Emotions & Feelings in Chinese (A2): 用中文表达你的情绪

Ever want to say “I’m happy!” or “I’m a bit nervous” in Chinese—clearly and naturally? Today you’ll learn the most useful emotion words, easy sentence patterns, and small cultural tips that help your Chinese sound kind and real-world. By the end, you’ll be ready to tell friends how you feel and why.

Core emotion words you’ll use every day

Here are common feelings you can use right away. Say them with 我很… (I’m …), 我有点儿… (I’m a little …), or 太…了 (so …!).

高兴 gāoxìng
happy
形容词
今天我很高兴。
I’m very happy today.
难过 nánguò
sad; upset
形容词
他听到消息以后很难过。
He was sad after hearing the news.
生气 shēngqì
angry
形容词
她有点儿生气。
She is a little angry.
紧张 jǐnzhāng
nervous
形容词
我考试前很紧张。
I’m nervous before exams.
害怕 hàipà
afraid; scared
形容词
我有点儿害怕黑暗。
I’m a little afraid of the dark.
担心 dānxīn
worried
形容词
妈妈担心你太累了。
Mom worries you’re too tired.
兴奋 xīngfèn
excited
形容词
孩子们太兴奋了！
The kids are so excited!
放松 fàngsōng
relaxed
形容词
周末我很放松。
I’m relaxed on weekends.
冷静 lěngjìng
calm; cool-headed
形容词
请冷静一点儿。
Please be a bit calm.
累 lèi
tired
形容词
我下班以后很累。
I’m tired after work.
Mandarin
我很紧张。
I’m nervous.
Mandarin
她很难过。
She is sad.

Softer feelings: 有点儿 + 形容词

Use 有点儿 to mean “a little” for feelings, often with slightly negative or uncomfortable emotions: 有点儿紧张、有点儿担心。有点儿 + 积极情绪也可以，但语气通常不强。

Mandarin
我有点儿担心。
I’m a little worried.
Mandarin
他有点儿生气。
He’s a little angry.

我今天，因为老板表扬我。

Big feelings: 太…了！

When something feels strong, use 太 + adjective + 了. It’s emotional and common in speech.

Mandarin
今天太累了！
I’m so tired today!
Mandarin
小孩们太兴奋了！
The kids are so excited!
🧠 Choose the best way to say it

Explaining feelings: 因为…所以…

Tell people why you feel something with the cause-result pattern 因为…所以… (because… therefore…).

Mandarin
因为今天有考试，所以我有点儿紧张。
Because I have an exam today, I’m a little nervous.
Mandarin
因为下班晚了，所以我很累。
Because I got off work late, I’m very tired.
🔠 Put the words in order

Build 因为 + cause + 所以 + result.

Mandarin
他的电话让我很高兴。
His call made me very happy.
Mandarin
这个新闻让她生气。
This news makes her angry.

这件事让我。

生 give birth; produce 气 air; breath → anger (emotion)
放 release; let go 松 loose → relaxed
冷 cold 静 quiet → calm

Quick conversation practice

Put these lines in the right order to make a natural chat about feelings.

💬 Feeling nervous before a test
我有一点儿很生气。 → 我有点儿生气。 不要在“有点儿”后面再加“很”。用一个程度词就够了。 我太高兴。 → 我太高兴了。 “太…了”常常要加“了”表示情绪强烈/到位。
Mandarin
我不紧张了。
I’m not nervous anymore.
Mandarin
他难过了。
He became sad.

Cultural notes: sounding natural and kind

  • In Chinese, people often soften strong emotions. Instead of saying “我很生气”, you might hear “我有点儿不开心” (I’m a bit not happy). Context and tone matter.
  • It’s common to show care by asking “你还好吗？” or “你怎么了？” and offering comfort: “别担心” (don’t worry), “会好的” (it will be fine), “慢慢来” (take it easy).
  • For happiness, Chinese speakers often share the reason: “我很高兴，因为朋友来了。” It helps the listener connect.
  • Extreme declarations (like “我太爱你了”) are possible, but everyday speech often stays moderate: “我很喜欢你” is more typical in casual contexts.

Try these mini dialogues

Use today’s patterns to speak out loud. Swap words to personalize.

Mandarin
A：你怎么了？ B：我有点儿担心，因为明天要开会。
A: What’s up? B: I’m a little worried because we have a meeting tomorrow.
Mandarin
A：考试怎么样？ B：还好，有点儿紧张，但我准备得不错。
A: How was the exam? B: Not bad, a little nervous, but I prepared well.
Mandarin
A：你今天看起来挺高兴的。 B：嗯，朋友来了，这让我很开心。
A: You look pretty happy today. B: Yeah, my friend came—that makes me happy.

Summary: your emotion toolkit

  • Words: 高兴、难过、生气、紧张、害怕、担心、兴奋、放松、冷静、累
  • Patterns: 我很…；我有点儿…；太…了；因为…所以…；让 + 人 + 感受
  • Helpful comfort phrases: 别担心、慢慢来、会好的 Speak them with natural tone, and add short reasons to connect with people.

Final practice

Say three things about your feelings today:

  1. 我很…
  2. 我有点儿…，因为…
  3. 太…了！ Then write a short chat with a friend using 让 and 因为…所以…。 Keep it simple and smile—你的中文会越来越自然！