v.
to perform; to act
表演
to perform; to act
To perform, act, or put on a show; also performance as a noun (表 show/surface + 演 play/act).
Common Usage & Traps
- 看表演 — watch a performance
- 表演节目 — perform an act or number
- 表演魔术 — perform magic
- 一场表演 — one (whole) performance
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做表演表演表演 is already the action. English 'do a performance' pushes you to bolt on 做, but 他表演了魔术 only needs 表演.
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看一个表演看表演 / 看一场表演To count a show, the measure word is 场, not 个. Watching the activity itself needs no counter at all.
When you watch a show, is it 看表演 or 看一个表演 — and why does 看一个表演 sound off?
看表演 needs no measure word; if you count shows, use 场, not 个.
表演 names the whole activity, so 看表演 works like 'watch TV' — no 'a' required. Adding 一个 treats the show like a countable object and instantly marks you as a translator. When you really want to count, the measure word is 场: 一场表演, two shows is 两场表演. So 看一场表演 is fine, but 看一个表演 sounds like a beginner's rough draft.
“因为在那儿可以一边喝茶，一边看表演，看唱歌、跳舞什么的。” (Because there you can drink tea while watching performances like singing, dancing, and so on.)
“因为在那儿可以一边喝茶，一边看表演，看唱歌、跳舞什么的。” (Because there you can drink tea while watching performances like singing, dancing, and so on.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Watching the activity | 看表演 | 看一个表演 |
| Counting one show | 看一场表演 | 看一个表演 |
| Two shows | 两场表演 | 两个表演 |
Can you say 做表演 for 'do a performance'?
No — 表演 is already the verb, so 做表演 sounds like 'do do a show.'
表演 takes its object directly: 表演节目, 表演魔术, 表演舞蹈. Throwing in 做 is like an English speaker saying 'do perform a show.' The only time 做 shows up nearby is when it is doing its own job, as in 做准备 or 做功课. For performing, just let 表演 carry the action.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Perform magic | 表演魔术 | 做表演魔术 |
| Perform an act | 表演节目 | 做表演节目 |
| Perform on stage | 上台表演 | 上台做表演 |
Why do people say 你别表演了 to mean 'stop faking it'?
表演 also means putting on an act, so it doubles as slang for being fake.
表演 started on the stage but slid into daily life as a jab. When someone 表演, they are acting — pretending to be upset, kind, or clueless. So 你别表演了 means 'cut the act,' not 'stop dancing.' You will also see 表演型人格 for a dramatic, showy person. Same word, second life.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| On stage | 她在台上表演 | 她在台上假装 |
| Being fake | 你别表演了 | 你别演出了 |
| Showy person | 表演型人格 | 演出型人格 |
Featured in Story Deep Dive
Follow how this word unfolds across the narrative arc of this graded story.
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.
- Scene #1
因为在那儿可以一边喝茶，一边看 表演 ，看唱歌、跳舞什么的。
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