Filler words & sounding natural in Chinese 口头禅
kǒutóuchán
Um in Chinese is 那个 (nà ge).
Also searched for as: um and uh in Chinese, Chinese fillers, nage meaning, how to sound natural in Chinese, verbal tics.
The little words that make you sound like a native. 15 essential filler words & sounding natural 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.
Filler words in Chinese, the little sounds and phrases people use while thinking, are what make speech sound natural rather than textbook. The classic is 那个 (nà ge), used like "um" or "er" and often stretched out as you search for a word. Others include 就是 (jiù shì), "I mean", 然后 (rán hòu), "and then", and 怎么说呢 (zěn me shuō ne), "how should I put it". A person's habitual phrase is their 口头禅 (kǒu tóu chán).
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 那个 | nà ge | um; er (filler); that |
| 嗯 | ǹg | hmm; uh-huh |
| 就是 | jiù shì | I mean; like; it's just that |
| 然后 | rán hòu | and then; so (filler) |
| 怎么说呢 | zěn me shuō ne | how should I put it |
| 其实 | qí shí | actually |
| 反正 | fǎn zhèng | anyway; in any case |
| 对吧 | duì ba | right? |
| 你知道吗 | nǐ zhī dao ma | you know what; did you know |
| 好像 | hǎo xiàng | it seems; kind of |
| 我跟你说 | wǒ gēn nǐ shuō | listen; let me tell you |
| 这样吧 | zhè yàng ba | tell you what; how about this |
| 对对对 | duì duì duì | yes, yes, exactly |
| 是吧 | shì ba | isn't it?; right? |
| 口头禅 | kǒu tóu chán | catchphrase; verbal tic |
Usage tips
- Fillers change with the situation: 那个 (nà ge) and 嗯 (ǹg) buy you time while you think, while 就是 (jiù shì) and 然后 (rán hòu) keep a story moving. Using one or two of them, rather than pausing in silence, makes you sound far more natural.
- 然后呢？ (rán hòu ne?), "and then?", is the classic way to show you're listening and encourage someone to keep telling a story.
- Tag questions like 对吧 (duì ba) and 是吧 (shì ba) at the end of a sentence invite agreement, just like "right?" or "isn't it?", and make you sound relaxed and conversational.
Common mistakes
- Saying 嗯 with a rising tone when you mean "yes": ńg sounds like "huh?" → for agreement, use a short falling ǹg.
- Overusing 然后 in exams or presentations sounds immature → in formal speech, use 接着 (jiē zhe) or 之后 (zhī hòu) to move on.
Mini dialogue
- A你周末去看电影了吗？Nǐ zhōu mò qù kàn diàn yǐng le ma?Did you go and see the film at the weekend?
- B嗯，去了。Ǹg, qù le.Uh-huh, I did.
- A怎么样？好看吗？Zěn me yàng? Hǎo kàn ma?How was it? Any good?
- B怎么说呢……其实还可以，就是有点儿长。Zěn me shuō ne... qí shí hái kě yǐ, jiù shì yǒu diǎnr cháng.How should I put it... actually it was OK, it's just a bit long.
- A然后呢？结局怎么样？Rán hòu ne? Jié jú zěn me yàng?And? How did it end?
- B那个……我中间睡着了。反正我不推荐。Nà ge... wǒ zhōng jiān shuì zháo le. Fǎn zhèng wǒ bù tuī jiàn.Um... I fell asleep halfway through. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend it.
Example sentences
- 那个……我忘了他叫什么。Um... I've forgotten his name.
- 嗯……让我想一想。Hmm... let me think.
- 就是……我觉得有点儿贵。I mean, I think it's a bit pricey.
- 然后呢？他说什么了？And then? What did he say?
- 怎么说呢，他人挺好的。How should I put it... he's a nice guy.
- 其实我也不太清楚。Actually, I'm not too sure either.
- 反正我明天不去。Anyway, I'm not going tomorrow.
- 这家店挺好吃的，对吧？This place is pretty good, right?
- 你知道吗，他要结婚了！You know what? He's getting married!
- 他好像不太高兴。He seems a bit unhappy.
- 我跟你说，这家店特别好吃。Let me tell you, the food here is really good.
- 这样吧，我们明天再说。Tell you what, let's talk about it tomorrow.
- 对对对，就是这个意思。Yes, yes, that's exactly what I mean.
- 今天挺冷的，是吧？It's pretty cold today, isn't it?
- 他的口头禅是“然后”。His verbal tic is "and then".
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Filler words & sounding natural speaking island has 8 everyday questions about filler words & sounding natural to prepare your own answers to.