Browse Characters — Learn Chinese Through Stories

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

炫

xuàn

A fire-and-mystery combo: ancient scribes fused 'f

炎

yán

This 'double fire' character doesn’t mean 'two fl

炊

chuī

This 'cooking' character hides a prehistoric heart

灶

zào

This 7-stroke character hides a divine secret: the

湾

wān

This 'bay' character hides a bowstring in its bone

灌

guàn

This 20-stroke character began as a hand pouring w

潇

xiāo

This 'deep and clear' character hides a literati s

濒

bīn

Its water radical isn’t decorative — it’s the r

瀑

bào

Though it looks like 'violent water' (暴+水), 瀑 i

泻

xiè

This 'gushing' character hides a dripping-brush se

滤

lu:4

Born from 'water' and 'thoughtful containment,' 滤

溅

jiàn

This character’s three water dots don’t just mea

滨

bīn

Originally 'where guests arrive by water,' 滨 tran

滥

làn

Its right side is 监 (supervision), but the water

涛

tāo

Though it looks like 'water + strength', 涛 was in

浊

zhuó

Ancient scribes drew turbid water teeming with wor

澈

chè

This character looks like water—but its secret is

澄

chéng

This 'clear' character isn’t about transparency—

涩

sè

Though it looks like 'water + knife', 涩 isn’t ab

溃

kuì

This character began as a bronze-age image of wate

潜

qián

This 'hidden' character originally depicted water

洁

jié

This ‘clean’ character began as a ritual whisk-w

漆

qī

This 'paint' character originally depicted lacquer

渔

yú

Though pronounced like 'fish', 渔 isn’t the fish

渗

shèn

Its right side 参 (cān) means 'to join' — reveal

滞

zhì

Its water radical + 'belt' component visually trap

滔

tāo

This character’s ‘scoop’ component isn’t decor

滋

zī

Its water radical isn't just decoration — it's th