无聊
wúliáo
Boring · trad. 無聊
无聊 (wúliáo) is used to describe something as boring or to express that one is bored. It can refer to a dull situation, an uninteresting activity, or a feeling of ennui.
What does 无聊 (wúliáo) mean?
无聊 (wúliáo) means “boring” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “no interest.”
When to use it
Neutral. It can describe a person's feeling of boredom or the boring nature of a thing or situation. To emphasize, you can say 很无聊 (hěn wúliáo) or 太无聊了 (tài wúliáo le).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “WOO-lyaow.” Both syllables are pronounced with a rising tone.
Other ways to say it
- 没意思méi yìsiuninteresting, meaningless
- 枯燥kūzàodry, dull, monotonous (often for things)
Examples
我今天很无聊，没什么事做。
wǒ jīntiān hěn wúliáo, méi shénme shì zuò.
I'm very bored today, there's nothing to do.
这部电影太无聊了，我快睡着了。
zhè bù diànyǐng tài wúliáo le, wǒ kuài shuìzháo le.
This movie is too boring, I'm almost falling asleep.
他觉得生活很无聊，想找点刺激。
tā juéde shēnghuó hěn wúliáo, xiǎng zhǎo diǎn cìjī.
He feels life is very boring and wants to find some excitement.
Pro tip: 无聊 can describe both a boring thing (e.g., '这部电影很无聊') and the feeling of being bored (e.g., '我感到很无聊').
Related phrases
真有意思 · Really interesting or fun好玩儿 · Fun我不喜欢 · I don't like it
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