灵活 (línghuó)

灵活 describes the quality of being flexible, agile, or adaptable — able to move, think, or respond quickly and easily in response to changing conditions. It is used for people (quick-thinking), schedules (flexible hours), and methods (versatile approaches).

Meanings

[adjective] Flexible; agile; nimble; adaptable; versatile.

Example Sentences

公司为员工提供了灵活的工作时间安排，有助于提高工作积极性。 Gōngsī wèi yuángōng tígōng le línghuó de gōngzuò shíjiān ānpái, yǒu zhù yú tígāo gōngzuò jījí xìng. The company offers flexible working hour arrangements for employees, which helps to improve work motivation.

面对突发状况，他反应灵活，迅速做出了正确的判断。 Miànduì tūfā zhuàngkuàng, tā fǎnyìng línghuó, xùnsù zuòchū le zhèngquè de pànduàn. Faced with an unexpected situation, he reacted nimbly and quickly made the correct judgment.

这套教学方法非常灵活，可以根据学生的需求随时调整。 Zhè tào jiàoxué fāngfǎ fēicháng línghuó, kěyǐ gēnjù xuéshēng de xūqiú suíshí tiáozhěng. This teaching method is very flexible and can be adjusted at any time according to the students' needs.

在谈判中保持灵活的立场，往往有助于达成双方都能接受的协议。 Zài tánpàn zhōng bǎochí línghuó de lìchǎng, wǎngwǎng yǒu zhù yú dáchéng shuāngfāng dōu néng jiēshòu de xiéyì. Maintaining a flexible stance in negotiations often helps to reach an agreement acceptable to both sides.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
灵活运用	apply flexibly
灵活性	flexibility
灵活机动	flexible and mobile
灵活安排	flexible arrangement
思维灵活	flexible thinking

Usage Notes

灵活 can describe both physical agility (灵活的手指, nimble fingers) and mental adaptability (思维灵活, flexible thinking). It is frequently used in business and education: 灵活就业 (flexible employment), 灵活学习 (flexible learning). The noun form 灵活性 (línghuó xìng) is common in policy and management discussions.

Memory Hook

灵 means "spirit/nimble" and 活 means "alive/vivid." Something 灵活 is so full of living spirit that it can bend, twist, and move in any direction — like a bamboo pole that flexes without breaking.