Adverbs are the quiet fixers of Traditional Chinese – they tell you when, how, and how often something happens, without demanding a spotlight. This list hands you around 500 of the most common ones you’ll actually use, from 已經 (already) to 從來 (never), so your sentences finally have the texture they’ve been missing.
We built this for general learners who want a clean, no-fluff reference. Each adverb comes with a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you see exactly how it slots into real conversation – not a textbook translation. There’s audio playback too, because your ears need practice just as much as your eyes.
Ready to level up your Chinese one tiny word at a time? Scroll to the bottom of this article to grab the free printable Most Common Traditional Chinese Adverbs vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable Most Common Traditional Chinese Adverbs flashcards—your future self will thank you.
Use this list as a starting point, then keep going in the Yak Yacker Traditional Chinese section for more words, phrases, and study-friendly reference pages.
Quick Quiz
Think you can spot the right adverb for a sentence before your tea goes cold? The quick quiz below will give you a friendly nudge toward the ones that could use a second look – no pressure, just a little real-time feedback.
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Pinyin | Type | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 原來 | yuánlái | Adverb | originally, as it turns out | |
| 原先 | yuánxiān | Adverb | originally/original/former | |
| 原則上 | yuánzéshàng | Adverb | in principle/generally | |
| 原本 | yuánběn | Adverb | originally/original | |
| 去 | qù | Adverb | to go/to go to (a place)/(of a time etc) last/just passed/to send/to remove/to get rid of/to reduce/to be apart from in space or time/to die (euphemism)/to play | |
| 又 | yòu | Adverb | again (in the past ), moreover, furthermore, more, again | |
| 又 | yòu | Adverb | again (in the past), also (for contrasting characteristics) | |
| 又 | yòu | adverb | again | |
| 及早 | jízǎo | Adverb | at the earliest possible time | |
| 及時 | jíshí | Adverb | ||
| 反正 | fǎn zhèng | adverb | anyway, anyhow | |
| 反覆 | fǎnfù | Adverb | repeatedly/over and over/to upend/unstable/to come and go/(of an illness) to return | |
| 另 | lìng | Adverb | other/another/separate/separately | |
| 只 | zhǐ | Adverb | only | |
| 只 | zhǐ | Adverb | only, merely | |
| 只好 | zhǐhǎo | Adverb | cannot but, have to | |
| 只得 | zhǐdé | Adverb | to have no alternative but to | |
| 只是 | zhǐshì | Adverb | merely | |
| 只有 | zhĭyŏu | Adverb | ||
| 可 | kě | Adverb | ||
| 可以 | kěyǐ | Adverb | can, may, be permitted | |
| 可是 | kěshì | Adverb | but | |
| 可能 | kěnéng | Adverb | probably, maybe | |
| 可能 | kěnéng | Adverb | maybe, possibly | |
| 可能 | kě néng | adverb | maybe; possibly |
