Chinese
These are notes about chinese language.
Hover over a bold definition and action popup will appear. You can click on a speaker icon to hear the pronounciation, a brush icon to see how to write the character or Google and Wikipedia icons to search it on the web.
You can see used symbols for caligraphy or you can download flashcards to use with Anki (or download vocabulary and phrases separately). The source code is on github.
Other useful links:
Pronouns
wǒI/me
nǐyou (singular)
tāhe/him she/her
wǒmenwe/us
nǐmenyou (plural)
tāmenthey/them
Vocabulary
rèhot
bīngice, cold
lěngcold
hóngblack
shū fúcomfortable
tiān qìweather
dà (大)big
zhōng (中)middle
xiǎo (小)small
shàng (上)up
xià (下)down
lóufloor
èhungry
kěthirsty
mángbusy
lèitired
kǎofire
kǎo ròubarbecue
shàng wǎnginternet
māocat
gǒudog
qiànmoney
guìexpensive
tài guìtoo expensive
piányícheap
yǒumíngfamous
gāotall
mànslow
duì bù qǐI am sorry / Excuse me
méi guān xiDoesn't matter / Nevermind
xiè xiè -> bú kè qithank you -> you're welcome
hǎogood
duìcorrect
bú duìincorrect
yěalso
dǒngunderstand
zhěthis
nàthat
hái hǎook, so so
zàiagain
kāiopen
kāi dēngturn on lights
kāi jīturn on computer
People
xúe shēngstudent
dà rénadult
péng yǒufriend
tóng xuéclass mate
shì yoǔroom mate
nǚfemale
nánmale
xiǎojiě (小姐)miss, lady
piào liàngpretty
shuàihandsome
Things
zhuō zitable
yǐ zichair
xiě (鞋)shoes
yīfú (衣服)clothes
bǐ (筆)pen
shū (書)book
yǎu jìngglasses
jīngeyes
tǔ (土)earth
diànelectricity
nǎobrain
diàn nǎocomputer
diàn dēnglamp, light
diàn huàtelephone
jīmachine
shǒuhand
shǒu jīcellphone
fēifly
fēi jīairplane
diàn shìTV
diàn yǐngmovie
qiúball
wǎng qiútennis
chē (車)vehicle, car
shàng chēboard the vehicle
xià chēexit the vehicle
jiǎofoot
tàstep
jiǎo tà chēbicycle
Drinks
shuǐ (水)water
kāfēicoffee
chá (茶)tea
pí jiǔ (啤酒)beer
jì wěi jiǔcocktail
jiǔ (酒)wine, alcohol
kělè (可樂)coke
niúnǎimilk
nǎichá (奶茶)milk tea
guǒ zhī (果汁)fruit juice
píng guǒ zhīapple juice
Food
bāo zibun
miàn baobread
fàn (飯)rice
miànnoodle
ròu (肉)meat
niúròubeef
jīròchicken
zhùròupork
yúfish
càivegetable
qiǎ kè lichocolate
tángsugar
tāngsoup
xiánsalty
hǎo chīdelicious
Fruits
shuǐ guǒ (水果)fruits
píng guǒapple
cǎo méistrawberry
xiāng jiāobanana
máng guǒmango
pútáograpes
níng ménglemon
Countries
JiékèCzech Republic
FaguóFrance
DeguòGermany
Zhōng quóChina
Hán guóKorea
Yuè námVietnam
Yì níIndonesia
Faguó / Faguó rénFrance / French
Family
rén (人)person
màmamother
bàbafather
gēgeolder brother
dìdiyounger brother
jiě jieolder sister
mèi meiyounger sister
tàitàiwife
xiānshēnghusband
Verbs
xǐ huānlike
àilove
yàowant
yǒuhave
mei yǒuhave not
shìto be
zuò (做)do
zuò (坐)sit
shuōspeak
xuéstudy
kànlook
kàn shūread
niàn shùread/study
xiěwrite
wènask
wěnkiss
wénsmell
lǚ xíngtravel
hēdrink
chīeat
mǎibuy
màisell
qùgo
zǒuwalk
yóuyǒngswim
zhī dàoknow
shuìsleep
jiànsee
Phrases
qǐngplease
Nǐ hǎo mā?How are you?
Wǒ hěn hǎo.I'm fine.
Nǐ jiào ming zi?What is your name?
Wǒ jiào X.My name is X.
(Wǒ) hěn hǎo xìng rèn shi nǐ.Nice to meet you.
Nǐ shì něi guó rén?Where are you from?
Wǒ shì Jié kè rén.I am Czech.
zài jiàngood bye (see you again)
Wo shì xúe shēng.I am student.
Nǐ xuě shénme?What are you studying?
Hǎo bù hǎo?Good or bad? (Do you agree?)
Dǒng bù dǒng?Do you understand?
Zhè shì shénme?What is this?
Nà shì shénme?What is that?
Qǐng zuò.Please, sit down.
Nǐ hěn piào liàng.Yo are pretty.
Nǐ bú piào liàng.Yo are not pretty.
Nǐ bú hěn piào liàng.Yo are little bit pretty.
Tā piào liàng mā?Is she pretty?
Nǐ ě mā?Are you hungry?
Wǒ hěn è.I am hungry.
Wǒ men qù chí fàn ba!Let's go eat!
Wǒ men zǒu ba!Let's go.!
Wǒ yào zǒu le.I am leaving. / I need to go.
Nǐ xǐ huān shénme ròu?What meat do you like?
Nǐ máng mā?Are you busy?
Nǐ máng bú mā?Are you busy or not?
Nǐ hěn máng mā?Are you really busy?
Zhēnde?Really?
Wǒ zhénde hěn è.I am really hungry.
Wǒ hěn máng.I am busy.
Nǐ yǒu meì shuǐ? = Nǐ tǒu shuǐ mā?
Zhōng Qiū Jié kuài lèHappy Moon Festival!
Shēng rì kuà lèHappy birthday!
Qǐng, zài shuō yí cì.Please, say it again.
Hǎo jiǔ bù jiànLong time no see
Qǐng zài shuō yiěci.Please repeat.
Qǐng dà shēng yìdiǎn.Please louder.
Hǎo bùhǎo?Is it OK?
Hěn hǎoVery good.
Hǎole ma?Are you done? Are you ready?
Hái méi (hǎo)Not yet!
Duì bǔduì?Is it correct?
dǒng bùdǒngDo you understand?
Wǒ dǒng le.I understood.
QǐngwènMay I ask...
gēn wǒ shuōRepeat after me.
yìshēngthe lst tone
èr shēngthe 2nd tone
sān shēngthe 3rd tone
sì shēngthe 4th tone
qīng shēngneutral tone
liànxípractice, exercise
shàng k4go to class, in class
děng yí xiàwait a moment
xià kèoff class
xiūxítake a break
gōngkèassigment
kǎoshìtest
Nǐ shuō shénme?What did you say?
Yǒu méiyǒu wèntí?Any question?
Wǒ shi xuéshēng. Wǒ bú shi lǎoshī.I am a student. I am not a teacher.
Wǒ shi xuéshēng, bú shì lǎoshī.I am a student, not a teacher.
Wǒ yǒu dian’nao.I have a computer.
Wǒ yě yǒu shǒujī.I also have a cellphone.
Wǒmen dōu yǒu bǐ.We all have pens.
Wǒmen dōu méiyǒu shū.We all do not have books.
S. V. Nu. M. O.
Wǒ yǒu liǎng bēi chá.I have two cups of tea.
Zhè shì shénme?What is this?
Nà shì miànbāo.That is a bread.
Wǒ (bú) yào + Verb + O. = I want to do something
Ni yào chá ma? = Ni yào bú yào chá?Do you want tea?
Wǒ yào bīng kāfēi.I want ice coffee.
Wǒ yào rè chá.I want hot tea.
Wǒ (bú) yào táng.I don’t want sugar.
Wǒ bú yào làI do not want (it) spicy.
Wǒ (bú) huì + Verb
Wǒ (bú) huì yóuyǒng.I can (not) swim.
Nǐ huì yóuyǒng ma? = Nǐ huì bú huì yóuyǒng?Can you swim?
Wǒ bú huì shuō Zhōngwén.I can not speak Chinese.
Wǒ (bú) zhīdào.I (don`t) know.
Nǐ dǒng Yīngwén ma?Do you understand English?
Wǒ dǒng yīdiǎnér Zhōngwén.I understand a little Chinese.
Wǒmen dōu bù xǐhuān tā.We all do not like him.
Tāmen bù dōu shì Yìnní rén.They are not all Indonesian.
Tāmen dōu bú shì Yìnní rén.All ofthem are not Indonesian.
Nǐ xǐhuān chī bāozi ma?
Wǒ hěn xǐhuān chī bāozi.I like to eat bun very much.
Bāozi hěn hǎo chī.Bun is very delicious.
Wǒ bù xǐhuān chī bāozi.I do not like to eat bun.
Wǒ bbù tài xǐhuān chī bāozi.I do not like to eat bun very much.
Nǐ tàitài xǐhuān h1e chá ma?Does your wife like to drink tea?
Nǐ xiānshēng xǐhuān kàn diànyǐng ma?Does your husband like to go to a movie?
Grammar
4 tones + neutral
Marking tones:
If there is 'a', mark it first.
Then mark 'e', 'o'.
Then 'i', 'u'.
It there is 'iu' or 'ui', mark the last chaeacter.
Sentence pattern
Subject Verb Object
Questions
Subject Verb Object Question-Word?
Nǐ xǐ huān kāfēi mā?Do you like coffee?
shénmewhat
Nǐ yào shénme?What do you want?
Wǒ (bú) huì + Verbs
Wǒ (bú) huì yóyǒng.I can (not) swim.
Wǒ bú shuō Zhōngwén.I can not speak Chinese.
Q.W. V O?
Shéi yǒu bǐ?Who has a pen?
S. V O.
Lǎoshī yǒu bǐ.The teacher has a pen.
Shéi xǐhuān chá?Who likes tea?
Shéi shì Fǎguǒ rén?Who is French?
Tā shì shéi?Who is he/she?
Tā shì wǒ bàbà.He is my father.
Negative sentence
bú / bù
2nd tone before 4th tone - bú yào (do not want)
4th tone before 1st, 2nd, 3rd tones - bù chī / bù hǎo
Wǒ bù chī zhūròu.I do not eat pork.
Wǒ bù hē kāfēi.I (never) drink coffee.
Wǒ méi hē.I don't drink (now).
Numbers
yī (一)1
èr (二)2
sān (三)3
sì (四)4
wǔ (五)5
liù (六)6
qī (七)7
bā (八)8
jiǔ (九)9
shí (十)10
shí yī11
shí èr12
èr shí sān23
sān shí30
sì shí40
y4bǎi (一百)100
Units fo money:
shí 拾ten (10)
bǎi 百hundred (100)
qiān 千thousand (1000)
wàn 萬ten thousand (10000)
máo 毛ten cents (0.1)
fēn 分one cent (0.01)
Yígòng duōshǎo qián?Totally how much money?
Nǐde shǒujī jǐ hào?Your phone number?
Nǐ gěi wǒ nǐde hào mā?Give me yourphone number?
Measure words
Number + Measure word + Noun
Yī gè rénOne person
Liǎng gè rénTwo persons
Sān gè rénThree persons
Yī běn shūOne book
Yī zhī bǐOne pen
Yī píng pí jiùOne bottle of beer
Yī bēi ká feiOne cup of coffee
bēi zicup
píng zibottle
guàn zitin can
yìběn shū1 book
liǎng zhī bǐ2 pens
sān wǎn fàn3 bowls of rice
sì píng kělè4 bottles of coke
wǔn guàn píjiǔ5 cans of beer
lìu wèi xiàojiě6 ladies
qī liàng chē7 cars
bā bēi nǎichá8 cups/glasses of milk tea
jiǔ shuāng xié9 pairs of shoes
shí jián yīfú10 clothes
zhè gèthis one
nà gèthat one
Number + Measure words + Noun
$10.50 shí kuài wǔ (maio) (qián) = shí kuài bàn
Yì bēi nǎichá jǐ kuài qián?How much is a cup of milk tea?
Nǎichá, yìbēi jǐ kuài qián?
Nǎichá, jǐkuài qián yìbēi?
jǐ + measure word = how much
Duò shǎo qián?How much money?
Possessive pronouns
pronoun + de
Shéide?Whoose?
wǒdemy, mine
nǐdeyour, yours (singular)
tādehis, her, hers
wǒmendeour, ours
nǐmendeyour, yours (plural)
tāmendetheir, theirs
wǒde péngyǒumy friend
wǒmende tóngxuéour classmates
Zhè shì shèide shǒu jī?Whoose cellphone is this?
Wǒ de péng yǒu de shǒu jīMy friend's cellphone
Jacob deJacob's
wǒ papamy father
Time
tiān (天)sky, day
rì (日)sun, day
yuè (月)moon
míng (明)bright
qiántiānday before yesterday
zuótiānyesterday
jīntiāntoday
míngtiāntomorrow
hòutiānday after tomorrow
qiánniányear before last year
qùniánlast year
jīnniánthis year
mī2gniánnext year
hòuniányear after next year
shàng gè lǐbàinext week
xià gè lǐbàilast week
lǐbàiyīMonday
lǐbàièrTuesday
lǐbàisānWednesday
lǐbàisìThursday
lǐbàiwǔFriday
lǐbàiliùSaturday
lǐbàitiānSunday
zǎoshàngmorning
zhōngwǔnoon
xiǎwǔafternoon
wǎnshàngevening
zhōngfenlunch
nín zǎo / zǎoānGood morning!
wǎnānGood night!
Jīntiān jǐ yuè jǐ hào?What date is today?
Jīntiān shì shíyuè shíyī hào.Today is October eleven.
Jīntiān shì lǐbài jǐ?What day is today?
Jīntiān shì lǐbàisì.Today is Thursday.
Tenses
Past
verb + le
Wo chī le.I ate.
S + time + V1 + V2
Wǒ zuótiān qù yóuyǒng.I went swimming yesterday.
Wǒ jīntiān mǎi le kāfēi.I bought coffee today.
Future
yào + verb
S + future + yào V1 + V2 (yào + V = be going to V)
Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yóuyǒng. I am going to swimming pool tomorrow.
Wǒ míngtiān yào mǎi kāfēi. I am going to buy coffee tomorrow.
Continuous
zài + Verb = Verb + ing
Tā zài chī miàn bāo.He is eating a bread right now.
Nǐ zài zuò shénme?What are you doing?
Places
nǎlǐ / nǎ(é)rwhere
nàlǐthere
zhèlǐ zhē(é)rhere
Nǐ qù nǎlǐ?Where do you go?
Wǒ qù jìoshì.I go to the classroom.
Wǒ huí sùshè.I return to the dormitory.
Nǐ yào qù nǎlǐ?Where will you go?
Nǐ yào (gēn wǒ) yèshì mā?Will you go to night market (with me)?
Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?Where is the toilet?
Cèsuǒ zài nàlǐ.The toilet is there.
Tā zài nǎlǐ?Where is he?
Tā zài xuéxiào.He is in the school.
Nǐ zài nǎlǐ?Where are you?
húireturn
húi jiàreturn home
Tā zài nǎlǐ mǎi shuǐ?Where did she buy the water?
Tā zài 7-11 mǎi (le) shuǐ (le).She bought water at 7-11.
xuéxiàoschool
shàng kěclass room
yóu yǒng chiswimming pool
cāntīngrestaurant, canteen
cèsuǒtoilet
yèshìnight market
yè diànpub
shū diànbook store
diàn yǐng yuǎncinema
chē zhàntrai/bus station
Tái kē dàNTUST
jiàoshìclassroom
shíyànshìlaboratory
sùshèdormitory
tǐyùguǎngym
yónjúpost office
dālonbuilding
Sentence expansion
S V O
Wǒ mǎi yīfú.I bought clothes.
S Place V O
Wǒ zài yèshì mǎi yīfú.I went to a night market to buy clothes.
S Time Place V O
Wǒ zuótiān zài yèshì mǎi yīfú.I went to a night market to buy clothes yesterday.
For future:
Wǒ yào mǎi yīfú.I want to buy clothes.
Wǒ yào qù yèshì mǎi yīfú.I want to go to a night market to buy clothes.
Wǒ míngtiān yào qù yèshì mǎi yīfú.I will go to a night market to buy clothes tomorrow.
Particles
dōuall
Wǒmen dōu shì xuéshēng.We are all students.
Wǒmen dōu zài jiàoshi.We are all in the classroom.
Wǒmen dōu yǒu bǐ.We all have pens.
Shuǐ kāfēi hé chá wǒ dōu xǐhuān.Water, coffee and tea, I like them all.
kěshìbut
Wǒ xǐhuān chá, kěshì bùxǐhuān píjiǔ.I like tea but not beer.
Tā hěn máng, kěshì búèi.He is busy but not tired.
Tā hěn kě, kěshì bú è.He is thirsty but not hungry.
hé = hái yǒuand
nǐ hé tāyou and him
Wǒ xǐhuān kāfēi hé chá?I like coffee and tea.
hái shìor (for question)
Nǐ xǐhuān chē shuǐ hái chá?Do you like to dink water or tea?
Wǒ dōu xǐhuān.I like both.
huò shìor (for sentence)
Wǒ yaò kāfēi huò shì chá.I want coffee or tea.
hěnvery
hěm + Adj.
Jīntiān tiānqì hěn hǎo.The weather is very good today.
hěn rèvery hot
hěn lěngvery cold
bù lěng yě bú rènot cold nor hot
Shéi hěn gāo?Who is very tall?
Déguó chē hěn guì.German cars are very expensive.
Jiékè de píjiǔ hěn yǒumíng.Czech beer is very famous.
něiwhich
Nǐ xǐhuān něi liàng chē?Which car do you like?
Nǐ xǐhuān něiguó píjiǔ?Which beer do you like?
Něi liàng chē shì Déguó chē?Which car is a German car?
duōmany
Tā mǎi shuǐguǒ.He buys fruit.
Tā mǎi le shuǐguǒ.He bought fruit.
Tā mǎi le hěn duō shuǐguǒ.He bought many fruits.
Tā Jīntiān maǐ le hěn duō shuǐguǒ.He bought many fruits today.
Tāde shìyǒu yě maǐle shuǐguǒ.His roommate also bought fruits.
tàitoo
tài + Adj.
Zhèi zhī shǒujī tài guì.This cell phone is too expensive.
Tā hēle tài duō píjiǔ.She drank too much beer.
Wǒde qián tài shǎo.My money is too little.
Gòu leEnough
Bú gòuNot enough
Gòu le! Gòu le! - repeat to emphasize "enough"
yidiǎnlittle
Adj. + yidiǎn
duō yidiǎna little mere
piányí yidiǎncheaper
Màm yidiǎn.Slow down. More slowly.
Zhèi shuāng tàixiǎo, wǒ yào dà yidiǎn de.This pair is too small, I want a bigger one.
Wǒ yào dà hào de.I want a large one.
zhōng hàoMedium
xiǎo hàoSmall
tè dà hàoExtra large
Nèi jiàn tài duǎn, chang yìdiǎn.That one is too short, longer.
Wǒ yào huàn yīfú.I want to change clothes.
Kě bùkěyǐ 1à yìdiǎn?May I have it hotter?
hǎo + V —> Adj.
Zhèiběn shū hěn hǎokàn.This book is interesting. (good look)
Nèizhī bǐ hěn hǎochī.That pen is good to write.
Niúròumiàn hěn hǎochī.Beef noodles are tasty.(good to eat)
Něizhǒng dōngxī hěn nánchī?Which kind of things are disgusting?
Shénme hěn nán chī?What is awful to eat?
Yìzhī bǐ, liǎngběn shū, yígòng duōshǎo qián?A pen, two books, altogether how much are they?