When you get together with your Mandarin-speaking friends, you will undoubtedly liáotiān which means “to chat.”
Liáotiān has two characters: 聊天. The first one, liáo, means “to chat,” or “to kill time.” The second character, tiān, means “day,” or “sky,” or “heaven.” Liáotiān could mean “chatting away the day.”
Another way to say “chat” is liáo liáo (聊聊), which is perhaps more descriptive of the repetitive nature of chat.
Examples of Liaotian
Click the links to hear the audio.
Qǐng zuòxia gēn wǒmen liáotiān.
請坐下跟我們聊天｡
Please sit down and chat with us.
Tāmen liǎng gè rén xǐhuan liáotiān.
他們兩個人喜歡聊天｡
Those two like to chat.
