To swim, float, or drift along a current of water.
To travel, roam, tour, play, or move about freely. Water (氵) carries a child (子) under a waving banner (方) moving along.
游
Common Usage & Traps
- 游泳 — to swim; swimming
- 旅游 — to travel; tourism
- 游来游去 — to swim back and forth
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去游去游泳Bare 游 is not used as a standalone verb for swimming in modern Mandarin; it needs 泳 to form 游泳.
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游水游泳游水 is dialectal or archaic; standard Mandarin uses 游泳.
When should I use 游 instead of 旅游?
游 alone rarely means 'travel'; 旅游 is the normal word for traveling.
游 by itself usually appears in fixed words like 游泳 (swim) or 游玩 (play/amuse oneself). For travel, use 旅游. Do not say 我去游 to mean 'I go traveling.'
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | 游泳 = swim; 旅游 = travel | 游 alone = travel |
| Example | 我去游泳。 / 我去旅游。 | 我去游。 |
| Context | Water activity or tourism | Bare 游 as a verb |
Is 游 the same as 遊?
遊 is a traditional variant; simplified Chinese uses 游 for all meanings.
In simplified Chinese, 游 covers swimming, traveling, and wandering. 遊 appears in traditional Chinese for travel-related meanings, but learners of simplified Chinese should just use 游.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Form | 游 (simplified) | 遊 (traditional) |
| Usage | Use 游 in simplified Chinese | Do not mix 遊 into simplified text |
| Example | 游泳 | 遊泳 (traditional only) |
Appears in Stories 4 stories
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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我有时会去 游泳 。
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最近我每周都 游 两三次，但看电影是我最大的爱好！
Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.
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我在北京 游学 。
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游客 想去喝茶，还要买门票。
Learn the fascinating story behind the Chinese idiom '东山再起' (Dongshan Zaiji), which means to make a comeback. Discover its historical roots and modern usage.
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但谢安不想做官，多次拒绝了朝廷的邀请，就住在会稽的东山（今天的浙江省会稽山），和朋友一起 游玩 。
Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.
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胡之适说，他喜欢 游泳 ，可是鼻子里长了一个东西，水中呼吸不方便。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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