Ball Games & Ball Sports in Chinese 球类运动
qiúlèi yùndòng
Ball sports in Chinese is 球类运动 (qiú lèi yùn dòng).
Also searched for as: football, basketball, soccer, ping pong.
Which team are you on? 15 essential ball games words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The phrase for ball games in Chinese is 球类运动 (qiú lèi yùn dòng), and almost every ball sport ends in 球 (qiú), 'ball'. These words are the language of the pitch and the stands: passing, shooting, scoring a 进球 (jìn qiú), arguing with the 裁判 (cái pàn), referee, and cheering on your side. Above all you'll need 加油 (jiā yóu), literally 'add oil', the all-purpose cry of 'come on!' heard at every match.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 球 | qiú | ball |
| 踢 | tī | to kick |
| 传球 | chuán qiú | to pass the ball |
| 射门 | shè mén | to shoot (at goal) |
| 进球 | jìn qiú | to score a goal |
| 球门 | qiú mén | goal (the frame) |
| 守门员 | shǒu mén yuán | goalkeeper |
| 裁判 | cái pàn | referee |
| 犯规 | fàn guī | foul |
| 比分 | bǐ fēn | score |
| 上半场 | shàng bàn chǎng | first half |
| 平局 | píng jú | draw |
| 投篮 | tóu lán | to shoot (basketball) |
| 球迷 | qiú mí | fan (of a sport) |
| 加油 | jiā yóu | come on!; go! |
Usage tips
- 加油 (jiā yóu) isn't just for sport; people use it to encourage anyone facing a challenge, such as an exam or a job interview.
- Scores are read with 比 (bǐ): 二比一 (èr bǐ yī) is 2–1, and here 2 is always 二 (èr), not 两 (liǎng).
- 射门 (shè mén) is shooting at goal in football, but in basketball you 投篮 (tóu lán), literally 'throw into the basket'.
Common mistakes
- Translating 'goal' as 目标 (mù biāo) → 目标 is a target or aim; a scored goal is 进球 (jìn qiú) and the goal frame is 球门 (qiú mén).
- Saying 我是球迷曼联 → the team goes before 的: 我是曼联的球迷 (wǒ shì Màn lián de qiú mí).
Mini dialogue
- A现在比分是多少？Xiàn zài bǐ fēn shì duō shao?What's the score now?
- B一比一，上半场快结束了。Yī bǐ yī, shàng bàn chǎng kuài jié shù le.One-all. The first half is nearly over.
- A快看！他射门了！Kuài kàn! Tā shè mén le!Look! He's shooting!
- B进球了！太棒了！Jìn qiú le! Tài bàng le!Goal! Brilliant!
- A中国队，加油！Zhōng guó duì, jiā yóu!Come on, China!
Example sentences
- 把球传给我！Pass me the ball!
- 他踢球踢得很好。He's really good at football.
- 快传球！Pass it, quick!
- 他射门了！He's shooting!
- 进球了！Goal!
- 球打在球门上了。The ball hit the goalpost.
- 守门员接住了球。The goalkeeper caught the ball.
- 裁判吹哨了。The referee blew the whistle.
- 他犯规了，黄牌！He fouled, yellow card!
- 现在比分是二比一。The score is two-one now.
- 上半场结束了。The first half is over.
- 比赛是平局。The match was a draw.
- 他投篮很准。His shooting is very accurate.
- 他是曼联的球迷。He's a Manchester United fan.
- 中国队，加油！Come on, China!
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Ball games speaking island has 8 everyday questions about ball games to prepare your own answers to.