3 · 40 words

Sport and games

Ball games, teams, winning and losing, keeping fit and the games people play at home.

Chinese chooses the verb by what the body does with the ball: 踢(tī)足球(zúqiú), “kick football”, but 打(dǎ)篮球(lánqiú), “hit basketball” — and the same 打(dǎ) serves for table tennis, tennis and even tai chi. Winning and losing are plain verbs, 赢(yíng) and 输(shū), and a score is read with 比(bǐ): 三(sān)比(bǐ)一(yī), three–one.

The words

Verb (13)

赢(yíng)to win; to beatVerb3

最后(zuìhòu)五(wǔ)分钟(fēnzhōng)我们(wǒmen)进(jìn)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)球(qiú)，赢(yíng)了(le)比赛(bǐsài)。In the last five minutes we scored a goal and won the match.

Takes the match or the opponent as object: 赢(yíng)了(le)他们(tāmen).

输(shū)to lose (a game)Verb3

输(shū)了(le)也(yě)没关系(méiguānxi)，下(xià)次(cì)再(zài)努力(nǔlì)。It does not matter if we lose; we will try harder next time.

得分(défēn)to score (points)Verb3

他(tā)一(yí)个(ge)人(rén)就(jiù)得(dé)了(le)二十(èrshí)分(fēn)。He scored twenty points on his own.

Separable: 得(dé)了(le)十(shí)分(fēn). Here 得(dé) is read dé.

进球(jìnqiú)to score a goal; goalVerb3

上半场(shàngbànchǎng)两(liǎng)个(ge)队(duì)都(dōu)没有(méiyǒu)进球(jìnqiú)。Neither team scored in the first half.

锻炼(duànliàn)to exercise; to work outVerb3

医生(yīshēng)说(shuō)我(wǒ)应该(yīnggāi)多(duō)锻炼(duànliàn)身体(shēntǐ)。The doctor said I should get more exercise.

健身(jiànshēn)to keep fit; to work out (at a gym)Verb3

他(tā)每(měi)个(ge)星期(xīngqī)去(qù)健身房(jiànshēnfáng)健身(jiànshēn)三(sān)次(cì)。He goes to the gym to work out three times a week.

The gym is 健身房(jiànshēnfáng).

热身(rèshēn)to warm upVerb3

跑步(pǎobù)以前(yǐqián)最好(zuìhǎo)先(xiān)热身(rèshēn)十(shí)分钟(fēnzhōng)。Before running, it is best to warm up for ten minutes first.

滑冰(huábīng)to skateVerb3

冬天(dōngtiān)湖(hú)上(shàng)结(jié)了(le)冰(bīng)，很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)去(qù)那儿(nàr)滑冰(huábīng)。In winter the lake freezes over and lots of people go skating there.

滑雪(huáxuě)to skiVerb3

我(wǒ)第一(dìyī)次(cì)滑雪(huáxuě)的(de)时候(shíhou)摔(shuāi)了(le)好(hǎo)几(jǐ)次(cì)。The first time I went skiing I fell over quite a few times.

赛跑(sàipǎo)to race (on foot); raceVerb3

我(wǒ)和(hé)弟弟(dìdi)赛跑(sàipǎo)，看(kàn)谁(shéi)先(xiān)到(dào)公园(gōngyuán)门口(ménkǒu)。My brother and I raced to see who would reach the park gate first.

下棋(xiàqí)to play chess (or a board game)Verb3

爷爷(yéye)喜欢(xǐhuan)在(zài)树(shù)下(xià)跟(gēn)朋友(péngyou)下棋(xiàqí)。Grandad likes playing chess with his friends under the tree.

打牌(dǎpái)to play cardsVerb3

过年(guònián)的(de)时候(shíhou)，一(yì)家(jiā)人(rén)常常(chángcháng)一起(yìqǐ)打牌(dǎpái)。At New Year the whole family often plays cards together.

跳绳(tiàoshéng)to skip (with a rope)Verb3

冬天(dōngtiān)太(tài)冷(lěng)的(de)时候(shíhou)，我(wǒ)就(jiù)在(zài)家(jiā)里(lǐ)跳绳(tiàoshéng)。When it is too cold in winter, I skip at home.

Noun (27)

比赛(bǐsài)match; competition; to competeNoun3

这(zhè)场(chǎng)比赛(bǐsài)我们(wǒmen)等(děng)了(le)很(hěn)久(jiǔ)。We have waited a long time for this match.

Measure word: 场(chǎng).

足球(zúqiú)footballNoun2

我(wǒ)弟弟(dìdi)每天(měitiān)放学(fàngxué)以后(yǐhòu)都(dōu)去(qù)踢(tī)足球(zúqiú)。My younger brother goes to play football every day after school.

You kick it: 踢(tī)足球(zúqiú), never 打(dǎ).

篮球(lánqiú)basketballNoun2

他(tā)个子(gèzi)高(gāo)，篮球(lánqiú)打(dǎ)得(de)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。He is tall and plays basketball very well.

排球(páiqiú)volleyballNoun3

夏天(xiàtiān)我们(wǒmen)常常(chángcháng)在(zài)海边(hǎibiān)打(dǎ)排球(páiqiú)。In summer we often play volleyball on the beach.

乒乓球(pīngpāngqiú)table tennisNoun3

我(wǒ)爷爷(yéye)七十(qīshí)岁(suì)了(le)，还(hái)每天(měitiān)打(dǎ)乒乓球(pīngpāngqiú)。My grandfather is seventy and still plays table tennis every day.

网球(wǎngqiú)tennisNoun3

这个(zhège)周末(zhōumò)我(wǒ)和(hé)朋友(péngyou)去(qù)打(dǎ)网球(wǎngqiú)。This weekend I am going to play tennis with a friend.

羽毛球(yǔmáoqiú)badmintonNoun3

下雨(xiàyǔ)的(de)时候(shíhou)，我们(wǒmen)在(zài)体育馆(tǐyùguǎn)打(dǎ)羽毛球(yǔmáoqiú)。When it rains, we play badminton in the sports hall.

球(qiú)ballNoun2

孩子(háizi)把(bǎ)球(qiú)踢(tī)到(dào)邻居(línjū)家(jiā)的(de)院子(yuànzi)里(lǐ)了(le)。The child kicked the ball into the neighbours’ yard.

球拍(qiúpāi)racket; batNoun3

我(wǒ)的(de)网球(wǎngqiú)球拍(qiúpāi)坏(huài)了(le)，得(děi)买(mǎi)个(ge)新(xīn)的(de)。My tennis racket is broken; I need to buy a new one.

队(duì)team; sideNoun3

我们(wǒmen)队(duì)今天(jīntiān)只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)九(jiǔ)个(ge)人(rén)。Our team only has nine people today.

球队(qiúduì)team (in a ball game)Noun3

他(tā)从(cóng)小(xiǎo)就(jiù)喜欢(xǐhuan)这(zhè)支(zhī)球队(qiúduì)。He has supported this team since he was little.

Measure word: 支(zhī).

队员(duìyuán)team member; playerNoun3

比赛(bǐsài)前(qián)，每(měi)个(ge)队员(duìyuán)都(dōu)要(yào)先(xiān)热身(rèshēn)。Before the match, every player has to warm up first.

队长(duìzhǎng)captain (of a team)Noun3

大家(dàjiā)选(xuǎn)他(tā)当(dāng)队长(duìzhǎng)。Everyone elected him captain.

长(zhǎng) is zhǎng here, as in the other words for a head or chief.

对手(duìshǒu)opponentNoun3

这(zhè)次(cì)的(de)对手(duìshǒu)很(hěn)强(qiáng)，我们(wǒmen)得(děi)小心(xiǎoxīn)。The opponents are strong this time; we have to be careful.

球迷(qiúmí)fan (of a ball game)Noun3

我(wǒ)爸爸(bàba)是(shì)个(ge)老(lǎo)球迷(qiúmí)，每(měi)场(chǎng)比赛(bǐsài)都(dōu)看(kàn)。My dad is a fan of many years and watches every match.

太极拳(tàijíquán)tai chiNoun3

早上(zǎoshang)公园(gōngyuán)里(lǐ)有(yǒu)很(hěn)多(duō)老人(lǎorén)在(zài)打(dǎ)太极拳(tàijíquán)。In the morning there are lots of older people doing tai chi in the park.

You “hit” it too: 打(dǎ)太极拳(tàijíquán).

瑜伽(yújiā)yogaNoun3

她(tā)每天(měitiān)睡觉(shuìjiào)前(qián)做(zuò)二十(èrshí)分钟(fēnzhōng)瑜伽(yújiā)。She does twenty minutes of yoga every day before bed.

拔河(báhé)tug-of-warNoun3

运动会(yùndònghuì)上(shàng)我们(wǒmen)班(bān)拔河(báhé)得(dé)了(le)第一(dìyī)。At the sports day our class came first in the tug-of-war.

体育课(tǐyùkè)PE lessonNoun3

今天(jīntiān)的(de)体育课(tǐyùkè)我们(wǒmen)跑(pǎo)了(le)八百(bābǎi)米(mǐ)。In PE today we ran eight hundred metres.

体育馆(tǐyùguǎn)sports hall; gymnasiumNoun3

学校(xuéxiào)新(xīn)建(jiàn)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)体育馆(tǐyùguǎn)。The school has built a new sports hall.

球场(qiúchǎng)pitch; court (for ball games)Noun3

球场(qiúchǎng)上(shàng)都(dōu)是(shì)水(shuǐ)，今天(jīntiān)的(de)比赛(bǐsài)取消(qǔxiāo)了(le)。The pitch is covered in water, so today’s match has been cancelled.

规则(guīzé)rule (of a game)Noun3

这个(zhège)游戏(yóuxì)的(de)规则(guīzé)很(hěn)简单(jiǎndān)。The rules of this game are simple.

游戏(yóuxì)game; video gameNoun3

孩子们(háizimen)在(zài)院子(yuànzi)里(lǐ)玩(wán)游戏(yóuxì)。The children are playing games in the yard.

Also a computer game: 玩(wán)游戏(yóuxì).

象棋(xiàngqí)Chinese chessNoun3

你(nǐ)会(huì)下(xià)象棋(xiàngqí)吗(ma)？Can you play Chinese chess?

Western chess is 国际象棋(guójìxiàngqí).

棒球(bàngqiú)baseballNoun3

他(tā)在(zài)美国(Měiguó)上学(shàngxué)的(de)时候(shíhou)学会(xuéhuì)了(le)打(dǎ)棒球(bàngqiú)。He learnt to play baseball when he was at school in America.

扑克(pūkè)playing cards; pokerNoun3

我们(wǒmen)在(zài)火车(huǒchē)上(shàng)玩(wán)了(le)一(yí)路(lù)扑克(pūkè)。We played cards all the way on the train.

A pack of cards is 一(yí)副(fù)扑克(pūkè).

输赢(shūyíng)winning or losing; the resultNoun3

比赛(bǐsài)的(de)输赢(shūyíng)不(bú)重要(zhòngyào)，开心(kāixīn)就(jiù)好(hǎo)。Winning or losing does not matter; enjoying it is what counts.

This list belongs to Free time, sport and entertainment — five lists and 201 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.