B1 Intermediate Conjunctions & Connectors

How to Say “Stuff Like That” with 之类的 (zhī lèi de)

之类的 (zhī lèi de) continues a list by naming the category the examples belong to: 像 KFC 之类的快餐店 (“fast-food restaurants like KFC”). The optional 像 (“such as”) leads the examples, and 之类的 hands off to a category noun. It's the “and that sort of thing” partner to 什么的, which trails off with nothing after.

Why this trips learners up

When you give one or two examples and want to say “and stuff like that” or “and the like,” while still naming the kind of thing you mean, Chinese uses 之类的 (zhī lèi de). The full frame is 像 + example(s) + 之类的 + [Category]: 像 KFC 之类的快餐店 (“fast-food restaurants like KFC”), 咖啡、奶茶之类的饮料 (“drinks like coffee and milk tea”).

The lead-in 像 (xiàng, “such as / like”) is optional. You can keep it for emphasis (像支付宝之类的支付方式) or drop it entirely (公园、博物馆之类的地方, “places like parks and museums”). Either way, the heart of the structure is the same: a few examples, then 之类的, then the category noun they all belong to.

That category noun is the whole point, and it's what sets 之类的 apart from its close cousin 什么的. 之类的 always points up to a class word: 之类的水果 (“fruit like…”), 之类的工作 (“work like…”), 之类的电影 (“movies like…”). 什么的, by contrast, just trails the list off with nothing after it (苹果、橘子什么的, “apples, oranges, and so on”). Going to name the category? Reach for 之类的. Simply want to stop? Use 什么的.

The examples themselves can be nouns, brand names, activities, even a whole quoted phrase: 像“你的缺点是什么”之类的问题 (“questions like ‘what are your weaknesses’”). Whatever the examples are, 之类的 gathers them under the category word that follows, so your listener hears “this kind of thing,” not an exhaustive list.

The structure

像 xiàng Object 之类的 zhī lèi de Object

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Object Time Place Adverb Function word Adjective Question

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

wǒ 我 Subject měitiān 每天 Time dōu 都 Adverb chī 吃 Verb xiàng 像 Pattern píngguǒ 苹果 Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern shuǐguǒ 水果 Object

I eat fruit like apples every day (像 + one example + 之类的 + category).

wǒ 我 Subject xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb kāfēi 咖啡 Object nǎichá 奶茶 Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern yǐnliào 饮料 Object

I like drinks like coffee and milk tea (像 dropped, two examples + category).

nǐ 你 Subject xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb kàn 看 Verb xiàng 像 Pattern àiqíng piàn 爱情片 Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern diànyǐng 电影 Object ma 吗 Question

Do you like watching movies like romance films? (之类的 in a yes/no question).

zhōumò 周末 Time wǒmen 我们 Subject huì 会 Function word qù 去 Verb gōngyuán 公园 Object bówùguǎn 博物馆 Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern dìfang 地方 Object

On weekends we go to places like parks and museums (a place category, no 像).

tā 他 Subject duì 对 Verb zhéxué 哲学 Object xīnlǐxué 心理学 Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern xuékē 学科 Object hěn 很 Adverb gǎn xìngqù 感兴趣 Verb

He's really interested in subjects like philosophy and psychology (an abstract category).

tā 她 Subject xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb mǎi 买 Verb xiàng 像 Pattern wéijīn 围巾 Object shǒutào 手套 Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern xiǎo dōngxi 小东西 Object

She likes buying small things like scarves and gloves (像 + two examples + category).

gōngsī lǐ 公司里 Place xiàng 像 Pattern dǎyìn 打印 Verb sǎomiáo 扫描 Verb zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern záshì 杂事 Object dōu 都 Adverb guī 归 Verb wǒ 我 Object guǎn 管 Verb

At the company, chores like printing and scanning are all my job (verb examples, fronted with 都).

miànshì de shíhou 面试的时候 Time xiàng 像 Pattern nǐ de quēdiǎn shì shénme “你的缺点是什么” Object zhī lèi de 之类的 Pattern wèntí 问题 Object hěn 很 Adverb chángjiàn 常见 Adjective

In interviews, questions like “what are your weaknesses” are very common (a quoted example phrase).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 我喜欢饮料之类的咖啡、奶茶。 wǒ xǐhuan yǐnliào zhī lèi de kāfēi, nǎichá.

Say this: 我喜欢咖啡、奶茶之类的饮料。 wǒ xǐhuan kāfēi, nǎichá zhī lèi de yǐnliào.

Why it happens: The order is examples first, then 之类的, then the category: 咖啡、奶茶之类的饮料 (“drinks like coffee and milk tea”), not 饮料之类的咖啡、奶茶. The category word comes last, after 之类的.

Avoid: 冰箱里有牛奶、鸡蛋之类的。 bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu niúnǎi, jīdàn zhī lèi de.

Say this: 冰箱里有牛奶、鸡蛋什么的。 bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu niúnǎi, jīdàn shénme de.

Why it happens: Not going to name a category after it? Use 什么的, not 之类的. 之类的 leads into a category noun (牛奶、鸡蛋之类的食物); to simply trail off, it's 牛奶、鸡蛋什么的.

Avoid: 咖啡、奶茶之类的像饮料。 kāfēi, nǎichá zhī lèi de xiàng yǐnliào.

Say this: 像咖啡、奶茶之类的饮料。 xiàng kāfēi, nǎichá zhī lèi de yǐnliào.

Why it happens: When you use 像, it goes at the front, before the examples: 像咖啡、奶茶之类的饮料. It never sits before the category noun (not …之类的像饮料).

Compare & contrast

像…之类的 + Category (examples of a named category)	…什么的 (trails the list off, nothing after)	The difference
我喜欢苹果、橘子之类的水果。wǒ xǐhuan píngguǒ, júzi zhī lèi de shuǐguǒ.	我喜欢苹果、橘子什么的。wǒ xǐhuan píngguǒ, júzi shénme de.	我喜欢苹果、橘子之类的水果 spells out the category: “fruit like apples and oranges.” 我喜欢苹果、橘子什么的 just trails off: “apples, oranges, and so on,” nothing after.
他买了像笔、本子之类的文具。tā mǎi le xiàng bǐ, běnzi zhī lèi de wénjù.	他买了笔、本子什么的。tā mǎi le bǐ, běnzi shénme de.	他买了像笔、本子之类的文具 names the class, “stationery like pens and notebooks.” 他买了笔、本子什么的 stops at the list: “pens, notebooks, and so on.”

Rule of thumbBoth continue a list, but 之类的 points up to a category: it's followed by the class word the examples belong to (之类的水果, “fruit like…”). 什么的 just trails off with “and so on” and has nothing after it. Naming the category? 之类的. Trailing off? 什么的.

Try it yourself

Say “I like drinks like tea.” Use 像 + example + 之类的 + category.

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “Stuff Like That” with 之类的 (zhī lèi de) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

像 + Object + 之类的 + Object

Example

我每天都吃像苹果之类的水果

I eat fruit like apples every day (像 + one example + 之类的 + category).

Watch out

✗ 我喜欢饮料之类的咖啡、奶茶。 → ✓ 我喜欢咖啡、奶茶之类的饮料。