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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "key" in Chinese?
钥匙
yào shi
In Chinese, "key" is 钥匙 (yào shi).
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Pronunciation
Aim for "yào shi" when you say it, "yào" is falling fast and sharp, like a command (tone 4), then the toneless "shi" stays light and unstressed.
Writing and usage
钥匙 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
她转动钥匙打开锁孔。
tā zhuǎn dòng yào shi dǎ kāi suǒ kǒng 。
She turned the key in the lock.
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How to remember 钥匙
Say "yào shi" out loud three times fast — the repetition alone tends to cement "钥匙" (yào shi) in memory.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 钥匙
How do you pronounce 钥匙?
Aim for "yào shi" when you say it, "yào" is falling fast and sharp, like a command (tone 4), then the toneless "shi" stays light and unstressed.
Is 钥匙 formal or casual?
钥匙 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 钥匙 used in Chinese?
钥匙 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 她转动钥匙打开锁孔。 (She turned the key in the lock.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Key" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.
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