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.

大方

dà fāng

‘Dàfāng’ is an adjective meaning 'generous' or

大海

dà hǎi

大海 (dà hǎi) literally means 'big sea' and refe

大学

dà xué

‘大学’ (dà xué) literally means ‘great learni

当中

dāngzhōng

'dāngzhōng' literally combines 'dāng' (meaning

中文

Zhōngwén

中文 (Zhōngwén) literally means 'middle kingdom

中午

zhōngwǔ

'Zhōngwǔ' literally means 'middle of wǔ' — ref

中心

zhōngxīn

中心 (zhōngxīn) literally combines 中 (zhōng),

中学

zhōngxué

'Zhōngxué' literally combines 'zhōng' (middle)

中国

Zhōngguó

‘Zhōngguó’ literally means ‘Middle Kingdom’

这儿

zhèr

这儿 (zhèr) is a colloquial, contracted form of

这些

zhè xiē

These is a demonstrative pronoun used to refer to

这么

zhè me

这么 (zhè me) is an adverb meaning 'so' or 'this

这次

zhè cì

'这次' (zhè cì) literally combines '这' (zhè),

这点

zhè diǎn

‘这点’ (zhè diǎn) literally combines ‘这’ (z

这边

zhè biān

这边 (zhè biān) literally combines 这 (zhè, 'th

人们

rén men

人们 is a plural noun meaning 'people' — specific

老人

lǎo rén

老人 literally combines 老 (lǎo, 'old') and 人 (r

中国人

zhōng guó rén

‘中国人’ literally means ‘person of China’ and

朋友

péng you

'Péng you' (朋友) means 'friend' — a person with

工人

gōng rén

工人 (gōng rén) literally combines 工 (gōng), m

大人

dà rén

大人 (dà rén) literally combines 大 (dà, 'big'

和面

huó miàn

'和面' (huó miàn) is a compound verb meaning 'to

和风

hé fēng

‘和风’ literally combines 和 (hé, meaning 'harm

和好

hé hǎo

‘和好’ (hé hǎo) is a verb meaning 'to reconcil

和气

hé qì

‘Hé qì’ literally combines ‘hé’ (harmony, p

和谐

hé xié

‘和谐’ (hé xié) literally combines ‘和’ (hé

和平

hé píng

'Hé píng' literally combines two characters: 和

有机会

yǒu jī huì

‘有机会’ literally combines three characters: 有