n.
relation; relationship; connection
关系
v.
to concern; to affect; to involve
relation; relationship; connection
Connection, relationship, or relevance (关 gate/join + 系 link/system); say 没关系 (it doesn't matter) or 人际关系 (interpersonal ties).
Common Usage & Traps
- 关系好 — to be on good terms; to get along well
- 有关系 — to be linked to something; to matter
- 没关系 — no worries; it's fine; doesn't matter
- 跟……有关系 — to have a connection with someone or something
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我关系他很好我跟她关系很好关系 is the thing sitting between two people, not an action you aim at someone. The two sides go first, joined by 跟 or 和.
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这件事关系我这件事跟我有关系Dictionary Chinese does list 关系 as 'to concern,' but that use is bookish and needs 到. Everyday speech keeps it as a noun with 跟...有关系.
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我跟老板有关系我跟老板关系不错Between two specific people, 有关系 drifts toward a secret romantic or sexual tie. If you just mean a work connection, use 关系不错 or 关系好.
Is 没关系 really just the negative of 有关系?
没关系 means 'no worries' — it is not simply the opposite of 有关系.
You say 没关系 when someone apologizes or stresses over small stuff. It means 'it's fine, forget it.' 有关系 is about a real link: 这跟天气有关系 means the weather plays a part. The two almost never function as a clean yes/no pair. And 有关系吗？ can even mean 'is this any of your business?'
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Replying to 对不起 | 没关系。 (No worries.) | 有关系。 (sounds like 'it does matter') |
| Showing a real link | 这事跟他有关系。 | 这事跟他没关系。 (says the opposite) |
| Meaning 'does it matter?' | 这有关系吗？ | Treating 没关系 as its plain negative |
Why is it 我和她关系很好, and never 我关系她很好?
关系 is a noun between two people, not a verb you fire at someone.
The relationship is a thing that exists between two sides, so both sides come first. Hook them together with 跟 or 和: 我跟她关系不错. You can also add 的 to tighten it: 我跟她的关系不错. For a group, just stack the people as the topic and drop a comment on top.
“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”。” (With family and close friends, saying 'thank you', '您', and 'please' feels too formal. At home, we speak casually, so we can skip '您' and 'please'.)
“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”。” (With family and close friends, saying 'thank you', '您', and 'please' feels too formal. At home, we speak casually, so we can skip '您' and 'please'.)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Two people | 我跟她关系不错。 | 我关系她不错。 |
| Adding 的 | 我跟她的关系不错。 | 我跟她不错关系。 |
| Group as topic | 家人、朋友关系好。 | 关系家人、朋友好。 |
If I say 我跟老板有关系, am I just saying we're connected?
Between two people, 有关系 often hints at a secret affair, not a work contact.
With things and events, 有关系 is harmless: 这跟钱有关系 just means money is involved. Put two specific people on either side with no other context, and it starts to sound like gossip. 他们俩有关系 usually hints they are secretly involved, the kind of line dramas and tabloids love. If you mean a friendly or work connection, say 关系好, 关系不错, or 认识.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Talking about work or friends | 我跟老板关系不错。 | 我跟老板有关系。 |
| Gossip meaning | 他们俩有关系。 (secretly involved) | Using it to mean 'we're close' |
| Staying safe with people | 我认识他 / 我们是朋友。 | 我跟他有关系。 (sounds loaded) |
Can you say 这件事关系我 to mean 'this concerns me'?
No — everyday Chinese says 跟我有关系; the verb-flavored 关系到 lives in newsy writing.
Some dictionaries list 关系 as 'to concern' or 'to affect,' but that meaning needs 到 and sounds like a newspaper: 这关系到公司的未来. In daily speech, keep 关系 as a noun and use 跟...有关系. Want to say something affects you? 这跟我有关系 or 这影响到我.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday speech | 这跟我有关系。 | 这关系我。 |
| Newsy writing | 这关系到公司的未来。 | 这关系公司的未来。 |
| As a question | 这跟我有关系吗？ | 这关系我吗？ |
Featured in Story Deep Dive
Follow how this word unfolds across the narrative arc of this graded story.
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.
- Scene #1
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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