迪斯科
dísīkē
The English phrase 'disco' can be translated into Mandarin using 迪斯科 (dísīkē). Wiktionary also lists 迪廳 / 迪厅 (dítīng) and 迪吧 (díbā).
Meaning: discotheque (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 迪斯科 | dísīkē |
| 迪廳 / 迪厅 | dítīng |
| 迪吧 | díbā |
| 迪斯科舞廳 / 迪斯科舞厅 | dísīkē wǔtīng |
| 迪斯科廳 / 迪斯科厅 | dísīkētīng |
While the term can refer to a discotheque, it is often used to describe the music or dance style itself.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 迪斯科 is a phonetic transliteration of the English word 'disco'.
Which one should you use?
The forms in Mandarin distinguish between the music and the venue. 迪斯科 refers specifically to the music or the dance style, whereas 迪厅 or 迪吧 refers to the physical venue. Between the venue terms, 迪吧 is a colloquial contraction of 迪斯科 and the word for bar (吧), used to refer to a nightclub or disco bar, while 迪厅 is a more traditional or slightly older term for a disco or dance hall.
How do you pronounce it?
dísīkē
Did you know?
- During the 1980s, disco dancing was occasionally viewed by the state as 'spiritual pollution'. This led to periods where 迪斯科 venues were scrutinized or shut down for promoting Western decadence.
- The character 吧 in 迪吧 is a phonetic loan for 'bar'. It has become so common that it is now used as a suffix for any online community or forum, known as a 贴吧 'tieba'.
- While 迪斯科 was a symbol of modern youth in the 1980s, today the term often feels nostalgic or dated. Young people in China are more likely to use the English word 'club' or the term 夜店 'night shop' to describe modern nightclubs.
Examples in context
- 他們什麼也沒解釋就把他踢出迪斯科了。They kicked him out of the disco without any explanation.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe someone being kicked out of a 迪斯科.Tatoeba #1059499 by S01, translation #1057672 by cris
Example conversation
Yuting and Junjie are talking about their weekend plans.
- 雨婷 Yuting俊杰，今晚你想去迪斯科吗？Jùnjié, jīnwǎn nǐ xiǎng qù dísīkē ma?Junjie, do you want to go to the disco tonight?
- 俊杰 Junjie我对迪斯科不感兴趣。Wǒ duì dísīkē bù gǎn xìngqù.I'm not interested in discos.
- 雨婷 Yuting那我们去电影院吧。Nà wǒmen qù diànyǐngyuàn ba.Then let's go to the cinema.
- 俊杰 Junjie好的，这个主意不错。Hǎo de, zhège zhǔyì bùcuò.Okay, that's a good idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “disco” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
