Separable verbs-離合詞-are one of those clever bits of Traditional Chinese that can trip you up just when you think you’ve got the basics. They look like single words, but they split apart in a sentence, with other words sliding into the middle. If you’ve ever seen 見面 turn into 見了一面 and felt a little lost, this list is for you.
We’ve collected around 46 of the most common separable verbs you’ll meet in everyday conversation and reading. Each entry gives you a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you can see exactly how the verb behaves when it stays together and when it splits. No dusty textbook jargon-just practical vocabulary that helps you sound more like a real speaker.
今天我們來拆一拆這些看起來黏在一起、其實又能分開的詞吧！If you’re building your own study set, scroll to the bottom for the free printable separable verbs Traditional Chinese PDF vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable separable verbs Traditional Chinese PDF flashcards.
If this topic helped, explore more in our Traditional Chinese learning section. it’s the easiest way to keep building related vocabulary without jumping around the web.
Quick Quiz
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Browse the Full List
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 打算 | dǎsuàn | to plan |
| 打開 | dǎkāi | to open up |
| 擦 | cā | to rub, to wipe, to clean |
| 春天 | chūntiān | spring, springtime |
| 次 | cì | Measure word for the number of repetitions in a given period of time |
| 猜 | cāi | guess, suspect |
| 穿 | chuān | to wear, to put on |
| 窗/窗戶 | chuāng /chuānghù | window |
| 聰明 | cōngmíng | to be intelligent |
| 船 | chuán | ship, boat |
| 草 | cǎo | grass |
| 草地 | cǎodì | lawn |
| 菜 | cài | food, cuisine |
| 菜單 | càidān | menu |
| 襯衫 | chènshān | a dress shirt or a collared blouse with buttons |
| 超級市場 | chāojíshìchǎng | supermarket |
| 遲到 | chídào | to be late/ arrive late |
| 錯 | cuò | to be wrong/ mistake |
| 餐廳 | cāntīng | restaurant |
| 餐桌 | cānzhuō | dining table |
Free Traditional Chinese Separable Verbs PDF Vocabulary List and Flashcards
Download the separable verbs Traditional Chinese PDF vocabulary list from the purple vocab-list button, and grab the separable verbs Traditional Chinese PDF flashcards from the teal flashcards button. Both are 100% free, with no signup required.
