Chinese Conversation · Level 36
90 words
Chinese word
背心
Pronunciation
Pinyinbèi xīn
Meaning
- nountank top
Example
夏天我常穿背心去跑步。xià tiān wǒ cháng chuān bèi xīn qù pǎo bù
In summer, I often wear a tank top when I go running.
More examples
她把脏了的背心放进洗衣机。tā bǎ zāng le de bèi xīn fàng jìn xǐ yī jī
She put the dirty tank top in the washing machine.
Core concept
A simple sleeveless top kept close to the torso for cooling, absorbing sweat, or wearing under another layer.
Common phrases
穿背心chuān bèi xīn
wear a tank top
运动背心yùn dòng bèi xīn
sports tank top
无袖背心wú xiù bèi xīn
sleeveless tank top
贴身背心tiē shēn bèi xīn
close-fitting tank top
Similar words
无袖衫wú xiù shān: A shirt with no sleeves that covers the upper body from the shoulders across the chest.
汗衫hàn shān: A light shirt or undershirt made to take in sweat when the body gets hot.
马甲má jiǎ: A front-opening, sleeveless garment worn as an extra layer over a shirt or other clothing.
Definition in Chinese
贴身或外穿的无袖上衣，常用于吸汗或在炎热天气和运动时作为便装或内搭。tiē shēn huò wài chuān de wú xiù shàng yī cháng yòng yú xī hàn huò zài yán rè tiān qì hé yùn dòng shí zuò wéi biàn zhuāng huò nèi dā
Word origin
背 (bèi, "back") + 心 (xīn, "center; inner part") forms a body-centered name for a sleeveless garment worn close to the upper body.
Usage tips
- English vest is not a reliable one-word match: in American English it usually means a sleeveless outer layer, while in British English it can mean an undershirt, so the clothing context matters.
Other meanings
- undershirtnoun
Opposites
- 长袖衬衫cháng xiù chèn shānlong-sleeved shirtnoun
Related words
- 运动背心yùn dòng bèi xīnsports tank topnoun
- 背心衫bèi xīn shāntank topnoun