HSK 1 Vocabulary List (HSK 3.0)

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HSK 1 in the 2021 standard (HSK 3.0) covers roughly 500 words and 300 characters — noticeably bigger than the old HSK 2.0 Level 1's 150 words. It covers pronouns, numbers, family words, basic verbs, and classroom survival vocabulary.

498words at this level
500 wordscumulative through HSK 1
~300 characterscharacters required
A1approx. CEFR

Download HSK 1 list as CSV (free)

At HSK 1 vocabulary you're at the very start of the reading ladder: single sentences and two-line dialogues. Matched micro-stories work; native text doesn't yet. See how many characters you need to read Chinese for the full data, or study this list as flashcards and meet every word in graded stories.

SimplifiedTraditionalPinyinMeaning
àito love; to like
爱好愛好àihàohobby; interest
爸爸bà ba(coll.) father; dad
báiwhite
eight
白天bái tiāndaytime; during the day
bānclass; work shift
bǎihundred
bamodal particle indicating suggestion
bànhalf; semi-; incomplete; (after a number) and a half
半年bàn niánhalf a year
半天bàn tiānhalf of the day; quite a while
bāngto help
帮忙幫忙bāng mángto help; to lend a hand
bāobag; to wrap
包子bāo zisteamed bun
bēicup; glass; measure word for drinks
杯子bēi zicup; glass
北边北邊běi biānnorth side; northern part; to the north of
běnclassifier for books; this; original
北京běi jīngBeijing
běinorth
本子běn zinotebook
biédon't; other; do not
别的別的bié deother; something else
别人別人bié renother people; others
bìngillness; sick
病人bìng rénpatient
compared to; than
不大bù dànot very
不客气不客氣bù kè qiyou're welcome
不用bù yòngdon't need to
càidish; vegetable
不对不對bù duìwrong, incorrect
chàpoor; bad
no; not
chátea
常常cháng chángfrequently; often
chángoften; common
chēcar; vehicle
唱歌chàng gēto sing (a song)
车上車上chē shàngin/on the car
车票車票chē piàoticket (for transport)
chàngto sing
chīto eat
车站車站chē zhànstation
吃饭吃飯chī fànto eat (a meal)
出来出來chū láito come out
chūto go out
出去chū qùto go out
chuángbed
time (occurrence)
穿chuānto wear
cuòwrong; incorrect
cóngfrom
to hit; to play
打车打車dǎ chēto take a taxi
打电话打電話dǎ diàn huàto make a phone call
打开打開dǎ kāito open
打球dǎ qiúto play ball
大学大學dà xuéuniversity
big; large
大学生大學生dà xué shēnguniversity student
得到dé dàoto get; to receive
dàoto arrive; to reach
děngto wait
地点地點dì diǎnplace; location
de-ly (adverb particle)
地方dì fāngplace
地上dì shangon the ground; on the floor
depossessive particle
地图地圖dì túmap
弟弟dì diyounger brother
prefix for ordinal numbers
diǎno'clock; point; dot
电话電話diàn huàphone
diànelectricity
电脑電腦diàn nǎocomputer
电视机電視機diàn shì jītelevision set; TV
电影電影diàn yǐngmovie
电视電視diàn shìTV
电影院電影院diàn yǐng yuànmovie theater
东边東邊dōng bianeast side
dōngeast
东西東西dōng xithing; stuff; object
dòngto move; to act
动作動作dòng zuòmovement; action
to read; to study
dōuall; both
读书讀書dú shūto study; to read
对不起對不起duì bù qǐsorry
duōmany; much
多少duō shǎohow much; how many
儿子兒子ér zison
饿èhungry
duìright; correct
èrtwo
fànfood; meal
饭店飯店fàn diànhotel (usual meaning in Taiwan); restaurant (usual meaning in Mainland China)
房间房間fáng jiānroom
房子fáng zihouse
fàngto put; to place
放假fàng jiàto have a holiday
fēito fly
放学放學fàng xuéto get out of school (for the day)
飞机飛機fēi jīairplane
非常fēi chángvery; extremely
fēnto divide; minute (unit of time); a point (in sports or games)
fēngwind
gāndry
干净乾淨gān jìngclean
高兴高興gāo xìnghappy
gāotall; high; surname Gao
告诉告訴gào sùto tell
哥哥gē geolder brother
song
干什么幹什麼gàn shén mewhat are you doing
general measure word
gěito give
gēnwith
工人gōng rénworker
工作gōng zuòto work; job
guānto close; to turn off
关上關上guān shàngto close (a door); to turn off (light, electrical equipment etc)
guócountry
国家國家guó jiācountry
guìexpensive
国外國外guó wàiabroad
还是還是hái shior; had better
孩子hái zichild
还有還有hái yǒualso; in addition
guòto pass; past experience
汉语漢語hàn yǔChinese language
háistill; yet
汉字漢字hàn zìChinese character
hǎogood
好吃hǎo chīdelicious
好看hǎo kàngood-looking; beautiful
好听好聽hǎo tīngpleasant to hear; nice sounding
好玩hǎo wánfun
hàonumber; day of the month
to drink
and; with
hěnvery
hòubehind; after
后边後邊hòu bianbehind; at the back
huàspeech; words
后天後天hòu tiānthe day after tomorrow
huàibad; spoiled; broken
回答huí dáto reply; to answer
huíto go back; to answer; to return
huāflower; to spend (money, time)
回到huí dàoto return to
回家huí jiāto return home
回去huí quto return; to go back
回来回來huí laito return; to come back
huìcan; to know how to; meeting
火车火車huǒ chētrain
机场機場jī chǎngairport
鸡蛋雞蛋jī dàn(chicken) egg
机票機票jī piàoair ticket; passenger ticket
how many; several; a few
记得記得jì deto remember
记住記住jì zhuto remember; to keep in mind; to learn by heart
jiāhome; family
to record; to note; to remember
家里家裡jiā lǐat home; inside the house
见面見面jiàn miànto meet; to see each other
jiāoto teach
家人jiā rénfamily members
jiānroom; between; among; classifier for rooms
jiànto see; to meet
jiàoto call; to be called
教学楼教學樓jiào xué lóuschool building
介绍介紹jiè shàoto introduce; introduction
今年jīn niánthis year
姐姐jiě jieolder sister
今天jīn tiāntoday
jìnto enter; to advance
进来進來jìn láito come in
进去進去jìn qùto go in
jiùthen; just; precisely
觉得覺得jué deto think; to feel
jiǔnine; 9
kāito open; to turn on
开车開車kāi chēto drive a car
开会開會kāi huìto hold a meeting; to attend a meeting
开玩笑開玩笑kāi wán xiàoto joke; to make fun of
kànto look; to watch; to see
看病kàn bìngto visit a doctor; to see a patient
看到kàn dàoto see
kǎoto test; to take an exam
看见看見kàn jiànto see; to catch sight of
考试考試kǎo shìto take an exam; exam
thirsty
subject; course; class; lesson
课本課本kè běntextbook
课文課文kè wéntext of a lesson; reading passage (in a textbook)
kǒumouth; classifier for bites or mouthfuls
kuàilump; chunk; piece; classifier for money and objects
kuàifast; quick; soon
láito come; to arrive
来到來到lái dàoto arrive; to come to
lǎoold; aged; experienced
老人lǎo rénelderly person; old person
老师老師lǎo shīteacher
le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
lèitired; weary
lěngcold
inside; interior; within
里边裡邊lǐ bianinside
liǎngtwo; both
língzero
liùsix; 6
lóubuilding; floor
楼上樓上lóu shàngupstairs
楼下樓下lóu xiàdownstairs
路口lù kǒuintersection; crossing
路上lù shangon the road; on the way
妈妈媽媽mā mamom
马路馬路mǎ lùstreet; road
road; path; way
马上馬上mǎ shàngright away; immediately
mǎito buy
ma(question particle)
mànslow
mángbusy
máohair; fur; feather; one tenth of a yuan (dime, colloquial)
méinot; have not
没关系沒關係méi guān xiit doesn't matter
没什么沒什麼méi shén meit's nothing; never mind
没有沒有méi yǒudon't have; haven't
没事沒事méi shìit's nothing; never mind
妹妹mèi meiyounger sister
méndoor; gate
门口門口mén kǒudoorway; entrance
门票門票mén piàoticket
米饭米飯mǐ fàncooked rice
menplural marker for pronouns
面包麵包miàn bāobread
面条麵條miàn tiáonoodles
名字míng ziname
明白míng baito understand
明年míng niánnext year
明天míng tiāntomorrow
which; where
哪里哪裏nǎ lǐwhere
哪儿哪兒nǎrwhere
哪些nǎ xiēwhich ones
to take; to hold
那边那邊nà bianover there; that side
that; those
那里那裏nà lithere
那些nà xiēthose
nǎimilk
那儿那兒nàrthere
奶奶nǎi naipaternal grandmother
男孩儿男孩兒nán háirboy
男朋友nán péng youboyfriend
nánmale
男生nán shēngboy; guy
nánsouth
男人nán réna man; a male
南边南邊nán biansouth; south side
nequestion particle
nándifficult
you
néngcan; to be able to
你们你們nǐ menyou (plural)
nínyou (polite)
牛奶niú nǎicow's milk
female
niányear
女孩nǚ háigirl
女儿女兒nǚ érdaughter
女生nǚ shēnggirl
女朋友nǚ péng yǒugirlfriend
旁边旁邊páng biānbeside; next to
pǎoto run
女人nǚ rénwoman
朋友péng youfriend
piàoticket
seven
起床qǐ chuángto get up; to get out of bed
起来起來qǐ laito rise; to get up
to get up
汽车汽車qì chēcar
qiánfront; before
前边前邊qián bianin front of
qiánmoney
钱包錢包qián bāopurse; wallet
qǐngplease; to invite
前天qián tiānthe day before yesterday
请假請假qǐng jiàto request leave; to ask for time off
请问請問qǐng wènexcuse me, may I ask...?
请进請進qǐng jìnplease come in
请坐請坐qǐng zuòplease have a seat
qiúball
去年qù niánlast year
hot
rénperson; people
认识認識rèn shito know; to recognize
认真認真rèn zhēnserious; earnest
to go
sun; day
日期rì qīdate
ròumeat
shānmountain
商场商場shāng chǎngshopping mall
shàngup; on
sānthree
商店shāng diànstore; shop
上班shàng bānto go to work
上车上車shàng chēto get on or into (a bus, train, car etc)
上课上課shàng kèto go to class; to attend class
上网上網shàng wǎngto go online; to connect to the Internet
上边上邊shàng bianabove; on top
上学上學shàng xuéto go to school
上午shàng wǔmorning
shǎofew; little
上次shàng cìlast time
身上shēn shangon the body
shéiwho
身体身體shēn tǐbody; health
生病shēng bìngto get sick
生气生氣shēng qìto be angry
shíten
时候時候shí houtime; when
时间時間shí jiāntime
shìmatter; thing
shìto try
生日shēng rìbirthday
是不是shì bù shìisn't it?; right?
shìto be; correct
手机手機shǒu jīcell phone
shǒuhand
书包書包shū bāoschoolbag
shūbook
书店書店shū diànbookstore
shùtree
shuǐwater
水果shuǐ guǒfruit
shuìto sleep
shuōto speak; to say
说话說話shuō huàto speak; to talk
睡觉睡覺shuì jiàoto sleep
sòngto give (as a gift); to send; to deliver; to escort or see off
four
suìyears old
他们他們tā menthey
什么什麼shén mewhat
she
她们她們tā menthey (female)
tiānday; sky
he; him
tàitoo; very
天气天氣tiān qìweather
听到聽到tīng dàoto hear
听见聽見tīng jiànto hear
听写聽寫tīng xiědictation
tīngto listen; to hear
图书馆圖書館tú shū guǎnlibrary
wàioutside
外边外邊wài bianoutside
同学同學tóng xuéclassmate
外国外國wài guóforeign country
玩儿玩兒wánrto play
wǎnlate
晚饭晚飯wǎn fàndinner
晚上wǎn shangevening
网上網上wǎng shàngonline
网友網友wǎng yǒuonline friend; Internet user
外语外語wài yǔforeign language
忘记忘記wàng jìto forget
wàngto forget
wènto ask
我们我們wǒ menwe; us
I; me
five
午饭午飯wǔ fànlunch
西west
西边西邊xī biānwest side
to wash
洗手间洗手間xǐ shǒu jiānbathroom
喜欢喜歡xǐ huanto like
xiàdown; next
下班xià bānto get off work
下边下邊xià bianbelow; under
下车下車xià chēto get off (a bus, train, car etc)
下次xià cìnext time
下课下課xià kèto finish class
下午xià wǔafternoon; p.m.
下雨xià yǔto rain
xiānfirst; before
先生xiān shengmister; sir
xiǎngto think; to want
现在現在xiàn zàinow
xiǎosmall; little
小孩儿小孩兒xiǎo háirchild
小姐xiǎo jiemiss
小时小時xiǎo shíhour
小朋友xiǎo péng yǒuchild
小学小學xiǎo xuéelementary school
小学生小學生xiǎo xué shēngelementary student
xiàoto laugh
xiěto write
谢谢謝謝xiè xiethank you
xīnnew
新年xīn niánNew Year
星期xīng qīweek
星期日xīng qī rìSunday
星期天xīng qī tiānSunday
xíngokay
休息xiū xito rest
学生學生xué shengstudent
xuéto learn
学习學習xué xíto study
学校學校xué xiàoschool
学院學院xué yuàncollege
yàoto want; will
爷爷爺爺yé yepaternal grandfather
page
衣服yī fuclothes
also
医生醫生yī shēngdoctor
医院醫院yī yuànhospital
one
一会儿一會兒yī huìra while
一块儿一塊兒yí kuàirtogether
一下儿一下兒yí xiàrfor a moment
一半yī bànhalf
一边一邊yī biānwhile; on one side
一点儿一點兒yī diǎnra little
一起yī qǐtogether
一些yī xiēsome
一样一樣yī yàngsame
有的yǒu desome
yǒuto have
有名yǒu míngfamous
yòngto use
有时候有時候yǒu shí housometimes
有些yǒu xiēsome
有用yǒu yònguseful
yòuright (side)
右边右邊yòu bianright side
rain
yuányuan (currency)
yuǎnfar
yuèmoon; month
zàiagain
再见再見zài jiàngoodbye; see you later
zàito be (located); at; in
在家zài jiāto be at home
zǎoearly
早饭早飯zǎo fànbreakfast
早上zǎo shangmorning; early morning
怎么怎麼zěn mehow?; what?
zhànstation; to stand
zhǎoto look for; to seek
找到zhǎo dàoto find
这边這邊zhè biānthis side; here
zhèthis
这里這裡zhè lǐhere
这儿這兒zhèrhere
这些這些zhè xiēthese
zhe(aspect particle) indicating ongoing action
zhēnreally; truly
真的zhēn dereally; truly
zhèngjust; exactly; proper
正在zhèng zàiin the middle of (an action)
知道zhī dàoto know; to be aware
知识知識zhī shiknowledge
中国中國zhōng guóChina
zhōngmiddle; center
中间中間zhōng jiānmiddle; center
中文zhōng wénChinese language
中午zhōng wǔnoon; midday
中学中學zhōng xuémiddle school
中学生中學生zhōng xué shēngmiddle-school student
zhòngheavy
重要zhòng yàoimportant; significant
zhùto live; to reside
准备準備zhǔn bèito prepare
桌子zhuō zitable; desk
character; word
子 (桌子)zi (zhuō zi)noun suffix (table)
zǒuto walk; to go
zuìmost; -est
走路zǒu lùto walk; to go on foot
最好zuì hǎobest; had better
最后最後zuì hòufinal; last; finally
昨天zuó tiānyesterday
左边左邊zuǒ bianleft side
zuǒleft
zuòto sit; to take (a bus, etc.)
坐下zuò xiato sit down
zuòto do; to make
huánto return; to pay back

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