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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 具有 | jùyŏu | Other | ||
| 再見 | zàijiàn | Other | Good-bye | |
| 冷 | lěng | Other | to be cold | |
| 冷淡 | lěngdàn | Other | ||
| 出 | chū | Other | to go or come out | |
| 出來 | chūlái | Other | to come out | |
| 出去 | chūqù | Other | to go out, to leave | |
| 出國 | chūguó | Other | go abroad (from one's own country) | |
| 出差 | chūchāi | Other | to go on an official or business trip | |
| 出版 | chūbăn | Other | ||
| 出現 | chūxiàn | Other | ||
| 出生 | chūshēng | Other | ||
| 出發 | chūfā | Other | ||
| 出租 | chūzū | Other | ||
| 出門 | chūmén | Other | to go out/to leave home/to go on a journey/away from home/(of a woman) to get married | |
| 分開 | fēnkāi | Other | ||
| 利用 | lìyòng | Other | ||
| 刮 | guā | Other | ||
| 到 | dào | Other | to reach | |
| 到底 | dàodǐ | Adverb | finally/in the end/when all is said and done/after all/to the end/to the last | |
| 刷(子)/刷 | shuā(zi)/shuā | Other | to brush/to paint/to daub/to paste up/to skip class (of students)/to fire from a job | |
| 刷卡 | shuākǎ | Other | to use a credit card (or swipe card, smart card etc) | |
| 刷牙 | shuāyá | Other | to brush ones teeth | |
| 刻 | kè | Other | quarter (hour)/moment/to carve/to engrave/to cut/oppressive/classifier for short time intervals | |
| 剛好 | gānghăo | Other |
Free Traditional Chinese Vocab List and Flashcard PDFs to Download
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