The following is a list of words that are countable in Chinese but not in English. I think this article will be beneficial for both learners of English and Chinese. Enjoy!
1. 信息 (news)
Chinese example sentence: 我有个好消息要告诉你。
Literal translation: I have a good news to tell you.
Idiomatic translation: I have some good news to tell you.
Chinese example sentence: 这些信息是不对的。
Literal translation: These information are incorrect.
Idiomatic translation: This information is incorrect.
2. 新闻 (news)
Chinese example sentence: 我看了一个新闻。
Literal translation: I read a news.
Idiomatic translation: I read a news story.
Chinese example sentence: 我希望这些新闻是真的。
Literal translation: I hope these news are real.
Idiomatic translation: I hope this news is real. (or: I hope these news stories are real.)
3. 忠告 (advice)
Chinese example sentence: 作为好朋友,我必须给你一个忠告。
Literal translation: As your friend, I must give you an advice.
Idiomatic translation: As your friend, I must give you a piece of advice. (or: some advice)
Chinese example sentence: 我的闺蜜给了我一个忠告,叫我不要去那个酒吧。
Literal translation: My girlfriend gave me an advice not to go to that bar.
Idiomatic translation: My girlfriend advised me not to go to that bar.
4. 设备 (equipment)
Chinese example sentence: 公司的一台设备坏了。
Literal translation: An equipment at work is broken.
Idiomatic translation: A piece of equipment at work is broken.
Chinese example sentence: 需要一台设备才能完成这项任务。
Literal translation: An equipment is needed to complete this task.
Idiomatic translation: A piece of equipment is needed to complete this task.
5. 证据 (evidence)
Chinese example sentence: 原告出示了一条证据,证明被告说谎了。
Literal translation: The plaintiff produced an evidence proving that the defendant had lied.
Idiomatic translation: The plaintiff produced a piece of evidence proving that the defendant had lied. (or: an item of evidence, or: an exhibit)
Chinese example sentence: 一条证据可能大到左右整个破案的进程。
Literal translation: An evidence can be enough to affect the whole breaking of a case.
Idiomatic translation: A piece of evidence can be enough to affect the whole breaking of a case.
6. 作业 (homework; assignment)
Chinese example sentence: 老师今天布置了一份作业。
Literal translation: Today the teacher set a homework.
Idiomatic translation: Today the teacher set a homework task.
Chinese example sentence: 这些作业必须独立完成。
Literal translation: These works must be completed independently.
Idiomatic translation: These assignments must be completed independently.
7. 工作 (work; job)
Chinese example sentence: 我告诉你大学毕业后如何找到第一份工作。
Literal translation: I’ll tell you how to find your first work after you graduate from university.
Idiomatic translation: I’ll tell you how to find your first job after you graduate from university.
Chinese example sentence: 这些工作大学生也能做。
Literal translation: University students can do these works.
Idiomatic translation: University students can do these jobs.
8. 进步 (progress)
Chinese example sentence: 过去的几个月以来我的英文水平有了很大的进步。
Literal translation: Over the past few months, my English has got a big progress.
Idiomatic translation: Over the past few months, I’ve made considerable progress in my English. (or: my English has improved leaps and bounds)
Note: In both Chinese and English, 一个进步 (“a progress”) sounds strange, but non-native speakers of both languages may be prone to make this mistake when using their second language.
9. 软件 (software)
Chinese example sentence: 微软又开发了一个软件。
Literal translation: Microsoft has developed a new software.
Idiomatic translation: Microsoft has developed a new piece of software. (or: a new application, or: a new program)
Chinese example sentence: 他下载了一个软件来练习听力。
Literal translation: He downloaded a software to help him practice his listening comprehension.
Idiomatic translation: He downloaded a piece of software to help him practice his listening comprehension. (or: some software)
Note: In English “software” refers to a collection of programs or applications (“ware” works as a suffix here, denoting a mass noun). This is in stark contrast to the Chinese term 软件 which is made of up 软 (“soft”) and 件 (“item; article”), the latter character referring to one thing or article.
10. 知识 (knowledge)
Chinese example sentence: 老师敲了敲黑板说:“你们这学期一定要掌握这些知识。”
Literal translation: The teacher rapped on the blackboard and said, “This semester you must all grasp these knowledge.”
Idiomatic translation: The teacher rapped on the blackboard and said, “This semester you must all grasp this knowledge.”
Chinese example sentence: 如果不具备这些知识,他是不能够在这里任职的。
Literal translation: Without these knowledge, he cannot hold a position here.
Idiomatic translation: Without this knowledge, he cannot hold a position here.
Note: Technically, knowledge is neither countable in Chinese or English, however the above examples demonstrate how 这些知识 (literally, “these knowledge”) is acceptable in Chinese, but not in English.
11. 研究 (research)
Chinese example sentence: 莫纳什大学于本月开展了一项新的研究。
Literal translation: Monash University launched a new research this month.
Idiomatic translation: Monash University launched a new research project this month.
Chinese example sentence: 有几项研究表明气候变化加大农业减产的风险。
Literal translation: Some researches have revealed that climate change increases the risk of reduced agricultural output.
Idiomatic translation: Some research has revealed that climate change increases the risk of reduced agricultural output.
12. 闲话 (gossip)
Chinese example sentence: 咱们的友谊不是因为几句闲话就能被击破的。
Literal translation: Our friendship cannot be destroyed just because of some gossips.
Idiomatic translation: Our friendship cannot be destroyed just because of some gossip.
Chinese example sentence: 他做事很专业,一句闲话也不说。
Literal translation: He is very professional; he never says a gossip.
Idiomatic translation: He is very professional; he never gossips. (note that the use of “gossips” as a verb here sounds more natural, since “say” and “gossip” do not collocate in English)
13. 垃圾 (garbage)
Chinese example sentence: 这个软件简直就是一个垃圾。
Literal translation: This software is simply a garbage.
Idiomatic translation: This software is a piece of garbage. (or: This software is rubbish.)
Chinese example sentence: 那台电脑我用完了,对我来说它现在就是一个垃圾。
Literal translation: I’ve finished with that computer; as far as I’m concerned, it’s a garbage now.
Idiomatic translation: I’ve finished with that computer; as far as I’m concerned, it’s garbage now. (or: a piece of garbage, or: a piece of rubbish)
14. 俚语 (slang)
Chinese example sentence: 我学到了一个俚语。
Literal translation: I learnt a new slang.
Idiomatic translation: I learnt a new slang expression.
Chinese example sentence: 这些俚语不好翻译。
Literal translation: These slangs are hard to translate.
Idiomatic translation: This slang is hard to translate.
Note: Unlike the term 俚语 in Chinese, the English word “slang” (like the word “vocabulary”) refers to a collection of words and expressions, not just one.
Shouldn’t the first example sentence in #5 contain 出示,not 出事?
Thanks for spotting that. I’ve fixed it now.
I love your stuff. In the examples above I think you are potentially misleading by translating 闺蜜 as girlfriend without specifying who is speaking – wouldn’t “confidante” or “best friend” be better ?
Yeah I thought that as well at first, but if you think about it, the exact equivalent for 闺蜜 in English is “girlfriend” – it just so happens it also means 女朋友. “Confidante” is more like 密友 or 知己, whereas “best friend” is 最好的朋友.
Interesting stuff, Carl. For number six about homework, I would think that a more common idiomatic translation would be “Today the teacher gave out homework” or “… gave out a homework assignment”.