dìngyuè: 订阅 - Subscribe, Subscription

• Keywords: dìngyuè, dingyue, 订阅, subscribe in Chinese, subscription in Chinese, how to subscribe in Chinese, cancel subscription Chinese, YouTube subscribe Chinese, WeChat subscription
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese word 订阅 (dìngyuè), which means “to subscribe” or “a subscription.” This page will teach you how to talk about subscribing to everything from a YouTube channel or a podcast to a traditional newspaper or a software service. Discover the cultural context of digital subscriptions in China, understand the key difference between 订阅 (dìngyuè) and 关注 (guānzhù), and master practical usage with 10 example sentences.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dìngyuè
• Part of Speech: Verb / Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To formally arrange to receive something regularly, such as a publication or a service; the arrangement itself.
• In a Nutshell: 订阅 (dìngyuè) is the universal word for “subscribe” in the modern digital and traditional world. Think of it as setting up a regular delivery of content. Whether you're hitting the subscribe button on a Bilibili channel, signing up for a monthly magazine, or paying for a software subscription, 订阅 is the word you need. It implies a formal, ongoing relationship with a content or service provider.

• 订 (dìng): This character means “to order,” “to book,” or “to reserve.” Think of making an agreement, like booking a hotel room (订房间 - dìng fángjiān) or ordering a newspaper (订报纸 - dìng bàozhǐ). It establishes a formal arrangement.
• 阅 (yuè): This character means “to read” or “to review.” It’s associated with the act of consuming written content, like reading a book (阅读 - yuèdú) or perusing a document.

When combined, 订 (to order) + 阅 (to read) creates the logical meaning “to order for regular reading,” which is the very essence of a subscription.

While 订阅 (dìngyuè) is a direct functional equivalent of the English “subscribe,” its cultural context has shifted dramatically in China. Historically, subscribing to newspapers (订阅报纸) or academic journals was a mark of an educated person or a well-informed household. It was the primary way to access information beyond one's immediate surroundings. Today, the concept has exploded in the digital realm, becoming central to China's unique internet ecosystem. The Western equivalent of “subscribing” to a YouTube channel is just one piece of the puzzle. In China, one of the most significant subscription-based platforms is WeChat's 公众号 (gōngzhònghào - Official Accounts). These are a hybrid of a blog, a newsletter, and a brand's direct communication channel. Millions of users 订阅 these accounts to get daily news, lifestyle tips, industry reports, and promotional offers sent directly within their messaging app. This tight integration of content subscription within a social messaging app is a key feature of modern Chinese digital life, making 订阅 a daily action for hundreds of millions of people.

订阅 (dìngyuè) is a neutral term used in both formal and informal situations.

This is how you'll hear it most often. It's used for YouTube, its Chinese equivalent Bilibili (哔哩哔哩), podcasts, and WeChat Official Accounts. Content creators will almost always end their videos with a call to action using this word.

• e.g., “如果你喜欢我的视频，请订阅我的频道！” (If you like my videos, please subscribe to my channel!)

The word is still used for its original purpose: subscribing to physical magazines and newspapers, or services like a monthly milk delivery.

• e.g., “我给父母订阅了一份《人民日报》。” (I subscribed to a copy of the People's Daily for my parents.)

订阅 (dìngyuè) can also mean “the subscription” itself.

• e.g., “我的软件订阅下个月到期。” (My software subscription expires next month.)

• Example 1:
  • 别忘了订阅、点赞和分享！
  • Pinyin: Bié wàngle dìngyuè, diǎnzàn hé fēnxiǎng!
  • English: Don't forget to subscribe, like, and share!
  • Analysis: This is the classic closing line for Chinese-speaking YouTubers and content creators. It's a direct and informal call to action.
• Example 2:
  • 我订阅了几个关于学习中文的播客。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dìngyuè le jǐ ge guānyú xuéxí Zhōngwén de bōkè.
  • English: I subscribed to a few podcasts about learning Chinese.
  • Analysis: Shows the use of 订阅 for modern audio media like podcasts (播客 - bōkè).
• Example 3:
  • 这个杂志的年度订阅费用是多少？
  • Pinyin: Zhège zázhì de niándù dìngyuè fèiyòng shì duōshǎo?
  • English: What is the annual subscription fee for this magazine?
  • Analysis: Here, 订阅 is used as a noun, modifying “fee” (费用 - fèiyòng). 年度 (niándù) means “annual.”
• Example 4:
  • 如果你想取消订阅，请点击这里的链接。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ xiǎng qǔxiāo dìngyuè, qǐng diǎnjī zhèlǐ de liànjiē.
  • English: If you want to cancel your subscription, please click the link here.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the crucial phrase 取消订阅 (qǔxiāo dìngyuè), which means “to cancel a subscription.”
• Example 5:
  • 我每个月都收到我订阅的咖啡。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ měi ge yuè dōu shōudào wǒ dìngyuè de kāfēi.
  • English: I receive the coffee I subscribed to every month.
  • Analysis: This shows 订阅 being used for a physical product subscription service. The `的 (de)` turns the verb phrase “I subscribe” into a descriptor for “coffee.”
• Example 6:
  • 你订阅了哪个微信公众号来学新闻？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ dìngyuè le nǎge Wēixìn gōngzhònghào lái xué xīnwén?
  • English: Which WeChat Official Account did you subscribe to for learning the news?
  • Analysis: A practical question highlighting the important cultural context of WeChat Official Accounts (微信公众号 - Wēixìn gōngzhònghào).
• Example 7:
  • 我们公司订阅了多个行业数据库。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī dìngyuè le duō ge hángyè shùjùkù.
  • English: Our company subscribes to several industry databases.
  • Analysis: A formal, business context. It shows 订阅 used for digital services and information products.
• Example 8:
  • 他的订阅用户已经超过一百万了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de dìngyuè yònghù yǐjīng chāoguò yìbǎi wàn le.
  • English: His subscribers have already surpassed one million.
  • Analysis: 订阅用户 (dìngyuè yònghù) is a set phrase for “subscribers” (literally “subscription users”).
• Example 9:
  • 免费试用期结束后，你需要付费订阅才能继续使用。
  • Pinyin: Miǎnfèi shìyòngqī jiéshù hòu, nǐ xūyào fùfèi dìngyuè cáinéng jìxù shǐyòng.
  • English: After the free trial period ends, you need to pay for a subscription to continue using it.
  • Analysis: A common sentence related to software or service trials, using the structure “pay to subscribe” (付费订阅 - fùfèi dìngyuè).
• Example 10:
  • 这份报纸我订阅了十年了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn bàozhǐ wǒ dìngyuè le shí nián le.
  • English: I have been subscribed to this newspaper for ten years.
  • Analysis: This sentence structure `(Subject + Verb + 了 + Duration + 了)` is used to express that an action has been ongoing for a period of time and is still continuing.

The most common mistake for learners is confusing 订阅 (dìngyuè) with similar-sounding or related words.

• 订阅 (dìngyuè) vs. 关注 (guānzhù)
  • 订阅 (dìngyuè) means “to subscribe.” It implies you will receive every new piece of content, like an email newsletter or a magazine delivery. On YouTube, this is the “subscribe” button.
  • 关注 (guānzhù) means “to follow.” It implies you are interested in someone's updates, which will appear in your social media feed, but you might not see every post. This is the “follow” button on Instagram, Twitter, or Weibo (微博).
  • Rule of Thumb: If it's a series of content (videos, articles, podcasts) you sign up to receive, use 订阅. If it's a person or account whose general updates you want to see in a feed, use 关注.
• 订阅 (dìngyuè) vs. 订购 (dìnggòu)
  • 订阅 (dìngyuè) is for recurring content or services.
  • 订购 (dìnggòu) is for ordering/purchasing a specific item, usually a one-time transaction. You 订购 a book, a pizza, or a new phone. You 订阅 a magazine or a software service.
  • Incorrect: 我订阅了一本书。 (Wǒ dìngyuè le yì běn shū.)
  • Correct: 我订购了一本书。 (Wǒ dìnggòu le yì běn shū.)

• 关注 (guānzhù) - To follow (on social media). The most common point of confusion with 订阅.
• 取消订阅 (qǔxiāo dìngyuè) - To cancel a subscription. A highly practical related phrase.
• 订购 (dìnggòu) - To order/purchase goods. Differentiated by being for one-off items, not recurring services.
• 续订 (xùdìng) - To renew a subscription. The action you take when a subscription is about to expire.
• 公众号 (gōngzhònghào) - WeChat Official Account. A primary type of content platform that people 订阅 in China.
• 会员 (huìyuán) - Member; Membership. Often, a paid 订阅 grants you 会员 status.
• 预订 (yùdìng) - To pre-order; to book; to reserve (e.g., a hotel room, a restaurant table). Shares the character `订` but is used for reservations made in advance.
• 粉丝 (fěnsī) - Fans. A phonetic loanword. People who 订阅 your channel or 关注 your account are your 粉丝.
• 点赞 (diǎnzàn) - To “like” (literally “to point praise”). Often requested alongside 订阅.