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© 2003 �C 2005 Patrick Hassel Zein

This page was last updated 17.06.2005


The most common Chinese characters in order of frequency

Seq.num.CharacterPronunciations and explanations
1[de] <grammatical particle marking genitive as well as simple and composed adjectives>; 我的 wǒde my; 高的 gāode high, tall; 是的 shìde that's it, that's right; 是...的 shì...de one who...; 他是说汉语的. Tā shì shuō Hànyǔde. He is one who speaks Chinese.
[dì] 目的 mùdì goal
[dí] true, real; 的确 díquè certainly
2一(F壹)[yī] one, a little; 第一 dì-yī first, primary; 看一看 kànyīkàn have a (quick) look at
[yí] (used before tone #4); 一个人 yí gè rén one person; 一定 yídìng certain; 一样 yíyàng same; 一月yíyuè January
[yì] (used before tones #2 and #3); 一点儿 yìdiǎnr a little; 一些 yìxiē some
{Compare with 幺(F么) yāo, which also means "one"}
3[shì] to be, 是不是? shìbushì? is (it) or is (it) not?; 是否 shìfǒu whether or not, is (it) or is (it) not?
4[bù] not
[bú] (used before tone #4); 不是 bú shì isn't
5[le] <verb particle marking a new situation or a completed action>; 你来了! Nǐ láile! You have come! 我累了! Wǒ lèile! I've gotten tired! 那好了! Nà hǎole! That's OK (now)! 我只请了一位客人. Wǒ zhǐ qǐngle yí wèi kèren. I invited only one guest.
[liǎo] end, finish, settle, dispose of, know clearly, to be able, (=了解 liǎojiě) understand, comprehend; 了了 liǎoliaǒ clearly understand, settle (a debt/etc.), to be intelligent; 了了 liǎole to be over/ended/finnish/settled; 你卖不了! Nǐ mài bùliǎo! You will not be able to sell (it)!
[liào] (=�t liaò) to survey/watch
{Compare with 子 zǐ child}
6[rén] person; 人类 rénlèi humankind; 有人吗? yǒu rén ma? Is there anybody here?
{Compare with 入 rù enter}
7[wǒ] I, me, my; 我们 wǒmen we, us
{Compare with 找 zhǎo seek}
8[zài] at; 现在 xiànzài now; 存在 cúnzài exist
9[yǒu] have, there is; 没有 méiyǒu haven't, there isn't; 有没有? Yǒuméiyǒu? Is there or isn't there? Have (you) or haven't (you)?; 有的 yǒude some
[yòu] (=又 yòu) again, both... and...
10[tā] he, him, his, (she, her, it, its), (=其他 qítā) other
[tuō] (in classical texts) someone else, something else
11这(F�@)[zhè] this; 这儿 zhèr here
[zhèi] this (before classifier)
12[zhōng] middle, in; 中国 Zhōngguó China
[zhòng] hit (a target)
13[dà] big; 多大? duōdà? how large?; 大小 dàxiǎo size; 大家 dàjiā everybody
[dài] 大夫 dàifu doctor
{Compare with 太 tài very and 木 mù tree}
14来(F��)[lái] come; 原来 yuánlái originally, as a matter of fact; 来年 láinián coming/next year(s)
[lai] (when used as a verb complement); 起来 qǐlai get up
15[shàng] above, on, over, top, (go) up, last, previous
[shǎng] 上声 shǎngshēng 3rd tone in Mandarin
[shang] (when used as a verb complement)
{Compare with 下 xià under}
16国(F��)[guó] (=国家 guójiā) country, state, nation, <family name>; 中国 Zhōngguó China; 美国 Měiguó USA
17个(F��,�w)[gè] <general and non-specific classifier>; 个人 gèrén personal; 个人主页 gèrénzhùyè personal homepage
[gě] 自个 zìgě oneself
18[dào] to, towards, until, arrive, reach
19说(F�f)[shuō] explain, scold, refer to, (=说话 shuōhuà) speak, say; 游说 yóushuō persuade
[shuì] try to persuade; 游说 yóushuì lobbying
20们(F��)[men] (pluralizing suffix for pronouns and human nouns); 我们 wǒmen we; 人们 rénmen people
21为(F��)[wèi] for, for the sake of, in order to, in this connection
[wéi] do, act, act as, be, become; 认为 rènwéi think or believe that...; 以为 yǐwéi think or believe erroneously that...
{Compare with 办 bàn do}
22[zǐ] child, son; 子女 zǐnǚ sons and daughters; 儿子 érzi son
[zi] (noun suffix); 桌子 zhuōzi table
{Compare with 了 le <particle>}
23[hé] together, with, (F��) harmony, gentle, mild, kind, <family name>; 和平 hépíng peace
[Hé] Japan
[huo] 暖和 nuǎnhuo nice and warm
[hè] join in singing, compose a poem in reply
[huó] mix with water
[huò] mix, blend
[hú] complete a set in Mahjong
24[nǐ] (Alternative feminine form: �� nǐ) you, your; 你们 nǐmen you (plural)
25[dì] earth, ground, soil, place, position, distance; 地支 dìzhī the Twelve Terrestrial Branches
[de] <adverbial particle: descripion + 地 + verb>, ~ly; 快地走 kuàide zǒu walk quickly
26[chū] go out, come out, in direction out from something, emit, issue, prouce; 出现 chūxiàn appear, emerge, (F�i) <classifier for operas and plays>
27[dào] way, path, channel, way, say, a streak (of light), doctrine, <classifier for rivers, topics, etc.>, (=道教 Dàojiào) Taoism; 知道 zhīdao know
[dǎo] (=导 dǎo) lead; 领道 = 领导 lǐngdǎo leader
28[yě] also, as well; 也许 yěxǔ perhaps
29时(F�r)[shí] period, season, (=时间 shíjiān, =时候 shíhou) time, (=小时 xiǎoshí) hour
30[nián] year, <family name>; 今年 jīnnián this year; 明年 míngnián next year; 去年 qùnián last year; 中年 zhōngnián middle age
31[de] <adverbial particle: verb + 得 + descripion>; 走得快 zǒude kuài walk quickly
[dé] get, reach, achieve
[děi] should
32[jiù] just, simply, right away; 就要 jiùyào about to (do something); 这就是我! Zhè jiùshì wǒ! This is simply me!; 他就要去. Tā jiùyào qù. He is about to leave.
33[nà] that
[nèi] that (before classifier)
[nuó] 禅那 chánnuó deep meditation
[nuò] 无那 wúnuò helpless, unfortunately
[nǎ] (=哪 nǎ) what?
[něi] (=哪 něi before classifier) which?
34[yào] want, will, shall, need, important, essential; 主要 zhǔyào main, fundamental
[yāo] 要求 yāoqiú demand
35[xià] below, under, (go) down, next (as opposed to previous/last)
{Compare with 上 shàng above}
36[yǐ] use, take, according to, because of, in order to; 可以 kěyǐ OK, may; 所以 suǒyǐ so, therefore, as a result; 以外 yǐwài beyond, except
37[shēng] give birth, life; 先生 xiānsheng mister, gentleman, Sir
38会(F��)[huì] can, able, meet, meeting, society, union, party
[kuài] 会计 kuàijì accounting
[huǐ] 会儿 huìr moment
39[zì] from, since, (=自己 zìjǐ) self; 自然 zìrán nature
{Compare with 目 mù eye and 白 bái white}
40着(F著)[zhe] <verb particle marking a continuing progress/state>
[zháo] touch
[zhuó] wear clothes, dress, touch
[zhāo] put in, add, (F招) make move in chess, trick, decieve
41[qù] go, leave, depart (opposite of 来 lái)
42[zhī] <subordinator similar to 的 de>, it (in classical texts)
43过(F�^)[guò] pass, cross, go by, exceed, <verb particle marking that someone has had the experience of doing something, that it has happened at least once>; 过马路 guò mǎlù cross the street; 我去过中国两次. wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó liǎng cì. I have gone to China twice.
44[jiā] home, house, family; 国家 guójiā nation; 大家 dàjiā everybody
[jie] 整天家 zhěngtiānjie all day long; 家里 jiālǐ (at) home, (in the) family
45学(F�W)[xué] study, learn; 学校 xuéxiào school; 学生 xuésheng student
{Compare with 字 zì written character}
46对(F��)[duì] correct, answer, treat, agree, mutual, pair; 对不起 duìbuqǐ excuse me
47[kě] ~able, (=可以 kěyǐ) may, can, (=可是 kěshì) but, however; 可爱 kě'ài loveable, cute; 可能 kě'néng possible, probable, maybe; 可口可乐 kěkǒukělè Coca Cola
[kè] 可汗 kèhán khan
48[tā] she, her
49[lǐ] neighbourhood, half kilometer, <family name>, (F�Y,�e) in, inside, lining; 哪里? nǎli? where?; 那里 nàli there; 这里 zhèli here
50[hòu] queen, (F後) after, behind, <family name>; 后天 hòutiān the day after tomorrow
51[xiǎo] small; 大小 dàxiǎo size
52[me/mo] (F�N,末) (interrogative suffix) 什么? shénme? what?; 为什么? wèishénme? why? 没什么! méi shénme! It doesn't matter!, Never mind!; 怎么? zěnme? how?
[yāo] (S幺) youngest, one (e.g. in bus/house/phone numbers)
53[xīn] heart; 小心 xiǎoxīn be careful; 心理 xīnlǐ psychology, mentality; 中心 zhōngxīn center
54[duō] many, much, more; 多大 duōdà how large?; 多少 duōshǎo how many/much?
55[tiān] sky, heaven, god, day, (=天空 tiānkōng) sky; 天气 tiānqì weather
{天 干 tiāngān the Ten Heavenly Stems: 甲乙丙丁戊己庚辛壬癸 jiǎ-yǐ-bǐng-dīng-wù-jǐ-gēng-xīn-rén-guǐ (these characters are sometimes used as ordinal numbers}
{Compare with 夫 fū man and 无 wú without}
56[ér] (=而且 érqiě) and, furthermore, (=然而 rán'ér) yet, even so
57[néng] can, be able; 能够 nénggòu be capable of; 可能 kě'néng maybe
58[hǎo] good, good to..., easy to...; 你好! Nǐhǎo! Hello!
[hào] to like
[hāo] 好好儿 hǎohāor in perfectly good condition
59[dōu] all
[dū] (=首都 shǒudū) capital city
60[rán] right, correct, so, like that; 虽然 suīrán although; 忽然 hūrán suddenly; 当然 dāngrán of course; 自然 zìrán nature
61没(F�])[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
62[rì] sun, (=日子 rìzi) day; 日记 rìjì diary; 日光 rìguāng sunlight
{Compare with 曰 yuē say, 目 mù eye and 甘 gān sweet}
63[yú] <family name>, (F於) in, at, for, to, from, by, than
{Compare with 千 qiān thousand and 干 gān stem}
64[qǐ] rise, start; 起来 qǐlai get up; 对不起 duìbuqǐ excuse me
[qi] (when used as a verb complement)
65还(F��)[hái] still, yet
[huán] return, give back
66[fā] (F�l) deliver, utter, express, shoot, emit, develop, expand
[fà] (F��) hair
[fa] (F��) 头发 tóufa hair
67[chéng] (=成为 chéngwéi, =变成 biànchéng) become, <family name>; 成功 chénggōng succeed; 完成 wánchéng accomplish, complete, fulfill; 成语 chéngyǔ idiom
68[shì] matter, affair, thing, event, accident, job, responsibility; 事情 shìqing situation
69只(F�o)[zhǐ] only, just, merely, <classifier implying "one of a pair", animals, vessels, utensils, etc.>; 一只猫 yì zhǐ māo a cat
[zhī] (F�b) single, one, only
{Compare with 兄 xiōng brother}
70[zuò] do, make; 工作 gōngzuò work; 作业 zuòyè homework
[zuó] 作践 zuójian spoil, waste, humiliate, insult
[zuō] do
71[dāng] (F��) serve as, (F��) ding-dong
[dàng] (F��) proper, right, equal, (=当作 dàngzuò) treat as, regard as
72[xiǎng] think, feel, consider, want, remember
73[kàn] see, look at, read, think, consider
[kān] look after, tend; 看守 kānshǒu guard
74[wén] language, literature, <family name>; 文化 wénhuà culture; 中文 Zhōngwén Chinese (written) language
75无(F�o)[wú] without, nothingness, have not
[mó] 南无 nánmó <Sanskrit> to give oneself totally to
{Compare with 天 tiān heaven}
76开(F�_)[kāi] open; 开始 kāishǐ begin 打开 dǎkāi open, unfold
[kai] (when used as a verb complement)
{Compare with 并 bìng combine}
77[shǒu] hand, a person skilled in something; 挥手 huīshǒu wave; 拍手 pāishǒu clap; 握手 wòshǒu shake/clasp hands
{Compare with 毛 máo hair}
78十(F拾)[shí] ten; 十三 shísān thirteen; 五十 wǔshí fifty; 十月 shíyuè October
79[yòng] use; 好用 hǎoyòng useful; 不用 búyòng there's no need; 使用 shǐyòng use, apply
{Compare with 甩 shuǎi swing}
80[zhǔ] lord, master, host, god, (=主要 zhǔyào) main, primary; 主义 zhǔyì doctrine, ~ism; 主页 zhùyè homepage
{Compare with 王 wáng king}
81[xíng] go, OK; 行动 xíngdòng action, operation, move, get about, act
[háng] line; 银行 yínháng bank; 行业 hángyè profession
[hàng] 树行子 shùhàngzi rows of trees
[héng] (phonetic radical)
82[fāng] side, square; 地方 dìfang place; 方面 fāngmiàn aspect
{Compare with 万 wàn ten thousand}
83[yòu] again, both... and...
84[rú] like, as, as if, (=如果 rúguǒ) if; 如此 rúcǐ like this
85[qián] in front, previous, ago, former, first; 前天 the day before yesterday
86[suǒ] place; 所以 suǒyǐ so, therefore; 所有 suǒyǒu all; 厕所 cèsuǒ toilet
87[běn] basis, origin, edition, <classifier for books, periodicals, files, etc.>; 本人 běnrén I, me, myself; 日本 Rìběn Japan
{Compare with 木 mù tree}
88见(F��)[jiàn] appear to be, meet with, call on, (=看见 kànjian) see; 意见 yìjian idea, view, opinion; 听见 tīngjiàn hear
[xiàn] show, appear, become visible
{Compare with 贝 bèi shellfish}
89经(F��)[jīng] longitude (both geographic and in Chinese medecin), scripture, constant, regular, <family name>, deal with, (=经纪 jīngjì) manage (a business); 已经 yǐjing already; 经过 jīngguò pass, go through; 经验 jīngyàn experience; 经由 jīngyóu via, by way of; 经常 jīngcháng frequent, daily; 易经 Yìjīng Book of Changes;
90头(F�^)[tóu] head, top, first, <classifier for livestock, garlic, etc.>; 头发 tóufa hair
[tou] 石头 shítou stone
91[miàn] face, surface, <classifier for mirrors, flags, etc.>, (F�I) wheat flour, (=面条 miàntiáo) noodle; 面包 miànbāo bread
92[gōng] public, official; 公里 gōnglǐ kilometer; 办公室 bànggōngshì office; 公司 gōngsī company; 公共 gōnggòng public, communal, common; 公共汽车 gōnggòngqìchē (public) bus; 李公 Lǐgōng (honorable and old) Mr Li
93[tóng] same, with; 同志 tóngzhì comrade
[tòng] (F�h) 胡同 hútòng lane
94三(F叁)[sān] three; 第三世界 dì-sān shìjiè 3rd World; 三月 sānyuè March
95[yǐ] stop, cease, end, (=已经 yǐjīng) already
{Compare with 己 jǐ self, which is "open" on the left side}
96[lǎo] old, venerable, outdated; 老师 lǎoshī teacher; 老虎 lǎohǔ tiger; 老张 lǎo Zhāng old Zhang = dear (friend) Mr Zhang
97从(F��)[cóng] from, through, join, follower, secondary
[cōng] 黑从从 hēicōngcōng murky
98动(F��)[dòng] move, change, arouce; 动物 dòngwù animal; 活动 huódòng activity; 运动 yùndòng sports
99两(F��)[liǎng] two (before classifier), 50 grams
100长(F�L)[cháng] long, lasting, length
[zhǎng] grow up, chief, head, older, elder