Real-Life Chinese Phrase
随便
anything is fine; whatever; casual
When to use it
Use 随便 when you genuinely have no strong preference, or when you want to sound relaxed in a low-stakes choice.
Tone and culture
Tone matters. With a relaxed voice, it means 'anything is fine.' With a cold voice, it can sound annoyed, passive-aggressive, or dismissive.
Real examples
- 晚饭吃什么？随便。 Wǎnfàn chī shénme? Suíbiàn. What should we eat for dinner? Anything is fine.
- 你点吧，我随便。 Nǐ diǎn ba, wǒ suíbiàn. You order. I’m fine with anything.
- 别随便开玩笑。 Bié suíbiàn kāi wánxiào. Don’t joke around carelessly.
- 这不是随便的事。 Zhè bú shì suíbiàn de shì. This is not something to treat casually.
Pronunciation
Use the ChineseGoGo Context Dictionary audio button to hear this phrase and compare it with the examples.
Mini dialogue
朋友A我们喝奶茶还是咖啡？Milk tea or coffee?
朋友B我随便，你想喝什么？Anything is fine with me. What do you want?
朋友A那喝奶茶吧。Then let’s get milk tea.
Common mistakes and close phrases
| 随便 | fine for casual choices, but tone can sound impatient |
|---|---|
| 都行 | softer and more cooperative: either/all options work |
| 无所谓 | can mean it truly does not matter; sometimes colder than 随便 |
Learn it in context
Start from the phrase, then study the scene, save useful expressions, and review them later.