Meaning awesome, badass, insanely good
Example sentence 1 🔊
这也太牛逼了！
Zhè yě tài niú bī le!
That's insanely impressive!
Example sentence 2 🔊
他一个人把项目做完了，太牛逼了。
Tā yí ge rén bǎ xiàngmù zuò wán le, tài niú bī le.
He finished the whole project by himself — legendary.
Example sentence 3 🔊
这操作，牛逼啊！
Zhè cāozuò, niú bī a!
That move was insane!
Usage note Slang, mildly vulgar in its literal wording, but used purely as high praise. Perfect with friends, never in formal writing, with elders, at school or at work. The safe alternative is 厉害.
Real-world example @elonmusk Chinese 𝕏 is 牛逼 Elon Musk posted this on X on 9 Nov 2026 — a fresh, real example of the word being used as pure praise.
View on X ↗ Meaning impressive, highly skilled
Example sentence 1 🔊
你中文说得真厉害！
Nǐ Zhōngwén shuō de zhēn lìhai!
Your Chinese is really impressive!
Example sentence 2 🔊
这道菜做得太厉害了。
Zhè dào cài zuò de tài lìhai le.
This dish is incredibly well made.
Example sentence 3 🔊
厉害了，这么快就学会了！
Lìhai le, zhème kuài jiù xuéhuì le!
Wow, you picked that up so fast!
Usage note Neutral register: safe with anyone, in speech or writing. Use it instead of 牛逼 when the setting is not casual.
Meaning keep going, you got this (literally "add oil")
Example sentence 1 🔊
明天考试，加油！
Míngtiān kǎoshì, jiāyóu!
You have an exam tomorrow — go for it!
Example sentence 2 🔊
别放弃，加油！
Bié fàngqì, jiāyóu!
Don't give up, keep going!
Example sentence 3 🔊
大家加油，快到终点了！
Dàjiā jiāyóu, kuài dào zhōngdiǎn le!
Come on everyone, the finish line is close!
Usage note Literally "add fuel". The calque "add oil" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2018, so you may have seen it before.
Meaning whatever, up to you, no preference
Example sentence 1 🔊
吃什么？随便，你定。
Chī shénme? Suíbiàn, nǐ dìng.
What shall we eat? Anything, you decide.
Example sentence 2 🔊
随便坐，别客气。
Suíbiàn zuò, bié kèqi.
Sit wherever you like, make yourself at home.
Example sentence 3 🔊
别随便点链接。
Bié suíbiàn diǎn liànjiē.
Don't click links carelessly.
Usage note Casual and friendly among peers. To an elder, a client or your boss it can sound dismissive — say 您决定 ("you decide") instead.
Meaning no problem, it's fine, don't worry
Example sentence 1 🔊
对不起，我来晚了。——没关系。
Duìbùqǐ, wǒ lái wǎn le. — Méi guānxi.
Sorry I'm late. — No worries.
Example sentence 2 🔊
迟到了也没关系。
Chídào le yě méi guānxi.
It's fine if you're late.
Example sentence 3 🔊
没带钱？没关系，我请。
Méi dài qián? Méi guānxi, wǒ qǐng.
No money? No worries, it's on me.
Usage note The standard response to an apology. 没事儿 means the same thing and sounds even more casual.
Meaning excuse me, sorry, a bit embarrassed
Example sentence 1 🔊
不好意思，问一下地铁站在哪儿？
Bù hǎoyìsi, wèn yíxià dìtiězhàn zài nǎr?
Excuse me, where is the subway station?
Example sentence 2 🔊
不好意思，我迟到了。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ chídào le.
Sorry I'm late.
Example sentence 3 🔊
让您久等，真不好意思。
Ràng nín jiǔ děng, zhēn bù hǎoyìsi.
Sorry to have kept you waiting.
Usage note Lighter than 对不起. Covers "excuse me", a small apology, and feeling embarrassed. Very high frequency in daily speech.
Meaning reliable, dependable, solid
Example sentence 1 🔊
他很靠谱，交给他吧。
Tā hěn kàopǔ, jiāo gěi tā ba.
He's dependable — leave it to him.
Example sentence 2 🔊
这个方案不太靠谱。
Zhège fāng’àn bú tài kàopǔ.
This plan doesn't seem very solid.
Example sentence 3 🔊
找个靠谱的修车店。
Zhǎo ge kàopǔ de xiūchē diàn.
Find a trustworthy repair shop.
Usage note Originally colloquial, now completely mainstream. Its opposite 不靠谱 (unreliable / sketchy) is just as common.
Meaning to bluff, to pull someone’s leg, to talk someone into something
Example sentence 1 🔊
别忽悠我，真的假的？
Bié hūyou wǒ, zhēn de jiǎ de?
Don't pull my leg — is that for real?
Example sentence 2 🔊
他就被销售忽悠了。
Tā jiù bèi xiāoshòu hūyou le.
He got talked into it by the salesperson.
Example sentence 3 🔊
你这数据别是忽悠人的吧？
Nǐ zhè shùjù bié shì hūyou rén de ba?
Are these numbers for real, or are you bluffing?
Usage note A northeastern dialect word that went national. Playful, not a formal accusation of fraud — for that you would use 骗.
Meaning to fuss over, to go through a lot of trouble
Example sentence 1 🔊
折腾了一晚上才弄好。
Zhēteng le yì wǎnshang cái nòng hǎo.
I fussed with it all night before finally getting it done.
Example sentence 2 🔊
别折腾了，明天再说吧。
Bié zhēteng le, míngtiān zài shuō ba.
Stop fussing with it, leave it till tomorrow.
Example sentence 3 🔊
搬了三次家，真折腾。
Bān le sān cì jiā, zhēn zhēteng.
Moving three times was such a hassle.
Usage note Implies effort that was partly wasted. 别折腾了 means "stop bothering / give it a rest".
Meaning calm, unfazed, chill
Example sentence 1 🔊
别急，淡定一点。
Bié jí, dàndìng yìdiǎn.
Don't panic, stay calm.
Example sentence 2 🔊
他都迟到半小时了还这么淡定。
Tā dōu chídào bàn xiǎoshí le hái zhème dàndìng.
He's half an hour late and still totally chill.
Example sentence 3 🔊
淡定，问题不大。
Dàndìng, wèntí bú dà.
Relax, it's no big deal.
Usage note An internet-era favourite with a light, slightly teasing tone. 冷静 is the neutral, formal equivalent.