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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 發現 | fāxiàn | Other | to discover | |
| 發生 | fāshēng | Other | to happen, to occur, take place | |
| 發脾氣 | fāpíqì | Other | ||
| 發表 | fābiăo | Other | ||
| 發覺 | fājué | Other | ||
| 發財 | fācái | Other | to get rich | |
| 發達 | fādá | Other | ||
| 盡 | jìn | Other | ||
| 直 | zhí | Other | ||
| 直接 | zhíjiē | Other | ||
| 相信 | xiāngxìn | Other | believe in, be convinced of | |
| 相反 | xiāngfăn | Other | ||
| 相同 | xiāngtóng | Other | ||
| 相對 | xiāngduì | Other | relatively/opposite/to resist/to oppose/relative/vis-a-vis/counterpart | |
| 相關 | xiāngguān | Other | ||
| 盼望 | pànwàng | Other | ||
| 省 | shěng | Other | ||
| 省錢 | shěngqián | Other | to save money | |
| 看 | kàn | verb | to see, to look, to read | |
| 看 | kàn | verb | to see, look, watch | |
| 看 | kàn | Other | to watch, to read, to look at | |
| 看不起 | kànbùqĭ | Other | ||
| 看到 | kàndào | Other | to see | |
| 看病 | kànbìng | Other | to visit a doctor/to see a patient | |
| 看見 | kànjiàn | Other | to see |
Free Traditional Chinese Vocab List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
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