Learn 本事 vs 本领 vs 技能 in Chinese (China, Simplified). Build fluency with personalized exercises, chats, and video recommendations.
These all relate to “ability,” but the nuance is different:
本事 = ability/capability in a broad sense, often implying “what someone is really capable of,” sometimes with a slightly colloquial tone. Can also sound like “if you have the guts/ability, then…” in challenges.
Example: 你有本事就自己做。
本领 = one’s real competence/strength; “what you’re good at,” often about practical ability and sometimes implying you’ve proven it.
Example: 他很有本领。
技能 = a skill/technical skill (often trainable), used in more neutral/formal contexts (work, training, certifications).
Example: 学习一项新技能。
Roughly: 技能 (specific learned skill) ⟶ 本领 (strong competence) ⟶ 本事 (general capability / “what you can do,” sometimes in a challenging tone).