一件新衬衫。

Wǒ mǎi le yí jiàn xīn chènshān.

I bought a new shirt.

市场里有很多水果。

Shìchǎng lǐ yǒu hěn duō shuǐguǒ.

There are many fruits in the market.

05. Teacher vs. Classroom

Another common confusion — mixing up teacher and classroom, which sound very similar but mean very different things.

教师

jiàoshī

teacher

教室

jiàoshì

classroom‍

 EXAMPLES 

他是一名优秀的教师。

Tā shì yì míng yōuxiù de jiàoshī.

He is an excellent teacher.

学生们在教室里学习。

Xuéshēng men zài jiàoshì lǐ xuéxí.

Students study in the classroom.

Practice with Teachers

              

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