Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 乏味 | fáwèi | formal |
| 無聊 / 无聊 | wúliáo | informal |
| 沒勁 / 没劲 | méijìn | slang |
The term 乏味 is a formal way to describe something that is dull, uninteresting. Another formal option is 枯燥, which specifically reflects a sense of tediousness or monotony.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 乏味 literally means 'lacking flavor' or 'tasteless', which is used metaphorically to describe something that is uninteresting.
Which one should you use?
The words 乏味 and 无聊 differ in how they are applied. 乏味 describes the quality of an object or an event, whereas 无聊 is more commonly used to describe a person's state of feeling bored or a person who is a bore. Additionally, 无聊 can function as an adjective meaning 'boring' or as a verb-like state meaning 'to be bored'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
乏味 is a formal term. In informal settings, you can use 无聊. If you want to use slang to describe something as boring, uninspiring or lacking energy, use 没劲.
How do you pronounce it?
fáwèi
What mistakes should you avoid?
When expressing your own feelings, be careful with your choice of words. If you want to say 'I am bored', use 无聊 (specifically 我很无聊) to describe your state of being. Using 乏味 would instead imply that your personality is dull or uninteresting.
Did you know?
- The word 无聊 contains the character 聊, which is also used in the word for 'chatting' 聊天, implying that boredom is the absence of meaningful connection.
- The term 没劲 is often used as a reaction to a bad joke or a disappointing outcome, acting more like an interjection meaning 'that sucks' than a description.
- While 无聊 is the standard way to express boredom, using it to describe a person can imply they are not just boring, but also somewhat ridiculous or nonsensical.
Examples in context
- 我很乏味。I am boring.This sentence is useful for describing a person using 乏味.Tatoeba #3668665 by egg0073, translation #3668669 by MTC
- 汤姆觉得玛丽乏味。Tom thinks Mary is boring.This sentence is useful for expressing a thought about someone else using 乏味.Tatoeba #9423227 by BobbyLee, translation #9411021 by CK
- 那个会议真无聊！ (Nàgè huìyì zhēn wúliáo!)That meeting was so boring!
- 他的演讲让我感到无聊。 (Tā de yǎnjiǎng ràng wǒ gǎndào wúliáo.)His speech made me feel bored.
- 这本书的内容太枯燥了。 (Zhè běn shū de nèiróng tài kūzào le.)The content of this book is too boring.
- 这个电影太乏味了，我差点睡着了。 (Zhège diànyǐng tài fáwèi le, wǒ chàdiǎn shuìzháo le.)This movie is so boring that I almost fell asleep.
- 这个任务很乏味，我完全提不起兴趣。 (Zhège rènwù hěn fáwèi, wǒ wánquán tíbùqǐ xìngqù.)This task is very boring, and I can't muster any interest.
- 我对这种游戏真烦透了。 (Wǒ duì zhè zhǒng yóuxì zhēn fán tòu le.)I am so bored with this game.
- 今天的课太无聊了，烦死了！ (Jīntiān de kè tài wúliáo le, fán sǐ le!)Today's class is so boring, it's driving me crazy!
- 这本小说的情节非常乏味。Zhè běn xiǎoshuō de qíngjié fēicháng fáwèi.The plot of this novel is very boring.
Example conversation
A man and a woman are discussing a book they just finished reading.
- 志强 Zhiqiang佳怡，你觉得那本书怎么样？Jiāyí, nǐ juéde nà běn shū zěnmeyàng?Jiāyí, what did you think of that book?
- 佳怡 Jiayi我觉得情节很乏味。Wǒ juéde qíngjié hěn fáwèi.I think the plot is very boring.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我也这么认为，太没意思了。Wǒ yě zhème rènwéi, tài méiyìsi le.I think so too, it's so uninteresting.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，我们还是看电影吧。Zhìqiáng, wǒmen háishì kàn diànyǐng ba.Zhìqiáng, let's watch a movie instead.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boring” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
