Basic Mandarin Chinese Vocabulary: Pronouns, Question Words, and Common Phrases

nǐ

你 (you, informal)

wǒ

我

(I)

tā

他

(he/him)

men

们

(plural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals)

zhè

这

(this; these; now)

nà

那

(pronoun - that | conjunction - then; in that case)

shuí (or shéi)

谁

(pronoun - who, someone/anyone)

shén

什

(what)

me

么

(suffix used in interogatives, pronouns, and adverbs)

nǎ

哪

(for questions - which; what)

ér

儿

(noun - child/youngster/son | affix/suffix - can express smallness, form other words)

shí

时

(noun - time)

hòu

候

(verb - wait; await)

gè

个

(measure word)

wéi

为

(verb - do; act; handle; govern)

zěn

怎

(why; how)

shì

是

(verb - “be” before nouns/pronouns; yes/right)

yào

要

(verb - want | noun - main points/essentials | adjective - important)

xiǎng

想

(verb - think; ponder; want to; wish to; feel like (doing sth.))

shuō

说

(verb - speak; talk; say)

xǐ

喜

(noun - happy event | verb - fond of; like | adjective - happy; delighted)

huān

欢

(adjective - joyous; merry; jubilant)

qù

去

(go; go to (a place))

lái

来

(verb - come (to); arrive)

gěi

给

(verb - give; grant; present)

ràng

让

(verb - give way; give ground

xué

学

(to learn; to study; learning)

dài

带

(noun - belt; band | verb - to take; bring; carry)

yǒu

有

(to have; possess; there is)

jiào

叫

(to cry; shout; call)

wèn

问

(to ask; inquire)

zài

在

(to exist; be at)

dà

大

(big; large)

xiǎo

小

(small; little)

duō

多

(many; much; more)

shǎo

少

(verb - be short of; lack | adjective - few; little; less)

hǎo

好

(good; fine; nice)

piào

漂

(come to nothing; fall through)

liàng

亮

(verb - shine; light; brighten | adjective - bright; light)

xīn

新

(new; fresh; up-to-date)

jiù

旧

(past; bygone; old)

lǎo

老

(old; aged)

hóng

红

(red)

sè

色

(color)

de

的

(suffix)

bái

白

(white; clear)

hēi

黑

(black; dark)

hěn

很

(very; very much; quite)

fēi

非

(wrong; error)

cháng

常

(ordinary; common; normal | always; frequently)

bù

不

(no)

méi

没

(not have)

yě

也

(also; too; as well)

dōu

都

(all)

yǐ

已

(already; to stop; then; afterwards)

jīng

经

(verb - pass through; experience | adjective - constant; regular | classic works)

bà

爸

(dad)

mā

妈

(mom)

péng

朋

(friend)

shī

师

(teacher; tutor; master)

zhōng

中

(center; middle — as in the “Middle” Kingdom)

guó

国

(country; nation)

měi

美

(beauty; beautiful)

míng

名

(name)

zì

字

(word; character)

rén

人

(person; people)

dōng

东

(east; host; master/owner)

xī

西

(west)

jīn

今

(modern; present-day; now)

tiān

天

(sky; heaven; day)

zuó

昨

(yesterday; the past)

xīng

星
(star)

qī

期

(a period of time; phase; stage)

zhōu

周

(week)

mò

末

(tip; end)

zǎo

早

(morning; early; in advance)

shàng

上

(upper; higher; most recent; to climb; to attend (class))

wǔ

午

(noon; midday)

xià

下

(under; underneath; later; next)

wǎn

晚

(evening; night)

ma

吗

(question particle)

zhe

着

(added to a verb or adjective to indicate continued action or state)

le

了

(after a verb or adjective to indicate the completion of an action)

guò

过

(cross; pass; spend (time))

ā

啊

(at the end of a sentence to express enthusasium/impatience/etc.)

hé

和

(and; gentle; mild)

gēn

跟

(follow)

yīn

因

(cause; reason; because)

suǒ

所

(actually; place; measure word)

dàn

但

(but; yet; nevertheless)