| Simplified |
Traditional |
Pinyin |
Definition |
Example Sentence |
| 爱 |
愛 |
ài |
to love; to be fond of; to like; affection; to be inclined (to do sth); to tend to (happen) |
爱：我爱你。 |
| 八 |
八 |
bā |
eight; 8 |
八：八个苹果。 |
| 爸爸 |
爸爸 |
bà ba |
(informal) father; Classifiers: 个 |
爸爸：我爸爸很高。 |
| 杯子 |
杯子 |
bēi zi |
cup; glass; Classifiers: 个 ,只 |
杯子：一个杯子。 |
| 北京 |
北京 |
běi jīng |
Beijing, capital of People’s Republic of China; Peking; PRC government |
北京：我去北京。 |
| 本 |
本 |
běn |
root; stem; origin; source; this; the current; original; inherent; originally; classifier for books, periodicals, files etc |
本：这是我的书本。 |
| 不客气 |
不客氣 |
bú kè qi |
you’re welcome; don’t mention it; impolite; rude; blunt |
不客气：不客气。 |
| 不 |
不 |
bù |
(negative prefix); not; no; variant of 不 ; (negative prefix); not; no |
不：我不知道。 |
| 菜 |
菜 |
cài |
dish (type of food); vegetable; cuisine; Classifiers: 盘 ,道 ; (coll.) (one’s) type; (of one’s skills etc) weak; poor |
菜：我喜欢吃菜。 |
| 茶 |
茶 |
chá |
tea; tea plant; Classifiers: 杯 |
茶：一杯茶。 |
| 吃 |
吃 |
chī |
to eat; to consume; to eat at (a cafeteria etc); to eradicate; to destroy; to absorb; to suffer; to stammer (Taiwan pr. for this sense is [ji2]); variant of 吃 |
吃：我想吃饭。 |
| 出租车 |
出租車 |
chū zū chē |
taxi; (Tw) rental car |
出租车：我坐出租车。 |
| 打电话 |
打電話 |
dǎ diàn huà |
to make a telephone call |
打电话：我给你打电话。 |
| 大 |
大 |
dà |
big; huge; large; major; great; wide; deep; older (than); oldest; eldest; greatly; very much; (dialect) father; father’s elder or younger brother |
大：这个很大。 |
| 的 |
的 |
de |
of; ~’s (possessive particle); (used after an attribute); (used to form a nominal expression); (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis); also pr. [di4] or [di5] in poetry and songs |
的：这是我的书。 |
| 点 |
點 |
diǎn |
point; dot; drop; speck; o’clock; point (in space or time); to draw a dot; to check on a list; to choose; to order (food in a restaurant); to touch briefly; to hint; to light; to ignite; to pour a liquid drop by drop; (old) one fifth of a two-hour watch 更 ; dot stroke in Chinese characters; classifier for items |
点：现在几点？ |
| 电脑 |
電腦 |
diàn nǎo |
computer; Classifiers: 台 |
电脑：我有一台电脑。 |
| 电视 |
電視 |
diàn shì |
television; TV; Classifiers: 台 |
电视：我喜欢看电视。 |
| 电影 |
電影 |
diàn yǐng |
movie; film; Classifiers: 部 |
电影：我们去看电影。 |
| 东西 |
東西 |
dōng xi |
thing; stuff; person; Classifiers: 个 |
东西：我要买东西。 |
| 都 |
都 |
dōu |
all; both; entirely; (used for emphasis) even; already; (not) at all |
都：他们都在家。 |
| 读 |
讀 |
dú |
to read; to study; reading of word (i.e. pronunciation), similar to 拼音 |
读：我在读书。 |
| 对不起 |
對不起 |
duì bu qǐ |
unworthy; to let down; I’m sorry; excuse me; pardon me; if you please; sorry? (please repeat) |
对不起：对不起，我错了。 |
| 多 |
多 |
duō |
many; much; often; a lot of; numerous; more; in excess; how (to what extent); multi-; Taiwan pr. [duo2] when it means “how” |
多：我很多朋友。 |
| 多少 |
多少 |
duō shǎo |
number; amount; somewhat |
多少：你有多少钱？ |
| 儿子 |
兒子 |
ér zi |
son |
儿子：他是我的儿子。 |
| 二 |
二 |
èr |
two; 2; (Beijing dialect) stupid |
二：这是二。 |
| 饭店 |
飯店 |
fàn diàn |
restaurant; hotel; Classifiers: 家 |
饭店：我们去饭店。 |
| 飞机 |
飛機 |
fēi jī |
airplane; Classifiers: 架 |
飞机：我坐飞机。 |
| 分钟 |
分鐘 |
fēn zhōng |
minute |
分钟：五分钟。 |
| 高兴 |
高興 |
gāo xìng |
happy; glad; willing (to do sth); in a cheerful mood |
高兴：我很高兴。 |
| 个 |
個 |
gè |
individual; this; that; size; classifier for people or objects in general; variant of 个 |
个：一个人。 |
| 工作 |
工作 |
gōng zuò |
to work; (of a machine) to operate; job; work; task; Classifiers: 个 |
工作：我有工作。 |
| 狗 |
狗 |
gǒu |
dog; Classifiers: 只 |
狗：这是一只狗。 |
| 汉语 |
漢語 |
hàn yǔ |
Chinese language; Classifiers: 门 |
汉语：我学习汉语。 |
| 好 |
好 |
hǎo |
good; well; proper; good to; easy to; very; so; (suffix indicating completion or readiness); (of two people) close; on intimate terms; (after a personal pronoun) hello |
好：这个很好。 |
| 号 |
號 |
hào |
ordinal number; day of a month; mark; sign; business establishment; size; ship suffix; horn (wind instrument); bugle call; assumed name; to take a pulse; classifier used to indicate number of people; Classifiers: 个 |
号：我的电话号码是… |
| 喝 |
喝 |
hē |
to drink; variant of 嗬 |
喝：我喝水。 |
| 和 |
和 |
hé |
and; together with; with; sum; union; peace; harmony; Taiwan pr. [han4] when it means “and” or “with”; surname He; Japanese (food, clothes etc); old variant of 和 ; old variant of 和 ; harmonious |
和：我和他是朋友。 |
| 很 |
很 |
hěn |
(adverb of degree); quite; very; awfully |
很：我很高兴。 |
| 后面 |
後面 |
hòu miàn |
rear; back; behind; later; afterwards; also pr. hou4 mian5 |
后面：请站在我后面。 |
| 回 |
回 |
huí |
to circle; to go back; to turn around; to answer; to return; to revolve; Hui ethnic group (Chinese Muslims); time; classifier for acts of a play; section or chapter (of a classic book); to curve; to return; to revolve; variant of 回 |
回：我回家了。 |
| 会 |
會 |
huì |
can; to be possible; to be able to; will; to be likely to; to be sure to; to assemble; to meet; to gather; to see; union; group; association; Classifiers: 个 [ge4]; a moment (Taiwan pr. for this sense is [hui3]) |
会：我会说中文。 |
| 几 |
幾 |
jǐ |
how much; how many; several; a few |
几：你几岁？ |
| 家 |
家 |
jiā |
home; family; (polite) my (sister, uncle etc); classifier for families or businesses; refers to the philosophical schools of pre-Han China; noun suffix for a specialist in some activity, such as a musician or revolutionary, corresponding to English -ist, -er, -ary or -ian; Classifiers: 个 ; see 家伙 ; surname Jia |
家：我有一家人。 |
| 叫 |
叫 |
jiào |
to shout; to call; to order; to ask; to be called; by (indicates agent in the passive mood); variant of 叫 |
叫：请叫我小明。 |
| 今天 |
今天 |
jīn tiān |
today; at the present; now |
今天：今天天气很好。 |
| 九 |
九 |
jiǔ |
nine; 9 |
九：九个苹果。 |
| 开 |
開 |
kāi |
to open; to start; to turn on; to boil; to write out (a prescription, check, invoice etc); to operate (a vehicle); carat (gold); abbr. for Kelvin, 开尔文 , book format |
开：开门。 |
| 看 |
看 |
kàn |
to see; to look at; to read; to watch; to visit; to call on; to consider; to regard as; to look after; to treat (an illness); to depend on; to feel (that); (after verb) to give it a try; Watch out! (for a danger) |
看：我看见你了。 |
| 看见 |
看見 |
kàn jiàn |
to see; to catch sight of |
看见：我看见他了。 |
| 块 |
塊 |
kuài |
lump (of earth); chunk; piece; classifier for pieces of cloth, cake, soap etc; (coll.) classifier for money and currency units |
块：这个五块钱。 |
| 来 |
來 |
lái |
to come; to arrive; to come round; ever since; next |
来：你来自哪里？ |
| 老师 |
老師 |
lǎo shī |
teacher; Classifiers: 个 |
老师：我是老师。 |
| 了 |
了 |
le |
(completed action marker); (modal particle indicating change of state, situation now); (modal particle intensifying preceding clause) |
了：我知道了。 |
| 冷 |
冷 |
lěng |
cold; surname Leng |
冷：天气很冷。 |
| 里 |
裏 |
lǐ |
lining; interior; inside; internal; also written 里 ; li, ancient measure of length, approx. 500 m; neighborhood; ancient administrative unit of 25 families; (Tw) borough, administrative unit between the township 镇 levels; variant of 里 |
里：他在里面。 |
| 六 |
六 |
liù |
six; 6 |
六：这是六。 |
| 吗 |
嗎 |
ma |
(question particle for “yes-no” questions) |
吗：你好吗？ |
| 妈妈 |
媽媽 |
mā ma |
mama; mommy; mother; Classifiers: 个 |
妈妈：我妈妈很漂亮。 |
| 买 |
買 |
mǎi |
to buy; to purchase |
买：我要买东西。 |
| 猫 |
貓 |
māo |
cat; Classifiers: 只 ; (dialect) to hide oneself; (coll.) modem |
猫：这是一只猫。 |
| 没关系 |
沒關係 |
méi guān xi |
it doesn’t matter |
没关系：没关系。 |
| 没有 |
沒有 |
méi yǒu |
haven’t; hasn’t; doesn’t exist; to not have; to not be |
没有：我没有时间。 |
| 米饭 |
米飯 |
mǐ fàn |
(cooked) rice |
米饭：我想吃米饭。 |
| 名字 |
名字 |
míng zi |
name (of a person or thing); Classifiers: 个 |
名字：你叫什么名字？ |
| 明天 |
明天 |
míng tiān |
tomorrow |
明天：明天见。 |
| 哪 |
哪 |
nǎ |
how; which |
哪：你住在哪里？ |
| 哪儿 |
哪兒 |
nǎ er |
where?; wherever; anywhere |
哪儿：你在哪儿？ |
| 那 |
那 |
nà |
that; those; then (in that case); commonly pr. [nei4] before a classifier, esp. in Beijing |
那：那是什么？ |
| 呢 |
呢 |
ne |
particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word (“What about …?”, “And …?”); particle for inquiring about location (“Where is …?”); particle signaling a pause, to emphasize the preceding words and allow the listener time to take them on board (“ok?”, “are you with me?”); (at the end of a declarative sentence) particle indicating continuation of a state or action; particle indicating strong affirmation |
呢：你呢？ |
| 能 |
能 |
néng |
can; to be able to; might possibly; ability; (physics) energy |
能：我能帮你吗？ |
| 你 |
你 |
nǐ |
you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您 ) |
你：你好。 |
| 年 |
年 |
nián |
year; Classifiers: 个 ; surname Nian; grain; harvest (old); variant of 年 |
年：今年是2023年。 |
| 女儿 |
女兒 |
nǚ ér |
daughter |
女儿：她是我的女儿。 |
| 朋友 |
朋友 |
péng you |
friend; Classifiers: 个 |
朋友：我有很多朋友。 |
| 漂亮 |
漂亮 |
piào liang |
pretty; beautiful |
漂亮：她很漂亮。 |
| 苹果 |
蘋果 |
píng guǒ |
apple; Classifiers: 个 |
苹果：我喜欢吃苹果。 |
| 七 |
七 |
qī |
seven; 7 |
七：七个鸟。 |
| 前面 |
前面 |
qián miàn |
ahead; in front; preceding; above; also pr. qian2 mian5 |
前面：请走在我前面。 |
| 钱 |
錢 |
qián |
coin; money; Classifiers: 笔 ; surname Qian |
钱：我有一点钱。 |
| 请 |
請 |
qǐng |
to ask; to invite; please (do sth); to treat (to a meal etc); to request |
请：请进来。 |
| 去 |
去 |
qù |
to go; to go to (a place); (of a time etc) last; just passed; to send; to remove; to get rid of; to reduce; to be apart from in space or time; to die (euphemism); to play (a part); (when used either before or after a verb) to go in order to do sth; (after a verb of motion indicates movement away from the speaker); (used after certain verbs to indicate detachment or separation) |
去：我去学校。 |
| 热 |
熱 |
rè |
to warm up; to heat up; hot (of weather); heat; fervent |
热：天气很热。 |
| 人 |
人 |
rén |
man; person; people; Classifiers: 个 |
人：这是一个人。 |
| 认识 |
認識 |
rèn shi |
to know; to recognize; to be familiar with; to get acquainted with sb; knowledge; understanding; awareness; cognition |
认识：很高兴认识你。 |
| 三 |
三 |
sān |
three; 3; surname San |
三：这是三。 |
| 商店 |
商店 |
shāng diàn |
store; shop; Classifiers: 家 |
商店：我要去商店。 |
| 上 |
上 |
shàng |
on top; upon; above; upper; previous; first (of multiple parts); to climb; to get onto; to go up; to attend (class or university) |
上：请上楼。 |
| 上午 |
上午 |
shàng wǔ |
morning; Classifiers: 个 |
上午：我上午有课。 |
| 少 |
少 |
shǎo |
few; less; to lack; to be missing; to stop (doing sth); seldom |
少：我少了一本书。 |
| 谁 |
誰 |
shéi |
who; also pr. [shui2] |
谁：你是谁？ |
| 什么 |
什麼 |
shén me |
what?; something; anything |
什么：这是什么？ |
| 十 |
十 |
shí |
ten; 10 |
十：这是十。 |
| 时候 |
時候 |
shí hou |
time; length of time; moment; period |
时候：现在几点钟？ |
| 是 |
是 |
shì |
is; are; am; yes; to be; variant of 是 ; (used in given names) |
是：这是我的书。 |
| 书 |
書 |
shū |
book; letter; document; Classifiers: 本 ; to write; abbr. for 书经 |
书：我喜欢读书。 |
| 水 |
水 |
shuǐ |
water; river; liquid; beverage; additional charges or income; (of clothes) classifier for number of washes; surname Shui |
水：我想喝水。 |
| 水果 |
水果 |
shuǐguǒ |
fruit; Classifiers: 个 |
水果：我喜欢吃水果。 |
| 睡觉 |
睡覺 |
shuì jiào |
to go to bed; to sleep |
睡觉：我要睡觉了。 |
| 说 |
說 |
shuō |
to speak; to say; to explain; to scold; to tell off; a theory (typically the last character in a compound, as in 日心说 heliocentric theory); variant of 说 |
说：我会说中文。 |
| 四 |
四 |
sì |
four; 4 |
四：四个苹果。 |
| 岁 |
歲 |
suì |
classifier for years (of age); year; year (of crop harvests); variant of 岁 , year; years old |
岁：我五岁。 |
| 他 |
他 |
tā |
he or him; (used for either sex when the sex is unknown or unimportant); (used before sb’s name for emphasis); (used as a meaningless mock object); other; another |
他：他是我的朋友。 |
| 她 |
她 |
tā |
she; her |
她：她很漂亮。 |
| 太 |
太 |
tài |
highest; greatest; too (much); very; extremely |
太：这个太贵了。 |
| 天气 |
天氣 |
tiān qì |
weather |
天气：今天天气很好。 |
| 听 |
聽 |
tīng |
to listen; to hear; to obey; a can (loanword from English “tin”); classifier for canned beverages |
听：我听到了音乐。 |
| 同学 |
同學 |
tóng xué |
to study at the same school; fellow student; classmate; Classifiers: 位 |
同学：他是我的同学。 |
| 喂 |
喂 |
wèi |
hey; to feed (an animal, baby, invalid etc); to feed; variant of 喂 |
喂：喂，你好吗？ |
| 我 |
我 |
wǒ |
I; me; my; myself |
我：我很高兴。 |
| 我们 |
我們 |
wǒ men |
we; us; ourselves; our |
我们：我们一起去吧。 |
| 五 |
五 |
wǔ |
five; 5 |
五：五个苹果。 |
| 喜欢 |
喜歡 |
xǐ huan |
to like; to be fond of |
喜欢：我喜欢吃水果。 |
| 下 |
下 |
xià |
down; downwards; below; lower; later; next (week etc); second (of two parts); to decline; to go down; to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc); measure word to show the frequency of an action |
下：请下车。 |
| 下午 |
下午 |
xià wǔ |
afternoon; Classifiers: 个 ; p.m. |
下午：下午见。 |
| 下雨 |
下雨 |
xià yǔ |
to rain |
下雨：今天下雨了。 |
| 先生 |
先生 |
xiān sheng |
teacher; husband; doctor (dialect); Classifiers: 位 ; Mister (Mr.) |
先生：你好，先生。 |
| 现在 |
現在 |
xiàn zài |
now; at present; at the moment; modern; current; nowadays |
现在：现在几点？ |
| 想 |
想 |
xiǎng |
to think; to believe; to suppose; to wish; to want; to miss (feel wistful about the absence of sb or sth) |
想：我想吃饭。 |
| 小 |
小 |
xiǎo |
small; tiny; few; young |
小：这是一个小狗。 |
| 小姐 |
小姐 |
xiǎo jie |
young lady; miss; (slang) prostitute; Classifiers: 个 |
小姐：服务员，小姐。 |
| 些 |
些 |
xiē |
classifier indicating a small amount or small number greater than 1: some, a few, several |
些：我有一些书。 |
| 写 |
寫 |
xiě |
to write |
写：我写字。 |
| 谢谢 |
謝謝 |
xiè xie |
to thank; thanks; thank you |
谢谢：谢谢你。 |
| 星期 |
星期 |
xīng qī |
week; Classifiers: 个 ; day of the week; Sunday |
星期：今天是星期几？ |
| 学生 |
學生 |
xué sheng |
student; schoolchild |
学生：他是学生。 |
| 学习 |
學習 |
xué xí |
to learn; to study |
学习：我喜欢学习。 |
| 学校 |
學校 |
xué xiào |
school; Classifiers: 所 |
学校：我在学校。 |
| 一 |
一 |
yī |
one; 1; single; a (article); as soon as; entire; whole; all; throughout; “one” radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1); also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit |
一：这是一本书。 |
| 一点儿 |
一點兒 |
yī diǎn er |
erhua variant of 一点 |
一点儿：我有一点儿钱。 |
| 医生 |
醫生 |
yī shēng |
doctor; Classifiers: 个 |
医生：他是医生。 |
| 医院 |
醫院 |
yī yuàn |
hospital; Classifiers: 所 |
医院：我去医院。 |
| 衣服 |
衣服 |
yī fu |
clothes; Classifiers: 件 |
衣服：这是我的衣服。 |
| 椅子 |
椅子 |
yǐ zi |
chair; Classifiers: 把 |
椅子：请坐椅子。 |
| 有 |
有 |
yǒu |
to have; there is; there are; to exist; to be |
有：我有一本书。 |
| 月 |
月 |
yuè |
moon; month; monthly; Classifiers: 个 |
月：这是六月。 |
| 再见 |
再見 |
zài jiàn |
goodbye; see you again later |
再见：再见，拜拜。 |
| 在 |
在 |
zài |
(located) at; (to be) in; to exist; in the middle of doing sth; (indicating an action in progress) |
在：他在家。 |
| 怎么 |
怎麼 |
zěn me |
how?; what?; why?; variant of 怎么 |
怎么：你怎么样？ |
| 怎么样 |
怎麼樣 |
zěn me yàng |
how?; how about?; how was it?; how are things? |
怎么样：这个怎么样？ |
| 这 |
這 |
zhè |
this; these; (commonly pr. [zhei4] before a classifier, esp. in Beijing) |
这：这是我的书。 |
| 中国 |
中國 |
zhōng guó |
China |
中国：我来自中国。 |
| 中午 |
中午 |
zhōng wǔ |
noon; midday; Classifiers: 个 |
中午：中午吃饭。 |
| 住 |
住 |
zhù |
to live; to dwell; to stay; to reside; to stop; (suffix indicating firmness, steadiness, or coming to a halt) |
住：我住在北京。 |
| 桌子 |
桌子 |
zhuō zi |
table; desk; Classifiers: 张 |
桌子：这是一张桌子。 |
| 字 |
字 |
zì |
letter; symbol; character; word; Classifiers: 个 ; courtesy or style name traditionally given to males aged 20 in dynastic China |
字：这个字怎么写？ |
| 昨天 |
昨天 |
zuó tiān |
yesterday |
昨天：昨天天气很热。 |
| 做 |
做 |
zuò |
to do; to make; to produce; to write; to compose; to act as; to engage in; to hold (a party); to be; to become; to function (in some capacity); to serve as; to be used for; to form (a bond or relationship); to pretend; to feign; to act a part; to put on appearance |
做：我会做饭。 |
| 坐 |
坐 |
zuò |
to sit; to take a seat; to take (a bus, airplane etc); to bear fruit; variant of 座 ; surname Zuo |
坐：请坐下。 |
