Most Common Chinese Expressions is built for learners who want useful Chinese vocabulary in a clean reference format instead of a long, fluffy article.
Ready to level up your Mandarin with a few friendly phrases? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable chinese vocabulary list list PDF and the free downloadable printable chinese list flashcards—your future self will thank you for the easy review.
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.
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| Expression | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 冰箱 | bīng xiāng | icebox; freezer cabinet; refrigerator |
| 准备 | zhǔn bèi | preparation; to prepare; to intend |
| 出现 | chū xiàn | to appear; to arise; to emerge |
| 出租车 | chū zū chē | taxi; (Taiwan) rental car |
| 分钟 | fēn zhōng | minute |
| 刚才 | gāng cái | (just) a moment ago |
| 别人 | bié ren | other people; others; other person |
| 前面 | qián miàn | ahead; in front; preceding |
| 办公室 | bàn gōng shì | office; business premises; bureau |
| 办法 | bàn fǎ | means; method; way (of doing sth) |
| 动物 | dòng wù | animal; CL:隻|只; 群 |
| 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 |
| 医生 | yī shēng | doctor; CL:個|个; 位 |
| 医院 | yī yuàn | hospital; CL:所; 家 |
| 厨房 | chú fáng | kitchen; CL:間|间[jiān] |
| 去年 | qù nián | last year |
| 参加 | cān jiā | to participate; to take part; to join |
| 发烧 | fā shāo | to have a high temperature (from illness); to have a fever |
| 发现 | fā xiàn | to find; to discover |
| 变化 | biàn huà | change; variation; to change |
| 可以 | kě yǐ | can; may; possible |
| 可能 | kě néng | might (happen); possible; probable |
| 右边 | yòu bian | right side; right; to the right |
| 同学 | tóng xué | to study at the same school; fellow student; classmate |
Free Chinese Vocabulary List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
Grab the purple vocab-list button for the chinese vocabulary list list PDF, or hit the teal flashcards button for the chinese list flashcards. Both downloads are 100% free and require no signup.

