Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 聰明 / 聪明 | cōngming |
| 伶俐 | línglì |
The term 聰明 / 聪明 is the standard, general term for being intelligent or smart. While it is generally a positive attribute, in certain contexts it can imply being 'too clever for one's own good' or being cunning, similar to its use in English. To express the concept of being clever through different nuances, you might use 机智 (Jī Zhì) to emphasize quick thinking and resourcefulness or 智慧 (Zhì Huì) to formally refer to intelligence or wisdom.
Which one should you use?
While 聰明 / 聪明 is the general term for being mentally sharp, 伶俐 (línglì) specifically emphasizes being quick-witted or nimble-minded. 伶俐 is often used to describe children or people who are socially sharp and articulate. For a more informal nuance of being quick-witted and able to react swiftly to situations, you can use 机灵 (Jī Líng).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, 聪明 (Cung1 Ming4) is a commonly used term for clever. Other Cantonese variations include 機智 (Gei1 Zi3) and 伶俐 (Ling4 Lei5).
How does it change in a sentence?
When using 聰明 / 聪明 as an adjective in a sentence, it is common to place the adverb 很 (hěn, 'very') before it to make the sentence sound natural, such as in 很聰明.
How do you pronounce it?
cōngming
Did you know?
- The word 聰明 (cōngming) is composed of two characters: 聰 (cōng), meaning 'hearing', and 明 (míng), meaning 'bright'. It literally translates to 'bright hearing', suggesting that a clever person is one who listens closely to understand the world.
- The term 伶俐 (línglì) contains the character 伶 (líng), which historically refers to a professional actor or performer, adding a layer of 'quickness' associated with stage presence.
- In some regions, calling someone 聰明 in a sarcastic tone is a common way to tell them they have made a foolish mistake, similar to saying 'bright spark' in English.
Examples in context
- 她是一个非常聪明的学生。(Tā shì yīgè fēicháng cōngmíng de xuéshēng.)She is a very clever student.
- 他在关键时刻表现得非常机智。(Tā zài guānjiàn shíkè biǎoxiàn de fēicháng jīzhì.)He showed great cleverness at a critical moment.
- 他是个精明的商人，总能找到最好的交易。(Tā shì gè jīngmíng de shāngrén, zǒng néng zhǎodào zuìhǎo de jiāoyì.)He is a clever businessman who always manages to find the best deals.
- 他的思维非常灵活，总能找到解决问题的办法。(Tā de sīwéi fēicháng línghuó, zǒng néng zhǎodào jiějué wèntí de bànfǎ.)His thinking is very clever, and he can always find a way to solve problems.
- 小明真是个机灵鬼，总能猜出谜底。(Xiǎo Míng zhēnshi gè jīlíngguǐ, zǒng néng cāi chū mídǐ.)Xiaoming is really clever and can always guess the answer to riddles.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clever” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
