Variety & reality shows in Chinese 综艺节目
zōngyì jiémù
Variety show in Chinese is 综艺 (zōng yì).
Also searched for as: reality TV, game shows, talent shows, Chinese variety shows, dating shows.
Celebrity games, talent contests and dating shows. 15 essential variety & reality shows 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 general word for a variety show in Chinese is 综艺 (zōng yì), short for 综艺节目 (zōng yì jié mù). Chinese TV and streaming sites are full of celebrity game shows, talent contests and dating programmes, and they are a fun way to hear fast, natural Mandarin with on-screen subtitles. Words like 嘉宾 (jiā bīn, guest) and 真人秀 (zhēn rén xiù, reality show) come up constantly when friends compare what they've been watching.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 综艺 | zōng yì | variety show |
| 真人秀 | zhēn rén xiù | reality show |
| 嘉宾 | jiā bīn | guest |
| 主持人 | zhǔ chí rén | host; presenter |
| 选秀 | xuǎn xiù | talent show (contest) |
| 出道 | chū dào | to debut |
| 相亲节目 | xiāng qīn jié mù | dating show |
| 恋综 | liàn zōng | dating reality show |
| 慢综艺 | màn zōng yì | slow-paced variety show |
| 游戏环节 | yóu xì huán jié | game segment |
| 淘汰 | táo tài | to be eliminated; to eliminate |
| 投票 | tóu piào | to vote |
| 导师 | dǎo shī | mentor; judge (on talent shows) |
| 档 | dàng | measure word for TV programmes |
| 花絮 | huā xù | behind-the-scenes clips; outtakes |
Usage tips
- The measure word for a TV programme is 档 (dàng): 这档综艺 (zhè dàng zōng yì) sounds natural, though 个 (gè) is common in casual speech. For a single episode, use 期 (qī), as in 这期 (zhè qī).
- On talent shows the judges are usually called 导师 (dǎo shī, mentor) rather than 评委 (píng wěi, judge), because they also coach the contestants.
- Fans shorten words freely: 恋综 (liàn zōng) is a dating reality show and 慢综艺 (màn zōng yì) is a relaxed, slow-paced show, often about cooking or country life.
Common mistakes
- Using 客人 (kè rén) for a guest on a show makes it sound like a dinner guest → use 嘉宾 (jiā bīn) for guests on TV, at events and on panels.
- Forgetting 被 with 淘汰 (táo tài): 他淘汰了三个人 means he eliminated three people → to say he was knocked out, use 他被淘汰了 (tā bèi táo tài le).
Mini dialogue
- A昨天那档综艺你看了吗？Zuó tiān nà dàng zōng yì nǐ kàn le ma?Did you watch that variety show yesterday?
- B看了，这期的嘉宾特别好笑。Kàn le, zhè qī de jiā bīn tè bié hǎo xiào.Yes, the guests on this episode were really funny.
- A对，游戏环节我笑了半天。Duì, yóu xì huán jié wǒ xiào le bàn tiān.Yeah, I was laughing for ages at the games segment.
- B可惜我喜欢的那个人被淘汰了。Kě xī wǒ xǐ huan de nà gè rén bèi táo tài le.Shame the person I liked got eliminated.
- A没事，花絮里还有他。Méi shì, huā xù lǐ hái yǒu tā.Never mind, he's still in the behind-the-scenes clips.
Example sentences
- 吃饭的时候我喜欢看综艺。I like watching variety shows while I eat.
- 这种真人秀都是有剧本的吧？These reality shows are all scripted, aren't they?
- 这期的嘉宾是谁？Who are the guests on this episode?
- 这个主持人反应特别快。This host is really quick-witted.
- 她是选秀出道的。She debuted through a talent show.
- 他出道已经十年了。It's been ten years since he debuted.
- 我爸妈很爱看相亲节目。My parents love watching dating shows.
- 你觉得恋综里的感情是真的吗？Do you think the feelings on dating reality shows are real?
- 慢综艺看着很放松。Slow-paced variety shows are really relaxing to watch.
- 游戏环节最好笑了。The games segment is the funniest part.
- 他第一轮就被淘汰了。He was eliminated in the first round.
- 快帮我给他投票！Quick, help me vote for him!
- 这一季的导师都很专业。The judges this season are all really professional.
- 这档综艺最近很火。This variety show is really popular right now.
- 我觉得花絮比正片还好看。I think the outtakes are better than the actual show.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Variety & reality shows speaking island has 8 everyday questions about variety & reality shows to prepare your own answers to.