HSK · Level 33
135 words
Chinese word
之类
Pronunciation
Pinyinzhī lèi
Meaning
- pronounand so on
Example
历史、哲学之类的书很有趣。lì shǐ zhé xué zhī lèi de shū hěn yǒu qù
Books about history, philosophy, and so on are interesting.
More examples
别把这些小事放在心上，批评、建议之类的都可以接受。bié bǎ zhè xiē xiǎo shì fàng zài xīn shàng pī píng jiàn yì zhī lèi de dōu ké yǐ jiē shòu
Don't take these small matters to heart; criticism, suggestions, and so on are all acceptable.
Core concept
A category boundary kept open after a few representative items.
Common phrases
什么之类的东西shén me zhī lèi de dōng xī
something like that
诸如电影、音乐之类的活动zhū rú diàn yǐng yīn yuè zhī lèi de huó dòng
activities such as movies and music
像他之类的人xiàng tā zhī lèi de rén
people like him
Similar words
什么的shén me de: Follows a list to refer loosely to more things like the ones mentioned.
等等déng děng: Follows a list to show that other items in the same group are included.
那种nà zhǒng: Refers to an additional thing from a type already clear in the context.
Definition in Chinese
作为代词或后置定语，泛指同一类的事物或例子，常见结构为“X之类的Y”，用于表示“等等、类似的东西”。zuò wéi dài cí huò hòu zhì dìng yǔ fàn zhǐ tóng yí lèi de shì wù huò lì zi cháng jiàn jié gòu wèi X zhī lèi de Y yòng yú biǎo shì déng děng lèi sì de dōng xī
Word origin
The compound joins 之 (zhī, "that") with 类 (lèi, "kind"), so its structure points from a particular thing toward its kind.
Usage tips
- In everyday speech, it softens a list by showing that the named items are examples rather than a complete inventory.
Other meanings
- something similarparticle
- such asconjunction