Game genres in Chinese 游戏类型
yóuxì lèixíng
Game genre in Chinese is 游戏类型 (yóu xì lèi xíng).
Also searched for as: video game genres, types of video games, game types, kinds of games.
Shooters, RPGs, puzzles: what kind of gamer are you? 15 essential game genres 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 game genre in Chinese is 游戏类型 (yóu xì lèi xíng), and most genre names simply add 游戏 (yóu xì) to a descriptive word. A shooter is a 射击游戏 (shè jī yóu xì), an RPG is a 角色扮演 (jué sè bàn yǎn) game, and a puzzle game is an 益智游戏 (yì zhì yóu xì), literally a 'brain-boosting game'. These words make it easy to say what you like playing and recommend games to friends.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 游戏类型 | yóu xì lèi xíng | game genre |
| 射击游戏 | shè jī yóu xì | shooter |
| 角色扮演 | jué sè bàn yǎn | role-playing (RPG) |
| 动作游戏 | dòng zuò yóu xì | action game |
| 策略游戏 | cè lüè yóu xì | strategy game |
| 休闲游戏 | xiū xián yóu xì | casual game |
| 益智游戏 | yì zhì yóu xì | puzzle game |
| 恐怖游戏 | kǒng bù yóu xì | horror game |
| 赛车游戏 | sài chē yóu xì | racing game |
| 格斗游戏 | gé dòu yóu xì | fighting game |
| 模拟经营 | mó nǐ jīng yíng | management sim |
| 沙盒游戏 | shā hé yóu xì | sandbox game |
| 独立游戏 | dú lì yóu xì | indie game |
| 单机游戏 | dān jī yóu xì | single-player game |
| 网游 | wǎng yóu | online game |
Usage tips
- Chinese gamers often use English abbreviations such as RPG and FPS alongside the Chinese names, so you'll hear both 角色扮演游戏 (jué sè bàn yǎn yóu xì) and simply RPG.
- 单机游戏 (dān jī yóu xì) literally means a 'single-machine game': a single-player game that doesn't need to be online, as opposed to a 网游 (wǎng yóu), an online game.
- The measure word for a game title is 款 (kuǎn) or 个 (gè): 这款独立游戏 (zhè kuǎn dú lì yóu xì) sounds natural in reviews and recommendations.
Common mistakes
- Calling a puzzle game a 谜语游戏 → 谜语 (mí yǔ) means riddles; puzzle games are 益智游戏 (yì zhì yóu xì).
- Writing 策略 (cè lüè) as ce lue with no ü → the second syllable is lüè; on most pinyin keyboards you type it as lve or lue.
Mini dialogue
- A你平时喜欢玩什么类型的游戏？Nǐ píng shí xǐ huan wán shén me lèi xíng de yóu xì?What kind of games do you usually like?
- B我喜欢角色扮演，也玩一点策略游戏。Wǒ xǐ huan jué sè bàn yǎn, yě wán yī diǎn cè lüè yóu xì.I like RPGs, and I play a bit of strategy too.
- A射击游戏呢？Shè jī yóu xì ne?What about shooters?
- B不太行，看着头晕。你呢？Bù tài xíng, kàn zhe tóu yūn. Nǐ ne?Not really, they make me dizzy. What about you?
- A我最近在玩一款独立游戏，特别有意思。Wǒ zuì jìn zài wán yī kuǎn dú lì yóu xì, tè bié yǒu yì si.I've been playing an indie game lately, it's really interesting.
Example sentences
- 你喜欢什么游戏类型？What kind of games do you like?
- 射击游戏我玩不好，看着头晕。I'm bad at shooters, they make me dizzy.
- 我最爱玩角色扮演游戏。RPGs are my favourite.
- 动作游戏很考验手速。Action games really test your reflexes.
- 策略游戏要动脑子。Strategy games make you think.
- 我妈只玩休闲游戏。My mum only plays casual games.
- 益智游戏适合坐地铁的时候玩。Puzzle games are good for playing on the metro.
- 恐怖游戏我不敢一个人玩。I don't dare play horror games on my own.
- 周末我们一起玩赛车游戏吧。Let's play a racing game together this weekend.
- 格斗游戏要背很多连招。In fighting games you have to memorise loads of combos.
- 我喜欢模拟经营，比如开个小餐厅。I like management sims, like running a little restaurant.
- 沙盒游戏想怎么玩就怎么玩。In a sandbox game you can play however you like.
- 这款独立游戏做得特别用心。This indie game was made with real care.
- 我更喜欢玩单机游戏。I prefer single-player games.
- 他上大学的时候天天玩网游。He played online games every day at uni.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Game genres speaking island has 8 everyday questions about game genres to prepare your own answers to.