# Dengdeng Dictionary > A free Chinese–English dictionary from the makers of the Dengdeng app. Every entry gives the simplified and traditional forms, tone-marked pinyin, English meanings, the HSK 3.0 band, word frequency, stroke order and words with related meanings. 9,607 common words also have word audio and example sentences with pinyin and English. 7,054 words have their own cartoon, an original Dengdeng mini lesson made for that word: in about 20 seconds, Dengdeng and his friends use it in an everyday scene, with tappable captions and the full transcript in hanzi, pinyin and English. The site also has plain-English guides to Chinese internet slang, idioms (chengyu) and cultural concepts. Search covers all 119,383 headwords of CC-CEDICT. It accepts Chinese characters, pinyin with or without tone marks, and English. No account is needed, and the site sets no cookies. Teachers, course sites and bloggers can embed the dictionary on their own pages for free: word cards, a word of the day and a search box. See "Widgets for other websites" below, or [the widgets page](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/embed/). When you cite an entry, link the word page. The full text of every guide is in [llms-full.txt](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/llms-full.txt). ## Word pages - Each word and character has a page at `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word//`, for example [昨天](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%98%A8%E5%A4%A9/) (zuótiān, yesterday), [爱](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1/) (ài, love) and [内卷](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%86%85%E5%8D%B7/) (nèijuǎn, involution). Traditional spellings redirect to the simplified page. - A word page lists every reading and sense, the measure words of a noun, the HSK band, the frequency rank, the characters with stroke order, example sentences and related words. - 7,054 word pages have a short cartoon (about 20 seconds): Dengdeng and his friends use the word in an everyday dialogue. The page gives the full transcript in hanzi, pinyin and English, with the meaning of each word in its line. Examples: [阿根廷](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E9%98%BF%E6%A0%B9%E5%BB%B7/) (Ā gēn tíng), [阿拉斯加](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E9%98%BF%E6%8B%89%E6%96%AF%E5%8A%A0/) (Ā lā sī jiā), [阿姨](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E9%98%BF%E5%A7%A8/) (ā yí), [啊](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%95%8A/) (a), [哎](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%93%8E/) (āi), [哎呀](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%93%8E%E5%91%80/) (āi yā), [哎哟](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%93%8E%E5%93%9F/) (āi yō), [唉](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%94%89/) (ài), [挨](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%8C%A8/) (ái), [矮](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%9F%AE/) (ǎi), [爱](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1/) (ài), [爱尔兰](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E5%B0%94%E5%85%B0/) (Ài ěr lán), [爱好](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E5%A5%BD/) (ài hào), [爱好者](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E5%A5%BD%E8%80%85/) (ài hào zhě), [爱人](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E4%BA%BA/) (ài ren), [爱上](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E4%B8%8A/) (ài shàng), [爱心](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E5%BF%83/) (ài xīn), [爱意](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%88%B1%E6%84%8F/) (ài yì), [安保](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E4%BF%9D/) (ān bǎo), [安定](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E5%AE%9A/) (ān dìng), [安顿](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E9%A1%BF/) (ān dùn), [安抚](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E6%8A%9A/) (ān fǔ), [安静](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E9%9D%99/) (ān jìng), [安宁](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E5%AE%81/) (ān níng), [安排](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E6%8E%92/) (ān pái), [安全](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8/) (ān quán), [安全带](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8%E5%B8%A6/) (ān quán dài), [安全感](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E5%85%A8%E6%84%9F/) (ān quán gǎn), [安慰](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E6%85%B0/) (ān wèi), [安心](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E5%BF%83/) (ān xīn), [安置](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E7%BD%AE/) (ān zhì), [安装](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%AE%89%E8%A3%85/) (ān zhuāng), [岸](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%B2%B8/) (àn), [按](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%8C%89/) (àn), [按摩](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%8C%89%E6%91%A9/) (àn mó), [按钮](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%8C%89%E9%92%AE/) (àn niǔ), [按时](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%8C%89%E6%97%B6/) (àn shí), [按照](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%8C%89%E7%85%A7/) (àn zhào), [案例](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%A1%88%E4%BE%8B/) (àn lì), [暗](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%9A%97/) (àn), [暗号](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%9A%97%E5%8F%B7/) (àn hào), [暗示](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%9A%97%E7%A4%BA/) (àn shì), [暗中](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%9A%97%E4%B8%AD/) (àn zhōng), [肮脏](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E8%82%AE%E8%84%8F/) (āng zāng), [昂贵](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%98%82%E8%B4%B5/) (áng guì), [盎司](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%9B%8E%E5%8F%B8/) (àng sī), [嗷](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%97%B7/) (áo), [熬](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%86%AC/) (áo), [熬夜](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E7%86%AC%E5%A4%9C/) (áo yè), [傲慢](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%82%B2%E6%85%A2/) (ào màn), [奥运会](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%A5%A5%E8%BF%90%E4%BC%9A/) (Ào yùn huì), [澳大利亚](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%BE%B3%E5%A4%A7%E5%88%A9%E4%BA%9A/) (Ào dà lì yà), [澳洲](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E6%BE%B3%E6%B4%B2/) (Ào zhōu), [八](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%85%AB/) (bā), [八卦](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%85%AB%E5%8D%A6/) (bā guà), [巴](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%B7%B4/) (bā), [巴黎](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%B7%B4%E9%BB%8E/) (Bā lí), [巴士](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%B7%B4%E5%A3%AB/) (bā shì), [巴西](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%B7%B4%E8%A5%BF/) (Bā xī), [巴掌](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/word/%E5%B7%B4%E6%8E%8C/) (bā zhang). The full list is in the sitemap. - Search results: `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/?q=`. Search pages are not for indexing; link the word page instead. ## Widgets for other websites Anyone can put the dictionary on a class page, course site or blog, free and without signup: [Free Chinese dictionary widgets](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/embed/). The page has live previews and a builder that makes the code for any word. Each widget is an iframe; put the word in Chinese characters where it says ``. - Word card: `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/embed/word//` (frame 480 × 260). The word, pinyin, meanings, HSK band and, for common words, its sound and a link to its cartoon on the word page. Works for every word in the dictionary. The cartoons themselves play only on the word pages. - Word of the day: `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/embed/word-of-the-day/` (frame 480 × 280). A new everyday word each day, from HSK bands 1 to 3. - Search box: `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/embed/search/` (frame 480 × 150). A search box for Chinese characters, pinyin or English; results open in a new tab. The code to paste, here for 你好 (keep the link under the frame; it credits the dictionary): ```html

你好 (nǐ hǎo) – Dengdeng Chinese Dictionary

``` In WordPress, paste the code into a Custom HTML block; in Google Sites, use Insert, Embed, Embed code. oEmbed: `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/oembed?url=`. ## MCP server for AI assistants The dictionary is also a remote MCP server at `https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/mcp` (Streamable HTTP, no sign-in, read-only). Add it to an AI assistant as a custom connector or remote MCP server. Tools: `look_up_word` (Look up a Chinese word), `search_dictionary` (Search the Chinese dictionary), `hsk_word_list` (HSK 3.0 word list), `get_embed_code` (Get dictionary widget code). Each call returns one entry, one search page or one list page, with the word page URL. Setup for each client, the tool reference and an example call: [Chinese dictionary MCP server](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/developers/). ## Word lists - [HSK word lists](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/): every word of the HSK 3.0 standard by band, with pinyin and meanings. Bands: [1](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/1/), [2](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/2/), [3](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/3/), [4](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/4/), [5](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/5/), [6](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/6/), [7–9](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/7-9/). The old six-level HSK 2.0: [1](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/old/1/), [2](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/old/2/), [3](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/old/3/), [4](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/old/4/), [5](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/old/5/), [6](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/old/6/). - [HSK 3.0 vs HSK 2.0](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/hsk/versions/): how the 2021 nine-band standard differs from the old six-level test, and the word counts of the exams from 13 December 2026. - [HSK flashcards](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/quiz/): free flashcard quizzes over any HSK band or level, in the browser, with no signup. - [Chinese measure words](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/measure-words/): 50 measure words (classifiers), what each one counts, example phrases with pinyin, and a table of everyday nouns with their measure words. Each measure word has its own page, for example [条](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/measure-words/%E6%9D%A1/). - [Most common Chinese words](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/frequency/): [top 1,000](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/frequency/top-1000/), [top 5,000](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/frequency/top-5000/), [top 10,000](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/frequency/top-10000/), by frequency in film and TV subtitles (SUBTLEX-CH). - [Words in context](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/collections/): words grouped by topic, with example sentences. - [Browse by pinyin](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/browse/): an A–Z index of common headwords. ## Guides ### Chinese internet slang [Chinese internet slang, explained](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/): The words Chinese social media actually uses — what they mean, where they came from, and how to use them without sounding like a textbook. - [内卷 (nèi juǎn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/neijuan/): Pointless over-competition — the rat race, named - [躺平 (tǎng píng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/tangping/): Lying flat — opting out of the race - [摆烂 (bǎi làn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/bailan/): Let it rot — giving up on purpose - [打工人 (dǎ gōng rén)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/dagongren/): “Morning, fellow workers” — the meme for everyone with a job - [996 (工作制)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/996/): 9 to 9, six days a week - [搭子 (dā zi)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/dazi/): A lunch partner, a gym partner — friendship à la carte - [情绪价值 (qíng xù jià zhí)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/qingxu-jiazhi/): Emotional value — does being around them feel like a gain? - [双向奔赴 (shuāng xiàng bēn fù)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/shuangxiang-benfu/): Both sides running toward each other - [撒娇 (sā jiāo)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/sajiao/): Acting spoiled — charm with a goal - [显眼包 (xiǎn yǎn bāo)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/xianyanbao/): The spotlight finds them — the lovable scene-stealer - [yyds (永远的神)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/yyds/): “Eternal god” — the GOAT, in four letters - [xswl (笑死我了)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/xswl/): “Laughing me to death” — China's LMAO - [pinyin abbreviations (拼音缩写)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/pinyin-abbreviations/): The letter codes: zqsg, nsdd, awsl, u1s1 — decoded - [666 (溜溜溜)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/666/): “Smooth!” — three sixes of praise - [520 (我爱你)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/520/): 5-2-0: the number that says “I love you” - [凡尔赛 (Fán ěr sài)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/fanersai/): Humblebragging, named after a palace - [后浪 (hòu làng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/houlang/): The wave behind — the younger generation - [加油 (jiā yóu)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/jiayou/): “Add oil!” — the cheer for everything - [脑腐 (nǎo fǔ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/naofu/): Brain rot — what the feed does to you - [AI垃圾 (AI lā jī)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/ai-laji/): AI slop — machine-made filler, named garbage - [电子榨菜 (diàn zǐ zhà cài)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/dianzi-zhacai/): Digital pickles — the video your meal requires - [废话文学 (fèi huà wén xué)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/feihua-wenxue/): Nonsense literature — many words, zero information - [人工智障 (rén gōng zhì zhàng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/rengong-zhizhang/): Artificial stupidity — the pun that deflates AI - [牛马 (niú mǎ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/niuma/): Oxen and horses: the self-mocking word for overworked staff - [摸鱼 (mō yú)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/moyu/): Touching fish: slacking off at work - [社畜 (shè chù)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/shechu/): Company livestock: the corporate drone - [吃瓜 (chī guā)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/chigua/): Eating melon: watching the drama from the side - [键盘侠 (jiàn pán xiá)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/jianpanxia/): Keyboard hero: brave in the comments, quiet offline - [网红 (wǎng hóng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/wanghong/): Internet red: influencers and viral places - [弹幕 (dàn mù)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/danmu/): Bullet comments: text that flies across the video - [社死 (shè sǐ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/shesi/): Social death: a moment so embarrassing you want to vanish - [破防 (pò fáng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/pofang/): Defense broken: when something gets to you - [emo (我emo了)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/emo/): 我emo了: “I'm feeling down” - [学霸 (xué bà)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/xueba/): Study tyrant: the top student, and its opposite 学渣 - [吃货 (chī huò)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/chihuo/): Foodie: once an insult, now a proud label - [佛系 (fó xì)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/foxi/): Buddha-style: calm, easy-going, not competing - [社恐 (shè kǒng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/shekong/): Socially anxious, and its opposite, socially fearless - [单身狗 (dān shēn gǒu)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/danshengou/): Single dog: a single person, self-mocking - [恋爱脑 (liàn ài nǎo)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/lianainao/): Love brain: a partner before everything else - [剁手 (duò shǒu)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/duoshou/): Chop off my hands: I shopped too much again - [割韭菜 (gē jiǔ cài)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/ge-jiucai/): Cutting the leeks: fleecing small investors and buyers - [真香 (zhēn xiāng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/zhenxiang/): “So good”: the meme for eating your words - [狗头 (gǒu tóu)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/goutou/): Dog head: the emoji that means “just kidding” - [二百五 (èr bǎi wǔ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/erbaiwu/): Two hundred and fifty: a fool - [笨蛋 (bèn dàn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/bendan/): Dummy: a mild, often affectionate insult - [Mild Chinese insults and teasing words](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/slang/insults/): The mild insults that Chinese friends use with each other, with how rude each one is and the closest English word. ### Chinese concepts [Chinese concepts that don't fit in one English word](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/): Mianzi, guanxi, yuanfen — words people spend whole careers translating. Each guide explains what the word really carries and how it shapes everyday Chinese. - [面子 (miàn zi)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/mianzi/): Face — dignity you can give and lose - [关系 (guān xì)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/guanxi/): Connections with obligations built in - [人情 (rén qíng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/renqing/): The favor economy — kindness that keeps accounts - [缘分 (yuán fèn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/yuanfen/): Fated affinity — why you met - [孝顺 (xiào shùn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/xiao/): Filial devotion — the first Chinese virtue - [吃苦 (chī kǔ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/chi-ku/): Eating bitterness — endurance as a skill - [江湖 (jiāng hú)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/jianghu/): Rivers and lakes — the world beyond officialdom - [气 (qì)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/qi/): Breath and energy — the force in everything - [阴阳 (yīn yáng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/yin-yang/): Shaded and sunny — the pair in everything - [风水 (fēng shuǐ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/feng-shui/): Wind and water — placing things well - [无为 (wú wéi)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/wu-wei/): Non-forcing — the grain of things - [高考 (gāo kǎo)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/gaokao/): China's national college entrance exam - [户口 (hù kǒu)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/concepts/hukou/): Household registration — the paper that ties you to a place ### Chengyu — Chinese idioms [Chengyu: Chinese idioms and the stories inside them](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/): Four characters, one story, two thousand years of use. The classic chengyu explained plainly — what they mean, where they come from, and how to drop them into a sentence. - [守株待兔 (shǒu zhū dài tù)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/shou-zhu-dai-tu/): Waiting by the stump for another rabbit - [拔苗助长 (bá miáo zhù zhǎng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/ba-miao-zhu-zhang/): Pulling up seedlings to “help” them grow - [画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/hua-she-tian-zu/): Drawing a snake and adding feet - [刻舟求剑 (kè zhōu qiú jiàn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/ke-zhou-qiu-jian/): Notching a moving boat to find a sword - [掩耳盗铃 (yǎn ěr dào líng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/yan-er-dao-ling/): Covering your ears to steal the bell - [自相矛盾 (zì xiāng máo dùn)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/zi-xiang-mao-dun/): Your own spear against your own shield - [亡羊补牢 (wáng yáng bǔ láo)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/wang-yang-bu-lao/): Mending the fold after losing a sheep - [塞翁失马 (sài wēng shī mǎ)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/sai-weng-shi-ma/): The old man loses his horse — a blessing in disguise - [对牛弹琴 (duì niú tán qín)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/dui-niu-tan-qin/): Playing the lute to a cow - [井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/jing-di-zhi-wa/): The frog at the bottom of the well - [狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/hu-jia-hu-wei/): The fox borrows the tiger's might - [画龙点睛 (huà lóng diǎn jīng)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/hua-long-dian-jing/): Dotting the dragon's eyes — the finishing touch - [马马虎虎 (mǎ mǎ hū hū)](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/idioms/ma-ma-hu-hu/): Horse horse tiger tiger — so-so ## Sources and licenses - Definitions: CC-CEDICT, CC BY-SA 4.0. Word frequency: SUBTLEX-CH (Cai and Brysbaert, 2010), CC BY 4.0. HSK bands: the HSK 3.0 standard (GF 0025-2021). Some example sentences come from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR, with credits on each entry. - [About, sources and downloads](https://dengdeng.app/dictionary/about/) ## The Dengdeng app - [Dengdeng](https://dengdeng.app/): an iOS and Android app with real stories from China at Beginner, Easy, Medium and Hard levels. Tap any word for its pinyin and meaning; the words you tap become flashcards. Dengdeng and his friends also text you in Chinese every day, at your level. - [Learn Chinese from zero](https://dengdeng.app/start): a free beginner roadmap.