This list brings together 20 Chinese words, running from “Ó / Ò” to “Òuféi.” Most of these entries share the same “ou” sound pattern, ranging from short interjections like “oh” to longer terms covering geography, emotions, and everyday actions. You’ll find words used in casual conversation, formal writing, and even traditional idioms, making this a handy reference for anyone building a broader Mandarin vocabulary.
Chinese words are units of meaning built from one or more characters, each carrying its own pronunciation, tone, and often a visual clue to its meaning. Many words that sound alike in Mandarin, such as the interjections “Ó” and “Ō,” are distinguished only by tone, which is why tone marks matter so much in learning to speak clearly. One interesting example here is “藕断丝连” (ǒuduànsīlián), a four-character idiom that literally means “the lotus root snaps but its fibers stay connected,” used to describe lingering feelings after a breakup.
Below you’ll find the table with the word, English translation, Mandarin spelling, example usage, and description for each entry.
Word: the Chinese word itself, written in Pinyin with tone marks so you can see and say it correctly right away.
English Translation: a short, direct English equivalent that gives you the core meaning of the word at a glance.
Mandarin Spelling: the word written in Chinese characters, letting you recognize it in native text or match it to the Pinyin version.
Example Usage: a full sentence showing the word in context, with Pinyin and an English translation, so you can see how it’s actually spoken.
Description: a fuller explanation of the word’s meaning, tone, and typical use, helping you understand when and how to use it naturally.
Chinese words
| Word | English Translation | Mandarin Spelling | Example Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ó / Ò | Oh | 哦 | 哦，我明白了。(Ó, wǒ míngbái le.) — “Oh, I get it.” |
| Ō | Oh | 噢 | 噢，原来是你啊！(Ō, yuánlái shì nǐ a!) — “Oh, it’s you!” |
| Ōu | Surname Ou / Europe (abbr.) | 欧 | 他姓欧。(Tā xìng Ōu.) — “His surname is Ou.” |
| Ōuzhōu | Europe | 欧洲 | 我明年想去欧洲旅行。(Wǒ míngnián xiǎng qù Ōuzhōu lǚxíng.) — “I want to travel to Europe next year.” |
| Ōuyuán | Euro (currency) | 欧元 | 这件外套要八十欧元。(Zhè jiàn wàitào yào bāshí Ōuyuán.) — “This coat costs eighty euros.” |
| Ōuméng | European Union | 欧盟 | 欧盟有二十七个成员国。(Ōuméng yǒu èrshíqī gè chéngyuánguó.) — “The EU has twenty-seven member states.” |
| Ōu | Gull | 鸥 | 海边飞着很多海鸥。(Hǎibiān fēizhe hěn duō hǎi’ōu.) — “Many gulls are flying by the seaside.” |
| Ōugē | To sing the praises of | 讴歌 | 人们讴歌英雄的事迹。(Rénmen ōugē yīngxióng de shìjì.) — “People sing the praises of the hero’s deeds.” |
| Ōudǎ | To beat up, assault | 殴打 | 他因殴打他人被警察带走。(Tā yīn ōudǎ tārén bèi jǐngchá dàizǒu.) — “He was taken away by police for assaulting someone.” |
| Ǒutù | To vomit | 呕吐 | 他吃坏了肚子，一直呕吐。(Tā chīhuài le dùzi, yìzhí ǒutù.) — “He got food poisoning and kept vomiting.” |
| Ǒuxīnlìxuè | To work one’s heart out (idiom) | 呕心沥血 | 老师为学生呕心沥血。(Lǎoshī wèi xuéshēng ǒuxīnlìxuè.) — “The teacher poured heart and soul into her students.” |
| Ǒu’ěr | Occasionally | 偶尔 | 我偶尔会去健身房。(Wǒ ǒu’ěr huì qù jiànshēnfáng.) — “I occasionally go to the gym.” |
| Ǒurán | Accidental, by chance | 偶然 | 这是一次偶然的相遇。(Zhè shì yí cì ǒurán de xiāngyù.) — “This was a chance encounter.” |
| Ǒuxiàng | Idol | 偶像 | 她是我最喜欢的偶像。(Tā shì wǒ zuì xǐhuān de ǒuxiàng.) — “She is my favorite idol.” |
| Ǒushù | Even number | 偶数 | 四和六都是偶数。(Sì hé liù dōu shì ǒushù.) — “Four and six are both even numbers.” |
| Ǒuhé | Coincidence | 偶合 | 这纯粹是一种偶合。(Zhè chúncuì shì yì zhǒng ǒuhé.) — “This is purely a coincidence.” |
| Ǒu | Lotus root | 藕 | 妈妈炖了一锅藕汤。(Māma dùn le yì guō ǒu tāng.) — “Mom stewed a pot of lotus root soup.” |
| Ǒuduànsīlián | Lingering feelings after a break (idiom) | 藕断丝连 | 虽然分手了，他们还是藕断丝连。(Suīrán fēnshǒu le, tāmen háishì ǒuduànsīlián.) — “Though they broke up, they still have lingering ties.” |
| Òuqì | To sulk, be in a huff | 怄气 | 别再跟我怄气了。(Bié zài gēn wǒ òuqì le.) — “Stop sulking at me.” |
| Òuféi | To compost | 沤肥 | 农民把秸秆沤肥。(Nóngmín bǎ jiēgǎn òuféi.) — “Farmers compost the crop stalks.” |