Chinese reference

The 250 most common Chinese words

Ranked by how often they actually appear. Together these 250 words account for about 67% of everything said and written in Chinese — which is why the order you learn vocabulary in matters more than the number of words you know.

250words
67%of everyday speech
5.0%the single commonest word
#WordEnglishSay itShareRunning total
1的of; ~'sde5.020%5.0%
2我I; mewǒ5.010%10.0%
3你younǐ3.960%14.0%
4是to be; correctshì2.830%16.8%
5了action completed / change of state (no direct English word)le2.820%19.6%
6不no; not sobù2.050%21.7%
7在to exist; to be alivezài1.280%23.0%
8他he; himtā1.190%24.2%
9我们we; uswǒ men1.110%25.3%
10好good; appropriatehǎo1.000%26.3%
11有to have; there isyǒu0.860%27.1%
12这this; thesezhè0.860%28.0%
13就in that case; thenjiù0.820%28.8%
14会can; to have the skillhuì0.790%29.6%
15吗question word (turns a statement into a yes/no question)ma0.740%30.3%
16要to want; to needyào0.710%31.1%
17什么what?; somethingshén me0.710%31.8%
18说to speak; to talkshuō0.680%32.4%
19她shetā0.660%33.1%
20想to think; to think ofxiǎng0.630%33.7%
21一one; singleyī0.610%34.3%
22很adverb of degree; quitehěn0.600%34.9%
23知道to know; to become aware ofzhī dào0.590%35.5%
24人person; peoplerén0.580%36.1%
25吧suggestion word, like adding "...right?" or "let's..."ba0.580%36.7%
26那that; thenà0.570%37.3%
27来to comelái0.550%37.8%
28都all; bothdōu0.530%38.3%
29个general counting word (measure word) used before most nounsgè0.520%38.9%
30能can; to be able tonéng0.500%39.4%
31去to go; to go toqù0.490%39.9%
32没have not; notméi0.480%40.3%
33和and; together withhé0.450%40.8%
34他们theytā men0.420%41.2%
35到to reach; to arrivedào0.420%41.6%
36对right; correctduì0.400%42.0%
37也also; both ... andyě0.390%42.4%
38啊oh! (softens or adds feeling to a sentence)a0.390%42.8%
39还still; still in progresshái0.390%43.2%
40把to hold; to graspbǎ0.370%43.6%
41让to yield; to permitràng0.370%43.9%
42做to make; to producezuò0.360%44.3%
43给to; forgěi0.350%44.6%
44上up; uppershàng0.340%45.0%
45你们younǐ men0.340%45.3%
46过to cross; to go overguò0.340%45.7%
47没有haven't; hasn'tméi yǒu0.320%46.0%
48得to obtain; to getdé0.310%46.3%
49看to see; to look atkàn0.310%46.6%
50真really; trulyzhēn0.310%46.9%
51着-ing / in the middle of doing somethingzhe0.300%47.2%
52事matter; thingshì0.290%47.5%
53这个thiszhè ge0.270%47.8%
54怎么how?; what?zěn me0.270%48.0%
55现在now; at presentxiàn zài0.260%48.3%
56可以can; maykě yǐ0.240%48.5%
57点point; dotdiǎn0.230%48.8%
58呢and you? (bounces a question back) / softens a questionne0.230%49.0%
59如果if; in caserú guǒ0.230%49.2%
60只only; merelyzhǐ0.220%49.5%
61别to leave; to partbié0.210%49.7%
62哦ohó0.210%49.9%
63但but; yetdàn0.200%50.1%
64被quilt; to coverbèi0.200%50.3%
65走to walk; to gozǒu0.190%50.5%
66太highest; greatesttài0.190%50.6%
67这样this kind of; sozhè yàng0.190%50.8%
68里lining; interiorlǐ0.190%51.0%
69跟heel; to follow closelygēn0.190%51.2%
70告诉to tellgào sù0.180%51.4%
71因为because; owing toyīn wèi0.180%51.6%
72自己oneself; one's ownzì jǐ0.170%51.8%
73再again; once morezài0.170%51.9%
74听to listen to; to heartīng0.160%52.1%
75这里herezhè lǐ0.160%52.2%
76快rapid; quickkuài0.160%52.4%
77谁whoshuí0.160%52.6%
78但是but; howeverdàn shì0.160%52.7%
79多many; muchduō0.160%52.9%
80用to use; to employyòng0.160%53.0%
81时候time; length of timeshí hòu0.160%53.2%
82下down; downwardsxià0.150%53.4%
83已经alreadyyǐ jīng0.150%53.5%
84谢谢to thank; thanksxiè xiè0.150%53.6%
85为什么why?; for what reason?wèi shén me0.150%53.8%
86觉得to think that; to feel thatjué de0.150%54.0%
87天day; skytiān0.150%54.1%
88像to resemble; to be likexiàng0.150%54.2%
89这么so much; this muchzhè me0.150%54.4%
90它ittā0.150%54.5%
91从from; throughcóng0.140%54.7%
92先生teacher; gentlemanxiān shēng0.140%54.8%
93找to try to find; to look forzhǎo0.140%55.0%
94最most; the mostzuì0.140%55.1%
95喜欢to like; to be fond ofxǐ huān0.140%55.2%
96可can; maykě0.140%55.4%
97为because of; forwèi0.140%55.5%
98大big; largedà0.130%55.7%
99可能might; possiblekě néng0.130%55.8%
100需要to need; to wantxū yào0.130%55.9%
101是的yes, that's rightshì de0.130%56.0%
102死to die; impassablesǐ0.130%56.2%
103次next in sequence; secondcì0.130%56.3%
104出to go out; to come outchū0.130%56.4%
105那么like that; in that waynà me0.120%56.6%
106干tree trunk; main part of sthgàn0.120%56.7%
107那个that one; that thingnà ge0.120%56.8%
108嘿heyhēi0.120%56.9%
109们plural ending for people (I → we, he → they)men0.120%57.0%
110话speech; words; what someone sayshuà0.120%57.2%
111而and; as well asér0.120%57.3%
112么used to build question words like "what" and "how"me0.120%57.4%
113东西east and westdōng xī0.110%57.5%
114应该ought to; shouldyīng gāi0.110%57.6%
115孩子childhái zi0.110%57.7%
116起来to start (doing something); to get upqǐ lái0.110%57.8%
117所以therefore; as a resultsuǒ yǐ0.110%58.0%
118这些thesezhè xiē0.110%58.1%
119才ability; talentcái0.110%58.2%
120两two; bothliǎng0.110%58.3%
121错mistake; wrongcuò0.110%58.4%
122还有furthermore; in additionhái yǒu0.110%58.5%
123又again; alsoyòu0.110%58.6%
124小small; tinyxiǎo0.100%58.7%
125中within; amongzhōng0.100%58.8%
126叫to shout; to calljiào0.100%58.9%
127嗯mm; uh-huh (shows you're listening)ń0.100%59.0%
128该should; ought togāi0.100%59.1%
129等to wait for; to awaitděng0.100%59.2%
130问题question; problemwèn tí0.100%59.3%
131一起in the same place; togetheryì qǐ0.100%59.4%
132拿to hold; to seizená0.100%59.5%
133更more; even moregèng0.100%59.6%
134开始to begin; beginningkāi shǐ0.100%59.7%
135帮to help; to assistbāng0.090%59.8%
136打to beat; to strikedǎ0.090%59.9%
137爱to love; to be fond ofài0.090%60.0%
138带band; beltdài0.090%60.1%
139时间timeshí jiān0.090%60.2%
140年yearnián0.090%60.2%
141请to ask; to inviteqǐng0.090%60.3%
142回to circle; to go backhuí0.090%60.4%
143工作to work; to operategōng zuò0.090%60.5%
144然后then; after thatrán hòu0.090%60.6%
145当to be; to act asdāng0.090%60.7%
146见to see; to meetjiàn0.090%60.8%
147钱coin; moneyqián0.090%60.9%
148噢oh; ahō0.090%61.0%
149一样same; likeyī yàng0.090%61.1%
150事情affair; mattershì qíng0.080%61.1%
151就是exactly; preciselyjiù shì0.080%61.2%
152吃to eat; to consumechī0.080%61.3%
153所有all; to havesuǒ yǒu0.080%61.4%
154开to open; to startkāi0.080%61.5%
155一下give it a go; to doyī xià0.080%61.5%
156家home; familyjiā0.080%61.6%
157非常very; reallyfēi cháng0.080%61.7%
158看到to seekàn dào0.080%61.8%
159希望to hope; a hopexī wàng0.080%61.9%
160那些thosenà xiē0.080%61.9%
161哪how; whichnǎ0.080%62.0%
162当然only natural; as it should bedāng rán0.080%62.1%
163也许perhaps; maybeyě xǔ0.080%62.2%
164行to walk; to goxíng0.080%62.3%
165朋友friendpéng yǒu0.080%62.3%
166妈妈mama; mommymā mā0.080%62.4%
167相信to be convinced; to believexiāng xìn0.080%62.5%
168前front; forwardqián0.080%62.6%
169嗨oh alas; hey!hāi0.080%62.7%
170认为to believe; to thinkrèn wéi0.080%62.7%
171将will; shalljiāng0.070%62.8%
172这儿herezhè ér0.070%62.9%
173今天today; the present timejīn tiān0.070%63.0%
174明白clear; obviousmíng bái0.070%63.0%
175一直straight; continuouslyyì zhí0.070%63.1%
176看看to take a look at; to examinekàn kàn0.070%63.2%
177车car; vehiclechē0.070%63.2%
178时o'clock; timeshí0.070%63.3%
179杀to kill; to murdershā0.070%63.4%
180地方region; regionaldì fāng0.070%63.4%
181不过only; merelybù guò0.070%63.5%
182呃exclamation; to hiccupè0.070%63.6%
183发生to happen; to occurfā shēng0.070%63.6%
184几how much; how manyjǐ0.070%63.7%
185回来to return; to come backhuí lái0.070%63.8%
186准备preparation; to preparezhǔn bèi0.070%63.9%
187找到to findzhǎo dào0.070%63.9%
188后back; behindhòu0.070%64.0%
189爸爸father; dadbà bà0.070%64.1%
190一切everything; everyyī qiè0.060%64.1%
191抱歉to be sorry; to feel apologeticbào qiàn0.060%64.2%
192比to compare; more {adj.} than {noun}bǐ0.060%64.2%
193感觉feeling; impressiongǎn jué0.060%64.3%
194些some; a fewxiē0.060%64.4%
195只是merely; onlyzhǐ shì0.060%64.4%
196怎么样how?; how about?zěn me yàng0.060%64.5%
197出来to come out; to appearchū lái0.060%64.5%
198不要don't!; must notbú yào0.060%64.6%
199对不起I'm sorry; excuse meduì bù qǐ0.060%64.7%
200问to ask; to inquirewèn0.060%64.7%
201离开to depart; to leavelí kāi0.060%64.8%
202一点a bit; a littleyì diǎn0.060%64.8%
203一定surely; certainlyyí dìng0.060%64.9%
204起to rise; to raiseqǐ0.060%65.0%
205还是still; had betterhái shì0.060%65.0%
206发现to notice; to become aware offā xiàn0.060%65.1%
207所actually; placesuǒ0.060%65.2%
208住to live; to dwellzhù0.060%65.2%
209件item; componentjiàn0.060%65.3%
210正straight; uprightzhèng0.060%65.3%
211而且but also; moreoverér qiě0.060%65.4%
212并and; furthermorebìng0.060%65.5%
213必须to have to; mustbì xū0.060%65.5%
214意思idea; opinionyì si0.060%65.6%
215放to put; to placefàng0.060%65.6%
216不错correct; rightbù cuò0.060%65.7%
217肯定to be certain; to be positivekěn dìng0.060%65.8%
218电话telephone; phone calldiàn huà0.050%65.8%
219为了for; for the purpose ofwèi le0.050%65.8%
220搞to do; to makegǎo0.050%65.9%
221棒stick; clubbàng0.050%66.0%
222第一first; number onedì yī0.050%66.0%
223妈ma; mommā0.050%66.0%
224地earth; grounddì0.050%66.1%
225进to go forward; to advancejìn0.050%66.2%
226那样that kind; that sortnà yàng0.050%66.2%
227大家everyone; influential familydà jiā0.050%66.2%
228新new; newlyxīn0.050%66.3%
229您younín0.050%66.3%
230向towards; to facexiàng0.050%66.4%
231一些some; a fewyī xiē0.050%66.5%
232三three; 3sān0.050%66.5%
233那里there; that placenà lǐ0.050%66.5%
234以为to thinkyǐ wéi0.050%66.6%
235高兴happy; gladgāo xìng0.050%66.7%
236嘛obviously! (points out something the listener should already know)ma0.050%66.7%
237老old; venerablelǎo0.050%66.8%
238位position; locationwèi0.050%66.8%
239过来to come over; to manageguò lái0.050%66.8%
240掉to fall; to dropdiào0.050%66.9%
241先early; priorxiān0.050%67.0%
242等等et cetera; and so onděng děng0.050%67.0%
243生活to live; lifeshēng huó0.050%67.0%
244之of (formal, old-fashioned way to say "'s")zhī0.050%67.1%
245买to buy; to purchasemǎi0.050%67.2%
246种seed; specieszhǒng0.050%67.2%
247医生doctoryī shēng0.050%67.2%
248最后final; lastzuì hòu0.050%67.3%
249之前before; prior tozhī qián0.050%67.3%
250伙计partner; fellowhuǒ jì0.040%67.4%

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