Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 按摩 | ànmó | |
| 馬殺雞 / 马杀鸡 | mǎshājī | humorous, slang |
按摩 refers to the act of rubbing, kneading or hitting muscled parts of the body. For more specific contexts, you might use 推拿 to refer to traditional Chinese massage techniques that involve pressure on meridian points or 按摩治疗 to emphasize that the massage is being used for therapeutic or medical purposes. If the focus is on general well-being and health, the term 养生按摩 is used.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 按摩 is composed of two parts: 按 (àn), meaning 'to press' and 摩 (mó), meaning 'to rub'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a humorous or colloquial effect, people use the slang term 馬殺雞 or 马杀鸡, which is a transliteration of the English word 'massage'. In more formal or professional settings, you might use 推拿 for traditional techniques or 按摩治疗 for medical massage.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In informal speech, you can add 一下 after 按摩 to suggest a quick or light massage, as in 按摩一下.
How do you pronounce it?
ànmó
Did you know?
- The characters in 馬殺雞 literally translate to 'horse kill chicken'.
- Traditional 推拿 often involves rhythmic slapping or hitting the muscles, which can be surprising to those expecting only rubbing.
- In China, massage is often paired with 足疗 or foot therapy, which is a distinct social activity where people relax in large chairs for hours.
Examples in context
- 她是按摩师。She works as a massage therapist.This sentence is useful for identifying a massage therapist using 按摩.Tatoeba #3341560 by User5120, translation #1920346 by Spamster
- 她给他做了个按摩。She gave him a massage.This sentence shows how to describe giving someone a massage using 按摩.Tatoeba #1517491 by gonnastop, translation #887133 by CK
- 我想要按摩。我需要放松。I want a massage. I need to relax.This sentence demonstrates expressing a desire for a massage using 按摩.Tatoeba #503183 by fucongcong, translation #2091 by Swift
- 你的肩膀看起来很疼，我给你捏捏，会舒服一点。
Person B: 谢谢你，但是按摩治疗可能更好。Person A: Your shoulders look painful, let me give you a little massage, and you will feel better.
Person B: Thank you, but maybe a therapeutic massage would be better.
Example conversation
Hao Ran and Jia Yi are talking about their sore muscles after exercising.
- 浩然 Haoran我的肩膀很酸，需要按摩。Wǒ de jiānbǎng hěn suān, xūyào ànmó.My shoulders are sore, I need a massage.
- 佳怡 Jiayi我可以帮你按摩一下。Wǒ kěyǐ bāng nǐ ànmó yīxià.I can give you a massage.
- 浩然 Haoran真的吗？太谢谢你了，佳怡。Zhēn de ma? Tài xièxiè nǐ le, Jiāyí.Really? Thank you so much, Jia Yi.
- 佳怡 Jiayi没关系，快坐好。Méiguānxì, kuài zuò hǎo.It's okay, quickly sit down.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “massage” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
