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网球 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
网球wǎngqiútennisHSK 3, n, 17 strokes, rank #5252, Medium
网球wǎngqiútennis ballHSK 3, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #5252, Medium
wǎngqiú(wang3qiu2)wang qiu T3
  1. 1tennis
  2. 2tennis ball
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March 24, 2026

网球(網球)wǎngqiú(wang3qiu2)

网球 (wǎngqiú) refers to the sport of tennis, which is played on a court with rackets and a ball. It is a popular recreational and competitive sport worldwide, known for its fast pace and strategic gameplay. In Chinese, it can also refer to the tennis ball itself.

Strokes17Frequency#5252DifficultyMedium
Cultural note

Tennis has gained popularity in China, especially after the success of players like Li Na. This sport is often associated with a healthy lifestyle and social interaction, making it a common choice for leisure activities in urban areas.

Memory tip

Imagine a tennis net (网) stretched across a court, with a bright yellow ball (球) bouncing over it. The sound of the ball hitting the racket is like a 'wang' sound, helping you remember the pronunciation and meaning: 'wang' for net and 'qiu' for ball.

Meanings of 网球

wǎngqiú(wang3qiu2)
1tennis
2tennis ball
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 网球

网球Simplified
網球Traditional
17Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5252Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 网球

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Podcast: 网球

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AI study notes for 网球

Quick Contrast

羽毛球 (yǔmáoqiú) refers to badminton, a different racket sport played with a shuttlecock; choose 网球 when specifically discussing tennis.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tones when pronouncing 网球; the first character has a third tone and the second a second tone. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as discussing sports or making plans to play. Common collocations include phrases like '打网球' (dǎ wǎngqiú - to play tennis).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 网球 connects with other sports-related vocabulary. Focus on using it in different contexts, such as asking about playing tennis or discussing your favorite players. Practice combining it with verbs like '打' (to play) or '看' (to watch).

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse the tones, saying 'wáng qiú' instead of 'wǎng qiú'. Remember that the first character 网 has a third tone. Additionally, using '个' as a measure word instead of '球' can lead to confusion; it should be '一球' (yī qiú - one tennis ball).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 网球

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Component characters

网wǎngnet
HSK 66 strokes网
View full entry
球qiúball
HSK 211 strokes王
View full entry

How to say tennis in Chinese

“tennis” in Chinese is网球wǎngqiú

网球 (wǎngqiú) refers to the sport of tennis, which is played on a court with rackets and a ball. It is a popular recreational and competitive sport worldwide, known for its fast pace and strategic gameplay. In Chinese, it can also refer to the tennis ball itself.

When to use 网球

Be careful with the tones when pronouncing 网球; the first character has a third tone and the second a second tone. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, such as discussing sports or making plans to play. Common collocations include phrases like '打网球' (dǎ wǎngqiú - to play tennis).

网球 or something close to it

羽毛球 (yǔmáoqiú) refers to badminton, a different racket sport played with a shuttlecock; choose 网球 when specifically discussing tennis.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse the tones, saying 'wáng qiú' instead of 'wǎng qiú'. Remember that the first character 网 has a third tone. Additionally, using '个' as a measure word instead of '球' can lead to confusion; it should be '一球' (yī qiú - one tennis ball).

Write 网球

网
球

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Grammar patterns of 网球

网球 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

现在,____明星的随行人员中有些是心理培训师。

Mind trainers are now part of a tennis star's retinue.

Example sentences for 网球 (18)

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1
现在,网球明星的随行人员中有些是心理培训师。

xiànzài, wǎngqiú míngxīng de suí xíngrén yuán zhōng yǒuxiē shì xīnlǐ péixùn Shī。

Mind trainers are now part of a tennis star's retinue.
2
这位网球明星与他的奥地利教练分道扬镳。

zhè wèi wǎngqiú míngxīng yǔ tā de ào dì lì jiàoliàn fēn dào yáng biāo。

The tennis star has parted company with his Austrian trainer.
3
为了在休赛期间保持状态,我常打网球或踢足球。

wèile zài Xiū sài qījiān bǎochí zhuàngtài, wǒ cháng dǎ wǎngqiú huò tī zúqiú。

To stay fit off season, I play tennis or football.
4
草地网球协会暂停了卡斯尔先生在英国队的职务。

cǎodì wǎngqiú xiéhuì zàntíng le kǎ Sī ěr xiānsheng zài Yīng guó duì de zhíwù。

The Lawn Tennis Association suspended Mr Castle from the British team.
5
试试网球、羽毛球或帆板运动吧。总之,只要是有挑战性的。

shì shì wǎngqiú、 yǔmáoqiú huò fān bǎn yùndòng ba。 zǒngzhī, zhǐyào shì yǒu tiǎozhàn xìng de。

Try tennis, badminton or windsurfing. In short, anything challenging.
6
我好几个小时都在机械地往墙上打网球。

wǒ hǎo jǐ gè xiǎoshí dōu zài jīxiè dì wǎng qiáng shàng dǎ wǎngqiú。

I spent many hours mindlessly banging a tennis ball against the wall.
7
玛吉打得一手好网球。

mǎ jí dǎ de yìshǒu hǎo wǎngqiú。

Marge played a mean game of tennis.
8
打好网球的重要原则是眼要紧盯着球。

dǎ hǎo wǎngqiú de zhòngyào yuánzé shì yǎn yàojǐn dīng zhe qiú。

The golden rule in tennis is to keep your eye on the ball.
9
“说实话,我的网球基本上属于业余水平,”他承认说。

“ shuōshíhuà, wǒ de wǎngqiú jīběnshàng shǔyú yèyú shuǐpíng,” tā chéngrèn shuō。

"Actually, most of my tennis is at club level," he admitted.
10
我们当然想为英国网球挽回一些尊严。

wǒmen dāngrán xiǎng wèi Yīng guó wǎngqiú wǎnhuí yìxiē zūnyán。

We definitely wanted to salvage some pride for British tennis.
11
我周末喜欢和朋友一起打网球。

Wǒ zhōumò xǐhuān hé péngyǒu yīqǐ dǎ wǎngqiú.

I like to play tennis with my friends on the weekend.
12
你会打网球吗?

Nǐ huì dǎ wǎngqiú ma?

Do you know how to play tennis?
13
他每天都练习两个小时的网球。

Tā měitiān dōu liànxí liǎng gè xiǎoshí de wǎngqiú.

He practices tennis for two hours every day.
14
我妹妹正在学习打网球。

Wǒ mèimei zhèngzài xuéxí dǎ wǎngqiú.

My sister is learning to play tennis.
15
我周末喜欢和朋友一起打网球。

Wǒ zhōumò xǐhuān hé péngyǒu yīqǐ dǎ wǎngqiú.

I like to play tennis with my friends on the weekend.
16
你会打网球吗?

Nǐ huì dǎ wǎngqiú ma?

Do you know how to play tennis?
17
他每天都练习两个小时的网球。

Tā měitiān dōu liànxí liǎng gè xiǎoshí de wǎngqiú.

He practices tennis for two hours every day.
18
我妹妹正在学习打网球。

Wǒ mèimei zhèngzài xuéxí dǎ wǎngqiú.

My sister is learning to play tennis.

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Cultural Notes for 网球

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While tennis is popular in both China and the West, the approach to sports culture can differ; in China, sports often emphasize collective achievement, whereas in Western cultures, individual success can be more highlighted.

Frequently asked questions about 网球

You can say '我想打网球' (wǒ xiǎng dǎ wǎngqiú).

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