中国曲艺是极具中国民间特色的音乐说唱艺术，有自己独特的形式 (forms)、内涵（contents)与风格（styles)，所以，西方语言中就没有“曲艺”一说。

 (1) 曲艺种类(kinds of quyi)

曲艺 dramatic balladry；folk art varieties；storytelling item ；quyi

八角鼓 bajiaogu ( genre of folk entertainment consisting of talking and singing)

山东大鼓 monologue story-telling in Shandong dialect 

京韵大鼓 monologue story-telling in Beijing dialect with drum accompaniment ( story telling with drum accompaniment popular in Beijing and its vicinity)

梆子腔（秦腔）music or opera in Shaanxi marked by use of bangzi

表演唱 song with action (an item combining with singing,dancing and acting)

吹打 playing flutes；horns or trumpets and beating drums

吹弹 music for occasions (with horns and string)

单弦 danxian ( story-telling to musical accompaniment)

小品 witty skits/skit/comedies;喜剧小品 comedy skit 

渔鼓 yugu ( chant) ( chanting of folk tales to the accompaniment of a percussion instrument made of bamboo)

元曲；yuanqu (type of verse including zaju and sanqu) 

小调 ditty [如:江南小调 /the jiangnan (East China) ditties]

故事会 story-telling session

河南坠子 zhuizi (ballad singing to the accompaniment of zhuiqin popular in Henan Province)

讲故事 story-telling

折子戏 opera excerpt(s) /episode(s)

二人转 er'renzhuan dance；pair dance (中国东北地区的民间歌舞）

皮影戏/灯影戏shadow show