Browse "Noun" Characters

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

快递

kuàidì

快递 (kuàidì) literally combines 快 (‘fast’) a

快餐

kuàicān

‘快餐’ literally means ‘fast meal’ — ‘快’ (

往年

wǎng nián

‘往年’ literally combines ‘往’ (wǎng), meanin

往事

wǎng shì

‘Wǎng shì’ literally means ‘past events’ or

往来

wǎng lái

‘往来’ (wǎng lái) literally combines ‘往’ (t

表弟

biǎo dì

‘表弟’ (biǎo dì) is a kinship term referring s

堂弟

táng dì

‘Táng dì’ refers specifically to a male cousin

师弟

shī dì

‘师弟’ (shī dì) literally combines ‘师’ (sh

兄弟

xiōng dì

‘兄弟’ (xiōng dì) literally combines 兄 (xiōn

小弟

xiǎo dì

小弟 literally means 'small younger brother'—comb

弟弟

dì di

弟弟 (dì di) is a noun meaning 'younger brother'

木床

mù chuáng

‘木床’ (mù chuáng) literally means ‘wood bed

双人床

shuāng rén chuáng

‘双人床’ literally means ‘two-person bed’ — i

床头

chuáng tóu

床头 (chuáng tóu) literally means 'head of the b

床单

chuáng dān

床单 (chuáng dān) literally combines 床 (chuáng

帮派

bāngpài

帮派 (bāngpài) is a compound noun meaning 'cliqu

帮手

bāngshǒu

帮手 (bāngshǒu) literally combines 帮 (bāng), m

常规

cháng guī

‘常规’ (cháng guī) literally combines ‘常’ (

希望

xī wàng

'Hope' is a fundamental emotional concept in Chine

左耳

zuǒ ěr

‘左耳’ literally means 'left ear' — a compound

左手

zuǒ shǒu

'左手' literally means 'left hand' — a compound n

左边

zuǒ biān

左边 literally means 'left side' — 左 (zuǒ) mean

休息室

xiū xī shì

休息室 literally means 'rest room' — 休 (xiū) me

浴室

yù shì

浴室 (yù shì) literally means 'bath room' — com

实验室

shí yàn shì

'实验室' (shí yàn shì) literally means 'experim

卧室

wò shì

‘卧室’ (wò shì) literally means ‘lying-down r

办公室

bàngōng shì

办公室 (bànfāng shì) literally means 'place for

教室

jiào shì

教室 (jiào shì) literally means 'teaching room'

宜早不宜迟

yí zǎo bù yí chí

‘宜早不宜迟’ is a fixed four-character idiom mea

事不宜迟

shì bù yí chí

'Shì bù yí chí' is a classical four-character

女孩

nǚhái

‘女孩’ (nǚhái) literally combines 女 (nǚ), me

男孩

nánhái

‘男孩’ (nánhái) literally combines two charact

孤儿

gū'ér

'Orphan' refers to a child who has lost both paren

孩童

tónghái

孩童 is a formal or literary noun meaning 'child'

小孩

xiǎohái

‘小孩’ (xiǎohái) literally combines ‘小’ (xi

姓甚名谁

xìng shèn míng shuí

'Xìng shèn míng shuí' is a formal, literary ex

复姓

fù xìng

A fùxìng (compound surname) is a Chinese family

同姓

tóng xìng

‘同姓’ literally means ‘same surname’—‘同’

姓氏

xìng shì

‘Xìng shì’ literally combines 姓 (xìng), mean

始作俑者

shǐ zuò yǒng zhě

‘始作俑者’ literally means ‘the first person to