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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 認 | rèn | Other | ||
| 認得 | rènde | Other | ||
| 認為 | rènwéi | Other | to believe that, consider that | |
| 認真 | rènzhēn | Other | to be conscientious, earnest, serious/ conscientiously, seriously, earnestly | |
| 認識 | rènshì | Other | to recognize, to realize | |
| 誠實 | chéngshí | Other | ||
| 說 | shuō | verb | to speak, to say | |
| 說 | shuō | verb | to speak, say | |
| 說 | shuō | Other | to speak, to say | |
| 說明 | shuōmíng | Other | to explain/to illustrate/to indicate/to show/to prove/explanation/directions/caption | |
| 說話 | shuōhuà | Other | to speak, to say, to talk | |
| 調查 | diàochá | Other | ||
| 談 | tán | Other | to talk about | |
| 談話 | tánhuà | Other | to talk (with sb)/to have a conversation/talk/conversation/CL:次[ci4] | |
| 請 | qǐng | Other | to please, to invite | |
| 請假 | qĭngjià | Other | ||
| 請問 | qǐngwèn | Other | excuse me, may I ask? | |
| 請客 | qǐngkè | Other | to host, to invite, to treat someone (to dinner, etc.) | |
| 請教 | qĭngjiào | Other | ||
| 請求 | qĭngqiú | Other | ||
| 謙虛 | qiānxū | Other | ||
| 講 | jiǎng | Other | to speak, explain | |
| 講價 | jiăngjià | Other | ||
| 講究 | jiăngjiù | Other | ||
| 講話 | jiǎnghuà | Other | speak, talk, address |
Free Traditional Chinese Vocab List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
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