Browse Words — 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.

师傅

shī fu

'Shīfu' (师傅) is a respectful title used to addr

老师

lǎo shī

‘Lǎo shī’ literally combines two characters:

长命百岁

cháng mìng bǎi suì

‘Cháng mìng bǎi suì’ is a traditional Chines

岁寒三友

suì hán sān yǒu

'Three friends of winter' is a classical Chinese i

万寿无疆

wàn shòu wú jiāng

'Wàn shòu wú jiāng' is a formal, highly honori

岁数

suì shù

岁数 (suì shù) is a formal or neutral noun meani

周岁

zhōu suì

'Zhōu suì' literally means 'full cycle of years'

岁月

suì yuè

岁月 (suì yuè) literally combines 岁 (suì), mea

少见

shǎojiàn

'少见' literally combines 'shǎo' (few, little) an

少许

shǎoxǔ

少许 (shǎoxǔ) literally combines 少 (shǎo, 'few

减少

jiǎnshǎo

减少 (jiǎnshǎo) is a transitive verb meaning 'to

缺少

quēshǎo

缺少 is a verb meaning 'to lack' or 'to be short o

少数

shǎoshù

'少数' (shǎoshù) literally combines '少' (shǎo)

少年

shàonián

'少年' (shàonián) literally combines '少' (shào

写实

xiě shí

‘写实’ (xiě shí) is an adjective describing an

写真

xiě zhēn

‘写真’ (xiě zhēn) literally means ‘writing tr

写生

xiě shēng

‘Xiě shēng’ literally means ‘to write life’

写作

xiě zuò

写作 (xiě zuò) is a noun meaning 'writing' as a

写信

xiě xìn

‘写信’ literally means ‘to write + letter’ and

客房

kè fáng

客房 literally means 'guest room' — 客 (kè) mean

做客

zuò kè

'做客' literally means 'to do guest' — a verb phr

客车

kè chē

客车 (kè chē) literally means 'guest vehicle' —

客人

kè rén

客人 (kè rén) literally combines 客 (kè), meani

乘客

chéng kè

'乘客' (chéng kè) literally combines '乘' (to ri

顾客

gù kè

顾客 (gù kè) literally combines 顾 (gù), meanin

生字

shēng zì

Shēng zì literally means 'living character' — b

字体

zì tǐ

‘字体’ (zìtǐ) literally means ‘character form

认字

rèn zì

‘认字’ literally means ‘to recognize characters