三民主义 the Three People's Principles (Nationalism, Democracy and the People's Livelihood) put forward by Dr. Sun Yat-sen　　
　　三农问题 issues concerning agriculture, countryside and farmers
　　三陪 girls who provides illegal sexual services, esp. prostitute
　　三权分立 separation of the executive, legislative and judicial powers
　　三十而立 "A man should be independent at the age of thirty. / At thirty, a man should be able to think for himself."
　　三通 "three direct links of trade, mail, and air and shipping services across the Taiwan Straits "　　
　　三通一平 "three supplies and one leveling; supply of water, electricity and road and leveled ground (conditions ready for further economic development)"　　
　　三维电影 three-dimensional movie　　
　　三维动画片 three-dimensional animation　　
　　三无企业 "three-no-enterprises (It refers to enterprises with no capital, no plant, and no administrative structure.)"
　　三峡工程 Three Gorges Project
　　三峡水利枢纽二期工程 the second phase of the key water control project at the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River
　　三下乡 "a program under which officials, doctors, scientist and college students go to the countryside to spread scientific and literacy knowledge and offer medical service to farmers"　　
　　“三沿”开放（沿海、沿边、沿江） "Sea-shore, River-shore, Border-shore" opening-up
　　散装 load in bulk
　　三字经 three-character scripture　　
　　三资企业（中外合资企业，中外合作企业，外商独资企业） "three kinds of foreign-invested enterprises or ventures: Sino-foreign joint ventures, cooperative businesses and exclusively foreign-owned enterprises in China "　　
　　三自原则 principles of self-administration, self-support and self-propagation
　　桑拿浴 sauna　　
　　三无人员 （无合法证件，无正常居所，无正当生活来源） people without identification papers, a normal residence permit, and a source of income; "sanwu" people
　　扫黄，打非 eliminate pornography and illegal publications　　
　　扫盲 eliminate illiteracy
　　扫尾工作 round-off work; wind-up work　　
　　森林覆盖率 forest coverage; percentage of forest cover
　　沙尘暴 sand storm; dust storm　　
赛季 sports competition season
　　塞翁失马，焉知非福 Misfortune may be an actual blessing.　　
　　三八红旗手 woman pace-setter　　
　　三八线 38th Parallel　　
　　360度环幕电影 Circamara　　
　　三班倒 three shifts
　　三步走战略 the three-step development strategy　　
　　三产 tertiary industry
　　三大法宝 the three main and effective method
　　三大作风 the Party's three important styles of work (integrating theory with practice, forging close links with the masses and practicing self-criticism)　　
　　三废（废气、废水、废渣） "three wastes"(waste gas, waste water and waste residues)
　　三分钟热度 brief period of enthusiasm
　　三高农业 "three highs" agriculture (high yield, high quality and high efficiency agriculture)
　　三个代表 three represents theory (the Party must always represent the requirements of the development of China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of the development of China's advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the people in China.)　　
　　三个有利于 three favorables (whether it promotes the growth of the productive forces in a socialist society, increases the overall strenth of the socialist state and raises the people's living standards　　
　　三股企业 three-share enterprises—enterprises whose shares are purchased by government departments, local authorities and other enterprises　　
　　《三国演义》 The Romance of the Three Kingdoms　　
　　三好学生 merit student; three good student(good in study, attitude and health)　　
　　散户 retail / private investor　　
　　三讲教育（讲学习、讲政治、讲正气） three emphases education (to stress theoretical study, political awareness and good conduct); stress the need to study, to be political-minded and to be honest and upright　　
　　三角恋爱 love triangle　　
　　三角债 chain debt　　
　　散客 individual traveler
　　三来一补企业 "the enterprises that process raw materials on clients' demands, assemble parts for the clients and process according to the clients' samples; or engage in compensation trade."　　
　　三连冠 three successive championships