Chinese word

无聊

Pronunciation

Pinyinwú liáo

Meaning

  • adjectivebored

Example

我现在很无聊，想找人聊天。wǒ xiàn zài hěn wú liáo xiǎng zhǎo rén liáo tiān

I am bored right now and want to find someone to chat with.

Illustration for 无聊 (bored)

More examples

上课内容很丰富，一点也不无聊。shàng kè nèi róng hěn fēng fù yì diǎn yě bù wú liáo

The class content is rich, so it is not boring at all.

Core concept

Nothing worthwhile holds the mind's attention, so a person feels restless and an activity, comment, or idea can seem dull, pointless, or foolish.

Common phrases

  • 很无聊hěn wú liáo

    very bored

  • 感到无聊gǎn dào wú liáo

    feel bored

  • 打发无聊的时间dǎ fā wú liáo de shí jiān

    pass the time when bored

Similar words

没意思méi yì si: Lacking interest or fun, so attention quickly fades.
无趣wú qù: Lacking interest or charm and failing to draw attention.
枯燥kū zào: Dry and dull because the content or style has little variety or stimulation.
单调dān diào: Dull because it has little variety and repeats in the same way.

Definition in Chinese

没有事情可做或觉得眼前的活动没有意思，感到无所事事或心里寂寞。méi yǒu shì qíng kě zuò huò jué de yǎn qián de huó dòng méi yǒu yì si gǎn dào wú suǒ shì shì huò xīn lǐ jì mò

Word origin

无聊 (wúliáo, "bored or boring") is formed from 无 (wú, "without") and 聊 (liáo, "chat"), as if there is nothing to talk about, and this develops into a wider sense of lacking interest or purpose.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this word can be a low-pressure signal that company or a new topic would be welcome, rather than a strong complaint about a situation.

Other meanings

  • boringadjective
  • sillyadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word