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.

西藏

xī zàng

Tibet (Xīzàng) is an autonomous region in the Pe

西瓜

xī guā

‘Xīguā’ (西瓜) literally means ‘western melon

雨衣

yǔ yī

雨衣 (yǔ yī) literally means 'rain clothing' —

内衣

nèi yī

内衣 (nèi yī) literally means 'inner clothing'

外衣

wài yī

‘外衣’ literally means ‘outer clothing’—‘外

上衣

shàng yī

Shàng yī literally means 'upper clothing' — sh

鬼号

guǐháo

‘鬼号’ (guǐháo) is a literary, vivid noun mean

狼号

lángháo

‘狼号’ literally combines 狼 (láng), meaning 'w

悲号

bēiháo

悲号 (bēiháo) is a literary and emotionally inte

哀号

āiháo

‘哀号’ is a compound verb meaning 'to cry out in

号啕

háotáo

‘号啕’ is a reduplicative verb meaning to wail o

号哭

háokū

‘号哭’ is a compound verb meaning 'to wail bitte

茶馆

chá guǎn

A chá guǎn (teahouse) is a traditional Chinese e

奶茶

nǎi chá

奶茶 (nǎi chá) literally means 'milk tea' — com

红茶

hóng chá

红茶 (hóng chá) literally means 'red tea' in Chi

绿茶

lǜ chá

'Lǜ chá' literally means 'green tea'—a widely c

茶叶

chá yè

'Chá yè' literally means 'tea leaf' — combining

苹蘩

píng fán

‘苹蘩’ (píng fán) is a classical Chinese compo

青苹

qīng píng

‘青苹’ (qīng píng) literally combines 青 (qīn

苹草

píng cǎo

‘苹草’ (píng cǎo) is a classical Chinese term

苹婆

píng pó

‘苹婆’ (píng pó) is a botanical term referring

浮萍

fú píng

‘浮萍’ (fú píng) is a noun referring to duckwe

兴盛

xīng shèng

兴盛 (xīng shèng) is an adjective meaning 'prosp

新兴

xīn xīng

新兴 (xīn xīng) is an adjective meaning 'emergin

复兴

fù xīng

复兴 (fù xīng) literally combines 复 (fù), mean

兴办

xīng bàn

兴办 (xīng bàn) is a formal verb meaning 'to est

兴起

xīng qǐ

兴起 (xīng qǐ) is a verb meaning 'to rise up', '

兴建

xīng jiàn

兴建 means 'to construct' or 'to build', especiall