jīngyàn: 经验 - Experience

• Keywords: jingyan, 经验, experience in Chinese, Chinese word for experience, work experience in Chinese, life experience, practical knowledge, jingyan vs jingli, Chinese culture, HSK 4 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn the crucial Chinese word 经验 (jīngyàn), which means “experience.” More than just events that have happened, 经验 refers to the practical knowledge, skills, and wisdom gained through doing and observing. This concept is highly valued in Chinese culture, essential for job applications (工作经验, gōngzuò jīngyàn), and central to the idea of learning from elders and past events. This page will break down its meaning, cultural significance, and practical use, helping you master a cornerstone of everyday Chinese conversation.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jīngyàn
• Part of Speech: Noun (primarily), Verb (less common)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: Knowledge or skill acquired through practice, observation, or direct involvement.
• In a Nutshell: 经验 (jīngyàn) is the “know-how” you get from actually doing something. It's not just a memory of an event, but the lesson, skill, or wisdom that you can apply in the future. Think of it as the validated, practical knowledge that comes from a “trial-by-fire.” In Chinese culture, having 经验 makes you a reliable and respected source of advice and skill.

• 经 (jīng): This character's original meaning relates to the vertical threads in a loom. It has evolved to mean “to pass through,” “to undergo,” “to manage,” or a “classic text/scripture.” In this context, think of it as “to pass through” or “to undergo.”
• 验 (yàn): This character means “to test,” “to examine,” or “to verify.” It implies a process of checking and confirming something.
• Combined Meaning: The characters together, 经验 (jīngyàn), create a powerful image: “that which has been passed through and tested/verified.” This beautifully captures the idea that experience isn't just a passive event; it's active, proven knowledge that has stood the test of practice.

In Chinese culture, 经验 (jīngyàn) is often valued as much as, if not more than, theoretical knowledge (知识, zhīshi). This principle is deeply embedded in society, from the workplace to the family. A key cultural aspect is the immense respect for elders. This respect is not just for their age, but for their accumulated 人生经验 (rénshēng jīngyàn)—life experience. An older person's advice is considered valuable because it's built on a foundation of real-world trials and outcomes. A common saying is 不听老人言，吃亏在眼前 (bù tīng lǎorén yán, chīkuī zài yǎnqián), which means “If you don't listen to the words of the elderly, you will suffer a loss right before your eyes.” To compare this to a Western concept, think of a “track record” or a “résumé.” In the West, a good résumé gets you an interview. In China, having rich 经验 (jīngyàn) goes deeper; it grants you a level of authority and trustworthiness that pure credentials might not. While Western business culture often celebrates disruptive innovation and “breaking the rules,” Chinese culture tends to favor building upon proven methods and learning from the 经验 of those who came before. This doesn't mean innovation is absent, but that it is often expected to be grounded in practical experience.

经验 is a high-frequency word used in many contexts.

• In the Workplace: This is where you'll encounter it most. 工作经验 (gōngzuò jīngyàn), or “work experience,” is a standard requirement on almost every job posting. Employers want to hire a 老手 (lǎoshǒu), an “old hand,” over a 新手 (xīnshǒu), a “new hand” or novice, because the former has valuable 经验.
• In Personal Advice: When someone offers advice, they might preface it by saying, “以我的经验来看… (yǐ wǒ de jīngyàn lái kàn…)” which means “From my experience…”. This frames their advice not as an opinion, but as a conclusion drawn from past events.
• As a Verb: While less common, 经验 can be used as a verb meaning “to experience.” For example, “他经验了战争的残酷 (tā jīngyàn le zhànzhēng de cánkù)” - “He experienced the cruelty of war.” This usage is more formal or literary. For everyday “experiencing,” the word 体验 (tǐyàn) is more common.

• Example 1:
  • 他在教学方面有很丰富的经验。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài jiàoxué fāngmiàn yǒu hěn fēngfù de jīngyàn.
  • English: He has very rich experience in teaching.
  • Analysis: A very common structure. 丰富 (fēngfù), meaning “rich” or “abundant,” is a classic adjective used to describe 经验.
• Example 2:
  • 这份工作需要至少三年的工作经验。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn gōngzuò xūyào zhìshǎo sān nián de gōngzuò jīngyàn.
  • English: This job requires at least three years of work experience.
  • Analysis: This is a standard phrase you will see in job descriptions. 工作经验 (gōngzuò jīngyàn) is a fixed collocation for “work experience.”
• Example 3:
  • 失败是成功之母，我们应该从失败中吸取经验教训。
  • Pinyin: Shībài shì chénggōng zhī mǔ, wǒmen yīnggāi cóng shībài zhōng xīqǔ jīngyàn jiàoxun.
  • English: Failure is the mother of success; we should draw lessons from our failures.
  • Analysis: 吸取经验 (xīqǔ jīngyàn) means “to absorb/draw experience.” The addition of 教训 (jiàoxun), which means “lesson (often from a mistake),” reinforces that this experience comes from failure.
• Example 4:
  • 对于这个问题，我没什么经验，你最好问问专家。
  • Pinyin: Duìyú zhège wèntí, wǒ méishénme jīngyàn, nǐ zuìhǎo wènwen zhuānjiā.
  • English: Regarding this problem, I don't have much experience; you'd better ask an expert.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the negative form. 没什么经验 (méishénme jīngyàn) or 没有经验 (méiyǒu jīngyàn) means “to have no experience.”
• Example 5:
  • 我们需要不断学习，积累经验。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào bùduàn xuéxí, jīlěi jīngyàn.
  • English: We need to constantly study and accumulate experience.
  • Analysis: 积累 (jīlěi), meaning “to accumulate,” is a key verb paired with 经验. It highlights that experience is something you build up over time.
• Example 6:
  • 这位老司机有二十年的驾驶经验。
  • Pinyin: Zhè wèi lǎo sījī yǒu èrshí nián de jiàshǐ jīngyàn.
  • English: This veteran driver has twenty years of driving experience.
  • Analysis: Shows how 经验 is quantified with a duration of time. 驾驶经验 (jiàshǐ jīngyàn) means “driving experience.”
• Example 7:
  • 他的成功不是靠运气，而是靠多年的经验。
  • Pinyin: Tā de chénggōng bùshì kào yùnqì, ér shì kào duōnián de jīngyàn.
  • English: His success wasn't due to luck, but to many years of experience.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly illustrates the cultural value placed on experience over chance.
• Example 8:
  • 作为一个新手，他缺乏处理突发事件的经验。
  • Pinyin: Zuòwéi yīgè xīnshǒu, tā quēfá chǔlǐ tūfā shìjiàn de jīngyàn.
  • English: As a novice, he lacks experience in handling emergencies.
  • Analysis: 缺乏 (quēfá) is a more formal way to say “to lack,” often used in written or professional contexts.
• Example 9:
  • 我们可以借鉴国外的先进经验。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen kěyǐ jièjiàn guówài de xiānjìn jīngyàn.
  • English: We can learn from the advanced experience of foreign countries.
  • Analysis: 借鉴经验 (jièjiàn jīngyàn) means to “use someone else's experience for reference.” It's about learning from what others have already figured out.
• Example 10:
  • 他的管理经验对我们公司很有帮助。
  • Pinyin: Tā de guǎnlǐ jīngyàn duì wǒmen gōngsī hěn yǒu bāngzhù.
  • English: His management experience is very helpful to our company.
  • Analysis: Shows how experience can be specific to a field, like 管理 (guǎnlǐ), or management.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 经验 (jīngyàn) with 经历 (jīnglì). They can both be translated as “experience,” but they are not interchangeable.

• 经验 (jīngyàn): The Lesson/Skill. This is the uncountable knowledge or skill you gain from an event. It's the “what you learned.”
• 经历 (jīnglì): The Event/Story. This is the countable event or process you went through. It's the “what happened to you.”

Think of it this way: You have many 经历 (events) in your life, and from those, you accumulate 经验 (wisdom/skills). Incorrect Usage: `我去年有一次去中国的经验。` (Wǒ qùnián yǒu yīcì qù Zhōngguó de jīngyàn.) Why it's wrong: This sentence describes a single, specific event (“a trip to China last year”). You are talking about the event itself, not the abstract knowledge gained from it. Correct Usage: `我去年有一次去中国的经历。` (Wǒ qùnián yǒu yīcì qù Zhōngguó de jīnglì.) - I had the experience (event) of going to China last year. `这次去中国的经历给了我很多宝贵的经验。` (Zhè cì qù Zhōngguó de jīnglì gěi le wǒ hěnduō bǎoguì de jīngyàn.) - This experience (event) of going to China gave me a lot of valuable experience (knowledge). Another related term is 体验 (tǐyàn), which refers to the personal, sensory, and emotional feeling of an experience. It's about the subjective process of “experiencing” something firsthand.

• 体验 (tǐyàn): The feeling. `我想去体验一下当地的生活。` (Wǒ xiǎng qù tǐyàn yīxià dāngdì de shēnghuó.) - I want to go and experience the local life. (Focus is on the personal feeling).

• 经历 (jīnglì) - The specific event or process one undergoes. It's the raw material from which one gains `经验`.
• 体验 (tǐyàn) - The personal, subjective, and often sensory feeling of an experience. More about the process than the outcome.
• 教训 (jiàoxun) - A lesson, almost always learned from a mistake or negative experience. It's a type of `经验`.
• 知识 (zhīshi) - Theoretical knowledge, book smarts. Often contrasted with the practical, hands-on wisdom of `经验`.
• 实践 (shíjiàn) - Practice, implementation. The very act of `实践` is what builds `经验`.
• 阅历 (yuèlì) - A more formal and broad term for one's life experience and personal history. It implies a seasoned and knowledgeable person.
• 老手 (lǎoshǒu) - “Old hand”; an expert or veteran in a certain field due to having a lot of `经验`. The antonym of `新手`.
• 新手 (xīnshǒu) - “New hand”; a novice or beginner, someone who lacks `经验`.
• 资格 (zīgé) - Qualifications, credentials. While related, `资格` often refers to formal certificates or status, whereas `经验` is informal and practical.
• 本事 (běnshi) - Skill, ability, competence. A person with lots of `经验` usually has great `本事`.