聊天
to chat; small talk
liáotiān
What does 聊天 mean?
聊天 (liáotiān) means 'to chat' — relaxed, unstructured conversation between friends, family, or acquaintances. Not work talk, not arguments, not formal discussions. The two characters literally mean 'chat about the sky' (聊 'chat' + 天 'sky / heavens'), capturing the idea of free-flowing small talk about anything and nothing. It is a separable verb: 聊聊天 ('chat for a bit'), 聊了一会儿天 ('chatted for a while').
The most common pattern is 跟 someone 聊天 ('chat WITH someone'): 跟朋友聊天 ('chat with friends'). In the internet age, 聊天 also covers online chatting — 网上聊天 ('chat online'), 聊天软件 ('chat app / messaging app'). For English speakers: 聊天 always implies casual, social talk. Don't use it for arguments (吵架), debates (辩论), or business meetings (开会).
Note:
Character breakdown
to chat; pass the time (ear radical 耳 + phonetic)
sky; heavens; day
Memory hook: 聊天 literally 'chat sky' — casual talk that ranges as wide as the sky.
Example sentences
我喜欢跟朋友聊天。
Wǒ xǐhuan gēn péngyou liáotiān.
I like chatting with friends.
spoken
他们聊了一个晚上。
Tāmen liáo le yí ge wǎnshang.
They chatted all evening.
spoken
我们一起喝茶聊天吧。
Wǒmen yìqǐ hē chá liáotiān ba.
Let's drink tea and chat together.
spoken
妈妈每天晚上跟我聊一会儿天。
Māma měi tiān wǎnshang gēn wǒ liáo yí huìr tiān.
Mom chats with me for a bit every evening.
spoken
Common phrases with 聊天
Synonyms
说话 is the general verb 'to speak / talk' — covers any kind of speaking. 聊天 is specifically casual social conversation. Babies 说话; friends 聊天.
谈话 is a more formal 'talk / discussion' — used for serious or topic-focused conversations (a parent-teacher talk, an interview). 聊天 has no agenda and no stakes.
Don't confuse 聊天 with
FAQ
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