Compliments in Chinese || Level Up Your Chinese Now

Compliments in Chinese ✨ How to Say Something Nice in Mandarin

Giving compliments is a great way to connect with people, make friends, and practice your Chinese in a natural and meaningful way.

Whether you’re praising someone’s appearance, skills, or language abilities, knowing how to say something nice in Chinese will always come in handy.

In this guide, we’ll cover three key types of compliments in Mandarin.

General Compliments
Compliments About Looks
Compliments About Your Chinese
Plus…
BONUS How to Respond to Compliments in Chinese
FAQs

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🎉 General Compliments in Chinese

These compliments can be used in many different situations — they’re versatile, friendly, and often heard in daily conversation.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
你很棒！	nǐ hěn bàng!	You’re awesome!
太厉害了！	tài lìhài le!	That’s amazing! / You’re incredible!
你真了不起。	nǐ zhēn liǎobuqǐ.	You’re really impressive.
做得好！	zuò de hǎo!	Well done!
真不错！	zhēn búcuò!	Not bad at all! / Pretty good!
太棒了！	tài bàng le!	That’s fantastic!

🗣 When to use: After someone performs well at something, shares good news, or shows a skill.

😍 Compliments About Looks

Complimenting someone’s appearance in Chinese is quite common, but it’s important to stay polite and respectful, especially with new acquaintances.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
你很漂亮。	nǐ hěn piàoliang.	You’re very beautiful.
你真帅！	nǐ zhēn shuài!	You’re really handsome!
你今天看起来很好看。	nǐ jīntiān kànqǐlái hěn hǎokàn.	You look great today.
你笑起来很好看。	nǐ xiào qǐlái hěn hǎokàn.	You have a beautiful smile.
你的衣服很好看。	nǐ de yīfu hěn hǎokàn.	Your clothes look great.
你看起来很年轻！	nǐ kànqǐlái hěn niánqīng!	You look so young!

💡 Tip: Cultural norms can be different in China compared to what you’re used to at home. For example, whilst commenting on someone’s weight may be taboo where you come from, in China, most people won’t hesitate to tell you 你变瘦了 (Nǐ biàn shòu le; you’ve lost weight!)… or even 你变胖了 (Nǐ biàn pàng le; you’ve gotten fat) 😅

📚 Compliments About Your Chinese

If you’re learning Chinese, you’ll probably hear these quite a lot — and for good reason! Chinese speakers really appreciate the effort foreigners make to learn their language.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
你中文说得很好。	nǐ Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.	Your Chinese is very good.
你的发音很标准。	nǐ de fāyīn hěn biāozhǔn.	Your pronunciation is very accurate.
你汉语说得很流利。	nǐ Hànyǔ shuō de hěn liúlì.	You speak Chinese fluently.
你写汉字写得很好。	nǐ xiě Hànzì xiě de hěn hǎo.	You write Chinese characters well.
你怎么学得这么快？	nǐ zěnme xué de zhème kuài?	How did you learn so fast?
你学中文多久了？	nǐ xué Zhōngwén duōjiǔ le?	How long have you been learning Chinese? (Not a compliment directly, but often used as one!)

👂 Expect to hear these often – and don’t be shy to say thank you:
谢谢！你太客气了！ (xièxie! nǐ tài kèqi le!) – “Thank you! You’re too kind!”

💬 How to Respond to Compliments in Chinese

It’s polite in Chinese culture to be modest when receiving compliments.

Chinese	Pinyin	English
哪里哪里。	nǎlǐ nǎlǐ.	Not at all. (A humble way to respond)
没有啦。	méiyǒu la.	Not really.
我还在学习。	wǒ hái zài xuéxí.	I’m still learning.

💭 FAQs

Can I use compliments to start a conversation in Chinese?

Yes! Compliments are a great icebreaker. Simple phrases like “你中文说得很好” (Your Chinese is very good) or “你今天看起来很好看” (You look great today) are friendly and often well received.

Is it polite to compliment someone’s appearance in Chinese culture?

Generally, yes – especially among friends or acquaintances. Just keep it respectful and not overly personal with strangers. Compliments like “你笑起来很好看” (You have a beautiful smile) are common and appropriate.

How do I respond when someone compliments me in Chinese?

It’s customary to be modest. Instead of just saying “谢谢” (thank you), many people say “哪里哪里” or “我还在学习,” which show humility.

Are there different compliments for men and women in Chinese?

Some compliments are more gender-specific. For example, “你真帅” (You’re really handsome) is usually for men, while “你很漂亮” (You’re very beautiful) is for women. But many compliments like “你很棒” (You’re awesome) are gender-neutral.

What’s the difference between “不错” and “很好”？

Both mean “good,” but “不错” is more casual and can be translated as “not bad” or “pretty good,” while “很好” is stronger, meaning “very good.”

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