Chinese phrases
How to say angry in Chinese
Angry in Chinese is 生气 (shēng qì): 我很生气, “I’m angry.” When something makes you furious, people say 气死我了 (qì sǐ wǒ le), “I’m so mad!”
生气
angry; to be angry
Ways to say angry
生气
Everydayangry; to be angry
The everyday word. It works as an adjective, 我很生气, and as a verb: 你生气了吗? “Are you angry?”
气死我了
With friendsI’m so mad!
Said when something makes you furious: a rude driver, a late delivery, a lost game. Loud, but not crude.
发火
Everydayto blow up at someone
It describes the outburst, not the feeling: 他对我发火了, “he blew up at me.”
发脾气
Everydayto lose your temper
Often over something small. It is also the word for a child’s tantrum.
火大
With friendsfuming
Casual, between young friends and in comments online.
烦死了
With friendsso annoying!
Annoyed, not angry: noise next door, a slow app, a queue that does not move.
愤怒
Writtenanger; outraged
In the news, in books and in speeches. In conversation it sounds dramatic.
When someone is angry
别生气了
don’t be angry
Soft and common, often to someone who is angry with you.
你生我的气了吗
are you angry with me?
When a friend goes quiet or answers in one word.
是我不好
it’s my fault
The usual way to take the blame and end a fight.
Common mistakes
Saying 我生气你
生气 already has its object, 气, so it cannot take a person. Put the person in the middle, 别生我的气, “don’t be angry with me,” or say 我对你很生气.
生气 for every small annoyance
生气 is real anger. For a slow queue or a noisy neighbour, say 烦 or 烦死了.
Taking 死 literally
In 气死我了 and 烦死了, 死 means “extremely.” It is normal casual speech, not a dark joke.
A bad delivery
你怎么了？
Liangliang: What’s wrong?
气死我了！外卖又送错了。
Dengdeng: I’m so mad! They got my delivery wrong again.
别生气了，我请你喝奶茶。
Liangliang: Don’t be angry. I’ll buy you a milk tea.
