Mandarin Level 1 – Vocabulary & Key Concepts (Lessons 1-4)

73 vocabulary flashcards covering all required Hanzi, key proper names, and essential tone/stroke-order rules from Lessons 1-4 and exam guidelines.

一

(yī)

二

(èr)

三

(sān)

四

(sì)

五

(wǔ)

六

(liù)

七

(qī)

八

(bā)

九

(jiǔ)

十

(shí)

我

(wǒ)

你

(nǐ)

他

(tā)

吗

yes-no question particle(ma)

呢

bounce-back question particle (“and … ?”)(ne)

好

(hǎo)

忙

(máng)

要

(yào)

喝

(hē)

男

(nán)

不

(bù)

爸爸

(bàba)

妈妈

(māma)

朋友

(péngyou)

哥哥

(gēge)

弟弟

(dìdi)

很

(hěn)

都

(dōu)

也

(yě)

我们

(wǒmen)

他们

(tāmen)

咖啡

(kāfēi)

您

(nín) (polite)

她

(tā)

这

(zhè)

是

(shì)

那

(nà)

哪

(nǎ)

陈

surname Chen

谁

(shéi)

人

(rén)

国

(guó)

中国

(Zhōngguó)

奶奶

(nǎinai)

外婆

(wàipó)

外语 (wàiyǔ)

foreign language

老师 (lǎoshī)

teacher

医生 (yīshēng)

doctor

的 (de)

possessive particle (“’s”, “of”)

叫 (jiào)

to be called; to call

杨 (Yáng)

surname Yang

可以 (kěyǐ)

can; may; be allowed to

进来 (jìnlái)

to come in

高兴 (gāoxìng)

happy; glad

认识 (rènshi)

to know (a person)

请问 (qǐngwèn)

may I ask…

什么 (shénme)

what

记者 (jìzhě)

reporter; journalist

贵姓 (guìxìng)

your honourable surname (polite)

汉语 (Hànyǔ)

Chinese language

英语 (Yīngyǔ)

English language

语言 (yǔyán)

language

学生 (xuésheng)

student

先生 (xiānsheng)

Mr.; gentleman

美国 (Měiguó)

America

英国 (Yīngguó)

England

学习 (xuéxí)

to study; to learn

学院 (xuéyuàn)

institute; college

加拿大 (Jiānádà)

Canada

丁力波 (Dīng Lìbō)

foreign student from Canada (surname Dīng)

林娜 (Lín Nà)

female student (surname Lín)

马大为 (Mǎ Dàwéi)

foreign student from the USA (surname Mǎ)

陆雨平 (Lù Yǔpíng)

Chinese journalist (surname Lù)

Tone Mark Rule – Single Vowel

Place the tone mark above the single vowel letter.

Tone Mark Rule – Two Vowels

If “a” or “o” is present, mark it; otherwise mark “e”, then “i/u/ü” in that order.

Tone Mark Rule – Three Vowels

Put the tone mark over the middle vowel.

Tone Mark on “i”

When a tone mark is placed on ‘i’, the dot is removed.

Tone Mark Rule – “iu / ui”

For the diphthongs “iu” and “ui”, mark the last vowel.

Tone Sandhi of “不 (bù)”

“bù” becomes “bú” before another 4th-tone syllable; otherwise it stays “bù”.

Stroke Order: Top to Bottom

Write strokes that are higher before lower ones.

Stroke Order: Left to Right

Write left components before right ones.

Stroke Order: 横(héng) before 竖(shù)

Horizontal strokes are written before vertical strokes.

Stroke Order: 撇(piě) before 捺(nà)

Left-falling stroke before right-falling stroke.

Stroke Order: Outside to Inside (Semi-enclosed)

Write the outer frame first, inside next.

Stroke Order: Outside, Inside, then Closing (Fully Enclosed)

Write the frame, then interior, then close the frame.

Stroke Order: Middle to Sides (Symmetrical)

Write the central stroke first, then the symmetrical sides.

Basic Character Structures

single component, top-bottom, left-right, triangle, semi-enclosed, fully enclosed.