100+ Basic Chinese Words & Phrases For Beginners

Learning basic Chinese words becomes easier when you organise words into familiar categories such as greetings, people, numbers, food, places, and everyday actions. You can begin learning a few words each day, then practice making short sentences with those words. These 100 Chinese Words and Example Sentences are intended to provide a Solid Foundation for your use of everyday Chinese Conversation.

The following 102 essential Chinese words and phrases are organised into eight beginner-friendly categories. Each entry includes Simplified Chinese, Pinyin, its English meaning, a simple Mandarin sentence, and the English translation. Learning vocabulary by category makes it easier to remember words and use them in everyday conversations.

1. Common Chinese Greetings and Polite Expressions

Chinese Words	Pinyin	English Meaning	Sentence in Chinese	English Translation
你好	Nǐ hǎo	Hello	你好，我叫安娜。	Hello, my name is Anna.
您好	Nín hǎo	Hello (polite)	老师，您好！	Hello, teacher!
早上好	Zǎoshang hǎo	Good morning	早上好，妈妈！	Good morning, Mom!
下午好	Xiàwǔ hǎo	Good afternoon	下午好，王先生。	Good afternoon, Mr. Wang.
晚上好	Wǎnshang hǎo	Good evening	晚上好，朋友！	Good evening, friend!
谢谢	Xièxie	Thank you	谢谢你的帮助。	Thank you for your help.
不客气	Bú kèqi	You’re welcome	不客气！	You’re welcome!
对不起	Duìbuqǐ	Sorry	对不起，我迟到了。	Sorry, I am late.
没关系	Méi guānxi	It is okay	没关系。	It is okay.
再见	Zàijiàn	Goodbye	再见，明天见！	Goodbye, see you tomorrow!
请	Qǐng	Please	请坐。	Please sit down.
晚安	Wǎn’ān	Good night	晚安，爸爸。	Good night, Dad.

2. Basic Chinese Pronouns

Chinese Words	Pinyin	English Meaning	Sentence in Chinese	English Translation
我	Wǒ	I / Me	我是学生。	I am a student.
你	Nǐ	You	你是我的朋友。	You are my friend.
您	Nín	You (polite)	您好吗？	How are you?
他	Tā	He / Him	他是老师。	He is a teacher.
她	Tā	She / Her	她很高兴。	She is happy.
它	Tā	It	它是一只猫。	It is a cat.
我们	Wǒmen	We / Us	我们学习中文。	We study Chinese.
你们	Nǐmen	You (plural)	你们是学生吗？	Are you students?
他们	Tāmen	They (male or mixed group)	他们在学校。	They are at school.
她们	Tāmen	They (female group)	她们是朋友。	They are friends.

3. Common Chinese Verbs

Chinese Words	Pinyin	English Meaning	Sentence in Chinese	English Translation
是	Shì	To be	我是老师。	I am a teacher.
有	Yǒu	To have	我有一本书。	I have a book.
吃	Chī	To eat	我吃米饭。	I eat rice.
喝	Hē	To drink	我喝水。	I drink water.
去	Qù	To go	我去学校。	I go to school.
来	Lái	To come	请进来。	Please come in.
看	Kàn	To see / Watch	我看电视。	I watch television.
听	Tīng	To listen	我听音乐。	I listen to music.
说	Shuō	To speak / Say	我说中文。	I speak Chinese.
学习	Xuéxí	To study / Learn	我学习中文。	I study Chinese.
工作	Gōngzuò	To work	我在公司工作。	I work at a company.
读	Dú	To read	我读中文书。	I read Chinese books.
写	Xiě	To write	我写汉字。	I write Chinese characters.
买	Mǎi	To buy	我要买水果。	I want to buy fruit.
喜欢	Xǐhuan	To like	我喜欢音乐。	I like music.

4. Chinese Numbers

Chinese Numbers	Pinyin	English Meaning	Sentence in Chinese	English Translation
一	Yī	One	我有一个苹果。	I have one apple.
二	Èr	Two	我有两个朋友。	I have two friends.
三	Sān	Three	我买了三个苹果。	I bought three apples.
四	Sì	Four	我们四个人。	There are four of us.
五	Wǔ	Five	现在五点。	It is five o’clock.
六	Liù	Six	我有六本书。	I have six books.
七	Qī	Seven	今天是七号。	Today is the seventh.
八	Bā	Eight	我八点起床。	I wake up at eight.
九	Jiǔ	Nine	他九岁。	He is nine years old.
十	Shí	Ten	我有十元。	I have ten yuan.

5. Common Chinese Food Words

Chinese Words	Pinyin	English Meaning	Sentence in Chinese	English Translation
水	Shuǐ	Water	我要一杯水。	I want a glass of water.
茶	Chá	Tea	我喜欢喝茶。	I like drinking tea.
咖啡	Kāfēi	Coffee	我要一杯咖啡。	I want a cup of coffee.
米饭	Mǐfàn	Cooked rice	我喜欢吃米饭。	I like eating rice.
面条	Miàntiáo	Noodles	我想吃面条。	I want to eat noodles.
苹果	Píngguǒ	Apple	这个苹果很甜。	This apple is sweet.
水果	Shuǐguǒ	Fruit	我喜欢水果。	I like fruit.
蔬菜	Shūcài	Vegetables	我每天吃蔬菜。	I eat vegetables every day.
肉	Ròu	Meat	我不吃肉。	I do not eat meat.
鸡肉	Jīròu	Chicken	我喜欢吃鸡肉。	I like eating chicken.
牛肉	Niúròu	Beef	他不吃牛肉。	He does not eat beef.
鱼	Yú	Fish	我喜欢吃鱼。	I like eating fish.
鸡蛋	Jīdàn	Egg	我早上吃鸡蛋。	I eat eggs in the morning.
面包	Miànbāo	Bread	我买了面包。	I bought bread.
牛奶	Niúnǎi	Milk	孩子喜欢喝牛奶。	The child likes drinking milk.

6. Chinese Family Words

Chinese Words	Pinyin	English Meaning	Sentence in Chinese	English Translation
家	Jiā	Home / Family	我在家。	I am at home.
家人	Jiārén	Family members	我爱我的家人。	I love my family.
爸爸	Bàba	Father / Dad	我爸爸在家。	My father is at home.
妈妈	Māma	Mother / Mom	我妈妈很好。	My mother is well.
父亲	Fùqīn	Father (formal)	我的父亲是医生。	My father is a doctor.
母亲	Mǔqīn	Mother (formal)	我的母亲喜欢茶。	My mother likes tea.
哥哥	Gēge	Older brother	我哥哥在北京。	My older brother is in Beijing.
弟弟	Dìdi	Younger brother	我弟弟是学生。	My younger brother is a student.
姐姐	Jiějie	Older sister	我姐姐会说中文。	My older sister can speak Chinese.
妹妹	Mèimei	Younger sister	我妹妹喜欢音乐。	My younger sister likes music.
孩子	Háizi	Child	孩子在学校。	The child is at school.
朋友	Péngyou	Friend	他是我的朋友。	He is my friend.

Tips for Learning Chinese Words Faster

• Learn 5-10 words per day: It is better to focus on learning a few words each day than to try and remember all of them at the same time.
• Practise Pinyin and tones: Listen to native Chinese speakers and say each word aloud to practice your Pinyin and tone skills.
• Write Chinese Characters: Practice stroke order to get used to the way we write.
• Write some of your own sentences. Use new vocabulary to talk about your family, food, daily activities, and hobbies.
• Regularly review: use flashcards, short tests, and vocabulary books to increase memory.
• Practice speaking: Speak out loud, and speak to your partner in very basic Chinese.

Learning Goal: Begin by learning how to greet people and refer to them with appropriate pronouns, then move on to learning basic verbs and common everyday words. As you continue to practice, you’ll be able to create short conversations. Consistent practice will also allow you to speak Mandarin more comfortably and with greater confidence.

How do you say hello, thank you, and goodbye in Chinese?

When starting to learn to communicate in Chinese, one of the initial tasks for beginners should be practising the use of greetings and polite language. The purpose of using these types of expressions is to provide a way for individuals to initiate conversations with others, to show respect to those they are speaking with, and to help people gain confidence in communicating with native speakers.

Common Chinese Greetings

Chinese Greeting	Pinyin	English Meaning	Example
你好	Nǐ hǎo	Hello	你好，我叫安娜。 (Hello, my name is Anna.)
您好	Nín hǎo	Hello (polite)	老师，您好！ (Hello, teacher!)
早上好	Zǎoshang hǎo	Good morning	早上好，妈妈！ (Good morning, Mom!)
下午好	Xiàwǔ hǎo	Good afternoon	下午好，王先生。 (Good afternoon, Mr. Wang.)
晚上好	Wǎnshang hǎo	Good evening	晚上好，朋友！ (Good evening, friend!)
你好吗？	Nǐ hǎo ma?	How are you?	你好，你好吗？ (Hello, how are you?)

How to Say Thank You in Chinese

Chinese Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning	Example
谢谢	Xièxie	Thank you	谢谢你的帮助。 (Thank you for your help.)
非常感谢	Fēicháng gǎnxiè	Thank you very much	非常感谢你。 (Thank you very much.)
不客气	Bú kèqi	You’re welcome	不客气！ (You’re welcome!)
请	Qǐng	Please	请坐。 (Please sit.)
对不起	Duìbuqǐ	Sorry	对不起，我迟到了。 (Sorry, I am late.)
没关系	Méi guānxi	It is okay / No problem	没关系。 (It is okay.)

How to Say Goodbye in Chinese

Chinese Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning	Example
再见	Zàijiàn	Goodbye	再见，明天见！ (Goodbye, see you tomorrow!)
明天见	Míngtiān jiàn	See you tomorrow	好的，明天见。 (Okay, see you tomorrow.)
回头见	Huítóu jiàn	See you later	我们回头见。 (See you later.)
晚安	Wǎn’ān	Good night	晚安，妈妈。 (Good night, Mom.)
拜拜	Báibái	Bye-bye	拜拜，朋友！ (Bye-bye, friend!)

Beginner Tip: Practice each of these daily greetings out loud at the start of every day. Instead of using English right after you greet a friend, thank someone or say goodbye to them, use Chinese instead.

Essential Chinese Phrases for Daily Conversations

Moving from memorising basic Chinese words to daily conversation phrases is an essential step moving forward in your Chinese Learning Journey. With these phrases, you will start conversations in the Chinese Langauge. You can ask simple questions, respond politely, and participate in basic conversations.

Everyday Chinese Phrases

Chinese Phrase	English Meaning	Example Sentence
你叫什么名字？	What is your name?	你好，你叫什么名字？ (Hello, what is your name?)
我叫……	My name is…	我叫安娜。 (My name is Anna.)
你来自哪里？	Where are you from?	你来自哪里？ (Where are you from?)
我来自印度。	I am from India.	我来自印度。 (I am from India.)
我不明白。	I do not understand.	对不起，我不明白。 (Sorry, I do not understand.)
请再说一遍。	Please say it again.	请再说一遍，好吗？ (Please say it again, okay?)
请说慢一点。	Please speak slowly.	请说慢一点。 (Please speak slowly.)
你会说英语吗？	Can you speak English?	请问，你会说英语吗？ (Excuse me, can you speak English?)
这是什么？	What is this?	请问，这是什么？ (Excuse me, what is this?)
多少钱？	How much does it cost?	这个多少钱？ (How much is this?)
我不知道。	I do not know.	对不起，我不知道。 (Sorry, I do not know.)
没问题。	No problem.	好的，没问题。 (Okay, no problem.)
我很高兴。	I am happy.	今天我很高兴。 (I am happy today.)
请帮帮我。	Please help me.	请帮帮我，好吗？ (Please help me, okay?)
我想学习中文。	I want to learn Chinese.	我想学习中文。 (I want to learn Chinese.)

Idea for Practice: Select three expressions per day to include in a brief discussion. To illustrate, tell others who you are, find out what they are called, and describe the place from which you arrived.

Chinese Learning Roadmap: Beginner to Advanced

Stage	What to Learn	Main Goal
Beginner	Pinyin, tones, greetings, basic vocabulary	Simple conversations
Elementary	Characters, grammar, everyday sentences	Daily communication
Intermediate	Listening, reading, conversation	Independent communication
Upper Intermediate	Complex grammar and vocabulary	Workplace/social communication
Advanced	Professional vocabulary, reading, writing	Advanced Mandarin

What Chinese Words and Phrases Should I Know Before Travelling to China?

Mastering common Chinese words and phrases used while travelling to Chinese-speaking countries will make your visit enjoyable. Learning Chinese travel vocabulary will help you interact with local people in Chinese-speaking countries. Learning basic Chinese phrases helps you to communicate with the staff at hotels, drivers, order food in restaurants and local people while shopping.

1. Airports and Transport

Chinese Word or Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning
机场	Jīchǎng	Airport
飞机	Fēijī	Aeroplane
机票	Jīpiào	Air ticket
护照	Hùzhào	Passport
火车	Huǒchē	Train
地铁	Dìtiě	Metro
出租车	Chūzūchē	Taxi
车站	Chēzhàn	Station
入口	Rùkǒu	Entrance
出口	Chūkǒu	Exit

Useful sentence: 请问，机场在哪里？ (Qǐngwèn, jīchǎng zài nǎlǐ?) — Excuse me, where is the airport?

2. Hotels and Accommodation

Chinese Word or Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning
酒店	Jiǔdiàn	Hotel
房间	Fángjiān	Room
预订	Yùdìng	Reservation
订单	Dìngdān	Booking / Order
前台	Qiántái	Reception
钥匙	Yàoshi	Key
退房	Tuìfáng	Check out
入住	Rùzhù	Check in
早餐	Zǎocān	Breakfast
卫生间	Wèishēngjiān	Bathroom

Useful sentence: 我预订了一个房间。 (Wǒ yùdìng le yí ge fángjiān.) — I have booked a room.

3. Restaurants and Food Ordering

Chinese Word or Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning
餐厅	Cāntīng	Restaurant
菜单	Càidān	Menu
水	Shuǐ	Water
米饭	Mǐfàn	Rice
面条	Miàntiáo	Noodles
素食	Sùshí	Vegetarian food
鸡肉	Jīròu	Chicken
牛肉	Niúròu	Beef
不辣	Bú là	Not spicy
结账	Jiézhàng	Pay the bill

Useful sentence: 请给我菜单。 (Qǐng gěi wǒ càidān.) — Please give me the menu.

4. Shopping and Payments

Chinese Word or Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning
商店	Shāngdiàn	Shop
价格	Jiàgé	Price
多少钱	Duōshao qián	How much?
便宜	Piányi	Cheap
贵	Guì	Expensive
钱	Qián	Money
现金	Xiànjīn	Cash
信用卡	Xìnyòngkǎ	Credit card
支付	Zhīfù	Payment
收据	Shōujù	Receipt

Useful Sentence: 可以刷卡吗？ (Kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?) — Can I pay by card?

5. Asking for Directions

Chinese Word or Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning
哪里	Nǎlǐ	Where
左边	Zuǒbian	Left
右边	Yòubian	Right
直走	Zhí zǒu	Go straight
附近	Fùjìn	Nearby
远	Yuǎn	Far
近	Jìn	Near
街道	Jiēdào	Street
地图	Dìtú	Map
在哪里？	Zài nǎlǐ?	Where is it?

Useful sentence: 请问，地铁站在哪里？ (Qǐngwèn, dìtiě zhàn zài nǎlǐ?) — Excuse me, where is the metro station?

6. Emergencies and Important Help

Chinese Word or Phrase	Pinyin	English Meaning
救命！	Jiùmìng!	Help!
帮助	Bāngzhù	Help
警察	Jǐngchá	Police
医院	Yīyuàn	Hospital
医生	Yīshēng	Doctor
药店	Yàodiàn	Pharmacy
急救	Jíjiù	First aid
我需要帮助。	Wǒ xūyào bāngzhù.	I need help.
我生病了。	Wǒ shēngbìng le.	I am sick.
请叫警察。	Qǐng jiào jǐngchá.	Please call the police.

Save important phrases to your phone before travel. Always have access to your hotel address, emergency contact numbers, and all of your travel documentation. If you need assistance in an emergency, contact either the local authorities or the hotel staff.

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Exploring these easy ways to learn Chinese words must help you build confidence to learn the Chinese Language. Boost your language skills and advance your career.

30-Day Daily Chinese Words Study and Practice Plan

Consistency is better than learning all of the words in a long vocabulary list in one day. Dedicate 20-30 minutes each day to learn new words, practice pronunciation, review characters and write simple sentences. The 30-day Study Plan will help you develop from Simple Greetings to everyday conversation.

Study and Practice Plan

Day	Learning Focus	Daily Practice
1	Greetings	Learn 你好, 再见, 谢谢, and 不客气.
2	Personal pronouns	Practise 我, 你, 他, 她, and 我们.
3	Numbers 1–10	Write and speak the numbers from 一 to 十.
4	Family vocabulary	Learn words for mother, father, family, and child.
5	Common questions	Practise 谁, 什么, 哪里, and 为什么.
6	Food vocabulary	Learn words for rice, water, tea, fruit, and noodles.
7	Weekly revision	Revise Days 1–6 and write ten short sentences.
8	Everyday verbs	Practise 吃, 喝, 去, 来, and 看.
9	Time expressions	Learn today, tomorrow, yesterday, morning, and evening.
10	Describing people	Practise 好, 漂亮, 大, 小, and 忙.
11	Places	Learn school, home, hospital, shop, and restaurant.
12	Shopping words	Practise price, money, cheap, expensive, and buy.
13	Polite phrases	Learn please, sorry, thank you, and no problem.
14	Weekly revision	Create a short dialogue using 15–20 words.
15	Transport vocabulary	Learn airport, train, metro, taxi, and station.
16	Hotel vocabulary	Practise room, booking, reception, and check-in.
17	Restaurant phrases	Practise ordering food and asking for the menu.
18	Direction words	Learn left, right, straight, near, and far.
19	Question practice	Form five questions using 什么 and 哪里.
20	Pronunciation	Practise Pinyin initials, finals, and Chinese tones.
21	Weekly revision	Record yourself speaking a one-minute introduction.
22	Sentence building	Make ten sentences using 我, 你, 是, and 有.
23	Listening practice	Listen to a beginner Chinese dialogue and note familiar words.
24	Reading practice	Read 15–20 simple Chinese words aloud.
25	Writing practice	Write 15 characters and revise their meanings.
26	Daily conversation	Practise introducing yourself and asking simple questions.
27	Travel conversation	Role-play a hotel, restaurant, or taxi conversation.
28	Vocabulary revision	Revise all previously learned words using flashcards.
29	Speaking challenge	Speak for two minutes using familiar Chinese phrases.
30	Final assessment	Write a short introduction and hold a simple practice conversation.

Daily Routine: Spend 10 minutes learning new vocabulary, 5 minutes practising pronunciation, 5 minutes writing characters and 5-10 minutes reviewing sentences. You can adjust the times based on your availability.

Conclusion

Learning Chinese words is a stepping stone to begin communicating confidently in Chinese. It is recommended that you learn basic Chinese vocabulary, such as greetings, polite expressions, and common phrases every day. You should practice with Pinyin, listen to native speakers and review what you have learned regularly. Both students and working professionals will be able to steadily improve their Chinese language skills if they follow a consistent study schedule. Use newly acquired Chinese skills in everyday life.

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Written by

Pallavi Saxena

With more than 15 years of experience, I dedicatedly writing informative content for my audience. With extensive experience in content writing and digital publishing, I specialize in creating informative, engaging, and industry-focused content that helps readers make informed career and business decisions. My expertise includes developing high-quality content on foreign language learning, global career opportunities, ERP solutions and enterprise technologies. By staying updated with emerging trends, technological advancements, and industry best practices, I craft content that educates, inspires, and delivers lasting value to readers across diverse sectors.

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