Sport in Chinese Vocabulary & Phrases for Common Activities
Expanding your ability to talk about sport in Chinese opens the door to more natural conversations, classroom discussions, and even journal writing. Whether you're casually chatting or expressing your interests in writing, this guide offers the most relevant Chinese sports words, example dialogues, and short essays to help cover a wide range of everyday use cases with semantic precision, completeness, and trustworthiness.
I. Sport in Chinese Vocabulary by Category
Learning core sports Chinese vocabulary helps you describe activities, gear, and places. In this section, you'll find categorized vocabulary designed for practical usage.
1. General Vocabulary Related to Sports
These foundational terms of sport in Chinese are used broadly in conversation, media, and education to talk about fitness, competition, and athletic activities:
|
No. |
Sport in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Meaning |
|
1 |
男子单打 |
nánzǐ dāndǎ |
Men’s singles (badminton/tennis) |
|
2 |
女子单打 |
nǚzǐ dāndǎ |
Women’s singles |
|
3 |
中线 |
zhōngxiàn |
Center line (e.g., basketball) |
|
4 |
前场 |
qián chǎng |
Front court / front field |
|
5 |
后场 |
hòu chǎng |
Back court / back field |
|
6 |
中场 |
zhōng chǎng |
Midfield (soccer) |
|
7 |
底线 |
dǐxiàn |
Baseline / end line (soccer, basketball, badminton) |
|
8 |
边线 |
biānxiàn |
Sideline |
|
9 |
开球 |
kāi qiú |
Kick-off / service (starting the game) |
|
10 |
大力扣杀 |
dàlì kòu shā |
Powerful spike / smash (volleyball) |
|
11 |
持球 |
chí qiú |
Holding the ball |
|
12 |
出界 |
chūjiè |
Out of bounds |
|
13 |
男子双打 |
nánzǐ shuāngdǎ |
Men’s doubles |
|
14 |
女子双打 |
nǚzǐ shuāngdǎ |
Women’s doubles |
|
15 |
马术 |
mǎshù |
Equestrianism / horseback riding |
|
16 |
击剑场 |
jíjiàn chǎng |
Fencing area / fencing arena |
|
17 |
运动会 |
yùndònghuì |
Sports meet / sports games |
|
18 |
决赛 |
juésài |
Finals |
|
19 |
半决赛 |
bànjuésài |
Semi-finals |
|
20 |
复赛 |
fùsài |
Qualifier or second round |
|
21 |
预赛 |
yùsài |
Preliminary round |
|
22 |
夺冠 |
duóguàn |
To win the championship |
|
23 |
健儿 |
jiàn'ér |
A strong athlete / excellent sports performer |
|
24 |
选手 |
xuǎnshǒu |
Contestant / athlete / player |
|
25 |
锦标 |
jǐnbiāo |
Title / trophy |
|
26 |
得分 |
défēn |
Score / to score points |
|
27 |
亚军 |
yàjūn |
Runner-up / second place |
|
28 |
夺魁 |
duókuí |
Win first prize / be champion |
|
29 |
回合 |
huíhé |
Round (in a match) |
|
30 |
裁判 |
cáipàn |
Referee / judge |
|
31 |
拳击台 |
quánjī tái |
Boxing ring |
These words support your ability to ask about or describe any sporting activity clearly and confidently.
2. Vocabulary for Specific Sport in Chinese
To speak about a particular sport in Chinese, it's important to understand the exact term and pinyin pronunciation. The following are common examples:
|
No. |
Sport in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Meaning |
|
Ice and Snow Sports |
|||
|
1 |
滑冰 |
huá bīng |
Ice skating |
|
2 |
滑雪 |
huá xuě |
Skiing |
|
3 |
冰球 |
bīngqiú |
Ice hockey |
|
4 |
冰壶 |
bīng hú |
Curling |
|
Athletics (Track & Field) |
|||
|
5 |
竞走 |
jìng zǒu |
Race walking |
|
6 |
跳高 |
tiàogāo |
High jump |
|
7 |
撑杆跳高 |
chēnggāntiàogāo |
Pole vault |
|
8 |
跳远 |
tiàoyuǎn |
Long jump |
|
9 |
投掷 / 标枪 |
tóuzhì / biāoqiāng |
Throw / Javelin |
|
10 |
跑步 |
pǎobù |
Running |
|
11 |
举重 |
jǔ zhòng |
Weightlifting |
|
12 |
短跑 |
duǎnpǎo |
Sprint |
|
13 |
长跑 |
chángpǎo |
Long-distance run |
|
14 |
铁饼 |
tiěbǐng |
Discus throw |
|
Water Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
15 |
游泳 |
yóuyǒng |
Swimming |
|
16 |
自由泳 |
zìyóuyǒng |
Freestyle |
|
17 |
蝶泳 |
diéyǒng |
Butterfly stroke |
|
18 |
蛙泳 |
wāyǒng |
Breaststroke |
|
19 |
仰泳 |
yǎngyǒng |
Backstroke |
|
20 |
水球 |
shuǐqiú |
Water polo |
|
21 |
跳水 |
tiàoshuǐ |
Diving |
|
22 |
赛艇 |
sàitǐng |
Rowing |
|
23 |
潜水 |
qiánshuǐ |
Diving / Scuba |
|
Target Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
24 |
射箭 |
shèjiàn |
Archery |
|
25 |
射击 |
shè jī |
Shooting |
|
26 |
放弩 |
fàng nǔ |
Crossbow |
|
27 |
飞镖 |
fēibiāo |
Darts |
|
Racket Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
28 |
羽毛球 |
yǔmáoqiú |
Badminton |
|
29 |
乒乓球 |
pīngpāngqiú |
Table tennis |
|
30 |
网球 |
wǎngqiú |
Tennis |
|
Team Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
31 |
棒球 |
bàngqiú |
Baseball |
|
32 |
篮球 |
lánqiú |
Basketball |
|
33 |
足球 |
zúqiú |
Football (Soccer) |
|
34 |
手球 |
shǒuqiú |
Handball |
|
35 |
曲棍球 |
qūgùnqiú |
Field hockey |
|
36 |
垒球 |
lěiqiú |
Softball |
|
37 |
(重复) 乒乓球 |
pīngpāngqiú |
(See #29) |
|
38 |
排球 |
páiqiú |
Volleyball |
|
Cycling Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
39 |
自行车 |
zìxíngchē |
Bicycle / Cycling |
|
40 |
自行车马球 |
zìxíngchē mǎqiú |
Bicycle polo |
|
41 |
小轮车赛车 |
xiǎolúnchē sàichē |
BMX racing |
|
42 |
越野自行车 |
yuèyě zìxíngchē |
Cyclocross |
|
43 |
山地自行车 |
shāndì zìxíngchē |
Mountain biking |
|
44 |
山地独轮车 |
shāndì dúlúnchē |
Mountain unicycling |
|
45 |
公路自行车赛 |
gōnglù zìxíngchē sài |
Road bike racing |
|
46 |
场地自行车 |
chǎngdì zìxíngchē |
Track cycling |
|
Martial Arts & Combat Sports |
|||
|
47 |
击剑 |
jíjiàn |
Fencing |
|
48 |
柔道 |
róudào |
Judo |
|
49 |
跆拳道 |
táiquándào |
Taekwondo |
|
50 |
拳击 |
quánjí |
Boxing |
|
51 |
武术 |
wǔshù |
Wushu (Chinese martial arts) |
|
52 |
空手道 |
kōngshǒudào |
Karate |
|
53 |
合气道 |
héqìdào |
Aikido |
|
54 |
沃维南 |
wòwéinán |
Vovinam |
|
55 |
太极拳 |
tàijíquán |
Tai Chi |
|
Gymnastics & Acrobatics |
|||
|
56 |
体操 |
tǐcāo |
Gymnastics |
|
57 |
鞍马 |
ānmǎ |
Pommel horse |
|
58 |
吊环 |
diàohuán |
Rings |
|
59 |
双杠 |
shuānggàng |
Parallel bars |
|
60 |
单杠 |
dāngàng |
Horizontal bar |
|
61 |
艺术体操 |
yìshù tǐcāo |
Rhythmic gymnastics |
|
Mind Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
63 |
国际象棋 |
guójì xiàngqí |
International chess |
|
64 |
象棋 |
xiàngqí |
Chinese chess |
|
65 |
黑白棋 |
hēibáiqí |
Othello / Reversi |
|
66 |
围棋 |
wéiqí |
Go (Weiqi) |
|
Adventure & Extreme Sports |
|||
|
67 |
滑板 |
huábǎn |
Skateboarding |
|
68 |
帕廷 |
pà tíng |
Roller skating (inline) |
|
69 |
越野摩托车 |
yuèyě mótuō chē |
Motocross |
|
70 |
爬山 |
páshān |
Mountain climbing |
|
E-Sports Titles |
|||
|
71 |
反恐精英 |
fǎnkǒng jīngyīng |
Counter-Strike |
|
72 |
星际争霸 |
xīngjì zhēngbà |
StarCraft |
|
73 |
魔兽争霸III |
móshòu zhēngbà sān |
Warcraft III |
|
74 |
交叉火力 |
jiāochā huǒlì |
CrossFire |
|
75 |
英雄联盟 |
yīngxióng liánméng |
League of Legends |
|
76 |
和平精英 |
hépíng jīngyīng |
Game For Peace (PUBG CN) |
|
77 |
移动传奇 |
yídòng chuánqí |
Mobile Legends |
|
Other Sport in Chinese |
|||
|
78 |
摔跤 |
shuāijiāo |
Wrestling |
|
79 |
保龄球 |
bǎolíngqiú |
Bowling |
|
80 |
跳马 |
tiàomǎ |
Vault (Gymnastics) |
Having these terms at your fingertips allows you to talk about your hobbies or favorite athletes using precise, semantically accurate language.
3. Vocabulary for Sports Equipment
To describe your training routines or prepare for a game, knowing equipment vocabulary is crucial. This includes both general and sport-specific gear:
|
No. |
Sport in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Meaning |
|
1 |
羽毛球 |
yǔmáoqiú |
Badminton |
|
2 |
羽毛球拍 |
yǔmáoqiú pāi |
Badminton racket |
|
3 |
羽毛球网 |
yǔmáoqiú wǎng |
Badminton net |
|
4 |
羽毛球场 |
yǔmáoqiú chǎng |
Badminton court |
|
5 |
轻剑 |
qīng jiàn |
Foil (light sword) |
|
6 |
重剑 |
zhòng jiàn |
Épée (heavy sword) |
|
7 |
花剑 |
huā jiàn |
Sabre (curved blade) |
|
8 |
护面罩 |
hù miànzhào |
Fencing mask |
|
9 |
击剑手套 |
jíjiàn shǒutào |
Fencing glove |
|
10 |
剑刃 |
jiàn rèn |
Blade / Sword edge |
|
11 |
护头套 |
hù tóutào |
Head guard |
|
12 |
护齿 |
hù chǐ |
Mouthguard |
|
13 |
游泳镜 |
yóuyǒng jìng |
Swim goggles |
|
14 |
游泳帽 |
yóuyǒng mào |
Swim cap |
|
15 |
足球 |
zúqiú |
Soccer ball |
|
16 |
手球 |
shǒuqiú |
Handball |
|
17 |
曲棍球 |
qūgùnqiú |
Hockey ball |
|
18 |
推举重物 |
tuījǔ zhòng wù |
Barbell for push lifts |
|
19 |
橄榄球 |
gǎnlǎnqiú |
Rugby ball / American football |
|
20 |
球门横木 |
qiúmén héngmù |
Goal post crossbar |
|
21 |
护肩 |
hù jiān |
Shoulder pads |
|
22 |
护膝 |
hùxī |
Knee pads |
|
23 |
曲棍球棒 |
qūgùnqiú bàng |
Hockey stick |
|
24 |
冰鞋 |
bīngxié |
Ice skates |
|
25 |
跑刀 |
pǎo dāo |
Skate blade |
|
26 |
雪撬 |
xuě qiào |
Snowboard / Sledge |
|
27 |
滑雪装 |
huáxuě zhuāng |
Ski suit |
|
28 |
单杠 |
dāngàng |
Horizontal bar |
|
29 |
双杠 |
shuānggàng |
Parallel bars |
|
30 |
平衡木 |
pínghéngmù |
Balance beam |
This list ensures you're ready to describe what you're using in any practice or game situation.
4. Vocabulary for Sports Venues and Competition Locations
Describing where an activity happens helps complete your communication about sports. These are some of the most essential terms:
|
No. |
Sport in Chinese |
Pinyin |
English Meaning |
|
1 |
运动场 |
yùn dòng chǎng |
Sports field / stadium |
|
2 |
足球场 |
zúqiú chǎng |
Soccer field |
|
3 |
羽毛球场 |
yǔmáoqiú chǎng |
Badminton court |
|
4 |
网球场 |
wǎngqiú chǎng |
Tennis court |
|
5 |
体育馆 |
tǐyùguǎn |
Indoor gymnasium / sports hall |
|
6 |
体育宫 |
tǐyù gōng |
Sports palace / stadium complex |
|
7 |
游泳池 |
yóuyǒngchí |
Swimming pool |
|
8 |
滑冰场 |
huábīng chǎng |
Ice rink |
|
9 |
拳击台 (not 戒指) |
quánjī tái |
Boxing ring |
|
10 |
高尔夫球场 |
gāo’ěrfū qiúchǎng |
Golf course |
|
11 |
赛马场 |
sàimǎ chǎng |
Horse racing track |
Whether you're giving directions or reflecting on a recent game, these terms give your Chinese more structure and detail.
II. Example Dialogues: Talking About Sports in Chinese
Practical dialogue makes sport in Chinese language more realistic and relatable. The following is a common conversation between two people discussing sports.
|
No. |
Chinese Sentence |
Pinyin |
English Translation |
|
1 |
你最喜欢什么运动? |
Nǐ zuì xǐhuān shénme yùndòng? |
What sport do you like the most? |
|
2 |
我喜欢踢足球。 |
Wǒ xǐhuān tī zúqiú. |
I like playing soccer. |
|
3 |
我最爱的运动是艺术体操。 |
Wǒ zuì ài de yùndòng shì yìshù tǐcāo. |
My favorite sport is rhythmic gymnastics. |
|
4 |
我爸爸是个十足的足球爱好者。 |
Wǒ bàba shìge shízú de zúqiú àihào zhě. |
My dad is a total football enthusiast. |
|
5 |
我相信多做运动对身体很好。 |
Wǒ xiāngxìn duō zuò yùndòng duì shēntǐ hěn hǎo. |
I believe doing more exercise is good for your health. |
|
6 |
打篮球是家喻户晓的运动。 |
Dǎ lánqiú shì jiā yù hù xiǎo de yùndòng. |
Basketball is a widely known sport. |
|
7 |
游泳不仅可以锻炼身体,还能减肥呢。 |
Yóuyǒng bùjǐn kěyǐ duànliàn shēntǐ, hái néng jiǎnféi ne. |
Swimming not only strengthens the body but also helps with weight loss. |
|
8 |
我有空的时候经常和朋友打羽毛球。 |
Wǒ yǒu kòng de shíhou jīngcháng hé péngyǒu dǎ yǔmáoqiú. |
I often play badminton with my friends when I’m free. |
|
9 |
周末时,我跟男朋友去公园跑步。 |
Zhōumò shí, wǒ gēn nán péngyǒu qù gōngyuán pǎobù. |
On weekends, I go jogging in the park with my boyfriend. |
|
10 |
除了学游泳,小月还经常练习排球。 |
Chúle xué yóuyǒng, Xiǎo Yuè hái jīngcháng liànxí páiqiú. |
Besides learning to swim, Xiaoyue also often practices volleyball. |
This sample dialogue helps build your confidence in casual exchanges and gives structure to your speaking practice using sports in Chinese pinyin for reference.
III. Sample Essays: Talking About Your Favorite Sport in Chinese
To write an impressive short essay about your favorite sport in Chinese, you need to build a solid base of essential sports-related vocabulary and combine it with key Chinese sentence structures.
To support your learning, we’ve included two sample essays below. You can use them as references for writing your own version more confidently. Let’s look at how each example communicates personal enthusiasm through clear language and natural expression.
1. Sample Essay: My Hobby of Playing Badminton
-
Chinese Text: 我最喜欢的运动是羽毛球。我喜欢玩它,因为我相信多玩羽毛球对身体很好。我每天晚上都打羽毛球。我总是和我的朋友一起玩, 偶尔跟男朋友玩。我的男朋友擅长羽毛球。但我对这项运动不太在行,所以当我们打羽毛球时,他会在我两侧击球。他让我跑来跑去,我觉得很累。有时我必须跳高才能把球打到另一边。虽然打羽毛球让我很累,但我仍然坚持练习,因为我会比以前更健康。不管怎样,我相信羽毛球是最好的运动。
-
Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de yùndòng shì yǔmáoqiú. Wǒ xǐhuān wán tā, yīnwèi wǒ xiāngxìn duō wán yǔmáoqiú duì shēntǐ hěn hǎo. Wǒ měitiān wǎnshàng dōu dǎ yǔmáoqiú. Wǒ zǒng shì hé wǒ de péngyou yīqǐ wán, ǒu'ěr gēn nán péngyou wán. Wǒ de nán péngyou shàncháng yǔmáoqiú. Dàn wǒ duì zhè xiàng yùndòng bù tài zài háng, suǒyǐ dāng wǒmen dǎ yǔmáoqiú shí, tā huì zài wǒ liǎng cè jí qiú. Tā ràng wǒ pǎo lái pǎo qù, wǒ juéde hěn lèi. Yǒushí wǒ bìxū tiàogāo cái néng bǎ qiú dǎ dào lìng yībiān. Suīrán dǎ yǔmáoqiú ràng wǒ hěn lèi, dàn wǒ reng rán jiānchí liànxí, yīnwèi wǒ huì bǐ yǐqián gèng jiànkāng. Bùguǎn zěnyàng, wǒ xiāngxìn yǔmáoqiú shì zuì hǎo de yùndòng.
-
English Translation: The sport I love the most is badminton. I like playing it because I believe playing badminton often is very good for your health. I play it every evening. I always play with my friends, and sometimes with my boyfriend. My boyfriend is good at badminton. But I’m not very skilled at this sport, so when we play, he hits the shuttlecock to both sides, making me run back and forth. I feel exhausted. Sometimes I even have to jump high just to return the shot. Although playing badminton makes me tired, I still keep practicing because it helps me become healthier than before. No matter what, I believe badminton is the best sport.
2. Sample Essay: My Hobby of Swimming
-
Chinese Text: 我最喜欢的运动是游泳。我爱游泳有几个原因。首先,对我来说,在水里玩会带来很大的快乐。它也有助于减轻压力,游半小时后我感到精神振奋和放松。其次,游泳不仅可以锻炼身体,还能减肥呢。最后,游泳是一项伟大的运动,也是一项重要的生存技能,因为在不知道如何游泳的情况下,如果发生洪水,有可能遇到危险。总之,游泳总是我的首先爱好因为它不仅健康有趣,而且是一项救命的技能。
-
Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐhuān de yùndòng shì yóuyǒng. Wǒ ài yóuyǒng yǒu jǐ gè yuányīn. Shǒuxiān, duì wǒ lái shuō, zài shuǐ lǐ wán huì dài lái hěn dà de kuàilè. Tā yěyǒu zhù yú jiǎnqīng yālì, yóu bàn xiǎoshí hòu wǒ gǎndào jīngshén zhènfèn hé fàngsōng. Qícì, yóuyǒng bùjǐn kěyǐ duànliàn shēntǐ, hái néng jiǎnféi ne. Zuìhòu, yóuyǒng shì yī xiàng wěidà de yùndòng, yěshì yī xiàng zhòngyào de shēngcún jìnéng, yīnwèi zài bù zhīdào rúhé yóuyǒng de qíngkuàng xià, rúguǒ fāshēng hóngshuǐ, yǒu kěnéng yù dào wéixiǎn. Zǒngzhī, yóuyǒng zǒng shì wǒ de shǒuxiān àihào yīnwèi tā bùjǐn jiànkāng yǒuqù, érqiě shì yī xiàng jiùmìng de jìnéng.
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English Translation: My favorite sport is swimming. I love swimming for several reasons. Firstly, being in the water brings me a great sense of joy. It also helps reduce stress, and after just 30 minutes of swimming, I feel refreshed and relaxed. Secondly, swimming not only improves physical fitness but also helps with weight loss. Lastly, swimming is not only a great sport but an essential life skill. If someone can't swim during a flood, they might end up in danger. In summary, swimming has always been my top hobby because it's not only healthy and fun but also a potentially life-saving ability.
IV. Final Thoughts
Mastering sport in Chinese allows you to talk more openly about your hobbies, engage with locals more naturally, and build fluency through everyday topics. By reviewing vocabulary, reading dialogues, and trying essay writing yourself, you're reinforcing everything from accuracy to natural flow.
Whether you’re just starting out or preparing for Chinese proficiency exams, regular exposure to Chinese sports words and structured practice with topics like sports in Chinese pinyin will steadily boost your confidence.

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.
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