Simplified Chinese Ways To Say “I Like” And “I Don’t Like”
Talk about your favorites, your least favorites, and your very dramatic food opinions in Chinese: 喜欢 xǐhuān and 不喜欢 bù xǐhuān are only the beginning.
Most beginners learn 我喜欢 wǒ xǐhuān for “I like” and 我不喜欢 wǒ bù xǐhuān for “I don’t like.” Useful? Yes. Enough for real life? Not even close.
In everyday Mandarin, people also say they love something, prefer something, can’t stand something, or feel just a very tired little meh. This guide gives you natural options, with 汉字 hànzì, 拼音 pīnyīn, meanings, and real sentences you can actually use.
Start Here: The Main Idea
喜欢 xǐhuān means “to like.” Add words before or after it to make your meaning softer, stronger, more casual, or more specific. Chinese is great like that. Tiny word change, huge mood change.
- 我喜欢 wǒ xǐhuān = I like
- 我很喜欢 wǒ hěn xǐhuān = I like it a lot
- 我不太喜欢 wǒ bú tài xǐhuān = I don’t really like it
- 我受不了 wǒ shòubuliǎo = I can’t stand it
Quick Visual Cards
喜欢 xǐhuān
like
我喜欢奶茶。
wǒ xǐhuān nǎichá.
I like milk tea.
爱 ài
love
我爱北京烤鸭。
wǒ ài Běijīng kǎoyā.
I love Beijing roast duck.
偏爱 piān’ài
have a preference for
我偏爱安静的地方。
wǒ piān’ài ānjìng de dìfang.
I prefer quiet places.
不太喜欢 bú tài xǐhuān
don’t really like
我不太喜欢下雨天。
wǒ bú tài xǐhuān xiàyǔ tiān.
I don’t really like rainy days.
讨厌 tǎoyàn
hate; dislike
我讨厌堵车。
wǒ tǎoyàn dǔchē.
I hate traffic jams.
受不了 shòubuliǎo
can’t stand
我受不了太吵的音乐。
wǒ shòubuliǎo tài chǎo de yīnyuè.
I can’t stand music that is too loud.
迷上 míshàng
be hooked on
我迷上了这部剧。
wǒ míshàng le zhè bù jù.
I got hooked on this drama.
无感 wúgǎn
feel neutral; feel nothing
我对这首歌无感。
wǒ duì zhè shǒu gē wúgǎn.
I feel nothing about this song.
Useful Phrases And Real-Life Sentences
- 我挺喜欢的 wǒ tǐng xǐhuān de — I quite like it
我挺喜欢这个颜色的。
wǒ tǐng xǐhuān zhège yánsè de.
I quite like this color. - 我特别喜欢 wǒ tèbié xǐhuān — I especially like
我特别喜欢这家小店。
wǒ tèbié xǐhuān zhè jiā xiǎodiàn.
I especially like this little shop. - 我更喜欢 wǒ gèng xǐhuān — I like … more
我更喜欢绿茶。
wǒ gèng xǐhuān lǜchá.
I like green tea more. - 我最喜欢 wǒ zuì xǐhuān — I like … the most
我最喜欢春天。
wǒ zuì xǐhuān chūntiān.
Spring is my favorite. - 我比较喜欢 wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān — I rather like; I prefer
我比较喜欢简单的设计。
wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān jiǎndān de shèjì.
I prefer simple designs. - 我对……很感兴趣 wǒ duì… hěn gǎn xìngqù — I’m very interested in …
我对中国电影很感兴趣。
wǒ duì Zhōngguó diànyǐng hěn gǎn xìngqù.
I’m very interested in Chinese movies. - 我欣赏 wǒ xīnshǎng — I appreciate; admire
我很欣赏她的态度。
wǒ hěn xīnshǎng tā de tàidu.
I really appreciate her attitude. - 我不太喜欢 wǒ bú tài xǐhuān — I don’t really like
我不太喜欢太甜的饮料。
wǒ bú tài xǐhuān tài tián de yǐnliào.
I don’t really like drinks that are too sweet. - 我不怎么喜欢 wǒ bù zěnme xǐhuān — I don’t particularly like
我不怎么喜欢早起。
wǒ bù zěnme xǐhuān zǎoqǐ.
I don’t particularly like getting up early. - 我不感兴趣 wǒ bù gǎn xìngqù — I’m not interested
我对这个话题不感兴趣。
wǒ duì zhège huàtí bù gǎn xìngqù.
I’m not interested in this topic. - 我受不了 wǒ shòubuliǎo — I can’t stand
我受不了这里的噪音。
wǒ shòubuliǎo zhèlǐ de zàoyīn.
I can’t stand the noise here. - 我真受不了 wǒ zhēn shòubuliǎo — I really can’t stand it
我真受不了这种天气。
wǒ zhēn shòubuliǎo zhè zhǒng tiānqì.
I really can’t stand this kind of weather.
Small But Important Pattern
Use 对……感兴趣 duì… gǎn xìngqù for interest in topics, hobbies, and fields. Use 喜欢 xǐhuān for more general liking. Both are common, and yes, Chinese politely lets you avoid sounding too intense unless you really want to.
- 我喜欢历史 wǒ xǐhuān lìshǐ — I like history.
- 我对历史感兴趣 wǒ duì lìshǐ gǎn xìngqù — I’m interested in history.
Words For “I Like” In Simplified Chinese
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 喜欢 | xǐhuān | like | 我喜欢这首歌。 | wǒ xǐhuān zhè shǒu gē. | I like this song. |
| 很喜欢 | hěn xǐhuān | like very much | 我很喜欢这个地方。 | wǒ hěn xǐhuān zhège dìfang. | I like this place a lot. |
| 挺喜欢 | tǐng xǐhuān | quite like | 我挺喜欢这种风格。 | wǒ tǐng xǐhuān zhè zhǒng fēnggé. | I quite like this style. |
| 特别喜欢 | tèbié xǐhuān | especially like | 我特别喜欢这道菜。 | wǒ tèbié xǐhuān zhè dào cài. | I especially like this dish. |
| 非常喜欢 | fēicháng xǐhuān | really like | 我非常喜欢熊猫。 | wǒ fēicháng xǐhuān xióngmāo. | I really like pandas. |
| 蛮喜欢 | mán xǐhuān | pretty much like | 我蛮喜欢这家咖啡店。 | wǒ mán xǐhuān zhè jiā kāfēidiàn. | I quite like this café. |
| 最喜欢 | zuì xǐhuān | like the most | 我最喜欢冬天的火锅。 | wǒ zuì xǐhuān dōngtiān de huǒguō. | My favorite thing is hotpot in winter. |
| 更喜欢 | gèng xǐhuān | like more | 我更喜欢猫。 | wǒ gèng xǐhuān māo. | I like cats more. |
| 比较喜欢 | bǐjiào xǐhuān | prefer; rather like | 我比较喜欢安静的环境。 | wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān ānjìng de huánjìng. | I prefer quiet environments. |
| 偏爱 | piān’ài | have a preference for | 我偏爱淡一点的口味。 | wǒ piān’ài dàn yìdiǎn de kǒuwèi. | I prefer lighter flavors. |
| 中意 | zhòngyì | be fond of; fancy | 我很中意这件外套。 | wǒ hěn zhòngyì zhè jiàn wàitào. | I really like this coat. |
| 欣赏 | xīnshǎng | appreciate; admire | 我很欣赏他的幽默感。 | wǒ hěn xīnshǎng tā de yōumògǎn. | I really appreciate his sense of humor. |
| 青睐 | qīnglài | favor; prefer | 很多人都青睐这款手机。 | hěn duō rén dōu qīnglài zhè kuǎn shǒujī. | Many people favor this phone model. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 爱 | ài | love | 我爱川菜。 | wǒ ài Chuāncài. | I love Sichuan food. |
| 热爱 | rè’ài | be passionate about | 她热爱音乐。 | tā rè’ài yīnyuè. | She is passionate about music. |
| 喜爱 | xǐ’ài | be fond of | 孩子们都很喜爱这个老师。 | háizimen dōu hěn xǐ’ài zhège lǎoshī. | The children are very fond of this teacher. |
| 钟爱 | zhōng’ài | love deeply; be especially fond of | 我钟爱中国茶。 | wǒ zhōng’ài Zhōngguó chá. | I’m especially fond of Chinese tea. |
| 迷上 | míshàng | get hooked on | 我迷上了跑步。 | wǒ míshàng le pǎobù. | I got hooked on running. |
| 着迷 | zháomí | be fascinated by | 他对书法很着迷。 | tā duì shūfǎ hěn zháomí. | He is fascinated by calligraphy. |
| 迷恋 | míliàn | be infatuated with | 她迷恋复古风。 | tā míliàn fùgǔ fēng. | She is obsessed with vintage style. |
| 偏好 | piānhào | preference for | 我偏好低糖饮料。 | wǒ piānhào dītáng yǐnliào. | I prefer low-sugar drinks. |
| 看中 | kànzhòng | value; take a liking to | 我看中它的设计感。 | wǒ kànzhòng tā de shèjìgǎn. | I like its design sense. |
| 有兴趣 | yǒu xìngqù | be interested | 我对摄影有兴趣。 | wǒ duì shèyǐng yǒu xìngqù. | I’m interested in photography. |
| 感兴趣 | gǎn xìngqù | be interested in | 我对中文很感兴趣。 | wǒ duì Zhōngwén hěn gǎn xìngqù. | I’m very interested in Chinese. |
| 乐在其中 | lè zài qízhōng | enjoy being in it | 虽然忙，但我乐在其中。 | suīrán máng, dàn wǒ lè zài qízhōng. | Although I’m busy, I enjoy it. |
| 合胃口 | hé wèikǒu | suit one’s taste | 这家店的菜很合我的胃口。 | zhè jiā diàn de cài hěn hé wǒ de wèikǒu. | The dishes here really suit my taste. |
Words For “I Don’t Like” In Simplified Chinese
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 不喜欢 | bù xǐhuān | don’t like | 我不喜欢苦咖啡。 | wǒ bù xǐhuān kǔ kāfēi. | I don’t like bitter coffee. |
| 不太喜欢 | bú tài xǐhuān | don’t really like | 我不太喜欢拥挤的地方。 | wǒ bú tài xǐhuān yōngjǐ de dìfang. | I don’t really like crowded places. |
| 不怎么喜欢 | bù zěnme xǐhuān | don’t particularly like | 我不怎么喜欢加班。 | wǒ bù zěnme xǐhuān jiābān. | I don’t particularly like working overtime. |
| 不大喜欢 | bú dà xǐhuān | not very fond of | 我不大喜欢太正式的衣服。 | wǒ bú dà xǐhuān tài zhèngshì de yīfu. | I’m not very fond of overly formal clothes. |
| 没那么喜欢 | méi nàme xǐhuān | don’t like that much | 我没那么喜欢这个版本。 | wǒ méi nàme xǐhuān zhège bǎnběn. | I don’t like this version that much. |
| 无感 | wúgǎn | feel neutral; not into it | 我对这位歌手无感。 | wǒ duì zhè wèi gēshǒu wúgǎn. | I feel pretty neutral about this singer. |
| 一般般 | yìbān bān | so-so; just average | 这部电影对我来说一般般。 | zhè bù diànyǐng duì wǒ lái shuō yìbān bān. | This movie is just so-so to me. |
| 还好 | hái hǎo | it’s okay | 这个甜点还好，我不会再点。 | zhège tiándiǎn hái hǎo, wǒ bú huì zài diǎn. | This dessert is okay, but I wouldn’t order it again. |
| 不感兴趣 | bù gǎn xìngqù | not interested | 我对赛车不感兴趣。 | wǒ duì sàichē bù gǎn xìngqù. | I’m not interested in racing. |
| 提不起兴趣 | tí bu qǐ xìngqù | can’t get interested | 我对这个游戏提不起兴趣。 | wǒ duì zhège yóuxì tí bu qǐ xìngqù. | I can’t get interested in this game. |
| 没兴趣 | méi xìngqù | have no interest | 我对八卦没兴趣。 | wǒ duì bāguà méi xìngqù. | I have no interest in gossip. |
| 不合胃口 | bù hé wèikǒu | not suit one’s taste | 这道菜不太合我的胃口。 | zhè dào cài bú tài hé wǒ de wèikǒu. | This dish doesn’t really suit my taste. |
| 不对胃口 | bú duì wèikǒu | not to one’s taste | 这家店的口味不太对我的胃口。 | zhè jiā diàn de kǒuwèi bú tài duì wǒ de wèikǒu. | The flavors at this restaurant are not really to my taste. |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 讨厌 | tǎoyàn | hate; dislike | 我讨厌迟到。 | wǒ tǎoyàn chídào. | I hate being late. |
| 很讨厌 | hěn tǎoyàn | really hate | 我很讨厌别人插队。 | wǒ hěn tǎoyàn biérén chāduì. | I really hate it when people cut in line. |
| 厌烦 | yànfán | be fed up with | 我对重复的工作有点厌烦。 | wǒ duì chóngfù de gōngzuò yǒudiǎn yànfán. | I’m a bit fed up with repetitive work. |
| 嫌 | xián | dislike; mind; complain about | 他嫌这里太远。 | tā xián zhèlǐ tài yuǎn. | He dislikes this place because it’s too far. |
| 嫌弃 | xiánqì | dislike and look down on | 别嫌弃我的字难看。 | bié xiánqì wǒ de zì nánkàn. | Don’t嫌弃 my ugly handwriting. |
| 反感 | fǎngǎn | feel repulsed; dislike strongly | 我对这种说法很反感。 | wǒ duì zhè zhǒng shuōfǎ hěn fǎngǎn. | I really dislike that way of talking. |
| 看不惯 | kàn bu guàn | can’t stand the way something is | 我看不惯他那种态度。 | wǒ kàn bu guàn tā nà zhǒng tàidu. | I can’t stand his attitude. |
| 受不了 | shòubuliǎo | can’t stand | 我受不了这么热的天。 | wǒ shòubuliǎo zhème rè de tiān. | I can’t stand weather this hot. |
| 真受不了 | zhēn shòubuliǎo | really can’t stand | 我真受不了这个味道。 | wǒ zhēn shòubuliǎo zhège wèidào. | I really can’t stand this smell. |
| 吃不惯 | chī bu guàn | not used to eating | 我吃不惯太辣的菜。 | wǒ chī bu guàn tài là de cài. | I’m not used to eating very spicy dishes. |
| 听不惯 | tīng bu guàn | not used to hearing | 我听不惯这么大的音量。 | wǒ tīng bu guàn zhème dà de yīnliàng. | I’m not used to sound this loud. |
| 看腻了 | kàn nì le | be tired of seeing | 这套装修风格我都看腻了。 | zhè tào zhuāngxiū fēnggé wǒ dōu kàn nì le. | I’m tired of seeing this décor style. |
| 烦死了 | fán sǐ le | so annoying | 一直下雨，真烦死了。 | yìzhí xiàyǔ, zhēn fán sǐ le. | It keeps raining. So annoying. |
Useful Sentence Patterns
| Pattern | Meaning | Example (ZH) | Example (Pinyin) | Translation (EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 我喜欢…… | I like … | 我喜欢看书。 | wǒ xǐhuān kàn shū. | I like reading. |
| 我很喜欢…… | I like … a lot | 我很喜欢旅行。 | wǒ hěn xǐhuān lǚxíng. | I like traveling a lot. |
| 我最喜欢…… | My favorite is … | 我最喜欢西瓜。 | wǒ zuì xǐhuān xīguā. | My favorite is watermelon. |
| 我比较喜欢…… | I prefer … | 我比较喜欢早上学习。 | wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān zǎoshang xuéxí. | I prefer studying in the morning. |
| 我对……感兴趣 | I’m interested in … | 我对汉服很感兴趣。 | wǒ duì hànfú hěn gǎn xìngqù. | I’m very interested in hanfu clothing. |
| 我不太喜欢…… | I don’t really like … | 我不太喜欢榴莲。 | wǒ bú tài xǐhuān liúlián. | I don’t really like durian. |
| 我对……没兴趣 | I have no interest in … | 我对钓鱼没兴趣。 | wǒ duì diàoyú méi xìngqù. | I have no interest in fishing. |
| 我受不了…… | I can’t stand … | 我受不了蚊子。 | wǒ shòubuliǎo wénzi. | I can’t stand mosquitoes. |
| ……很合我的胃口 | … suits my taste | 这家面馆很合我的胃口。 | zhè jiā miànguǎn hěn hé wǒ de wèikǒu. | This noodle shop really suits my taste. |
| ……不太对我的胃口 | … is not really to my taste | 这个口味不太对我的胃口。 | zhège kǒuwèi bú tài duì wǒ de wèikǒu. | This flavor is not really to my taste. |
| 我最近迷上了…… | I’ve recently gotten hooked on … | 我最近迷上了打羽毛球。 | wǒ zuìjìn míshàng le dǎ yǔmáoqiú. | I’ve recently gotten hooked on badminton. |
| 我对……无感 | I feel neutral about … | 我对这个演员无感。 | wǒ duì zhège yǎnyuán wúgǎn. | I feel neutral about this actor. |
Common Mistakes And Easy Fixes
- Don’t overuse 爱 ài. It means “love,” so it is stronger than 喜欢 xǐhuān. Saying 我爱这个 app wǒ ài zhège app is possible, but it sounds more intense than plain “I like this app.”
- Use 不 bú before fourth tone. That is why 不太喜欢 bú tài xǐhuān changes tone. Tiny rule, big upgrade.
- Use 对……感兴趣 duì… gǎn xìngqù for interest in subjects and activities. It sounds more natural than repeating 喜欢 xǐhuān for everything.
- Use 讨厌 tǎoyàn carefully. It can mean “hate,” and it is stronger than a soft English “I don’t like it.”
- Use 无感 wúgǎn when you feel neutral, not angry. It is more “meh” than “no way.”
Mini Practice
Try swapping the bold part to change the mood.
- 我喜欢 xǐhuān咖啡。
wǒ xǐhuān kāfēi.
I like coffee. - 我很喜欢 hěn xǐhuān咖啡。
wǒ hěn xǐhuān kāfēi.
I like coffee a lot. - 我不太喜欢 bú tài xǐhuān咖啡。
wǒ bú tài xǐhuān kāfēi.
I don’t really like coffee. - 我受不了 shòubuliǎo苦咖啡。
wǒ shòubuliǎo kǔ kāfēi.
I can’t stand bitter coffee.
Build your own with these nouns:
- 火锅 huǒguō — hotpot
- 下雨天 xiàyǔ tiān — rainy days
- 跑步 pǎobù — running
- 早起 zǎoqǐ — getting up early
- 流行音乐 liúxíng yīnyuè — pop music
- 榴莲 liúlián — durian
Quick Reference Summary
Mild To Strong “Like”
- 还好 hái hǎo — it’s okay
- 喜欢 xǐhuān — like
- 挺喜欢 tǐng xǐhuān — quite like
- 很喜欢 hěn xǐhuān — like a lot
- 爱 ài — love
- 迷上 míshàng — get hooked on
Mild To Strong “Don’t Like”
- 无感 wúgǎn — feel neutral
- 不太喜欢 bú tài xǐhuān — don’t really like
- 不感兴趣 bù gǎn xìngqù — not interested
- 讨厌 tǎoyàn — dislike; hate
- 受不了 shòubuliǎo — can’t stand
- 烦死了 fán sǐ le — so annoying
Final Yak Box
If you only remember five expressions, make them these: 喜欢 xǐhuān, 很喜欢 hěn xǐhuān, 比较喜欢 bǐjiào xǐhuān, 不太喜欢 bú tài xǐhuān, and 受不了 shòubuliǎo. That little set will carry you through food talk, movie talk, hobby talk, and the deeply serious global issue of whether pineapple belongs on pizza.
