Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 중국어 | junggugeo | [t͡ɕuŋɡuɡʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 한어 | haneo | [ˈha̠(ː)nʌ̹] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The primary way to refer to the Chinese language is 중국어. If you are talking about the people or the culture, you might use related terms like 중국 or 중화. For Chinese food, the terms 중국식, 중식 or 중화요리 are used.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 중국어 is composed of 중국, meaning China and 어, meaning language.
Which one should you use?
While 중국어 refers specifically to the language, 중국 refers to the country itself. Another form, 한어, is used in more formal or academic, linguistic or historical contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more informal way to say 'Chinese language', you can use 중국말. When referring to people, 중국인 is a formal term for a Chinese person or the Chinese people as a whole, while 중화권 사람 is a formal term that emphasizes the Chinese cultural sphere.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say that something is 'in Chinese' (for example, speaking in Chinese), you add the particle 로 to the end of the word to form 중국어로.
How do you pronounce it?
junggugeo
Did you know?
- In Korea, 중식 refers to Chinese food, but in some contexts, it can also mean 'lunch' because the character for 'middle' is used to denote the middle of the day.
- The term 한어 is a homonym that can mean both 'Chinese language' and 'Korean language' depending on which Chinese character is used for the first syllable.
- Because Korean uses many words derived from Chinese, a student of 중국어 will find that a huge portion of the Korean vocabulary is already based on Chinese roots.
Examples in context
- 그도 중국어를 공부하고 있다.He is also studying Chinese.This sentence uses 중국어 to show someone studying the language.Tatoeba #3681096 by intertime, translation #724101 by mindy
- 중국어로 십까지 셀 수 있습니까?Can you count to ten in Chinese?This sentence uses 중국어 to ask about the ability to count in the language.Tatoeba #8026867 by yesjustryan, translation #277506 by CN
- 내 룸메이트는 중국어를 공부하고 있어요.My roommate is learning Chinese.This sentence uses 중국어 to describe a roommate learning the language.Tatoeba #4967804 by rainbow4us, translation #792531 by ryanthewired
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Dohyun are discussing their university courses.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨는 이번 학기에 중국어 수업을 들어요?Dohyun ssineun ibeon hakgie junggugeo sueobeul deureoyo?Dohyun, are you taking a Chinese class this semester?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 중국어 공부가 정말 재미있어요.Ne, junggugeo gongbuga jeongmal jaemiisseoyo.Yes, studying Chinese is really fun.
- 서연 Seo-yeon와, 저도 중국어 배워보고 싶어요.Wa, jeodo junggugeo baewobogo sipeoyo.Wow, I want to try learning Chinese too.
- 도현 Do-hyeon같이 공부하면 좋을 것 같아요.Gachi gongbuhamyeon joeul geot gatayo.I think it would be great to study together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chinese” translations and entries 중국어, 한어, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 중국어, 한어, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
