xīnwén: 新闻 - News

• Keywords: 新闻, xīnwén, news in Chinese, how to say news in Mandarin, Chinese for news, xīnwén meaning, Chinese media, watch news in Chinese, Chinese current events, HSK 3 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese word for “news,” 新闻 (xīnwén). This guide breaks down the characters, explains its cultural significance in the context of Chinese media, and provides practical example sentences. Discover how to use 新闻 (xīnwén) correctly to talk about watching the news, reading headlines, and discussing current events in modern China, and learn the key difference between public “news” (新闻) and personal “news” or “messages” (消息).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): xīnwén
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: Information about recent events; news, as reported by mass media.
• In a Nutshell: 新闻 (xīnwén) is the direct and most common equivalent of the English word “news.” It refers to information about current affairs that you would see on TV, read in a newspaper, or find on a news website. It's a fundamental word for understanding and discussing what's happening in the world.

• 新 (xīn): This character means “new,” “recent,” or “fresh.” It evokes the idea of something that has just appeared.
• 闻 (wén): This character means “to hear” or “to listen.” Its traditional form (聞) shows an ear (耳) inside a door (門), vividly picturing someone listening to sounds or information coming from outside. By extension, it also means “fame” or “reputation”—what is heard about someone.

When combined, 新闻 (xīnwén) literally translates to “newly heard things.” This is a beautifully intuitive construction for the concept of “news”—information that is recent and has just been disseminated.

In China, 新闻 (xīnwén) holds a significant, and culturally distinct, position compared to “news” in many Western countries. The media landscape is predominantly state-run, and the most-watched news program in the country is CCTV's 《新闻联播》(Xīnwén Liánbō), a 30-minute nightly broadcast that has aired since 1978. Unlike the often adversarial or investigative journalism praised in the West, official Chinese 新闻 is often seen as a tool for social guidance and promoting national unity. Reports frequently emphasize positive economic developments, government achievements, and social harmony. This doesn't mean other types of news don't exist—social media and more commercially-driven outlets are vibrant—but the concept of “official news” as a national bulletin board is much stronger. For a learner, understanding this context is key to interpreting the tone and content of the news you might consume in China.

新闻 (xīnwén) is used daily in all forms of communication. It's a standard, neutral term appropriate for both formal and informal settings.

• Watching/Reading News: The most common phrases are `看新闻 (kàn xīnwén)` which means “to watch/read the news” and `听新闻 (tīng xīnwén)` for “listening to the news” (e.g., on the radio).
• Measure Words: Like many nouns in Chinese, 新闻 needs a measure word when counted. The most common is 条 (tiáo), used for long, thin things, which applies well to a news story. `一条新闻 (yì tiáo xīnwén)` means “a piece of news” or “a news item.”
• Types of News: You can easily specify the type of news by adding a descriptor before it, such as `国际新闻 (guójì xīnwén)` for “international news” or `体育新闻 (tǐyù xīnwén)` for “sports news.”
• On Social Media: The term is ubiquitous online. News apps like `今日头条 (Jīnrì Tóutiáo)` use related terms (`头条` means “headlines”). Users might share an article saying `这新闻太有意思了! (Zhè xīnwén tài yǒuyìsi le!)` - “This news is so interesting!”

• Example 1:
  • 我每天晚上七点都看新闻联播。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měitiān wǎnshang qī diǎn dōu kàn Xīnwén Liánbō.
  • English: I watch the “Xinwen Lianbo” news broadcast at 7 PM every evening.
  • Analysis: This sentence refers to the specific, famous CCTV news program, showing the term's use in a proper noun. `都 (dōu)` emphasizes that this happens “every” day.
• Example 2:
  • 今天的新闻你看了吗？
  • Pinyin: Jīntiān de xīnwén nǐ kànle ma?
  • English: Have you read/watched today's news?
  • Analysis: A very common, conversational way to ask about current events. `看了吗 (kànle ma)` is a standard way to ask if an action has been completed.
• Example 3:
  • 我在网上看到一条关于新科技的新闻。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài wǎngshàng kàndào yì tiáo guānyú xīn kējì de xīnwén.
  • English: I saw a piece of news online about new technology.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the use of the measure word `条 (tiáo)` for a single news item. `关于 (guānyú)` means “about” or “regarding.”
• Example 4:
  • 这条新闻是假的，不要相信。
  • Pinyin: Zhè tiáo xīnwén shì jiǎ de, búyào xiāngxìn.
  • English: This piece of news is fake, don't believe it.
  • Analysis: This shows how to talk about “fake news” (`假新闻 - jiǎ xīnwén`). `是假的 (shì jiǎ de)` is a common structure for “is fake.”
• Example 5:
  • 他因为那件丑闻上了新闻。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi nà jiàn chǒuwén shàngle xīnwén.
  • English: He was in the news because of that scandal.
  • Analysis: `上新闻 (shàng xīnwén)` is a set phrase meaning “to appear in the news” or “to make headlines.” `因为 (yīnwèi)` means “because.”
• Example 6:
  • 这真是一个好新闻！
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhēnshi yí ge hǎo xīnwén!
  • English: This is really good news!
  • Analysis: While `好消息 (hǎo xiāoxi)` is more common for “good news,” you can use `好新闻` to specifically refer to a positive news report you just saw or read.
• Example 7:
  • 很多老年人喜欢边吃早饭边听新闻。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō lǎoniánrén xǐhuān biān chī zǎofàn biān tīng xīnwén.
  • English: Many elderly people like to listen to the news while eating breakfast.
  • Analysis: This uses the `一边…一边… (yìbiān…yìbiān…)` structure (here shortened to `边…边…`) to talk about doing two actions at once. It also shows the usage of `听新闻 (tīng xīnwén)`.
• Example 8:
  • 作为一名记者，报道新闻是我的工作。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yī míng jìzhě, bàodào xīnwén shì wǒ de gōngzuò.
  • English: As a journalist, reporting the news is my job.
  • Analysis: This shows the relationship between a profession, `记者 (jìzhě)`, and the action of `报道新闻 (bàodào xīnwén)`, which means “to report the news.”
• Example 9:
  • 你有什么新闻要告诉我吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu shéme xīnwén yào gàosù wǒ ma?
  • English: Do you have any news (from the media) to tell me?
  • Analysis: This is a tricky sentence. It's grammatically correct but culturally specific. You would only ask this if you expect the other person to share something they saw on TV or a news site. For personal news, you must use `消息 (xiāoxi)`. See “Nuances” below.
• Example 10:
  • 这条新闻的头条是什么？
  • Pinyin: Zhè tiáo xīnwén de tóutiáo shì shénme?
  • English: What is the headline of this news story?
  • Analysis: This introduces the related term `头条 (tóutiáo)`, meaning “headline.”

The most significant pitfall for English speakers is confusing 新闻 (xīnwén) with 消息 (xiāoxi).

• 新闻 (xīnwén): Public News. This refers exclusively to mass media reports. It's public, formal, and objective information from sources like TV, newspapers, or official websites.
• 消息 (xiāoxi): Information, Message, Personal “News”. This word is much broader. It can mean a message (`我收到一条消息` - “I received a message”) or personal news you share between friends.

Common Mistake: Saying `我有一个新闻要告诉你。`

• Incorrect: `Wǒ yǒu yí ge xīnwén yào gàosù nǐ.`
• Why it's wrong: This literally means “I have a media report to tell you.” Unless you are about to recite a story from CCTV, this sounds very strange. You are not a news anchor.
• Correct: `我有一个消息要告诉你。 (Wǒ yǒu yí ge xiāoxi yào gàosù nǐ.)` - “I have some news (for you).”

Essentially, if the “news” is about your life, a friend's life, or a plan, use `消息 (xiāoxi)`. If it's about current events from a media source, use `新闻 (xīnwén)`.

• 消息 (xiāoxi) - The word for personal news, a message, or general information. The most important term to distinguish from `新闻`.
• 报道 (bàodào) - (v/n) To report; a report. Refers to the action of reporting or the report itself.
• 头条 (tóutiáo) - Headline; the lead story.
• 记者 (jìzhě) - Journalist; reporter. The person who reports the `新闻`.
• 媒体 (méitǐ) - Media; mass media. The industry that produces `新闻`.
• 广播 (guǎngbō) - (v/n) To broadcast; a broadcast, especially radio.
• 电视台 (diànshìtái) - Television station. A place that broadcasts TV `新闻`.
• 假新闻 (jiǎ xīnwén) - Fake news. A direct and literal translation.
• 新闻联播 (Xīnwén Liánbō) - The famous and influential nightly news program on China's state broadcaster, CCTV.