Rory’s Story Cubes for Traditional Chinese Learners: Vocabulary, Pinyin & Story Starters

When I started using Rory’s Story Cubes to learn Traditional Chinese, it felt like a fun idea… until I rolled a key, a turtle, and a lightning bolt and realized I had no clue how to say any of it. No verbs, no transitions — just silence and vague gesturing.

That’s why I put this guide together. I use it during lessons with my tutor on my phone — it’s simple, practical, and helps me actually say something when I roll the dice. Each cube comes with the vocab in Traditional Chinese, pinyin, and example sentences that work in almost any story. I’ve also added common phrases to help glue things together when you’re making up your wild yak tales.

If you’re learning Chinese and want to practice speaking while having a bit of fun, this’ll help. Let’s roll.

(Oh, and if you’re looking to grab a set of these fun dice for yourself, here’s the link on Amazon (affiliate link).)

How to Use Rory’s Story Cubes to Learn Traditional Chinese

Rory’s Story Cubes weren’t made specifically for language learning (I don’t think) — but they work surprisingly well when you use them to build stories in Chinese, one roll at a time. Here’s how to get started, even as a beginner:

1. 🎲 Roll 3–9 dice

You can roll just a few, or all of them. The more you roll, the crazier the story.

2. 👀 Look at each icon and say what it is

Start simple. Just say the object using the guide below. For example:

樹 (shù) – tree
貓 (māo) – cat
火 (huǒ) – fire
鑰匙 (yàoshi) – key

If you don’t know the word, don’t guess — just check the guide.

3. 🧱 Make a short sentence for each one

Even simple sentences are useful practice. For example:

他走過一座橋。
(tā zǒu guò yí zuò qiáo) – He walked across a bridge.
貓在睡覺。
(māo zài shuìjiào) – The cat is sleeping.
她找到了鑰匙。
(tā zhǎodào le yàoshi) – She found the key.

Use what you know. One sentence per icon is a great place to start.

4. 🔗 Connect the sentences into a story

Now try telling a short story using transition words like:

有一天… (yǒu yì tiān) – One day…
然後… (ránhòu) – Then…
可是… (kěshì) – But…
最後… (zuìhòu) – Finally…

These story glue phrases make it easier to link your ideas naturally, even with basic grammar.

5. 👩‍🏫 Use this during your tutor sessions

This guide was built for real learners. Pull it up on your phone, roll the dice, and turn your lesson into a speaking game. You’ll practice real vocabulary, sentence structure, and storytelling — without needing to memorize long word lists.

You don’t need to be fluent. You just need to keep talking.

🧶 Useful Chinese Story Phrases and Transitions

This section gives you simple, reliable language tools to help you start a story, connect ideas, and wrap things up — even if your grammar isn’t perfect yet. Start with the beginner-level phrases below, and you’ll be able to talk your way through just about any dice roll.

🟢 Beginner-Level Story Phrases

Start here if you’re just learning basic words and sentence patterns. These are simple, high-frequency phrases.

🎬 Start Your Story

有一天 (yǒu yì tiān) – One day
從前有一個… (cóngqián yǒu yí gè…) – Once there was a…
他在森林裡。 (tā zài sēnlín lǐ) – He was in the forest.
天氣很好。 (tiānqì hěn hǎo) – The weather was good.

🔗 Transitions & Movement

然後 (ránhòu) – Then
接著 (jiēzhe) – Next
可是 (kěshì) – But
突然 (tūrán) – Suddenly

🧩 Simple Expanding

他看到了… (tā kàn dào le…) – He saw…
她有一把鑰匙。 (tā yǒu yì bǎ yàoshi) – She had a key.
他跑了。 (tā pǎo le) – He ran.
貓在睡覺。 (māo zài shuìjiào) – The cat is sleeping.

🎁 End Your Story

最後… (zuìhòu) – Finally…
故事結束了。 (gùshì jiéshù le) – The story is finished.
他很開心。 (tā hěn kāixīn) – He was happy.

🟡 Medium-Level Story Phrases

Use these when you’re ready to add detail, emotion, or variety. These phrases give your stories more personality.

🎬 Richer Openings

很久很久以前，有一個人住在森林裡。
(hěn jiǔ hěn jiǔ yǐqián, yǒu yí gè rén zhù zài sēnlín lǐ) – A long time ago, someone lived in the forest.
那一天，他決定離開家。
(nà yì tiān, tā juédìng líkāi jiā) – That day, he decided to leave home.

🔗 Advanced Transitions

就在那個時候… (jiù zài nà gè shíhòu) – Just then…
他不知道該怎麼辦。 (tā bù zhīdào gāi zěnme bàn) – He didn’t know what to do.
她想了一想。 (tā xiǎng le yì xiǎng) – She thought for a moment.
他決定去看看。 (tā juédìng qù kàn kàn) – He decided to go and look.

🧠 Adding Detail

他發現地上有一些腳印。
(tā fāxiàn dìshàng yǒu yìxiē jiǎoyìn) – He discovered some footprints on the ground.
她慢慢地走進那棟大樓。
(tā màn màn de zǒu jìn nà dòng dàlóu) – She slowly walked into the building.
他說：“我們一定要找出真相。”
(tā shuō: “wǒmen yídìng yào zhǎo chū zhēnxiàng.”) – He said, “We must find out the truth.”

🎁 Thoughtful Endings

從那一天開始，他變得不一樣了。
(cóng nà yì tiān kāishǐ, tā biàn de bù yíyàng le) – From that day on, he was different.
這個故事告訴我們，只要勇敢，就沒有什麼做不到。
(zhè gè gùshì gàosu wǒmen, zhǐyào yǒnggǎn, jiù méi yǒu shénme zuò bú dào) – This story teaches us that if you’re brave, anything is possible.

🎲 Complete Rory’s Story Cubes Icon List (with Traditional Chinese & Pinyin)

🎴	English Name	Traditional Chinese	Pinyin
🎲	Dice	骰子	shǎizi
💬	Speech bubble	說話	shuōhuà
🔑	Key	鑰匙	yàoshi
🪂	Parachute	降落傘	jiàngluòsǎn
⚖️	Scales	天平	tiānpíng
🅻	Learner (L symbol)	學生 / 學習	xuéshēng / xuéxí
🏢	Building	大樓	dàlóu
🌳	Tree	樹	shù
🌉	Bridge	橋	qiáo
👦‍🌫️	Child with shadow monster	小孩和影子怪物	xiǎohái hé yǐngzi guàiwù
😴	Sleeping face (zzz)	睡覺	shuìjiào
😟	Sad/worried face	難過	nánguò
🐟	Fish (striped)	魚	yú
👽	Alien	外星人	wàixīngrén
🧲	Magnet	磁鐵	cítiě
😀	Smiley face	開心	kāixīn
🛕	Pyramid	金字塔	jīnzìtǎ
🧮	Abacus	算盤	suànpán
🐞	Bug/Beetle	昆蟲	kūnchóng
💡	Lightbulb	主意 / 靈感	zhǔyì / línggǎn
❓	Question mark	問題	wèntí
🔓	Keyhole	鑰匙孔	yàoshikǒng
🦯	Cane	拐杖	guǎizhàng
🐑	Sheep	羊	yáng
✈️	Airplane	飛機	fēijī
👁️	Eye	眼睛	yǎnjīng
📖	Book	書	shū
🐢	Turtle	烏龜	wūguī
🏠	House	房子	fángzi
⛲	Fountain	噴泉	pēnquán
🎭	Acting masks	表情 / 戲劇	biǎoqíng / xìjù
📱	Cell phone	手機	shǒujī
🔒	Lock	鎖	suǒ
🔦	Flashlight	手電筒	shǒudiàntǒng
🌈	Rainbow	彩虹	cǎihóng
🐝	Bee	蜜蜂	mìfēng
✋	Hand	手	shǒu
🏹	Arrow (weapon)	箭	jiàn
🌠	Shooting star	流星	liúxīng
🧭	Direction symbol	方向	fāngxiàng
↗️	Directional arrow	箭頭 / 指向符號	jiàntóu / zhǐxiàng fúhào
👣	Footprints	腳印	jiǎoyìn
🌍	Earth	地球	dìqiú
🏰	Castle tower	城堡 / 塔	chéngbǎo / tǎ
🌙	Crescent moon	月亮	yuèliàng
🔍	Magnifying glass	放大鏡	fàngdàjìng
⏰	Clock	時鐘	shízhōng
⛺	Tent	帳篷	zhàngpéng
🌸	Flower	花	huā
⚡	Lightning bolt	閃電	shǎndiàn
🔥	Fire	火	huǒ
🍎	Apple	蘋果	píngguǒ
💳	Card (ID/credit)	卡片	kǎpiàn
🪄	Magic wand	魔法棒	mófǎ bàng

🧊 Cube-by-Cube Vocabulary Guide (Side 1)

Each cube icon below includes the main word in Traditional Chinese, related words, and beginner-friendly example sentences you can use in almost any story. All pinyin and translations are included so you can speak confidently — even if you’re just getting started.

🎲 Dice – 骰子 (shǎizi)

Primary word:

骰子 (shǎizi) – dice

Related words and phrases:

抛骰子 (pāo shǎizi) – to roll the dice
運氣 (yùnqì) – luck
賭 (dǔ) – to gamble
機會 (jīhuì) – opportunity

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他決定抛骰子來做決定。
(tā juédìng pāo shǎizi lái zuò juédìng)
He decided to roll the dice to make a decision.
這是他最後的機會。
(zhè shì tā zuìhòu de jīhuì)
This was his last chance.
今天他的運氣不太好。
(jīntiān tā de yùnqì bú tài hǎo)
Today, his luck wasn’t so good.

💬 Speech bubble – 說話 (shuōhuà)

Primary word:

說話 (shuōhuà) – to speak / talk

Related words and phrases:

對話 (duìhuà) – dialogue
告訴 (gàosu) – to tell
回答 (huídá) – to reply
問題 (wèntí) – question
聊天 (liáotiān) – to chat

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他開始說話了。
(tā kāishǐ shuōhuà le)
He started talking.
她問了一個問題。
(tā wèn le yí gè wèntí)
She asked a question.
他們在聊天。
(tāmen zài liáotiān)
They are chatting.

🔑 Key – 鑰匙 (yàoshi)

Primary word:

鑰匙 (yàoshi) – key

Related words and phrases:

打開 (dǎkāi) – to open
密碼 (mìmǎ) – password
發現 (fāxiàn) – to discover
秘密 (mìmì) – secret

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他找到了一把鑰匙。
(tā zhǎodào le yì bǎ yàoshi)
He found a key.
她用鑰匙打開了門。
(tā yòng yàoshi dǎkāi le mén)
She opened the door with a key.
鑰匙藏著一個秘密。
(yàoshi cángzhe yí gè mìmì)
The key hid a secret.

🪂 Parachute – 降落傘 (jiàngluòsǎn)

Primary word:

降落傘 (jiàngluòsǎn) – parachute

Related words and phrases:

跳傘 (tiào sǎn) – to skydive
飛機 (fēijī) – airplane
空中 (kōngzhōng) – in the air
緊急 (jǐnjí) – emergency

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他從飛機上跳傘。
(tā cóng fēijī shàng tiào sǎn)
He jumped from the plane with a parachute.
降落傘在空中打開了。
(jiàngluòsǎn zài kōngzhōng dǎkāi le)
The parachute opened in the air.
這是一次緊急跳傘。
(zhè shì yí cì jǐnjí tiào sǎn)
It was an emergency jump.

⚖️ Scales – 天平 (tiānpíng)

Primary word:

天平 (tiānpíng) – scales

Related words and phrases:

公平 (gōngpíng) – fairness
正義 (zhèngyì) – justice
法律 (fǎlǜ) – law
裁判 (cáipàn) – judge / referee

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他想要一個公平的比賽。
(tā xiǎng yào yí gè gōngpíng de bǐsài)
He wanted a fair match.
裁判說：“這是違反法律的！”
(cáipàn shuō: “zhè shì wéifǎn fǎlǜ de!”)
The judge said, “That’s against the law!”
天平代表正義。
(tiānpíng dàibiǎo zhèngyì)
The scales represent justice.

🅻 Learner – 學生 / 學習 (xuéshēng / xuéxí)

Primary word:

學生 (xuéshēng) – student
學習 (xuéxí) – to study / learn

Related words and phrases:

老師 (lǎoshī) – teacher
練習 (liànxí) – to practice
考試 (kǎoshì) – exam
讀書 (dúshū) – to read/study
功課 (gōngkè) – homework

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

學生正在練習說中文。
(xuéshēng zhèngzài liànxí shuō zhōngwén)
The student is practicing speaking Chinese.
老師說：“今天有考試！”
(lǎoshī shuō: “jīntiān yǒu kǎoshì!”)
The teacher said, “There’s a test today!”
他每天讀書做功課。
(tā měitiān dúshū zuò gōngkè)
He studies and does homework every day.

🏢 Building – 大樓 (dàlóu)

Primary word:

大樓 (dàlóu) – building / high-rise

Related words and phrases:

辦公室 (bàngōngshì) – office
學校 (xuéxiào) – school
醫院 (yīyuàn) – hospital
城市 (chéngshì) – city
樓上 (lóushàng) – upstairs

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他走進一棟大樓。
(tā zǒujìn yí dòng dàlóu)
He walked into a building.
這棟大樓裡有一間醫院。
(zhè dòng dàlóu lǐ yǒu yì jiān yīyuàn)
There’s a hospital inside this building.
辦公室在樓上。
(bàngōngshì zài lóushàng)
The office is upstairs.

🌳 Tree – 樹 (shù)

Primary word:

樹 (shù) – tree

Related words and phrases:

森林 (sēnlín) – forest
樹林 (shùlín) – grove
枝葉 (zhīyè) – branches and leaves
樹幹 (shùgàn) – trunk
種樹 (zhòng shù) – to plant a tree

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他坐在一棵樹下。
(tā zuò zài yì kē shù xià)
He sat under a tree.
森林裡有很多樹。
(sēnlín lǐ yǒu hěn duō shù)
There are many trees in the forest.
他們一起種了一棵樹。
(tāmen yìqǐ zhòng le yì kē shù)
They planted a tree together.

🌉 Bridge – 橋 (qiáo)

Primary word:

橋 (qiáo) – bridge

Related words and phrases:

天橋 (tiānqiáo) – pedestrian bridge
連接 (liánjiē) – to connect
河流 (héliú) – river
過橋 (guò qiáo) – to cross the bridge
橋下 (qiáo xià) – under the bridge

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他走過一座橋。
(tā zǒu guò yí zuò qiáo)
He walked across a bridge.
橋下有一條河。
(qiáo xià yǒu yì tiáo hé)
There’s a river under the bridge.
這座橋連接兩個城市。
(zhè zuò qiáo liánjiē liǎng gè chéngshì)
This bridge connects two cities.

👦‍🌫️ Child with shadow monster – 小孩和影子怪物 (xiǎohái hé yǐngzi guàiwù)

Primary word:

小孩 (xiǎohái) – child
影子怪物 (yǐngzi guàiwù) – shadow monster

Related words and phrases:

害怕 (hàipà) – afraid
想像 (xiǎngxiàng) – to imagine
做夢 (zuòmèng) – to dream
黑暗 (hēi’àn) – darkness
怪物 (guàiwù) – monster

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

小孩一個人在黑暗中。
(xiǎohái yí gè rén zài hēi’àn zhōng)
The child was alone in the dark.
他說他看到了一個怪物。
(tā shuō tā kàn dào le yí gè guàiwù)
He said he saw a monster.
他有一點害怕，但還是走進去了。
(tā yǒu yì diǎn hàipà, dàn háishì zǒu jìn qù le)
He was a little scared, but went in anyway.

😴 Sleeping face – 睡覺 (shuìjiào)

Primary word:

睡覺 (shuìjiào) – to sleep

Related words and phrases:

打盹 (dǎdǔn) – nap
做夢 (zuòmèng) – to dream
睡著了 (shuì zháo le) – fell asleep
累 (lèi) – tired

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他太累了，所以睡著了。
(tā tài lèi le, suǒyǐ shuì zháo le)
He was too tired, so he fell asleep.
她正在做夢。
(tā zhèngzài zuòmèng)
She is dreaming.
他下午打了一個盹。
(tā xiàwǔ dǎ le yí gè dǔn)
He took a nap in the afternoon.

😟 Sad/Worried face – 難過 (nánguò)

Primary word:

難過 (nánguò) – sad

Related words and phrases:

憂傷 (yōushāng) – sorrowful
擔心 (dānxīn) – worried
生氣 (shēngqì) – angry
不開心 (bù kāixīn) – unhappy
哭 (kū) – to cry

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

她看起來很難過。
(tā kàn qǐlái hěn nánguò)
She looked very sad.
他一直擔心那件事。
(tā yìzhí dānxīn nà jiàn shì)
He kept worrying about that thing.
小孩開始哭了。
(xiǎohái kāishǐ kū le)
The child started crying.

🐟 Fish – 魚 (yú)

Primary word:

魚 (yú) – fish

Related words and phrases:

吃魚 (chī yú) – eat fish
水中 (shuǐ zhōng) – in the water
游泳 (yóuyǒng) – to swim
魚群 (yúqún) – school of fish

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

水裡有很多魚。
(shuǐ lǐ yǒu hěn duō yú)
There are many fish in the water.
他想吃魚晚餐。
(tā xiǎng chī yú wǎncān)
He wants fish for dinner.
魚在水中游來游去。
(yú zài shuǐ zhōng yóu lái yóu qù)
The fish are swimming around in the water.

👽 Alien – 外星人 (wàixīngrén)

Primary word:

外星人 (wàixīngrén) – alien

Related words and phrases:

宇宙 (yǔzhòu) – universe
飛船 (fēichuán) – spaceship
奇怪 (qíguài) – strange
探索 (tànsuǒ) – to explore

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他說他看到了一個外星人。
(tā shuō tā kàndào le yí gè wàixīngrén)
He said he saw an alien.
外星人從飛船下來了。
(wàixīngrén cóng fēichuán xiàlái le)
The alien came down from the spaceship.
這是一個很奇怪的生物。
(zhè shì yí gè hěn qíguài de shēngwù)
This is a very strange creature.

🧲 Magnet – 磁鐵 (cítiě)

Primary word:

磁鐵 (cítiě) – magnet

Related words and phrases:

吸引 (xīyǐn) – attract
力量 (lìliàng) – strength / force
科學 (kēxué) – science
粘住 (zhān zhù) – to stick

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

磁鐵可以吸引金屬。
(cítiě kěyǐ xīyǐn jīnshǔ)
Magnets can attract metal.
他對磁鐵很有興趣。
(tā duì cítiě hěn yǒu xìngqù)
He is very interested in magnets.
磁鐵粘住了那個東西。
(cítiě zhān zhù le nà gè dōngxī)
The magnet stuck to that thing.

😀 Smiley face – 開心 (kāixīn)

Primary word:

開心 (kāixīn) – happy

Related words and phrases:

笑 (xiào) – to laugh or smile
快樂 (kuàilè) – happiness
幸福 (xìngfú) – joyful
高興 (gāoxìng) – glad
歡樂 (huānlè) – cheerful

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他今天很開心。
(tā jīntiān hěn kāixīn)
He is very happy today.
她一直在笑。
(tā yìzhí zài xiào)
She kept smiling.
他們一起度過了一個快樂的下午。
(tāmen yìqǐ dùguò le yí gè kuàilè de xiàwǔ)
They spent a happy afternoon together.

🛕 Pyramid – 金字塔 (jīnzìtǎ)

Primary word:

金字塔 (jīnzìtǎ) – pyramid

Related words and phrases:

沙漠 (shāmò) – desert
古老 (gǔlǎo) – ancient
探險 (tànxiǎn) – to explore
神秘 (shénmì) – mysterious

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他想去看金字塔。
(tā xiǎng qù kàn jīnzìtǎ)
He wants to go see the pyramids.
金字塔在沙漠裡。
(jīnzìtǎ zài shāmò lǐ)
The pyramid is in the desert.
這是一個神秘的地方。
(zhè shì yí gè shénmì de dìfāng)
This is a mysterious place.

🧮 Abacus – 算盤 (suànpán)

Primary word:

算盤 (suànpán) – abacus

Related words and phrases:

數學 (shùxué) – math
計算 (jìsuàn) – to calculate
舊式工具 (jiùshì gōngjù) – old-fashioned tool
會計 (kuàijì) – accounting
精打細算 (jīng dǎ xì suàn) – budget carefully

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他用算盤做計算。
(tā yòng suànpán zuò jìsuàn)
He used an abacus to calculate.
算盤是一種舊式工具。
(suànpán shì yì zhǒng jiùshì gōngjù)
An abacus is an old-fashioned tool.
她對數學很有興趣。
(tā duì shùxué hěn yǒu xìngqù)
She is very interested in math.

🐞 Bug/Beetle – 昆蟲 (kūnchóng)

Primary word:

昆蟲 (kūnchóng) – insect

Related words and phrases:

小蟲 (xiǎo chóng) – little bug
翅膀 (chìbǎng) – wings
爬來爬去 (pá lái pá qù) – crawl around
草地 (cǎodì) – grass field

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他看到一隻小昆蟲。
(tā kàndào yì zhī xiǎo kūnchóng)
He saw a little bug.
昆蟲在草地上爬來爬去。
(kūnchóng zài cǎodì shàng pá lái pá qù)
The bug crawled around in the grass.
它有小小的翅膀。
(tā yǒu xiǎo xiǎo de chìbǎng)
It had tiny wings.

💡 Lightbulb – 主意 / 靈感 (zhǔyì / línggǎn)

Primary word:

主意 (zhǔyì) – idea
靈感 (línggǎn) – inspiration

Related words and phrases:

想法 (xiǎngfǎ) – thought
發明 (fāmíng) – invention
聰明 (cōngmíng) – clever
想出來 (xiǎng chūlái) – to come up with

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他突然想到一個好主意。
(tā tūrán xiǎngdào yí gè hǎo zhǔyì)
He suddenly had a good idea.
她是一個很聰明的人。
(tā shì yí gè hěn cōngmíng de rén)
She is a very clever person.
他想出了一個有趣的遊戲。
(tā xiǎng chū le yí gè yǒuqù de yóuxì)
He came up with a fun game.

❓ Question mark – 問題 (wèntí)

Primary word:

問題 (wèntí) – question / problem

Related words and phrases:

疑問 (yíwèn) – doubt
不明白 (bù míngbái) – don’t understand
為什麼 (wèishéme) – why
好奇 (hàoqí) – curious
猜 (cāi) – to guess

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他有一個問題想問你。
(tā yǒu yí gè wèntí xiǎng wèn nǐ)
He has a question for you.
她不明白這是什麼意思。
(tā bù míngbái zhè shì shénme yìsi)
She doesn’t understand what this means.
小孩很喜歡猜答案。
(xiǎohái hěn xǐhuān cāi dá’àn)
The child likes to guess answers.

🔓 Keyhole – 鑰匙孔 (yàoshikǒng)

Primary word:

鑰匙孔 (yàoshikǒng) – keyhole

Related words and phrases:

門 (mén) – door
鎖 (suǒ) – lock
打開 (dǎkāi) – to open
尋找入口 (xúnzhǎo rùkǒu) – search for entrance

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他從鑰匙孔看進去。
(tā cóng yàoshikǒng kàn jìnqù)
He looked through the keyhole.
門被鎖住了，打不開。
(mén bèi suǒ zhù le, dǎ bù kāi)
The door was locked and wouldn’t open.
他在尋找入口。
(tā zài xúnzhǎo rùkǒu)
He was searching for the entrance.

🦯 Cane – 拐杖 (guǎizhàng)

Primary word:

拐杖 (guǎizhàng) – cane

Related words and phrases:

老人 (lǎorén) – elderly person
幫助 (bāngzhù) – help
支撐 (zhīchēng) – to support
走路困難 (zǒulù kùnnán) – difficulty walking

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

老人拿著拐杖走路。
(lǎorén názhe guǎizhàng zǒulù)
The elderly person walked with a cane.
他需要幫助才能站起來。
(tā xūyào bāngzhù cái néng zhàn qǐlái)
He needed help to stand up.
拐杖給了他支撐。
(guǎizhàng gěi le tā zhīchēng)
The cane gave him support.

🐑 Sheep – 羊 (yáng)

Primary word:

羊 (yáng) – sheep

Related words and phrases:

綿羊 (miányáng) – woolly sheep
羊群 (yángqún) – flock of sheep
叫聲 (jiàoshēng) – animal cry
做夢 (zuòmèng) – to dream
睡覺 (shuìjiào) – to sleep

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

那裡有很多羊。
(nàlǐ yǒu hěn duō yáng)
There are many sheep over there.
小孩在睡覺時夢到一隻羊。
(xiǎohái zài shuìjiào shí mèng dào yì zhī yáng)
The child dreamed of a sheep while sleeping.
羊群慢慢地走過來。
(yángqún màn màn de zǒu guòlái)
The flock of sheep walked over slowly.

✈️ Airplane – 飛機 (fēijī)

Primary word:

飛機 (fēijī) – airplane

Related words and phrases:

機場 (jīchǎng) – airport
飛行 (fēixíng) – to fly
起飛 (qǐfēi) – take off
旅行 (lǚxíng) – travel
目的地 (mùdìdì) – destination

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

飛機從機場起飛了。
(fēijī cóng jīchǎng qǐfēi le)
The plane took off from the airport.
他們要去旅行。
(tāmen yào qù lǚxíng)
They are going on a trip.
目的地是一個大城市。
(mùdìdì shì yí gè dà chéngshì)
The destination is a big city.

👁️ Eye – 眼睛 (yǎnjīng)

Primary word:

眼睛 (yǎnjīng) – eye

Related words and phrases:

看見 (kànjiàn) – to see
觀察 (guānchá) – observe
睜開 (zhēngkāi) – open (eyes)
盯著看 (dīngzhe kàn) – to stare

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

她睜開眼睛看見了陽光。
(tā zhēngkāi yǎnjīng kànjiàn le yángguāng)
She opened her eyes and saw the sunlight.
小孩在觀察一隻蟲。
(xiǎohái zài guānchá yì zhī chóng)
The child is observing a bug.
他一直盯著看那本書。
(tā yìzhí dīngzhe kàn nà běn shū)
He kept staring at that book.

📖 Book – 書 (shū)

Primary word:

書 (shū) – book

Related words and phrases:

故事書 (gùshìshū) – storybook
閱讀 (yuèdú) – reading
翻頁 (fān yè) – flip pages
學習 (xuéxí) – to study
知識 (zhīshì) – knowledge

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他在閱讀一本故事書。
(tā zài yuèdú yì běn gùshìshū)
He is reading a storybook.
小孩正在學習新的知識。
(xiǎohái zhèngzài xuéxí xīn de zhīshì)
The child is learning new knowledge.
她慢慢地翻頁。
(tā màn màn de fān yè)
She slowly turned the pages.

🐢 Turtle – 烏龜 (wūguī)

Primary word:

烏龜 (wūguī) – turtle

Related words and phrases:

慢 (màn) – slow
爬行 (páxíng) – to crawl
壽命長 (shòumìng cháng) – long lifespan
殼 (ké) – shell
龜速 (guīsù) – turtle speed

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

烏龜走得很慢。
(wūguī zǒu de hěn màn)
The turtle moves very slowly.
小孩看到一隻在爬行的烏龜。
(xiǎohái kàndào yì zhī zài páxíng de wūguī)
The child saw a turtle crawling.
烏龜的壽命很長。
(wūguī de shòumìng hěn cháng)
Turtles live a long life.

🏠 House – 房子 (fángzi)

Primary word:

房子 (fángzi) – house

Related words and phrases:

家 (jiā) – home
屋子 (wūzi) – building/room
回家 (huí jiā) – go home
門口 (ménkǒu) – doorway

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他回家了。
(tā huí jiā le)
He went home.
房子裡很安靜。
(fángzi lǐ hěn ānjìng)
The house is quiet inside.
小狗在門口等他。
(xiǎo gǒu zài ménkǒu děng tā)
The puppy waited for him at the door.

⛲ Fountain – 噴泉 (pēnquán)

Primary word:

噴泉 (pēnquán) – fountain

Related words and phrases:

水 (shuǐ) – water
廣場 (guǎngchǎng) – plaza
裝飾 (zhuāngshì) – decoration
流動 (liúdòng) – to flow
童話 (tónghuà) – fairy tale

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

噴泉的水一直在流動。
(pēnquán de shuǐ yìzhí zài liúdòng)
The fountain’s water keeps flowing.
他們在廣場看到了一個大噴泉。
(tāmen zài guǎngchǎng kàn dào le yí gè dà pēnquán)
They saw a big fountain in the plaza.
這個噴泉像童話故事裡的場景。
(zhè gè pēnquán xiàng tónghuà gùshì lǐ de chǎngjǐng)
This fountain looks like something from a fairy tale.

🎭 Acting masks – 表情 / 戲劇 (biǎoqíng / xìjù)

Primary word:

表情 (biǎoqíng) – facial expression
戲劇 (xìjù) – drama / acting

Related words and phrases:

喜劇 (xǐjù) – comedy
悲劇 (bēijù) – tragedy
高興 (gāoxìng) – happy
難過 (nánguò) – sad

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

她的表情看起來很高興。
(tā de biǎoqíng kàn qǐlái hěn gāoxìng)
Her facial expression looks happy.
戲劇裡有喜劇也有悲劇。
(xìjù lǐ yǒu xǐjù yě yǒu bēijù)
There are both comedies and tragedies in the play.
他最喜歡看戲劇表演。
(tā zuì xǐhuān kàn xìjù biǎoyǎn)
He likes watching drama performances the most.

📱 Cell phone – 手機 (shǒujī)

Primary word:

手機 (shǒujī) – cell phone

Related words and phrases:

打電話 (dǎ diànhuà) – make a phone call
發簡訊 (fā jiǎnxùn) – send a text
聯絡 (liánluò) – contact
科技 (kējì) – technology

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他用手機打電話給媽媽。
(tā yòng shǒujī dǎ diànhuà gěi māma)
He called his mom with his phone.
她發了一封簡訊。
(tā fā le yì fēng jiǎnxùn)
She sent a text message.
手機是很重要的科技產品。
(shǒujī shì hěn zhòngyào de kējì chǎnpǐn)
The cell phone is an important tech product.

🔒 Lock – 鎖 (suǒ)

Primary word:

鎖 (suǒ) – lock

Related words and phrases:

鑰匙 (yàoshi) – key
安全 (ānquán) – safety
打不開 (dǎ bù kāi) – can’t open
保護 (bǎohù) – to protect
秘密 (mìmì) – secret

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

門被鎖住了。
(mén bèi suǒ zhù le)
The door was locked.
他沒有鑰匙，所以打不開。
(tā méi yǒu yàoshi, suǒyǐ dǎ bù kāi)
He didn’t have the key, so he couldn’t open it.
這個鎖是為了安全。
(zhè gè suǒ shì wèi le ānquán)
This lock is for safety.

🔦 Flashlight – 手電筒 (shǒudiàntǒng)

Primary word:

手電筒 (shǒudiàntǒng) – flashlight

Related words and phrases:

光 (guāng) – light
黑暗 (hēi’àn) – darkness
探險 (tànxiǎn) – to explore
找東西 (zhǎo dōngxi) – to look for something

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他用手電筒照亮前方。
(tā yòng shǒudiàntǒng zhàoliàng qiánfāng)
He used the flashlight to light the way.
在黑暗中，他找不到東西。
(zài hēi’àn zhōng, tā zhǎo bù dào dōngxi)
He couldn’t find anything in the dark.
他拿著手電筒去探險。
(tā názhe shǒudiàntǒng qù tànxiǎn)
He took a flashlight and went exploring.

🌈 Rainbow – 彩虹 (cǎihóng)

Primary word:

彩虹 (cǎihóng) – rainbow

Related words and phrases:

七色 (qīsè) – seven colors
下雨 (xià yǔ) – rain
天空 (tiānkōng) – sky
奇蹟 (qíjì) – miracle
幸運 (xìngyùn) – lucky

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

雨後出現了一道彩虹。
(yǔ hòu chūxiàn le yí dào cǎihóng)
After the rain, a rainbow appeared.
他看到七色的天空。
(tā kàndào qīsè de tiānkōng)
He saw a sky full of seven colors.
她說彩虹是一個幸運的記號。
(tā shuō cǎihóng shì yí gè xìngyùn de jìhào)
She said the rainbow is a sign of good luck.

🐝 Bee – 蜜蜂 (mìfēng)

Primary word:

蜜蜂 (mìfēng) – bee

Related words and phrases:

花 (huā) – flower
採蜜 (cǎimì) – gather nectar
叮 (dīng) – to sting
群體 (qúntǐ) – swarm
嗡嗡叫 (wēngwēng jiào) – buzzing

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

一隻蜜蜂飛到花上。
(yì zhī mìfēng fēi dào huā shàng)
A bee flew onto the flower.
蜜蜂嗡嗡叫，聽起來很好玩。
(mìfēng wēngwēng jiào, tīng qǐlái hěn hǎowán)
The buzzing bee sounded funny.
他被蜜蜂叮了一下。
(tā bèi mìfēng dīng le yí xià)
He got stung by a bee.

✋ Hand – 手 (shǒu)

Primary word:

手 (shǒu) – hand

Related words and phrases:

握住 (wòzhù) – to grasp
揮手 (huīshǒu) – to wave
手掌 (shǒuzhǎng) – palm
幫忙 (bāngmáng) – help
伸出手 (shēn chū shǒu) – to reach out

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他伸出手幫忙。
(tā shēn chū shǒu bāngmáng)
He reached out to help.
她對我揮手。
(tā duì wǒ huīshǒu)
She waved at me.
小孩握住媽媽的手。
(xiǎohái wòzhù māma de shǒu)
The child held his mother’s hand.

🏹 Arrow (weapon) – 箭 (jiàn)

Primary word:

箭 (jiàn) – arrow

Related words and phrases:

弓箭 (gōngjiàn) – bow and arrow
射擊 (shèjī) – to shoot
準確 (zhǔnquè) – accurate
戰鬥 (zhàndòu) – battle

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他拉弓射出一支箭。
(tā lā gōng shè chū yì zhī jiàn)
He pulled the bow and shot an arrow.
這一箭非常準確。
(zhè yí jiàn fēicháng zhǔnquè)
This arrow was very accurate.
戰鬥開始了，他準備好了。
(zhàndòu kāishǐ le, tā zhǔnbèi hǎo le)
The battle began, and he was ready.

🌠 Shooting star – 流星 (liúxīng)

Primary word:

流星 (liúxīng) – shooting star

Related words and phrases:

願望 (yuànwàng) – wish
夜空 (yèkōng) – night sky
閃爍 (shǎnshuò) – sparkle
奇蹟 (qíjì) – miracle

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他看到一顆流星。
(tā kàndào yì kē liúxīng)
He saw a shooting star.
她閉上眼睛許了一個願望。
(tā bì shàng yǎnjīng xǔ le yí gè yuànwàng)
She closed her eyes and made a wish.
流星在夜空中閃爍。
(liúxīng zài yèkōng zhōng shǎnshuò)
The shooting star sparkled in the night sky.

🧭 Direction symbol – 方向 (fāngxiàng)

Primary word:

方向 (fāngxiàng) – direction

Related words and phrases:

東南西北 (dōng nán xī běi) – N/S/E/W
迷路 (mílù) – lost
指引 (zhǐyǐn) – to guide
選擇 (xuǎnzé) – to choose

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他不知道該往哪個方向走。
(tā bù zhīdào gāi wǎng nǎ gè fāngxiàng zǒu)
He didn’t know which direction to go.
地圖可以幫助我們找方向。
(dìtú kěyǐ bāngzhù wǒmen zhǎo fāngxiàng)
The map can help us find direction.
她做了一個重要的選擇。
(tā zuò le yí gè zhòngyào de xuǎnzé)
She made an important choice.

↗️ Directional arrow – 箭頭 / 指向符號 (jiàntóu / zhǐxiàng fúhào)

Primary word:

箭頭 (jiàntóu) – arrow symbol
指向符號 (zhǐxiàng fúhào) – directional symbol

Related words and phrases:

指引 (zhǐyǐn) – to guide
向上 (xiàng shàng) – upward
向左 (xiàng zuǒ) – leftward
向前 (xiàng qián) – forward
路線 (lùxiàn) – route

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

箭頭指向左邊。
(jiàntóu zhǐxiàng zuǒbiān)
The arrow pointed to the left.
他們跟著路線往前走。
(tāmen gēnzhe lùxiàn wǎng qián zǒu)
They followed the route forward.
指向符號幫助我們找到出口。
(zhǐxiàng fúhào bāngzhù wǒmen zhǎodào chūkǒu)
The directional symbol helped us find the exit.

👣 Footprints – 腳印 (jiǎoyìn)

Primary word:

腳印 (jiǎoyìn) – footprint

Related words and phrases:

走路 (zǒulù) – to walk
痕跡 (hénjì) – trace
路線 (lùxiàn) – path
誰來過 (shéi láiguò) – who was here

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

地上有很多腳印。
(dìshàng yǒu hěn duō jiǎoyìn)
There are many footprints on the ground.
他們沿著腳印走路。
(tāmen yánzhe jiǎoyìn zǒulù)
They followed the footprints.
他想知道這些腳印是誰的。
(tā xiǎng zhīdào zhèxiē jiǎoyìn shì shéi de)
He wanted to know whose footprints they were.

🌍 Earth – 地球 (dìqiú)

Primary word:

地球 (dìqiú) – Earth

Related words and phrases:

世界 (shìjiè) – world
環境 (huánjìng) – environment
地圖 (dìtú) – map
星球 (xīngqiú) – planet

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

地球是我們的家。
(dìqiú shì wǒmen de jiā)
Earth is our home.
他們在地圖上找世界各地。
(tāmen zài dìtú shàng zhǎo shìjiè gèdì)
They looked for places around the world on the map.
我們要保護地球的環境。
(wǒmen yào bǎohù dìqiú de huánjìng)
We need to protect Earth’s environment.

🏰 Castle tower – 城堡 / 塔 (chéngbǎo / tǎ)

Primary word:

城堡 (chéngbǎo) – castle
塔 (tǎ) – tower

Related words and phrases:

王國 (wángguó) – kingdom
守衛 (shǒuwèi) – guard
公主 (gōngzhǔ) – princess
冒險 (màoxiǎn) – adventure

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

公主住在城堡裡。
(gōngzhǔ zhù zài chéngbǎo lǐ)
The princess lives in the castle.
他們準備進入塔裡冒險。
(tāmen zhǔnbèi jìnrù tǎ lǐ màoxiǎn)
They are ready to enter the tower for an adventure.
城堡有很多守衛。
(chéngbǎo yǒu hěn duō shǒuwèi)
The castle has many guards.

🌙 Crescent moon – 月亮 (yuèliàng)

Primary word:

月亮 (yuèliàng) – moon

Related words and phrases:

夜晚 (yèwǎn) – night
月光 (yuèguāng) – moonlight
做夢 (zuòmèng) – dream
神秘 (shénmì) – mysterious
睡覺 (shuìjiào) – sleep

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

月亮高掛在夜空中。
(yuèliàng gāo guà zài yèkōng zhōng)
The moon hangs high in the night sky.
小孩在月光下做夢。
(xiǎohái zài yuèguāng xià zuòmèng)
The child is dreaming under the moonlight.
夜晚總是那麼神秘。
(yèwǎn zǒng shì nàme shénmì)
The night always feels so mysterious.

🪄 Magic wand – 魔法棒 (mófǎ bàng)

Primary word:

魔法棒 (mófǎ bàng) – magic wand

Related words and phrases:

魔法 (mófǎ) – magic
巫師 (wūshī) – wizard
咒語 (zhòuyǔ) – spell
奇蹟 (qíjì) – miracle
變出 (biàn chū) – to conjure

Beginner-level story-friendly example sentences:

他拿出魔法棒念了一句咒語。
(tā ná chū mófǎ bàng niàn le yí jù zhòuyǔ)
He took out his wand and said a spell.
魔法師變出一隻兔子。
(mófǎ shī biàn chū yì zhī tùzi)
The wizard conjured a rabbit.
他覺得這一切像是一個奇蹟。
(tā juéde zhè yíqiè xiàng shì yí gè qíjì)
He felt like it was all a miracle.