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 |
|---|---|---|
| 出租车 | chū zū chē | taxi; (Taiwan) rental car |
| 出色 | chū sè | remarkable; outstanding |
| 分之 | fēn zhī | (indicating a fraction) |
| 分别 | fēn bié | to part or leave each other; to distinguish; difference |
| 分布 | fēn bù | distributed; to distribute |
| 分析 | fēn xī | to analyze; analysis; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 分配 | fēn pèi | to distribute; to assign; to allocate |
| 分钟 | fēn zhōng | minute |
| 刚刚 | gāng gang | just recently; just a moment ago |
| 刚才 | gāng cái | (just) a moment ago |
| 创造 | chuàng zào | to create; to bring about; to produce |
| 初级 | chū jí | junior; primary |
| 判断 | pàn duàn | to decide; to determine; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 别人 | bié ren | other people; others; other person |
| 到处 | dào chù | everywhere |
| 到底 | dào dǐ | finally; in the end; when all is said and done |
| 到达 | dào dá | to reach; to arrive |
| 制造 | zhì zào | to manufacture; to make |
| 刺激 | cì jī | to provoke; to irritate; to upset |
| 前面 | qián miàn | ahead; in front; preceding |
| 力气 | lì qi | strength; CL:把[bǎ] |
| 办公室 | bàn gōng shì | office; business premises; bureau |
| 办法 | bàn fǎ | means; method; way (of doing sth) |
| 办理 | bàn lǐ | to handle; to transact; to conduct |
| 加油站 | jiā yóu zhàn | gas station |
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