The 19th Asian Games take place in Hangzhou on Sep 23. From the names of the sports to Chinese cheering phrases, let’s prepare for one of the largest sport events in the world and expand sports-related Chinese vocabulary.

Asian Games in Hangzhou: Facts

Before we get started, let’s see how to say The 19th Asian Games in Chinese:

第十九届亚洲运动会
Dì Shíjiǔ Jiè Yàzhōu Yùndònghuì
The 19th Asian Games

DATES

杭州亚运会09月23日开始，10月08日结束。
Hángzhōu Yàyùn Huì jiǔ yuè èrshísān rì kāishǐ, shí yuè bā rì jiéshù.
Hangzhou Asian Games will start on Sep 23 and end on Oct 8.

MASCOTS

The mascots of Hangzhou Asian Games are 3 robots called 江南忆 (Jiangnan Yi), Memories of Jiangnan (roughly China’s eastern regions south of the Yangtze River).

NOTE
They were named after a famous line by the Tang Dynasty poet 白居易 (Bái Jūyì), Bai Juyi. The name itself speaks about Hangzhou’s heritage, culture and drive for innovation.

宸宸
Chénchén
Chenchen

琮琮
Cóngcóng
Congcong

莲莲
Liánlián
Lianlian

HANGZHOU STADIUM

44 venues will be used for the Games, and the opening and closing ceremonies will be held in Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium, which is also named by 大莲花 (Dà Liánhuā), “the Big Lotus”.

杭州奥体中心体育馆
Hángzhōu Àotǐ Zhōngxīn Tǐyùguǎn
Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center

Sports-Related Vocabulary

Here are a few basic words for sports-related vocabulary:

运动员
yùndòngyuán
athlete

教练员
jiàoliànyuán
coach

冠军
guànjūn
champion

金牌
jīnpái
gold medal

Names of Sports

The Asian Games would feature 40 sports, including core Olympic sports and non-Olympic competitions.

ESPORTS

The 2022 Asian Games will feature esports medal events and demonstration events in robotics and virtual reality. Games include Arena of Valor, Dota 2, Dream of the Three Kingdoms 2, EA Sports FC, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile, and Street Fighter V.

电子竞技
diànzǐ jìngjì
esports

COMPETITIVE SPORTS

竞技性比赛
jìngjì xìng bǐsài
competitive sports

Chinese athletes have excelled in various competitive sports over the years. China has a strong presence in sports like archery, gymnastics, weightlifting, among others.

射箭
shèjiàn
archery

举重
jǔzhòng
weightlifting

艺术体操
yìshù tǐcāo
rhythmic gymnastics

BALL SPORTS

球类比赛
qiú lèi bǐsài
ball sports

Table tennis is a sport that almost everyone in China knows how to play, and many excel in it. Chinese athletes also perform exceptionally well in various ball sports.

排球
páiqiú
volleyball

羽毛球
yǔmáoqiú
badminton

篮球
lánqiú
basketball

ADVERSARY SPORTS

对抗性比赛
duìkàng xìng bǐsài
adversary sports

China’s strength in adversary sports extends to martial arts such as wushu, which is a traditional Chinese martial art. Athletes consistently perform well in adversary competitions, winning many medals on both national and international levels.

武术
wǔshù
wushu

拳击
quánjī
boxing

柔道
róudào
judo

WATER SPORTS

水上比赛
shuǐshàng bǐsài
water sports

Chinese people are big fans of water sports! The diving competition is a must-watch because the Chinese team has been winning the championships for a long time.

跳水
tiàoshuǐ
diving

龙舟
lóngzhōu
dragon boat

赛艇
sài tǐng
rowing

Cheering Phrases

Engaging with the crowd and supporting teams or athletes is a part of the sports experience. These phrases are commonly heard in Chinese sports events and can be a fun way to join in the excitement of sport competition:

加油!
Jiāyóu!
Go for it!
It’s the most popular phrase used to encourage and cheer on athletes

我们赢了！
Wǒmen yíng le!
We won!
This phrase is used to celebrate a victory

冠军在望！
Guànjūn zài wàng！
The championship is within reach！
This phrase is used to motivate athletes who are close to winning

顶住!
Dǐng zhù!
Hold on!
Phrase to encourage athletes to keep their effort up

Take It Further

Now it’s your turn! Do you like sports?

你最喜欢什么运动?
Nǐ zuì xǐhuan shénme yùndòng?
What’s your favorite sport?
lit. “You-most-like-what-sports”?

Leave your ideas in the comments below or on our WeChat Public Account.

To find out more interesting facts about life in China and Chinese language and culture, check out That’s Mandarin blog.