百合
bǎihémainly
The English term 'yuri' refers to the anime or manga genre in Chinese as 百合 (bǎihé).
You can also use the term 百合向 to describe media that is 'yuri-oriented' or has yuri themes by adding the suffix 向 (xiàng).
Meaning: anime or manga genre (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In online communities and casual conversation, the English abbreviation GL (Girls' Love) is frequently used instead of the Chinese term 百合.
How do you pronounce it?
bǎihé
Did you know?
- The term 百合 is a semantic loan from Japanese, but the original characters were borrowed from Chinese to begin with.
- The term 'GL' used in China is an adaptation of the Japanese 'Girls' Love' concept, rather than a direct import from English.
- The term 百合 is often used as a shorthand for 'Girls' Love' even when the content is not explicitly romantic but focuses on deep female bonds.
Examples in context
- 我很高兴认识你，玉莉。I'm pleased to meet you, Yuri.
- 嘿，百合，我们去看电影怎么样？Hey, Yuri, how about we go watch a movie?
- 希望悠梨能来参加我的生日派对！I hope Yuri can come to my birthday party!
- 我最近在看百合漫画。Wǒ zuìjìn zài kàn bǎihé mànhuà.I have been reading yuri manga lately.
- 这部百合动画很有名。Zhè bù bǎihé dònghuà hěn yǒumíng.This yuri anime is very famous.
- 他很喜欢百合题材的作品。Tā hěn xǐhuān bǎihé tícái de zuòpǐn.He really likes works in the yuri genre.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their favorite animation genres at a cafe.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你喜欢看什么类型的动画？Nǐ xǐhuān kàn shénme lèixíng de dònghuà?What kind of anime do you like to watch?
- 伟 Wei我比较喜欢百合类。Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān bǎihé lèi.I prefer the yuri genre.
- 佳怡 Jiayi原来你喜欢百合题材啊。Yuánlái nǐ xǐhuān bǎihé tícái a.So you like yuri stories.
- 伟 Wei对，我觉得很有趣。Duì, wǒ juédé hěn yǒuqù.Yes, I find them very interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yuri” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries GL, 百合, CC BY-SA 4.0.
