Common Chinese characters

Here are all the widely used characters that we describe in detail – more will be added. The remainder can be found in our extensive online dictionary. They are ordered by the normal pinyin pronunciation in Mandarin.

A

啊 á (what?) 矮 ǎi (low) 爱 ài (love) 安 ān (peace) 岸 àn (bank) 袄 ǎo (jacket) 澳 ào (bay)

B

八 bā (eight) 巴 bā (to long for) 吧 bā (supposition or suggestion) 把 bǎ (to hold) 爸 bà (father) 白 bái (bright) 百 bǎi (hundred) 板 bǎn (board) 版 bǎn (a register) 半 bàn (half) 扮 bàn (to act) 包 bāo (to cover) 宝 bǎo (jewel) 饱 bǎo (to eat till full) 报 bào (to announce) 抱 bào (to hold) 杯 bēi (cup) 北 běi (north) 贝 bèi (shell) 本 běn (root) 笔 bǐ (pen) 必 bì (certainly) 边 biān (side) 存 biān (to exist) 别 bié (to leave) 冰 bīng (ice) 冫 bīng (ice) 兵 bīng (soldiers) 丙 bǐng (third in order) 俩 bǐng (both) 波 bō (wave) 卜 bǔ (divination) 不 bù (no; not) 步 bù (a step)

C

彩 cǎi (color) 菜 cài (vegetable) 餐 cān (meal) 艹 cǎo (grass) 草 cǎo (grass) 厕 cè (toilet) 曾 céng (once) 茶 chá (tea) 差 chà (differ) 柴 chái (firewood) 昌 chāng (prosperous) 长 cháng (long) 常 cháng (always) 场 cháng (threshing floor) 厂 chǎng (cliff) 唱 chàng (to sing) 倡 chàng (to initiate) 超 chāo (to exceed) 炒 chǎo (to sauté) 车 chē (vehicle) 成 chéng (to succeed) 城 chéng (city) 乘 chéng (to ride) 吃 chī (to eat) 齿 chǐ (tooth) 彳 chì (step) 赤 chì (red) 重 chóng (duplicate) 虫 chóng (insect) 绸 chóu (silk) 丑 chǒu (shameful) 出 chū (go out) 初 chū (at first) 处 chù (place) 畜 chù (livestock) 川 chuān (river) 船 chuán (boat) 床 chuáng (bed) 春 chūn (spring) 辶 chuò (walking) 瓷 cí (porcelain) 此 cǐ (this) 次 cì (next in sequence) 聪 cōng (quick at hearing) 从 cóng (from) 寸 cùn (unit of length)

D

大 dà (big) 歹 dāi (bad) 代 dài (replace) 戴 dài (to respect) 担 dān (to undertake) 单 dān (bill) 胆 dǎn (the gall) 诞 dàn (birth) 旦 dàn (dawn) 但 dàn (but) 当 dāng (to be) 刀 dāo (knife) 倒 dǎo (fall) 岛 dǎo (island) 到 dào (arrive) 道 dào (road) 的 de (of) 得 dé (get) 德 dé (virtue) 登 dēng (to ascend) 灯 dēng (lamp) 等 děng (wait) 帝 dì (supreme ruler) 地 dì (earth) 弟 dì (younger brother) 第 dì (ordinal (1st,2nd)) 点 diǎn (spot) 店 diàn (shop) 电 diàn (electric) 丁 dīng (nail) 定 dìng (to set) 怎 dìng (how) 东 dōng (east) 冬 dōng (winter) 懂 dǒng (to understand) 动 dòng (to use) 都 dōu (all) 斗 dǒu (unit of weight) 豆 dòu (bean) 独 dú (alone) 度 dù (to pass) 段 duàn (paragraph) 对 duì (right) 兑 duì (to cash) 盾 dùn (shield) 多 duō (many)

E

恶 è (evil) 儿 ér (child) 儿 ér (legs) 而 ér (as well as) 耳 ěr (ear) 尔 ěr (thus) 二 èr (two)

F

法 fǎ (law) 发 fà (to send out) 反 fǎn (contrary) 饭 fàn (food) 方 fāng (square) 房 fáng (house) 防 fáng (to protect) 访 fǎng (to visit) 纺 fǎng (fine woven silk fabric) 仿 fǎng (to imitate) 放 fàng (let go) 飞 fēi (fly) 啡 fēi (coffee) 非 fēi (to not be) 匪 fěi (bandit) 分 fēn (divide) 纷 fēn (numerous) 份 fèn (portion) 风 fēng (wind) 封 fēng (to confer) 逢 féng (to meet by chance) 凤 fèng (phoenix) 夫 fū (husband) 福 fú (good fortune) 弗 fú (not) 服 fú (clothes) 孚 fú (to trust) 妇 fù (woman) 父 fù (father) 富 fù (rich) 阝 fù ('left ear') ⻏ fù (place)

G

甘 gān (pleasant) 肝 gān (liver) 杆 gān (pole) 赶 gǎn (to overtake) 干 gàn (do) 冈 gāng (ridge) 刚 gāng (hard) 纲 gāng (guiding principle) 港 gǎng (harbor) 高 gāo (tall) 搞 gǎo (to do) 稿 gǎo (manuscript) 告 gào (to tell) 戈 gē (spear) 哥 gē (elder brother) 歌 gē (song) 革 gé (animal hide) 个 gè ('of' (general)) 各 gè (each) 给 gěi (give) 跟 gēn (heel) 艮 gèn (stubborn) 更 gèng (more) 工 gōng (work) 宫 gōng (palace) 公 gōng (public) 功 gōng (accomplishment) 弓 gōng (bow) 供 gōng (to provide) 廾 gǒng (two hands) 共 gòng (common) 狗 gǒu (dog) 够 gòu (to reach) 姑 gū (paternal aunt) 估 gū (estimate) 古 gǔ (ancient) 谷 gǔ (valley) 故 gù (happening) 固 gù (hard) 瓜 guā (melon) 夬 guài (decisive) 关 guān (shut) 官 guān (official) 馆 guǎn (building) 光 guāng (light) 广 guǎng (vast) 归 guī (to return) 龟 guī (tortoise) 圭 guī (jade tablet) 鬼 guǐ (ghost) 贵 guì (precious) 丨 gǔn (line) 锅 guō (pot) 国 guó (country) 果 guǒ (fruit) 过 guò (past)

H

咳 hāi (sound of sighing) 还 hái (still) 孩 hái (child) 海 hǎi (sea) 亥 hài (12th earthly branch) 寒 hán (cold) 汉 hàn (chinese) 汗 hàn (perspiration) 好 hǎo (good) 号 hào (name) 喝 hē (drink) 河 hé (river) 和 hé (together) 禾 hé (grain) 何 hé (what) 合 hé (to close) 曷 hé (why) 黑 hēi (black) 很 hěn (very) 亨 hēng (prosperous) 红 hóng (red) 洪 hóng (flood) 侯 hóu (nobleman) 后 hòu (behind) 候 hòu (wait) 乎 hū (at) 湖 hú (lake) 胡 hú (beard) 虎 hǔ (tiger) 戶 hù (door) 户 hù (door) 花 huā (flower) 华 huá (splendid) 话 huà (speech) 化 huà (to make into) 画 huà (to draw) 欢 huān (merry) 皇 huáng (emperor) 黄 huáng (yellow) 徽 huī (emblem) 回 huí (to circle) 悔 huǐ (to regret) 会 huì (can) 婚 hūn (to marry) 活 huó (to live) 火 huǒ (fire) 灬 huǒ (fire (as radical)) 或 huò (maybe)

J

鸡 jī (fowl) 机 jī (machine) 吉 jí (lucky) 及 jí (and) 几 jǐ (how many) 己 jǐ (self) 际 jì (border) 既 jì (already) 季 jì (season) 纪 jì (order) 记 jì (to record) 技 jì (skill) 济 jì (to cross a river) 家 jiā (house) 甲 jiǎ (first in list) 戋 jiān (narrow) 艰 jiān (difficult) 间 jiān (between) 剪 jiǎn (scissors) 健 jiàn (healthy) 见 jiàn (see) 建 jiàn (to establish) 间 jiàn (gap) 箭 jiàn (arrow) 江 jiāng (river) 疆 jiāng (border) 将 jiāng (will) 教 jiāo (to teach) 交 jiāo (to hand over) 郊 jiāo (suburbs) 胶 jiāo (to glue) 角 jiǎo (horn) 饺 jiǎo (dumpling) 叫 jiào (called) 教 jiào (religion) 较 jiào (comparatively) 街 jiē (street) 节 jié (joint) 㔾 jié (seal (of document)) 结 jié (knot) 姐 jiě (elder sister) 津 jīn (ferry crossing) 金 jīn (metal) 今 jīn (modern) 斤 jīn (axe) 巾 jīn (scarf) 钅 jīn (metal) 近 jìn (near) 进 jìn (to advance) 禁 jìn (to prohibit) 京 jīng (capital) 精 jīng (refined) 经 jīng (Classic) 惊 jīng (to start) 睛 jīng (eye) 井 jǐng (well) 景 jǐng (bright) 冂 jiōng (covering box) 九 jiǔ (nine) 酒 jiǔ (wine) 久 jiǔ (long time) 咎 jiù (fault) 就 jiù (at once) 旧 jiù (old) 居 jū (to reside) 桔 jú (tangerine) 局 jú (office) 句 jù (sentence) 剧 jù (drama) 君 jūn (monarch)

K

咖 kā (coffee) 开 kāi (begin) 刊 kān (to print) 凵 kǎn (open box) 看 kàn (look) 烤 kǎo (to roast) 棵 kē (of plants) 可 kě (can) 克 kè (to be able to) 客 kè (customer) 刻 kè (carve) 孔 kǒng (great) 空 kòng (to empty) 口 kǒu (mouth) 苦 kǔ (bitter) 筷 kuài (chopsticks) 块 kuài (piece) 快 kuài (rapid)

L

拉 lā (to pull) 辣 là (spicy) 来 lái (arrive) 蓝 lán (blue) 兰 lán (orchid) 劳 láo (to toil) 老 lǎo (venerable) 耂 lǎo (old) 了 le ('completed') 乐 lè (music) 雷 léi (thunder) 累 lèi (tired) 冷 lěng (cold) 离 lí (Fire) 梨 lí (pear) 里 lǐ (inside) 礼 lǐ (ceremony) 理 lǐ (texture) 李 lǐ (plum) 力 lì (strength) 立 lì (stand) 利 lì (sharp) 厉 lì (strict) 丽 lì (beautiful) 历 lì (to experience) 怜 lián (to pity) 连 lián (to link) 良 liáng (good) 凉 liáng (cool) 两 liǎng (pair) 辆 liàng (collective word for vehicles) 辽 liáo (distant) 林 lín (forest) 邻 lín (neighbor) 零 líng (zero) 陵 líng (mound) 龄 líng (age) 领 lǐng (neck) 另 lìng (other) 令 lìng (to order) 六 liù (six) 龙 lóng (dragon) 楼 lóu (multi-story building) 绿 lù (green) 路 lù (road) 旅 lǚ (trip) 露 lù (dew) 乱 luàn (in confusion or disorder) 罗 luó (gauze)

M

妈 mā (mother) 马 mǎ (horse) 吗 mǎ (?) 买 mǎi (buy) 卖 mài (sell) 满 mǎn (to fill) 忙 máng (busy) 猫 māo (cat) 毛 máo (hair) 矛 máo (spear) 冒 mào (to emit) 帽 mào (hat) 么 me (what) 没 méi (have not) 美 měi (beautiful) 每 měi (each) 妹 mèi (younger sister) 门 mén (entrance) 们 mén (s) 蒙 měng (Mongol) 孟 mèng (first month of a season) 迷 mí (to bewilder) 谜 mí (riddle) 米 mǐ (rice) 冖 mì (cover) 宀 mián (roof) 免 miǎn (to escape) 面 miàn (face) 灭 miè (to extinguish) 民 mín (people) 皿 mǐn (dish) 明 míng (bright) 名 míng (name) 鸣 míng (to call (birds)) 命 mìng (life) 莫 mò (do not) 母 mǔ (mother) 母 mǔ (mother) 亩 mǔ (area) 木 mù (wood) 目 mù (eye)

N

那 nà (that) 奶 nǎi (milk) 乃 nǎi (to be) 南 nán (south) 男 nán (male) 难 nán (difficult) 呢 ne (and you?) 疒 nè (sick) 内 nèi (inner) 能 néng (to be able to) 你 nǐ (you) 年 nián (year) 廿 niàn (twenty) 念 niàn (to read) 鸟 niǎo (bird) 您 nín (you (polite)) 宁 nìng (better) 牛 niú (ox) 农 nóng (to farm) 女 nǚ (female)

P

爬 pá (to crawl) 怕 pà (to be afraid) 盼 pàn (to hope for) 泡 pào (bubble) 炮 pào (cannon) 盆 pén (basin) 朋 péng (friend) 啤 pí (hops) 皮 pí (leather) 匹 pǐ (bolt of cloth) 片 piàn (thin piece) 票 piào (ticket) 贫 pín (poor) 品 pǐn (article) 平 píng (flat) 瓶 píng (bottle) 苹 píng (apple) 葡 pú (grape) 普 pǔ (general) 铺 pù (store)

Q

七 qī (seven) 期 qī (phase) 棋 qí (board game) 其 qí (his) 奇 qí (strange) 起 qǐ (to rise) 气 qì (gas) 汽 qì (steam) 千 qiān (thousand) 钱 qián (money) 前 qián (front) 浅 qiǎn (shallow) 欠 qiàn (yawn) 强 qiáng (strong) 且 qiě (and) 亲 qīn (parent) 秦 qín (Qin) 青 qīng (green) 清 qīng (clear) 情 qíng (affection) 晴 qíng (clear sky) 请 qǐng (please) 庆 qìng (celebrate) 穷 qióng (exhausted) 秋 qiú (autumn) 球 qiú (ball) 打 qiú (to beat) 求 qiú (to seek) 取 qǔ (to take) 去 qù (go) 全 quán (all) 泉 quán (spring) 犭 quǎn (dog) 犬 quǎn (dog) 群 qún (group)

R

儿 r (r) 热 rè (to warm up) 人 rén (person) 仁 rén (humane) 日 rì (sun) 容 róng (to hold) 柔 róu (soft) 肉 ròu (meat) ⺼ ròu (meat) 如 rú (as) 入 rù (to enter) 软 ruǎn (soft) 闰 rùn (leap) 若 ruò (to seem)

S

三 sān (three) 散 sàn (to scatter) 丧 sàng (to lose) 色 sè (colour) 杀 shā (to kill) 山 shān (mountain) 彡 shān (bristle) 善 shàn (benevolent) 商 shāng (commerce) 赏 shǎng (to hand down) 上 shàng (up) 尚 shàng (still) 勺 sháo (spoon) 少 shǎo (less) 舌 shé (tongue) 蛇 shé (snake) 射 shè (to shoot) 舍 shè (residence) 涉 shè (to wade) 谁 shéi (who) 身 shēn (body) 申 shēn (to extend) 神 shén (god) 什 shén (what) 生 shēng (produce) 声 shēng (sound) 圣 shèng (holy) 胜 shèng (victory) 狮 shī (lion) 失 shī (to lose) 尸 shī (corpse) 诗 shī (poem) 施 shī (to grant) 十 shí (ten) 时 shí (time) 石 shí (rock) 实 shí (real) 饣 shí (food) 食 shí (eat) 史 shǐ (history) 始 shǐ (to begin) 矢 shǐ (arrow) 豕 shǐ (pig) 是 shì (is) 事 shì (matter) 市 shì (market) 世 shì (life) 礻 shì (spirit) 士 shì (bachelor) 氏 shì (clan name) 示 shì (to show) 室 shì (room) 手 shǒu (hand) 扌 shǒu (hand) 首 shǒu (head) 受 shòu (to receive) 书 shū (book) 殳 shū (spear) 暑 shǔ (heat) 署 shǔ (office) 树 shù (tree) 术 shù (method) 双 shuāng (pair) 水 shuǐ (water) 氵 shuǐ (water) 税 shuì (taxes) 顺 shùn (to obey) 说 shuō (to speak) 丝 sī (silk) 厶 sī (private) 纟 sī (silk) 思 sī (to think) 死 sǐ (die) 四 sì (four) 巳 sì (snake) 跑 sì (to run) 寺 sì (Buddhist temple) 宋 song (Song) 苏 sū (revive) 肃 sù (respectful) 诉 sù (to complain) 算 suàn (calculate) 虽 suī (although) 攵 suī (rap) 隋 suí (Sui) 岁 suì (year) 孙 sūn (grandson) 所 suǒ (actually)

T

他 tā (he) 她 tā (she) 它 tā (it) 台 tái (typhoon) 抬 tái (to lift) 太 tài (too) 唐 táng (Tang) 糖 táng (sugar) 躺 tǎng (to recline) 趟 tàng (collective for trips) 萄 táo (grapes) 疼 téng (sore) 天 tiān (sky) 田 tián (field) 条 tiáo (strip) 贴 tiē (to stick) 铁 tiě (arms) 听 tīng (to listen) 通 tōng (open) 同 tóng (same) 童 tóng (boy servant) 头 tóu (head) 亠 tóu (head) 土 tǔ (earth) 兔 tù (rabbit) 推 tuī (to push)

W

瓦 wǎ (tile) 外 wài (outside) 碗 wān (bowl) 玩 wán (toy) 晚 wǎn (evening) 万 wàn (ten thousand) 尢 wāng (lame) 亡 wáng (to die) 王 wǎng (monarch) 罒 wǎng (net) 网 wǎng (net) 往 wǎng (towards) 忘 wàng (to forget) 妄 wàng (absurd) 囗 wéi (proud) 维 wéi (to preserve) 尾 wěi (tail) 为 wèi (do) 未 wèi (not yet) 位 wèi (position) 文 wén (script) 闻 wén (to hear) 问 wèn (ask) 我 wǒ (I (me)) 卧 wò (lie) 乌 wū (crow) 屋 wū (house) 无 wú (not to have) 五 wǔ (five) 午 wǔ (noon) 武 wǔ (martial) 勿 wù (do not) 戊 wù (fifth (ordinal)) 务 wù (affair) 物 wù (thing)

X

西 xī (west) 夕 xī (sunset) 锡 xī (to bestow) 习 xí (to practice) 匸 xǐ (box; bag) 喜 xǐ (to be fond of) 洗 xǐ (to wash) 系 xì (system) 虾 xiā (shrimp) 夏 xià (summer) 下 xià (down) 鲜 xiān (fresh) 先 xiān (first) 仙 xiān (immortal) 闲 xián (to stay idle) 险 xiǎn (danger) 现 xiàn (to appear) 香 xiāng (fragrant) 相 xiāng (each other) 乡 xiāng (countryside) 想 xiǎng (to think) 象 xiàng (elephant) 小 xiǎo (small) 笑 xiào (smile) 孝 xiào (filial piety or obedience) 校 xiào (school) 效 xiào (effect) 些 xiē (some) 写 xiě (write) 谢 xiè (thanks) 新 xīn (new) 心 xīn (heart) 辛 xīn (hard) 忄 xīn (heart) 信 xìn (letter) 星 xīng (star) 兴 xīng (prosper) 行 xíng (permitted) 姓 xìng (surname) 幸 xìng (fortunate) 兄 xiōng (elder brother) 凶 xiōng (vicious) 雄 xióng (male) 绪 xù (beginnings) 学 xué (study) 穴 xué (cave) 窄 xué (narrow) 雪 xuě (snow)

Y

鸭 yā (duck) 颜 yán (face) 言 yán (words) 讠 yán (words) 演 yǎn (to develop) 央 yāng (center) 阳 yáng (yang) 羊 yáng (sheep) 幺 yāo (youngest) 咬 yǎo (to bite) 要 yào (want) 药 yào (medicine) 爷 yé (grandpa) 也 yě (also) 夜 yè (night) 页 yè (page) 业 yè (line of business) 一 yī (one) 医 yī (doctor) 衣 yī (clothes) 宜 yí (proper) 夷 yí (barbarians) 乚 yǐ (hidden) 以 yǐ (to use) 椅 yǐ (chair) 已 yǐ (already) 易 yì (easy) 亿 yì (100,000,000) 义 yì (justice) 亦 yì (also) 邑 yì (city) 弋 yì (catch) 艺 yì (skill) 忆 yì (to recollect) 意 yì (idea) 异 yì (different) 阴 yīn (yin) 音 yīn (sound) 银 yín (silver) 饮 yǐn (to drink) 英 yīng (flower) 迎 yíng (welcome) 影 yǐng (picture) 硬 yìng (hard) 应 yìng (to answer) 永 yǒng (perpetual) 用 yòng (to use) 攸 yōu (distant) 尤 yóu (outstanding) 由 yóu (to follow) 友 yǒu (friend) 有 yǒu (have) 酉 yǒu (wine vessel) 右 yòu (right) 又 yòu (also) 鱼 yú (fish) 渔 yú (fishing) 于 yú (in) 雨 yǔ (rain) 语 yǔ (language) 与 yǔ (to give) 玉 yù (jade) 遇 yù (to meet) 欲 yù (to wish for) 元 yuán (primary) 原 yuán (former) 园 yuán (park) 员 yuán (person) 远 yuǎn (far) 院 yuàn (courtyard) 愿 yuàn (to hope) 曰 yuē (to speak) 月 yuè (moon) 云 yún (cloud) 运 yùn (to move)

Z

灾 zāi (disaster) 再 zài (again) 在 zài (exist) 载 zài (to carry) 藏 zàng (treasury) 早 zǎo (early) 泽 zé (pool) 则 zé (conjunction used to express contrast with a previous sentence or clause) 乍 zhà (at first) 炸 zhà (to explode) 占 zhān (to observe) 粘 zhān (to glue) 站 zhàn (station) 战 zhàn (to fight) 张 zhāng ('of') 掌 zhǎng (palm of the hand) 朝 zhāo (dynasty) 找 zhǎo (to try to find) 照 zhào (according to) 者 zhě (in process of) 这 zhè (this) 贞 zhēn (chaste) 真 zhēn (really) 震 zhèn (Wood) 征 zhēng (journey) 蒸 zhēng (to steam) 正 zhèng (correct) 只 zhī (one) 之 zhī (him) 知 zhī (to know) 支 zhī (to support) 枝 zhī (branch) 直 zhí (straight) 值 zhí (value) 植 zhí (to plant) 纸 zhǐ (paper) 止 zhǐ (to stop) 志 zhì (aspiration) 至 zhì (to arrive) 治 zhì (to rule) 致 zhì (to send) 置 zhì (to install) 中 zhōng (centre) 钟 zhōng (clock) 终 zhōng (end) 种 zhǒng (kind of) 众 zhòng (many) 重 zhòng (heavy) 洲 zhōu (region) 州 zhōu (prefecture) 周 zhōu (circuit) 舟 zhōu (boat) 猪 zhū (hog) 竹 zhú (bamboo) ⺮ zhú (bamboo) 丶 zhǔ (dot) 主 zhǔ (owner) 煮 zhǔ (to cook) 住 zhù (to live) 驻 zhù (to halt) 爫 zhuǎ (claw) 爪 zhuǎ (claw) 传 zhuàn (biography) 壮 zhuàng (to strengthen) 隹 zhuī (short-tailed bird) 桌 zhuō (table) 子 zǐ (child) 自 zì (from) 字 zì (letter) 走 zǒu (walk) 租 zū (to hire) 族 zú (clan) 足 zú (foot) 祖 zǔ (grandfather) 组 zǔ (to form) 阻 zǔ (to hinder) 钻 zuān (to drill) 最 zuì (most) 昨 zuó (previous) 左 zuǒ (left) 座 zuò (seat) 坐 zuò (sit) 作 zuò (to do) 做 zuò (to make)

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