When I first started learning Chinese, one of the things that completely threw me off was realizing there isn’t a direct equivalent to the word “yes.” Coming from a language background where a simple “yes” or “no” can answer almost any question, I found this to be a huge mental block. At the time, I relied on the word 对 (duì) for nearly everything. Whether someone asked me if I wanted to eat, if I had completed my homework, or even if the weather was nice, I defaulted to “duì.” It felt safe, simple, and—most importantly—correct.
Or so I thought.
As I progressed in my studies, I started noticing that native speakers didn’t always use 对 in the same way I did. My teachers gently pointed out that while 对 works in some contexts—like affirming a statement (“Yes, that’s correct”) or agreeing with someone (“You’re right”)—it’s far from a universal “yes.” For example:
- If someone asked me “你吃过饭了吗? (Have you eaten?)” and I replied with “对,” it would sound a bit off. Instead, I should say “吃了 (chī le)” or “没吃 (méi chī).”
- When confirming whether I like something, a simple “喜欢 (xǐ huān)” feels much more natural than 对.
- And when someone asked if I’d completed a task, “做好了 (zuò hǎo le)” felt much more specific and appropriate.
I’ve been working on consciously expanding my vocabulary and responses to match the context. It’s a slow process, but it’s helping me become a better communicator.
We even have a simple guide that could be really helpful about how to say “yes” in Chinese || How to Say “Yes” in Chinese: A Simple Guide- Audio Included🔈
To those of you who have also studied Chinese: Did this aspect of the language throw you off? How did you deal with it? Do you have any tips or tricks for finding the right way to “say yes” in different contexts?
对 is always the first word that comes to mind! Trying to understand with what verb and grammar to reply to say “yes” is a real exercice, but I feel like if we pay attention and focus it becomes easier and easier with time