Chinese TV Vocabulary and Phrases

Let’s look at Chinese TV vocabulary and phrases.

Chinese Vocabulary for Watching TV

Here are some important words relating to TV to memorise. A good way to help remember is to label your remote and TV with their names in Chinese and leave this list of words beside the TV so you can refer to it. Integrating language into your daily life is the best way of committing it to memory and becoming fluent.

• TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì)
• Volume 音yīn量liàng (yīn​liàng)
• Turn off 关guān掉diào (guān​diào)
• Smart TV 智zhì能néng电diàn视shì (zhì​néng diàn​shì)
• Program 节jié目mù (jié​mù)
• Remote control 遥yáo控kòng器qì (yáo​kòng​qì)
• Change Channel 换huàn频pín道dào (huàn pín​dào)
• Netflix 网wǎng飞fēi (wǎng fēi)
• Optical Disk 光guāng碟dié (guāng​dié)
• Blue-Ray 播bō放fàng机jī (bō​fàng​jī)
• DVD Player DDVVDD播bō放fàng机jī (DVD bō​fàng​jī)
• Volume 音yīn量liàng (yīn​liàng)
• LCD TV 液yè晶jīng电diàn视shì (yè​jīng diàn​shì)
• OLED TV 有yǒu机jī发fā光guāng二èr极jí管guǎn电diàn视shì (yǒu​jī fā​guāng èr​jí​guǎn diàn​shì)

Chinese Phrases for Watching TV

Below are some important phrases that you will find useful when talking about the TV in Chinese. A breakdown of these phrases is given below.

• Watch TV 看kàn电diàn视shì (kàn diàn​shì)
• What’s on TV? – 电diàn视shì上shàng有yǒu什shén么me节jié目mù？? (diàn​shì shàng yǒu shén​me jié​mù?)
• Do you mind if I change the channel? – 你nǐ介jiè意yì换huàn频pín道dào吗ma？? (nǐ jiè​yì huàn pín​dào ma?)
• Please will you turn down the TV a little? 请qǐng你nǐ将jiāng电diàn视shì关guān小xiǎo声shēng一yī点diǎn好hǎo吗ma？? (qǐng nǐ jiāng diàn​shì guān xiǎo​shēng yī​diǎn hǎo ma?)
• Please turn up the TV 请qǐng电diàn视shì音yīn量liàng开kāi大dà (qǐng diàn​shì yīn​liàng kāi dà)
• Please turn down the TV 请qǐng把bǎ电diàn视shì音yīn量liàng关guān小xiǎo (qǐng bǎ diàn​shì yīn​liàng guān xiǎo)
• You’re sitting too close to the TV, move back a bit 你nǐ坐zuò得de太tài靠kào近jìn电diàn视shì了le，,退tuì后hòu点diǎn儿r。. (nǐ zuò de tài kào​jìn diàn​shì le, tuì hòu diǎn​r.)
• Turn off the TV 关guān掉diào电diàn视shì (guān​diào diàn​shì)
• Turn on the TV 打dǎ开kāi电diàn视shì (dǎ​kāi diàn​shì)
• The TV is too loud 电diàn视shì声shēng音yīn太tài大dà了le！! (diàn​shì shēng​yīn tài dà le!)
• The TV is too quiet 电diàn视shì声shēng音yīn太tài小xiǎo了le。. (diàn​shì shēng​yīn tài xiǎo le.)
• I don’t like this program 我wǒ不bù喜xǐ欢huan看kàn这zhè个ge节jié目mù。. (wǒ bù xǐ​huan kàn zhè​ge jié​mù.)
• Come watch TV with me 来lái跟gēn我wǒ一yī起qǐ看kàn电diàn视shì吧ba？? (lái gēn wǒ yī​qǐ kàn diàn​shì ba?)
• Where’s the remote control? 遥yáo控kòng器qì在zài哪nǎ儿r？? (yáo​kòng​qì zài nǎ​r?)

Chinese TV Phrase breakdown

Here is a word-by-word breakdown of the above TV phrases.

看kàn电diàn视shì
kàn diàn​shì
Watch TV

看kàn kàn	watch 看kàn (kàn) means “to watch”, “to see”, “to look at” or “to read” something.
电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).

你nǐ介jiè意yì换huàn频pín道dào吗ma？?
nǐ jiè​yì huàn pín​dào ma?
Do you mind if I change the channel?

你nǐ nǐ	you
介jiè意yì jiè​yì	mind 介jiè意yì (jiè​yì) means “to mind”, “to care about” or “to take offense”. For example “do you mind” 你nǐ介jiè意yì吗ma？? (nǐ jiè​yì ma?)
换huàn频pín道dào huàn pín​dào	change channel Here 换huàn (huàn) means “to change” while 频pín道dào (pín​dào) is the word for “channel” or “frequency”
吗ma ma	<question> This is a question particle character indicating a yes-no question.

请qǐng你nǐ将jiāng电diàn视shì关guān小xiǎo声shēng一yī点diǎn好hǎo吗ma？?
qǐng nǐ jiāng diàn​shì guān xiǎo​shēng yī​diǎn hǎo ma?
Please will you turn down the TV a little?

请qǐng qǐng	please This is a very common character meaning “please”, for example: – “please sit” 请qǐng坐zuò (qǐng zuò) – “please go” 请qǐng去qù (qǐng qù)
你nǐ将jiāng nǐ jiāng	will you Broken down this is “will” 将jiāng (jiāng) + “you” [raxsay=”你”].
电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).
关guān小xiǎo声shēng guān xiǎo​shēng	turn down the volume 小xiǎo声shēng (xiǎo​shēng) means “volume down”, the opposite is 大dà声shēng (dà​shēng), meaning “volume up”. To break this down further 小xiǎo (xiǎo) means “small” and 声shēng (shēng) means “volume”, literally meaning “small volume”. In the same way 大dà (dà) means big, but 大dà声shēng (dà​shēng) means “big volume”.
一yī点diǎn yī​diǎn	a little 一yī点diǎn (yī​diǎn) means a little, you will see this very commonly in speech.
好hǎo吗ma hǎo ma	okay It’s common to say “okay” 好hǎo吗ma (hǎo ma) at the end of a sentence, in the say may you might use it in English, okay?

请qǐng电diàn视shì音yīn量liàng开kāi大dà
qǐng diàn​shì yīn​liàng kāi dà
Please turn up the TV

请qǐng qǐng	please This is a very common character meaning “please”, for example: – “please sit” 请qǐng坐zuò (qǐng zuò) – “please go” 请qǐng去qù (qǐng qù)
电diàn视shì音yīn量liàng diàn​shì yīn​liàng	TV volume Broken down this is “TV” 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) + “volume” 音yīn量liàng (yīn​liàng)
开kāi大dà kāi dà	turn up Literally this means “open” 开kāi (kāi) + “big” 大dà (dà) Consider the following: 开kāi大dà (kāi dà) – turn up 打dǎ开kāi (dǎ​kāi) – turn on 关guān小xiǎo (guān xiǎo) – turn down 关guān掉diào (guān​diào) – turn off In Chinese “open” 开kāi (kāi) is often used to mean “turn on” or, in the case of the volume, “turn up”. Conversely “close” 关guān (guān) is often used to mean “turn off” or “turn down”

请qǐng电diàn视shì音yīn量liàng关guān小xiǎo
qǐng diàn​shì yīn​liàng guān xiǎo
Please turn up the TV

请qǐng qǐng	please This is a very common character meaning “please”, for example: – “please sit” 请qǐng坐zuò (qǐng zuò) – “please go” 请qǐng去qù (qǐng qù)
电diàn视shì音yīn量liàng diàn​shì yīn​liàng	TV volume Broken down this is “TV” 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) + “volume” 音yīn量liàng (yīn​liàng)
关guān小xiǎo guān xiǎo	turn up Literally this means “close” 关guān (guān) + “small” 小xiǎo (xiǎo) Consider the following: 开kāi大dà (kāi dà) – turn up 打dǎ开kāi (dǎ​kāi) – turn on 关guān小xiǎo (guān xiǎo) – turn down 关guān掉diào (guān​diào) – turn off In Chinese “open” 开kāi (kāi) is often used to mean “turn on” or, in the case of the volume, “turn up”. Conversely “close” 关guān (guān) is often used to mean “turn off” or “turn down”

你nǐ坐zuò得de太tài靠kào近jìn电diàn视shì了le，,退tuì后hòu点diǎn儿r
nǐ zuò de tài kào​jìn diàn​shì le, tuì hòu diǎn​r
You’re sitting too close to the TV, move back a bit.

你nǐ nǐ	you
坐zuò得de太tài靠kào近jìn zuò de tài kào​jìn	sitting too close Here 坐zuò (zuò) means “sit”, and 太tài靠kào近jìn (tài kào​jìn) means “too close”, where 太tài (tài) “means too” and 靠kào近jìn (kào​jìn) means “near”. Joining these is the character 得de (de), which links “sit” 坐zuò (zuò) with “too close” 太tài靠kào近jìn (tài kào​jìn) showing how the person is sitting, that is too close. Check out our post on 得 here.
电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).
了le le	<particle> Here 了le (le) emphasises the adjective, that is, it emphasises that the person is sitting too close.
退tuì后hòu点diǎn儿r tuì hòu diǎn​r	move back a bit Here 退tuì后hòu (tuì hòu) means “step back” and () means “a bit”. Note that 退tuì (tuì) means “to move back” and 后hòu (hòu) means “back”.

关guān掉diào电diàn视shì
guān​diào diàn​shì
Turn off the TV

关guān掉diào guān​diào	turn off Note that Chinese uses the word “close” 关guān (guān) when referring to turning appliances off, while “open” () is used when referring to turning appliances on.
电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).

打dǎ开kāi电diàn视shì
dǎ​kāi diàn​shì
Turn on the TV

打dǎ开kāi dǎ​kāi	turn on Note that Chinese uses the word “close” 关guān (guān) when referring to turning appliances off, while “open” () is used when referring to turning appliances on.
电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).

电diàn视shì声shēng音yīn太tài大dà了le！!
diàn​shì shēng​yīn tài dà le!
The TV is too loud

电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).
声shēng音yīn shēng​yīn	sound Both of the component characters mean “sound”
太tài大dà了le tài dà le	too loud Here 太tài (tài) means “too” and 大dà (dà) means “big”, in this case combining to mean “too loud”. Note the use of 了le (le) which is a special particle that emphasises the adjective, that is, it emphasises that the volume is too loud.

电diàn视shì声shēng音yīn太tài小xiǎo了le
diàn​shì shēng​yīn tài xiǎo le
The TV is too quiet

电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).
声shēng音yīn shēng​yīn	sound Both of the component characters mean “sound”
太tài小xiǎo了le tài xiǎo le	too loud Here 太tài (tài) means “too” and 小xiǎo (xiǎo) means “small”, in this case combining to mean “too quiet”. Note the use of 了le (le) which is a special particle that emphasises the adjective, that is, it emphasises that the volume is too quiet.

我wǒ不bù喜xǐ欢huan看kàn这zhè个ge节jié目mù
wǒ bù xǐ​huan kàn zhè​ge jié​mù
I don’t like this program

我wǒ wǒ	I
不bù喜xǐ欢huan bù xǐ​huan	don’t like 喜xǐ欢huan (xǐ​huan) is a very common way of saying “like”, while 不bù (bù) is a negative prefix that changes the meaning to “don’t like”
看kàn kàn	watch 看kàn (kàn) can mean “to see”, “to read” or “to watch”, but given the context, this means “to watch”.
这zhè个ge节jié目mù zhè​ge jié​mù	this program Here 这zhè个ge (zhè​ge) means “this”, you may have also see the word 那nà个ge (nà​ge) which means “that”. 节jié目mù (jié​mù) means “program”.

来lái跟gēn我wǒ一yī起qǐ看kàn电diàn视shì吧ba？?
lái gēn wǒ yī​qǐ kàn diàn​shì ba?
Come watch TV with me

来lái lái	come You may have seen 来lái (lái) used to say things like “come to my house” 来lái我wǒ家jiā (lái wǒ jiā), where 家jiā (jiā) means “house”. You may have also seen 来lái (lái) repeated, that is 来lái来lái来lái (lái lái lái), for example when a parent calls their children or a stall vendor calls their customers.
跟gēn我wǒ一yī起qǐ gēn wǒ yī​qǐ	with me This actually means “with me” 跟gēn我wǒ (gēn wǒ) + “together” 一yī起qǐ (yī​qǐ).
看kàn kàn	watch 看kàn (kàn) can mean “to see”, “to read” or “to watch”, but given the context, this means “to watch”.
电diàn视shì diàn​shì	TV 电diàn视shì (diàn​shì) is the word for television in Chinese, broken down this word is made up of the character for “electricity” 电diàn (diàn) and the character “to look at” 视shì (shì).
吧ba ba	okay? The 吧ba (ba) is a special particle character that shows that the speaker is making a suggestion and not giving a command or instruction.

遥yáo控kòng器qì在zài哪nǎ儿r？?
yáo​kòng​qì zài nǎ​r?
Where’s the remote control?

遥yáo控kòng器qì yáo​kòng​qì	remote control Broken down this actually means “remote” 遥yáo (yáo) + “control” 控kòng (kòng) + “device” 器qì (qì)
在zài zài	located
哪nǎ儿r nǎ​r	where By itself 哪nǎ (nǎ) means “which”, however when 儿r (r) changes the meaning to “where”.