Many people run into the same question when they first start using AI image generators: should I write prompts in Chinese or in English? Some people say English prompts work better. Others say Chinese prompts are already good enough now. To be honest, both can be true. It depends on the model you are using, the type of image you want, and how clearly you write the prompt. A prompt, sometimes shortened as Pmt, is not really a language test. It is simply your instruction to the AI. The language is only the surface. What really matters is whether you can describe the image clearly.
Why Do Many People Feel English Prompts Are More Stable?
One practical reason is that many early and mainstream AI image models were trained on a large amount of image-text data from English-language sources. In fields like photography, film, art, and design, many visual terms already have very fixed English expressions, such as:
``` cinematic lighting shallow depth of field 35mm lens film grain low-key lighting editorial photography negative space product photography ```
These phrases often have stable visual associations in many models. If you write `shallow depth of field`, the model is likely to understand that you want a blurred background. If you write `film grain`, it usually understands the texture of film. If you write `low-key lighting`, it is more likely to produce darker, moodier cinematic lighting. So the advantage of English prompts is not that English is somehow naturally better. It is simply that many visual style terms, photography terms, and film terms have been learned very well in English.
Does That Mean Chinese Prompts Are Bad?
Not at all. Many models now understand Chinese much better than before, especially models with stronger Chinese-language support or tools designed for multilingual users. You can absolutely get good results with Chinese prompts. The advantage of Chinese prompts is that they feel more natural when describing ideas, emotions, and story details. For example:
``` 一个女孩坐在雨后的公交站，手里拿着一束快枯萎的花，看起来像刚刚经历了一场告别，城市灯光倒映在潮湿的地面上 ```
If you are more comfortable thinking in Chinese, this kind of sentence can help you describe the scene more completely. You do not have to force yourself to write everything in English. So Chinese is often good for describing the image in your mind, while English is useful for adding more stable visual control words.
What Is the Biggest Difference Between Chinese and English Prompts?
The biggest difference is not the language itself. It is the level of detail. Many Chinese prompts tend to use feeling-based words, such as:
``` 高级感，好看，氛围感，电影感，精致，大片感 ```
These words are not useless, but they are too broad. The AI may understand the general direction, but it does not know what kind of “premium,” what kind of “cinematic,” or what kind of “beautiful” you actually want. In English prompts, people often use more specific visual terms:
``` soft window light, muted colors, realistic shadows, 35mm lens, shallow depth of field ```
These words directly point to lighting, color, lens, depth of field, and shadow. That makes the result easier to control. But this does not mean English is always better. Chinese can also be very specific:
``` 清晨窗边的柔和自然光，低饱和色彩，真实阴影，背景轻微虚化，人物皮肤保留自然纹理 ```
This kind of Chinese prompt will usually work much better than only writing “高级感.”
What Is the Most Practical Method?
In my opinion, the most stable method is mixing Chinese and English. Use Chinese to describe the scene clearly, then add English visual keywords for style, lighting, lens, and photography control. For example:
``` 一个年轻女性坐在夜晚的咖啡馆窗边，看向雨中的街道，神情有点失落，室内是温暖灯光，窗外有霓虹反光，cinematic lighting, shallow depth of field, 35mm lens, film grain, muted colors ```
This kind of prompt is very practical for many creators. Chinese handles the story, emotion, character state, and scene. English helps control photography style, lens, lighting, and visual mood. You do not need perfect English, and you still get the benefit of stable visual terms.
What Should Be Written in English?
If you want to control visual style, English is often more stable. This is especially true for photography, film, design, material, and camera-related terms. Common examples include:
``` cinematic lighting soft natural light shallow depth of field 35mm lens 50mm lens film grain high contrast low-key lighting wide shot close-up editorial photography product photography minimal composition negative space ```
You do not need to use all of them at once. Pick only the ones that actually fit your image. A prompt does not fail because it is short. It fails when it is unclear or messy.
What Should Be Written in Chinese?
If you want to describe complex ideas, character relationships, story background, or emotional states, Chinese can be easier and more natural. For example:
``` 一个刚下班的年轻人坐在地铁角落，低头看着手机，脸上有一点疲惫但又不完全沮丧，窗外是快速掠过的城市灯光 ```
If English is not your strongest language, there is no need to force the whole prompt into English. Write the idea clearly in Chinese first, then add a few English visual terms if needed. AI image generation is not an English exam. The real goal is to explain the picture clearly.
What Are Common Problems With Chinese Prompts?
The most common problem is that the prompt sounds more like an emotional reaction than a visual description. For example:
``` 一个特别有感觉的美女，非常高级，很漂亮，电影感，氛围感拉满 ```
A human may roughly understand what this means, but for AI, there is not enough concrete information. It does not know where the person is, where the light comes from, how close the camera is, what the clothing looks like, what the background is, or what the emotion should be. A better version would be:
``` 一个穿黑色大衣的年轻女性站在雨夜街头，侧脸看向远处，湿润地面反射霓虹灯光，背景轻微虚化，低饱和色彩，真实皮肤纹理，cinematic lighting, 35mm lens ```
Now the image is much clearer.
What Are Common Problems With English Prompts?
The most common problem with English prompts is keyword stuffing. For example:
``` masterpiece, best quality, 8k, ultra detailed, cinematic, realistic, beautiful, amazing, perfect lighting ```
It looks professional, but many of these words do not give the model clear visual direction. The image may become sharper, but not necessarily better. English prompts still need to return to the basics: subject, scene, action, lighting, lens, color, and style. Without these, fancy words are just decoration.
So Should You Use Chinese or English?
If the model has strong Chinese-language support, Chinese prompts can work very well. If the model is more optimized for English-language visual descriptions, English visual terms may be more stable. But for many people, the best method is still a mix of both. Chinese helps you express the idea. English helps you control the visual style. Together, they often work better than using only one language. In the end, prompting is not a translation test. It is an expression test. You are not trying to prove how good your English is. You are trying to tell AI what kind of image you want. The more specific your expression is, the closer the result will be.