我的钱包丢了
wǒ de qiánbāo diū le
I lost my wallet
How to say "Watch out!" in Chinese
小心！
xiǎoxīn!
Watch out!
Character breakdown
小
small
xiǎo
心
heart
xīn
Grammar and structure
小心 is a compound word: 小 (small) + 心 (heart), together meaning "be careful" or "take care." It's a fixed expression used as a warning or caution.
Variations and politeness
小心点
xiǎo xīn diǎn
Be a bit careful. — More casual and colloquial.
注意安全
zhùyì ānquán
Pay attention to safety. — More formal and used in official or written contexts.
Mini dialogue
A
小心！
xiǎoxīn!
Watch out!
B
我知道了，谢谢！
wǒ zhīdàole, xièxiè!
I got it, thanks!
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you need to alert someone to immediate physical danger, like an approaching car or a wet floor.
- When you want to warn someone quickly and urgently; it's short and direct.
- When speaking to friends, family, or strangers in an emergency situation.
Avoid when
- When giving general advice or a mild caution; use 小心一点 (xiǎoxīn yìdiǎn) or 请小心 (qǐng xiǎoxīn) instead.
- When the situation is not urgent; shouting 小心！ in a calm setting may sound overly dramatic.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "watch out" in Chinese?
You say 小心！ (xiǎoxīn!). It literally means "small heart" but is used as a warning.
When do you use 小心！?
Use it to warn someone of immediate danger, like a car coming or a slippery floor. For general caution, say 小心一点 (xiǎoxīn yìdiǎn).
More phrases for this situation
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