业余 (yè yú) — amateur, non-professional; spare-time, after-hours

Definition

业余 (yèyú) means 'amateur / spare-time,' describing a hobby activity done outside one's job. The only sibling, 外行, refers to someone who lacks professional skill — 'amateurish' rather than 'amateur.'

adjective
amateurnon-professionalspare-timeafter-hours

Examples

  • 业余
    Tā lì yòng yè yú shí jiān xué xí zhōng wén.
    He uses his spare time to study Chinese.
  • 业余
    Tā shì yì míng yè yú wǔ dǎo yǎn yuán.
    She is an amateur dancer.
  • 业余
    Tā suī rán zhǐ shì yè yú shuǐ píng, dàn fēi cháng rè ài huà huà.
    Although he's only at an amateur level, he really loves painting.

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.

业余 (yè yú) — amateur, non-professional; spare-time, after-ho… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary