TongTong
Sign in

聊 (liáo) — to chat

Definition

聊 is a casual verb meaning 'to chat' — usually used with a topic (聊什么) or companion (和朋友聊). More casual than 谈, which means a more focused talk or discussion.

verb
to chat

Examples

  • 聊。
    Wǒ men xǐ huan yì qǐ liáo.
    We like to chat together.
  • 聊？
    Nǐ liáo le shén me?
    What did you chat about?
  • 聊。
    Tā jīng cháng zài diàn huà shàng hé péng you liáo.
    He often chats with friends on the phone.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
耳耳ěrear
Sound part声符shēngfú
卯
卯mǎo聊liáo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

聊 shows 耳 (ear) beside 卯, which gives the sound. Its original meaning was tinnitus.

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3Communication & Speech2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 3 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.