关系 (guānxi) — relationship; connection; to matter
HSK 4 | noun / verb | ties between people or things, or relevance
关系 (guānxi)
关系 can mean a relationship or connection between people or things as a noun, and as a verb it means "to matter" or "to be related to."
Meanings
- [noun] Relationship; connection; tie (between people, organizations, or concepts).
- [verb] To matter; to be relevant; to affect.
Example Sentences
他们两个人的关系非常好。 Tāmen liǎng gè rén de guānxi fēicháng hǎo. The relationship between the two of them is very good.
这件事和我没有关系。 Zhè jiàn shì hé wǒ méiyǒu guānxi. This matter has nothing to do with me.
没关系，我不介意。 Méi guānxi, wǒ bù jièyì. It does not matter; I do not mind.
国家之间的外交关系很重要。 Guójiā zhījiān de wàijiāo guānxi hěn zhòngyào. Diplomatic relationships between countries are very important.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 没关系 | it does not matter; never mind |
| 有关系 | to be related; to matter |
| 人际关系 | interpersonal relationships |
| 建立关系 | to establish a relationship |
| 维持关系 | to maintain a relationship |
Usage Notes
没关系 is one of the most common phrases in daily Chinese, used to say "never mind" or "it is fine." When 关系 is used as a verb meaning "to matter," it often appears in negative sentences: 这和我没关系 (this has nothing to do with me).
Memory Hook
关 means "to close/connect" and 系 means "to tie/link"; 关系 is the tie that closes the gap between two people or things, connecting them.