Core School Words You Will Use All The Time

Useful School Phrases And Real-Life Sentences

• 我去学校。 Wǒ qù xuéxiào. — I go to school.
• 老师在教室里。 Lǎoshī zài jiàoshì lǐ. — The teacher is in the classroom.
• 我是学生。 Wǒ shì xuéshēng. — I am a student.
• 这是我的课本。 Zhè shì wǒ de kèběn. — This is my textbook.
• 今天有很多作业。 Jīntiān yǒu hěn duō zuòyè. — There is a lot of homework today.
• 明天我们有考试。 Míngtiān wǒmen yǒu kǎoshì. — We have a test tomorrow.
• 我的成绩不错。 Wǒ de chéngjì búcuò. — My grades are not bad.
• 请打开书包。 Qǐng dǎkāi shūbāo. — Please open your schoolbag.
• 上课的时候不要说话。 Shàngkè de shíhou búyào shuōhuà. — Do not talk during class.
• 下课以后我们去操场。 Xiàkè yǐhòu wǒmen qù cāochǎng. — After class, we go to the playground.
• 我想去图书馆借书。 Wǒ xiǎng qù túshūguǎn jiè shū. — I want to go to the library to borrow a book.
• 他上课迟到了。 Tā shàngkè chídào le. — He was late for class.

Places At School

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
学校	xuéxiào	school	我们的学校很大。	Wǒmen de xuéxiào hěn dà.	Our school is big.
教室	jiàoshì	classroom	学生在教室里学习。	Xuéshēng zài jiàoshì lǐ xuéxí.	Students study in the classroom.
图书馆	túshūguǎn	library	我下午去图书馆。	Wǒ xiàwǔ qù túshūguǎn.	I go to the library in the afternoon.
食堂	shítáng	cafeteria	我们在食堂吃午饭。	Wǒmen zài shítáng chī wǔfàn.	We eat lunch in the cafeteria.
操场	cāochǎng	playground; sports field	孩子们在操场跑步。	Háizimen zài cāochǎng pǎobù.	The children run on the playground.
办公室	bàngōngshì	office	老师在办公室工作。	Lǎoshī zài bàngōngshì gōngzuò.	The teacher works in the office.
实验室	shíyànshì	laboratory	我们在实验室做实验。	Wǒmen zài shíyànshì zuò shíyàn.	We do experiments in the lab.
宿舍	sùshè	dormitory	我的宿舍很安静。	Wǒ de sùshè hěn ānjìng.	My dorm is quiet.
校门	xiàomén	school gate	我们在校门口见面。	Wǒmen zài xiàomén kǒu jiànmiàn.	We meet at the school gate.
走廊	zǒuláng	hallway	走廊里不要跑。	Zǒuláng lǐ búyào pǎo.	Do not run in the hallway.

People, Objects, And Everyday Classroom Stuff

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
老师	lǎoshī	teacher	老师来了。	Lǎoshī lái le.	The teacher has arrived.
学生	xuéshēng	student	那个学生很认真。	Nàge xuéshēng hěn rènzhēn.	That student is very serious.
同学	tóngxué	classmate	他是我的同学。	Tā shì wǒ de tóngxué.	He is my classmate.
校长	xiàozhǎng	principal	校长今天讲话了。	Xiàozhǎng jīntiān jiǎnghuà le.	The principal spoke today.
班主任	bānzhǔrèn	homeroom teacher	班主任很关心我们。	Bānzhǔrèn hěn guānxīn wǒmen.	The homeroom teacher cares about us.
保安	bǎoān	security guard	保安在校门口站着。	Bǎoān zài xiàomén kǒu zhànzhe.	The security guard is standing at the school gate.
书	shū	book	这本书很有意思。	Zhè běn shū hěn yǒu yìsi.	This book is interesting.
课本	kèběn	textbook	请拿出课本。	Qǐng náchū kèběn.	Please take out your textbook.
笔记本	bǐjìběn	notebook	我把新词写在笔记本上。	Wǒ bǎ xīncí xiě zài bǐjìběn shàng.	I write new words in my notebook.
铅笔	qiānbǐ	pencil	我的铅笔在桌子上。	Wǒ de qiānbǐ zài zhuōzi shàng.	My pencil is on the desk.
橡皮	xiàngpí	eraser	我需要一块橡皮。	Wǒ xūyào yí kuài xiàngpí.	I need an eraser.
尺子	chǐzi	ruler	请把尺子给我。	Qǐng bǎ chǐzi gěi wǒ.	Please give me the ruler.
书包	shūbāo	schoolbag	我的书包很重。	Wǒ de shūbāo hěn zhòng.	My schoolbag is heavy.
黑板	hēibǎn	blackboard	老师在黑板上写字。	Lǎoshī zài hēibǎn shàng xiězì.	The teacher writes on the blackboard.
粉笔	fěnbǐ	chalk	白色粉笔在这里。	Báisè fěnbǐ zài zhèlǐ.	The white chalk is here.
电脑	diànnǎo	computer	教室里有一台电脑。	Jiàoshì lǐ yǒu yì tái diànnǎo.	There is a computer in the classroom.
课桌	kèzhuō	desk	书在课桌下面。	Shū zài kèzhuō xiàmiàn.	The book is under the desk.
椅子	yǐzi	chair	请坐在椅子上。	Qǐng zuò zài yǐzi shàng.	Please sit on the chair.

Subjects, Time, And Common School Actions

Hanzi	Pinyin	Meaning	Example (ZH)	Example (Pinyin)	Translation (EN)
语文	yǔwén	Chinese class	我最喜欢语文。	Wǒ zuì xǐhuān yǔwén.	I like Chinese class the most.
数学	shùxué	math	数学今天有点难。	Shùxué jīntiān yǒudiǎn nán.	Math is a bit difficult today.
英语	Yīngyǔ	English	英语老师说得很清楚。	Yīngyǔ lǎoshī shuō de hěn qīngchu.	The English teacher speaks very clearly.
科学	kēxué	science	科学课很有趣。	Kēxué kè hěn yǒuqù.	Science class is interesting.
历史	lìshǐ	history	他喜欢读历史书。	Tā xǐhuān dú lìshǐ shū.	He likes reading history books.
体育	tǐyù	PE	下午我们有体育课。	Xiàwǔ wǒmen yǒu tǐyù kè.	We have PE in the afternoon.
音乐	yīnyuè	music	音乐课很轻松。	Yīnyuè kè hěn qīngsōng.	Music class is relaxing.
美术	měishù	art	她的美术作业很好看。	Tā de měishù zuòyè hěn hǎokàn.	Her art homework looks great.
课间	kèjiān	between classes; break	课间我去喝水。	Kèjiān wǒ qù hē shuǐ.	I go drink water during the break.
上课	shàngkè	to attend class; class starts	八点开始上课。	Bādiǎn kāishǐ shàngkè.	Class starts at eight o’clock.
下课	xiàkè	class ends	下课以后我回宿舍。	Xiàkè yǐhòu wǒ huí sùshè.	After class I go back to the dorm.
作业	zuòyè	homework	今晚的作业不多。	Jīnwǎn de zuòyè bú duō.	There is not much homework tonight.
考试	kǎoshì	exam; test	这次考试我不紧张。	Zhè cì kǎoshì wǒ bù jǐnzhāng.	I am not nervous for this test.
成绩	chéngjì	grade; result	他的成绩提高了。	Tā de chéngjì tígāo le.	His grades improved.
上学	shàngxué	to go to school	我每天七点上学。	Wǒ měitiān qī diǎn shàngxué.	I go to school at seven every day.
放学	fàngxué	school finishes	放学以后我们回家。	Fàngxué yǐhòu wǒmen huíjiā.	We go home after school.
举手	jǔshǒu	to raise one’s hand	知道答案请举手。	Zhīdào dá’àn qǐng jǔshǒu.	Please raise your hand if you know the answer.
迟到	chídào	to be late	今天我没有迟到。	Jīntiān wǒ méiyǒu chídào.	I was not late today.
请假	qǐngjià	to ask for leave	他生病了，所以请假。	Tā shēngbìng le, suǒyǐ qǐngjià.	He is sick, so he asked for leave.
复习	fùxí	to review	考试前我要复习。	Kǎoshì qián wǒ yào fùxí.	I need to review before the test.
预习	yùxí	to preview	老师让我们先预习。	Lǎoshī ràng wǒmen xiān yùxí.	The teacher asked us to preview first.
回答问题	huídá wèntí	to answer questions	她喜欢回答问题。	Tā xǐhuān huídá wèntí.	She likes answering questions.
做笔记	zuò bǐjì	to take notes	上课时我要做笔记。	Shàngkè shí wǒ yào zuò bǐjì.	I need to take notes during class.
借书	jiè shū	to borrow books	我想去图书馆借书。	Wǒ xiǎng qù túshūguǎn jiè shū.	I want to borrow books from the library.

Fast Confusions To Avoid

学校 xuéxiào vs 上学 shàngxué

学校 xuéxiào is the place: “school.” 上学 shàngxué is the action: “to go to school.” So 我在学校。Wǒ zài xuéxiào. means “I am at school,” but 我去上学。Wǒ qù shàngxué. means “I am going to school.”

老师 lǎoshī vs 班主任 bānzhǔrèn

老师 lǎoshī is any teacher. 班主任 bānzhǔrèn is your homeroom teacher or class advisor. One teaches you. The other teaches you and also knows exactly when you forgot your homework.

课本 kèběn vs 书 shū

书 shū is any book. 课本 kèběn is specifically a textbook. A novel is 书 shū. Your math book is 数学课本 shùxué kèběn.

Quick Reference Summary

• Places: 学校 xuéxiào, 教室 jiàoshì, 图书馆 túshūguǎn, 食堂 shítáng, 操场 cāochǎng
• People: 老师 lǎoshī, 学生 xuéshēng, 同学 tóngxué, 校长 xiàozhǎng, 班主任 bānzhǔrèn
• Objects: 课本 kèběn, 笔记本 bǐjìběn, 铅笔 qiānbǐ, 橡皮 xiàngpí, 书包 shūbāo
• School Life: 上课 shàngkè, 下课 xiàkè, 作业 zuòyè, 考试 kǎoshì, 成绩 chéngjì
• Actions: 举手 jǔshǒu, 迟到 chídào, 复习 fùxí, 预习 yùxí, 做笔记 zuò bǐjì

School vocabulary shows up early and often in Chinese, so it is worth learning well. Start with the most common words, repeat the example sentences out loud, and let your Chinese get a little smarter than your old excuse of “the dog ate my homework.”