Beijing Dialect - Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Beijing dialect typically uses many words that are considered slang, and therefore occur much less or not at all in Standard Chinese. Speakers not native to Beijing may have trouble understanding many or most of these. Many of such slang words employ the rhotic suffix -r. Examples include:

• 倍儿 bèir – very, especially (referring to manner or attribute)
• 别价 biéjie – do not; usually followed by 呀 if used as an imperative (Usually used when rejecting a favor or politeness from close friends)
• 搓火儿 cuōhuǒr – to be angry
• 颠儿了 diārle – to leave; to run away
• 二把刀 èrbǎdāo – a person with limited abilities, klutz
• 撒丫子 sayazi – to let go on feet, to go, leave.
• 怂 sóng / 蔫儿 niār – no backbone, spiritless
• 消停 xiāoting – to finally and thankfully become quiet and calm
• 辙 zhé – way (to do something); equivalent to Standard Chinese 办法
• 褶子了 zhezile – ruined (especially things to do)
• 上 shang - often used in place of 去, meaning "to go".
• 搁 ge - often used in place of 放, meaning "to place".

Some Beijing phrases may be somewhat disseminated outside Beijing:

• 抠门儿 kōumér – stingy, miserly (may be used even outside Beijing)
• 劳驾 láojia – "Excuse me"; heard often on public transportation
• 溜达 liūda – to stroll about; equivalent to Standard Chinese 逛街 or 散步

Note that some of the slang are considered to be tuhua (土话), or "base" or "uneducated" language, that are carryovers from an older generation and are no longer used amongst more educated speakers, for example:

• 迄小儿 qíxiǎor – since a young age
• 晕菜 yūncài – to be disoriented

Others may be viewed as neologistic expressions used amongst among younger speakers and in "trendier" circles:

• 爽 shuǎng – cool (in relation to a matter); cf. 酷 (kù) (describes a person)
• 套瓷儿 tàocír – to toss into the hoop; used of basketball
• 小蜜 xiǎomì – special female friend (negative connotation)