5 Short Phrases to Level Up Your Mandarin

Sound like a local 💬

Want to sound more like a native speaker and less like a textbook?

Very often, it's not about lengthy sentences - but about the short, expressive phrases, used at the right time.

Let's look at 5 very short ones 👇

5 Short Phrases to

Level Up Your Mandarin

              

01. 💥 绝了 (jué le)

When something totally blows your mind, just say — 绝了 jué le 🤩

绝了

jué le

Amazing! / That's awesome!

It's like saying "That's epic!" or "So good!"

 EXAMPLE 

这家火锅店的蘸料绝了！

Zhè jiā huǒguōdiàn de zhànliào jué le!

This hotpot sauce is amazing!

02. 🙇 我服了 (wǒ fú le)

When someone or something completely "defeats" you — in a funny, amazed, or slightly exasperated way - say 我服了 (wǒ fú le) 🙆‍♀️

我服了

Wǒ fú le

I'm impressed / You win / I can't even...

 EXAMPLE 

你又忘带手机？我服了你了！

Nǐ yòu wàng dài shǒujī? Wǒ fú le nǐ le!

You forgot your phone again?

I'm speechless!

03. 🪄 好巧 (hǎo qiǎo)

When you bump into someone unexpectedly or discover you share something in common, you can say - 好巧 (hǎo qiǎo)!

好巧

Hǎo qiǎo

What a coincidence!

 EXAMPLE 

你也在这儿？好巧啊！

Nǐ yě zài zhèr? Hǎo qiǎo a!

You're here too? What a coincidence!

04. 🤔 咋整 (zǎ zhěng) 

Whenever you're not quite sure what to do, you can ask rhethorically: 

咋整? (Zǎ zhěng?)

咋整?

Zǎ zhěng?

So what do we do? (Northeastern flavor)

It's a super casual way of saying 怎么办 (zěnme bàn) — commonly heard in Northeast China. It gives your speech a very down-to-earth, local vibe.

 EXAMPLE 

又下雨了，咋整？

Yòu xià yǔ le, zǎ zhěng?

It's raining again, what do we do now?

05. 😲 哇塞 (wāsāi)

Whenever you feel surprised, excited, impressed, startled - in other words, anytime you want to say "wow" - say 哇塞 (wāsāi) instead!

哇塞

Wāsāi

Wow / Omg

 EXAMPLE 

哇塞，这风景太美了！

Wāsāi, zhè fēngjǐng tài měi le!

Wow, this view is stunning!

BONUS: 给力 (gěilì)

Let's sprinkle in one more phrase - which is used to say "cool", but literally means 'to give power".

给力

gěilì

Awesome / That rocks!

Here's how you can use it at our next Majong night:

 EXAMPLE 

这个活动真给力！

Zhè gè huódòng zhēn gěilì!

This event is awesome!

Wasn't so difficult, right?

Next time you talk to your teacher, a friend, or even post on social media - drop one of these short phrases in!

Practice with Teachers

              

To discuss more 给力 (gěilì) 

Chinese phrases with our teachers,

book a free trial class with That's Mandarin 👇

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@thatsmandarin006