Verbs are the engine of Traditional Chinese conversations-without them, you’re just pointing and hoping. This collection rounds up around 1,000 of the most common verbs you’ll actually need, whether you’re ordering dumplings, sharing a funny story, or texting a friend. No dusty textbook relics, just practical action words that keep your sentences moving.
Each verb packs a clear meaning and a realistic example sentence, so you see exactly how it behaves in wild, everyday Chinese. We’ve added audio playback for every entry-your ears need practice just as much as your eyes. When you’re ready to study offline, grab the free PDF using the download button right below the table.
This isn’t a curated list for a specific exam. It’s built for general learners who want a clean reference, not a stuffy grammar lecture. Think of it as your go-to verb cheat sheet whether you’re a beginner hungry for the basics or a more confident learner filling gaps.
Want more than one list? Browse our Traditional Chinese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve locked a few of these verbs into memory? The quick quiz below gives you a friendly nudge-no stress, just a way to spot the ones that need a second look.
Browse the Full List
| Word | Pinyin | Type | Meaning | Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 坐 | zuò | Other | to sit | |
| 培養 | péiyăng | Other | ||
| 堅強 | jiānqiáng | Other | ||
| 堅持 | jiānchí | Other | ||
| 報名 | bàomíng | Other | to sign up/to enter one's name/to apply/to register/to enroll/to enlist | |
| 報告 | bàogào | Other | ,份[fen4],個|个[ge4],通[tong4] | |
| 填 | tián | Other | ||
| 增加/增 | zēngjiā/zēng | Other | ||
| 壞 | huài | Other | to be bad | |
| 多 | duō | Adverb | many | |
| 夠 | gòu | Other | enough (sufficient)/enough (too much)/(coll.) (before adj.) really/(coll.) to reach by stretching out | |
| 夠(了) | gòu(le) | Other | to be enough | |
| 大 | dà | Other | to be big, to be large | |
| 大方 | dàfāng | Other | ||
| 大聲 | dàshēng | Other | loud voice | |
| 失去 | shīqù | Other | ||
| 失戀 | shīliàn | Other | ||
| 奇怪 | qíguài | Other | to be strange, to be queer, to be unusual | |
| 好吃 | hǎochī | Other | to be fond of eating | |
| 好玩(兒) | hǎowán(ér) | Other | to be interesting, to be full of fun | |
| 好看 | hǎokàn | Other | to be good-looking | |
| 如下 | rúxià | Other | ||
| 如意 | rúyì | Other | ||
| 如此 | rúcĭ | Other | ||
| 姓 | xìng | Other | surname, family name |
Free Traditional Chinese Vocab List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
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