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.

姨舅

yí jiù

‘姨舅’ (yí jiù) is a compound kinship term ref

外甥

wài shēng

‘外甥’ (wài shēng) means ‘sister’s son’—sp

舅老爷

jiù lǎo yé

‘舅老爷’ (jiù lǎo yé) is a respectful, slight

舅妈

jiù mā

‘舅妈’ (jiù mā) is a kinship term referring sp

舅父

jiù fù

‘舅父’ is a formal, respectful term for one’s m

舅舅

jiù jiu

‘Jiùjiu’ is the colloquial, affectionate term f

臭氧

chòu yǎng

‘臭氧’ (chòu yǎng) is a chemical compound comp

臭豆腐

chòu dòu fu

Stinky tofu (chòu dòu fǔ) is a traditional ferm

臭味相投

chòu wèi xiāng tóu

‘臭味相投’ literally means 'stinky smells meet a

临终

lín zhōng

‘临终’ literally means ‘approaching the end’

卧底

wò dǐ

'卧底' (wò dǐ) literally means 'lying at the bot

卧铺

wò pù

'Wòpù' literally combines 卧 (wò), meaning 'to

胆识

dǎn shí

胆识 (dǎn shí) is a compound noun meaning 'coura

肝胆

gān dǎn

肝胆 (gān dǎn) literally means 'liver and gall b

胆量

dǎn liàng

胆量 (dǎn liàng) literally combines 胆 (dǎn), m

明胶

míng jiāo

‘明胶’ (míng jiāo) is the standard Chinese ter

胶囊

jiāo náng

胶囊 (jiāo náng) literally means 'glue pouch' —

胶卷

jiāo juǎn

‘胶卷’ (jiāo juǎn) literally means ‘glue roll

胶带

jiāo dài

胶带 (jiāo dài) literally combines 胶 (jiāo), m

胶水

jiāo shuǐ

'Jiāo shuǐ' literally means 'glue water' — comb

臂膀

bì bǎng

臂膀 literally combines 臂 (bì), meaning 'arm', a

膀子

bǎng zi

膀子 (bǎng zi) is a colloquial, informal noun mea

肠胃

cháng wèi

Cháng wèi literally combines 肠 (cháng), meanin

大肠

dà cháng

大肠 (dà cháng) literally means 'large intestine

小肠

xiǎo cháng

小肠 (xiǎo cháng) literally means 'small intesti

腰线

yāo xiàn

腰线 (yāo xiàn) literally combines 腰 (yāo), me

细腰

xì yāo

细腰 (xì yāo) literally means 'thin waist' or 's

护腰

hù yāo

‘护腰’ literally means ‘to protect the waist’

腰痛

yāo tòng

腰痛 (yāo tòng) literally means 'waist pain' but

腰围

yāo wéi

'Yāo wéi' literally combines 腰 (yāo), meaning

腐乳

fǔrǔ

Fermented tofu (fǔrǔ) is a traditional Chinese c

腐殖质

fǔzhízhì

Humus (fǔzhízhì) is the dark, organic material

腐败

fǔbài

腐败 (fǔbài) literally combines 腐 (fǔ), meanin

硬脖子

yìng bó zi

'Hard neck' is a vivid, metaphorical idiom describ

光脖子

guāng bó zi

‘光脖子’ literally means 'bare neck' — a colloq

脖子

bó zi

脖子 (bó zi) is the colloquial, everyday term for

脆化

cuì huà

脆化 (cuì huà) is a technical noun meaning 'embr

脆响

cuì xiǎng

'脆响' (cuì xiǎng) is a noun describing a sharp,

脆皮

cuì pí

‘脆皮’ literally combines 脆 (cuì), meaning 'cr

胁从

xié cóng

'胁从' (xié cóng) is a formal noun meaning 'a pe