3 · 40 words

Relationships

Neighbours, partners and friends: getting together, falling out and making up.

Several of the most useful verbs here already contain their own object, so the other person cannot simply follow them: “marry her” is 跟(gēn)她(tā)结婚(jiéhūn), “apologise to him” is 跟(gēn)他(tā)道歉(dàoqiàn). The partner comes first, with 跟(gēn) or 和(hé), and the verb can open up to let something in: 离(lí)了(le)婚(hūn), divorced, 吵(chǎo)了(le)一(yí)架(jià), had a row.

The words

Verb (16)

结婚(jiéhūn)to marry; to get marriedVerb3

他们(tāmen)打算(dǎsuàn)明年(míngnián)结婚(jiéhūn)。They are planning to get married next year.

Separable: marrying someone is 跟(gēn)…结婚(jiéhūn), never with an object after it.

离婚(líhūn)to divorceVerb3

他(tā)父母(fùmǔ)离(lí)了(le)婚(hūn)，但(dàn)还是(háishi)朋友(péngyou)。His parents got divorced but are still friends.

吵架(chǎojià)to quarrel; to have a rowVerb3

他们(tāmen)昨天(zuótiān)因为(yīnwèi)钱(qián)吵(chǎo)了(le)一(yí)架(jià)。Yesterday they had a row about money.

道歉(dàoqiàn)to apologiseVerb3

你(nǐ)应该(yīnggāi)跟(gēn)她(tā)道歉(dàoqiàn)。You ought to apologise to her.

The person comes first: 跟(gēn)…道歉(dàoqiàn) or 向(xiàng)…道歉(dàoqiàn).

原谅(yuánliàng)to forgiveVerb3

对不起(duìbuqǐ)，请(qǐng)原谅(yuánliàng)我(wǒ)。I'm sorry, please forgive me.

分手(fēnshǒu)to break upVerb3

听说(tīngshuō)她(tā)和(hé)男朋友(nánpéngyou)分手(fēnshǒu)了(le)。I hear she has broken up with her boyfriend.

相处(xiāngchǔ)to get along (with)Verb3

她(tā)很(hěn)好(hǎo)相处(xiāngchǔ)，大家(dàjiā)都(dōu)喜欢(xǐhuan)她(tā)。She is very easy to get along with, and everyone likes her.

和好(héhǎo)to make up; to be reconciledVerb3

吵完(chǎowán)架(jià)的(de)第二(dì'èr)天(tiān)，他们(tāmen)就(jiù)和好(héhǎo)了(le)。The day after the row, they made up.

嫁(jià)(of a woman) to marryVerb3

她(tā)嫁(jià)给(gěi)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)德国(Déguó)人(rén)。She married a German.

Said of the woman: 嫁(jià)给(gěi) someone; of the man, 娶(qǔ).

娶(qǔ)(of a man) to marryVerb3

他(tā)娶(qǔ)了(le)大学(dàxué)同学(tóngxué)。He married a classmate from university.

追(zhuī)to chase; to courtVerb3

他(tā)追(zhuī)了(le)她(tā)一(yì)年(nián)，她(tā)才(cái)同意(tóngyì)跟(gēn)他(tā)约会(yuēhuì)。He pursued her for a year before she agreed to go out with him.

交往(jiāowǎng)to associate with; to go out withVerb3

他们(tāmen)交往(jiāowǎng)了(le)两(liǎng)年(nián)才(cái)结婚(jiéhūn)。They were together for two years before they married.

Social contact in general, and also the polite word for seeing someone.

求婚(qiúhūn)to propose (marriage)Verb3

他(tā)在(zài)海边(hǎibiān)向(xiàng)女朋友(nǚpéngyou)求婚(qiúhūn)了(le)。He proposed to his girlfriend on the beach.

失恋(shīliàn)to be crossed in love; to go through a break-upVerb3

他(tā)失恋(shīliàn)了(le)，这(zhè)几(jǐ)天(tiān)心情(xīnqíng)很(hěn)不(bù)好(hǎo)。He's just had his heart broken and has been in a bad mood for days.

相爱(xiāng'ài)to love each otherVerb3

他们(tāmen)在(zài)大学(dàxué)里(lǐ)认识(rènshi)，很(hěn)快(kuài)就(jiù)相爱(xiāng'ài)了(le)。They met at university and soon fell in love.

吸引(xīyǐn)to attract; to drawVerb3

我(wǒ)被(bèi)他(tā)的(de)幽默(yōumò)吸引(xīyǐn)了(le)。I was drawn to his sense of humour.

Noun (21)

关系(guānxi)relationship; connectionNoun3

我(wǒ)和(hé)同事(tóngshì)的(de)关系(guānxi)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。I get on very well with my colleagues.

没(méi)关系(guānxi), “never mind”, is built from the same word.

邻居(línjū)neighbourNoun3

新(xīn)邻居(línjū)给(gěi)我们(wǒmen)送(sòng)了(le)一些(yìxiē)水果(shuǐguǒ)。The new neighbours brought us some fruit.

男朋友(nánpéngyou)boyfriendNoun2

她(tā)的(de)男朋友(nánpéngyou)是(shì)医生(yīshēng)。Her boyfriend is a doctor.

女朋友(nǚpéngyou)girlfriendNoun2

我(wǒ)想(xiǎng)给(gěi)女朋友(nǚpéngyou)买(mǎi)一(yí)件(jiàn)生日(shēngrì)礼物(lǐwù)。I want to buy my girlfriend a birthday present.

A female friend who is not a partner is simply 朋友(péngyou).

约会(yuēhuì)date; appointmentNoun3

今天(jīntiān)晚上(wǎnshang)我(wǒ)有(yǒu)约会(yuēhuì)。I've got a date this evening.

Also a verb, to go on a date; context decides whether it is romantic.

感情(gǎnqíng)feelings; affection; bondNoun3

他们(tāmen)俩(liǎ)的(de)感情(gǎnqíng)一直(yìzhí)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。The two of them have always been very close.

爱情(àiqíng)romantic loveNoun3

这(zhè)是(shì)一(yí)个(ge)关于(guānyú)爱情(àiqíng)的(de)电影(diànyǐng)。This is a film about love.

Only love between partners; love in general is 爱(ài).

友谊(yǒuyì)friendshipNoun3

我们(wǒmen)的(de)友谊(yǒuyì)从(cóng)小学(xiǎoxué)就(jiù)开始(kāishǐ)了(le)。Our friendship goes back to primary school.

恋爱(liàn'ài)romantic relationship; loveNoun3

他们(tāmen)谈(tán)了(le)三(sān)年(nián)恋爱(liàn'ài)。They were going out for three years.

Being in a relationship is 谈(tán)恋爱(liàn'ài), literally “talk love”.

陌生人(mòshēngrén)strangerNoun3

小(xiǎo)孩子(háizi)不(bú)要(yào)跟(gēn)陌生人(mòshēngrén)走(zǒu)。Small children should never go off with strangers.

老乡(lǎoxiāng)person from the same hometownNoun3

在(zài)北京(Běijīng)我(wǒ)遇到(yùdào)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)老乡(lǎoxiāng)。In Beijing I met someone from my hometown.

伙伴(huǒbàn)companion; partnerNoun3

他(tā)是(shì)我(wǒ)小时候(xiǎoshíhou)的(de)伙伴(huǒbàn)。He was my childhood playmate.

小(xiǎo)伙伴(huǒbàn) is a playmate; between firms, a partner.

对象(duìxiàng)partner (boyfriend or girlfriend)Noun3

你(nǐ)有(yǒu)对象(duìxiàng)了(le)吗(ma)？Are you seeing someone?

Colloquial; relatives ask it at every family gathering. It also means “target, object”.

爱人(àirén)spouse (husband or wife)Noun3

我(wǒ)爱人(àirén)在(zài)医院(yīyuàn)工作(gōngzuò)。My wife works at a hospital.

On the mainland a husband or wife, not a lover; younger people say 老公(lǎogōng) and 老婆(lǎopo).

矛盾(máodùn)friction; contradictionNoun3

他们(tāmen)兄弟(xiōngdì)俩(liǎ)之间(zhījiān)有(yǒu)点儿(diǎnr)矛盾(máodùn)。There is a bit of friction between the two brothers.

Also an adjective: 我(wǒ)心里(xīnlǐ)很(hěn)矛盾(máodùn), I am torn.

婚姻(hūnyīn)marriageNoun3

他们(tāmen)的(de)婚姻(hūnyīn)很(hěn)幸福(xìngfú)。Theirs is a very happy marriage.

Being married as a state; the wedding itself is 婚礼(hūnlǐ).

熟人(shúrén)acquaintance; someone you knowNoun3

在(zài)小(xiǎo)城市(chéngshì)办(bàn)事(shì)，有(yǒu)熟人(shúrén)就(jiù)方便(fāngbiàn)多(duō)了(le)。In a small town, getting things done is much easier if you know people.

来往(láiwǎng)contact; dealingsNoun3

搬家(bānjiā)以后(yǐhòu)，我们(wǒmen)跟(gēn)老(lǎo)邻居(línjū)还有(háiyǒu)来往(láiwǎng)。Since moving, we are still in touch with our old neighbours.

新郎(xīnláng)bridegroomNoun3

新郎(xīnláng)紧张(jǐnzhāng)得(de)说不出(shuōbuchū)话(huà)来(lai)。The groom was so nervous he couldn't get a word out.

新娘(xīnniáng)brideNoun3

今天(jīntiān)的(de)新娘(xīnniáng)真(zhēn)漂亮(piàoliang)！The bride looks beautiful today!

初恋(chūliàn)first loveNoun3

她(tā)是(shì)我(wǒ)的(de)初恋(chūliàn)。She was my first love.

Adjective (3)

熟悉(shúxī)familiar; to know wellAdjective3

我们(wǒmen)在(zài)一起(yìqǐ)工作(gōngzuò)了(le)十(shí)年(nián)，互相(hùxiāng)很(hěn)熟悉(shúxī)。We have worked together for ten years and know each other very well.

Also for places: 熟悉(shúxī)环境(huánjìng), to get to know one's surroundings.

亲密(qīnmì)close; intimateAdjective3

她们(tāmen)是(shì)最(zuì)亲密(qīnmì)的(de)朋友(péngyou)。They are the closest of friends.

单身(dānshēn)single; unmarriedAdjective3

我(wǒ)哥哥(gēge)三十(sānshí)岁(suì)了(le)，还是(háishi)单身(dānshēn)。My elder brother is thirty and still single.

This list belongs to People, family and feelings — eleven lists and 442 words that can also be practised as a whole.

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