英语
yīngyǔ
English · trad. 英語
英语 (yīngyǔ) is the standard and most common way to refer to the English language in Mandarin Chinese. It's widely understood and appropriate in almost any context.
What does 英语 (yīngyǔ) mean?
英语 (yīngyǔ) means “English” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “English language.”
When to use it
Neutral. While 英语 specifically refers to the spoken language, 英文 (yīngwén) is often used interchangeably to mean 'English language' or 'English writing.' For 'English class,' you'd say 英语课 (yīngyǔ kè).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like “YING-yoo.” The first syllable is a high-level tone, and the second is a third tone (low dip).
Other ways to say it
- 英文yīngwénEnglish language / English writing (often interchangeable with 英语)
- 英语课yīngyǔ kèEnglish class
- 英国人YīngguórénBritish person
Examples
我喜欢学英语。
wǒ xǐhuan xué yīngyǔ.
I like learning English.
你会说英语吗？
nǐ huì shuō yīngyǔ ma?
Can you speak English?
我的英语老师很好。
wǒ de yīngyǔ lǎoshī hěn hǎo.
My English teacher is very good.
Pro tip: While 英语 (yīngyǔ) strictly means 'English language' and 英文 (yīngwén) means 'English writing,' in everyday conversation, they are often used interchangeably to refer to the English language in general. However, 英语 is more precise when emphasizing the spoken aspect.
Related phrases
字母 · Alphabet无意义字母组合 · Abcd一二三 · 1 2 3
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