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.

多数

duō shù

多数 (duō shù) literally combines 多 (duō, 'man

多样

duō yàng

‘多样’ (duō yàng) is an adjective meaning 'div

多么

duō me

多么 (duō me) is an adverb used exclusively in ex

多余

duō yú

多余 (duō yú) is an adjective meaning 'superfluo

多少

duō shǎo

‘多少’ (duō shǎo) is a pronoun meaning ‘how m

课后

kèhòu

‘课后’ literally combines ‘课’ (kè), meaning

饭后

fànhòu

‘饭后’ literally combines ‘饭’ (fàn, meaning

事后

shìhòu

‘事后’ literally combines 事 (shì, 'matter' or

背后

bèihòu

背后 literally means 'back + behind' and functions

后来

hòulái

Later (hòulái) is an adverb meaning 'afterwards'

以后

yǐhòu

以后 (yǐhòu) literally combines 以 (yǐ, 'by' or

面包

miàn bāo

面包 (miàn bāo) literally means 'flour bun' —

方面

fāng miàn

‘方面’ (fāng miàn) literally combines ‘方’ (

面条

miàn tiáo

‘面条’ (miàn tiáo) literally means ‘flour str

见面

jiàn miàn

见面 literally means 'see face' — combining 见 (t

后面

hòu miàn

后面 (hòu miàn) literally combines 后 (hòu, 'ba

前面

qián miàn

前面 (qián miàn) literally combines 前 (qián, '

游说

yóu shuì

‘游说’ (yóu shuì) is a formal verb meaning ‘t

传说

chuán shuō

传说 (chuán shuō) is a noun meaning 'legend' or

解说

jiě shuō

‘解说’ (jiě shuō) is a noun meaning 'explanati

小说

xiǎo shuō

'Xiǎo shuō' literally combines 'xiǎo' (small) a

说法

shuō fǎ

‘说法’ literally combines ‘说’ (to speak, to s

说话

shuō huà

说话 literally combines 说 (shuō), meaning 'to sa

瓶子

píng zi

瓶子 (píng zi) is a common noun meaning 'bottle'

瓜子

guā zi

‘Guāzi’ literally means ‘melon seed’, but in

椅子

yǐ zi

椅子 (yǐ zi) is a common noun meaning 'chair' —

桌子

zhuō zi

桌子 (zhuō zi) is a common noun meaning 'table'

孩子

hái zi

孩子 (hái zi) means 'child' — a general, warm, a