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消遣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
消遣xiāoqiǎnto while the time awayHSK 7, unknown, 23 strokes, rank #10131, Very Hard
消遣xiāoqiǎnamusementHSK 7, unknown, 23 strokes, rank #10131, Very Hard
消遣xiāoqiǎnpastimeHSK 7, unknown, 23 strokes, rank #10131, Very Hard
消遣xiāoqiǎnrecreationHSK 7, unknown, 23 strokes, rank #10131, Very Hard
消遣xiāoqiǎnto make sport ofHSK 7, unknown, 23 strokes, rank #10131, Very Hard
xiāoqiǎn(xiao1qian3) T1
  1. 1to while the time away
  2. 2amusement
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

消遣xiāoqiǎn(xiao1qian3)

消遣 refers to activities or pastimes that help to pass the time and provide amusement. Commonly used in contexts related to leisure, it conveys a sense of engaging in enjoyable activities to relieve boredom or stress.

Strokes23Frequency#10131DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, leisure activities are often seen as essential for maintaining balance in life, reflecting the Confucian value of harmony. Popular pastimes may include playing mahjong, engaging in tai chi, or enjoying tea with friends.

Memory Tip

Think of 消 (xiāo) as 'to eliminate' and 遣 (qiǎn) as 'to send off.' Together, imagine you’re eliminating boredom by sending off your time with fun activities. Picture yourself tossing away your worries with a joyful pastime.

Meanings of 消遣

xiāoqiǎn(xiao1qian3)
1to while the time away
2amusement
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About 消遣

消遣Simplified
23Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 消遣

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Podcast: 消遣

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AI Study Notes for 消遣

Quick Contrast

消磨 (xiāomó, to wear away time) is chosen over 消遣 when emphasizing the act of simply passing time without necessarily implying enjoyment.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context in which you use 消遣, as it can imply casual or light-hearted activities. It is more informal and often used in conversational settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with more serious forms of entertainment, such as 'entertainment' (娱乐, yúlè).

HSK Study Tips

While 消遣 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it relates to leisure activities, which may be encountered in HSK Level 3 and above when discussing hobbies or free time. Focus on its usage in casual conversation and how it pairs with verbs like 'to do' (做, zuò).

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 消遣 when they mean to talk about serious forms of entertainment, such as movies or concerts. For example, saying '我去消遣听音乐会' (I went to while away time listening to a concert) is incorrect; a better choice would be '我去听音乐会' (I went to the concert).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 消遣

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Component Characters

消xiāoto disappear
HSK 710 strokes氵
View full entry
遣qiǎndispatch
13 strokes辶
View full entry

How to say to while the time away in Chinese

“to while the time away” in Chinese is消遣xiāoqiǎn

消遣 refers to activities or pastimes that help to pass the time and provide amusement. Commonly used in contexts related to leisure, it conveys a sense of engaging in enjoyable activities to relieve boredom or stress.

When to use 消遣

Be mindful of the context in which you use 消遣, as it can imply casual or light-hearted activities. It is more informal and often used in conversational settings. A common mistake is to confuse it with more serious forms of entertainment, such as 'entertainment' (娱乐, yúlè).

消遣 or something close to it

消磨 (xiāomó, to wear away time) is chosen over 消遣 when emphasizing the act of simply passing time without necessarily implying enjoyment.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 消遣 when they mean to talk about serious forms of entertainment, such as movies or concerts. For example, saying '我去消遣听音乐会' (I went to while away time listening to a concert) is incorrect; a better choice would be '我去听音乐会' (I went to the concert).

Write 消遣

消
遣

Practice writing 消遣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 消遣

It means to engage in activities that help to pass the time and provide amusement.

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