Free Time & Leisure in Chinese 业余时间
yèyú shíjiān
Free time in Chinese is 业余时间 (yè yú shí jiān).
Also searched for as: leisure, spare time, free time activities.
What do you do after work? 12 essential free time 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 free time in Chinese is 业余时间 (yè yú shí jiān), literally 'time left over from work'. In everyday speech, though, people mostly ask 你有空吗？ (nǐ yǒu kòng ma?), 'are you free?'. These words help you talk about what you do when you're not 忙 (máng), busy: resting, going for a stroll, which is 散步 (sàn bù), browsing the shops, or simply staying in when you're feeling 无聊 (wú liáo), bored.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 空 | kòng | free time |
| 有空 | yǒu kòng | to be free |
| 休息 | xiū xi | to rest |
| 放松 | fàng sōng | to relax |
| 周末 | zhōu mò | weekend |
| 无聊 | wú liáo | bored |
| 忙 | máng | busy |
| 逛街 | guàng jiē | to go shopping (for fun) |
| 散步 | sàn bù | to go for a walk |
| 约会 | yuē huì | date; appointment |
| 出去玩 | chū qù wán | to go out |
| 在家 | zài jiā | at home |
Usage tips
- 空 is read kòng when it means free time, as in 有空 (yǒu kòng), but kōng when it means empty or sky, as in 空调 (kōng tiáo).
- 逛街 (guàng jiē) is shopping as a leisurely activity, wandering and browsing, while 买东西 (mǎi dōng xi) is simply the act of buying things.
- 约会 (yuē huì) usually suggests a romantic date in everyday speech, so for meeting friends it's more natural to say 和朋友见面 (hé péng you jiàn miàn) or 约了朋友 (yuē le péng you).
Common mistakes
- Translating 'free time' as 自由时间 (zì yóu shí jiān) in casual chat → it's understood but sounds bookish; natives say 你什么时候有空？ (nǐ shén me shí hou yǒu kòng?).
- Saying 我是忙 for 'I'm busy' → adjectives don't take 是, so say 我很忙 (wǒ hěn máng).
Mini dialogue
- A你这个周末有空吗？Nǐ zhè ge zhōu mò yǒu kòng ma?Are you free this weekend?
- B周六有空，周日要在家休息。Zhōu liù yǒu kòng, zhōu rì yào zài jiā xiū xi.I'm free on Saturday. On Sunday I need to rest at home.
- A那周六我们去逛街吧？Nà zhōu liù wǒ men qù guàng jiē ba?Shall we go shopping on Saturday, then?
- B好啊！最近工作太忙了，我想放松一下。Hǎo a! Zuì jìn gōng zuò tài máng le, wǒ xiǎng fàng sōng yī xià.Sure! Work's been so busy lately, I'd like to relax.
Example sentences
- 你明天下午有空吗？Are you free tomorrow afternoon?
- 我周六有空，一起去吃饭吧！I'm free on Saturday, let's go for a meal!
- 工作累了，休息一下吧。You're tired from work, have a rest.
- 周末我喜欢在公园放松。At weekends I like to relax in the park.
- 这个周末你打算做什么？What are you planning to do this weekend?
- 下雨天在家真无聊。Staying at home on a rainy day is really boring.
- 妈妈这几天很忙。Mum has been very busy these past few days.
- 她和朋友去商场逛街了。She went shopping at the mall with a friend.
- 晚饭后我们常去河边散步。After dinner we often go for a walk by the river.
- 他今晚有个约会。He has a date tonight.
- 天气这么好，我们出去玩吧！The weather's so nice, let's go out!
- 今天我想在家看电影。Today I want to watch a film at home.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Free time speaking island has 8 everyday questions about free time to prepare your own answers to.