100 Most Common Used Chinese Characters[1]

[de]{ grammatical particle:if 的 [de] is after pronouns such as 你 [nǐ]， 我[wǒ]，她[tā]，他[tā] or 它[tā] to express procession}

我的 [wǒ de] my/mine 你的=your/yours高 的 [gāo de] high/tall;

是的 [shì de] that’s it, that’s right;

是…的 [shì…de]=one who…;

你是美国来的. [nǐ shì měi guó lái de]= You’re the one who is from America

他是说汉语的 [Tā shì shuō Hànyǔde.]= He is the one who speaks Chinese.

[yī] one 第一 [dì yī ]=first, primary;

看一看 [kàn yí kàn]=have a (quick) look at

Some tone change rules:

The 1^st tone [yī] changes into the second tone [yí] (when it’s used before tone #4); 一个人 [yí gè píng guǒ]=one apple

一定 [yí ding]=for sure/certain; 一样 [yí yang]=the same;

The 1^st tone [yī] changes into the 4^th tone [yì] (when it’s used before tones 2nd or the 3rd tone)

一点儿 [yìdiǎnr]=a little; 一些[yì xiē] =some

[shì] to be

是不是[shì bu shì]=Is (it) or is (it) not?

是否 [shì fǒu]= whether or not/ is (it) or is (it) not?

[bù] not

The 4^th tone changes into the 2^nd tone [bú] (when it’s used before tone #4)

不是 [bú shì]=isn’t /aren’t/wasn’t/weren’t

 

[le]

{verb particle indicates a change of situation or a completed action}

天冷了。[tiān lěng le]= It’s getting colder.

我吃了![wǒ shī le] =I’ve eaten.

你累了![nǐ lèi le] =You’ve gotten tired!

她只喝了一杯水.[tā zhǐ hē le yì bēi shuǐ]= She only drank one glass of water.

了 also has a second pronunciation：

[liǎo] =end, finish, settle, know something clearly, to be able to do …

了解 [liǎo jiě]=understand

了了 [liǎole]= to be over/ended/finnished/settled;

你全吃了了！[nǐ quán chī liǎo le]= You’ve eaten it all!

 

[rén] person,people

人类 [rén lèi ]= human being

有人吗? [yǒu rén ma] =Is there anybody here?

 

 

 

[wǒ] I, me

我们 [wǒ men] = we, us

[zài] = at, in

现在 [xiàn zài ]= now

存在 [cún zài] = exist

[yǒu] have, there is

没有 [méi yǒu ]= haven’t, there isn’t

有 没有? [Yǒu méi yǒu?] = Is there or isn’t there? Have (you) or haven’t (you)?

有的[ yǒu de ]= some

有的是红色，有的是绿色.[yǒu de shì hóng sè, yǒu de shì lǚ sè] = Some are red, and some are green.

 

[tā] he, him, his/she, her, it, its

其他 [qí tā ]= other

 

[méi] (=没有 méiyǒu) haven’t, there isn’t; 有没有? Yǒuméiyǒu? Is there or isn’t there? Have (you) or

haven’t (you)?
[mò] sink, overflow, disappear, confiscate

[zhōng] middle

中国 Zhōng guó = China

中间 [zhōng jiān]= middle

我在两个桌子之间.[wǒ zài lǎng ge zhuō zi zhī jiān]=I’m in the middle of the 2 tables.

[dà] big

多大? [duōdà] = How big?

大小 [dàxiǎo]= size

大家 [dà jiā] =everybody,everyone

It has a second pronunciation when it is in the word “doctor” [dài] 大夫 [dài fu ]= doctor

 

[lái] come

他的妈妈来了.[ tā de mama lái le ]=His mom came.

来年[ lái nián ]= the coming/next year

起来 [qǐ lai ] =get up, rise

原来 [yuán lái ]= originally

[shàng] above, on, over, top, (go) up, last, previous

苹果在桌子上.[ píng guǒ zài zhuō zi shàng ]= The apple is on the table.

上星期 [ shàng xīng qī ]= last week

上楼 [ shàng lóu ]= go upstairs

[guó] 国家 [guó jiā]= country, state, nation

中国 [ Zhōng guó ]= China

美国[ Měi guó ]= U.S.A.

[gè] { general and non-specific classifier } most common used measure words

Numbers+ “个”+Nouns

一个月[ yí ge yuè ]= one month

五个人 [ wǔ ge rén ]= five people

个人 [ gè rén ]= personal

 

 

 

[dào] to, towards, until, arrive, reach

飞机到了. [ fēi jī dào le ]= The plane has arrived.

直到今晚. [ zhí dào jīn wǎn ]= until tonight

走到商店. [ zǒu dào shāng diàn ]= walk to the store

[shuō] explain, scold, refer to

说话 [ shuō huà ] = speak, say

因为我犯错了，爸爸说了我。[ yīn wéi wǒ fàn cuò le, bà ba shuō le wǒ ]= Because I made a mistake, my father scolded me.

我说的是这个人. [ wǒ shuō de shì zhè ge rén ]= I am referring to this guy.

[men]

{plural suffix for pronouns and nouns referring to persons}

我们 [ wǒ men ]= we

你们 [ nǐ men ]= You (guys)

他们 [ tā men ]= They (male)

她们 [ tā men ]= They ( female)

人们 [ rén men ]= people

 

[wèi] for, for the sake of / in order to

为了你 = for you

为了学汉语 = in order to study Chinese

It has a second pronunciation:

[wéi] do, act, act as, be, become

认为 [ rèn wéi ]= think

她想成为老师. [ tā xiǎng chéng wéi lǎo shī ] = She wants to become a teacher.

以为 [ yǐ wéi ]= think or believe erroneously that…

[zǐ] = child, son

子女 [ zǐ nǚ ]= sons and daughters

儿子 [ ér zi ]= son
[zi] (noun suffix)

桌子 [ zhuō zi ]= table

椅子 [ yǐ zi ] = chair

袜子 [ wà zi ]= socks

 

[hé] = together, with/harmony, gentle, mild, kind

和平[ hé píng ]= peace

It has a second pronunciation:

[huo] 暖和[ nuǎn huo ]= nice and warm

 

 

 

 

[nǐ] =you

你们 [ nǐ men ]= you (plural)

 

 

 

[dì] = earth, ground, soil, place, position, distance

{adverbial particle: adj. + 地 + verb}= ~ly

慢地跑 [ màn di pǎo ]= walk slowly

 

 

 

 

 

[chū] = go out, come out /emit

出现[ chū xiàn ]= appear, emerge

出去 [ chū qù ]= go out

出口 [ chū kǒu ]= exit

 

 

 

[dào] = way, path

知道 [ zhī dao ]= know

 

 

 

[yě] = also, as well

我也喜欢饺子. [ wǒ yě xǐ huan jiǎo zi ] = I also like dumplings.

也许 [ yě xǔ ]=perhaps

 

 

 

 

 

[shí] = time/period

时间 shí jiān =time

一小时 [ yì xiǎo shí ]= 1 hour

 

 

 

[nián] = year

 

今年 [ jīn nián ]= this year

明年[ míng nián ]= next year

去年 [ qù nián ]= last year

 

 

 

 

 

[de] {adverbial particle: verb + 得 + adj.}

学得快 [ xué de kuài ] =learn fast

Second pronunciation:

[dé] = get, reach, achieve

我的妹妹得到了奖. [ wǒ de mèi mei dě dào le jiǎng ] = My little sister got the prize.

得[děi] = should

 

 

[jiù] = just, simply, right away

就要 [ jiù yào ] = about to do something

这就是我! [ Zhè jiù shì wǒ ]= This is simply me!

她就要回家。[ tā jiù yào huí jiā ]= She is about to go back hom

[nà] = that

那是我的英语老师. [ nà shì wǒ de yīng yǔ lǎo shī ] = That is my English teacher.

 

[yào] = want, will, shall, need/important

我的弟弟要吃面条。[ wǒ de dì di yào chī miàn tiáo ]= My little brother wants to eat noodles.

明天我们要去动物园。[ míng tiān wǒ men yào qù dòng wù yuán ]= We will go to the zoo tomorrow.

这件事很重要。[ zhè jiàn shì hěn zhòng yào ] = This is very important.

主要 [ zhǔ yào ] = main

Second pronunciation

[yāo] 要求 [ yāo qiú ] = demand, require

 

 

 

[xià] = below, under, (go) down, next (as opposed to previous/last)

书在包下面。[ shū zài bāo xià mian ] = The book is under the bag.

下楼 [ xià lóu ] = go down stairs

下星期 [ xià xīng qī ] = next week

下月 [ xià yuè ] = next month

 

 

 

[yǐ] = use, take, according to, because of, in order to 可以 [ kě yǐ ] = OK/may 所以 [ suǒ yǐ ]= so, therefore, as a result 以为 [yǐ wéi ] = think something wrong

[shēng] = give birth/ life

生孩子 [shēng hái zi ]= deliver a child

生日 [shēng rì ] = birthday

学生 [ xué sheng ]= student(s)

先生 xiān sheng = mister, gentleman, Sir

 

 

 

[huì] = can, able /meeting, society, union, party

我会说英语。[ wǒ huì shuō yīng yǔ ] = I can speak English.

公司明天有个会。[ gōng sī míng tiān yǒu ge huì ] = There is a meeting in my company tomorrow.

学生会 [ xué sheng huì ]= student union

生日晚会 [ shēng rì wǎn huì ] = birthday party

Second pronunciation:

[kuài] 会计 [ kuài jì ]= accounting

Second pronunciation:

[huǐ] 会儿 [ huì(er) ]=moment

 

 

 

[zì] = from, since

自己 [ zì jǐ ] = self

你自己 [ nǐ zì jǐ ] = yourself

我自己 [ wǒ zì jǐ ]= myself

她自己 [ tā zì jǐ ] = herself

自然 [ zì rán ]= nature

 

 

 

[zhe] {verb particle marking a continuing progress/state}

坐着 [ zuò zhe ]= be sitting

看着 [ kàn zhe ]= be looking at …

吃着 [ chī zhe ]= be eating …

 

 

 

 

 

[qù] = go, leave, depart

去学校 [ qù xué xiào ] = go to school

去工作 [ qù gōng zuò ] = go to work

去中国 [ qù zhōng guó ] = go to China

 

 

 

[zhī] {subordinator similar to 的 de}, it (in classical

texts) not common used in contemporary language.

 

 

 

[guò] = pass, cross, go by, exceed

{verb particle indicates that someone has had the experience of doing something, that it has happened at least once}

过马路 [ guò mǎ lù ] = cross the street

我去过英国三次.[ wǒ qù guò yīng guó sān cì ] = I have gone to U.K. 3 times.

 

 

[jiā] = home, house, family

国家 [ guó jiā ] = nation

大家 [ dà jiā ] = everybody

回家[ huí jiā ]= go back home

家人 [ jiā rén ] = family

 

 

 

 

 

[xué] = study, learn

学校 [ xué xiào ] = school

学生 [ xué sheng ] = student

学汉语 [ xué hàn yǔ ] = study Chinese

[xué] = study, learn

学校 [ xué xiào ] = school

学生 [ xué sheng ] = student

学汉语 [ xué hàn yǔ ] = study Chinese

 

 

 

[duì] yes, correct / pair

对不起 duì bu qǐ = excuse me

你对了。[ nǐ duì le ] = You’re right.

对，我是美国人。[ duì, wǒ shì měi guó rén ]= Yes, I am American.

[kě] ~able

可以 [ kě yǐ ] = may, can

可是 [ kě shì ] = but, however

可爱 [ kě ài ] = loveable, cute

可能 [ kě néng ]= possible, probable, maybe

口可乐 [ kě kǒu kě lè ] = Coca Cola

 

 

 

 

[tā] she, her

她是我的姐姐。[ tā shì wǒ de jiě jie ]= She is my older sister.

这是她的朋友。[ zhè shì tā de péng you ] = This is her friend.

 

 

 

 

[lǐ] in / half kilometer

哪里? [nǎ li ] = where?

那里 [ nà li ] = there;

这里 [ zhè li ] = here

 

 

 

 

[hòu] after, behind

后天 hòu tiān = the day after tomorrow

以后 [ yǐ hòu ] = in future

后来 [ hòu lái ] = afterwards