100 Basic Chinese Characters and Introduction to Chinese Writing

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the introductory facts about the Chinese writing system, pinyin pronunciation, and the definitions of 100 basic characters.

Chinese writing system

The oldest continuously-used system in the world and the only major logosyllabary still in use.

Logosyllabary

The type of writing system exemplified by Chinese, which is the only major system of its kind still in use.

Characters needed for literacy

About $4,000$ characters, despite tens of thousands of characters having been created over the centuries.

Pinyin

The system used to represent standard Mandarin pronunciation.

大 (dà)

big / great

小 (xiǎo)

small

一 (ут)

one

二 (èr)

two

三 (sān)

three

十 (shí)

ten

百 (bǎi)

hundred

千 (qiān)

thousand

多 (duō)

much / many

不 (bù)

not

人 (rén)

person

夫 (fū)

man

子 (zǐ)

child

男 (nán)

male

女 (nů)

female

王 (wáng)

king

主 (zhů)

master

我 (wŏ)

I

你 (nĭ)

you

他 (tā)

he/she

口 (kǒu)

mouth

说 (shuō)

speak

目 (mù)

eye

见 (jiàn)

look

耳 (ĕr)

ear

闻 (wén)

hear

手 (shou)

hand

工 (gōng)

work

脚 (jiǎo)

foot

行 (xíng)

go

来 (lái)

come

入 (rù)

enter

出 (chū)

exit

上 (shàng)

up / on

下 (xià)

down / under

中 (zhōng)

center

在 (zài)

located at/in

左 (zuo)

left

右 (you)

right

有 (you)

have

吃 (chi)

eat

饭 (fàn)

rice (cooked)

菜 (cài)

vegetable

豆 (dòu)

bean

肉 (ròu)

meat

牛 (niú)

cow

猪 (zhū)

pig

鸡 (jī)

chicken

鱼 (yú)

fish

茶 (chá)

tea

国 (guó)

nation

家 (jiā)

home

校 (xiào)

school

文 (wén)

text

学 (xué)

learn

狗 (gou)

dog

猫 (mão)

cat

马 (mǎ)

horse

鸟 (niǎo)

bird

虫 (chóng)

insect

日 (rì)

sun / day

月 (yuè)

moon/ month

天 (tiān)

sky

地 (dì)

land

海 (hǎi)

sea

木 (mù)

wood

火 (huŏ)

fire

土 (tŭ)

earth

金 (jin)

metal/gold

水 (shuĭ)

water

气 (qì)

air

干 (gān)

dry

雨 (уй)

rain

山 (shān)

mountain

川 (chuān)

river

米 (mĭ)

rice (grain)

田 (tián)

field

花 (huā)

flower

石 (shí)

stone

玉 (уй)

jade

村 (cũn)

village

店 (diàn)

shop

车 (che)

vehicle

衣 (ут)

clothes

白 (bái)

white

黑 (hei)

black

红 (hóng)

red

蓝 (lán)

blue

绿 (lù)

green

黄 (huáng)

yellow

是 (shì)

be

心 (xin)

heart / mind

好 (hǎo)

good

爱 (ài)

love

喜

happiness

幸 (xing)

luck