Dictionary

Browse and explore Chinese vocabulary. Use the search bar to find any word by Chinese, pinyin, or English — or paste a full sentence for word-by-word breakdown.

60,861 words 131,610 examples 54,524 tips HSK 1-9

Browse by HSK Level

Official vocabulary lists from the 2021 HSK 3.0 standard (汉语水平等级标准), levels 1–9 — where 7, 8, and 9 share a single unified word list distinguished only by exam score band.

HSK 1 510 words

这边 zhèbiān this side 课文 kèwén text (of a lesson) 差 chà bad 车站 chēzhàn station 里 lǐ inside

HSK 2 757 words

要求 yāoqiú to request 大量 dàliàng a large amount 对话 duìhuà dialogue 组成 zǔchéng to make up; to compose 这时 zhèshí at this moment

HSK 3 960 words

理发 lǐfà haircut; to get a haircut 区别 qūbié difference 深入 shēnrù to penetrate deeply; to go deep into 长期 chángqī long-term 证据 zhèngjù evidence; proof

HSK 4 985 words

零食 língshí snack 夫妻 fūqī husband and wife; married couple 潮 cháo tide; tidal 树叶 shùyè tree leaf; tree leaves; foliage 之间 zhījiān between

HSK 5 1,063 words

差点儿 chàdiǎnr almost; nearly 中央 zhōngyāng central 夹 jiā to clip; to clamp; to squeeze 签约 qiānyuē to sign a contract; to sign an agreement 补贴 bǔtiē to subsidize; to provide an allowance

HSK 6 1,129 words

看好 kànhǎo to be optimistic about; to have a positive outlook on 船只 chuánzhī ships; vessels; watercraft (collective) 算是 suànshì can be considered as; counts as 铅笔 qiānbǐ pencil 看作 kànzuò to regard as; to consider as; to look upon as

HSK 7-9 5,623 words

大气 dàqì atmosphere (of a planet) 影像 yǐngxiàng image 妄想 wàngxiǎng to have a vain hope 上火 shànghuǒ to have internal heat (in traditional Chinese medicine) 特例 tèlì special case

Browse by Category

Explore Chinese vocabulary by structure and class — radicals, polyphone characters with multiple readings, and four-character idioms.

Kangxi 214 radicals

麻 má hemp 2 chars 鼓 gǔ drum 3 chars 二 èr two 12 chars 韭 jiǔ chive 2 chars 止 zhǐ foot 8 chars

Polyphone 378 polyphones

见 jiàn / xiàn 可 kě / kè 赚 zhuàn / zuàn 吒 zhā / zhà 咯 lo / gē / kǎ

Chengyu 3,746 idioms

前车之鉴 qiánchēzhījiàn lesson learned from others' mistakes 三顾茅庐 sāngù-máolú to make three visits to the thatched cottage 发人深省 fārén-shēnxǐng thought-provoking 留有余地 liúyǒu-yúdì to leave some leeway 文人墨客 wénrén-mòkè scholars and literati; men of letters

Proper Nouns 5,622 entries

斯泰潘 Sītàipān Stepan / Stephan (Russian or Eastern European male given name) 纳吉布 Nàjíbù Najib (transliteration) 吉林 Jílín Jilin (province in northeastern China) 克莱普顿 Kèláipǔdùn Clapton (transliteration of the surname; most famously Eric Clapton, English rock and blues guitarist born 1945) 李嘉诚 Lǐ Jiāchéng Li Ka-shing (born 1928), Hong Kong business magnate and investor

Measure Word 132 classifiers

公顷 gōngqǐng hectare 架 jià frame; rack; shelf 届 jiè session; class; graduating year 只 zhī classifier for birds and certain animals 一粒 yīlì a grain of

Phrase 1,701 phrases

穿一条裤子 chuān yī tiáo kùzi (of close male friends) to be inseparable 十五秒 shíwǔ miǎo fifteen seconds 压力山大 yālìshāndà under enormous pressure (jocular) 方便一下 fāngbiàn yīxià to 'take a moment to be convenient' (euphemism for going to the toilet) 透不过气 tòubùguòqì unable to breathe

Browse by Frequency

Ranked by how often words appear in Chinese movies and TV shows (SUBTLEX-CH).

1–500 500 words

爸 bà father; dad; papa 又 yòu again 件 jiàn measure word for matters, clothes, luggage 安全 ānquán safe 一直 yīzhí continuously

501–1,000 500 words

有关 yǒuguān to relate to; to have to do with; related; relevant 日子 rìzi day; date 比较 bǐjiào to compare; comparison 太太 tàitai Mrs. 超 chāo to exceed; to surpass

1,001–2,000 1,000 words

内心 nèixīn heart 症 zhèng disease; illness; condition 钟 zhōng clock 提醒 tíxǐng to remind 什么样 shénmeyàng what kind

2,001–5,000 3,000 words

上门 shàngmén to visit (someone's home) 经典 jīngdiǎn classic; classical work 武装 wǔzhuāng to arm; to equip (with weapons) 公开 gōngkāi open 引发 yǐnfā to trigger

5,001–10,000 5,000 words

催眠 cuīmián to hypnotize 马克思 Mǎkèsī Marx (Karl Marx) 吃醋 chīcù to be jealous (in love) 出国 chūguó to go abroad 功 gōng merit; achievement; contribution

10,001–20,000 10,000 words

天意 tiānyì providence 缠身 chánshēn to plague 板块 bǎnkuài tectonic plate 冰面 bīngmiàn ice surface 精彩绝伦 jīngcǎi-juélún spectacularly brilliant; unmatched in splendor