随便
suí biàn
Whatever · trad. 隨便
随便 (suíbiàn) is a versatile word in Mandarin Chinese that can mean "whatever," "anything," "as you please," or "casual." It's commonly used to express indifference, flexibility, or to give someone freedom of choice.
When to use it
Casual to neutral. When offering a choice, it can be polite and welcoming (e.g., "随便坐" - sit wherever you like). However, when used as a direct response like "随便," it can sound indifferent or even dismissive, especially in more formal settings or if you're trying to avoid making a decision. For a more polite and less indifferent "whatever," you can use 都可以 (dōu kěyǐ), meaning "anything is fine."
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "SWAY-byen." The first syllable has a high, flat tone (first tone), and the second syllable has a falling tone (fourth tone).
Other ways to say it
- 随便你suí biàn nǐwhatever you want (can be dismissive)
- 都可以dōu kě yǐanything is fine (more polite/neutral)
- 随便吃suí biàn chīeat whatever you like (example of usage)
Examples
你想看什么电影？随便。
nǐ xiǎng kàn shén me diàn yǐng ？ suí biàn 。
What movie do you want to watch? Whatever.
你随便坐，不用客气。
nǐ suí biàn zuò ， bú yòng kè qì 。
Sit wherever you like, don't be shy.
随便你吧，我不想争了。
suí biàn nǐ ba ， wǒ bù xiǎng zhēng le 。
Whatever you want, I don't want to argue anymore.
Pro tip: While 随便 can mean "whatever," be mindful of its tone. When offering choices (e.g., "随便坐" - sit anywhere), it's polite. But as a standalone answer to a question (e.g., "吃什么？随便。"), it can sound indifferent or even dismissive. If you want to be more polite or genuinely flexible, 都可以 (dōu kěyǐ, "anything is fine") is often a better choice.
Related phrases
和平 · Peace钱 · Money闭嘴 · Shut up
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