諾言 / 诺言
nuòyán
In Chinese, the English phrase 'promise' can be expressed in several ways depending on the context, with 諾言 / 诺言 (nuòyán) being the default form. Wiktionary also lists 答應 / 答应 (dāying) and 許諾 / 许诺 (xǔnuò).
Meaning: vow (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 諾言 / 诺言 | nuòyán |
| 答應 / 答应 | dāying |
| 許諾 / 许诺 | xǔnuò |
| 誓言 | shìyán |
| 承諾 / 承诺 | chéngnuò |
While some forms function as nouns meaning 'a promise', others act as verbs meaning 'to promise' or 'to commit to something'.
Which one should you use?
諾言 / 诺言 is primarily used as a noun meaning 'a promise'. In contrast, 誓言 refers to a solemn vow or oath, such as a military oath or a sacred vow. For the act of promising, 承諾 / 承诺 and 許諾 / 许诺 are common, but 承諾 / 承诺 is specifically a formal term. Additionally, the term 保证 can be used when you want to say 'to guarantee' or 'to promise' something.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwanese Mandarin, 諾言 is used to express a promise.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
答應 / 答应 can also mean 'to respond' or 'to answer a call' depending on the context.
How do you pronounce it?
nuòyán
Did you know?
- While 誓言 means 'vow', the character 誓 contains the radical for 'word' and a component once representing a blood sacrifice used to seal ancient oaths.
- In many social contexts, making a verbal 承諾 / 承诺 is seen as a binding commitment to one's reputation, sometimes carrying more weight than a written contract. In Chinese culture, failing to keep a 'promise' can lead to a significant loss of 'mianzi' or 'face'.
- The character 諾 in 諾言 originally depicted a mouth and a hand, symbolizing the act of giving one's word or agreeing to a request.
Examples in context
- 我向你承诺，我会尽全力完成这个任务。I promise you that I will do my best to complete this task.
- 我答应你的请求，会按时完成这项工作。I promise to fulfill your request and complete this task on time.
- 我发誓，我会永远支持你。I promise I will always support you.
- 我保证我会按时到达。I promise I will arrive on time.
- 我對你的諾言是永遠不變的。My promise to you is forever.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “promise” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
