qiǎokèlì: 巧克力 - Chocolate

• Keywords: chocolate in Chinese, how to say chocolate in Mandarin, qiaokeli, 巧克力 pinyin, Chinese chocolate, chocolate characters, HSK 3 vocabulary, Chinese food words, loanwords in Chinese
• Summary: Learn how to say and write “chocolate” in Mandarin Chinese with the word 巧克力 (qiǎokèlì). This page breaks down this essential HSK 3 vocabulary term, explaining its origin as a phonetic loanword, its cultural significance as a modern gift in China, and how to use it in everyday conversation. Discover practical examples, common types like dark and milk chocolate, and related terms for a complete understanding.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): qiǎo kè lì
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: Chocolate; a sweet, brown food preparation made from roasted and ground cacao seeds.
• In a Nutshell: 巧克力 (qiǎokèlì) is the direct and universal word for “chocolate” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a classic example of a loanword, where the Chinese characters were chosen specifically to imitate the sound of the English word “chocolate.” It can refer to a chocolate bar, chocolate cake, hot chocolate, or anything chocolate-flavored.

• 巧 (qiǎo): This character typically means “skillful,” “clever,” or “coincidental.” In this word, it is used purely for its sound, mimicking the “cho-” sound in chocolate.
• 克 (kè): This character can mean “to overcome,” “to restrain,” or serve as a unit of mass, “gram.” Here, it phonetically represents the “-co-” sound.
• 力 (lì): This character means “power,” “strength,” or “force.” It was chosen to approximate the “-late” or “-li” sound at the end of the word.

These three characters were combined not for their individual meanings, but because their pronunciations together—qiǎo kè lì—create a close phonetic approximation of the English word “chocolate.” This is a very common way that foreign concepts and brand names are adopted into Chinese.

While sweets have a long history in China, chocolate is a relatively recent and popular import from the West. Its cultural significance is therefore modern and heavily influenced by global trends. The most prominent role of 巧克力 in Chinese culture is as a gift, particularly in a romantic context. It is the quintessential gift for Valentine's Day (情人节 - Qíngrénjié) and the modern-day celebration of the Qixi Festival (七夕节 - Qīxījié), which is often called Chinese Valentine's Day. Brands like Dove (德芙 - Dévú) and Ferrero Rocher (费列罗 - Fèilièluó) have built massive marketing campaigns around themes of love, romance, and luxury. This contrasts with more traditional Chinese gifts. For example, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, people exchange mooncakes (月饼 - yuèbǐng), which symbolize family reunion and harmony. Chocolate, on the other hand, represents modern romance, individual affection, and a touch of Western indulgence. Giving a box of beautifully packaged chocolates is seen as a thoughtful, modern, and often romantic gesture.

巧克力 is a common word used in daily life across various situations.

• As a Snack or Dessert: It's used to refer to the food itself. You can buy it in any convenience store or supermarket.
  • “I want to buy a bar of chocolate.” (我想买一块巧克力。)
• As a Flavor: It is frequently used as an adjective to describe the flavor of other foods.
  • 巧克力蛋糕 (qiǎokèlì dàngāo) - Chocolate cake
  • 巧克力冰淇淋 (qiǎokèlì bīngqílín) - Chocolate ice cream
  • 巧克力牛奶 (qiǎokèlì niúnǎi) - Chocolate milk
• As a Gift: The phrase “to give chocolate” (送巧克力 - sòng qiǎokèlì) is very common, especially around holidays. The context determines the meaning—it can be a romantic gesture, a friendly thank-you, or a simple treat for a child. Its connotation is almost always positive and pleasant.

• Example 1:
  • 我最喜欢吃巧克力了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī qiǎokèlì le.
  • English: I like to eat chocolate the most.
  • Analysis: A simple statement of preference. The particle “了 (le)” at the end adds a tone of enthusiasm.
• Example 2:
  • 你想来点巧克力冰淇淋吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiǎng lái diǎn qiǎokèlì bīngqílín ma?
  • English: Would you like some chocolate ice cream?
  • Analysis: Here, 巧克力 functions as an adjective describing the flavor of the ice cream (冰淇淋). “来点 (lái diǎn)” is a casual way to say “have some.”
• Example 3:
  • 这盒巧克力是送给你的礼物。
  • Pinyin: Zhè hé qiǎokèlì shì sòng gěi nǐ de lǐwù.
  • English: This box of chocolates is a gift for you.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the use of a measure word. “盒 (hé)” means “box,” so “一盒巧克力 (yì hé qiǎokèlì)” is “a box of chocolates.”
• Example 4:
  • 天冷了，喝一杯热巧克力很舒服。
  • Pinyin: Tiān lěng le, hē yì bēi rè qiǎokèlì hěn shūfu.
  • English: It's getting cold; drinking a cup of hot chocolate is very comforting.
  • Analysis: “热巧克力 (rè qiǎokèlì)” is the direct term for “hot chocolate.”
• Example 5:
  • 我觉得黑巧克力比牛奶巧克力更好吃。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ juédé hēi qiǎokèlì bǐ niúnǎi qiǎokèlì gèng hǎochī.
  • English: I think dark chocolate is more delicious than milk chocolate.
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces specific types: “黑巧克力 (hēi qiǎokèlì)” for dark chocolate and “牛奶巧克力 (niúnǎi qiǎokèlì)” for milk chocolate. The “比 (bǐ)” structure is used for comparison.
• Example 6:
  • 很多女孩子情人节都希望收到巧克力。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō nǚháizi Qíngrénjié dōu xīwàng shōudào qiǎokèlì.
  • English: Many girls hope to receive chocolate on Valentine's Day.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly links chocolate to its cultural role as a romantic gift on Valentine's Day (情人节).
• Example 7:
  • 这个蛋糕有浓浓的巧克力味。
  • Pinyin: Zhège dàngāo yǒu nóngnóng de qiǎokèlì wèi.
  • English: This cake has a rich chocolate flavor.
  • Analysis: The word “味 (wèi)” means “flavor” or “taste.” “浓浓的 (nóngnóng de)” means “rich” or “strong.”
• Example 8:
  • 别让小狗吃巧克力，对它有毒。
  • Pinyin: Bié ràng xiǎo gǒu chī qiǎokèlì, duì tā yǒu dú.
  • English: Don't let the puppy eat chocolate, it's poisonous for it.
  • Analysis: A practical warning. “别让 (bié ràng)” means “don't let,” and “对…有毒 (duì…yǒu dú)” means “is poisonous to…”
• Example 9:
  • 我在超市买了一块巧克力。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài chāoshì mǎi le yí kuài qiǎokèlì.
  • English: I bought a bar of chocolate at the supermarket.
  • Analysis: “块 (kuài)” is the most common measure word for a bar or piece of chocolate.
• Example 10:
  • 这种瑞士巧克力价格不便宜。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng Ruìshì qiǎokèlì jiàgé bù piányi.
  • English: This kind of Swiss chocolate is not cheap.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how to specify the origin of the chocolate, in this case, “瑞士 (Ruìshì)” for Swiss.

• Don't Analyze the Characters for Meaning: The biggest mistake for learners is trying to understand 巧克力 by its character meanings (“clever-overcome-strength”). This will only lead to confusion. It's crucial to recognize it as a phonetic loanword where sound is king and the original meanings are irrelevant.
• Pronunciation: Pay attention to the tones: qiǎo (3rd) kè (4th) lì (4th). A rising-then-falling tone followed by two sharp falling tones. Incorrect tones might make the word difficult to understand.
• Measure Words: While you can just say “巧克力,” in specific contexts, using the correct measure word is more natural. Use “一块 (yí kuài)” for a piece or bar, and “一盒 (yì hé)” for a box.

• 糖果 (tángguǒ): Candy; sweets. This is the broader category that chocolate belongs to.
• 甜点 (tiándiǎn): Dessert. Another general category where you would find chocolate items.
• 蛋糕 (dàngāo): Cake. A common dessert that is often chocolate-flavored (巧克力蛋糕).
• 冰淇淋 (bīngqílín): Ice cream. Another popular dessert that frequently comes in a chocolate flavor.
• 可可 (kěkě): Cocoa/Cacao. The raw ingredient from which chocolate is made. This is also a phonetic loanword.
• 礼物 (lǐwù): Gift; present. Chocolate is a very common type of 礼物.
• 情人节 (qíngrénjié): Valentine's Day. The holiday most strongly associated with giving and receiving chocolate in China.
• 黑巧克力 (hēi qiǎokèlì): Dark chocolate. A specific type, literally “black chocolate.”
• 牛奶巧克力 (niúnǎi qiǎokèlì): Milk chocolate. A specific type, literally “milk chocolate.”
• 白巧克力 (bái qiǎokèlì): White chocolate. A specific type, literally “white chocolate.”