Most Common Chinese Words for Beginners
If you’re just starting to learn Chinese, focusing on high-utility words used to describe people, actions, and objects in everyday scenarios is the most practical step.
Basic Pronouns and Words for People
|
Chinese |
Pinyin |
English |
|
我 |
wǒ |
I, me |
|
你 |
nǐ |
you (singular) |
|
他 / 她 |
tā |
he / she |
|
我们 |
wǒmen |
we, us |
|
他们 / 她们 |
tāmen |
they (m/f) |
|
人 |
rén |
person |
|
学生 |
xuéshēng |
student |
|
老师 |
lǎoshī |
teacher |
|
朋友 |
péngyou |
friend |
Essential Everyday Verbs
|
Chinese |
Pinyin |
English |
|
是 |
shì |
to be |
|
有 |
yǒu |
to have |
|
去 |
qù |
to go |
|
来 |
lái |
to come |
|
吃 |
chī |
to eat |
|
喝 |
hē |
to drink |
|
看 |
kàn |
to look, watch |
|
说 |
shuō |
to speak, say |
|
喜欢 |
xǐhuan |
to like |
Common Nouns in Daily Situations
|
Chinese |
Pinyin |
English |
|
水 |
shuǐ |
water |
|
饭 |
fàn |
rice, meal |
|
家 |
jiā |
home, family |
|
学校 |
xuéxiào |
school |
|
商店 |
shāngdiàn |
shop, store |
|
钱 |
qián |
money |
|
东西 |
dōngxi |
thing, item |
|
手机 |
shǒujī |
mobile phone |
|
桌子 |
zhuōzi |
table |
Top 20 High-Frequency Chinese Words
|
Chinese |
Pinyin |
English |
|
|
什么 |
shénme |
what |
|
|
那里 / 哪儿 |
nàlǐ / nǎr |
there / where |
|
|
这里 |
zhèlǐ |
here |
|
|
对 |
duì |
correct, right |
|
|
还是 |
háishì |
or (in questions) |
|
|
一下 |
yíxià |
(used after verb for brief action) |
|
|
已经 |
yǐjīng |
already |
|
|
再 |
zài |
again |
|
|
别 |
bié |
don't |
|
|
走 |
zǒu |
to walk |
|
|
起床 |
qǐchuáng |
to get up |
|
|
觉得 |
juéde |
to think, feel |
|
|
等 |
děng |
to wait |
|
|
穿 |
chuān |
to wear |
|
|
介绍 |
jièshào |
to introduce |
|
|
手机 |
shǒujī |
mobile phone |
|
|
火车站 |
huǒchēzhàn |
train station |
|
|
机场 |
jīchǎng |
airport |
|
|
公共汽车 |
gōnggòngqìchē |
bus |
|
|
上班 |
shàngbān |
to go to work |
|
Most Common Chinese Words by Usage Frequency
The following lists focus on high-frequency Chinese words that are extremely common across all mediums—conversations, books, online content, and exams—yet were not covered in earlier sections. By learning these, you’ll increase your comprehension in real-world situations and diversify your language usage.