Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 有趣 | yǒuqù |
| 有意思 | yǒuyìsi |
Both main forms describe something that arouses or holds one's attention. Use 有意思 to describe something that is thought-provoking, meaningful or worth one's time. Use 有趣 for things that are inherently amusing, funny or quirky. To express the opposite and say something is boring or uninteresting, use the negative form 没意思.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 有趣 consists of 有 (to have) and 趣 (interest/fun). The word 有意思 consists of 有 (to have) and 意思 (meaning/interest).
Which one should you use?
有趣 is typically used for things that are amusing or quirky, while 有意思 is a more versatile term used when something is interesting in a way that is meaningful or thought-provoking.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say something is 'very interesting', add 很 (hěn) before the adjective, creating phrases like 很有趣 or 很有意思.
How do you pronounce it?
yǒuqù
Did you know?
- The character 趣 in 有趣 originally referred to the act of running quickly or galloping, evolving over centuries to mean a 'trend' or 'interest'.
- The word 意思 used in 有意思 is the same word for 'meaning', but it can also mean a 'token of appreciation' or a small gift given to show gratitude.
- In social settings, 有意思 is frequently used as a polite way to avoid giving a direct negative opinion about a boring presentation or a bad idea.
Examples in context
- 多么有趣啊！How interesting!This sentence shows how to express excitement about something being interesting using 有趣.Tatoeba #7772100 by jiangche, translation #1898371 by CK
- 那相當有趣。That's quite interesting.This sentence demonstrates how to state that something is quite interesting using 有趣.Tatoeba #13261722 by mimosawang, translation #5502233 by Adelpa
- 它似乎很有趣。It seems very interesting.This sentence shows how to say something seems very interesting using 有趣.Tatoeba #1750395 by sadhen, translation #323526 by CK
- 这本书很有意思。(Zhè běn shū hěn yǒu yìsi.)This book is very interesting.
- 这个故事非常有趣。(Zhège gùshi fēicháng yǒuqù.)This story is extremely interesting.
- 呢套電視劇好睇！(Ni1 tau4 din6 si6 kek6 hou2 tai2!)This TV drama is interesting to watch!
- 129 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Junjie and Yuting are discussing a new movie they just watched.
- 俊杰 Junjie你觉得这部电影怎么样？Nǐ juéde zhè bù diànyǐng zěnmeyàng?What do you think of this movie?
- 雨婷 Yuting我觉得剧情很有趣。Wǒ juéde jùqíng hěn yǒuqù.I think the plot is very interesting.
- 俊杰 Junjie我也觉得很有趣。Wǒ yě juéde hěn yǒuqù.I also think it's very interesting.
- 雨婷 Yuting是啊，很有意思。Shì a, hěn yǒu yìsi.Yes, it's very interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “interesting” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
