HSK Guide

聊天 liáotiān — to chat, to make conversation

liáotiān (second tone, rising)liao2tian1

to chat, to make conversation

HSK 3· HSK 1–4 (classic)verb
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Meanings

  1. to chat, to make conversation

    Talk for its own sake, with no business to settle. It is a two-part verb — 聊 to chat plus 天 the day — so anything that measures the chatting goes inside it: 聊了一会儿天, 聊聊天.

    verb

Character breakdown

  • 天
    tiān (first tone, high and level)

    sky, heaven; day; weather (天气)

    4 strokes⿱一大Radical 大

Example sentences

  • 晚上他喜欢跟朋友聊天。晚上他喜歡跟朋友聊天。Wǎnshang (third tone, dipping) tā (first tone, high and level) xǐhuan (third tone, dipping) gēn (first tone, high and level) péngyou (second tone, rising) liáotiān. (second tone, rising)···

    In the evening he likes chatting with friends.

  • 我们聊了一会儿天。我們聊了一會兒天。Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) liáole (second tone, rising) yíhuìr (second tone, rising) tiān. (first tone, high and level)···

    We chatted for a while.

Common mistakes

  • Not quite我们聊天了一个小时。

    Correct我们聊了一个小时天。

    聊天 splits. 了 and the length of time slot in after 聊, leaving 天 at the end — the same thing happens to 睡觉, 结婚, 上课 and every other verb-object pair.

Similar words

Words containing 天