How to say “Yes” in Chinese
“Yes” in Chinese is 是。, written in pinyin as Shì.
是。
Shì.
Yes.
When you use it
- As the answer to a question built on 是: 这是你的吗？ (Is this yours?), 你是老师吗？ (Are you a teacher?). Here 是 means 'it is' or 'I am'.
- Also to confirm something someone has just said about themselves or about the situation.
Use 是。 in everyday situations. Greetings, thanks and the small words you use all day.
Other ways people say it
The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.
对。
Duì
Right. / Correct.
The most common way to say 'yes' to a statement in Chinese. When you are unsure which word to use, 对 is the safe one.
是的。
Shì de
Yes, it is.
Softer and less clipped than a bare 是.
对，是的。
Duì, shì de
Yes, that's right.
What usually trips people up
- Chinese has no single word for 'yes'. You answer by repeating the verb from the question: 有吗 → 有, 去吗 → 去, 可以吗 → 可以, 喜欢吗 → 喜欢. A bare 是 to a question that did not use 是 sounds wrong.
- 是 links two nouns: 他是老师 (he is a teacher). It is not used with adjectives — those take 很 instead. 她很漂亮 is right, 她是漂亮 is not. This is one of the most persistent habits carried over from English.
- A bare 是 can sound clipped, even impatient. With someone you have just met, 是的 or 对，是的 carries the same meaning with a softer tone.
What you might hear back
- 好的，给您。Hǎo de, gěi nínOK — here you are.
- 请看一下。Qǐng kàn yí xiàPlease take a look.
- 那没问题。Nà méi wèntíThen there's no problem.
Common questions
- How do you say "Yes" in Chinese?
- "Yes" in Chinese is 是。 — written in pinyin as Shì. It is an everyday phrase you would use in China.
- What does 是。 mean in Chinese?
- 是。 (Shì) means "Yes". Broken down word by word: 是 (shì) means "to be / yes".
- When would you use "Yes" in Chinese?
- As the answer to a question built on 是: 这是你的吗？ (Is this yours?), 你是老师吗？ (Are you a teacher?). Here 是 means 'it is' or 'I am'. Also to confirm something someone has just said about themselves or about the situation.
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