安静
ānjìng
The English phrase "be quiet" is translated into Chinese as 安静 (ānjìng).
安静 is used as a request or a command for someone to stop making noise.
Which one should you use?
While 安静 is a request for quiet, 闭嘴 is a much more aggressive and rude way to say "shut up". If you want to ask someone to be slightly more quiet, you can use the informal phrase 安静点 (be quieter).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For polite requests, you can add 请 before the word to say 请安静 (please be quiet). In formal or written contexts, you may use the phrase 请保持安静 to mean "please maintain silence". Conversely, 闭嘴 is an informal and rude way to say "shut up", while the onomatopoeic 嘘 is an informal way to say "shh".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 保持安静 (bǎochí ānjìng) is a formal way to express the action "to maintain quiet" or "to keep quiet". Adding 请 (qǐng) to the beginning of a command turns a blunt order into a polite request.
How do you pronounce it?
ānjìng
Did you know?
- The character 安 in 安静 originally depicted a woman under a roof, symbolizing 'peace' or 'safety'. This implies that 'quiet' is a state of being secure and settled.
- When teaching children to be quiet, parents might use the phrase 小声点, which literally translates to 'a little small sound', rather than 'be quiet'.
- If you are in a library or museum in China, you will often see signs that say 请勿喧哗, which is a very formal way to say 'please do not make a noise'.
Examples in context
- 请大家都保持安静。Please be quiet, everybody.This sentence shows how to ask a group of people to remain quiet using 安静.Tatoeba #1416139 by sadhen, translation #22119 by CK
- 听讲座时，你应该保持安静。When listening to a lecture, you should be quiet.This sentence uses 安静 to suggest someone should be quiet while listening to a lecture.Tatoeba #5819704 by verdastelo9604, translation #241173 by CM
- 请安静！孩子们在睡觉。Be quiet. The kids are asleep.This sentence uses 安静 as a command to be quiet because children are sleeping.Tatoeba #796768 by myang, translation #272035 by CK
- 请保持安静，患者需要休息。Please maintain silence, the patient needs rest.
- 可以安静点吗？我在学习。Can you be a little quieter? I'm studying.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Junjie and Xiaowen are in a library.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen俊杰，请安静一点。Jùnjié, qǐng ānjìng yīdiǎn.Junjie, please be a bit quieter.
- 俊杰 Junjie对不起，我忘了这里是图书馆。Duìbùqǐ, wǒ wàngle zhèlǐ shì túshūguǎn.Sorry, I forgot this is a library.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这里的每个人都需要安静。Zhèlǐ de měi gèrén dōu xūyào ānjìng.Everyone here needs quiet.
- 俊杰 Junjie好的，我马上安静。Hǎo de, wǒ mǎshàng ānjìng.Okay, I'll be quiet right now.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
