A wooden crossbar bolting a gate shut. To close, turn off, shut down; a guarded pass or checkpoint; to concern or involve. Two locks (丷) sit on a horizontal bar above a large person (天) blocking the gate.
English speakers say 'close the TV' meaning turn off. In Chinese 关 works for TVs and lights, but for computers 关掉 is more natural.
Direct translation 'close phone' sounds odd in English, but Chinese uses 关 for devices. Adding 掉 or 了 makes it more idiomatic.
关 means 'close/turn off', 开 means 'open/turn on' — they are opposites.
关 (guān) is used for closing or turning off things like doors, lights, and devices. 开 (kāi) is used for opening or turning on. They form a common antonym pair. Remember: 关门 (close door) vs 开门 (open door); 关灯 (turn off light) vs 开灯 (turn on light).
| Dimension | 关 (guān) | 开 (kāi) |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | close / turn off | open / turn on |
| Example | 关门 (close the door) | 开门 (open the door) |
| Example | 关灯 (turn off the light) | 开灯 (turn on the light) |
Use 没关系 to say 'it's okay' or 'it doesn't matter' after someone apologizes.
没关系 (méi guānxi) is a polite response to an apology (like 'sorry'). It literally means 'it has no relation' but functions as 'no problem'. It is very common in daily conversation. Do not use it after thanks; use 不客气 instead.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| After apology | A: 对不起! B: 没关系! | A: 对不起! B: 不客气! (wrong context) |
| After thanks | A: 谢谢你! B: 不客气! | A: 谢谢你! B: 没关系! (wrong context) |
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
我说：“ 没关系 ！
Before you start learning Chinese, master the most important phrases: greetings. This short dialogue shows you how to say hello and goodbye, and how to respond politely.
对不起对 没关系 ！
Everyday greetings are a gateway to natural Chinese. Practice time-based hellos like “早上好” and “晚安,” learn to address teachers with the respectful “您,” and see how families skip formalities to speak warmly at home.
家人、朋友 关系 好，“谢谢”、“您”、“请”太客气，在家说话不客气，可以不说“您和请”。
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