辯論 / 辩论
biànlùn
The English word 'debate' translates to Chinese as 辯論 / 辩论 (biànlùn). If unsure, use 辯論 / 辩论. Wiktionary also lists 討論 / 讨论 (tǎolùn).
Meaning: argument, or discussion, usually in an ordered or formal setting (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 辯論 / 辩论 | biànlùn |
| 討論 / 讨论 | tǎolùn |
辯論 / 辩论 refers to an argument or a discussion, typically held in an ordered or formal setting. In academic or competitive contexts, a debate competition is called 辯論賽 / 辩论赛.
Which one should you use?
辯論 / 辩论 refers to a formal debate with opposing sides, whereas 討論 / 讨论 refers to a general discussion or deliberation.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 辯論 / 辩论 can also function as a verb meaning 'to debate' or 'to argue a point'.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 辯論 / 辩论 is biànlùn.
Did you know?
- While 辯論 / 辩论 is the standard term for a formal debate, the term 舌戰 /shézhàn describes a 'battle of tongues' and is often used in historical dramas to depict intense verbal confrontations.
- In ancient Chinese philosophy, the art of 'debate' was tied to the 辯論 / 辩论 style of the Mohists, who created a rigorous system of logic and argumentation centuries before many similar Western formalizations.
- In Chinese, the character 辯 / 辩 is composed of the radical for 'speech' and a component meaning 'distinguish'. This suggests that a 'debate' is not just an argument, but a process of distinguishing truth from falsehood.
Examples in context
- 我很喜欢参加辩论比赛。I really enjoy participating in debates.
- 我们常常在家中进行争论。We often have debates at home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “debate” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
