What Does 行了 (xíng le) Mean in Chinese?
Enhanced context lessonCommon
That’s enough / Okay, I get it
Quick answer: What does 行了 mean?
行了 — 行了 says that something is sufficient or that a speaker wants to stop or move on.
✓That’s enough.
✓Okay, I understand.
✓That will do.
What Chinese people actually mean
A brisk 行了 can sound impatient, especially when interrupting an explanation. In a practical task it can simply mean that enough has been done.
Literal meaning
Literally, it works now or is enough, with 了 marking a change.
When not to use it
Do not use 行了 in every situation where English says “okay”; it can also tell someone to stop.
Common mistakes
- Context decides between “that is enough” and “it works now.”
Chinese characters
Open each character to see its own meanings and vocabulary links.
Real conversations
1 · Ending an explanation
A: 我再讲一遍。
wǒ zài jiǎng yí biàn.
A: I’ll explain it once more.
B: 行了，我明白了。
xíng le, wǒ míngbai le.
B: That’s enough; I understand.
2 · Saying a quantity is sufficient
A: 这个数量够吗？
zhège shùliàng gòu ma?
A: Is this enough?
B: 行了，已经够了。
xíng le, yǐjīng gòu le.
B: That’ll do; it’s enough already.
How to pronounce 行了
行了
Tap to hear Mandarin.
When to use it
✓The 了 marks a change to a sufficient state.
✓Can be neutral in a task and sharp in an argument.
✓Not interchangeable with a simple accepting 行.
Sources and editorial note
Base entry: Real Chinese launch seed.Context lesson: Original Chinese Meaning context lesson; examples written for this site.