无聊

• Pinyin: wú liáo
• Hanzi breakdown: 无 = without; 聊 = 耳 (ear) + 卯 (phonetic component), associated with casual listening or chatting

Meaning

Bored; boring; tedious; having nothing to do.

Describes either the feeling of boredom (I am bored) or the quality of something being uninteresting (this is boring). Also used colloquially to describe someone as being trivial or acting in a pointless way. Very common in everyday speech.

Examples

1. 假期没有安排任何活动，他觉得特别无聊。 He hadn't planned any activities for the holiday and felt terribly bored.
2. 这部电影情节太无聊了，我看到一半就睡着了。 The plot of this film was so boring that I fell asleep halfway through.
3. 别做这种无聊的事，浪费时间。 Don't do such pointless things — it's a waste of time.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, entertainment, feelings

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 我今天好无聊，你有时间陪我聊聊天吗？(I'm so bored today — do you have time to chat with me?)
• 那场演讲实在太无聊了，很多人都走掉了。(That lecture was really boring — many people left.)

Don't Say

• 这个工作无聊。(In a professional context, saying 这个工作无聊 can sound rude or lazy — consider saying 工作内容比较单一 for a more polite expression.)

Origin & History

Compound of 无 (without) and 聊 (to chat idly, to find comfort in something), literally 'without anything to find comfort in' — hence bored or pointless.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal