If you can only say “他很高” (Tā hěn gāo – He is tall), you’re only painting a shadow. To truly describe a person in Chinese—to capture their vibe, their eccentricities, and the specific way they annoy the public transit system—you need rich vocabulary and sharp grammatical tools.
Describing a person is a four-layered process: physical appearance, core personality, unique mannerisms, and finally, the essential Taiwanese slang that sums up their overall “vibe.” Master these layers, and you’ll be able to bring any character to life, whether you’re gossiping about the office newbie or writing the next great Taiwanese drama.
The Canvas: Physical Appearance (外表 – Wàibiǎo)
Start with the easy stuff. These are the adjectives you attach directly after the subject or a linking verb like 是 (shì) or 很 (hěn).
| Category | Traditional Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Note |
| Height | 高 | gāo | Tall | Use 個子 (gèzi) for “height.” |
| Body | 瘦 | shòu | Thin, slim | Use carefully. |
| Body | 壯 | zhuàng | Strong, muscular | Used for healthy build. |
| Hair | 長頭髮 | cháng tóufǎ | Long hair | Short hair is 短頭髮 (duǎn tóufǎ). |
| Eyes | 大眼睛 | dà yǎnjīng | Big eyes | Considered very attractive. |
| Look | 酷 | kù | Cool | Phonetic borrowing; use often! |
Yak Tip: Instead of just saying Tā hěn gāo, say 他個子很高 (Tā gèzi hěn gāo). It sounds more native and specific.
The Core: Personality Traits (個性 – Gèxìng)
Once you’ve covered the outside, you need the inside. Personality traits are where you elevate your description from simple observation to character analysis.
The Good Guys: Highly Desirable Traits
- 體貼 (Tǐtiē): Considerate / Thoughtful. This is a massive compliment, implying deep emotional intelligence.
- 活潑 (Huópō): Lively / Energetic. Great for describing kids, friends, or anyone who keeps the party going.
- 幽默 (Yōumò): Humorous. Essential for anyone witty.
- 大方 (Dàfāng): Generous / Natural. Can mean generous with money or generous in spirit (not petty).
- 靠譜 (Kàopǔ): Reliable / Trustworthy. A phrase that screams “I can depend on this person.” (This word is very common in Taiwan).
The Quiet & Complex Types
- 內向 (Nèixiàng): Introverted. A neutral term, meaning they draw energy from within.
- 外向 (Wàixiàng): Extroverted. Means they draw energy from social interaction.
- 文靜 (Wénjìng): Gentle and Quiet. Often used for polite, well-behaved women or girls.
- 做作 (Zuòzuò): Fake / Affected / Pretentious. A common way to criticize someone who is putting on an act.
The Action: Mannerisms and Behavior (動態描寫 – Dòngtài Miáoxiě)
This is the advanced technique. You use the Complement of Degree structure—Verb + 得 (de) + Adjective/Adverb—to describe how a person performs an action.
This is the difference between saying “He speaks fast” and “He speaks so fast.”
Essential Mannerisms
- 他走路走得很快。
Tā zǒulù zǒu de hěn kuài.
(He walks quickly.) - 她講話講得很清楚。
Tā jiǎnghuà jiǎng de hěn qīngchu.
(She speaks very clearly.) - 他笑得很大聲。
Tā xiào de hěn dàshēng.
(He laughs loudly.) - 那個服務生跑得像風一樣。
Nàge fúwùshēng pǎo de xiàng fēng yīyàng.
(That waiter runs like the wind.)
The Vibe: Slang and Types of People
To describe a person like a native Taiwanese speaker, you need the slang that defines a type of person, often using a funny noun or adjective.
1. 機車 (Jīchē) – High Maintenance / Annoying
Literal Translation: Motorcycle.
Meaning: This is essential Taiwanese slang. If someone is 機車, they are demanding, annoying, nitpicky, or giving you a hard time. It’s light-hearted but definitely not a compliment.
- 你不要這麼機車！ (Nǐ búyào zhème jīchē!) – Don’t be so annoying!
2. 吃貨 (Chīhuò) – The Foodie
Literal Translation: Food goods.
Meaning: A common, affectionate, and sometimes teasing way to describe someone whose life revolves around finding and eating good food.
- 她是一個不折不扣的吃貨。 (Tā shì yīgè bù zhé bù kòu de chīhuò.) – She is a 100% genuine foodie.
3. 老實人 (Lǎoshí Rén) – The Honest/Simple Soul
Meaning: Someone who is honest, dependable, and a bit naive or simple. They might not be the coolest person in the room, but they are decent and reliable. Often used to distinguish a “safe” partner.
- 雖然他不太會說話，但是他是個老實人。 (Suīrán tā bú tài huì shuōhuà, dànshì tā shì ge lǎoshí rén.) – Although he isn’t very good at talking, he is an honest person.
Essential Grammatical Tools
Mastering these core sentence patterns allows you to construct any description you need.
Tool 1: Simple Adjective (S + 很 + Adj)
The easiest way to describe a single trait. Remember to include 很 (hěn) even when you don’t mean “very”—it smooths out the tone.
- 我媽媽很溫柔。 (Wǒ māma hěn wēnróu.) – My mom is gentle/tender.
Tool 2: The Double Noun (S + 是 + Noun/Type)
Use this to categorize someone.
- 我哥哥是個內向的人。 (Wǒ gēge shì ge nèixiàng de rén.) – My older brother is an introverted person.
- 他是一個幽默大師。 (Tā shì yīgè yōumò dàshī.) – He is a master of humor.
Swap-in Templates
1. The “Overall Impression” Template
[Subject] + 給我的印象是 + [Adjective] + 又 (yòu – and also) + [Adjective].
- 這個新人給我的印象是很活潑又很體貼。 (Zhège xīnrén gěi wǒ de yìnxiàng shì hěn huópō yòu hěn tǐtiē.) – My impression of the new person is that they are lively and also very considerate.
2. The “Describing their Style” Template
[Subject] + 穿得 (chuān de – dressed) + [Adjective/Style].
- 他穿得很時尚。 (Tā chuān de hěn shíshàng.) – He is dressed very fashionably.
Mini-Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Describing a New Friend
- A: 你新認識的同學怎麼樣？
Nǐ xīn rènshi de tóngxué zěnmeyàng?
(How is the new classmate you met?) - B: 她個子不高，但是很有洞察力，而且一點都不做作。
Tā gèzi bù gāo, dànshì hěn yǒu dòngchálì, érqiě yīdiǎn dōu bú zuòzuò.
(She isn’t tall, but she has great insight, and she’s not fake at all.)
Dialogue 2: Criticizing Behavior
- A: 為什麼他總是這麼晚才來？
Wèishéme tā zǒngshì zhème wǎn cái lái?
(Why is he always arriving so late?) - B: 沒辦法，他做事一直都慢慢吞吞的，而且他超級機車。
Méi bànfǎ, tā zuòshì yīzhí dōu mànmàn tūntūn de, érqiě tā chāojí jīchē.
(No way around it, he always does things slowly, and he’s super annoying.)
Quick Reference Table: Descriptive Vocab
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning | Category |
| 活潑 | huópō | Lively / Energetic | Personality (Positive) |
| 體貼 | tǐtiē | Considerate / Caring | Personality (High Compliment) |
| 內向 | nèixiàng | Introverted | Personality (Neutral) |
| 機車 | jīchē | Annoying / Nitpicky | Taiwan Slang |
| 靠譜 | kàopǔ | Reliable / Trustworthy | Vibe (Essential Compliment) |
| 做作 | zuòzuò | Fake / Affected | Personality (Negative) |
| 幽默 | yōumò | Humorous | Personality |
| 大方 | dàfāng | Generous | Personality |
Yak’s Final Thought
Stop being boring. The next time you introduce someone, don’t just say they are 帥 (shuài – handsome); say they are 一個穿得很酷，講話很幽默的吃貨 (yīgè chuān de hěn kù, jiǎnghuà hěn yōumò de chīhuò): a foodie who dresses cool and speaks humorously. Descriptions are your opportunity to tell a story, so grab those 機車 slang words and go paint a masterpiece!