Winter holidays & skiing in Chinese 滑雪度假
huáxuě dùjià
Skiing in Chinese is 滑雪 (huá xuě).
Also searched for as: skiing, ski trip, ski holiday, snowboarding, winter break, ski resort.
Snow, slopes and a lot of falling over. 15 words and phrases for Winter holidays & skiing in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
Skiing in Chinese is 滑雪 (huá xuě), literally 'slide on snow', and it has grown fast in China, with resorts from the hills outside Beijing to the snowy north-east. The first question on the slopes is usually whether you ride 单板 (dān bǎn), a snowboard, or 双板 (shuāng bǎn), skis. These words cover the basics of a winter trip: booking a 教练 (jiào liàn), instructor, taking the 缆车 (lǎn chē), lift, and plenty of 摔跤 (shuāi jiāo), falling over.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 滑雪 | huá xuě | to ski; skiing |
| 单板 | dān bǎn | snowboard; snowboarding |
| 双板 | shuāng bǎn | skis; skiing (as opposed to snowboarding) |
| 滑雪场 | huá xuě chǎng | ski resort |
| 雪道 | xuě dào | ski run; piste |
| 初级道 | chū jí dào | beginner slope; nursery slope |
| 缆车 | lǎn chē | cable car; ski lift |
| 滑雪服 | huá xuě fú | ski suit |
| 雪镜 | xuě jìng | ski goggles |
| 头盔 | tóu kuī | helmet |
| 教练 | jiào liàn | instructor |
| 摔跤 | shuāi jiāo | to fall over |
| 刹车 | shā chē | to brake; to stop |
| 寒假 | hán jià | winter holiday (school) |
| 冰雕 | bīng diāo | ice sculpture |
Usage tips
- In speech 滑雪场 is usually shortened to 雪场 (xuě chǎng), as in 这个雪场人不多 (zhè ge xuě chǎng rén bù duō), this resort isn't busy.
- Runs are usually described by level rather than colour: 初级道 (chū jí dào), beginner, 中级道 (zhōng jí dào), intermediate, and 高级道 (gāo jí dào), advanced.
- Harbin, 哈尔滨 (Hā ěr bīn), is famous for its winter ice and snow festival, 冰雪节 (bīng xuě jié), with huge 冰雕 (bīng diāo), ice sculptures.
Common mistakes
- Reading 刹车 as chà chē; for braking 刹 is shā, while chà is the reading in 刹那 (chà nà), an instant.
- Using 寒假 (hán jià), the school or university winter break, for an adult's ski holiday; say 去滑雪度假 (qù huá xuě dù jià) or 休假 (xiū jià) for time off work.
Mini dialogue
- A你滑单板还是双板？Nǐ huá dān bǎn hái shì shuāng bǎn?Do you snowboard or ski?
- B双板，不过我是第一次滑雪。Shuāng bǎn, bù guò wǒ shì dì yī cì huá xuě.Ski, but it's my first time.
- A那你先在初级道练练，我给你请个教练吧。Nà nǐ xiān zài chū jí dào liàn lian, wǒ gěi nǐ qǐng gè jiào liàn ba.Then practise on the beginner slope first. I'll book you an instructor.
- B好，我连刹车都不会。Hǎo, wǒ lián shā chē dōu bù huì.Good idea. I can't even stop.
- A别担心，刚开始摔跤很正常。记得戴头盔和雪镜。Bié dān xīn, gāng kāi shǐ shuāi jiāo hěn zhèng cháng. Jì de dài tóu kuī hé xuě jìng.Don't worry, falling over is normal at the start. Remember your helmet and goggles.
- B知道了，晚上我们去吃火锅吧！Zhī dào le, wǎn shang wǒ men qù chī huǒ guō ba!Got it. Let's go for hotpot this evening!
Example sentences
- 这是我第一次去滑雪。This is my first time skiing.
- 你滑单板还是双板？Do you snowboard or ski?
- 我觉得双板比较好学。I think skiing is easier to learn.
- 这个滑雪场离北京不远。This ski resort isn't far from Beijing.
- 这里的雪道又长又宽。The runs here are long and wide.
- 你先在初级道练练吧。Practise on the beginner slope first.
- 我们坐缆车上山吧。Let's take the lift up.
- 滑雪服可以在雪场租。You can hire ski suits at the resort.
- 别忘了戴雪镜。Don't forget your goggles.
- 滑雪一定要戴头盔。Always wear a helmet when you ski.
- 我请了一个滑雪教练。I've booked a ski instructor.
- 刚开始学，摔跤很正常。Falling over is normal when you're starting out.
- 救命，我还不会刹车！Help, I can't stop yet!
- 寒假我们去东北玩雪。We're going to the north-east to play in the snow over the winter holiday.
- 哈尔滨的冰雕特别壮观。Harbin's ice sculptures are spectacular.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Winter holidays & skiing speaking island has 8 everyday questions about Winter holidays & skiing to prepare your own answers to.