How to Use 来说 in Chinese || Expressing Opinions & Observations

Q: How do you use 来说 in a sentence?

Example: 对中国人来说，春节很重要。 (For Chinese people, Spring Festival is very important.)

Q: Can 一般来说 and 来说 be used interchangeably?

No, 一般来说 refers to general statements, while 来说 specifies a particular group, situation, or aspect.

Q: Can 来说 be used with personal opinions?

Yes, for example: 对我来说，这部电影很好看。 (For me, this movie is very good.)

Q: Can I learn Chinese with LTL?

Yes! You can learn Chinese in one of our 10+ destination, in both group or individual classes. Have a look at all of our programs here. Or contact a Student Advisor to discuss your plans directly.

Home HSK 3 How to use 来说 for opinions in Chinese

HOW TO USE 来说

Understanding how to use 来说 is essential for expressing perspectives and general statements in Chinese.

对 + Person + 来说 is used to convey a specific person’s viewpoint, while 一般来说 introduces a general observation.

USING 对 + […] + 来说

This structure is used to express a perspective, opinion, or feeling from someone’s point of view.

It is equivalent to as for or to someone in English.

PATTERN

对 + Person/Thing/Animal + 来说 + [Statement/Opinion]

➡️ It indicates how something relates to or affects the person or group mentioned.

➡️ Often used to share subjective opinions or discuss relevance.

对我来说，这份工作很有挑战性。	duì wǒ lái shuō ， zhè fèn gōng zuò hěn yǒu tiāo zhàn xìng 。	To me, this job is very challenging.
对孩子来说，健康比成绩重要。	duì hái zǐ lái shuō ， jiàn kāng bǐ chéng jì zhòng yào 。	For children, health is more important than grades.
对他来说，这是一件很难的事情。	duì tā lái shuō ， zhè shì yī jiàn hěn nán de shì qíng 。	For him, this is a very difficult thing.

View More Examples:

对我来说，这个城市很适合居住。	Duì wǒ lái shuō, zhège chéngshì hěn shìhé jūzhù.	To me, this city is very livable.
对他来说，学习外语不是一件容易的事。	Duì tā lái shuō, xuéxí wàiyǔ bú shì yí jiàn róngyì de shì.	For him, learning a foreign language is not easy.
对小明来说，数学是最有趣的科目。	Duì Xiǎomíng lái shuō, shùxué shì zuì yǒuqù de kēmù.	To Xiaoming, math is the most interesting subject.
对老师来说，每个学生的进步都很重要。	Duì lǎoshī lái shuō, měi gè xuéshēng de jìnbù dōu hěn zhòngyào.	To the teacher, every student’s progress is important.
对父母来说，孩子的安全比什么都重要。	Duì fùmǔ lái shuō, háizi de ānquán bǐ shénme dōu zhòngyào.	For parents, their child’s safety is more important than anything.
对运动员来说，每天坚持训练是必要的。	Duì yùndòngyuán lái shuō, měitiān jiānchí xùnliàn shì bìyào de.	For athletes, daily training is essential.
对猫来说，晒太阳是最舒服的事。	Duì māo lái shuō, shài tàiyáng shì zuì shūfu de shì.	To cats, sunbathing is the most comfortable thing.
对我来说，音乐是生活中不可缺少的一部分。	Duì wǒ lái shuō, yīnyuè shì shēnghuó zhōng bù kě quēshǎo de yí bùfèn.	To me, music is an indispensable part of life.
对一台旧电脑来说，运行新软件是很困难的。	Duì yì tái jiù diànnǎo lái shuō, yùnxíng xīn ruǎnjiàn shì hěn kùnnán de.	For an old computer, running new software is very difficult.

NOTES || Although the most common structure is “对 + Person + 来说”, we can also speak about animal or inanimate objects with “对 + […]+ 来说”.

See the examples in the table above.

But be careful, the use of 对 + [inanimate object] + 来说 can feel less natural in some contexts because inanimate objects don’t usually “have” opinions or feelings.

USING 一般来说

This phrase is used to express general or commonly accepted statements.

It means generally speaking or in general.

PATTERN

一般来说 + [General Statement]

➡️ It introduces a general principle, norm, or commonly observed fact.

➡️ Often used in formal or semi-formal contexts.

一般来说，冬天的天气比较冷。	yī bān lái shuō ， dōng tiān de tiān qì bǐ jiào lěng 。	Generally speaking, the weather in winter is colder.
一般来说，中国菜的味道比较丰富。	yī bān lái shuō ， zhōng guó cài de wèi dào bǐ jiào fēng fù 。	In general, Chinese cuisine has a rich flavor.
一般来说，学习语言需要长期的努力。	yī bān lái shuō ， xué xí yǔ yán xū yào cháng qī de nǔ lì 。	Generally speaking, learning a language requires long-term effort.

View More Examples:

一般来说，周末的交通比工作日更拥堵。	Yībān lái shuō, zhōumò de jiāotōng bǐ gōngzuò rì gèng yōngdǔ.	Generally speaking, weekend traffic is worse than on weekdays.
一般来说，价格越高，质量越好。	Yībān lái shuō, jiàgé yuè gāo, zhìliàng yuè hǎo.	In general, the higher the price, the better the quality.
一般来说，老人比年轻人更喜欢传统音乐。	Yībān lái shuō, lǎorén bǐ niánqīng rén gèng xǐhuān chuántǒng yīnyuè.	Generally, older people prefer traditional music more than young people.
一般来说，多喝水对健康有好处。	Yībān lái shuō, duō hē shuǐ duì jiànkāng yǒu hǎochù.	Generally speaking, drinking more water is good for health.
一般来说，春天的气温比较舒适。	Yībān lái shuō, chūntiān de qìwēn bǐjiào shūshì.	Generally speaking, spring temperatures are comfortable.
一般来说，汉字的笔画越少，越容易记住。	Yībān lái shuō, Hànzì de bǐhuà yuè shǎo, yuè róngyì jìzhù.	In general, the fewer strokes a Chinese character has, the easier it is to remember.
一般来说，早起的人比晚起的人精力更充沛。	Yībān lái shuō, zǎoqǐ de rén bǐ wǎnqǐ de rén jīnglì gèng chōngpèi.	Generally, early risers are more energetic than late risers.
一般来说，节假日的商品价格会上涨。	Yībān lái shuō, jiéjiàrì de shāngpǐn jiàgé huì shàngzhǎng.	Generally, prices of goods rise during holidays.

Key Differences Table:

	focus	examples
对 + […]+ 来说	Perspective of an individual	对妈妈来说，健康最重要。 duì mā mā lái shuō, jiàn kāng zuì zhòng yào To mom, health is most important.
一般来说	General observations	一般来说，人们喜欢晴天。 yī bān lái shuō,rén mén xǐ huān qíng tiān Generally speaking, people like sunny days.

USING […] + 来说

We have just seen 一般来说 is similar to generally speaking… in English.

In English, there are also expressions like strictly speaking, relatively speaking, or specifically speaking.

We can express similar things in Chinese using […] + 来说.

PATTERN

Word + 来说

➡️ Word: The first word typically describes the scope or focus of the statement. It can indicate generalization, comparison, or even a specific level of detail.

➡️ 来说: Means speaking of or in terms of, used to introduce the perspective or context for the statement.

Common phrases & their meanings

一般来说 (yībān lái shuō) – Generally speaking, ordinarily

This phrase introduces a general or common view that applies to most situations or people.

^{yī bān lái shuō， jiàn kāng yǐn shí shì bǎo chí shēn tǐ jiàn kāng de guān jiàn 。}

一般来说，健康饮食是保持身体健康的关键。

_{Generally speaking, a healthy diet is the key to maintaining good health.}

总的来说 (zǒngde lái shuō) – Generally speaking, in general

This phrase is used to summarize or give an overall view of something. It’s similar to all in all.

^{zǒng de lái shuō， wǒ mén de gōng sī qù nián qǔ dé liǎo hěn hǎo de chéng jì 。}

总的来说，我们的公司去年取得了很好的成绩。

_{All in all, our company achieved great results last year.}

相对来说 (xiāngduì lái shuō) – Relatively speaking

This phrase is used to make a comparison, suggesting that the statement is true in comparison to other factors or situations.

^{xiāng duì lái shuō, běi fāng de dōng tiān bǐ nán fāng gēng lěng}

相对来说，北方的冬天比南方更冷。

_{Relatively speaking, winters in the north are colder than in the south.}

严格来说 (yángé lái shuō) – Strictly speaking, technically

This phrase introduces a more precise or technical view of a situation, often emphasizing accuracy or formality.

^{yán gé lái shuō， zhè gè chǎn pǐn bù fú hé suǒ yǒu de ān quán biāo zhǔn 。}

严格来说，这个产品不符合所有的安全标准。

_{Strictly speaking, this product does not meet all safety standards.}

具体来说 (jùtǐ lái shuō) – Specifically speaking

Used to introduce a more detailed or specific explanation of a general statement.

^{jù tǐ lái shuō ， wǒ mén xū yào zài xià gè yuè wán chéng xiàng mù de dì yī jiē duàn 。}

具体来说，我们需要在下个月完成项目的第一阶段。

_{Specifically speaking, we need to complete the first stage of the project by next month.}

Usage notes

These phrases are often used to introduce opinions, generalizations, or clarifications about a subject, making them quite useful in both casual and formal discussions.

Most common phrases with 来说:

Phrase	Meaning	Example
客观来说 kèguān lái shuō	Objectively speaking	客观来说，他的实力很强。 kè guān lái shuō， tā de shí lì hěn qiáng 。 Objectively speaking, he is very capable.
主观来说 zhǔguān lái shuō	Subjectively speaking	主观来说，我不太喜欢这个设计。 zhǔ guān lái shuō， wǒ bù tài xǐ huān zhè gè shè jì 。 Subjectively speaking, I don’t really like this design.
大体来说 dàtǐ lái shuō	Roughly speaking	大体来说，情况还算稳定。 zhǔ guān lái shuō， wǒ bù tài xǐ huān zhè gè shè jì 。 Roughly speaking, the situation is still stable.
简单来说 jiǎndān lái shuō	Simply put	简单来说，我们需要更多的时间。 jiǎn dān lái shuō， wǒ mén xū yào gēng duō de shí jiān 。 Simply put, we need more time.

View More Examples:

Phrase	Example Sentence	Pinyin	Translation
一般来说	一般来说，年轻人更容易接受新技术。	Yībān lái shuō, niánqīng rén gèng róngyì jiēshòu xīn jìshù.	Generally speaking, young people are more open to new technologies.
一般来说	一般来说，春天的天气比较温暖。	Yībān lái shuō, chūntiān de tiānqì bǐjiào wēnnuǎn.	Generally speaking, the weather in spring is relatively warm.
总的来说	总的来说，这次会议取得了很大的成功。	Zǒngde lái shuō, zhè cì huìyì qǔdé le hěn dà de chénggōng.	Overall, this meeting was a great success.
总的来说	总的来说，这个城市的交通系统很完善。	Zǒngde lái shuō, zhège chéngshì de jiāotōng xìtǒng hěn wánshàn.	Overall, this city’s transportation system is very well-developed.
相对来说	相对来说，今年的雨季比往年短一些。	Xiāngduì lái shuō, jīnnián de yǔjì bǐ wǎngnián duǎn yīxiē.	Relatively speaking, this year’s rainy season is shorter than in previous years.
相对来说	相对来说，这款产品的价格更合理。	Xiāngduì lái shuō, zhè kuǎn chǎnpǐn de jiàgé gèng hélǐ.	Relatively speaking, the price of this product is more reasonable.
严格来说	严格来说，这不是一个正确的解决方案。	Yángé lái shuō, zhè bù shì yī gè zhèngquè de jiějué fāng’àn.	Strictly speaking, this is not a correct solution.
具体来说	具体来说，我们需要提高产品的安全性能。	Jùtǐ lái shuō, wǒmen xūyào tígāo chǎnpǐn de ānquán xìngnéng.	Specifically, we need to improve the safety features of the product.

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FAQs

What difference between 来说 and 一般来说?

来说 is used to specify a perspective (e.g., “from the perspective of…”), while 一般来说 means “generally speaking” and expresses broad opinions.

How do you use 来说 in a sentence?

Example: 对中国人来说，春节很重要。 (For Chinese people, Spring Festival is very important.)

Can 一般来说 and 来说 be used interchangeably?

No, 一般来说 refers to general statements, while 来说 specifies a particular group, situation, or aspect.

Is 来说 formal or informal?

来说 is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, but 一般来说 is slightly more formal and often appears in essays or reports.

Can 来说 be used with personal opinions?

Yes, for example: 对我来说，这部电影很好看。 (For me, this movie is very good.)

Can I learn Chinese with LTL?

Yes!

You can learn Chinese in one of our 10+ destination, in both group or individual classes.

Have a look at all of our programs here.

Or contact a Student Advisor to discuss your plans directly.

Chinese Grammar Bank

HOW TO USE 来说

USING 对 + […] + 来说

PATTERN

USING 一般来说

PATTERN

USING […] + 来说

PATTERN

Common phrases & their meanings

Usage notes

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FAQs

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