Running in Chinese 跑步
pǎobù
Running in Chinese is 跑步 (pǎo bù).
Also searched for as: run in Chinese, jogging in Chinese, going for a run, running terms.
Lace up: pace, kilometres and that post-run stretch. 15 essential running 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.
The word for running in Chinese is 跑步 (pǎo bù), and going for a gentle jog is 慢跑 (màn pǎo). Running is a big hobby in Chinese cities, with people joining a 跑团 (pǎo tuán, running club), tracking their 配速 (pèi sù, pace) on apps and signing up for marathons. These words let you talk training, swap routes and complain properly when you 跑不动了 (pǎo bù dòng le), can't run any further.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 跑步 | pǎo bù | to run; running |
| 慢跑 | màn pǎo | to jog; jogging |
| 晨跑 | chén pǎo | morning run |
| 夜跑 | yè pǎo | night run |
| 公里 | gōng lǐ | kilometre |
| 配速 | pèi sù | pace |
| 跑鞋 | pǎo xié | running shoes |
| 跑步机 | pǎo bù jī | treadmill |
| 热身 | rè shēn | to warm up |
| 拉伸 | lā shēn | to stretch |
| 跑不动了 | pǎo bu dòng le | can't run any more |
| 喘不过气 | chuǎn bu guò qì | out of breath |
| 跑团 | pǎo tuán | running club |
| 半马 | bàn mǎ | half marathon |
| 坚持 | jiān chí | to keep at it; stick with it |
Usage tips
- Time-of-day compounds are handy: 晨跑 (chén pǎo) is a morning run and 夜跑 (yè pǎo) an evening run, so 我习惯夜跑 (wǒ xí guàn yè pǎo) means you usually run after dark.
- 配速 (pèi sù) is given per kilometre, so 配速六分钟 (pèi sù liù fēn zhōng) means six minutes per kilometre; 半马 (bàn mǎ) is a half marathon and 全马 (quán mǎ) a full one.
- Distances are usually in 公里 (gōng lǐ, kilometres), but in casual speech people also use 里 (lǐ), which is half a kilometre, so check which one someone means.
Common mistakes
- Using 伸展 (shēn zhǎn) for stretching after a run → the everyday word is 拉伸 (lā shēn), as in 跑完要拉伸 (pǎo wán yào lā shēn).
- Saying 我没有气 (wǒ méi yǒu qì) for 'I'm out of breath' → say 喘不过气 (chuǎn bù guò qì) or 我喘不过气来了 (wǒ chuǎn bù guò qì lái le).
Mini dialogue
- A你每天都去跑步吗？Nǐ měi tiān dōu qù pǎo bù ma?Do you go running every day?
- B对，我喜欢晨跑，一般跑五公里。Duì, wǒ xǐ huan chén pǎo, yī bān pǎo wǔ gōng lǐ.Yes, I like morning runs, I usually do five kilometres.
- A你的配速是多少？Nǐ de pèi sù shì duō shao?What's your pace?
- B六分钟左右。你要不要加入我们的跑团？Liù fēn zhōng zuǒ yòu. Nǐ yào bù yào jiā rù wǒ men de pǎo tuán?About six minutes a kilometre. Do you want to join our running club?
- A我跑两公里就跑不动了。Wǒ pǎo liǎng gōng lǐ jiù pǎo bù dòng le.I can't run any more after two kilometres.
- B没关系，慢慢来，最重要的是坚持。Méi guān xi, màn màn lái, zuì zhòng yào de shì jiān chí.Don't worry, take it slowly. The main thing is sticking with it.
Example sentences
- 我每天早上去跑步。I go running every morning.
- 我们去公园慢跑吧。Let's go jogging in the park.
- 晨跑让我一整天都有精神。A morning run keeps me energised all day.
- 下班以后我喜欢夜跑。I like going for a run in the evening after work.
- 今天我跑了十公里。I ran ten kilometres today.
- 你的配速是多少？What's your pace?
- 我想买一双新跑鞋。I want to buy a new pair of running shoes.
- 下雨天我就用跑步机。When it rains I use the treadmill.
- 跑之前先热身一下。Warm up a bit before you run.
- 跑完一定要拉伸。Always stretch after a run.
- 我真的跑不动了！I really can't run any further!
- 跑得太快，喘不过气了。I ran too fast and now I'm out of breath.
- 我加入了一个跑团。I've joined a running club.
- 我明年想跑个半马。I want to run a half marathon next year.
- 跑步最重要的是坚持。The most important thing in running is sticking with it.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Running speaking island has 8 everyday questions about running to prepare your own answers to.