批评

The most common way to use this is as a verb. You can say 'A 批评 B.' For example, 老师批评了学生 means 'The teacher criticized the student.' If you are the one receiving the feedback, you use the passive marker 被. You would say 我被老板批评了, which means 'I was criticized by the boss.' You can also use it as a noun. If someone says 虚心接受批评, they mean they are 'humbly accepting criticism.' It is a very direct word. There is no sugar-coating here. It is used when the mistake is clear and needs to be addressed immediately. Just remember that it usually flows 'downwards' in a social hierarchy. If you 'criticize' your boss using this word, it might sound like you think you are the boss!

Think about a professional performance review. Your manager sits you down and lists three things you missed this quarter. That is a formal 批评. Or think about a mom finding out her kid spent all their lunch money on in-game purchases in Genshin Impact. The lecture that follows is a classic 批评. In the digital age, you might see this in the comments section of a YouTube video where an expert is 'critiquing' a beginner's technique. However, if the comments are just trolls being mean, that is not 批评—that is just 骂 (shouting/scolding). 批评 implies there is a standard that wasn't met. It is the difference between a movie critic giving a 1-star review and a random guy on X (formerly Twitter) shouting into the void. One has a logical basis; the other is just noise.

Use this word when the situation is serious and involves a power dynamic. If you are a parent talking to a child about their grades, 批评 is the perfect word. If you are a manager giving feedback on a bug in the code, use 批评. It is also very common in academic settings. If a professor calls out a student for late submissions, they are 批评-ing them. It is also used in self-reflection. In Chinese culture, 自我批评 (self-criticism) is a very famous concept. It means looking at your own flaws and admitting them publicly. It is seen as a way to show you are serious about growing. So, if you want to sound mature and professional, this is your go-to word for feedback.

Do not use 批评 with your romantic partner unless you want a very cold dinner. Using such a formal, hierarchical word makes you sound like their teacher, not their partner. Instead, use 抱怨 (complain) or just say 我不开心 (I am not happy). Also, do not use it for light-hearted 'roasting' among friends. If your friend wears a ridiculous shirt and you make fun of them, use 吐槽. 批评 is too heavy for a joke. It would make the atmosphere awkward and formal. Lastly, don't use it for massive political or historical denunciations. For that, you need the much heavier word 批判. Using 批评 for a major social injustice would sound like you are just giving a naughty child a time-out.

One of the biggest mistakes is using the wrong object.

Another mistake is using it for simple 'disliking.'

Learners also often forget the 被 for passive voice.

✗ 我批评了 (I criticized) when they mean 我被批评了 (I was criticized). This is a huge difference! Imagine telling your friends you yelled at your boss when you actually got yelled at by him. That is a recipe for a very confusing conversation at the bar later.

If 批评 feels too harsh, you can use 指点. This means 'to give pointers' or 'to guide.' It is much softer and implies the person is helping you because they are an expert. Another one is 教育, which means 'to educate.' Parents often say 我得教育教育他 when their kid is acting up. It sounds a bit like 'I need to teach him a lesson.' For something even more formal, you might hear 指责. This is more about 'blaming' or 'accusing.' While 批评 aims to correct, 指责 often just aims to point the finger. If you are just complaining about a bad movie, use 吐槽. It’s the modern way to 'vent' or 'roast' something without being a total killjoy.

In professional settings, you will often hear 严肃批评 (serious criticism). This means you are in real trouble. On the flip side, there is 建设性的批评 (constructive criticism). This is the 'nice' version that corporate HR departments love. You might also hear 通报批评, which is a 'public criticism.' This is usually a notice posted on a company bulletin board or a group chat for everyone to see. It is the ultimate 'shaming' move in a Chinese workplace. If you see your name in a 通报批评, it might be time to update your LinkedIn profile. Finally, there is 接受批评, which is the polite way to say 'I hear you and I will fix it.'

Is 批评 always negative? Not necessarily. It is 'negative' in the sense that it points out flaws, but it is often intended to be 'positive' for growth. Is it okay to use with friends? Only if you are being very serious and perhaps a bit 'preachy.' Otherwise, stick to 吐槽. Can I use it for an essay? Yes, you can 批评 a book's logic or a movie's plot in a formal review. Does it mean 'scolding'? It can, but 骂 is the more accurate word for pure scolding or yelling. 批评 is more about the content of the mistake. Is it a common word? Yes, you will hear it in every school and office in China.