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 |
|---|---|---|
| 稍微 | shāo wēi | a little bit |
| 究竟 | jiū jìng | after all (when all is said and done); actually; outcome |
| 空气 | kōng qì | air; atmosphere |
| 空调 | kōng tiáo | air conditioning |
| 突然 | tū rán | sudden; abrupt; unexpected |
| 窗帘 | chuāng lián | window curtains |
| 窗户 | chuāng hu | window; CL:個|个; 扇[shàn] |
| 竞争 | jìng zhēng | to compete; competition |
| 竟然 | jìng rán | unexpectedly; to one's surprise; in spite of everything |
| 笑话 | xiào huà | joke; jest; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 笔记本 | bǐ jì běn | notebook; CL:本[běn] |
| 符合 | fú hé | in keeping with; in accordance with; tallying with |
| 第一 | dì yī | first; number one |
| 等于 | děng yú | to equal; to be tantamount to |
| 等候 | děng hòu | to wait; to wait for |
| 等待 | děng dài | to wait; to wait for |
| 答应 | dā ying | to promise; to agree; to reply |
| 答案 | dá àn | answer; solution; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 筷子 | kuài zi | chopsticks; CL:對|对; 根 |
| 签证 | qiān zhèng | visa; certificate; to certify |
| 简单 | jiǎn dān | simple; not complicated |
| 管理 | guǎn lǐ | to supervise; to manage; to administer |
| 米饭 | mǐ fàn | (cooked) rice |
| 粗心 | cū xīn | careless; thoughtless |
| 精彩 | jīng cǎi | brilliant; splendid |
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