xíguàn: 习惯 - Habit, Custom, To Be Used To

• Keywords: 习惯, xiguan, xíguàn, Chinese for habit, Chinese for custom, get used to in Chinese, form a habit in Chinese, adapt in Chinese, bad habit, good habit, 养成习惯, 坏习惯, 好习惯
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word 习惯 (xíguàn), a versatile term that means both “habit” or “custom” (noun) and “to be used to” or “to get accustomed to” (verb). This guide explores how to talk about good and bad habits, adapting to new environments like life in China, and the cultural importance of cultivating positive routines. Master 习惯 (xíguàn) to express everything from your daily coffee ritual to adjusting to new cultural norms.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xí guàn
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A regular tendency or practice (a habit/custom); or, the state of being accustomed to something.
• In a Nutshell: 习惯 (xíguàn) is your go-to word for routines and adaptation. As a noun, it's the “habit” itself, like a morning jog or biting your nails. As a verb, it describes the feeling of being “used to” something, whether it's the spicy food in Sichuan or the bustling city life in Shanghai. It's a fundamental concept for discussing daily life, personal growth, and cultural adjustment.

• 习 (xí): This character is a pictogram. The top part (羽) represents wings, and the bottom part (白) originally represented the sun or a starting point. Together, they depict a young bird practicing flying from its nest—repeatedly flapping its wings. Therefore, 习 (xí) means “to practice” or “to study” through repetition.
• 惯 (guàn): This character is made of two parts: 贯 (guàn) on top, which means to string together or connect, and 心 (xīn) on the bottom, meaning heart or mind. So, 惯 (guàn) literally means a thought or action that has been “strung through the heart/mind,” implying something that is deeply ingrained and second nature.

When you combine 习 (practice) and 惯 (ingrained in the mind), you get 习惯 (xíguàn): a behavior that, through practice and repetition, has become deeply ingrained and automatic.

In Chinese culture, the concept of 习惯 (xíguàn) carries significant weight, especially in parenting and education. There is a strong emphasis on 养成好习惯 (yǎngchéng hǎo xíguàn)—“cultivating good habits.” This is seen not just as a path to success or efficiency, but as a cornerstone of character building and moral development. A person with good habits (e.g., diligence, respect for elders, tidiness) is considered to have good moral fiber. This can be contrasted with the more neutral Western view of a “habit” or “routine.” While Western culture also values good habits, the term itself doesn't always carry the same deep moral implication. A “habit” in English can simply be a repeated action without judgment (e.g., “I have a habit of drinking tea at 3 PM”). In Chinese, while this neutral usage exists, the concept is more tightly linked to the deliberate cultivation (`养成`) of positive traits that contribute to a person's overall quality and their role in the family and society.

习惯 is an extremely common word used in various contexts.

• As a Noun (a habit, a custom):
  • It's used to describe personal routines, both good and bad.
  • Examples: 好习惯 (hǎo xíguàn) - good habit; 坏习惯 (huài xíguàn) - bad habit; 生活习惯 (shēnghuó xíguàn) - lifestyle habits/daily routine.
  • You can talk about forming a habit with the verb 养成 (yǎngchéng) or breaking one with 改掉 (gǎidiào).
• As a Verb (to be used to, to be accustomed to):
  • This is a very common usage for expressing adaptation to new circumstances.
  • The structure is typically: Subject + 习惯 + Noun/Verb Phrase.
  • It can be made negative with 不 (bù): 不习惯 (bù xíguàn) - not used to.
  • To show the process is complete, you add 了 (le): 习惯了 (xíguàn le) - have gotten used to it. This is very common in conversation.

• Example 1:
  • 早睡早起是一个好习惯。
  • Pinyin: Zǎo shuì zǎo qǐ shì yí ge hǎo xíguàn.
  • English: Going to bed early and getting up early is a good habit.
  • Analysis: Here, 习惯 is a noun, meaning “habit.” This sentence states a widely held belief in Chinese culture about healthy living.
• Example 2:
  • 你习惯这里的生活了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xíguàn zhèli de shēnghuó le ma?
  • English: Are you used to the life here?
  • Analysis: Here, 习惯 is a verb, meaning “to be used to.” This is a very common and considerate question to ask someone who has moved to a new city or country.
• Example 3:
  • 我还是不习惯吃这么辣的菜。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ háishì bù xíguàn chī zhème là de cài.
  • English: I'm still not used to eating such spicy food.
  • Analysis: This shows the negative verb form, 不习惯 (bù xíguàn). The word 还是 (háishì) adds the meaning of “still,” emphasizing the ongoing process of adaptation.
• Example 4:
  • 没关系，你很快就会习惯的。
  • Pinyin: Méiguānxi, nǐ hěn kuài jiù huì xíguàn de.
  • English: It's okay, you'll get used to it very soon.
  • Analysis: A classic encouraging phrase. The structure 会…的 (huì…de) indicates a future certainty or prediction.
• Example 5:
  • 他有边走路边看手机的坏习惯。
  • Pinyin: Tā yǒu biān zǒulù biān kàn shǒujī de huài xíguàn.
  • English: He has the bad habit of looking at his phone while walking.
  • Analysis: 坏习惯 (huài xíguàn) is “bad habit.” The 边…边… (biān…biān…) structure is used to describe two actions happening simultaneously.
• Example 6:
  • 我已经习惯了每天早上喝一杯咖啡。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǐjīng xíguàn le měitiān zǎoshang hē yì bēi kāfēi.
  • English: I have already gotten used to drinking a cup of coffee every morning.
  • Analysis: The verb 习惯 is followed by a verb phrase (`喝一杯咖啡`). The particles 已经…了 (yǐjīng…le) indicate that the action or state is already completed.
• Example 7:
  • 父母应该帮助孩子养成阅读的习惯。
  • Pinyin: Fùmǔ yīnggāi bāngzhù háizi yǎngchéng yuèdú de xíguàn.
  • English: Parents should help their children form the habit of reading.
  • Analysis: This example shows the common and important collocation 养成习惯 (yǎngchéng xíguàn), “to form/cultivate a habit.”
• Example 8:
  • 我男朋友有很多我受不了的习惯。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ nánpéngyou yǒu hěn duō wǒ shòu bu liǎo de xíguàn.
  • English: My boyfriend has many habits that I can't stand.
  • Analysis: A great example of using 习惯 (noun) in a relative clause. 受不了 (shòu bu liǎo) means “can't bear” or “can't stand.”
• Example 9:
  • 刚来中国的时候，我对很多事情都不习惯。
  • Pinyin: Gāng lái Zhōngguó de shíhou, wǒ duì hěn duō shìqing dōu bù xíguàn.
  • English: When I first came to China, there were many things I wasn't used to.
  • Analysis: The structure 对…不习惯 (duì…bù xíguàn) is another common way to express being unused to something, similar to saying “I wasn't accustomed to many things.”
• Example 10:
  • 每个地方有每个地方的习惯。
  • Pinyin: Měi ge dìfang yǒu měi ge dìfang de xíguàn.
  • English: Every place has its own customs.
  • Analysis: Here, 习惯 is used in a broader sense to mean “local customs,” similar to 风俗 (fēngsú). This is a common saying.

• Mistake 1: Using 是 (shì) with the verb 习惯.
  • Incorrect: `我 是 习惯早起。` (Wǒ shì xíguàn zǎoqǐ.)
  • Correct: `我习惯早起。` (Wǒ xíguàn zǎoqǐ.)
  • Explanation: In its verb form, 习惯 is a stative verb (like “to like” or “to know”), not an action. It describes a state of being. You do not need the verb 是 (shì), “to be,” before it.
• Mistake 2: Confusing the Noun and Verb Forms.
  • Learners often get confused about whether 习惯 is the *thing* or the *feeling*.
  • As a noun: `这是一个好习惯。` (This is a good habit.) - It needs a measure word like `个 (ge)` and often follows adjectives.
  • As a verb: `我习惯了。` (I've gotten used to it.) - It functions as the main verb of the sentence.
• “False Friend”: 习惯 (xíguàn) vs. Custom/Tradition.
  • While 习惯 can mean “custom,” the Chinese word 风俗 (fēngsú) is often a better choice for large-scale, societal traditions or folkways (e.g., Spring Festival traditions). 习惯 is more flexible and can refer to anything from a national custom down to a single person's unique quirk. Think of 习惯 as “what is customarily done” and 风俗 as “the established customs of a people.”

• 养成 (yǎngchéng) - To cultivate, to form (a habit). This verb is almost exclusively used with 习惯.
• 改掉 (gǎidiào) - To get rid of, to drop (a bad habit). The direct opposite of 养成.
• 毛病 (máobìng) - A fault, a shortcoming, or a bad habit. Often stronger and more negative than 坏习惯 (huài xíguàn).
• 适应 (shìyìng) - To adapt, to adjust. A close synonym for the verb form of 习惯. 适应 often implies a more active, conscious effort to change, while 习惯 can describe the resulting state of being.
• 风俗 (fēngsú) - Social customs, folkways. Refers to broader, societal-level traditions, whereas 习惯 can be personal.
• 规矩 (guīju) - Rules, manners, established customs. Implies a set of expected behaviors within a group, family, or society. More about social order than personal routine.
• 爱好 (àihào) - Hobby, interest. A hobby can be a habit, but 爱好 emphasizes enjoyment and passion, while 习惯 emphasizes repetition.
• 练习 (liànxí) - To practice. The action one performs in order to 养成 a 习惯.