Browse "Verb" 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.

朝向

cháo xiàng

Cháo xiàng literally combines cháo (to face, to

造句

zào jù

‘造句’ literally means ‘to create a sentence’

又哭又闹

yòu kū yòu nào

‘又哭又闹’ is a reduplicative verb phrase meanin

参拜

cān bài

‘参拜’ (cān bài) is a formal verb meaning to p

参考

cān kǎo

‘参考’ (cān kǎo) literally combines ‘参’ (to

参与

cān yǔ

参与 (cān yǔ) is a verb meaning 'to participate

参加

cān jiā

参加 (cān jiā) is a verb meaning 'to take part i

卡壳

kǎ ké

‘卡壳’ (kǎ ké) is a vivid, colloquial verb mea

卡住

kǎ zhù

卡住 (kǎ zhù) is a compound verb meaning 'to get

打包

dǎ bāo

‘打包’ (dǎ bāo) literally means ‘to strike +

包办

bāo bàn

包办 (bāo bàn) literally combines 包 (bāo), mea

包围

bāo wéi

包围 (bāo wéi) is a verb meaning 'to surround' o

包含

bāo hán

包含 (bāo hán) is a transitive verb meaning 'to

勤工俭学

qín gōng jiǎn xué

勤工俭学 literally combines four characters: 勤 (d

努目

nǔ mù

‘努目’ is a vivid, somewhat literary verb meanin

努一努

nǔ yī nǔ

‘努一努’ is a reduplicated verb phrase meaning

努劲儿

nǔ jìn ér

‘努劲儿’ is a colloquial verb meaning ‘to exert

努嘴

nǔ zuǐ

‘努嘴’ is a verb meaning to pout—specifically,

刷脸

shuā liǎn

‘刷脸’ literally means 'to swipe/scan the face'

刷新

shuā xīn

刷新 literally means 'to brush anew' — 刷 (shuā)

刷题

shuā tí

'Shuā tí' literally combines 刷 (shuā), meaning

刷屏

shuā píng

'Shuā píng' literally means 'to brush the screen

刷卡

shuā kǎ

'Shuā kǎ' literally combines 'shuā' (to swipe,

刷牙

shuā yá

刷牙 (shuā yá) literally means 'to brush teeth'

刮目相看

guā mù xiāng kàn

‘刮目相看’ literally means ‘to scrape the eyes

刮掉

guā diào

‘刮掉’ (guā diào) is a separable verb meaning

刮胡子

guā húzi

'Guā húzi' literally means 'to scrape whiskers'

刮风

guā fēng

‘刮风’ literally combines ‘刮’ (guā), meaning

结冰

jié bīng

'Jié bīng' literally means 'to form ice' — the

冰镇

bīng zhèn

冰镇 literally combines 冰 (bīng, 'ice') and 镇 (

过冬

guò dōng

‘过冬’ literally means ‘to pass winter’ and fu

冒汗

mào hàn

‘冒汗’ literally means ‘to emit sweat’ — ‘冒

冒充

mào chōng

‘冒充’ is a verb meaning 'to impersonate' or 'to

冒泡

mào pào

"冒泡" literally means "to bubble up," combining

冒险

mào xiǎn

冒险 (mào xiǎn) literally combines 冒 (mào, 'to

冒烟

mào yān

‘冒烟’ literally means ‘to emit smoke’ and fun

摄像

shè xiàng

‘摄像’ is a verb meaning ‘to video record’—th

健身

jiànshēn

健身 (jiànshēn) literally means 'to strengthen t

假扮

jiǎ bàn

‘假扮’ is a verb meaning 'to impersonate' or 'to

假装

jiǎ zhuāng

'假装' (jiǎ zhuāng) is a verb meaning 'to preten