shēngcí: 生词 - New Word, Vocabulary

• Keywords: shengci, 生词, what does shengci mean, new Chinese words, Chinese vocabulary, learning new words in Chinese, shengci vs cihui, Chinese flashcards, HSK vocabulary, 生词本
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 生词 (shēngcí), one of the most important terms for any student of the Chinese language. 生词 translates to “new word” and is central to the process of building your Chinese vocabulary. This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural significance in Chinese education, and provides numerous practical examples to help you master your HSK vocabulary lists and talk about your learning journey in authentic Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shēngcí
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: A word that is new or unfamiliar to the learner.
• In a Nutshell: “生词” is the term for any word you haven't learned yet. It's the bread and butter of language acquisition. When your teacher introduces the vocabulary for a new lesson, they are introducing the “生词”. When you make flashcards, you are making them for your “生词”. It perfectly captures that specific experience of encountering a word for the very first time. Once you've learned it, it's no longer a “生词” but a part of your “词汇” (cíhuì), or vocabulary.

• 生 (shēng): This character's primary meanings include “to be born,” “to grow,” “life,” and also “raw” or “uncooked.” In this context, it takes on the meaning of “unfamiliar,” “strange,” or “new”—like a person you've never met before (陌生人 - mòshēngrén) or a piece of information that is “raw” to your mind.
• 词 (cí): This character simply means “word” or “term.”
• Combined Meaning: When you put them together, 生词 (shēngcí) literally means “raw word” or “unfamiliar word.” It's a beautifully intuitive combination that describes a word you have not yet “processed” or “mastered.”

The term 生词 (shēngcí) reveals a core aspect of the Chinese approach to education: structured, systematic learning. While Western language pedagogy might sometimes emphasize immersion and communication from day one, the traditional Chinese method places a huge emphasis on the foundational building blocks of language—namely characters and vocabulary. This is best exemplified by the ubiquitous 生词本 (shēngcí běn), or “new word notebook.” Almost every student in China, learning either Chinese or a foreign language, has one. This is a dedicated notebook for meticulously copying new words, their pinyin, and their definitions, often multiple times. This practice of `抄生词 (chāo shēngcí)` - copying new words - is a rite of passage for learners. This contrasts with a more “learn-as-you-go” approach that might be common in the West. The `生词本` represents a belief in diligent, focused effort and the idea that fluency is built upon a strong and consciously-memorized vocabulary base. For a learner, understanding the concept of `生词` isn't just about knowing a word; it's about understanding the cultural mindset of how language is “built” in a Chinese learning context.

`生词` is used constantly in any language learning environment in China.

• In the Classroom: This is its most common habitat. A teacher will start a lesson by saying, “我们先看一下今天的生词” (Wǒmen xiān kàn yīxià jīntiān de shēngcí) - “First, let's look at today's new words.”
• Self-Study: Learners constantly talk about `生词`. You might say to a friend, “这篇文章有很多生词，我看不懂” (Zhè piān wénzhāng yǒu hěnduō shēngcí, wǒ kàn bù dǒng) - “This article has a lot of new words, I can't understand it.”
• Digital Learning: Language learning apps like Pleco, Duolingo, or Anki are essentially digital tools for managing and reviewing your `生词` lists. The “flashcard” function is a modern `生词本`.
• Connotation: The term is completely neutral. It is a simple, factual descriptor. However, the *feeling* associated with it can range from the excitement of learning something new to the frustration of having too many to memorize.

• Example 1:
  • 老师，这个生词是什么意思？
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī, zhège shēngcí shì shénme yìsi?
  • English: Teacher, what does this new word mean?
  • Analysis: A fundamental classroom question. This is one of the first full sentences a beginner should learn.
• Example 2:
  • 今天的课有太多生词了，我记不住。
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de kè yǒu tài duō shēngcí le, wǒ jì bù zhù.
  • English: Today's lesson has too many new words, I can't remember them all.
  • Analysis: A common complaint among language learners, perfectly expressing the feeling of being overwhelmed. The structure “太…了” (tài…le) means “too…”
• Example 3:
  • 你应该准备一个生词本，把不会的词都写下来。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yīnggāi zhǔnbèi yīgè shēngcí běn, bǎ bù huì de cí dōu xiě xiàlái.
  • English: You should prepare a new-word notebook and write down all the words you don't know.
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces the related concept of a `生词本` (shēngcí běn), the physical notebook for vocabulary.
• Example 4:
  • 阅读是积累生词最好的方法之一。
  • Pinyin: Yuèdú shì jīlěi shēngcí zuì hǎo de fāngfǎ zhī yī.
  • English: Reading is one of the best ways to accumulate new vocabulary.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `生词` in a more abstract sense, as the thing one “accumulates” (`积累 jīlěi`) through practice.
• Example 5:
  • 我每天晚上都会复习生词。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān wǎnshàng dūhuì fùxí shēngcí.
  • English: I review my new words every evening.
  • Analysis: This highlights the action associated with `生词`: review (`复习 fùxí`).
• Example 6:
  • 我用手机App来记生词，非常方便。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yòng shǒujī App lái jì shēngcí, fēicháng fāngbiàn.
  • English: I use a phone app to memorize new words, it's very convenient.
  • Analysis: This shows the modern application of managing `生词` using technology. `记 (jì)` here means “to memorize.”
• Example 7:
  • 在看中文电影时，我遇到了好几个生词。
  • Pinyin: Zài kàn Zhōngwén diànyǐng shí, wǒ yù dàole hǎojǐ gè shēngcí.
  • English: While watching a Chinese movie, I encountered quite a few new words.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how `生词` appear in real-world contexts outside the classroom. `遇到 (yùdào)` means “to run into” or “to encounter.”
• Example 8:
  • 课本的每一课后面都有一个生词表。
  • Pinyin: Kèběn de měi yī kè hòumiàn dōu yǒu yīgè shēngcí biǎo.
  • English: At the back of every lesson in the textbook, there is a new-word list.
  • Analysis: Introduces another key term, `生词表 (shēngcí biǎo)`, the vocabulary list provided in learning materials.
• Example 9:
  • 虽然这个词是生词，但我能根据上下文猜出它的意思。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán zhège cí shì shēngcí, dàn wǒ néng gēnjù shàngxiàwén cāi chū tā de yìsi.
  • English: Although this word is a new one for me, I can guess its meaning based on the context.
  • Analysis: This shows a more advanced learning strategy related to `生词`—using context (`上下文 shàngxiàwén`) to guess the meaning.
• Example 10:
  • 当你的生词越来越少的时候，就说明你的中文水平提高了。
  • Pinyin: Dāng nǐ de shēngcí yuèláiyuè shǎo de shíhòu, jiù shuōmíng nǐ de Zhōngwén shuǐpíng tígāole.
  • English: When your new words become fewer and fewer, it means your Chinese level has improved.
  • Analysis: A great motivational sentence that explains the ultimate goal of studying `生词`: to eventually not have any.

The most common point of confusion for learners is distinguishing `生词` from other words related to “vocabulary.”

• `生词 (shēngcí)` vs. `词汇 (cíhuì)`: This is the most critical distinction.
  • `生词` is a new word relative to you. It's a temporary status. Today's `生词` is tomorrow's known word.
  • `词汇 (cíhuì)` is vocabulary in general. It can refer to the entire vocabulary of the Chinese language, or the collection of all the words a person knows.
  • Incorrect: “My Chinese `生词` is very big.” (我的中文生词很大。)
  • Correct: “My Chinese vocabulary is very large.” (我的中文词汇量很大 - Wǒ de Zhōngwén cíhuìliàng hěn dà.) You would say you have a lot of `生词` to learn, but the words you know are your `词汇`.
• `生词 (shēngcí)` vs. `单词 (dāncí)`:
  • `生词` emphasizes the “newness” or “unfamiliarity” of a word.
  • `单词 (dāncí)` means “individual word” and is often used in the context of memorizing items from a list, without the strong implication of newness. You can `背单词 (bèi dāncí)` (memorize words) that include both new words and words you're reviewing. In many casual cases, they can be used similarly, but `生词` is more precise for something you're seeing for the first time.

• 词汇 (cíhuì) - Vocabulary in a general sense; the collection of words one knows. `生词` become part of your `词汇` after you learn them.
• 词汇量 (cíhuìliàng) - Vocabulary size; the quantity of words a person knows. The goal of learning `生词` is to increase this.
• 单词 (dāncí) - A single, individual word. Often used when talking about memorizing words from a list (`背单词`).
• 生词本 (shēngcí běn) - A “new word notebook,” a culturally significant tool for students.
• 词典 (cídiǎn) - Dictionary; the ultimate tool for looking up the meaning of a `生词`.
• 复习 (fùxí) - To review. The necessary action one must take after learning a `生词`.
• 汉字 (hànzì) - Chinese character. The fundamental building block of every `词` (word).
• 句子 (jùzi) - Sentence. The context in which you usually encounter a `生词`.
• 语法 (yǔfǎ) - Grammar. The other pillar of language learning, alongside vocabulary.