Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 瘦 | shòu |
| 枯瘦 | kūshòu |
| 皮包骨頭 / 皮包骨头 | píbāogǔtóu |
The primary word for thin or skinny is 瘦, which can be used to describe both people and animals. When referring to meat, 瘦 means 'lean'. For more specific contexts, you might use other terms: 枯瘦 describes someone who looks gaunt or withered due to age or illness and the idiom 皮包骨头 is used to describe someone who is emaciated. In casual settings, you can use 骨感 to describe a slim body with visible bones, often used for fashion models or the creative expression 瘦得像竹竿 to emphasize extreme thinness by saying someone is 'as skinny as a bamboo pole'.
What does it mean word for word?
The idiom 皮包骨头 literally means 'skin wrapping bones'.
Which one should you use?
While 瘦 can be a neutral or even negative description, the term 苗条 is a positive way to describe a woman as 'slim' or 'slender'. For a more elegant or delicate build, especially regarding women or graceful items, the term 纤细 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the adjective 瘦 in a simple descriptive sentence, it is common to precede it with the adverb 很 to mean 'is skinny', even if you are not emphasizing the word 'very'.
How do you pronounce it?
shòu
Did you know?
- The character 瘦 contains the radical 疒, which is the 'sickness' radical. This indicates that the concept of being 'skinny' is linguistically linked to the idea of being unwell or suffering from a disease.
- The term 骨感 literally means 'bone-feeling' or 'boniness'. In modern Chinese, it has been repurposed as a trendy, positive way to describe a model-like, slim physique.
- The adjective 枯瘦 uses a character that also means 'withered' or 'dried up', as one would describe a dead plant. This suggests a type of thinness that implies a loss of life or vitality.
Examples in context
- 你看起來很瘦。You look skinny.This sentence shows how to say 'You look skinny' using 瘦.Tatoeba #13222566 by LeviHighway, translation #3580996 by Jesse
- 你很瘦。You are skinny.This sentence shows how to say 'You are skinny' using 瘦.Tatoeba #5234821 by xjjAstrus, translation #5241599 by cinqhiboux
- 她很瘦。She's skinny.This sentence shows how to say 'She is skinny' using 瘦.Tatoeba #6107691 by xjjAstrus, translation #2298099 by Hybrid
- 你很瘦 (nǐ hěn shòu)You are very skinny
- 她身材很瘦 (tā shēn cái hěn shòu)She has a skinny figure.
- 我喜欢纤细的线条 (wǒ xǐ huān xiān xì de xiàn tiáo)I like slim and delicate lines.
- 他骨感身材适合做模特 (tā gǔ gǎn shēn cái shì hé zuò mó tè)His slim figure is suitable for modeling.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a mutual acquaintance's appearance.
- 浩然 Haoran你覺得他太瘦了嗎？Nǐ juéde tā tài shòu le ma?Do you think he is too skinny?
- 梓涵 Zihan對，他應該多吃一點。Duì, tā yīnggāi duō chī yīdiǎn.Yes, he should eat more.
- 浩然 Haoran我也這麼想，他真的太瘦了。Wǒ yě zhème xiǎng, tā zhēnde tài shòu le.I think so too, he is really too skinny.
- 梓涵 Zihan沒辦法，他的體質就是這樣。Méi bànfǎ, tā de tǐzhī jiùshì zhèyàng.It can't be helped, that's just his constitution.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “skinny” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 瘦, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
