單子 / 单子
dānzi
In Chinese, the English word 'list' can be translated in several ways, most commonly as 單子 / 单子 (dānzi). Wiktionary also lists 列表 (lièbiǎo).
Meaning: enumeration or compilation of items (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 單子 / 单子 | dānzi | |
| 列表 | lièbiǎo | /li̯ɛ⁵¹ pi̯ɑʊ̯²¹⁴⁻²¹⁽⁴⁾/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /liːt̚² piːu̯³⁵/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
The term for 'list' varies depending on whether you are referring to a physical slip of paper, a structured digital collection or an inventory.
Which one should you use?
單子 / 单子 is a colloquial term often used for simple lists, such as a shopping list or a small slip of paper. In contrast, 列表 is the formal term used in technical, digital or structured environments, such as a data list or a table of contents. Note that 目录 primarily refers specifically to a 'table of contents'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the action of including something in a list, you can use 列入. However, if you want to describe the act of actually writing out or presenting the items in a list, the more common verb is 列出.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization for 單子 / 单子 is dānzi.
Did you know?
- While 單子 / 单子 is used for many lists, in a restaurant setting, it can also refer to the bill or the check. If you ask for the 'list' at the end of a meal, you are asking for your total.
- The character 單 / 单 used in 單子 / 单子 also means 'alone' or 'single'. This reflects the historical origin of a list as a 'single' sheet of paper used for a specific purpose.
- The character 列 in 列表 (lièbiǎo) originally meant to arrange things in neat rows. It conveys a sense of mathematical or physical order that a simple piece of paper lacks.
Examples in context
- 列一个列表。Make a list.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 列表.Tatoeba #10199329 by slo_oth, translation #2249574 by CK
- 我已經完成了我今天6點任務列表的4點。I have already completed 4 out of 6 tasks on my to-do list today.Tatoeba #1966670 by jjbraam, translation #1966672 by jjbraam
- 列表如下：The list is as follows:Tatoeba #1323683 by vicch, translation #9408734 by BobbyLee
- 购物列表Shopping list
- 宾客列表Guest list
- 检查清单Checklist
- 库存清单Inventory list
- 日程一览Schedule
- 任务清单To-do list
- 愿望清单Wish list
- 我写了一个购物列表。I wrote a shopping list.
- 你能把任务清单发给我吗？Can you send me the to-do list?
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “list” translations and entries 列表, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
