Coding & programming in Chinese 编程
biānchéng
Programming in Chinese is 编程 (biān chéng).
Also searched for as: coding, programming, software developer, programmer, learn to code.
Write code, fix bugs, repeat. 15 essential coding & programming words 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.
Programming in Chinese is 编程 (biān chéng), and the person doing it is a 程序员 (chéng xù yuán), though programmers often call themselves 码农 (mǎ nóng), 'code farmers', with a mix of pride and weariness. These words let you talk about work in tech, describe what happens when a program 报错 (bào cuò), throws an error, and join in the jokes about long hours, the 996 schedule and losing your hair. Many English technical terms are used alongside them.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 编程 | biān chéng | programming; coding |
| 写代码 | xiě dài mǎ | to write code |
| 代码 | dài mǎ | code |
| 程序员 | chéng xù yuán | programmer |
| 码农 | mǎ nóng | code monkey (slang for programmer) |
| 编程语言 | biān chéng yǔ yán | programming language |
| 软件 | ruǎn jiàn | software |
| 开发 | kāi fā | to develop |
| 运行 | yùn xíng | to run (a program) |
| 报错 | bào cuò | to throw an error |
| 调试 | tiáo shì | to debug |
| 数据库 | shù jù kù | database |
| 上线 | shàng xiàn | to go live; to launch |
| 996 | jiǔ jiǔ liù | the 996 schedule (9am to 9pm, six days a week) |
| 掉头发 | diào tóu fa | to lose one's hair |
Usage tips
- Chinese developers mix English freely in speech: bug, App and API are usually said in English, so 这个bug我修好了 (zhè ge bug wǒ xiū hǎo le), I've fixed this bug, sounds completely natural.
- 写代码 (xiě dài mǎ) is the everyday verb phrase for what you do at your desk, while 编程 (biān chéng) names the activity or subject, as in 学编程 (xué biān chéng), to learn programming.
- 码农 is self-deprecating, so use it about yourself; when talking about other people, 程序员 (chéng xù yuán) is the polite choice.
Common mistakes
- Reading 调试 as diào shì: for debugging it is tiáo shì, the same tiáo as in 调整 (tiáo zhěng), to adjust; diào is the reading in 调查 (diào chá), to investigate.
- Reading 996 as a whole number, 九百九十六 (jiǔ bǎi jiǔ shí liù); it is read digit by digit as jiǔ jiǔ liù.
- Translating 'go live' word for word; the term is 上线 (shàng xiàn), and taking something offline is 下线 (xià xiàn).
Mini dialogue
- A你怎么还没下班？Nǐ zěn me hái méi xià bān?How come you haven't left work yet?
- B新功能明天上线，可是代码一直报错。Xīn gōng néng míng tiān shàng xiàn, kě shì dài mǎ yī zhí bào cuò.The new feature goes live tomorrow, but the code keeps throwing errors.
- A是数据库的问题吗？Shì shù jù kù de wèn tí ma?Is it a database problem?
- B不知道，我已经调试了一下午了。Bù zhī dào, wǒ yǐ jīng tiáo shì le yī xià wǔ le.No idea. I've been debugging all afternoon.
- A当程序员真不容易，早点儿休息吧。Dāng chéng xù yuán zhēn bù róng yì, zǎo diǎnr xiū xi ba.Being a programmer really isn't easy. Get some rest soon.
- B再这样下去，我要掉头发了。Zài zhè yàng xià qù, wǒ yào diào tóu fa le.If this carries on, my hair's going to fall out.
Example sentences
- 我在网上自学编程。I'm teaching myself to code online.
- 他每天写代码写到半夜。He writes code until midnight every day.
- 你的代码有点儿乱。Your code is a bit messy.
- 我男朋友是程序员。My boyfriend is a programmer.
- 我就是个普通的码农。I'm just an ordinary code monkey.
- 你会哪些编程语言？Which programming languages do you know?
- 我们公司是做软件的。Our company makes software.
- 他在开发一个新的App。He's developing a new app.
- 这段代码运行不了。This code won't run.
- 程序又报错了！The program's thrown an error again!
- 我调试了一下午。I spent the whole afternoon debugging.
- 数据库连不上了。I can't connect to the database.
- 新功能下周上线。The new feature goes live next week.
- 我可不想过996的生活。I really don't want a 996 life.
- 写代码写得我都掉头发了。Coding is making my hair fall out.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Coding & programming speaking island has 8 everyday questions about coding & programming to prepare your own answers to.