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HSK 3

舒服

comfortable; feeling well

adjectiveneutral
shū1st tone
2nd tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
shūfu
Part of speech
adjective
Level
HSK 3
Strokes
20
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 舒服

舒服 is written with 20 strokes (: 12, : 8). The animation replays automatically.

What does 舒服 mean?

舒服 (shūfu) is an adjective meaning 'comfortable' — but it covers more ground than English 'comfortable.'

It describes physical comfort (a soft chair, a warm bath), bodily wellness (feeling good in your skin), and even emotional ease (a relaxed atmosphere). Crucially, 不舒服 (bù shūfu) is the standard everyday way to say 'I don't feel well / I'm a bit sick' — you tell your boss 我今天有点不舒服 instead of 我生病了, because it sounds softer.

Native speakers also use 舒服 for things like clothes that feel good on the body, music that's pleasant to listen to, or weather that's just right. English speakers should resist translating it as 'happy' — 舒服 is about ease and absence of friction, not joy.

Note: Note the negative 不舒服 specifically means 'feeling unwell / under the weather,' not just 'uncomfortable.' It's the standard polite way to say you're sick.

Character by character

shūto stretch out; relax
+
to obey; clothing
=
舒服

Memory hook: 舒 means 'stretch out' and 服 evokes loose clothing — together they paint the image of 'relaxed and well-fitting': comfortable.

Example sentences

这个沙发很舒服。

Zhège shāfā hěn shūfu.

This sofa is very comfortable.

spoken

我今天有点不舒服。

Wǒ jīntiān yǒudiǎn bù shūfu.

I'm feeling a bit off today.

spoken

你哪里不舒服?

Nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?

Where does it hurt? / What's wrong with you?

spoken

天气不冷不热,很舒服。

Tiānqì bù lěng bú rè, hěn shūfu.

The weather isn't cold or hot — really pleasant.

neutral

穿这件衣服很舒服。

Chuān zhè jiàn yīfu hěn shūfu.

Wearing this shirt feels really comfortable.

spoken

Common phrases with 舒服

不舒服bù shūfufeel unwell
很舒服hěn shūfuvery comfortable
舒舒服服shūshufūfūnice and comfortable (intensified)
感觉舒服gǎnjué shūfufeel comfortable
哪里不舒服nǎlǐ bù shūfuwhere does it hurt? (doctor's question)

Synonyms

舒适shūshì

舒适 is more written and formal — used for product descriptions, hotel reviews, environments. 舒服 is the everyday spoken word and also describes how your body feels.

自在zìzài

自在 means 'at ease / free of pressure,' more about mental and social comfort. 舒服 leans physical: a soft bed is 舒服, not 自在.

Don't confuse 舒服 with

幸福xìngfú

幸福 means 'happy / blessed' in a deep, life-level sense (a happy marriage, a happy life). 舒服 is sensory comfort, not happiness.

高兴gāoxìng

高兴 is 'happy / pleased' about something specific. 舒服 is about physical or atmospheric comfort, not emotion.

FAQ

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