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 |
|---|---|---|
| 估计 | gū jì | to estimate; to reckon; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 但是 | dàn shì | but; however |
| 体育 | tǐ yù | sports; physical education |
| 作业 | zuò yè | school assignment; homework; work |
| 作用 | zuò yòng | to act on; to affect; action |
| 作者 | zuò zhě | author; writer; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 使用 | shǐ yòng | to use; to employ; to apply |
| 例如 | lì rú | for example; for instance; such as |
| 便宜 | pián yi | small advantages; to let sb off lightly; cheap |
| 促使 | cù shǐ | to induce; to promote; to urge |
| 促进 | cù jìn | to promote (an idea or cause); to advance; boost |
| 保存 | bǎo cún | to conserve; to preserve; to keep |
| 保护 | bǎo hù | to protect; to defend; to safeguard |
| 保持 | bǎo chí | to keep; to maintain; to hold |
| 保留 | bǎo liú | to retain; to continue to have; to preserve |
| 保证 | bǎo zhèng | guarantee; to guarantee; to ensure |
| 保险 | bǎo xiǎn | insurance; to insure; safe |
| 信任 | xìn rèn | to trust; to have confidence in |
| 信心 | xìn xīn | confidence; faith (in sb or sth); CL:個|个[gè] |
| 信用卡 | xìn yòng kǎ | credit card |
| 倒霉 | dǎo méi | to have bad luck; to be out of luck |
| 值得 | zhí de | to be worth; to deserve |
| 做生意 | zuò shēng yì | to do business |
| 停止 | tíng zhǐ | to stop; to halt; to cease |
| 健康 | jiàn kāng | health; healthy |
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