Common Chinese words list and pronunciation

199+ Chinese Words And Meanings For Beginners

Learning Chinese can be an exciting journey, and building a strong foundation of vocabulary is crucial for effective communication.

In this blog post, I have curated a diverse list of Chinese words.

Whether you’re just starting your Chinese language learning adventure or looking to expand your vocabulary, this resource will provide you with a wealth of words to explore and master.

So, let’s dive in!

Also read:

50 Basic Chinese Words and Meanings

NumberChinese Word/PhrasePinyinMeaning
1你好nǐ hǎoHello
2谢谢xiè xièThank you
3对不起duì bù qǐSorry
4shìYes, to be
5No, not
6hǎoGood
7朋友péng yǒuFriend
8I, me
9You
10Female, woman
11nánMale, man
12àiLove
13chīTo eat
14To drink
15睡觉shuì jiàoTo sleep
16kànTo see, to watch
17xiěTo write
18shuōTo speak, to say
19学习xué xíTo study, to learn
20shūBook
21桌子zhuō ziTable
22眼睛yǎn jīngEye
23shǒuHand
24jiǎoFoot
25qiánMoney
26时间shí jiānTime
27现在xiàn zàiNow
28明天míng tiānTomorrow
29中国zhōng guóChina
30音乐yīn yuèMusic
31电影diàn yǐngMovie
32huāFlower
33颜色yán sèColor
34喜欢xǐ huānLike
35老师lǎo shīTeacher
36学校xué xiàoSchool
37gǒuDog
38māoCat
39Fish
40niǎoBird
41耳朵ěr duoEar
42鼻子bí ziNose
43嘴巴zuǐ baMouth
44牛奶niú nǎiMilk
45shuǐWater
46火车huǒ chēTrain
47飞机fēi jīAirplane
48电脑diàn nǎoComputer
49手机shǒu jīMobile phone
50ménDoor

Chinese Words of Love

Love is a universal language, and expressing it in Chinese can add a touch of romance to your conversations. Here are some Chinese words and phrases related to love:

Chinese Word/PhrasePinyinChinese Words in English
àiLove
我爱你wǒ ài nǐI love you
亲爱的qīn ài deDear (term of endearment)
xīnHeart
甜蜜tián mìSweet
浪漫làng mànRomantic
恋人liàn rénLover
伴侣bàn lǚPartner
真爱zhēn àiTrue love
一生一世yī shēng yī shìForever and always
缘分yuán fènFate or destiny that brings people together
wěnKiss
拥抱yōng bàoHug
宝贝bǎo bèiBaby or sweetheart
永远yǒng yuǎnForever
芳心fāng xīnHeart, affection
真心zhēn xīnSincere heart, genuinely
情人qíng rénLover
甜言蜜语tián yán mì yǔSweet words, sweet nothings
两情相悦liǎng qíng xiāng yuèMutual affection and love

These Chinese words and phrases of love can help you express your romantic feelings. Remember to practice their pronunciation and use them appropriately to convey your emotions effectively.

Funny Chinese Words/Phrases

Chinese Word/PhrasePinyinMeaning
笑话xiào huàJoke
傻瓜shǎ guāFool
搞笑gǎo xiàoFunny
滑稽huá jīHilarious
鬼话guǐ huàNonsense
梦话mèng huàSleep talk
搞怪gǎo guàiPlayful
笑死人xiào sǐ rénExtremely funny
逗笑dòu xiàoAmusing
玩笑wán xiàoJoke, tease
喜剧xǐ jùComedy
滑稽可笑huá jī kě xiàoRidiculous
闹着玩nào zhe wánJust kidding
开玩笑kāi wán xiàoJust joking
逗逼dòu bīFunny, silly
弄笑nòng xiàoMake laugh
逗趣dòu qùFunny, entertaining
玩笑话wán xiào huàPlayful joke
笑翻天xiào fān tiānExtremely funny
幽默yōu mòHumor

Cool Chinese Words

The following cool Chinese words will add flair and excitement to your vocabulary. Enjoy exploring their meanings and incorporating them into your conversations!

Chinese Word/PhrasePinyinMeaning
Cool
cháoTrendy
shuàiHandsome
xuànDazzling
哪吒Né zhāA legendary figure in Chinese mythology
摩登mó dēngModern
霸气bà qìDomineering
个性gè xìngIndividuality
异国风情yì guó fēng qíngExotic charm
狂野kuáng yěWild
潇洒xiāo sǎCasual, carefree
高调gāo diàoHigh-profile
时髦shí máoTrendy
震撼zhèn hànShocking
刺激cì jīExciting, stimulating
个性张扬gè xìng zhāng yángExpressive personality
魅力mèi lìCharm
挑战tiǎo zhànChallenge
新潮xīn cháoNew wave
自由zì yóuFreedom
时髦潮流shí máo cháo liúFashion trend
艺术yì shùArt
新锐xīn ruìCutting-edge
炫酷xuàn kùDazzling, cool
神秘shén mìMysterious
激情jī qíngPassion
美丽měi lìBeautiful
挑逗tiǎo dòuTease, flirt
创新chuàng xīnInnovation
迷人mí rénCharming
热情rè qíngEnthusiasm
艳丽yàn lìGorgeous
非凡fēi fánExtraordinary
活力huó lìVitality
个性十足gè xìng shí zúFull of personality
异彩yì cǎiBrilliance
惊艳jīng yànStunning
别致bié zhìUnique
风靡fēng mǐPopular
风趣fēng qùWitty
神奇shén qíMagical
绚丽xuàn lìGorgeous
个性独特gè xìng dú tèUniqueness
光彩guāng cǎiRadiance
艳美yàn měiStunningly beautiful
优雅yōu yǎElegant
无与伦比wú yǔ lún bǐUnparalleled
爆炸bào zhàExplosive
美轮美奂měi lún měi huànMagnificent
瑰丽guī lìSplendid
时尚偶像shí shàng ǒu xiàngFashion icon
惊人jīng rénAstonishing

Long Chinese Words for Beginners

This list of long Chinese words are suitable for beginners and cover various everyday topics.

Chinese Word/PhrasePinyinMeaning
青蛙qīng wāFrog
蜜蜂mì fēngBee
电视机diàn shì jīTelevision
电话号码diàn huà hào mǎPhone number
咖啡店kā fēi diànCoffee shop
火车站huǒ chē zhànTrain station
餐厅cān tīngRestaurant
电影院diàn yǐng yuànCinema
公共汽车gōng gòng qì chēBus
大学生dà xué shēngCollege student
小学生xiǎo xué shēngElementary school student
动物园dòng wù yuánZoo
公园gōng yuánPark
医院yī yuànHospital
市场shì chǎngMarket
图书馆tú shū guǎnLibrary
超市chāo shìSupermarket
游泳池yóu yǒng chíSwimming pool
邮局yóu júPost office
银行yín hángBank
饭店fàn diànRestaurant

Chinese Words That Sound the Same 

These pairs of Chinese words have the same pronunciation but different meanings and characters.

PinyinChinese Word 1Meaning 1Chinese Word 2Meaning 2
maQuestion particleMom
ThinkPrivate
shìTo beMatter, thing
DrumAncient
FishFisherman
chángLongOften
gāoHigh, tallCake
OneClothes
huìCan, willTo gather
jiànTo see, to meetTo build, to establish
ClothesDoctor
RainLanguage, speech
AndWhat
wèiFor, to beNot yet, unfulfilled
zhīOfBranch
chéngTo become, to succeedCity, town
jìnEnterProhibit
huìCan, willTo remit
Pen, writing brushTo compare, than
wǎngTowardsNet

FAQs on Chinese Words

Are Mandarin and Chinese the Same?

Mandarin is a specific dialect of Chinese, but it’s important to understand that Chinese encompasses various dialects and languages. Mandarin is the most widely spoken dialect and serves as the official language of China, making it a crucial aspect of learning Chinese. 

What Chinese Words Should I Learn First?

When starting your journey to learn Chinese, it’s helpful to focus on fundamental words you’ll frequently encounter in conversations and everyday life. Here are some examples of Chinese words that are great to learn as a beginner:

  1. 你好 (nǐ hǎo) – Hello
  2. 谢谢 (xiè xiè) – Thank you
  3. 对不起 (duì bù qǐ) – Sorry
  4. 是 (shì) – Yes, to be
  5. 不 (bù) – No, not
  6. 好 (hǎo) – Good
  7. 朋友 (péng yǒu) – Friend
  8. 我 (wǒ) – I, me
  9. 你 (nǐ) – You
  10. 女 (nǚ) – Female, woman
  11. 男 (nán) – Male, man
  12. 爱 (ài) – Love
  13. 吃 (chī) – To eat
  14. 喝 (hē) – To drink
  15. 睡觉 (shuì jiào) – To sleep

What Does “Xie Xie” Mean?

“Xie xie” means “thank you” in Chinese. It’s a common phrase used to express gratitude.

Is It Easy to Learn Chinese?

Learning any language requires time and effort, including Chinese. However, with dedication, practice, and the right resources, you can make significant progress in learning Chinese.

Learning Chinese can be a rewarding and exciting journey. By mastering basic words, exploring expressions of love, discovering funny words, and understanding common questions, you’ll be well on your way to becoming fluent in the language. 

Final Thoughts

Congratulations on completing our guide on Chinese Words.

I hope this resource has served as a valuable tool in expanding your vocabulary and enhancing your understanding of the Chinese language.

If you’re looking for further language learning resources, I invite you to explore Stellar Chinese, an online learning platform dedicated to Chinese language education. Our platform offers a wide range of interactive lessons, exercises, and cultural insights to help you progress in your language learning journey.

Remember, consistent practice and exposure are key to mastering any language, so keep exploring and incorporating these words into your conversations and daily life.

If you found this Chinese words list helpful, feel free to share it with your friends, fellow language learners, or anyone who might benefit from expanding their Chinese vocabulary.

Learning together not only makes the journey more enjoyable but also allows for mutual support and growth.

Stay curious, keep practicing, and embrace the beauty of the Chinese language. Happy learning!

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