关系
relationship; connection; relation
guānxi
What does 关系 mean?
关系 (guānxi) means a 'relationship' or 'connection' between people, things, or ideas. It covers personal relationships (我们关系很好 — we have a good relationship), family or work ties (师生关系 — teacher-student relationship), and abstract logical connections (有关系 — to be related, 没关系 — it doesn't matter / no problem). The 系 is neutral tone (guānxi), and the fixed phrase 没关系 ('no problem / it's okay') is one of the first expressions learners meet.
Culturally, 关系 famously refers to the network of personal connections (guanxi) that smooths business, government, and favors in Chinese society — but in daily speech it's used just as broadly and neutrally as English 'relationship.' Use 关系 for any kind of link; only context tells you whether it means a friendship, a logical relation, or social networking.
Note: In business and political contexts, 关系 carries the famous cultural connotation of personal connections used to get things done. In everyday speech, it just means 'relationship' or 'connection' in any sense.
Character breakdown
to close; pass; barrier; involve
to tie; connect; department (neutral tone here)
Memory hook: 关 'connect / involve' + 系 'tie' — what ties and involves people together: a relationship.
Measure word for 关系
Example sentences
没关系，下次再说。
Méi guānxi, xià cì zài shuō.
It's okay, let's talk about it next time.
spoken
我和他的关系很好。
Wǒ hé tā de guānxi hěn hǎo.
I have a very good relationship with him.
spoken
这件事跟我没有关系。
Zhè jiàn shì gēn wǒ méiyǒu guānxi.
This matter has nothing to do with me.
neutral
他们是什么关系？
Tāmen shì shénme guānxi?
What is the relationship between them?
spoken
Common phrases with 关系
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
关系 appears in 9 podcast episodes at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
联系 means 'contact / connection (in touch)' — as both a verb (我联系你 — I'll contact you) and a noun (保持联系 — keep in touch). 关系 is the static state of being related; 联系 is the act of maintaining contact.
感情 means 'feelings / emotional bond' between people. 关系 describes the structural relationship; 感情 describes the emotional warmth. 我们关系好 (we're on good terms) vs 我们感情好 (we feel close to each other).
Don't confuse 关系 with
FAQ
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire by listening
Hear 关系 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.