Ever feel like your Chinese textbook taught you all the words but none of the magic that makes a conversation flow? This collection of about 1,000 phrases and expressions is your shortcut to real-life Chinese-the stuff people actually say at the market, on WeChat, and around the dinner table. We cut the formal fluff and kept only the phrases that keep conversations moving.
Every phrase is paired with a clear meaning and a practical example, so you won’t just memorize a string of characters; you’ll know exactly when and how to use it. No guesswork-just vocabulary that helps you connect, react, and sound more like yourself.
Ready to study offline? A free PDF is waiting below the table-just click the button to grab your copy.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Chinese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve already got a handful of these phrases under your belt? Try the quick quiz below to see which ones are solid and which could use a little more practice.
Browse the Full List
| Phrase | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 漂亮 | piào liang | pretty; beautiful |
| 演出 | yǎn chū | to act (in a play); to perform; to put on (a performance) |
| 演员 | yǎn yuán | actor or actress; performer; CL:個|个 |
| 激动 | jī dòng | to excite; to agitate; exciting |
| 火车站 | huǒ chē zhàn | train station |
| 点头 | diǎn tóu | to nod |
| 点心 | diǎn xin | light refreshments; pastry; dimsum (in Cantonese cooking) |
| 烦恼 | fán nǎo | to be worried; to be distressed; worries |
| 热情 | rè qíng | cordial; enthusiastic; passion |
| 热闹 | rè nao | bustling with noise and excitement; lively |
| 然后 | rán hòu | after; then (afterwards); after that |
| 然而 | rán ér | however; yet; but |
| 照片 | zhào piàn | photograph; picture; CL:張|张 |
| 照相机 | zhào xiàng jī | camera; CL:個|个; 架 |
| 照顾 | zhào gu | to take care of; to show consideration; to attend to |
| 熊猫 | xióng māo | panda; CL:隻|只[zhī] |
| 熟悉 | shú xī | to be familiar with; to know well |
| 爬山 | pá shān | to climb a mountain; to mountaineer; hiking |
| 爱好 | ài hào | to like; to take pleasure in; keen on |
| 爱心 | ài xīn | compassion; CL:片[piàn] |
| 爱情 | ài qíng | romance; love (romantic); CL:個|个[gè] |
| 爱惜 | ài xī | to cherish; to treasure; to use sparingly |
| 爱护 | ài hù | to cherish; to treasure; to take care of |
| 父亲 | fù qīn | father; also pr. with light tone [fù qin]; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 爷爷 | yé ye | (informal) father's father; paternal grandfather; CL:個|个[gè] |
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