Chinese word

双语

Pronunciation

Pinyinshuāng yǔ

Meaning

  • adjectivebilingual

Example

学校提供双语课程。xué xiào tí gōng shuāng yǔ kè chéng

The school offers bilingual courses.

Illustration for 双语 (bilingual)

More examples

孩子在双语家庭长大，说两种语言。hái zi zài shuāng yǔ jiā tíng zhǎng dà shuō liáng zhǒng yǔ yán

A child grows up in a bilingual family and speaks two languages.

Core concept

Two languages function side by side in one person, place, or activity.

Common phrases

  • 双语课程shuāng yǔ kè chéng

    bilingual courses

  • 双语教育shuāng yǔ jiào yù

    bilingual education

  • 双语家庭shuāng yǔ jiā tíng

    bilingual family

Similar words

流利liú lì: Using spoken or written language smoothly and easily, with few pauses.

Definition in Chinese

用来表示某人、机构或环境同时具备或使用两种语言的属性或状态，既可指个人掌握并使用两种语言的能力，也可指以两种语言并行的教育、媒体或场所。yòng lái biǎo shì mǒu rén jī gòu huò huán jìng tóng shí jù bèi huò shǐ yòng liáng zhǒng yǔ yán de shǔ xìng huò zhuàng tài jì kě zhǐ gè rén zhǎng wò bìng shǐ yòng liáng zhǒng yǔ yán de néng lì yě kě zhǐ yǐ liáng zhǒng yǔ yán bìng xíng de jiào yù méi tǐ huò cháng suǒ

Word origin

双 (shuāng, "two") + 语 (yǔ, "language") forms a compound describing the presence or use of two languages.

Usage tips

  • The adjective describes two-language use, not necessarily equal skill in both languages, so a separate phrase is needed to state whether someone can speak each language fluently.

Opposites

  • 单语dān yǔmonolingualadjective

Related words

  • 双语教育shuāng yǔ jiào yùbilingual educationnoun
  • 双语家庭shuāng yǔ jiā tíngbilingual familynoun
  • 双语能力shuāng yǔ néng lìbilingual abilitynoun

Word lists with this word