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 |
|---|---|---|
| 申请 | shēn qǐng | to apply for sth; application (form etc); CL:份[fèn] |
| 电台 | diàn tái | transmitter-receiver; broadcasting station; radio station |
| 电子 | diàn zǐ | electronic; electron (particle physics) |
| 电影 | diàn yǐng | movie; film; CL:部 |
| 电梯 | diàn tī | elevator; escalator; CL:臺|台 |
| 电池 | diàn chí | battery; CL:節|节; 組|组[zǔ] |
| 电脑 | diàn nǎo | computer; CL:臺|台[tái] |
| 电视 | diàn shì | television; TV; CL:臺|台 |
| 男人 | nán rén | a man; a male; men |
| 留学 | liú xué | to study abroad |
| 疯狂 | fēng kuáng | madness; extreme popularity |
| 病毒 | bìng dú | virus |
| 登机牌 | dēng jī pái | boarding pass |
| 登记 | dēng jì | to register (one's name) |
| 的确 | dí què | really; indeed |
| 皮肤 | pí fū | skin; CL:層|层; 塊|块[kuài] |
| 盒子 | hé zi | case |
| 盘子 | pán zi | tray; plate; dish |
| 目的 | mù dì | purpose; aim; goal |
| 直接 | zhí jiē | direct; opposite: indirect 間接|间接; immediate |
| 相信 | xiāng xìn | to be convinced (that sth is true); to believe; to accept sth as true |
| 相反 | xiāng fǎn | opposite; contrary |
| 相同 | xiāng tóng | identical; same |
| 看法 | kàn fǎ | way of looking at a thing; view; opinion |
| 看见 | kàn jiàn | to see; to catch sight of |
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