Are you a sports lover who is also learning Chinese? If yes, then this guide is perfect for you! Today, we’ll explore essential vocabulary for sports in Chinese – from soccer and basketball to badminton and swimming – along with practical example sentences that you can easily use in daily conversation. Let’s learn and “get moving” with Chinese together!
Vocabulary about sports in Chinese
Do you know how to say badminton in Chinese? What about jogging, swimming, or volleyball? In this post, you’ll find a comprehensive list of the most common sports in Chinese, organized by activity type, along with clear pinyin to help you pronounce them correctly.
Whether you’re a complete beginner or already have some experience, this vocabulary list will help you expand your word bank and speak more confidently when talking about sports in Chinese.
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Soccer | 足球 | zú qiú |
| Basketball | 篮球 | lán qiú |
| Baseball | 棒球 | bàng qiú |
| Volleyball | 排球 | pái qiú |
| Table Tennis / Ping Pong | 乒乓球 | pīng pāng qiú |
| Sepak Takraw | 藤球 | téng qiú |
| Badminton | 羽毛球 | yǔ máo qiú |
| Tennis | 网球 | wǎng qiú |
| Swimming | 游泳 | yóu yǒng |
| Cycling | 骑自行车 | qí zì xíng chē |
| Skiing | 滑雪 | huá xuě |
| Mountain Climbing | 爬山 | pá shān |
| Gymnastics | 体操 | tǐ cāo |
| Bodybuilding | 健美 | jiàn měi |
| Yoga | 瑜伽 | yú jiā |
| Dance | 舞蹈 | wǔ dǎo |
| Chess | 国际象棋 | guó jì xiàng qí |
| Chinese Chess | 中国象棋 | zhōng guó xiàng qí |
| Go Game | 围棋 | wéi qí |
| Martial Arts | 武术 | wǔ shù |
| Tai Chi | 太极拳 | tài jí quán |
| Polo | 马球 | mǎ qiú |
| Judo | 柔道 | róu dào |
| Karate | 空手道 | kōng shǒu dào |
| Taekwondo | 跆拳道 | tái quán dào |
| Vovinam | 越武道 | yuè wǔ dào |
| Boxing | 拳击 | quán jī |
| Muay Thai | 泰拳 | tài quán |
| Wrestling | 摔跤 | shuāi jiāo |
| Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) | 综合格斗 | zōng hé gé dòu |
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 马拉松 | mǎ lā sōng |
| Aerobics | 健美操 | jiàn měi cāo |
| Futsal | 五人制足球 | wǔ rén zhì zú qiú |
| Fencing | 击剑 | jī jiàn |
| Archery | 射箭 | shè jiàn |
| Shooting (Sport Shooting) | 射击 | shè jī |
| Golf | 高尔夫球 | gāo ěr fū qiú |
| Surfing | 冲浪 | chōng làng |
| Weightlifting | 举重 | jǔ zhòng |
| Rowing | 赛艇 | sài tǐng |
| Car Racing | 赛车 | sài chē |
| Ice Hockey | 冰球 | bīng qiú |
| Horse Racing | 赛马 | sài mǎ |
| Billiards / Pool | 台球 | tái qiú |
| Bowling | 保龄球 | bǎo líng qiú |
| Skateboarding | 滑板 | huá bǎn |
| Rock / Wall Climbing | 攀岩 | pān yán |
| High Jump | 跳高 | tiào gāo |
| Long Jump | 跳远 | tiào yuǎn |
| Pole Vault | 撑竿跳高 | chēng gān tiào gāo |
| Diving | 跳水 | tiào shuǐ |
| Javelin Throw | 掷标枪 | zhì biāo qiāng |
| Pickleball | 匹克球 | pǐ kè qiú |
Competition and Sports Event Vocabulary in Chinese
If you love sports and are learning Chinese, knowing how to talk about competitions and matches will make conversations more engaging and meaningful. Below is a useful basic Chinese phrases and sentences used when discussing sports in Chinese, especially in sports events, tournaments, and professional matches.
| English | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| Sports | 体育 | tǐ yù |
| Match / Competition | 比赛 | bǐ sài |
| Stadium | 体育场 | tǐ yù chǎng |
| Sports Hall / Arena | 体育馆 | tǐ yù guǎn |
| Athlete | 运动员 | yùn dòng yuán |
| Coach | 教练 | jiào liàn |
| Referee | 裁判 | cái pàn |
| Team | 队 | duì |
| Home Team | 主队 | zhǔ duì |
| Away Team | 客队 | kè duì |
| Fan / Supporter | 粉丝 | fěn sī |
| Win / Victory | 胜利 | shèng lì |
| Lose / Defeat | 失败 | shī bài |
| Draw / Tie | 平局 | píng jú |
| Score (points) | 得分 | dé fēn |
| Scoreboard / Result | 比分 | bǐ fēn |
| Goal (Soccer) | 进球 | jìn qiú |
| Foul | 犯规 | fàn guī |
| Yellow Card | 黄牌 | huáng pái |
| Red Card | 红牌 | hóng pái |
| First Half | 上半场 | shàng bàn chǎng |
| Second Half | 下半场 | xià bàn chǎng |
| Extra Time / Injury Time | 补时 | bǔ shí |
| Overtime | 加时赛 | jiā shí sài |
| Final Match | 决赛 | jué sài |
| Semi-final | 半决赛 | bàn jué sài |
| Qualifying Round | 预选赛 | yù xuǎn sài |
| Cup / Championship | 奖杯 / 锦标赛 | jiǎng bēi / jǐn biāo sài |
| Champion | 冠军 | guàn jūn |
| Runner-up | 亚军 | yà jūn |
| Third Place | 季军 | jì jūn |
| Record | 纪录 | jì lù |
| Performance / Achievement | 成绩 | chéng jì |
| Defense | 防守 | fáng shǒu |
| Attack / Offense | 进攻 | jìn gōng |
| Strategy / Tactics | 战术 | zhàn shù |
Useful Conversation Sentences About Sports in Chinese
Sports is a very common topic in both daily life and language learning – especially if you participate in extracurricular activities or interact with Chinese-speaking friends. That’s why knowing basic and practical sentence patterns is very important. Let’s explore some essential conversation phrases to help you confidently discuss sports in Chinese!
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 你喜欢什么运动？ | Nǐ xǐhuān shénme yùndòng? | What sport do you like? |
| 我喜欢打篮球。 | Wǒ xǐhuān dǎ lánqiú. | I like playing basketball. |
| 我很喜欢看足球。 | Wǒ hěn xǐhuān kàn zúqiú. | I really enjoy watching soccer. |
| 你会不会打/踢/游 [Môn thể thao]? | Nǐ huì bù huì dǎ/tī/yóu [sport]? | Do you know how to play [sport]? |
| 我们一起去跑步吧！ | Wǒmen yīqǐ qù pǎobù ba! | Let’s go jogging together! |
| 你经常锻炼吗？ | Nǐ jīngcháng duànliàn ma? | Do you exercise often? |
| 我每天早上都锻炼。 | Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang dōu duànliàn. | I exercise every morning. |
| 明天有足球比赛。 | Míngtiān yǒu zúqiú bǐsài. | There is a soccer match tomorrow. |
| 今天的比赛怎么样？ | Jīntiān de bǐsài zěnme yàng? | How was today’s match? |
| 加油！ | Jiā yóu! | Let’s go! / Keep it up! |
| 你支持哪一队？ | Nǐ zhīchí nǎ yī duì? | Which team do you support? |
| 我觉得这个队很强。 | Wǒ juéde zhège duì hěn qiáng. | I think this team is very strong. |
| 你觉得哪队会赢？ | Nǐ juéde nǎ duì huì yíng? | Which team do you think will win? |
| 比分是多少？ | Bǐfēn shì duōshǎo? | What’s the score? |
| 今天有比赛吗？ | Jīntiān yǒu bǐsài ma? | Is there a match today? |
| 你是哪支队的球迷？ | Nǐ shì nǎ zhī duì de qiúmí? | Which team are you a fan of? |
| 你最喜欢哪个运动员/选手？ | Nǐ zuì xǐhuān nǎge yùndòngyuán/xuǎnshǒu? | Who is your favorite athlete? |
Sample Dialogues About Sports in Chinese
To help you use sports vocabulary in Chinese more naturally, here are some short sample dialogues. Each includes Pinyin and English translations, perfect for beginners to follow and practice.
Dialogue 1: Asking About Sports Preferences
A: 你平时喜欢做什么运动？
Nǐ píngshí xǐhuān zuò shénme yùndòng?
What sport do you usually like to do?
B: 我喜欢打篮球，也偶尔游泳。你呢？
Wǒ xǐhuān dǎ lánqiú, yě ǒu’ěr yóuyǒng. Nǐ ne?
I like playing basketball, and sometimes I swim. How about you?
A: 我比较喜欢踢足球，周末经常跟朋友一起踢。
Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān tī zúqiú, zhōumò jīngcháng gēn péngyǒu yīqǐ tī.
I prefer playing soccer and often play with friends on weekends.
B: 真不错！踢足球对耐力要求很高吧？
Zhēn búcuò! Tī zúqiú duì nàilì yāoqiú hěn gāo ba?
Nice! Soccer requires a lot of endurance, right?
A: 是的，不过越练越好。我主要是为了保持健康。
Shì de, bùguò yuè liàn yuè hǎo. Wǒ zhǔyào shì wèile bǎochí jiànkāng.
Yes, but the more I practice, the better I get. I mainly do it to stay healthy.
Dialogue 2: Inviting a Friend to Watch a Sports Game
A: 听说这个周末有一场篮球比赛，你知道吗？
Tīngshuō zhège zhōumò yǒu yī chǎng lánqiú bǐsài, nǐ zhīdào ma?
I heard there’s a basketball game this weekend. Did you know?
B: 我知道，是我们学校和别的学校比赛，对吧？
Wǒ zhīdào, shì wǒmen xuéxiào hé bié de xuéxiào bǐsài, duì ba?
Yeah, it’s between our school and another one, right?
A: 对啊！你要不要一起去看？我们可以一起加油。
Duì a! Nǐ yào bùyào yīqǐ qù kàn? Wǒmen kěyǐ yīqǐ jiāyóu.
Exactly! Want to go together? We can cheer for our team!
B: 好啊，我很喜欢热闹的比赛气氛。几点开始？
Hǎo a, wǒ hěn xǐhuān rènào de bǐsài qìfēn. Jǐ diǎn kāishǐ?
Sure! I love the excitement of live games. What time does it start?
A: 下午三点，在体育馆门口集合吧。
Xiàwǔ sān diǎn, zài tǐyùguǎn ménkǒu jíhé ba.
3 p.m, let’s meet at the gym entrance.
B: 好的，不见不散！
Hǎo de, bújiàn bú sàn!
Sounds good! See you there!
Dialogue 3: Discussing Workout Plans
A: 最近你看起来精神很好，是不是开始运动了？
Zuìjìn nǐ kàn qǐlái jīngshén hěn hǎo, shì bú shì kāishǐ yùndòng le?
You look full of energy lately—have you started working out?
B: 是啊，我从上个月开始每天早上跑步。
Shì a, wǒ cóng shàng gè yuè kāishǐ měitiān zǎoshang pǎobù.
Yes! I started jogging every morning since last month.
A: 坚持下来不容易吧？
Jiānchí xiàlái bù róngyì ba?
That must be hard to keep up, right?
B: 刚开始真的很累，不过现在已经习惯了。
Gāng kāishǐ zhēn de hěn lèi, bùguò xiànzài yǐjīng xíguàn le.
It was tough at first, but now I’m used to it.
A: 运动确实对身体很有好处。我也想开始练瑜伽。
Yùndòng quèshí duì shēntǐ hěn yǒu hǎochù. Wǒ yě xiǎng kāishǐ liàn yújiā.
Exercise is definitely great for your health. I want to start doing yoga too.
B: 好啊，我们可以互相督促，一起坚持下去。
Hǎo a, wǒmen kěyǐ hùxiāng dūsù, yīqǐ jiānchí xiàqù.
That’s awesome—we can motivate each other and keep it up together!
Conclusion
In this article, we’ve covered the most useful Chinese sports vocabulary and everyday conversation phrases to help you communicate naturally about your favorite sports. Remember to save and practice these examples regularly – they’re a great way to boost your confidence and fluency when speaking about sports in Chinese. Keep learning and exploring more fun topics with Ni Hao Ma and take your Chinese communication skills to the next level!
