Chinese vocabulary
5614 words in 140 lists, sorted by topic and each with an example sentence in which it really occurs. Everything on this page can also be practised — you can be quizzed on each list on its own or on all of them together.
Why these words in particular — the yardstick is further down.
The 140 lists
By topic and not by alphabet: words that occur together are easier to learn together. Practise the words of one situation in one round and afterwards you have a situation in your head, not three separate words.
140 cards side by side would be a shelf, not an overview. So they sit under their 19 categories — if you are looking for an area rather than a list, moving house, seeing a doctor, starting a job, you jump straight there. Each category can also be practised as a whole.
The scaffolding21 lists · 842 words
The words without which no sentence stands.
1Numbers and moneyCounting, prices, and the words for paying and changing money.40 words1Clock and calendarTelling the time, the days of the week, dates and the parts of the day.40 words1Pronouns and question wordsI, you and they, this and that, here and there, and the words that ask.40 words1Basic verbsThe verbs a first conversation cannot do without, and the two words that say no.40 words1Basic adjectivesBig and small, hot and cold, cheap and dear: the first words for describing things.40 words1The first measure wordsEight measure words and the phrases they make with the nouns of the first week.40 words2Time wordsBefore and after, just now and in a moment, how long and how often.40 words2Everyday verbsGiving, taking, looking for, waiting, lending, remembering and forgetting.40 words2Everyday adjectivesClean and dirty, easy and hard, quiet and noisy, heavy and light.40 words2Adverbs and connecting wordsThe small words that say too, also, still, again, because, but and if.41 words2More measure wordsThe measure words for animals, vehicles, pairs, portions and how many times.40 words3Verbs for getting things doneDeciding, choosing, trying, succeeding and failing, and what happens along the way.40 words3Describing thingsSafe and dangerous, normal and strange, familiar, formal, and the shape and feel of things.40 words3Adverbs: how, when and how sureSuddenly, finally, actually, on purpose, while you are at it, and other words that shade a verb.40 words3Quantities and measuresUnits of length, weight and volume, fractions, per cent and the words for more and less.40 words3How often, and whenWords for habits, frequency and the past, present and future.40 words4Everyday verbs for doing thingsThe exact verbs for hanging, folding, tying, pouring, reminding and keeping someone company.40 words4Adjectives for describing and judgingThe adjectives that say how detailed, stable, reliable or obvious something is.40 words4Time and changeHow things develop, last, speed up or are put off — and the words for periods and eras.41 words5Sharper everyday verbsThe vivid, colloquial verbs of family life and the office: nagging, coaxing, dodging, putting up with.40 words5Precise adjectivesAdjectives for judging, describing and weighing things up with some precision.40 words
Greetings, politeness and conversation6 lists · 240 words
The set phrases, the reactions that keep a conversation going, and saying things kindly.
1Greetings and set phrasesWhat is said on meeting and parting, on thanking and apologising, and how people are addressed.40 words3Talking, explaining and getting in touchDiscussing, explaining, asking, answering, inviting and the words for language itself.40 words3Reactions in set phrasesThe short fixed phrases that answer good news, bad luck, praise and surprise.40 words4Praise, criticism and persuasionThe verbs and nouns of persuading, praising, criticising, complaining and keeping a secret.40 words4Fixed phrases of feeling and reactionShort set phrases for surprise, relief, regret, impatience and not being able to bear something.40 words5How things are saidTact and bluntness, hints and rebuttals, speeches, small talk and slips of the tongue.40 words
People and feelings11 lists · 442 words
Family, friendship, character and feeling — at more than one resolution.
1People and familyThe family, older and younger, and the first words for people.40 words2FeelingsBeing happy, sad, angry and afraid, liking, hoping and believing.40 words3Feelings and attitudesSatisfied, disappointed, nervous, proud: what we feel about people and events.40 words3PersonalityWhat people are like: warm, careful, shy, funny or lazy.40 words3RelationshipsNeighbours, partners and friends: getting together, falling out and making up.40 words4Feelings, more preciselyGratitude, regret, loneliness, embarrassment and the shades between them.40 words4Character and behaviourModest, selfish, generous, mean — how people are and how they act.41 words4Family life and relativesWeddings, babies, bringing up children, in-laws and the wider family.40 words5Psychology and the mindMoods and motives, anxiety and confidence, and the words a counsellor uses.40 words5Feelings in finer shadesGrief and joy, fear and relief, longing and resentment, in the words of careful writing.41 words5Character, judged more finelyWords for how people are: upright or slick, generous or mean, steady or restless.40 words
Home and daily life5 lists · 200 words
The rooms, the chores, the daily round and the flat itself.
1Home and roomsThe rooms of a home, the things in them, and the words for where something is.40 words2Daily routineGetting up, washing, meals, going out and coming home, in the order of a day.40 words2Housework and choresCleaning, tidying and the things at home that need looking after.40 words3Renting and living at homeRenting a flat, moving house, the furniture and the building around you.40 words4Housing, property and buildingHow a home is bought, paid for, built, maintained and pulled down.40 words
Food and drink6 lists · 240 words
The table, the kitchen, the restaurant and the field the food came from.
1Food and drinkRice, noodles, fruit, tea and the other words a first meal needs.40 words2Food, ingredients and tastesMeat, fish, vegetables and fruit, everyday dishes, and the five tastes.40 words3Eating outOrdering, eating and paying in a restaurant.40 words3In the kitchenWays of cooking, seasonings and the things a cook reaches for.40 words4Food culture and eating outRegional cooking, tastes, banquets and the customs around a shared meal.40 words5Farming and the food supplyFields and harvests, livestock and fisheries, and what the label says about food.40 words
Shopping, clothes and money7 lists · 282 words
The shop, the price, the clothes and the bank.
2Clothes and coloursWhat people wear, the verbs for putting it on, and the colours.40 words2ShoppingShops and markets, prices and discounts, trying on and paying.40 words3Money and the bankCards, cash and accounts: earning, spending, saving and paying back.40 words3Clothes and buying themGarments, sizes, fabrics and the words for whether something fits.41 words4Shopping online, and what comes afterOrders, deliveries, returns, receipts and getting a good deal.41 words4Money and personal financeSavings, interest, tax, insurance, mortgages and shares as they touch everyday life.40 words5Fashion and looksTrends and taste, hairstyles and make-up, how clothes fit and how outfits are put together.40 words
Getting around and travelling9 lists · 361 words
The street, the station, the trip and the city around it.
1Places in townShops, stations, restaurants and the other places a first walk through town passes.40 words2Getting around and directionsBuses, trains, taxis and bikes, and how to say where something is.41 words2Travel and the hotelBooking, checking in and out, passports, luggage and tickets.40 words3City lifeTown and country, traffic and neighbourhoods: where and how people live.40 words3Travel and sightseeingSights, tickets and guides: what you need when visiting a place.40 words3Traffic and road safetyCrossings, rules, accidents and the words a driver and a pedestrian need.40 words4Trains and planesFlights, high-speed trains, delays and the business of changing a ticket.40 words5Planning a cityDistricts and suburbs, roads and rail, pipes and parks, and what is pulled down to build them.40 words5Moving goods: transport and logisticsPorts, warehouses, lorries and supply chains, and how a parcel finds its way.40 words
The body and health7 lists · 281 words
From where it hurts to what the doctor writes down.
2The body and feeling illParts of the body, common illnesses, and what is said at the doctor.40 words3Health and the doctorSymptoms, tests and treatment, from registering at the hospital to going home.40 words3Moving the bodyPushing, pulling, lifting, bending and the gestures people make.40 words4Health and lifestyleSleep, diet, stress and the habits that keep a body going.40 words4The body and medicineOrgans, symptoms, treatment and the two medical traditions of China.41 words5Medicine and illnessDiseases and their treatment, vaccines and drugs, the hospital and the clinic.40 words5Health checks, first aid and strainBlood pressure and check-ups, sleeplessness and exhaustion, sprains, first aid and recovery.40 words
Nature, weather and the environment9 lists · 361 words
The seasons, the forecast, the landscape and what to do when disaster strikes.
2Weather and seasonsSun, rain, wind and snow, the four seasons, and how warm it is.40 words2Nature and animalsMountains, rivers and the sea, trees and flowers, pets and animals.40 words3Weather and climateClimate, the forecast, and the weather beyond plain sun and rain.41 words3Nature and the natural worldThe landscape, the sky above it and what the ground is made of.40 words3Animals and plantsFarm and wild animals, birds and insects, and how plants grow.40 words4Looking after the environmentSaving energy and water, sorting rubbish, and the words on recycling bins and signs.40 words4Geography: land, water and regionsPlains, plateaus, rivers, coasts and the words for regions and provinces.40 words4Disasters and emergenciesEarthquakes, floods, fires and storms, and the words for rescue, shelter and rebuilding.40 words5Environment and energyWhere power comes from, what it leaves behind, and the living world it affects.40 words
Free time, sport and entertainment5 lists · 201 words
Hobbies, games, films, matches and the results.
2Free time and hobbiesSport, music, films, photos, outings and what people do at the weekend.40 words3Sport and gamesBall games, teams, winning and losing, keeping fit and the games people play at home.40 words3Media and entertainmentTelevision, papers, films, music, the stage and the people who make them.40 words4Sport: training and competitionAthletes, coaches, scores, medals and the events of a sports meeting.40 words5Competitive sportTournaments and rounds, titles and upsets, tactics, clubs and the business around the game.41 words
Festivals, the arts and history6 lists · 242 words
The festival calendar, the arts, and the long history behind both.
3Festivals and customsThe traditional festivals, what is eaten and done at each, and the words around them.40 words4The arts and literatureWriters, painters, exhibitions, the stage and the page.41 words4History and traditionDynasties, emperors, heritage and what has come down from the past.40 words5Culture, values and philosophyIdeas and beliefs, morals and values, the classical schools of thought and how a tradition is handed on.40 words5History: dynasties, civilisations and the pastHow historians talk about rise and fall, what archaeologists dig up, and the words for ages long gone.40 words5Art and aestheticsMaking art and talking about it: style, technique, music, dance and the stage.41 words
School, university and research5 lists · 201 words
The classroom, the exam, the lecture hall and the paper.
1School and studyThe words of a first Chinese class: people, books, characters and questions.41 words2School lifeClasses and classrooms, homework, marks, and the things in a school bag.40 words3Schools and universitiesThe stages of education, the school year, subjects, marks and life on campus.40 words4Higher education and researchDegrees, courses, theses and the words of academic life.40 words5Education systemsHow schooling is organised, examined and paid for, and learning that goes on for life.40 words
Work and careers7 lists · 279 words
The job, the office, the colleagues and the meeting.
2Work and jobsGoing to work, the people at work, shifts, earning money and looking for a job.39 words3At work and in the officeMeetings, overtime, time off, applying for a job and the paperwork of an ordinary working day.40 words3Jobs and professionsWhat people do for a living, and how to say what somebody works as.40 words4In the companyPosts and departments, joining and leaving, and the shape of a career.40 words4Communication at workReporting, arranging, confirming and keeping a project moving in an office.40 words5Work, pay and personnelContracts and appraisals, pay rises and redundancies, and what a job comes with.40 words5Negotiations and formal meetingsAgendas and votes, offers and concessions, and the moment both sides sign.40 words
The economy, business and finance4 lists · 161 words
Growth, the company, the market and the share price.
4The economy and businessMaking, buying and selling, and the words for an economy that grows or shrinks.40 words5The economyGrowth and recession, prices, trade, currencies and the public purse.41 words5Finance and the marketsShares, bonds and funds, capital and debt, profit and loss.40 words5Business and managementStrategy, brands and markets, boards and founders, mergers and profit.40 words
The state, the law and public services8 lists · 320 words
The counter, the form, the court and diplomacy.
4The state and public lifeGovernment and policy, elections, offices of state and relations between countries.40 words4Rules and the lawWhat is allowed and what is not, everyday offences, and what follows from them.40 words4Public services and paperworkThe post office, the police station and the forms, stamps and queues of official business.40 words5Politics and governmentParties, parliaments, elections and the people who hold office.40 words5Law and justiceCourts and trials, lawsuits and verdicts, crimes and rights.40 words5International relationsCountries working together and falling out, treaties and summits, aid and the organisations in between.40 words5Welfare, care and charityPensions and insurance, support for people in need, volunteers, donations and care at home.40 words5Local government and administrationCity halls and local offices, residence registration, notices, complaints and the people who keep a town running.40 words
Society and the news4 lists · 160 words
What the news reports, and what people discuss.
4SocietyRights and duties, the generations, and the words for living together.40 words4News and the mediaReports, interviews, headlines and the papers that print them.40 words5The press and public opinionPublishing and editing, statements and rumours, sources and the public.40 words5Social issuesRich and poor, jobs and migration, fairness, and the gap between town and country.40 words
Technology, the internet and science7 lists · 280 words
The phone, the app, the laboratory and the machine.
2The phone and the internetCalling, texting, messages, accounts and being online.40 words3Technology in daily lifeComputers, phones, apps and the words on their screens.40 words4Science and technologyResearch, experiments, inventions and the machines that came out of them.40 words4Social media and online lifePosting, liking, sharing, following and streaming: the words of life on social media.40 words5Science and researchHypotheses and samples, laws and formulas, atoms, cells and the universe.40 words5Technology and the digital worldChips and algorithms, data and privacy, code, networks and machines that drive themselves.40 words5Internet culture and its slangTrending topics, viral fame, memes and the new words people use to talk about life online.40 words
Thinking and arguing8 lists · 320 words
Reasons, opinions, abstract nouns and the words that carry an argument.
3Opinions and reasonsThinking, agreeing and disagreeing, giving reasons and examples, and saying how sure you are.40 words3Linking words and framesAlthough, not only, as long as, either or, first and then, and the paired frames that hold a sentence together.40 words4Verbs for causes, results and attitudesThe verbs that say what causes what, what something shows, and how people take things.40 words4Adverbs of attitude and surpriseThe adverbs that show what the speaker expected, feared, meant or did not believe.40 words4Conjunctions and linking wordsThe words that join clauses: even if, no matter, since, otherwise, unless, so as not to.40 words4Abstract nouns for talking about thingsConditions, aspects, purposes, effects and standards: the nouns of explaining and comparing.40 words5Abstract nouns for argumentThe nouns an essay or a discussion is built on: causes, principles, limits, aims and points of view.40 words5Adverbs of tone and mannerAdverbs that colour a sentence: stubbornness and resignation, exaggeration, haste, secrecy and repetition.40 words
Set expressions and written Chinese5 lists · 201 words
Four-character expressions, formal verbs and the words that make a text sound written.
5Formal verbsThe verbs of reports, notices and official language: carrying out, ensuring, overseeing and calling for.40 words5Connectors of written ChineseThe linking words of essays, reports and the press: contrast, result, addition and conclusion.40 words5Words of written ChineseThe one-character words of notices, newspapers and official letters, and their everyday equivalents.40 words5Common four-character expressionsEveryday chengyu: the set four-character phrases that turn up in conversation, texts and the news.41 words5Four-character expressions for effort and workSet expressions for working hard, studying well and getting things done.40 words
Why these words in particular
Every vocabulary site claims to have the most important words. Hardly any says how it measures that. Here it is, because without a yardstick “important” is just another word for “what occurred to us”.
The yardstick of this list is not frequency in texts but reach in everyday life: how many situations do you get through if you know this word and not the other? That is why a word you will be asked about at the doctor’s is here and a formal linking word that you can paraphrase is not, even if both are about as common in texts.
In practice that means four rules, which applied to every single word:
- It occurs in a situation everyone has. Shopping, being ill, asking the way, making plans, filling in a form. Specialist vocabulary is not here, however common it is in its field.
- It cannot be paraphrased in two words. A word you can easily talk your way around belongs on a higher level than one you cannot.
- It has an example sentence that explains something. A word without a sentence is a line in a dictionary. Every word here stands in a sentence in which it really occurs — not in one that merely mentions it.
- It appears exactly once. A word turning up in two lists sounds harmless and is not: work through both and you think you are further along than you are. The build checks that.
The selection is therefore a decision of this project, not a measurement. It is reasoned, documented and open to challenge — which is more than a number without a source could offer.
The levels
Every word carries the level from which you need it. An A1 word is not easier to say than a B2 word — it just comes up earlier. So the question is not how hard a word is but from when on you cannot manage without it: a long word everyone needs sits on A1, a short one you can do without for years sits right at the top.
The right-hand column is the yardstick. It is here so that the levels can be checked rather than taken on trust — and because a level without its question would only be a label.
| Level | Words | The question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 497 | Would you need this word in your first week in China — in a shop, in a restaurant, introducing yourself? |
| 2 | 829 | Does this word come up all the time in daily life — work, shopping, making plans, the weather? |
| 3 | 1293 | Do you need this word to talk about more than the bare necessities — feelings, reasons, plans, experiences? |
| 4 | 1547 | Do you need this word to talk about work, society or culture — or is it the sharper version of a word you already have? |
| 5 | 1448 | Does the word carry a specialist field or a stance — or does it belong to the written language of newspapers and official notices? |
Practise all 5614 words
Across every list. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.