The words of a first Chinese class: people, books, characters and questions.
Practise this list
From these 41 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
These are the words a language class runs on, from the first lesson: who teaches, what is read and written, and how to say that something was not understood. Two pairs need care. 汉语 and 中文 both mean Chinese and are both used every day; and 字, a character, is not the same as 词, a word, which may be written with one character or with several.
The words
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Verb (5)
学习to study; to learnVerb1
我在北京学习汉语。I am studying Chinese in Beijing.
上课to have class; class beginsVerb1
我们八点上课。Our class starts at eight.
Separable: 上汉语课, to have a Chinese class.
下课to finish class; class is overVerb1
下课以后我去吃饭。After class I am going to get something to eat.
明白to understand; clearVerb1
我明白你的意思了。I see what you mean now.
认识to know (a person); to recogniseVerb1
认识你很高兴。Nice to meet you.
For people and characters you know by sight; knowing a fact is 知道.
Noun (31)
学生student; pupilNoun1
我是学生，不是老师。I am a student, not a teacher.
老师teacherNoun1
王老师是北京人。Teacher Wang is from Beijing.
Also a polite form of address after a surname, for men and women alike.
声调tone (of a syllable)Noun1
汉语有四个声调。Chinese has four tones.
Besides the four there is a neutral tone, which has no mark in pinyin.
中学生secondary school pupilNoun1
我妹妹是中学生。My younger sister is at secondary school.
汉语Chinese (the language)Noun1
你的汉语很好。Your Chinese is very good.
The usual word in a language class; 中文 is the usual one on books, signs and websites.
中文Chinese (the language, especially written)Noun1
这本书是中文的。This book is in Chinese.
英语English (the language)Noun1
你会说英语吗？Can you speak English?
普通话Mandarin; standard ChineseNoun1
他的普通话说得很好。He speaks very good standard Chinese.
The standard spoken language, as opposed to the regional varieties of Chinese.
拼音pinyin (Chinese spelt in Latin letters)Noun1
这个字的拼音是什么？What is the pinyin for this character?
字character; written signNoun1
这个字我不认识。I don't know this character.
Measure word: 个.
汉字Chinese characterNoun1
我今天学了五个汉字。Today I learned five characters.
词wordNoun1
这个词是什么意思？What does this word mean?
A word may have one character or several: 书 is one word, and so is 图书馆.
生词new word (in a lesson)Noun1
第三课有二十个生词。Lesson three has twenty new words.
句子sentenceNoun1
这个句子我不懂。I don't understand this sentence.
课文text (of a lesson)Noun1
今天的课文不长。Today's text is not long.
书bookNoun1
我买了一本中文书。I bought a Chinese book.
Measure word: 本.
课本textbookNoun1
请打开课本。Please open your textbooks.
本子notebook; exercise bookNoun1
你的本子在桌子上。Your notebook is on the table.
笔pen; anything to write withNoun1
我没有笔，你有吗？I haven't got a pen. Have you?
Measure word: 支.
铅笔pencilNoun1
这是谁的铅笔？Whose pencil is this?
纸paperNoun1
请给我一张纸。Please give me a sheet of paper.
Measure word for a sheet: 张.
书包school bagNoun1
书包里有三本书。There are three books in the school bag.
词典dictionaryNoun1
这本词典很好。This dictionary is very good.
课class; lessonNoun1
今天下午没有课。There are no classes this afternoon.
考试exam; to take an examNoun1
明天有汉语考试。There is a Chinese exam tomorrow.
问题question; problemNoun1
老师，我有一个问题。Excuse me, I have a question.
Both a question and a problem: 没问题, no problem.
意思meaningNoun1
这是什么意思？What does this mean?
留学生international studentNoun1
我们班有十个留学生。There are ten international students in our class.
大学生university studentNoun1
我哥哥是大学生。My older brother is a university student.
学生证student cardNoun1
买票的时候可以用学生证。You can use your student card when you buy a ticket.
题question (in an exercise or exam)Noun1
第五题怎么做？How do you do question five?
Phrase (4)
怎么说how do you sayPhrase1
这个用汉语怎么说？How do you say this in Chinese?
怎么写how do you writePhrase1
你的名字怎么写？How do you write your name?
听不懂cannot understand (what is heard)Phrase1
您说得太快，我听不懂。You are speaking too fast; I cannot follow.
The opposite is 听得懂, can follow.
再说一遍say it againPhrase1
对不起，请您再说一遍。Sorry, could you say that again, please?
