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 |
|---|---|---|
| 加班 | jiā bān | to work overtime |
| 动作 | dòng zuò | movement; motion; action |
| 动物 | dòng wù | animal; CL:隻|只; 群 |
| 动画片 | dòng huà piàn | animated film |
| 努力 | nǔ lì | great effort; to strive; to try hard |
| 勇敢 | yǒng gǎn | brave; courageous |
| 包含 | bāo hán | to contain; to embody; to include |
| 包子 | bāo zi | steamed stuffed bun; CL:個|个[gè] |
| 包括 | bāo kuò | to comprise; to include; to involve |
| 包裹 | bāo guǒ | wrap up; bind up; bundle |
| 匆忙 | cōng máng | hasty; hurried |
| 北京 | Běi jīng | Beijing; capital of People's Republic of China; Peking |
| 北方 | běi fāng | north; the northern part a country; China north of the Yellow River |
| 区别 | qū bié | difference; to distinguish; to discriminate |
| 医生 | yī shēng | doctor; CL:個|个; 位 |
| 医院 | yī yuàn | hospital; CL:所; 家 |
| 十分 | shí fēn | to divide into ten equal parts; very; hundred percent |
| 千万 | qiān wàn | ten million; countless; many |
| 单位 | dān wèi | a unit; unit (of measure); work unit (one's workplace) |
| 单元 | dān yuán | unit; entrance number; staircase (for residential buildings) |
| 单独 | dān dú | alone; by oneself; on one's own |
| 单纯 | dān chún | simple; pure; alone |
| 单调 | dān diào | monotonous |
| 博士 | bó shì | doctor; court academician (in feudal China); Ph.D. |
| 博物馆 | bó wù guǎn | museum |
Free Simplified Chinese Vocab List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
Use the buttons below to download your free printable vocabulary resources — no signup required.
