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500+ Chinese Vocabulary 📚Your Complete List

Welcome to the ultimate Chinese Vocabulary blog!

If there’s one thing we know all too well at LTL Mandarin School, it’s a good old fashioned Chinese vocabulary blog.

We’ve written dozens, fact-checked by our incredible Mandarin teachers.

Plus, have made thousands of flashcards to help our readers memories the Chinese vocabulary they’re learning.

You can find all our flashcards on our Pinterest and Instagram.

We’ve created this to be a helpful directory to access to top 10 words in each of our Chinese vocabulary blogs AND give you access to all our Chinese vocabulary videos in one convenient location.

Put your skills to the test with one of HSK Vocabulary tests and find our what level you’re at today, for FREE!

BONUS FREEBIE – Take the ULTIMATE Chinese Vocabulary Quiz ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Academic Vocabulary

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
School	学校	xuéxiào
Classroom	教室	jiàoshì
Student	学生	xuéshēng
Teacher	老师	lǎoshī
Textbook	课本	kèběn
Homework	作业	zuòyè
Quiz	测验	cèyàn
Exam	考试	kǎoshì
History	历史学	lìshǐ xué
Geography	地理学	dì lǐ xué

Play

See our full list of academic vocabulary.

Chinese Vocabulary: Alcohol

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Beer	啤酒	píjiǔ
Baijiu	白酒	bái jiǔ
Wine	葡萄酒	pú táo jiǔ
Red Wine	红酒	hóngjiǔ
White Wine	白葡萄酒	bái pútáojiǔ
Sparkling Wine	气泡酒	qìpào jiǔ
Champagne	香槟酒	xiāng bīn jiǔ
Vodka	伏特加	fú tè jiā
Whiskey	威士忌	wēi shì jì
Gin	劲酒	jìn jiǔ

Play

Discover more alcohol in Chinese.

Allergies in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Allergic	过敏	guò mǐn
Bless You	一百岁	yī bǎi suì
Hay Fever	花粉症	huāfěn zhèng
Pollen	花粉	huā fěn
Spring	春天	chūn tiān

Learn more about allergies in Chinese

Animals in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Animal	动物	dòng wù
Dog	狗	gǒu
Dragon	龙	lóng
Dolphin	海豚	hǎi tún
Snake	蛇	shé
Cow	牛	niú
Rat	鼠	shǔ
Tiger	虎	hǔ
Rabbit	兔子	tù zǐ
Horse	马	mǎ

Play

Find all the animals in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary: Body Parts

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Body	身体	shēn tǐ
Head	头	tóu
Face	脸	liǎn
Mouth	嘴	zuǐ
Chest	胸	xiōng
Back	背	bèi
Arm	胳膊	gē bo
Hand	手	shǒu
Leg	腿	tuǐ
Feet	脚底	jiǎodǐ

Discover all the body parts in Chinese.

Chess in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Chess (International)	国际象棋	guó jì xiàng qí
Chinese Chess	象棋	xiàngqí
Chess Piece	棋子	qízǐ
Chess Player	棋手	qí shǒu
Chess Board	棋盘	qí pán
White Piece	白棋	bái qí
Black Piece	黑棋	hēi qí
Pawn	兵, 卒	bīng, zú
Queen	后	hòu
King	王	wáng

Learn more about Chess in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Clothes

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Trousers	裤子	kù zi
Jeans	牛仔裤	niú zǎi kù
Shorts	短裤	duǎn kù
Dress	连衣裙	liányīqún
Skirt	裙子	qún zi
T-shirt	T恤	T xù
Jumper	毛衣	máo yī
Suit	西装	xī zhuāng
Shoe	鞋	xié
Socks	袜子	wàzi

Discover all the clothes in Chinese.

Coffee in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Coffee	咖啡	kāfēi
Latte	拿铁	nátiě
Cappuccino	卡布基诺	kǎbùjīnuò
Americano	美式咖啡	měishì Kāfēi
Espresso	浓缩咖啡	nóngsuō kāfēi
Hot	热的	rè de
Cold	冰的	bīng de
Milk	牛奶	niúnǎi
Sugar	糖	táng
Caramel	焦糖	jiāo táng

Play

Find more ways to order coffee in Chinese.

Colours in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Black	黑色	hēi sè
White	白色	bái sè
Red	红色	hóng sè
Pink	粉色	fěn sè
Green	绿色	lǜ sè
Yellow	黄色	huáng sè
Blue	蓝色	lán sè
Purple	紫色	zǐ sè
Gray	灰色	huī sè
Gold	金色	jīn sè

Play

Learn all the colours in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Directions

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Left	左边	zuǒ biān
Right	右边	yòu biān
Go straight	直走	zhí zǒu
Go backwards	向后走	xiàng hòu zǒu
Up	向上	xiàng shàng
Down	向下	xiàng xià
Over	通过	guò
Through	通过	tōng guò
Stop	停	tíng
North	北	běi

Play

See our full list of directions in Chinese.

Dog Breeds in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Dog	狗	gǒu
Paw	爪 zhuǎ	zhuǎ
Snout	口鼻部	kǒu bí bù
Tail	尾巴	wěi ba
To Bite	咬人	yǎo rén
To Sniff	闻	wén
To Bark	吠	fèi
Bulldog	牛头	niú tóu
Poodle	贵宾	guì bīn
Sheepdog	牧羊	mù yáng

Discover more dog breeds in Chinese.

Easter in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Easter	复活节	fùhuó jié
Happy Easter	复活节快乐	fùhuó jié kuàilè
Easter Bunny	复活节兔子	fùhuó jié tùzǐ
Easter Egg	彩蛋	cǎidàn
Easter Egg Hunt	寻找彩蛋	xúnzhǎo cǎidàn
Hot Cross Buns	十字餐包	shízì cān bāo
chocolate	巧克力	qiǎokèlì
decorations	装饰	zhuāngshì
lambs	羊羔	yánggāo
chicks	小鸡	xiǎo jī

Learn more about Easter in Chinese.

Eggs in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Chicken	鸡蛋	jī dàn
Duck	鸭子蛋	yā zi dàn
Emu	鸸鹋蛋	ér miáo dàn
Baked Egg	烘蛋	hōng dàn
Boiled Egg	水煮蛋	shuǐ zhǔ dàn
Fried Egg	煎鸡蛋	jiān jīdàn
Omelette	煎蛋卷	jiān dàn juǎn
Poached egg	荷包蛋	hébāodàn
Scrambled Egg	炒蛋	chǎo dàn
Yolk	蛋黄	dàn huáng

Get all the eggs in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Elections

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Democratic Party	民主党	mínzhǔdǎng
Republican Party	共和党	gònghédǎng
Libertarian Party	自由意志党	zìyóu yìzhì dǎng
Green Party	绿党	lǜdǎng
Constitution Party	宪法党	xiànfǎ dǎng
Politics	政治	zhèngzhì
Democracy	民主	mínzhǔ
Presidential Debate	总统辩论	zǒngtǒng biànlùn
Voting	投票	tóupiào
Nominate	提名	tímíng

Get more on elections in Chinese.

Encouragement in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Congratulations to you!	恭喜你	gōng xǐ nǐ
I’m happy for you!	我都替你高兴	wǒ dōu tì nǐ gāo xìng
I am so happy for you!	我真为你高兴	wǒ zhēn wèi nǐ gāoxìng
Well done!	干得好	gàn dé hǎo
Excellent!	太棒了	tài bàng le
You are awesome!	你真棒	nǐ zhēn bàng
Amazing!	了不起	liǎo bù qǐ！
You are so great!	你太厉害了	tài lì hai le
Don’t give up!	不要放弃	bù yào fàng qì
You can do it!	你可以的	nǐ kěyǐ de

Get all the encouragement in Chinese.

Feelings in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Excited	兴奋	xīngfèn
Grateful	感激的	gǎnjīde
Brave	勇敢	yǒnggǎn
Carefree	无忧无虑	wú yōu wú lǜ
Angry	生气	shēngqì
Annoyed	恼火	nǎo huǒ
Anxious	焦虑	jiāo lǜ
Bored	厌烦	yàn fán
Competitive	有竞争力	yǒu jìngzhēng lì
Hungry	饿	è

Learn all the feelings in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Fish

Vocabulary	Charachters	Pinyin
Bream	鳊鱼	biān yú
Catfish	鲶鱼	nián yú
Crab	螃蟹	páng xiè
Flounder	比目鱼	bǐ mù yú
Jellyfish	海蜇	hǎi zhé
Lobster	小龙虾	xiǎo lóng xiā
Octopus	章鱼	zhāng yú
Piranha	食人鱼	shí rén yú
Salmon	鲑鱼	guī yú
Tuna	金枪鱼	jīn qiāng yú

Get more Fish in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary: Fruit

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Apple	苹果	píng guǒ
Avocado	牛油果	niú yóu guǒ
Banana	香蕉	xiāng jiāo
Blueberry	蓝莓	lán méi
Coconut	椰子	yē zi
Grape	葡萄	pú táo
Grapefruit	柚子	yòu zi
Lemon	柠檬	níng méng
Lime	酸橙	suān chéng
Mango	芒果	máng guǒ

Play

Get more fruit in Chinese.

Furniture in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Table	桌子	zhuō zi
Chair	椅子	yǐ zi
Bed	床	chuáng
Couch	沙发	shā fā
Mirror	镜子	jìng zi
Carpet	地毯	dìtǎn
Fireplace	壁炉	bì lú
Wallpaper	墙纸	qiáng zhǐ
Blinds	百叶窗	bǎi yè chuāng
Table lamp	台灯	tái dēng

See our full list of furniture in Chinese.

Hello in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Hello (Standard)	你好	nǐ hǎo
Hello (Polite)	您好	nín hǎo
How are you?	你好吗	nǐ hǎo ma
How are you? (Polite)	您好吗	nín hǎo ma
what’s up?	你怎么样	nǐ zěnmeyàng
nice to meet you	幸会	xìnghuì
(Very formal greeting)	久仰	jiǔyǎng
Morning!	早	zǎo
Have you eaten?	你吃了吗	nǐ chī le ma
Hello (answering phone)	喂	wèi

Play

Find more ways to say hello in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: The House

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
House	家	jiā
Basement	地下室	dìxià shì
Bathroom	洗手间	xǐshou jiān
Dining Room	餐厅	cāntīng
Bedroom	卧室	wòshì
Kitchen	厨房	chúfáng
Office	办公室	bàngōngshì
Downstairs	楼下	lóuxià
Upstairs	楼上	lóushang
Toilet	卫生间	wèishēng jiān

Get all the vocabulary for a house in Chinese.

Instruments in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Guitar	吉他	jítā
Cello	大提琴	dàtíqín
Violin	小提琴	xiǎotíqín
Harp	竖琴	shùqín
Piano	钢琴	gāngqín
Xylophone	木琴	mùqín
Drums	鼓	gǔ
Trumpet	喇叭	lǎbā
Trombone	长号	cháng hào
Flute	长笛	chángdí

Play

Discover all the instruments in Chinese.

Jewellery in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Ring	戒指	jièzhi
Necklace	项链	xiàngliàn
Bracelet	手链	shǒuliàn
Earrings	耳环	ěrhuán
Nose ring	鼻环	bíhuán
Gold	黄金	huángjīn
Silver	银	yín
Diamond	钻石	zuànshí
Tiffany & Co	蒂芙尼	dìfúní
Pandora	潘多拉	pānduōlā

Find more jewellery in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Makeup

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Face	脸	liǎn
Forehead	额头	é’tóu
Eyebrows	眉毛	méimáo
Foundation	粉底	fěndǐ
Bronzing powder	古铜粉	gǔ tóng fěn
Highlighter	高光	gāoguāng
Contour	修容	xiū róng
Concealer	遮瑕膏	zhēxiá gāo
Blush	腮红	sāihóng
Eye shadow	眼影	yǎnyǐng

Learn all the makeup in Chinese.

Maths in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Number	数字	shù zì
Odd	奇数的	jī shù de
Even	偶数的	ǒu shù de
Plus/Add	加法	jiā fǎ
One Half (1/2)	二分之一	èrfēn zhīyī
One Third (1/3)	三分之一	sānfēn zhīyī
One Quarter (1/4)	四分之一	sìfēn zhīyī
Arithmetic	算术	suàn shù
Algebra	代数	dài shù
Calculus	微积分	wēi jī fēn

Play

Get more math in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Measure Words

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
generic	个	gè
flat things (paper)	张	zhāng
books	本	běn
glasses or cups	杯	bēi
bottles	瓶	píng
clothing, presents or problems	件	jiàn
families or business	家	jiā
animals	只	zhī
vehicles with wheels	辆	liàng
A pair of (something)	双	shuāng

See our full list of measure words.

Measurements in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
gram	克	kè
milligram	毫克	háo kè
kilogram	公斤	gōng jīn
ton	吨	dūn
length	长	cháng
metre	米	mǐ
centimetre	厘米	lí mǐ
kilometre	公里	gōng lǐ
litre	升	shēng
hectare	公顷	gōng qǐng

Discover more measurements in Chinese.

Mobile Phone (settings) in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
SIM card	SIM 卡	sim kǎ
Battery	电池	diàn chí
Button	按钮	àn niǔ
Charger	充电器	chōng diàn qì
Contacts	电话簿	diàn huà bù
WiFi	无线	wú xiàn
Notification	通知	tōng zhī
Email	邮件	yóu jiàn
WeChat	微信	wēi xìn
Camera	相机	xiàng jī

Learn more about your phone in Chinese.

Money in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
money	钱	qián
coin	硬币	yìngbì
debt	债务	zhài wù
bank	银行	yín háng
credit card	信用卡	xìn yòng kǎ
price	价钱	jià qian
to pay	付	fù
give change	零钱	líng qián
ATM	自动取款机	zì dòng qǔ kuǎn jī
exchange rate	汇率	huì lǜ

Play

Get all the money in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Numbers

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
0	零	líng
1	一	yī
2	二	èr
3	三	sān
10	十	shí
99	九十九	jiǔ shí jiǔ
100	一百	yì bǎi
Year	年	nián
month	月	yuè
Date	日	rì

Discover all the numbers in Chinese.

Occupations in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Job	工作	gōngzuò
Accountant	会计	kuài jì
Designer	设计师	shè jì shī
Lawyer	律师	lǜ shī
Beautician	美容师	měi róng shī
Doctor	医生	yī shēng
Hairdresser	理发师	lǐ fà shī
Artist	艺术家	yì shù jiā
Farmer	农民	nóngmín
Teacher	老师	lǎo shī

Find more occupations in Chinese.

Olympics in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Olympic Games	奥运会	ào yùn huì
Olympic Torch	奥运会的圣火	àoyùnhuì de shènghuǒ
The Olympic Flag	奥运会会旗	àoyùnhuìhuìqí
Opening Ceremony	奥运会开幕式	àoyùnhuì kāimù shì
Swimming	游泳	yóuyǒng
Athletics	田径	tiánjìng
Cycling	自行车	zìxíngchē
Gold medal	金牌	jīnpái
Athlete	运动员	yùndòngyuán
Paralympic Games	残奥会	cán ào huì

Learn all the vocabulary for the Olympics in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Opposites

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Rich	富有	fù yǒu
Poor	贫穷	pín qióng
Sick	生病	shēng bìng
Healthy	健康	jiàn kāng
Big	大	dà
Small	小	xiǎo
Fast	快	kuài
Slow	慢	màn
Happy	快乐	kuài lè
Sad	伤心	shāngxīn

Get more opposites in Chinese.

Places in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
France	法国	fà guó
America	美国	měi guó
Brazil	巴西	bā xī
Egypt	埃及	āi jí
South Africa	南非	nán fēi
Japan	日本	rì běn
India	印度	yìn dù
Phuket	普吉岛	pǔ jí dǎo
London	伦敦	lún dūn
New York	纽约	niǔ yuē

Play

See our full list of places in Chinese.

Plants in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Daisy	雏菊花	chújú huā
Cactus	仙人掌	xiānrénzhǎng
Rose	玫瑰	méiguī
Sunflower	向日葵	xiàngrìkuí
Lavender	薰衣草	xūnyīcǎo
Lotus	莲花	liánhuā
Iris	鸢尾花	yuānwěi huā
Orchid	兰花	lánhuā
Lily	百合	bǎihé
Bamboo	竹子	zhúzi

Discover more plants in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Questions

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Who	谁	shéi
What	什么	shén me
Why	为什么	wèi shén me
Where	哪里	nǎ lǐ
Which	哪个	nǎ ge
When	什么时候	shén me shí hou
How	怎么	zěn me
What’s your name?	您叫什么名字	nín jiào shénme míngzi？
Where do you live?	您住在哪里？	nín zhù zài nǎ lǐ？
Do you like China?	您喜欢中国吗？	nín xǐ huan zhōng guó ma？

Find all the questions in Chinese.

Days, Months and Seasons in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Monday	星期一	xīng qī yī
Sunday	星期天	xīng qī tiān
January	一月	yī yuè
December	十二月	shí èr yuè
Summer	夏天	xià tiān
Winter	冬天	dōng tiān
Morning	早晨	zǎo chén
Night	夜晚	yè wǎn
Today	今天	jīn tiān
Tomorrow	明天	míng tiān

Learn more days months and seasons in Chinese.

Shapes in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Shape	形状	xíng zhuàng
Triangle	三角形	sān jiǎo xíng
Square	方形	fāng xíng
Circle	圆形	yuán xíng
Rectangle	矩形	jǔ xíng
Pentagon	五角形	wǔjiǎoxíng
Octagon	八角形	bā jiǎoxíng
Sphere	球形	qiú xíng
Cone	锥体	zhuī tǐ
Cube	立方体	lì fāng tǐ

Play

Get all the shapes in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Shopping

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Appliances	家电	jiādiàn
Home	居家	jūjiā
Digital	数码	shùmǎ
Cars	汽车	qìchē
Toys	玩具	wánjù
Entertainment	娱乐	yúlè
Beauty	美妆	měi zhuāng
Personal care	个护	gè hù
Jewellery	饰品	shìpǐn
Furniture	家具	jiājù

Discover all the shopping in Chinese.

Shower in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
To bathe	洗澡	xǐzǎo
To shower	淋浴	línyù
Shampoo	洗发水	xǐfàshuǐ
Conditioner	护发素	hùfàsù
Body Wash	沐浴露	mùyùlù
Hair dryer	吹风机	chuīfēngjī
Towel	毛巾	máojīn
Face wash	洗面奶	xǐmiànnǎi
Moisturizer	护肤霜	hùfūshuāng
Soap	肥皂	féizào

Find more vocabulary for the shower in Chinese.

Space in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Sun	太阳	tài yáng
Mercury	水星	shuǐ xīng
Venus	金星	jīn xīng
Earth	地球	dì qiú
Space	太空	tài kōng
Asteroid	小行星	xiǎo xíng xīng
Black Hole	黑洞	hēi dòng
Comet	彗星	huì xīng
Galaxy	银河系	yín hé xì
Moon	月亮	yuè liang

Learn all about space in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Sports

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Fan	球迷	qiú mí
Match	球赛	qiú sài
Table Tennis	乒乓球	pīngpāng qiú
Basketball	篮球	lánqiú
Cricket	板球	bǎn qiú
Football	足球	zúqiú
Run	跑步	pǎobù
Swim	游泳	yóu yǒng
Skiing	滑雪	huáxuě
Boxing	拳击	quánjí

Play

Get more sports in Chinese.

Stationery in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Pen	笔	bǐ
Pencil	铅笔	qiānbǐ
School Bag	书包	shūbāo
Calculator	计算器	jìsuànqì
Eraser	橡皮	xiàngpí
Pencil Sharpener	转笔刀	zhuànbǐdāo
Scissors	剪刀	jiǎndāo
Sticky Tape	胶带	jiāodài
Paperclip	曲别针	qūbiézhēn
Stapler	订书机	dìngshūjī

Play

See our full list of stationery in Chinese.

Subway (sandwiches) in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Subway	赛百味	sài bǎiwèi
Bread	面包	miàn bāo
6 Inch	6寸的	liù cùn de
Footlong	12寸的	shíèr cùn de
Veggie Delight	缤纷蔬菜	bīnfēn shūcài
Ham and Chinese	西式火腿	xīshì huǒtuǐ
Lettuce	生菜	shēng cài
Tomato	生菜	shēng cài
Honey Mustard	蜜汁芥末酱	mì zhī jiè mò jiàng
Mayonnaise	蛋黄酱	dàn huáng jiàng

Play

Discover more about ordering a Subway in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Superheroes

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Superhero	超级英雄	chāo jí yīng xióng
Spiderman	蜘蛛侠	zhīzhū xiá
Superman	超人	chāorén
Batman	蝙蝠侠	biānfúxiá
Joker	小丑	xiǎochǒu
Wonder Woman	神奇女侠	shénqí nǚxiá
Green Lantern	绿灯侠	lǜdēng xiá
Thor	雷神托尔	léi shén tuō ěr
Captain America	美国队长	měiguó duì zhǎng
Iron Man	钢铁侠	gāngtiě xiá

Find all the superheroes in Chinese.

Therapy in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Therapy	治疗	zhìliáo
Therapist	治疗师	zhìliáo shī
Psychology	心理学	xīnlǐ xué
Speech Therapy	言语干预	yán yǔ gān yù
Occupational Therapy	职能辅导	zhí néng fǔ dǎo
Behavioural Therapy	行为辅导	xíng wéi fǔ dǎo
Physiotherapy	物理疗法	wùlǐ liáofǎ
Therapy Dog	治疗狗	zhìliáo gǒu
Assessment	评估	píng gū
Behaviour	行为	xíng wéi

Learn more about therapy in Chinese.

Time in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Clock	时钟	shí zhōng
1 O’Clock	一点	yī diǎn
Hour	小时	xiǎo shí
Minute	分钟	fēn zhōng
Second	秒	miǎo
Morning	早上	zǎo shang
Today	今天	jīntiān
Yesterday	昨天	zuótiān
Tomorrow	明天	míngtiān
Wednesday	星期三	xīngqī sān

Get all the time in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary: Transport

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Transport	交通运输	jiāotōng yùnshū
Ambulance	救护车	jiùhù chē
Bicycle	自行车	zìxíng chē
Bus	公共汽车	gōnggòng qìchē
Car	车	chē
Motorbike	摩托车	mótuō chē
Taxi	出租车	chūzū chē
Tram	电车	diànchē
Van	面包车	miànbāo chē
Helicopter	直升机	zhíshēng jī

Play

Discover more ways to talk about transportation in Chinese.

Vegetables in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Asparagus	芦笋	lú sǔn
Broccoli	西兰花	xī lán hu
Cabbage	卷心菜	juǎnxīncài
Carrot	胡萝卜	hú luó bo
Cauliflower	菜花	cài huā
Celery	芹菜	qín cài
Cucumber	黄瓜	huáng guā
Eggplant	茄子	qié zi
Garlic	大蒜	dà suàn
Mushrooms	蘑菇	mó gu

Play

Find more vegetables in Chinese.

Verbs in Chinese

Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Agree	同意	tóng yì
Answer	回答	huí dá
Cook	做饭	zuò fàn
Cry	哭	kū
Dig	挖	wā
Find	找到	zhǎo dào
Give	给	gěi
Have	有	yǒu
Hear	听见	tīng jiàn
Laugh	笑	xiào

Learn all the verbs in Chinese.

Viruses in Chinese

Chinese Vocabulary	Characters	Pinyin
Hospital	医院	yīyuàn
Doctor	医生	yīshēng
Nurse	护士	hùshì
Pharmacy	药店	yàodiàn
Pharmacist	药剂师	yàojì shī
Medicine	药	yào
Symptom	症状	zhèngzhuàng
Unwell	不舒服	bù shūfu
Fever	发烧	fā shāo zhuangzheng
Headache	头疼	tóuténg

Find out how to talk about viruses in Chinese.

Chinese Vocabulary Quiz

Ready to test yourself? 100 questions all relating to what we taught you above.

Strap in, buckle up… and see how good your Chinese Vocabulary really is…!

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BONUS CONTENT | Interested in other languages too? Why not check out our list of the 100 most common Korean words to learn and the most commonly used Kanji in Japanese too.

Chinese Vocabulary – FAQ’s

How can I improve my Chinese vocabulary?

Some ways to improve your Chinese vocabulary is to use personal images while studying the new vocab.

For example, learn dog (狗 gǒu) while looking at an image of your dog.

Next recall what you have previously learnt (not review), recalling information will help kick your brain into gear.

Finally, try using a spaced repetition system to review words right at the moment you’re about to forget them!

What are the basic Chinese words?

The fundamentals of basic Chinese words can all be found in HSK 1 and 2.

After passing HSK 2 you would be able to communicate in simple and routine tasks.

This would include very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment and more. Discover all the levels of the HSK levels and the Chinese words in each category.

How do you say vocabulary in Chinese?

Vocabulary in Chinese is: 词汇 cíhuì

Can I learn Chinese online?

Absolutely!

There are plenty of resources to learn Chinese online. However one of the best ways to ensure you are pronouncing the Chinese tones correctly is to get immediate feedback from an online Chinese tutor.

Want more from LTL?

Want to learn Chinese from the comfort of you own home? Then Online Chinese lessons might be the thing for you.

If you wish to hear more from LTL Mandarin School why not join our mailing list.

We give plenty of handy information on learning Chinese, useful apps to learn the language and everything going on at our LTL schools! Sign up below and become part of our ever growing community!

Whether you are an aspiring beginner at Chinese, a seasoned traveler planning to visit China, or maybe you are looking for ways to connect with your Chinese-speaking friends, knowing the basic Chinese words and phrases can be incredibly useful. Of course, you also want to learn some survival Chinese if you work and live in China. Though you will meet some locals who can speak English, starting a conversation with them in their language will make a world of difference to your Chinese experience. 

Believe it or not, Mandarin Chinese starts out pretty easily. A few basic vocabulary words and sentence patterns will get you by in many situations. This is different from other languages such as French or German which require you to memorize chunks of grammatical technicalities – tenses, conjugations, cases, genders… before you can say even the simplest sentences.  

Whatever your reasons for learning Chinese are, we’ve got your back!

In this guide, we’re going to teach you some basic, real Chinese to help you survive in China or other Chinese-speaking countries. We chose 99 of the most essential, basic Chinese words and phrases you’ll hear and use in daily situations and put them to a vocabulary list. We’ll take you through them one by one, telling you what they mean, how they are pronounced, when you can use them, and everything else you want to know about them. We’ll also give you 10 simple, cool Chinese phrases you can use instantly to make you sound like a native speaker already.

No doubt, knowing these basic Chinese words and phrases will help you be on the firm ground even if you’re just at the very beginning of your Chinese learning journey, but before we start in with the list, there is one thing that you should know and be aware of:

The Chinese “alphabet” is not the same as the English one (it’s phonetic though). If you’re completely new to Chinese, try familiarizing yourself with Pinyin first. Pinyin is the Mandarin romanization for pronunciation. The markings above the Pinyin indicate the tone. Pinyin will help you learn how to pronounce Chinese words properly and will make reading a lot easier.

All right! Let’s get started with our list! Trust me, these words and phrases will come in handy and give you all the right tools to interact with the locals.

Editor’s note: before we dive in, if you’re looking for an online Chinese course for beginners, here’s the course we actually recommend: YoyoChinese – a course taught in plain English.

Basic Greetings in Chinese

You can’t expect to start a Chinese conversation without knowing some words and phrases for greetings. Let’s start with the most basic ones.

1. Hello/Good day 你好

Pronunciation: Nǐhǎo

You may know this phrase already. “ni hao” literally means “you good”, and is used in the sense of “wishing you are good”. It’s the most basic way to greet people in Chinese (more often to strangers and nodding acquaintances than to people one is familiar with). It’s safe to use the phrase at any time of the day.

2. Hello (on the phone) 喂

Pronunciation: Wèi

Use this particular greeting instead of “ni hao” when you answer a phone call (but never use it in other situations).

3. How are you? 你好吗？

Pronunciation: Nǐ hǎo ma?

“ma” is kind of like a question marker in Chinese. If “ni hao” means “you good”, then “ni hao ma?” simply means “are you good?”. To keep the conversation going, you can use this basic Chinese question after greeting.

4. Very good 很好

Pronunciation: Hěn hǎo

You can respond with this basic phrase if someone says “ni hao ma?” to you.

5. Not so good 不太好 

Pronunciation: Bú tài hǎo

Having a rough day? Then “bu tai hao” it is!

6. Morning! 早！

Pronunciation: Zǎo!

Forget about “zaoshang hao”. A simple “zao” is the most natural way people greet each other in the morning in China.

7. Good night 晚安

Pronunciation: Wǎn’ān

Chinese people don’t say “good afternoon” or “good evening” as often as one would in English, so let’s jump straight to “good night” – “wan’an”. Use it at the end of the day when you leave someone for the last time or when you go to bed.

8. Goodbye  再见

Pronunciation: Zàijiàn

No polite conversation can end without a good old goodbye or “zaijian”. Another parting phrase you’ll frequently hear in Chinese would be 拜拜 (báibái), a loanword from English (bye-bye) popular among young people.

Here’s a recap of the basic Chinese words and phrases you should know to greet people and say goodbye in Chinese.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Hello/Good day	你好	Nǐhǎo
Hello (on the phone)	喂	Wèi
How are you?	你好吗？	Nǐ hǎo ma?
Very good	很好	Hěn hǎo
Not so good	不太好	Bú tài hǎo
Morning!	早！	Zǎo!
Good night	晚安	Wǎn’ān
Goodbye	再见	Zàijiàn

Basic Chinese Words & Phrases to Express Politeness

Chinese culture is built around politeness and courtesy. The basic words of politeness can go a long way. These Chinese phrases will surely come in handy during the conversation if you don’t want to offend anyone.

9. Thank you 谢谢

Pronunciation: Xièxie

If there’s a second word to know besides “ni hao”, this would be it.

10. You’re welcome 不客气

Pronunciation: Bú kèqi

Respond with this phrase when someone says “xiexie” to you. Alternatively, you can reply with 不用谢 (bú yòng xiè) – literally “no need to thank”.

11. Please (do sth) 请… 

Pronunciation: Qǐng…

You can add this in front of a request if you want to add an extra layer of politeness.

12. May I ask… 请问…

Pronunciation: Qǐng wèn…

If you need to grab someone’s attention to ask a question, such as asking for the restroom, directions, or a similar favor, start with “qing wen”, then follow it up with what you want to ask.

13. Excuse me 不好意思

Pronunciation: Bù hǎo yìsi

“bu hao yisi” literally means “embarrassed”, that is, one is embarrassed with a situation or for having caused the situation. It’s a casual way of saying “sorry” in Chinese when the situation doesn’t really warrant a “sorry”. You can use the phrase, for instance, if you bump into someone on a crowded subway or when you need to interrupt someone.

14. I’m sorry 对不起

Pronunciation: Duìbuqǐ

When apologizing for more serious inconveniences, you can use the phrase ”dui bu qi”. Hearing a foreigner attempt to apologize in your spoken tongue will add that extra layer of respect.

15. It doesn’t matter 没关系

Pronunciation: Méi guānxi

This is normally how you respond to an apology in Chinese.

16. No problem 没问题

Pronunciation: Méi wèntí

Everything works out fine? Then “mei wenti!”

Here’s a quick summary of the basic polite words and phrases in Chinese.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Thank you	谢谢	Xièxie
You’re welcome	不客气	Bú kèqi
Please (do sth)	请…	Qǐng…
May I ask…	请问…	Qǐng wèn…
Excuse me	不好意思	Bù hǎo yìsi
I’m sorry	对不起	Duìbuqǐ
It doesn’t matter	没关系	Méi guānxi
No problem	没问题	Méi wèntí

Survival Chinese Words & Phrases

If you want to survive your trip to China, you’ve got to learn a few more basic words beyond the initial greeting to get you by. So, here is a list of the survival Chinese words you need to memorize right away.

17. I 我

Pronunciation: Wǒ

It’s important to know some basic Chinese pronouns. If it’s your first time hearing these words, then you should familiarize yourself with them as soon as you can. 

Chinese doesn’t differentiate between the subject (doer of the action) and object (undergoer of the action), so you can use “wo” for both “I” and “me”, for instance, “wo shi…” (I am…), “shi wo” (it’s me).

18. You 你

Pronunciation: Nǐ

“ni” refers to the singular “you” in Chinese. If you are talking to more than one person, you can use “nimen”, the plural “you” instead.

19. He/She/It 他/她/它

Pronunciation: Tā

Fun fact: while “he”, “she”, and “it” are represented by different characters, they are pronounced exactly the same in Chinese. You’ll need to rely on the context to figure out whether someone is referring to the male “ta” or female “ta” during a conversation.

(An interesting phenomenon is that Chinese people, when speaking English, often use “he” instead of “she” or the other way around by mistake, because they’ve never had to pay attention to the phonetic difference in their own language.)

20. This 这个

Pronunciation: Zhè ge

21. That 那个

Pronunciation: Nà ge

To point things out in Chinese, you can use the above two basic words (known as demonstrative pronouns). Note that people in northern China often pronounce “nà ge” as “nèi gè”. (read more on “nèi gè”)

22. Yes 是的

Pronunciation: Shì de

23. No 不是

Pronunciation: Bú shì

Technically, Chinese doesn’t have specific words that correspond directly to “yes” and “no” when used in isolation. To answer a question properly, even the simplest one, you need some basic knowledge of Chinese grammar. (read Chinese Grammar for Beginners here)

The good news is that you can get by just using “shi de” for “yes” and “bu shi” for “no”. They may not be strictly correct, and you may even find people giggling, but you’ll be understood in most situations.

24. Good/Okay 好的

Pronunciation: Hǎo de

Respond with “hao de” when you accept someone’s request, suggestion, invitation, or when they ask for a favor and you don’t mind helping. That way, you’ll sound friendly and adorable.

Just make sure you don’t use “hao de” to replace “shi de”. (if someone asks you if you are Mr. Johnson, answering with “okay” will sound silly)

25. Not Good/Not Okay 不好

Pronunciation: Bù hǎo

If you are not in the mood, simply answer with “bu hao”. As you can probably guess, “bu” is a negation word in Chinese that makes a statement negative. (read more here)

26. Maybe 有可能

Pronunciation: Yǒu kěnéng

You may also give an ambiguous answer by saying “you keneng” – literally “there’s a possibility”.

27. Now 现在

Pronunciation: Xiànzài

It’s necessary to know some basic time words in Chinese. Since there is no so-called “tense” in Chinese, people rely heavily on time words such as “now”, “yesterday”, and “tomorrow” to differentiate whether something happens in the present, past, or future.

28. Today 今天

Pronunciation: Jīntiān

29. Yesterday 昨天

Pronunciation: Zuótiān

30. Tomorrow 明天

Pronunciation: Míngtiān

31. Restroom/Toilet 厕所

Pronunciation: Cèsuǒ

There are several ways to say “restroom” in Chinese, among which “cesuo” is the most common one. If you have a problem memorizing the entire string of words to say “where is the restroom?” in Chinese, you can simply say “cesuo?” Most people will give you the same response anyway.

32. Help! 救命！

Pronunciation: Jiùmìng!

Hopefully, you won’t have to use this phrase, but it’s necessary to know in case of unknown emergencies.

Here’s a quick recap of the words and phrases you’ll need in your next Chinese survival situation.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
I	我	Wǒ
You	你	Nǐ
He/She/It	他/她/它	Tā
This	这个	Zhè ge
That	那个	Nà ge
Yes	是的	Shì de
No	不是	Bú shì
Good/Okay	好的	Hǎo de
Not good/Not okay	不好	Bù hǎo
Maybe	有可能	Yǒu kěnéng
Correct/Right	对	Duì
Now	现在	Xiànzài
Today	今天	Jīntiān
Yesterday	昨天	Zuótiān
Tomorrow	明天	Míngtiān
Restroom/Toilet	厕所	Cèsuǒ
Help!	救命！	Jiùmìng!

Basic Chinese Numbers  

The Chinese numbers, which belong to the Indo-Arabic-based decimal system, are not difficult to learn. Their construction follows rules that will allow you to memorize them easily.

Here are the basic Chinese numbers.

33. One 一

Pronunciation: Yī

34. Two 二

Pronunciation: Èr

There are actually two words that correspond to the number “2” in Chinese: “èr” and “liǎng”, and they are used for different circumstances. (find out when to use which here)

35. Three 三

Pronunciation: Sān

36. Four 四

Pronunciation: Sì

Numerology plays a vital role in Chinese lives. Locals lay great emphasis on the use of numbers which, according to their culture, may be considered lucky or unlucky.

The number “4” is a dreaded number in Chinese superstition and a very unlucky number. This is because it is almost homophonous with the Chinese word “sǐ” which means “death”. Chinese avoid numbers “4” and “14” when they choose phone numbers, room numbers, or select dates of ceremonies.

37. Five 五

Pronunciation: Wǔ

38. Six 六

Pronunciation: Liù

39. Seven 七

Pronunciation: Qī

40. Eight 八

Pronunciation: Bā 

“8” is the most favored number in China. It’s associated with wealth, luck, success, and status.

41. Nine 九

Pronunciation: Jiǔ

42. Ten 十

Pronunciation: Shí

43. One hundred 一百

Pronunciation: Yì bǎi

44. One thousand 一千

Pronunciation: Yì qiān

Once you’ve mastered the basic numbers we listed above, you’ll instantly know how to say all the other numbers. All you need is some 1st grade math. (here is how you do it)

Below is a quick rundown of the basic Chinese numbers we’ve just covered.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
One	一	Yī
Two	二	Èr
Three	三	Sān
Four	四	Sì
Five	五	Wǔ
Six	六	Liù
Seven	七	Qī
Eight	八	Bā
Nine	九	Jiǔ
Ten	十	Shí
One hundred	一百	Yì bǎi
One thousand	一千	Yì qiān

Simple Chinese Phrases for Small Talk  

Now, here are a few more simple Chinese words and phrases you’ll need to lead a conversation and keep it going.

45. Have you eaten? 吃了吗？

Pronunciation: Chī le ma?

Don’t be bewildered when locals ask you “have you eaten?” or “chi le ma?”. This is not a dinner invitation. Instead, it’s a traditional way of people greeting each other in China, which is quite common among the older generation (they love it!).

Quick note: To use this greeting, you need to have a certain degree of familiarity with the Chinese speaker, as it’s most often used between friends and neighbors. Saying this to strangers will leave them befuddled.

46. I’ve eaten 吃了

Pronunciation: Chī le

The phrase “chi le ma?” is usually just used to start a conversation (similar to how native English speakers might say “How’s it going?” or “What’s up?”), the speaker may not really care whether or not you’ve had your lunch or dinner.

But in case you encounter this question, you should know how to respond. There are two ways you can do it:

If you’ve eaten – “chi le”.

47. I haven’t eaten yet 还没吃

Pronunciation: Hái méi chī

And if you haven’t – “hai mei chi”.

48. And you? 你呢？

Pronunciation: Nǐ ne?

“ni ne?” is a simple and quick way to bounce back the question that you’ve just been asked in Chinese. This is equivalent to saying “and you?” or “what about you?” in English.

49. What’s your name? 你叫什么名字？

Pronunciation: Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?

You can use this basic phrase to ask the name of the person you’re talking to in Chinese.

Just take note that in Chinese culture, only people having a close personal relationship address each other by their full name or first name. It’s okay to use the phrase to a kid, or when you are introduced to a friend of a friend, meeting peers at school, workplace, or a party, but don’t use it on formal occasions, to your client, people who are older than you, or senior in rank than you in an organization… ask their family name instead. (here is how to do it)

50. My name is… 我叫…

Pronunciation: Wǒ jiào…

An appropriate self-introduction starting with your name is the first step for people to know you. There are several ways you can do it. “wo jiao…” is the easiest one. This phrase means “I’m called…” literally. (read here to learn other ways of introducing your name)

51. Where are you from? 你是哪里人？

Pronunciation: Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?

Chinese people are always keen to know where the foreigner they are interacting with is from, so you’ll hear this all the time. Literally, the phrase means “You are where person?”.

A common variation of this question is 你是哪国人？ (Nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?) – literally, “You are which country person?”.

52. I’m from… 我是…人

Pronunciation: Wǒ shì … rén

This is how you can start answering this type of question. Try to learn your country‘s name in Chinese and slip it in the middle of the sentence.

For example,

• 我是意大利人。
  Wǒ shì Yìdàlì rén.
  I am from Italy.

53. Nice to meet/see you 很高兴见到你

Pronunciation: Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ

What an important phrase to learn! You can use it the first time you meet someone as well as when you meet again.

Here’s a quick summary of the simple vocabulary you need for small talk in Chinese.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Have you eaten?	吃了吗？	Chī le ma?
I’ve eaten	吃了	Chī le
I haven’t eaten yet	还没吃	Hái méi chī
And you?	你呢？	Nǐ ne?
What’s your name?	你叫什么名字？	Nǐ jiào shénme míngzì?
My name is…	我叫…	Wǒ jiào…
Where are you from?	你是哪里人？	Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?
I’m from…	我是…人	Wǒ shì … rén
Nice to meet/see you	很高兴见到你	Hěn gāoxìng jiàn dào nǐ

Basic Chinese Phrases & Sentences to Get around

Imagine that you’re in China. What should you say when you suddenly need to ask for help? Or if you want to buy something at a local market? In this case, It’s crucial to know basic Chinese phrases and sentences so that you’ll be able to get around or cope with problems once they crop up.

We’ll start with the most basic Chinese verbs: to want (要 yào), to go (去 qù), to have (有 yǒu), to like (喜欢 xǐhuan). Basic Chinese for travelers is based on these simple verbs. Once you master the following phrases, you’ll have a good foundation for creating Chinese sentences in different circumstances.

54. Do you want (sth)… 要不要…？

Pronunciation: Yào bu yào…?

Use the phrase to ask someone whether he/she wants something.

55. I want… 我要…

Pronunciation: Wǒ yào…

This is how you can start saying what you want in Chinese. Just add the right noun at the end. You may also use this phrase to order food and drinks in a restaurant or a street stand.

For example,

• 我要这个。
  Wǒ yào zhè ge.
  I want (would like) this.

56. I don’t want (sth) 我不要…

Pronunciation: Wǒ bú yào…

This is how you say you don’t want something in Chinese.

57. I want to go to… 我要去…

Pronunciation: Wǒ yào qù…

Going somewhere? Then this phrase will come in handy when you talk to taxi drivers. Simply mention your destination at the end of the sentence.

58. Do you have (sth)… 有没有…？

Pronunciation: Yǒu méiyǒu…?

You can use this phrase to ask someone whether he/she has something. This is useful if you’re in a local market or restaurant looking for something particular.

59. I have (sth) 我有…

Pronunciation: Wǒ yǒu…

This is how you can say you have something in Chinese.

60. I don’t have (sth) 我没有…

Pronunciation: Wǒ méiyǒu…

This is how you can say you don’t have something in Chinese.

61. I like… 我喜欢…

Pronunciation: Wǒ xǐhuan…

62. I don’t like… 我不喜欢…

Pronunciation: Wǒ bù xǐhuan…

Use the basic expressions “wo xihuan…” and “wo bu xihuan” to talk about your likes and dislikes.  

63. What’s this? 这是什么？

Pronunciation: Zhè shì shénme?

You may see a lot of new things that you don’t even know what they are in China – food, signs, toys, instruments, whatever! This is the phrase to use to point and ask.

64. Where is…? …在哪儿？

Pronunciation: … zài nǎr?

You can navigate your way around China town or any place in China with this basic question. Simply say the name of the place you’re looking for at the beginning.

For instance,

• 厕所在哪儿？
  Cèsuǒ zài nǎr?
  Where is the restroom? (Literally, “Restroom is where?”)

65. How do I get to…? …怎么去？

Pronunciation: … zěnme qù?

Another useful phrase to remember for asking for directions in Chinese.

66. At what time? 什么时候？

Pronunciation: Shénme shíhou?

You can use this phrase to ask “at what time?” or “when?”. If you want to ask “what time is it?”, say 现在几点？ (xiàn zài jǐ diǎn?)

Once you’ve got the basic numbers under your belt, it’s pretty simple to learn how to tell the time in Chinese. 

67. Very pretty 很漂亮

Pronunciation: Hěn piàoliang

Chinese people love it when you compliment their country, so feel free to stroke their egos a bit with this phrase. For instance, you can say to your tour guide “Shanghai hen piaoliang” while admiring the light show on the Bund. Of you may tell a lady you are trying to impress, “Ni hen piaoliang”. Disclaimer: We make no promises about the outcome.

Below is a summary of these useful phrases and sentences to get around in China.  

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Do you want (sth)?	要不要…？	Yào bu yào…?
I want (sth)	我要…	Wǒ yào…
I don’t want (sth)	我不要…	Wǒ bú yào…
I want to go to…	我要去…	Wǒ yào qù…
Do you have (sth)?	有没有…?	Yǒu méiyǒu…?
I have (sth)	我有…	Wǒ yǒu…
I don’t have (sth)	我没有…	Wǒ méiyǒu…
I like…	我喜欢…	Wǒ xǐhuan…
I don’t like…	我不喜欢…	Wǒ bù xǐhuan…
What’s this?	这是什么？	Zhè shì shénme?
Where is…?	…在哪儿？	… zài nǎr?
How do I get to…?	…怎么去？	… zěnme qù?
At what time?	什么时候？	Shénme shíhou?
Very Pretty	很漂亮	Hěn piàoliang

Basic Chinese Words & Phrases for Shopping

Stuff the following Chinese shopping vocabulary into your pocket to gain a new cultural experience when traveling in China. Whether you are shopping for souvenirs, clothes, or food, you’ll find these basic Chinese phrases useful.

68. How much is it? 多少钱？

Pronunciation: Duōshǎo qián?

Now that you can understand the basic numbers in Chinese, you can use this phrase to ask the price of something at a shop or a street market in China.

69. Too expensive! 太贵了！

Pronunciation: Tài guì le!

Souvenirs, clothes, shoes, accessories, electronics, fruit…almost anything is up for haggling at a Chinese market. You are encouraged to bargain because you are most likely given the tourist price first. Impress the vendors with “Tai gui le!”

70. Make it cheaper! 便宜一点！

Pronunciation: Piányi yì diǎn!

Combine this phrase with the one above and you’re well on your way to becoming a fluent haggler in Chinese!

Here’s a recap of basic Chinese shopping vocabulary.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
How much is it?	多少钱？	Duōshǎo qián?
Too expensive！	太贵了！	Tài guì le!
Make it cheaper！	便宜一点！	Piányi yì diǎn!

Basic Chinese Words & Phrases for Restaurant Dining

Who doesn’t love to eat? Explore delicious Chinese food while in China – you won’t be sorry!

Before you head over to a Chinese restaurant, equip yourself with these basic words and phrases so you can order your meal like a native Chinese speaker!

71. Waiter/Waitress 服务员

Pronunciation: Fúwùyuán

The gender-neutral word “fuwuyuan” literally means “service staff”. It can refer to waiter/waitress, attendant, steward/stewardess, shop assistant, and professionals akin to those in Chinese. It’s socially acceptable to say the word loudly in a Chinese restaurant to get fuwuyuan’s attention.

72. Please bring me… 请给我…

Pronunciation: Qǐng gěi wǒ…

Ready to order? Then use this fundamental request. The phrase breaks down to “please” – “qing”, “bring” – “gei”, “me” – “wo”. Same as English!

73. Menu 菜单

Pronunciation: Càidān

Some Chinese restaurants might have English menus – 英文菜单 (Yīngwén càidān). You can always ask if they have one by combining this word with the phrase we’ve learned earlier – “you meiyou…?”:

• 有没有英文菜单？
  Yǒu méiyǒu Yīngwén càidān?
  Do you have an English menu?

74. Water 水

Pronunciation: Shuǐ

Don’t be surprised if the waiter brings you tea, hot lemon water, or plain hot water when you ask for “shui”. It is a Chinese tradition to serve beverages hot for expelling humidity from the body. If you want iced water, say 冰水 (bīng shuǐ).

75. Chopsticks 筷子

Pronunciation: Kuàizi

When in China, do as the Chinese do…

76. Fork 叉子

Pronunciation: Chāzi

Not a fan of chopsticks? No problem. Ask for “chazi” – “fork”. Another word you may want to know is 刀 (dāo) – “knife”.

77. Tasty 很好吃

Pronunciation: Hěn hǎochī

The Chinese people pride themselves on food. If you are impressed by the food, you can use this phrase to praise the waiter, the chef at a restaurant, or the cook at a street stand.

78. Check, please 买单

Pronunciation: Mǎi dān

Try saying this at the end of your meal.

Below is a summary of the basic Chinese restaurant vocabulary we’ve just covered.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Waiter/Waitress	服务员	Fúwùyuán
Please bring me…	请给我…	Qǐng gěi wǒ…
Menu	菜单	Càidān
Water	水	Shuǐ
Chopsticks	筷子	Kuàizi
Fork	叉子	Chāzi
Tasty	很好吃	Hěn hǎochī
Check, please	买单	Mǎi dān

Basic Chinese Phrases for Understanding and Clarification

The best way to improve your Mandarin Chinese skills is to get out there and make contact with native speakers. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes in the early stages of your journey.

Even if you get stuck in a situation in which you don’t know what to say, don’t worry! We’ve got you covered! Use the following basic words and phrases to navigate your way around Chinese conversations. You won’t be at a loss for a response with these ready-to-go Chinese sentences.

79. Do you speak English? 你会说英文吗？

Pronunciation: Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?

If you feel like it’s time to switch to English, you’re free to clarify whether the person you’re talking to speaks English or not. Just say “Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma?”, which is used for “do you speak English?”.

Bottom line: don’t expect people to speak English in China, although some do (e.g. in shops/markets for tourists). On a street level, you have a better shot with youngsters, as English is a subject vastly taught in school (their English might come out awkward and unintelligible though since most people don’t have opportunities to practice it…)

80. I don’t understand 听不懂

Pronunciation: Tīng bù dǒng

This is a good phrase to remember as you will likely need it.

Note that “ting bu dong” implies that you don’t understand a thing that the speaker says and therefore hope him/her to spare you from the conversation. You typically use this phrase to escape a confusing or uncomfortable situation.

If you actually want to get the conversation rolling, then use other phrases to encourage the speaker to repeat or explain it with simpler words. (learn what you should say instead here)

81. I don’t know 不知道

Pronunciation: Bù zhīdào

Another phrase you’ll likely hear or use. You can use it just like the way you use it in English.

82. I only speak a little Chinese 我只会说一点中文

Pronunciation: Wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén

Don’t be shy to speak Chinese. It can be intimidating trying to flex your new Chinese muscles, but the locals will surely appreciate your efforts to speak their language!

83. What does…mean? …什么意思？

Pronunciation: … shénme yìsi?

If you’re an eager learner who’s willing to ask questions, this will be the best way to get indirect Chinese lessons with a native speaker.

84. How do you say… in Chinese? …中文怎么说？

Pronunciation: … Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?

Curious learners can also use this phrase to ask someone how to say a particular object in Chinese. Like anything, use this moderately since you don’t want to annoy the person you’re with!

85. Please speak more slowly 请说慢一点

Pronunciation: Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn

If the person you’re conversing with is speaking too fast, you can ask him/her to slow down a bit using this polite request.

Here’s a rundown of the Chinese phrases you can use when you are lost during a Chinese conversation.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Do you speak English?	你会说英文吗？	Nǐ huì shuō Yīngwén ma？
I don’t understand	听不懂	Tīng bù dǒng
I don’t know	不知道	Bù zhīdào
I only speak a little Chinese	我只会说一点中文	Wǒ zhǐ huì shuō yìdiǎn Zhōngwén
What does… mean?	…什么意思？	… shénme yìsi?
How do you say…in Chinese?	…中文怎么说？	… Zhōngwén zěnme shuō?
Please speak more slowly	请说慢一点	Qǐng shuō màn yìdiǎn

Basic Chinese Phrases for Special Occasions

There are various phrases in Chinese used for special occasions. The following four basic phrases are perfect for you to get off on the right foot! Use them wisely.

86. I love you 我爱你

Pronunciation: Wǒ ài nǐ

This one goes without saying in just about any language, as you can imagine.

87. I miss you 我想你

Pronunciation: Wǒ xiǎng nǐ

Missing someone? Impress him/her with this phrase!

88. Happy birthday! 生日快乐！

Pronunciation: Shēngrì kuàilè!

Free free to use this phrase to express your wishes on your Chinese friend’s birthday.

89. Good luck! 祝你好运！

Pronunciation: Zhù nǐ hǎo yùn!

“zhu ni hao yun”, the basic expression of wishing someone luck in Chinese can be commonly used throughout the day in your interactions with local folks, so it’s a great Chinese phrase to pick up and stuff in your vocabulary pocket.

Here’s a chart for a quick summary.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
I love you	我爱你	Wǒ ài nǐ
I miss you	我想你	Wǒ xiǎng nǐ
Happy birthday!	生日快乐！	Shēngrì kuàilè!
Good luck!	祝你好运！	Zhù nǐ hǎo yùn!

10 Chinese Phrases to Sound Like a Local

So far, we’ve covered quite many basic Chinese words for you to get started, but let’s just look at a few more phrases that will add much more to your ability to wield the Chinese language authentically.

90. Long time no see! 好久不见！

Pronunciation: Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn!

“hao jiu bu jian” is probably the origin of the widespread greeting “long time no see”. Use it with someone you haven’t seen for a long time and it’ll win you some major points.

91. Awesome! 棒极了！

Pronunciation: Bàng jí le!

Being able to express your amazement with words like “awesome” and “cool” can go a long way toward having more natural conversations with others in Chinese. Just like in English, there are multiple ways to express this idea in Chinese. The most commonly used phrase is “bang ji le!” – literally – “extremely great!”.

92. Not bad/It’s all right 还行

Pronunciation: Hái xíng

The phrase “hai xing” literally means “passable”, but it’s stronger in its positive connotation in Chinese than it is in English. Some similar expressions to this are 还可以 (hái kěyǐ) – “quite okay”, 不错 (bú cuò) – “not wrong”. Though they might sound funny in English, these phrases are used commonly in Chinese for encouragement and praise.

93. Really? 真的吗？

Pronunciation: Zhēn de ma?

If someone tells you something surprising, you can respond with “zhen de ma?”.

94. No way! 不会吧！

Pronunciation: Bú huì ba!

Use this phrase when you hear something unbelievable! It’s like saying “no way!” in English.

95. Oh my God! 天哪！

Pronunciation: Tiān na!

Most Chinese don’t believe in god because of the traditional values of beliefs in Confucianism (which is a belief in a practice and not a god). To express astonishment in Chinese, simply say “tian na!”. The phrase literally translates to “oh sky!” or “oh heaven!”.  

96. Wait a minute 等一下

Pronunciation: Děng yíxià

There are lots of ways you can tell someone to wait in Chinese, from the formal to the slang. The one phrase that you can use universally is “deng yi xia”.

97. I get it 知道了

Pronunciation: Zhīdào le

The Chinese phrase “zhidao le” appears often in casual conversations. You can use this to signify that you understand or realize something. For instance, when people are explaining something to you, you understand the information and there is no need for repetition, or you can exclaim “zhidao le!” to convey joyous pride when you master a tough concept.

98. Let’s go 我们走吧

Pronunciation: Wǒmen zǒu ba

Use this phrase to signify you’re ready to leave or to prompt your companions to get going.

99. See you soon 回头见

Pronunciation: Huí tóu jiàn

The expression “hui tou jian” is a friendly, casual way to say goodbye to someone in Chinese. Use this popular phrase to end a conversation if you expect to see the person again soon.

Let’s go over the 10 basic phrases you can use to sound truly Chinese with this chart.

English	Chinese	Pinyin
Long time no see!	好久不见！	Hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn!
Awesome!	棒极了！	Bàng jí le!
Not bad/It’s all right	还行	Hái xíng
Really?	真的吗？	Zhēn de ma?
No way!	不会吧！	Bú huì ba!
Oh my God!	天哪！	Tiān na!
Wait a minute	等一下	Děng yíxià
I get it	知道了	Zhīdào le
Let’s go	我们走吧	Wǒmen zǒu ba
See you soon	回头见	Huí tóu jiàn

Next Step – Start Learning Chinese

So now you have the right keywords to help you get started on your Mandarin Chinese journey. With these basic but highly useful phrases, you’ll soon find yourself having your first conversation with a native Chinese speaker.

We also recommend you combine what you learn in this article with our other free resources:

• The Most Common, Core Chinese Words (by frequency method)
• Basic Chinese Grammar for Beginners (everything you need to know)

The beginner’s trio will make “triple” sure you know all the words and phrases you’ll hear most often, all the words you want to say, and how to put together a complete Chinese sentence with them. You would be able to form a proper conversation naturally with this combination!

How to Learn Chinese Words | The Hack You Never Knew

Chinese is a unique language. There is no alphabet, and from the start that gives newbies a headache when learning Chinese words.

However, this can actually play to your advantage in so many ways going forward. Once you’ve gotten your head around the fact Mandarin is made up of thousands of pictograms, you’ll discover there is actually an ingenious way to learn this language…

Today we are going to teach you our favourite way to learn new Chinese words, equipped with free flashcards from our Instagram channel.

In fact, it was from our very own Instagram channel that we realised just how popular these flashcards were.

Off the back of their extraordinary feedback on Instagram, we wanted to give them further context on our website too, hence the inspiration for this blog post.

You may well be wondering what these flashcards look like. Here is a prime example.

Now, depending on your Chinese level, that may or may not make sense to you. So before going into further detail, we’ll give some background.

Most of this information was taken from our mammoth guide to the Chinese alphabet (or perhaps more accurately, how the Chinese alphabet doesn’t actually exist).

Chinese Words | A Brief Introduction to the Language

Chinese Words | An Introduction to our Flashcards

Chinese Words | Words with 水

Chinese Words | Words with 金

Chinese Words | Words with 电

Chinese Words | Words with 口

Chinese Words | Words with 中

Chinese Words | Words with 眼

Chinese Words | Words with 火

Chinese Words | Words with 钱

Chinese Words | Words with 乐

Chinese Words | Words with 快

BONUS | Free Quiz

Chinese Words | FAQs

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Chinese Words | A Brief Introduction

Without wanting to repeat ourselves, we gave a pretty extensive introduction to the “Chinese Alphabet” in another post which you can take a look at here.

Here are some key snippets of text from that article though:

Let’s take the most basic Chinese character: 一 (Yī, means one)

Great, we’ve learnt our first Chinese character. That means every time I see ‘一’ it means that it’s one of something, right? Wrong.

As there is no Chinese alphabet, the characters can be joined together to make another word.

This does follow logic generally. Let us explain:

This is the character meaning common or general: 共 Gòng

So we’ve now learnt two Chinese characters but we are about to learn our third Chinese word, and that is simply by putting these two characters together to make…

 一共 (Yī Gòng)

Anyone take a guess at the meaning of 一共?

It means altogether.

Let’s do the same with two more characters: 时 (Shí means time) and 区 (Qū means Area)

So we have two characters with their own meaning individually, time and area.

But what happens when we put these two characters together?

What could the word 时区 mean?

时区: Shí Qū means Time Zone

Time and area together, mean time zone in Chinese.

So, despite the lack of a physical Chinese alphabet, there is a large element of consistent thinking when it comes to learning Mandarin.

With this introduction in mind and a great team by our side here at LTL, we started to create some rather handy flashcards for our students and followers on Instagram…

Chinese Words | Our Flashcards

We spent plenty of time researching some of the most common (and useful words), picked some equally common Chinese characters and started to get creative.

The end result, is images like this:

They immediately became hugely popular, well-shared and even downloaded by students from all over the world.

So in this blog post, we want to bring some of these Chinese words to life even further by providing some examples of sentences which relate to these flashcards.

NOTE | We haven’t included every single LTL flashcard, quite frankly there are too many and we are creating new ones every week.

In this article, we sample a few of them. For more, follow us on Instagram.

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Chinese Words | Words with 水

Our first lesson comes with the character 水 which means water in Chinese on its own.

However, we can discover a lot of new Chinese words that also include 水, some related to water, others not so much!

Let’s take a look

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
水果	Fruit	我最喜欢的水果是苹果 My favourite fruit is apple
水星	Mercury (planet)	水星是第一颗行星 Mercury is the first planet
水平	Level	我的中文水平很差 My Chinese level is bad
开水	Boiling Water	壶里是开水 There is boiling water in the pot
水母	Jellyfish	水母很可怕 Jellyfish are scary

As you can see, despite the lack of an alphabet in Mandarin, the language can be hugely logical.

The key is to learn the most commonly used characters and build from there. Our video above is the perfect tool to help you there.

Once you are beyond this stage, learning new Chinese words actually becomes easier.

Chinese Words | Words with 金

Our second focal Chinese word is 金 which means gold on its own.

金 can actually also represent money, wealth or something highly respected so there are multiple meanings – all generally good ones though!

Here are some useful Chinese words with the character 金 included in them.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
租金	Rent	这套房间每月租金一千元 The rent for this flat is 1,000 yuan a month
罚金	Fine	他被罚款 He was fined
金牌	Gold Medal	中国队获得金牌 China won the gold medal
金融	Finance	我在金融工作 I work in finance
税金	Taxes	税金很贵 Tax is expensive

Chinese Words | Words with 电

Onwards we move to character number three.

This is a popular one that appears all over the place.

电 means electricity on its own and therefore has an important place in the hearts of all Mandarin learners because we get important words like these below that stem from 电.

Let’s take a look at some here.

Now let’s put some of these into context with some example sentences.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
电视	TV	你喜欢看电视吗？ Do you like to watch TV?
电脑	Computer	我有一台苹果电脑 I have an Apple computer
电影	Movie	你昨天看过那部电影吗 Did you see that movie yesterday?
电话	Telephone	请给他打个电话 Please give him a call
充电	Charge (Battery)	我可以给手机充电吗？ Can I charge my phone?

Notice the literal translations make Mandarin so logical to learn:

• Computer = Electric + Brain
• Movie = Electric + Shadow
• Phone = Electric + Speak

This is the beauty of Mandarin, even if you don’t know a word you can always have an educated guess. More often than not you will surprise yourself and be correct.

Let’s put you to the test and see if you can guess one.

Any idea what 电车 means?

Let’s break it down:

• 电 we know is electricity
• 车 means vehicle

Electric Vehicle? Hmm… what could it be.

The answer is….

Tram 🚉

Did you get it? Even if you didn’t I bet you were along the right lines (excuse the pun) 😅

256 Place Names in Chinese 🌏 Rotterdam or Anywhere, Liverpool or Rome…

What are the world’s most famous place names in Chinese? We’ve got a complete list here, 256 to be precise. From Rome to Rio, Japan to Jakarta!

Chinese Words | Words with 口

Another essential Chinese character here.

口 means mouth on its own (an easier one to remember given it’s shape and resemblance to an open mouth also).

口 is also a commonly used Chinese radical which you’ll see in many instances.

Can you spot the 口 in these Chinese words?

• 说 | To speak
• 和 | And
• 可 | Can, May
• 后 | Back, Behind, After

All of these words are essential Chinese words.

Let’s take a look at some words that directly include 口 now.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
口罩	Mask	你带口罩了吗？ Did you bring your mask?
口红	Lipstick	你喜欢这款口红吗? Do you like this lipstick?
人口	Population	人口在增长 The population is growing
出口	Exit	出口在哪里？ Where is the exit?
门口	Entrance	在门口等候 Wait at the entrance

You’ll often see 出口 when you go to a shop, supermarket or restaurant in China.

Look out for it next time.

To discover more about radicals, check out our guide super handy video guide here.

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Chinese Words | Words with 中

Another very widely used character (and radical) next.

It’s time to learn about 中.

中 is a key character to learn, not least because it’s one-half of the name for China.

中国 literally means middle kingdom and is the name of China.

There are plenty more Chinese words including 中, and here is just a small handful of them.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
其中	Among	其中有位老爷爷 Among them was an elderly man
心中	In the heart / mind	你在我心中的地位 You have a place in my heart
折中	Compromise	他不会折中 He wouldn’t compromise
途中	En route	我在途中 I’m on my way
暗中	In the dark / secret	我在暗中什么也看不见 I couldn’t see anything in the dark

Chinese Words | Words with 眼

眼 means eye so you can imagine there are many eye-based vocabulary that include this character.

Here are some of the more useful ones to learn.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
眼睛	Eye	我有蓝色的眼睛 I have blue eyes
眼镜	Glasses	你喜欢我的眼镜吗？ Do you like my glasses?
眼皮	Eyelid	你喜欢单眼皮还是双眼皮？ Do you like single eyelids or double eye lids?
眼影	Eyeshadow	我喜欢这个眼影 I like this eyeshadow
眼罩	Eye patch	我必须戴上眼罩 I have to wear an eye patch

You can learn more about different body parts in Chinese here.

We teach you over 70 body parts and provide even more excellent flashcards, just like this one.

Chinese Words | Words with 火

火 is probably one of the easier Chinese words to remember.

What does 火 look like? A burning flame by any chance?

You could also remember it by thinking of a person running with their arms up in the air – away from the fire!

After all 人 does mean person so the story checks out!

Anyway, there’s far more to 火 than just fire.

Here are some of our favourites you should learn.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
焰火	Fireworks	你看到焰火了吗？ Did you see the fireworks?
火车	Train	快，我们的火车来了 Quick, our train is coming
火锅	Hotpot	我们去吃中国火锅吧 Let’s go for Chinese hotpot
火机	Lighter	你有打火机吗? Do you have a lighter?
火星	Mars	火星是第四颗行星 Mars is the forth planet

One of the great things about China is the hotpot.

火锅 is easy to remember because the literal translation is the same – hot pot.

TOP TIP | If you come to China, get yourself to 海底捞火锅 and experience hotpot like you never have before.

Be sure to ask for the “dancing noodles”…!

Chinese Words | Words with 钱

It’s time to talk money!

There are plenty of Chinese words that include 钱 and here are some of the most important you need to know.

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
换钱	Exchange money	我在哪里可以换钱？ Where can I exchange money?
取钱	Withdraw money	您可以在银行取钱 You can withdraw money at the bank
借钱	Borrow money	妈妈，我可以借钱吗？ Mum, can I borrow some money?
省钱	Save money	我可以在新工作中省很多钱 I can save a lot of money at my new job
存钱	Deposit money	我可以存点钱吗? May I please deposit some money?

If you love learning about money (and who doesn’t), check out this video guide where we introduce you to even more words relating to money.

See how many you can spot that include 钱.

Play

Chinese Words | Words with 乐

Coming towards the end of today’s lesson but we’ve got two more popular Chinese characters to go yet.

First up 乐.

We’ve doubled up on this one because it’s such a happy word, as you’ll see below! 😃

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
可口可乐	Coca Cola	你喜欢可口可乐还是百事可乐？ Do you like Coca-Cola or Pepsi?
星冰乐	Frappuccino	我喜欢夏天的星冰乐 I like having a summer frappuccino
乐观	Optimistic	我不是很乐观 I am not very optimistic
乐透	Lottery	你做过乐透吗 Have you ever done the lottery?
乐土	Happy Place	去我们乐土的地方吧 Let’s go to our happy place

You’ll have seen a few brand names include 乐.

This is actually a very smart move on their part to try and win over the Chinese market.

DID YOU KNOW | The choice of brand name in China can make or break its success factor and there are some fascinating stories.

Coca-Cola is one of our favourites though – you can find out more about their naming story in our brand names article here.

Chinese Words | Words with 快

Our final Chinese word is 快 which can mean fast, quick or soon on its own.

Let’s take a look and see how many of those words relate to speed below…

Chinese Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
快嘴	Blabbermouth	他是个快嘴 He is a blabbermouth
快步	Fast pace	快步走 Let’s go quick
快刀	Sharp Knife	你有一把快刀吗? Do you have a sharp knife?
快意	Pleased	她对自己的考试成绩很快意 She was so pleased with her exam result
快乐	Happy	生日快乐 Happy birthday

BONUS // Free Quiz

Now we’ve done our bit, it’s time for you to do yours!

Ready to put yourself to the test?

We’ve prepared a quick fire 20 question quiz to see how many of the above you remembered!

Results are instantly shown on the screen for you.

If you get a good score, why not share it below?

FAQs // Learning New Words in Mandarin

What does 火锅 mean?

火锅 means hotpot in Chinese.

The translation from character to English is almost exactly the same – fire (火) pot (锅).

What is money in Chinese?

钱 means money in Chinese and it’s a popular character!

There are plenty of Chinese words that include 钱 as it is one of the more common Chinese characters.

How logical is Mandarin?

Mandarin is actually a very logical language to learn.

Essentially, it is built up of thousands of building blocks (Chinese characters).

Words can be created be putting other words together.

For example:

Computer = Electric + Brain

Movie = Electric + Shadow

Phone = Electric + Speak

All the above words start with 电, the word for electricity.

What is lipstick in Chinese?

Lipstick in Chinese is 口红.

This literally means mouth-red when translated!

Is there a Chinese alphabet?

Chinese is a unique language, there is no alphabet and from the start that gives newbies a headache when learning Chinese words.

However, this can actually play to your advantage in so many ways going forward and once you’ve gotten your head around the fact Mandarin is made up of thousands of pictograms, you’ll discover there is actually an ingenious way to learn this language.

We explain that in this very blog post.

Want more from LTL?

If you wish to hear more from LTL Mandarin School why not join our mailing list.

We give plenty of handy information on learning Chinese, useful apps to learn the language and everything going on at our LTL schools!

Sign up below and become part of our ever growing community!

BONUS | Want to study the local Taiwanese dialect known as Hokkien? We provide Hokkien classes in person and online.

All the Grammar of Chinese Happens at the Phrase Level

So you’ve been learning Mandarin Chinese. And you’ve come to the conclusion that, wow, this language is so easy! Nouns never change gender, there are no plurals and no declensions. Verbs never change conjugation or tense, and I just add the same handful of particles to change the meaning of all verbs.

But why then when you speak to Chinese people they give you the strangest looks, as if you’re speaking an alien language? You’re pretty sure you got your pronunciation and tones right, but they still have no idea what you want to say?

Mandarin Chinese is easy — up to a limit. Since Chinese has very little that changes at the word level, like European languages, it makes syntax that much more important. In other words, all the grammar of Chinese happens at the phrase level!

The reason why you’re getting strange looks is probably because you’re putting Chinese words in the wrong order. Not only that but sometimes English (along with other European languages) require a lot more words to describe what can be said with very few syllables in Mandarin Chinese. Always try to deconstruct what you want to say into the fundamental units, then reconstruct these into a Chinese way of saying them.

How Adding Different Elements Affects Word Order

Mandarin Chinese is classified as an SVO (subject + verb + object) language. This is a very common word order found in many languages such as English and the Romance languages. Because of this, you might think word order rules are similar in Chinese and English. That’s correct to some extent, however, when you start adding elements such as time, place, and manner words into the sentences, the order of Chinese words can change drastically.

General Rule 1: in a series of items, always state the largest item or container first: year > month > day, country > region > town. English tends to do the opposite.

General Rule 2: always think of time as progressing vertically from top to bottom: last month (up/上), next month (down/下). English tends to think of time as progressing horizontally or forward.

1. Placement of Time (Subject + Time Word + Verb + Object): In Chinese, time words are placed at the beginning of a sentence, before or right after the subject. NEVER put them at the end of a sentence.

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
我一月去夏威夷。	wǒ yíyuè qù xiàwēiyí.	I January go Hawaii.	I went to Hawaii in January.
一月我去夏威夷。	yíyuè wǒ qù xiàwēiyí.	January I go Hawaii.	In January, I went to Hawaii.

Alternatively:

我	一月	去	夏威夷。
wǒ	yíyuè	qù	xiàwēiyí.
I	January	go	Hawaii
I went to Hawaii in January

一月	我	去	夏威夷。
yíyuè	wǒ	qù	xiàwēiyí.
January	I	go	Hawaii
In January, I went to Hawaii.

1. Placement of duration phrases (Subject + Place Word + Verb + Duration Phrase): Three years, a month , or four hours are not time words but phrases that indicate duration. When you are talking about duration, it has its own word order rules. The phrase is complementary to what has just been stated.

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
她在美國住了八年。 她在美国住了八年。	tā zài měiguó zhùle bā nián.	She LOC U.S. live-[already] eight years.	She has lived in the U.S. for eight years.

Alternatively:

她	在美國	住了	八年。
她	在美国	住了	八年。
tā	zài měiguó	zhùle	bā nián.
She	LOC U.S.	live-[already]	eight years.
She has lived in the U.S. for eight years.

1. Placement of Location (Subject + Time + Location + Verb) : Usually, Location is placed between Time and the verb. Note: this requires a good deal of practice to get used to it.

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translate	English
我昨天在家看電視。 我昨天在家看电视。	wǒ zuótiān zài jiā kàn diànshì.	I yesterday LOC home watch TV.	I watched TV at home yesterday.

Alternatively:

我	昨天	在家	看電視。
我	昨天	在家	看电视。
wǒ	zuótiān	zài jiā	kàn diànshì
I	yesterday	LOC home	watch TV.
I watched TV at home yesterday.

• Exceptions: Some verbs encode Location as a bound complement due to the meaning of the verb. What these verbs share in common is that they are single syllable verbs: 留 (stay +Loc), 放 (put +Loc), 住 (live +Loc), 裝 (pack +Loc), 關 (be enclosed +Loc), 坐 (sit +Loc), 站 (stand +Loc), 躺 (lie +Loc). If you add a resulting complement to these verbs (下/到/著/了/過/起來/…), then you need to move the Location and Object before the verb.

• Here is an example of a single syllable verb 住 followed by the Location. At the end of this article, we’ll show you how to move things when a verb like this has a resulting complement.

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
他們住在巴黎。 他们住在巴黎。	tāmén zhù zài bālí.	They live LOC Paris.	They live in Paris.

Alternatively:

他們	住	在巴黎。
他们	住	在巴黎。
tāmén	zhù	zài bālí
They	live	LOC Paris.
They live in Paris.

1. Placement of manner: Manner deals with HOW you do something, as in quickly, happily, silently, secretly, etc. It’s good to remember that “manner” is usually an adverbial (an adverb or even a whole adverb clause) and is not necessary for the core meaning of the sentence. These are optional, but they have their appropriate slot for insertion in a sentence:

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
他買到食物後開心地走了。 他买到食物后开心地走了。	tā mǎidào shíwù -hòu kāixīn de zǒule.	He buy-[achieve] food -afterwards happy-[ly] leave-[already].	He left happily after having bought food.

Alternatively:

他	買到食物	後	開心地	走了。
他	买到食物	后	开心地	走了。
tā	mǎidào shíwù	-hòu	kāixīn de	zǒule.
He	buy-[achieve] food	-afterwards	happy-[ly]	leave-[already].
He left happily after having bought food.

If you delete this adverbial, you should fill this empty slot with 就:

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
他買到食物後就走了。 他买到食物后就走了。	tā mǎidào shíwù -hòu jiù zǒule.	He buy-[achieve] food -afterwards [then] leave-[already].	He left after having bought food.

Alternatively:

他	買到食物	後	就	走了。
他	买到食物	后	就	走了。
tā	mǎidào shíwù	-hòu	jiù	zǒule.
He	buy-[achieve] food	-afterwards	[then]	leave-[already].
[-] He left after having bought food.

1. Placement of instrument: Instrument refers to USING WHAT to do something. It’s usually placed before the verb and is preceded by 用 (to use) in Chinese, whereas, in English, it’s often seen at the end of the sentence and preceded by ‘with’.

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
她用刀子切菜。 她用刀子切菜。	Tā yòng dāozi qiē cài.	She INSTR knife cut veggies.	She cuts veggies with a knife. (Literally: She uses a knife to cut veggies.)

Alternative:

她	用刀子	切菜。
她	用刀子	切菜。
Tā	yòng dāozi	qiē cài.
She	INSTR knife	cut veggies.
She	uses a knife	to cut veggies.
She cuts veggies with a knife.

Mandarin Chinese isn’t the easiest language to classify when it comes to word order. As a topic-prominent language, sentences around topics are emphasized rather than subjects and objects, which can sometimes make it hard to identify the subject in a sentence. For example:

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
麵包還有很多。 面包还有很多。	miànbāo hái yǒu hěn duō.	Bread still EXIST very much.	There is still a lot of bread [left].

Alternatively:

麵包	還	有	很多。
面包	还	有	很多。
miànbāo	hái	yǒu	hěn duō.
Bread	still	EXIST	very much.
There is still a lot of bread [left].

If you directly translate from English but switch the first two words, it would be:

還	有	很多	麵包。
hái	yǒu	hěn duō	miànbāo.

which is grammatically correct, but this is not as natural as the example we gave you above.

Linguists say that sentences like «There is [something]…» has neither a subject nor object; neither doing an action nor receiving an action. Instead, the something here is called the theme of the sentence.

Common Mistakes Made By Chinese Learners

Many Chinese learners have the tendency to make mistakes with Time and Location by translating the word order from their native language. For example:

Chinese Mistake	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
*我有英文課今天下午。 *我有英文课今天下午。	wǒ yǒu yīngwén kè jīntiān xiàwǔ.	I have English class; today afternoon.	I have an English class. This afternoon…

(The * asterisk means an unacceptable sentence to native speakers)
Alternatively:

*我	有	英文課	今天下午。
*我	有	英文课	今天下午。
wǒ	yǒu	yīngwén kè	jīntiān xiàwǔ.
I	have	English class;	today afternoon.
I have an English class. This afternoon…

The example above is a common mistake made by non native Chinese speakers as they directly translate the sentence from their native language. The correct way to form this sentence should be:

Chinese Correction	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
我今天下午有英文課。 我今天下午有英文课。	wǒ jīntiān xiàwǔ yǒu yīngwén kè.	I today afternoon have English class.	I have an English class this afternoon.

Alternatively:

我	今天下午	有	英文課。
我	今天下午	有	英文课。
wǒ	jīntiān xiàwǔ	yǒu	yīngwén kè.
I	today afternoon	have	English class.
I have an English class this afternoon.

Another common mistake:

Chinese Mistake	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
*我昨天看電視在家。 *我昨天看电视在家。	wǒ zuótiān kàn-diànshì zài jiā.	I yesterday watch TV; LOC home.	I watched TV yesterday; At home…

Alternatively:

*我	昨天	看電視	在家。
*我	昨天	看电视	在家。
wǒ	zuótiān	kàn-diànshì	zài jiā.
I	yesterday	watch TV;	LOC home.
I watched TV yesterday; At home…

As you can see, the learner has put the Location after the single-syllable verb (看) which already has a complement (電視). Move the Location before the verb:

Chinese Correction	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
我昨天在家看電視。 我昨天在家看电视。	wǒ zuótiān zài jiā kàn-diànshì.	I yesterday LOC home watch TV.	I watched TV at home yesterday.

Alternatively:

我	昨天	在家	看電視。
我	昨天	在家	看电视。
wǒ	zuótiān	zài jiā	kàn-diànshì.
I	yesterday	LOC home	watch TV.
I watched TV at home yesterday.

What should I do when I’m not sure where to put the Location?
It’s always safest to put it before the verb.

Where to Put Things When Verbs Have Complements

As you may have noticed, verbs that are longer than one syllable or that have complements do not like to have other pieces of information following. This is quite similar to German word order where the first helping verb occurs early in the sentence, but everything else will then precede the rest of the participles and modal verbs.

If we start with a simple verb-object complement such as 關門 (close the door), and then add a complement to 關 (close) -起來 (up), it results in 關起來 (close up or close shut), but there is no longer a slot to put the door. If we want to still indicate door, we need to put it in front of this complex verb and indicate that the action is happening to the door with 把 (have/make/let).

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
[關門]。 [关门]。	[guānmén].	close-door	Close the door.
把門[關起來]。 把门[关起来]。	bǎ mén [guān-qǐlái].	have/make door [close-up].	Close the door shut.

Alternatively:

把門	[關起來]。
把门	[关起来]。
bǎ mén	[guān-qǐlái].
have/make door	[close-up].
Close the door shut.

Interrogative Sentences with Quantity

In Chinese, the interrogatives 幾 and 多少 represent quantity meaning «how many» and «how much». In English, question words move to the front of the sentence but no such movement occurs in Chinese. In other words, the question word remains where you would normally state the quantity in a normal (declarative) sentence. To help make the transition easier, think about substituting x-amount-of before the word money. It is obvious by this example that the English word order is the one that becomes complex.

Chinese	Pinyin	Literal Translation	English
你有多少錢? 你有几块钱?	nǐ yǒu duō shǎo qián? nǐ yǒu jǐ kuài qián?	You have how much money? You have how many dollars?	How much money do you have? How many dollars do you have?

Alternatively:

你	有	多少	錢?
nǐ	yǒu	duō shǎo	money?
You	have	how much	money?
How much money do you have?

你	有	几块	錢?
nǐ	yǒu	jǐ kuài	qián?
You	have	how many	dollars?
How many dollars do you have?

A frequent question that we get:

Is there any difference between China and Taiwan Chinese?

There is no difference in grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation in the examples provided in this article. Pronunciation and nuances of some vocabulary will differ slightly when you encounter more of the language. We provide Chinese characters in both traditional and simplified for each example.

💡Read more: Differences Between Traditional Chinese and Simplified Chinese

If you intend to learn more of the language to an intermediate or advanced level, it’s important to choose one accent and stick with it, rather than mixing, which may confuse people you speak to. We provide training by native speakers in both accents on the Glossika platform.

The Glossika team, based in Taipei Taiwan, takes syntax and word order seriously. We believe that expression is unique in each language and translating sentences literally or verbatim leads to errors and miscommunication.

We provide bilingual training of sentence structures in more than 62 languages, including half a dozen Chinese languages and dialects. We analyze the syntactic-semantic relationship of each sentence at a deep level, then translate back to the surface using the most natural word choice and word order in each language. We do not encourage students to guess or translate into a target language on their own in order to minimize early bad habits. We believe that the correct structures can only be learned through enough exposure and repetitive practice (reps) from native speakers.

With the bilingual sentences, this helps the learner notice differences in the order of Chinese words and word choice. It’s possible to learn everything you need to know in sentence formation through training the thousands of sentences on Glossika. Since Glossika is an audio-based training platform, you will boost your listening and speaking in many Chinese languages faster than any other method.

Sign up on Glossika and get free Chinese audio training:

You May Also Like:

1. Where should I learn Mandarin Chinese: Taiwan or Mainland China?
2. Chinese Pronunciation: How to Practice the 4 Chinese Tones
3. Harvard Med Student gets to Crystal Clear Chinese
4. Glossika’s Chinese Instagram Account:

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