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Your first 180 words. The 150 most frequent words of real Chinese, in frequency order, plus thirty everyday basics — the same list as the chapter-4 deck . Browse them, hide what you’re testing yourself on, or run a quick random quiz.
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Frequency order — word 1 is the most common word in the language. Tap a card to hear it.
的 de 1 of; ~'s — the linking word that makes things belong ('my book', 'China's culture') 是 shì 4 to be; connects nouns ('I am a student') 了 le 5 particle: done or changed; 'I ate', 'it's raining now' 在 zài 7 to be at; at, in; also marks an action happening right now 就 jiù 13 then; right away; exactly — glue word you'll see everywhere 会 huì 14 can, know how to; will (be likely to) 吗 ma 15 question particle; turns a statement into a yes/no question 要 yào 16 to want; to need; will (about to) 什么 shén me 17 what; something 想 xiǎng 20 to think; to want to; to miss (someone) 很 hěn 22 very; sits before adjectives, often as pure padding ('she [very] tall') 知道 zhī dào 23 to know (a fact) 吧 ba 25 particle: let's …; …, right? — softens a sentence into a suggestion or a guess 那 nà 26 that; then, in that case 个 gè 29 the all-purpose measure word; 'three ___ people' — use it whenever unsure 能 néng 30 can; to be able to 没 méi 32 not have; didn't — the negation for 'have' and for the past 到 dào 35 to arrive; to reach; to, until 对 duì 36 right, correct; to, towards ('say to me') 还 hái 38 still; also; even more 把 bǎ 39 grammar word: brings the object forward; 'take the door and close it' — marks what the action is done to 让 ràng 40 to let; to make (someone do something) 给 gěi 42 to give; to, for ('show it to me') 上 shàng 43 up; on top; to go up, to get on 过 guò 45 to pass; to cross; after a verb: have done it before ('have been to China') 没有 méi yǒu 46 to not have; there isn't; didn't 得 de 47 particle: links a verb to how it's done ('runs fast', 'speaks well') 看 kàn 48 to look; to see; to read, to watch 着 zhe 50 particle: ongoing action or state ('is listening', 'the door stands open') 事 shì 51 matter; thing (an affair, not an object) 点 diǎn 56 o'clock; a little; a dot; to order (food) 呢 ne 57 particle: bounces a question back ('And you?'); also a soft pause 别 bié 60 don't ('don't go!'); other 被 bèi 62 passive marker; 'was seen', 'got hit' — the subject receives the action 太 tài 64 too ('too expensive'); extremely 这样 zhè yàng 65 like this; this way; so 跟 gēn 67 with; and; to follow 自己 zì jǐ 70 oneself; one's own 再 zài 71 again (for things yet to happen); then, and only then 听 tīng 72 to listen; to hear 下 xià 80 down; below; next; to get off 谢谢 xiè xie 82 thank you; thanks 觉得 jué de 84 to feel; to think (that) 像 xiàng 86 to be like; to resemble; such as 先生 xiān sheng 89 Mr.; sir; husband 找 zhǎo 90 to look for; to find 最 zuì 91 most; the most ('the best', 'the biggest') 为 wèi 93 for; for the sake of; because of 可能 kě néng 95 maybe; possible 是的 shì de 97 yes; that's right 死 sǐ 98 to die; dead; also an intensifier ('tired to death') 次 cì 99 a time, an occurrence; the measure word for counting times ('three times') 出 chū 100 to go out; to come out 应该 yīng gāi 104 should; ought to 起来 qǐ lai 106 to get up; after a verb: upward or starting ('stand up', 'burst out laughing') 才 cái 108 only then; not until; merely 两 liǎng 109 two — the form before measure words; 'two people', 'two hours' 又 yòu 111 again (it already happened); both … and … 中 zhōng 113 middle; center; in, among 叫 jiào 114 to be called ('my name is …'); to call; to shout 该 gāi 115 should; ought to; (it's) someone's turn 等 děng 116 to wait; and so on, etc. 问题 wèn tí 117 question; problem 更 gèng 120 even more ('even better'); more 开始 kāi shǐ 121 to begin; to start 打 dǎ 123 to hit; to play (ball games); to make (a phone call) 带 dài 125 to bring; to carry; a belt 请 qǐng 128 please; to invite 回 huí 129 to return; to go back 工作 gōng zuò 130 to work; work, a job 然后 rán hòu 131 then; after that 当 dāng 132 to be, to work as; at the time of 见 jiàn 133 to see; to meet ('see you tomorrow') 一样 yī yàng 135 the same; alike 事情 shì qing 136 matter; thing; business 开 kāi 139 to open; to turn on; to drive 一下 yī xià 140 a bit, a moment; after a verb: 'take a look', 'wait a sec' 非常 fēi cháng 142 very; extremely 希望 xī wàng 143 to hope; hope 当然 dāng rán 145 of course; certainly 行 xíng 147 OK, all right; will do; capable 相信 xiāng xìn 150 to believe; to trust Everyday basics
Thirty words frequency lists underrate but daily life runs on — numbers, time, family.
二 èr 151 two — the counting form; used in numbers like twelve or twenty 十 shí 159 ten; builds the teens and tens ('ten-two' = twelve, 'two-ten' = twenty) 早上 zǎo shang 164 morning; in the morning 晚上 wǎn shang 165 evening; at night 起床 qǐ chuáng 166 to get up (out of bed) 睡觉 shuì jiào 167 to sleep; to go to bed 学习 xué xí 170 to study; to learn 一边 yī biān 173 while (doing two things at once); one side 妹妹 mèi mei 177 younger sister 弟弟 dì di 178 younger brother 中文 Zhōng wén 180 Chinese (the language) Anki & Pleco
This page is deliberately bare — no scheduling, nothing saved. For spaced repetition that remembers what you miss and schedules the reviews, take the same 180 words into Anki or Pleco:
And for how these words fit the road from zero to reading real Chinese, the full beginner roadmap is free.
