What people are like: warm, careful, shy, funny or lazy.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
To say what someone is like, Chinese often makes 性格 or 脾气 the subject: 他性格很好, “he has a nice personality”. Several words here also describe how a single job was done — 认真 is a conscientious person and a careful piece of work — and a few, such as 老实, carry praise and a faint criticism at the same time.
The words
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Verb (1)
努力to make an effort; hard-workingVerb2
只要努力，你一定能学好。As long as you put in the effort, you will certainly learn it well.
Also before a verb: 努力学习, study hard.
Noun (7)
性格personality; characterNoun3
姐姐和我的性格很不一样。My elder sister and I have very different personalities.
脾气temper; temperamentNoun3
我爸爸脾气很好，从来不发火。My dad is very good-natured and never loses his temper.
发脾气 is to lose your temper.
礼貌politeness; mannersNoun3
见到长辈要有礼貌。Be polite when you meet your elders.
As a description, 有礼貌 and 没礼貌.
耐心patience; patientNoun3
教小孩子需要很多耐心。Teaching small children takes a lot of patience.
Also an adjective: 他很耐心, he is patient.
优点strong point; meritNoun3
每个人都有自己的优点。Everyone has their own strengths.
缺点shortcoming; weaknessNoun3
他最大的缺点是不爱听别人的意见。His biggest weakness is that he doesn't like listening to other people's views.
特点characteristic; featureNoun3
说话直是他最大的特点。Saying exactly what he thinks is his most typical trait.
Adjective (32)
热情warm; welcoming; enthusiasticAdjective3
这里的人对客人很热情。People here are very welcoming to visitors.
认真conscientious; seriousAdjective3
她做事非常认真。She does everything very conscientiously.
Taking a task seriously and doing it carefully — praise, not “solemn”.
聪明clever; brightAdjective3
这个孩子很聪明，一学就会。This child is very bright and picks things up straight away.
马虎careless; sloppyAdjective3
你太马虎了，又把名字写错了。You're so careless — you've written the name wrong again.
幽默humorous; funnyAdjective3
我们的老师很幽默，上课很有意思。Our teacher is very funny, and the lessons are great fun.
A loanword from English “humour”.
诚实honestAdjective3
他是一个诚实的人，从来不说谎。He is an honest person who never lies.
勇敢braveAdjective3
小男孩很勇敢，打针的时候没哭。The little boy was very brave and didn't cry when he had his injection.
害羞shyAdjective3
她有点儿害羞，不敢跟陌生人说话。She is a bit shy and doesn't dare talk to strangers.
善良kind-hearted; goodAdjective3
奶奶是一个非常善良的人。Grandma is an extremely kind-hearted person.
友好friendlyAdjective3
新同事们对我都很友好。My new colleagues are all very friendly to me.
活泼lively; full of lifeAdjective3
他们的女儿又活泼又可爱。Their daughter is lively and sweet.
Mostly said of children and young people.
内向introverted; reservedAdjective3
我比较内向，不太喜欢热闹。I'm rather reserved and don't much like crowds and noise.
外向outgoingAdjective3
哥哥很外向，到哪儿都能交到朋友。My elder brother is very outgoing and makes friends wherever he goes.
懒lazyAdjective3
他太懒了，周末总是睡到中午。He is so lazy — at weekends he always sleeps until noon.
勤奋hard-working; diligentAdjective3
她很勤奋，每天学习到很晚。She is very diligent and studies until late every day.
笨stupid; clumsyAdjective3
我真笨，这么简单的题都做错了。How stupid of me — I got even such an easy question wrong.
Fine about yourself; about somebody else it is rude.
老实honest; well-behavedAdjective3
他很老实，不会骗人。He's a straightforward sort and wouldn't cheat anyone.
Can also hint at “too simple”: honest but not very quick.
细心careful; attentiveAdjective3
护士很细心，从来没出过错。The nurse is very careful and has never made a mistake.
The opposite of 粗心, careless.
乐观optimisticAdjective3
虽然生病了，他还是很乐观。Although he is ill, he is still very optimistic.
悲观pessimisticAdjective3
别那么悲观，事情会好起来的。Don't be so pessimistic — things will get better.
严格strictAdjective3
我妈妈对我要求很严格。My mum is very strict with me.
严肃serious; sternAdjective3
新经理看起来很严肃。The new manager looks very stern.
客气polite; courteousAdjective3
他对谁都很客气。He is polite to everyone.
别客气 means “make yourself at home” or “don't mention it”.
热心warm-hearted; eager to helpAdjective3
楼下的阿姨很热心，常常帮我们收快递。The lady downstairs is very helpful and often takes in our parcels.
懂事sensible; mature (of a child)Adjective3
这孩子很懂事，知道帮妈妈做家务。This child is very sensible and knows to help Mum with the housework.
调皮naughty; mischievousAdjective3
弟弟小时候特别调皮。My little brother was very naughty as a child.
Here 调 is tiáo; often said with affection.
独立independentAdjective3
她十八岁就开始独立生活了。She started living independently at eighteen.
成熟mature; grown-upAdjective3
工作几年以后，他成熟多了。After a few years of working, he has grown up a lot.
Also of fruit: ripe.
胆小timid; easily scaredAdjective3
我很胆小，晚上不敢一个人出门。I'm quite timid and don't dare go out alone at night.
能干capable; ableAdjective3
新来的同事很能干。The new colleague is very capable.
随和easy-goingAdjective3
我的室友很随和，吃什么都行。My flatmate is very easy-going — happy to eat anything.
爽快straightforward; frankAdjective3
老板很爽快，马上就同意了。The boss was very straightforward and agreed right away.
