Home › Chinese › Glossary › write
Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "write" in Chinese?
写
xiě
In Chinese, "write" is 写 (xiě).
Listen to the pronunciation:
Free Chinese learning game. No sign-up, play in browser. See all games
Pronunciation
The pinyin "xiě" takes third tone, meaning dipping low then curling back up, like a small scoop. Most learners round off the tone too soon, so exaggerate it while practicing xiě.
Writing and usage
写 is written using hanzi. It's a verb, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
他给朋友写了一封信。
tā gěi péng yǒu xiě le yī fēng xìn 。
He writes a letter to his friend.
Test your Chinese knowledge in our free browser games.
How to remember 写
Try connecting the scene from "He writes a letter to his friend" with "xiě" — it's a fast route to write.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 写
How do you pronounce 写?
The pinyin "xiě" takes third tone, meaning dipping low then curling back up, like a small scoop. Most learners round off the tone too soon, so exaggerate it while practicing xiě.
Is 写 formal or casual?
写 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 写 used in Chinese?
写 is used the same way as the equivalent English verb. For example: 他给朋友写了一封信。 (He writes a letter to his friend.).
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.
"Write" in other languages
Curated by Callan 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.
Noun Town on PC, Mac & VR
These browser games are just a taste. The full Noun Town is a bigger, deeper 3D world: explore a living town, talk to its characters and learn thousands of words in immersive VR, Mixed Reality, or on your computer. It's an award-winning game with 590+ reviews on Steam and 12 languages to learn.
See the full game ▶Spot an error? Email us at contact@noun.town