Chinese Vocabulary For Coronavirus
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The impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is now being felt around the world. The pandemic has taken over the news cycle, shut down entire countries and economies, tragically killed thousands and left billions quarantined in their homes while practicing social distancing.
If you are stuck at home and want to learn key coronavirus vocabulary words in Chinese, take this opportunity to learn some of the most commonly used Chinese words and phrases regarding the coronavirus.
General Coronavirus Vocabulary
| Character | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 新型冠状病毒 | xīnxíng guānzhuàngbìngdú | COVID-19 |
| 疫情 | yìqíng | epidemic |
| 病毒 | bìngdú | virus |
| 恢复 | huīfù | to recover |
| 封城 | fēngchéng | city-wide lockdown |
| 疑似病例 | yísì bìnglì | suspected case |
| 确诊病例 | quèzhěn bìnglì | confirmed case |
| 治愈率 | zhìyùlǜ | cure rate |
| 死亡率 | sǐwánglǜ | mortality rate |
| 湖北省 | Húběi Shěng | Hubei Province |
| 武汉 | Wǔhàn | Wuhan |
| 症状 | zhèngzhuàng | symptoms |
| 传染 | chuánrǎn | to infect |
| 肺炎 | fèiyán | pneumonia |
| 世界卫生组织 | Shìjiè Wèishēng Zǔzhī | World Health Organization |
| 医院 | yīyuàn | hospital |
| 医生 | yīshēng | doctor |
| 重症监护室 | zhòngzhèng jiānhùshì | Intensive care unit (ICU) |
| 海鲜市场 | hǎixiān shìchǎng | seafood market |
| 野味(儿) | yěwèi ('er) | dishes made from wild animals |
| 取消 | qǔxiāo | cancel |
| 口罩 | kǒuzhào | mask |
| 戴口罩 | dài kǒuzhào | to wear a mask |
| 吃药 | chīyào | to take medicine |
| 免洗洗手液 | miǎnxǐ xǐshǒuyè | hand sanitizer |
| 消毒 | xiāodú | to disinfect/to sterilize |
| 洗手 | xǐshǒu | to wash your hands |
| 隔离 | gélí | quarantine |
| 少出门 | shǎo chūmén | go out less often |
| 护目镜 | hùmùjìng | safety goggles |
| 防护服 | fánghùfú | protective clothing |
| 手套 | shǒutào | gloves |
Coronavirus Symptoms in Chinese
| Character | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 鼻塞 | bísāi | to have a stuffy nose/to feel congested |
| 生病 | shēngbìng | to get sick/to be ill |
| 喉咙痛 | hóulóng tòng | to have a sore throat |
| 发烧 | fāshāo | to have a fever |
| 呼吸困难 | hūxī kùnnàn | difficulty breathing/heavy breathing |
| 咳嗽 | késou | to cough |
| ⼲咳 | gānké | dry cough |
Chinese Phrases Related to Coronavirus
| Character | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 武汉加油！ | Wǔhàn jiāyóu! | Stay strong Wuhan! |
| 中国加油！ | Zhōngguó jiāyóu! | Stay strong China! |
| 祝你身体健康。 | Zhùnǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng. | Wishing you good health. |
| 你最近怎么样？ | Nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng? | How have you been recently? |
| 你的家人最近还好吗？ | Nǐ de jiārén zuìjìn háihǎo ma? | Have your family been okay recently? |
| 你不舒服吗？ | Nǐ bù shūfu ma? | Are you not feeling well? |
| 希望你早点好起来。 | Xīwàng nǐ zǎodiǎn hǎoqǐlai. | I hope you get better soon. |
| 好好休息。 | Hǎohāo xiūxi. | Rest up. |
The Chinese Language Institute (CLI) is a center for Chinese language and cultural studies based in Guilin, China. Founded in 2009, CLI has hosted over 5,000 students from more than 50 countries and maintains a 4.95 out of 5.00 rating on GoOverseas. CLI's team includes Chinese language educators, program managers, and China specialists holding advanced degrees in Chinese studies, teaching Chinese as a foreign language, education, and related fields. Articles published under The CLI Team draw on the collective expertise of this group, informed by years of experience designing and delivering Chinese language immersion programs in Guilin and across China.
