Chinese word

玩意儿

Pronunciation

Pinyinwán yìr

Meaning

  • nounthing

Example

这玩意儿怎么用？zhè wán yìr zěn me yòng

How do you use this thing?

Illustration for 玩意儿 (thing)

More examples

别小看这玩意儿，其实很实用。bié xiǎo kàn zhè wán yìr qí shí hěn shí yòng

Don't underestimate this thing; it's actually very useful.

Core concept

A casually pointed-at object whose exact name or worth is beside the point.

Common phrases

  • 这玩意儿zhè wán yìr

    this thing

  • 那玩意儿nà wán yìr

    that thing

  • 好用的玩意儿hǎo yòng de wán yìr

    handy thing

Similar words

东西dōng xī: A broad, everyday term for a thing or matter of almost any kind.
物品wù pǐn: An item or product treated as something to sell, buy, or organize.
工具gōng jù: An object or device used to perform a task.

Definition in Chinese

口语中泛指不太具体的东西，常指小物件或没有明确价值的东西，语气随意或略带轻视。kóu yǔ zhōng fàn zhǐ bú tài jù tǐ de dōng xī cháng zhǐ xiǎo wù jiàn huò méi yǒu míng què jià zhí de dōng xī yǔ qì suí yì huò lüè dài qīng shì

Word origin

玩意儿 (wányìér, "thing") is a colloquial noun for something handled, played with, or fussed over, and the 儿 (ér, "儿-suffix") ending gives it a northern spoken form.

Usage tips

  • Unlike a neutral label in a product description, this noun can sound dismissive, so it suits a casual remark about an odd gadget better than a respectful reference to someone else's possession.

Other meanings

  • trinketnoun
  • junknoun

Word lists with this word