Best Flashcard Sets to Learn Mandarin Chinese Vocabulary (Hanzi, Pinyin, Tones & HSK 1–4)
Master the 480 most important everyday Mandarin Chinese words across 15 thematic flashcard decks (HSK 1–4 / CEFR A1–B2), with Simplified Hanzi, tone-marked Pinyin, measure words, and natural example sentences.
Interactive Premade Curricula
Chinese Flashcard Decks (15)
Select any deck below to study cards with active recall, audio pronunciation, and FSRS spaced repetition, or filter by difficulty level.
Chinese — Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases
Chinese — Numbers, Days of the Week & Basic Time Expressions
Chinese — Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects
Chinese — Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant
Chinese — Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries
Chinese — Family, People, Friends & Relationships
Chinese — Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors
Chinese — Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy
Chinese — Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather
Chinese — Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions
Chinese — City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands
Chinese — School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions
Chinese — Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs
Chinese — Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites
Chinese — Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies
Start learning Chinese right away:
Learning Mandarin Chinese (中文 — Zhōngwén / 普通话 — Pǔtōnghuà) connects you directly with over 1.1 billion speakers across Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore, and global communities around the world. While beginners are often intimidated by Chinese characters (汉字 — Hànzì) and four-tone pronunciation (拼音 — Pīnyīn), Mandarin actually rewards learners with one of the cleanest, most regular grammar systems on Earth: no verb conjugations, no grammatical gender, no plural noun endings, and no case declensions!
Once you master core everyday words in context—pairing Hanzi characters, tone-marked Pinyin, and natural SVO example sentences—building sentences in Mandarin feels like snapping together Lego bricks.
In this visual study guide, we break down the five pillars of Mandarin vocabulary mastery and walk you through all 15 Essential Thematic Mandarin Chinese Flashcard Decks (480 core words total) on Flashcards World.
Why Learning Concrete Everyday Mandarin Words First Works Best
1. Mastering the 4 Tones + Neutral Tone (四声与轻声)
Mandarin Chinese is a tonal language where the pitch contour of a syllable determines its meaning. Never memorize Pinyin letters without their tone marks!
| Tone | Pitch Contour | Pinyin Example | Hanzi & Meaning | Flashcard Example from Our Decks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Tone (一声) | High and level (55) |
mā | 妈 (mother) | 妈妈 (māma) — 妈妈做的饭真香 (Mom's cooking smells delicious) |
| 2nd Tone (二声) | Rising from mid to high (35) |
má / chá | 麻 (hemp) / 茶 (tea) | 茶 (chá) — 请喝一杯热绿茶 (Please drink a cup of hot green tea) |
| 3rd Tone (三声) | Dipping low then rising (214) |
mǎ / shuǐ | 马 (horse) / 水 (water) | 水 (shuǐ) — 请给我一杯冷水 (Please give me a glass of cold water) |
| 4th Tone (四声) | Sharp falling from high (51) |
mà / fàn | 骂 (scold) / 饭 (rice/meal) | 米饭 (mǐfàn) — 我想加一碗米饭 (I'd like to add a bowl of rice) |
| Neutral Tone (轻声) | Light, short, unstressed | ma / de | 吗 (question) / 的 (of) | 你好，今天好吗？ (Hello, how is today?) |
2. Essential Tone Sandhi Rules (变调 — Biàndiào)
In natural spoken Mandarin, tones flow smoothly thanks to three automatic tone sandhi rules that you will hear across our flashcard audio and sentences:
- Third-Tone Sandhi (
3 + 3 → 2 + 3): When two 3rd-tone syllables appear back-to-back, the first one is pronounced as a rising 2nd tone (though still written as 3rd tone in standard Pinyin): 你好 (nǐ hǎo → pronounced ní hǎo), 冷水 (lěng shuǐ → pronounced léng shuǐ). 不 (bù)Tone Change (bù + 4th tone → bú): The negation word 不 (bù) shifts to rising 2nd tone bú before another 4th-tone syllable: 不是 (bú shì — is not), 不错 (bú cuò — not bad), 不用谢 (bú yòng xiè — you're welcome).一 (yī)Tone Change: 一 (yī) stays 1st tone when counting (一、二、三), shifts to 4th tone yì before 1st/2nd/3rd tones (一杯水 yì bēi shuǐ "a glass of water", 一起 yìqǐ "together"), and shifts to 2nd tone yí before a 4th tone (一个 yí gè "one item").
3. Decoding High-Frequency Hanzi Radicals (部首 — Bùshǒu)
Over 80% of Chinese characters are semantic-phonetic compounds (形声字): one component (the radical) hints at the category of meaning, while the other hints at pronunciation. Recognizing just 8 everyday radicals turns unfamiliar characters into logical stories:
| Radical | Meaning Category | Core Flashcard Examples Across Decks 1–15 |
|---|---|---|
| 氵 (3 drops) | Water / Liquids | 水 (shuǐ water), 汤 (tāng soup), 洗 (xǐ wash), 海 (hǎi sea), 河 (hé river), 渴 (kě thirsty) |
| 口 (mouth) | Eating / Speaking / Calls | 喝 (hē drink), 吃 (chī eat), 咖啡 (kāfēi coffee), 嘴 (zuǐ mouth), 唱 (chàng sing) |
| 艹 (grass top) | Plants / Fruits / Tea | 茶 (chá tea), 苹果 (píngguǒ apple), 草莓 (cǎoméi strawberry), 花 (huā flower), 草 (cǎo grass), 药 (yào medicine) |
| 木 (tree/wood) | Trees / Wooden Furniture | 树 (shù tree), 森林 (sēnlín forest), 桌 (zhuō table), 椅 (yǐ chair), 床 (chuáng bed), 桥 (qiáo bridge) |
| 女 (woman) | Female / Family Kinship | 妈妈 (māma mother), 姐姐/妹妹 (jiějie/mèimei sister), 妻子 (qīzi wife), 她 (tā she), 好 (hǎo good) |
| 讠 (speech) | Language / Communication | 请 (qǐng please), 谢谢 (xièxie thank you), 说 (shuō speak), 读 (dú read), 课 (kè lesson) |
| 饣 (food) | Meals / Grains / Dining | 饭 (fàn meal/rice), 饿 (è hungry), 饮 (yǐn drink), 馆 (guǎn restaurant) |
| 心 / 忄 (heart) | Feelings / Thoughts | 想 (xiǎng think/want), 忙 (máng busy), 怕 (pà afraid), 慢 (màn slow), 懂 (dǒng understand) |
4. Essential Chinese Measure Words (量词 — Liàngcí)
In Mandarin, you never place a number directly before a noun ("one book"); you always insert a measure word (classifier) between the number/demonstrative and the noun: Number + Measure Word + Noun. Our example sentences naturally train the most important classifiers:
- 个 (gè): The universal measure word for people, fruits, and general objects (一个苹果 yí gè píngguǒ "an apple", 两个弟弟 liǎng gè dìdi "two younger brothers").
- 杯 (bēi): Cup or glass of liquid (一杯冷水 yì bēi lěngshuǐ "a glass of cold water", 一杯热绿茶 yì bēi rè lǜchá "a cup of hot green tea").
- 本 (běn): Bound volumes like books and notebooks (一本书 yì běn shū "a book").
- 张 (zhāng): Flat objects like tickets, tables, paper, and beds (一张票 yì zhāng piào "one ticket", 四张椅子 sì zhāng yǐzi "four chairs").
- 件 (jiàn): Upper-body clothing, luggage items, and matters (一件白衬衫 yí jiàn bái chènshān "a white shirt").
- 只 (zhī) / 条 (tiáo): Animals (三只猫 sān zhī māo "three cats") and long/narrow items like fish, dogs, pants, rivers, and streets (一条黑裤子 yì tiáo hēi kùzi "a pair of black trousers").
5. Clean SVO Word Order & Time-Before-Place Rule
Mandarin follows Subject + Verb + Object (SVO) just like English (我爱你 Wǒ ài nǐ — "I love you"), with one golden word-order rule for time and location:
Subject + [Time] + [Place] + Verb + ObjectFor example: 我每天早上在厨房做早饭 (Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang zài chúfáng zuò zǎofàn) — literally "I [every morning] [in the kitchen] make breakfast."
The 15 Essential Thematic Chinese Flashcard Decks (480 Core Words)
Each deck below contains 32 high-frequency flashcards (15 decks × 32 cards = 480 core Chinese words & phrases), extracted directly from the Flashcards World Rosetta curriculum. Practice them interactively on Flashcards World.
Deck 1: Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Daily Mandarin greetings (你好, 早上好, 晚上好, 再见), polite essentials (请, 谢谢, 不客气, 对不起, 打扰一下), and survival questions (多少钱？). Why it matters: Gives you instant conversational confidence and trains automatic 3rd-tone sandhi (你好 nǐ hǎo) from day one.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 (nǐ hǎo) | 你好，今天过得怎么样？ (nǐ hǎo, jīntiān guò de zěnmeyàng?) | Hello — Hello, how is your day? |
| 早上好 (zǎoshang hǎo) | 早上好，睡得好吗？ (zǎoshang hǎo, shuì de hǎo ma?) | Good morning — Good morning, did you sleep well? |
| 晚上好 (wǎnshang hǎo) | 晚上好，晚饭好了 (wǎnshang hǎo, wǎnfàn hǎo le) | Good evening — Good evening, dinner is ready now. |
| 再见 (zàijiàn) | 再见，希望很快再见到你。 (zàijiàn, xīwàng hěn kuài zài jiàndào nǐ.) | Goodbye — Goodbye, see you again soon. |
| 请 (qǐng) | 请把水递给我。 (qǐng bǎ shuǐ dì gěi wǒ.) | Please — Please pass me the water. |
| 谢谢 (xièxie) | 谢谢你的热心帮助 (xièxie nǐ de rèxīn bāngzhù) | Thank you — Thank you for your kind help. |
| 请问 (qǐngwèn) | 请问，出口在哪里？ (qǐngwèn, chūkǒu zài nǎlǐ?) | Excuse me — Excuse me, where is the exit? |
| 对不起 (duìbuqǐ) | 对不起，我迟到了。 (duìbuqǐ, wǒ chídào le.) | I'm sorry — I'm sorry for being late. |
| 很高兴认识你 (hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ) | 今天很高兴认识你。 (jīntiān hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.) | Nice to meet you — Nice to meet you today. |
| 这个多少钱？ (zhège duōshao qián?) | 这件衬衫多少钱？ (zhè jiàn chènshān duōshao qián?) | How much is this? — How much does this shirt cost? |
👉 Practice Deck 1: Chinese — Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 2: Numbers, Days of the Week & Basic Time Expressions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Numbers (一 to 一百), days of the week (星期一 to 星期日), time expressions (今天, 明天, 昨天, 早上, 晚上), and telling time (现在几点了？). Why it matters: Chinese days of the week and months are wonderfully logical: Monday is literally 'Week-1' (星期一 xīngqīyī) through Saturday 'Week-6' (星期六), and January is 'Month-1' (一月 yīyuè)!
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 一 (yī) | 我有一张今天的票 (wǒ yǒu yī zhāng jīntiān de piào) | one (1) — I have one ticket for today. |
| 二 (èr) | 请给我们一张两人桌。 (qǐng gěi wǒmen yī zhāng liǎng rén zhuō.) | two (2) — A table for two people, please. |
| 十 (shí) | 这本书十美元。 (zhè běn shū shí měiyuán.) | ten (10) — This book costs ten US dollars. |
| 一百 (yībǎi) | 这本书有一百页 (zhè běn shū yǒu yībǎi yè) | one hundred (100) — This book has one hundred pages. |
| 星期一 (xīngqīyī) | 我星期一开始工作。 (wǒ xīngqīyī kāishǐ gōngzuò.) | Monday — I start work on Monday. |
| 星期五 (xīngqīwǔ) | 星期五晚上我们出去玩。 (xīngqīwǔ wǎnshang wǒmen chūqù wán.) | Friday — We go out on Friday evening. |
| 星期日 (xīngqīrì) | 商店星期日关门。 (shāngdiàn xīngqīrì guānmén.) | Sunday — Shops are closed on Sunday. |
| 今天 (jīntiān) | 今天天气晴朗。 (jīntiān tiānqì qínglǎng.) | today — The weather is sunny today. |
| 明天 (míngtiān) | 我明天坐飞机去罗马。 (wǒ míngtiān zuò fēijī qù Luómǎ.) | tomorrow — I am flying to Rome tomorrow. |
| 现在几点了？ (xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?) | 请问现在几点钟？ (qǐngwèn xiànzài jǐ diǎnzhōng?) | What time is it? — Excuse me, what time is it? |
👉 Practice Deck 2: Chinese — Numbers, Days of the Week & Basic Time Expressions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 3: Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Living spaces (房子, 公寓, 房间, 厨房, 卧室, 客厅), furniture (椅子, 桌子, 床, 沙发), and household objects (门, 窗户, 钥匙, 冰箱). Why it matters: Highlights how compound nouns work in Chinese (卧 sleep + 室 room = 卧室 bedroom; 冰 ice + 箱 box = 冰箱 refrigerator).
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 房子 (fángzi) | 我们的房子有红色的屋顶。 (wǒmen de fángzi yǒu hóngsè de wūdǐng.) | house — Our house has a red roof. |
| 房间 (fángjiān) | 这个房间阳光充足。 (zhège fángjiān yángguāng chōngzú.) | room — This room gets lots of sun. |
| 厨房 (chúfáng) | 我们在厨房做晚饭。 (wǒmen zài chúfáng zuò wǎnfàn.) | kitchen — We cook dinner in the kitchen. |
| 卧室 (wòshì) | 卧室很安静，也很暖和。 (wòshì hěn ānjìng, yě hěn nuǎnhuo.) | bedroom — The bedroom is quiet and warm. |
| 椅子 (yǐzi) | 请坐在这把椅子上。 (qǐng zuò zài zhè bǎ yǐzi shàng.) | chair — Please sit on this chair. |
| 桌子 (zhuōzi) | 晚饭在桌子上。 (wǎnfàn zài zhuōzi shàng.) | table — Dinner is on the table. |
| 床 (chuáng) | 这张床有柔软的床垫。 (zhè zhāng chuáng yǒu róuruǎn de chuángdiàn.) | bed — This bed has a soft mattress. |
| 门 (mén) | 请关上前门。 (qǐng guānshàng qiánmén.) | door — Please close the front door. |
| 窗户 (chuānghu) | 请打开窗户透透气 (qǐng dǎkāi chuānghu tòutou qì) | window — Open the window for fresh air. |
| 钥匙 (yàoshi) | 我把家里的钥匙放在哪儿了？ (wǒ bǎ jiālǐ de yàoshi fàng zài nǎr le?) | key — Where did I put my house key? |
👉 Practice Deck 3: Chinese — Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 4: Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Food and drink staples (水, 面包, 咖啡, 茶, 牛奶, 米饭, 鸡肉, 鱼), meals (早饭, 午饭, 晚饭), and dining vocabulary (菜单, 餐厅, 账单). Why it matters: Teaches you natural measure words for dining (一杯水, 一碗米饭) and how to ask for the menu (请给我看一下菜单) or the check (服务员，请买单).
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 水 (shuǐ) | 请给我一杯冷水。 (qǐng gěi wǒ yī bēi lěngshuǐ.) | water — A glass of cold water, please. |
| 面包 (miànbāo) | 我每天早上买新鲜面包。 (wǒ měitiān zǎoshang mǎi xīnxiān miànbāo.) | bread — I buy fresh bread every morning. |
| 咖啡 (kāfēi) | 我喝不加糖的黑咖啡。 (wǒ hē bù jiā táng de hēi kāfēi.) | coffee — I drink black coffee without sugar. |
| 茶 (chá) | 你想喝一杯绿茶吗？ (nǐ xiǎng hē yī bēi lǜchá ma?) | tea — Would you like a cup of green tea? |
| 牛奶 (niúnǎi) | 孩子们晚上喝温牛奶。 (háizimen wǎnshang hē wēn niúnǎi.) | milk — Children drink warm milk at night. |
| 米饭 (mǐfàn) | 我们供应蒸好的白米饭，配上咖喱。 (wǒmen gōngyìng zhēng hǎo de báimǐfàn, pèi shàng gālí.) | rice — We serve steamed white rice with curry. |
| 鸡肉 (jīròu) | 我们晚餐吃了烤鸡肉。 (wǒmen wǎncān chī le kǎo jīròu.) | chicken — We had roast chicken for dinner. |
| 鱼 (yú) | 配柠檬的新鲜烤鱼。 (pèi níngméng de xīnxiān kǎoyú.) | fish — Grilled fresh fish with lemon. |
| 菜单 (càidān) | 请给我们看一下菜单。 (qǐng gěi wǒmen kàn yīxià càidān.) | menu — Could we see the menu, please? |
| 账单 (zhàngdān) | 请给我们拿一下账单。 (qǐng gěi wǒmen ná yīxià zhàngdān.) | the bill — Could we have the bill, please? |
👉 Practice Deck 4: Chinese — Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 5: Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Fruits (苹果, 香蕉, 橙子, 草莓, 西瓜), vegetables (西红柿, 土豆, 胡萝卜, 洋葱, 大蒜), and grocery essentials (橄榄油, 蜂蜜, 面粉, 巧克力). Why it matters: Practice spotting the plant radical 艹 in characters from this deck, such as 苹 in 苹果, 草 and 莓 in 草莓, and 葡 and 萄 in 葡萄.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 苹果 (píngguǒ) | 这个红苹果又脆又甜 (zhège hóng píngguǒ yòu cuì yòu tián) | apple — This red apple is crisp and sweet. |
| 香蕉 (xiāngjiāo) | 猴子很喜欢熟透的黄香蕉。 (hóuzi hěn xǐhuan shútòu de huáng xiāngjiāo.) | banana — Monkeys love ripe yellow bananas. |
| 橙子 (chéngzi) | 剥一个多汁又甜的橙子。 (bāo yī gè duōzhī yòu tián de chéngzi.) | orange — Peel a juicy sweet orange. |
| 草莓 (cǎoméi) | 红色的草莓配新鲜奶油。 (hóngsè de cǎoméi pèi xīnxiān nǎiyóu.) | strawberry — Red strawberries with fresh cream. |
| 西红柿 / 番茄 (xīhóngshì / fānqié) | 把一个熟透的红番茄切成片，用来做沙拉。 (bǎ yī gè shútòu de hóng fānqié qiē chéng piàn, yònglái zuò shālā.) | tomato — Slice a ripe red tomato for salad. |
| 土豆 / 马铃薯 (tǔdòu / mǎlíngshǔ) | 配黄油和香草的烤土豆。 (pèi huángyóu hé xiāngcǎo de kǎo tǔdòu.) | potato — Baked potatoes with butter and herbs. |
| 胡萝卜 (húluóbo) | 脆脆的橙色胡萝卜对眼睛有好处。 (cuìcuì de chéngsè húluóbo duì yǎnjing yǒu hǎochu.) | carrot — Crunchy orange carrots are good for your eyes. |
| 洋葱 (yángcōng) | 把一个白洋葱切碎，用来煮汤。 (bǎ yī gè bái yángcōng qiēsuì, yònglái zhǔ tāng.) | onion — Chop a white onion for the soup. |
| 大蒜 (dàsuàn) | 两瓣大蒜能增添浓郁的风味。 (liǎng bàn dàsuàn néng zēngtiān nóngyù de fēngwèi.) | garlic — Two cloves of garlic add rich flavor. |
| 橄榄油 (gǎnlǎnyóu) | 在面包上淋一点特级初榨橄榄油。 (zài miànbāo shàng lín yīdiǎn tèjí chūzhà gǎnlǎnyóu.) | olive oil — Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on bread. |
👉 Practice Deck 5: Chinese — Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 6: Family, People, Friends & Relationships (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Family members (家庭, 妈妈, 爸爸, 父母, 哥哥/弟弟, 姐姐/妹妹, 儿子, 女儿, 丈夫, 妻子) and social relationships (朋友, 邻居, 同事). Why it matters: Many Chinese family words use reduplicated syllables where the second syllable drops to the light neutral tone (妈妈 māma, 爸爸 bàba, 哥哥 gēge, 姐姐 jiějie).
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 家庭 (jiātíng) | 我的家人住在这座城市。 (Wǒ de jiārén zhù zài zhè zuò chéngshì.) | the family — My family lives in this city. |
| 母亲 (mǔqīn) | 我妈妈每天都做好吃的饭菜。 (Wǒ māma měitiān dōu zuò hǎochī de fàncài.) | the mother — My mother cooks delicious food every day. |
| 父亲 (fùqīn) | 我爸爸在当地一家医院工作。 (Wǒ bàba zài dāngdì yī jiā yīyuàn gōngzuò.) | the father — My father works at a local hospital. |
| 兄弟 (xiōngdì) | 我哥哥在乐队里弹吉他。 (Wǒ gēge zài yuèduì lǐ tán jítā.) | the brother — My brother plays guitar in a band. |
| 姐妹 (jiěmèi) | 我姐姐在大学学医。 (Wǒ jiějie zài dàxué xué yī.) | the sister — My sister studies medicine at the university. |
| 儿子 (érzi) | 他们的儿子上小学了。 (Tāmen de érzi shàng xiǎoxué le.) | the son — Their son goes to primary school now. |
| 女儿 (nǚ'ér) | 他们的女儿很喜欢画色彩鲜艳的画。 (Tāmen de nǚ'ér hěn xǐhuan huà sècǎi xiānyàn de huà.) | the daughter — Their daughter loves drawing colorful pictures. |
| 丈夫 (zhàngfu) | 她丈夫每天做早饭。 (Tā zhàngfu měitiān zuò zǎofàn.) | the husband — Her husband prepares breakfast every morning. |
| 妻子 (qīzi) | 他的妻子是一位有才华的建筑师。 (Tā de qīzi shì yī wèi yǒu cáihuá de jiànzhùshī.) | the wife — His wife is a talented architect. |
| 朋友 (péngyou) | 每逢星期五，我都和朋友见面喝咖啡。 (Měi féng xīngqīwǔ, wǒ dōu hé péngyou jiànmiàn hē kāfēi.) | the friend — I meet my friend for coffee on Fridays. |
👉 Practice Deck 6: Chinese — Family, People, Friends & Relationships (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 7: Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Garments (衣服, 衬衫, T恤, 夹克, 大衣, 连衣裙, 裤子), shoes (鞋子, 运动鞋), accessories (眼镜, 包, 雨伞, 手表), and colors (红色, 蓝色, 绿色, 黑色, 白色). Why it matters: Demonstrates how Chinese uses 穿 (chuān) for wearing clothes/shoes and 戴 (dài) for wearing accessories like glasses, hats, and watches.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 衣服 (yīfu) | 我为周末的旅行打包干净的衣服。 (Wǒ wèi zhōumò de lǚxíng dǎbāo gānjìng de yīfu.) | the clothes — I pack clean clothes for the weekend trip. |
| 衬衫 (chènshān) | 他穿白衬衫去办公室。 (Tā chuān bái chènshān qù bàngōngshì.) | the shirt — He wears a white shirt to the office. |
| 夹克 (jiákè) | 出门前请穿上你的夹克。 (Chūmén qián qǐng chuān shàng nǐ de jiákè.) | the jacket — Put on your jacket before going outside. |
| 大衣 (dàyī) | 她把厚重的大衣挂在门边。 (Tā bǎ hòuzhòng de dàyī guà zài mén biān.) | the coat — She hung her heavy coat by the door. |
| 连衣裙 (liányīqún) | 她今天穿着一条优雅的夏季连衣裙。 (Tā jīntiān chuānzhe yī tiáo yōuyǎ de xiàjì liányīqún.) | the dress — She wears an elegant summer dress today. |
| 裤子 (kùzi) | 这条黑裤子稍微有点长。 (Zhè tiáo hēi kùzi shāowēi yǒudiǎn cháng.) | the trousers — These black trousers are slightly too long. |
| 鞋子 (xiézi) | 请在门口脱下你的鞋子。 (Qǐng zài ménkǒu tuō xià nǐ de xiézi.) | the shoes — Take off your shoes at the entrance. |
| 眼镜 (yǎnjìng) | 我需要戴眼镜才能看清小字。 (Wǒ xūyào dài yǎnjìng cái néng kàn qīng xiǎozì.) | the glasses — I need my glasses to read small print. |
| 包 (bāo) | 她把钥匙放在皮包里面。 (Tā bǎ yàoshi fàng zài píbāo lǐmiàn.) | the bag — She keeps her keys inside her leather bag. |
| 蓝色 (lánsè) | 今天的天空晴朗而湛蓝。 (Jīntiān de tiānkōng qínglǎng ér zhànlán.) | blue — The sky is clear and bright blue today. |
👉 Practice Deck 7: Chinese — Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 8: Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Body parts (头, 眼睛, 嘴, 手, 心脏, 胃, 腿), healthcare (医生, 护士, 医院, 药店, 药), and symptoms (发烧, 头痛). Why it matters: Teaches the high-utility medical pattern [Body Part] + 痛 (tòng / 疼 téng — hurts) alongside pharmacy and hospital essentials.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 头 (tóu) | 他点头表示同意。 (Tā diǎntóu biǎoshì tóngyì.) | the head — He nodded his head in agreement. |
| 眼睛 (yǎnjing) | 她闭上眼睛睡着了。 (Tā bìshàng yǎnjing shuìzháo le.) | the eye — She closed her eyes and fell asleep. |
| 嘴 (zuǐ) | 看牙医时请张大嘴巴。 (Kàn yáyī shí qǐng zhāngdà zuǐba.) | the mouth — Open your mouth wide for the dentist. |
| 手 (shǒu) | 晚饭前请用肥皂洗手。 (Wǎnfàn qián qǐng yòng féizào xǐshǒu.) | the hand — Wash your hands with soap before dinner. |
| 心脏 (xīnzàng) | 跑步后我的心脏跳得很快。 (Pǎobù hòu wǒ de xīnzàng tiào de hěn kuài.) | the heart — My heart beats fast after running. |
| 胃 (wèi) | 标签上写着，不要空腹服用这种药。 (Biāoqiān shàng xiě zhe, bùyào kōngfù fúyòng zhè zhǒng yào.) | the stomach — The label says not to take this medicine on an empty stomach. |
| 医生 (yīshēng) | 医生仔细地检查了病人。 (Yīshēng zǐxì de jiǎnchále bìngrén.) | the doctor — The doctor examined the patient carefully. |
| 医院 (yīyuàn) | 新医院就在市中心附近。 (Xīn yīyuàn jiù zài shìzhōngxīn fùjìn.) | the hospital — The new hospital is near the city center. |
| 药店 (yàodiàn) | 我在药店买了止咳糖浆。 (Wǒ zài yàodiàn mǎile zhǐké tángjiāng.) | the pharmacy — I bought cough syrup at the pharmacy. |
| 发烧 (fāshāo) | 他因为发高烧而卧床休息。 (Tā yīnwèi fā gāoshāo ér wòchuáng xiūxi.) | the fever — He stayed in bed because of a high fever. |
👉 Practice Deck 8: Chinese — Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 9: Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Animals (狗, 猫, 鸟, 马, 兔子), natural landscapes (树, 花, 河, 海, 山), and weather (天空, 太阳, 雨, 雪, 风).
Why it matters: Great for mastering nature radicals (氵 water, 木 wood, 雨 rain) and weather expressions like 今天下大雨 (It is raining heavily today).
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 狗 (gǒu) | 狗在公园里欢快地奔跑。 (Gǒu zài gōngyuán lǐ huānkuài de bēnpǎo.) | the dog — The dog runs happily in the park. |
| 猫 (māo) | 猫咪在温暖的沙发上睡觉。 (Māomī zài wēnnuǎn de shāfā shàng shuìjiào.) | the cat — The cat sleeps on the warm sofa. |
| 鸟 (niǎo) | 一只小鸟在树上唱歌。 (Yī zhī xiǎoniǎo zài shù shàng chànggē.) | the bird — A small bird sings in the tree. |
| 树 (shù) | 我们院子里长着一棵老橡树。 (Wǒmen yuànzi lǐ zhǎngzhe yī kē lǎo xiàngshù.) | the tree — An old oak tree grows in our yard. |
| 花 (huā) | 这些春天的花朵闻起来很香。 (Zhèxiē chūntiān de huāduǒ wén qǐlái hěn xiāng.) | the flower — These spring flowers smell wonderful. |
| 河 (hé) | 一座石桥横跨宽阔的河流。 (Yī zuò shíqiáo héngkuà kuānkuò de héliú.) | the river — A stone bridge crosses the wide river. |
| 大海 (dàhǎi) | 我们喜欢在温暖的大海里游泳。 (Wǒmen xǐhuan zài wēnnuǎn de dàhǎi lǐ yóuyǒng.) | the sea — We love swimming in the warm sea. |
| 山 (shān) | 白雪覆盖着高山的山顶。 (Báixuě fùgàizhe gāoshān de shāndǐng.) | the mountain — Snow covers the top of the high mountain. |
| 太阳 (tàiyáng) | 夏天太阳很早就升起来了。 (Xiàtiān tàiyáng hěn zǎo jiù shēng qǐlái le.) | the sun — The sun rises early in the summer. |
| 雨 (yǔ) | 整个下午都在下倾盆大雨。 (Zhěnggè xiàwǔ dōu zài xià qīngpén dàyǔ.) | the rain — Heavy rain fell throughout the afternoon. |
👉 Practice Deck 9: Chinese — Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 10: Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Airports (机场, 飞机, 护照, 登机牌), rail and road transit (火车, 火车站, 地铁, 公交车, 出租车, 票), hotels (酒店, 预订), and directions (左转, 右转, 直走). Why it matters: Several transport words contain 车 (chē — vehicle): 火车 (train), 公共汽车 (bus), and 出租车 (taxi). Compare 地铁 (dìtiě — subway), which does not contain 车.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 机场 (jīchǎng) | 我们提前两小时到达了机场。 (Wǒmen tíqián liǎng xiǎoshí dàodá le jīchǎng.) | the airport — We arrived at the airport two hours early. |
| 飞机 (fēijī) | 飞机准时起飞了。 (Fēijī zhǔnshí qǐfēi le.) | the airplane — The airplane took off on time. |
| 护照 (hùzhào) | 请在边检处出示您的护照。 (Qǐng zài biānjiǎn chù chūshì nín de hùzhào.) | the passport — Show your passport at border control. |
| 火车 (huǒchē) | 高速火车从三号站台发车。 (Gāosù huǒchē cóng sān hào zhàntái fāchē.) | the train — The fast train leaves from platform three. |
| 火车站 (huǒchēzhàn) | 我们在主火车站外面见面吧。 (Wǒmen zài zhǔ huǒchēzhàn wàimiàn jiànmiàn ba.) | the train station — Meet me outside the main train station. |
| 票 (piào) | 我在网上买了一张往返票。 (Wǒ zài wǎngshàng mǎile yī zhāng wǎngfǎn piào.) | the ticket — I bought a round-trip ticket online. |
| 酒店 (jiǔdiàn) | 我们的酒店俯瞰着老城广场。 (Wǒmen de jiǔdiàn fǔkànzhe lǎochéng guǎngchǎng.) | the hotel — Our hotel overlooks the old town square. |
| 向左转 (xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn) | 过了邮局请向左转。 (Guòle yóujú qǐng xiàng zuǒ zhuǎn.) | turn left — Turn left after the post office. |
| 向右转 (xiàng yòu zhuǎn) | 在第二个路口向右转。 (Zài dì-èr gè lùkǒu xiàng yòu zhuǎn.) | turn right — Turn right at the second intersection. |
| 直走 (zhízǒu) | 请一直往前走两个街区。 (Qǐng yīzhí wǎng qián zǒu liǎng gè jiēqū.) | go straight — Go straight ahead for two blocks. |
👉 Practice Deck 10: Chinese — Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 11: City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: City locations (城市, 公园, 超市, 面包店, 银行, 邮局, 图书馆, 博物馆) and shopping/money (钱, 价格, 现金, 信用卡, 收据, 折扣). Why it matters: Practice asking a price, paying in cash or by credit card, and keeping a receipt.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 城市 (chéngshì) | 这座城市非常热闹。 (zhè zuò chéngshì fēicháng rènào.) | city — This city is very lively. |
| 公园 (gōngyuán) | 孩子们在公园玩 (háizimen zài gōngyuán wán). | park — Children play in the park. |
| 超市 (chāoshì) | 我去超市买菜 (wǒ qù chāoshì mǎi cài). | supermarket — I buy food at the supermarket. |
| 面包店 (miànbāodiàn) | 面包店里飘着温热面包的香味。 (miànbāodiàn lǐ piāozhe wēnrè miànbāo de xiāngwèi.) | bakery — The bakery smells like warm bread. |
| 银行 (yínháng) | 银行九点钟开门 (yínháng jiǔ diǎnzhōng kāimén). | bank — The bank opens at nine. |
| 邮局 (yóujú) | 我从邮局寄出了一个包裹。 (wǒ cóng yóujú jìchū le yī gè bāoguǒ.) | post office — I sent a package from the post office. |
| 图书馆 (túshūguǎn) | 请在图书馆保持安静。 (qǐng zài túshūguǎn bǎochí ānjìng.) | library — Please be quiet in the library. |
| 钱 (qián) | 她正在为旅行存钱 (tā zhèngzài wèi lǚxíng cúnqián). | money — She saves money for her trip. |
| 价格 (jiàgé) | 这件衬衫的价格是多少？ (zhè jiàn chènshān de jiàgé shì duōshao?) | price — What is the price of this shirt? |
| 信用卡 (xìnyòngkǎ) | 我可以刷信用卡吗？ (wǒ kěyǐ shuā xìnyòngkǎ ma?) | credit card — Can I pay by credit card? |
👉 Practice Deck 11: Chinese — City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 12: School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Education and work (学校, 大学, 教室, 作业, 考试, 书, 笔记本, 办公室, 会议), tech (电脑, 笔记本电脑, 手机, 互联网), and professions (老师, 学生, 工程师). Why it matters: Practice school and workplace vocabulary, including 电脑 (diànnǎo — 'electric-brain' = computer) and 手机 (shǒujī — 'hand-machine' = mobile phone).
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 学校 (xuéxiào) | 学校八点开始上课 (xuéxiào bā diǎn kāishǐ shàngkè). | school — School starts at eight. |
| 大学 (dàxué) | 她在大学学习法律。 (tā zài dàxué xuéxí fǎlǜ.) | university — She studies law at the university. |
| 书 (shū) | 这本书里的故事很精彩。 (zhè běn shū lǐ de gùshi hěn jīngcǎi.) | book — This book has a great story. |
| 笔记本 (bǐjìběn) | 把它写在你的笔记本上。 (bǎ tā xiě zài nǐ de bǐjìběn shàng.) | notebook — Write it in your notebook. |
| 电脑 (diànnǎo) | 我的电脑运行得很快 (wǒ de diànnǎo yùnxíng de hěn kuài). | computer — My computer is very fast. |
| 手机 (shǒujī) | 我把手机放哪儿了？ (wǒ bǎ shǒujī fàng nǎr le?) | phone — Where did I put my phone? |
| 互联网 (hùliánwǎng) | 无线网络连接运行良好。 (wúxiàn wǎngluò liánjiē yùnxíng liánghǎo.) | internet — The wireless internet works well. |
| 办公室 (bàngōngshì) | 她在一间现代化的办公室工作。 (tā zài yī jiān xiàndàihuà de bàngōngshì gōngzuò.) | office — She works in a modern office. |
| 老师 (lǎoshī) | 我们的老师讲课很清楚 (wǒmen de lǎoshī jiǎngkè hěn qīngchu). | teacher — Our teacher explains things clearly. |
| 学生 (xuésheng) | 每个学生都有一本课本 (měi gè xuésheng dōu yǒu yì běn kèběn). | student — Every student has a textbook. |
👉 Practice Deck 12: Chinese — School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 13: Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Thirty-two everyday action and state expressions, including 去, 来, 做, 吃, 喝, 睡觉, 说, 看, 读, 买, 学习, 工作, and 帮助. Why it matters: Mandarin verbs do not inflect for person or tense. Time expressions and context help locate events; 了 (le) can mark a completed event or a change of state. 想/要 (xiǎng/yào) can express wanting or intention and are not aspect particles. Read the full example: “I am ready to start” uses 准备好 (zhǔnbèi hǎo), without inserting 是 (shì).
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 去 (qù) | 我早早就去上班。 (wǒ zǎozǎo jiù qù shàngbān.) | to go — I go to work early. |
| 来 (lái) | 请来参加我们的聚会。 (qǐng lái cānjiā wǒmen de jùhuì.) | to come — Please come to our party. |
| 吃 (chī) | 我们中午十二点吃饭 (wǒmen zhōngwǔ shí'èr diǎn chīfàn). | to eat — We eat lunch at noon. |
| 喝 (hē) | 请多喝些冷水。 (qǐng duō hē xiē lěngshuǐ.) | to drink — Drink plenty of cold water. |
| 睡觉 (shuìjiào) | 宝宝睡得很安稳。 (bǎobao shuì de hěn ānwěn.) | to sleep — The baby sleeps very peacefully. |
| 说 (shuō) | 她能流利地说三种语言 (tā néng liúlì de shuō sān zhǒng yǔyán). | to speak — She speaks three languages fluently. |
| 看 (kàn) | 你看得见那些山吗？ (nǐ kàn de jiàn nàxiē shān ma?) | to see — Can you see the mountains? |
| 读 (dú) | 他每天都读新闻。 (tā měitiān dōu dú xīnwén.) | to read — He reads the news daily. |
| 买 (mǎi) | 我想买新鲜面包。 (wǒ xiǎng mǎi xīnxiān miànbāo.) | to buy — I want to buy fresh bread. |
| 学习 (xuéxí) | 我正在学习一门新语言 (wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí yì mén xīn yǔyán). | to learn — I am learning a new language. |
👉 Practice Deck 13: Chinese — Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 14: Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: 32 descriptive words and expressions, including opposite pairs such as 大/小, 好/坏, 新/旧, 热/冷, 容易/难, 快/慢, 便宜/贵 and 安全/危险. Read each word in context: 幼小 describes a young tree, while 浓 describes strong coffee. Why it matters: Chinese adjectives can form predicates without 是 (shì). 很 (hěn) is often used before an adjective, as in 他的房子很大 (Tā de fángzi hěn dà — His house is big), but it is not a required linking verb; its degree meaning depends on context.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 大 (dà) | 他们住在一栋大房子里 (tāmen zhù zài yí dòng dà fángzi lǐ). | big — They live in a big house. |
| 小 (xiǎo) | 这个小包非常方便 (zhège xiǎobāo fēicháng fāngbiàn). | small — This small bag is handy. |
| 好 (hǎo) | 那是一个非常好的主意。 (nà shì yī gè fēicháng hǎo de zhǔyi.) | good — That is a very good idea. |
| 坏 (huài) | 今天的天气不太好 (jīntiān de tiānqì bú tài hǎo). | bad — The weather is bad today. |
| 新 (xīn) | 我买了一双新鞋子 (wǒ mǎile yì shuāng xīn xiézi). | new — I bought a new pair of shoes. |
| 旧 (jiù) | 那座城堡非常古老。 (nà zuò chéngbǎo fēicháng gǔlǎo.) | old — That castle is very old. |
| 热 (rè) | 小心，这碗汤很烫 (xiǎoxīn, zhè wǎn tāng hěn tàng). | hot — Careful, the soup is hot. |
| 冷 (lěng) | 冬天的风吹着很冷 (dōngtiān de fēng chuīzhe hěn lěng). | cold — The winter wind is cold. |
| 容易 (róngyì) | 第一道题非常容易 (dì yī dào tí fēicháng róngyì). | easy — The first question is easy. |
| 难 (nán) | 爬那座山很难。 (pá nà zuò shān hěn nán.) | difficult — Climbing that mountain is difficult. |
👉 Practice Deck 14: Chinese — Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 15: Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Emotions (开心, 难过, 累, 平静, 兴奋, 担心), personality traits (善良, 有礼貌, 诚实, 友好), and hobbies (音乐, 电影, 游泳, 阅读, 做饭). Why it matters: Practice sharing your feelings, describing people, and talking about your favorite pastimes in Mandarin using complete example sentences.
| Target Word + Romanization | Example Sentence (with Romanization) | English Meaning & Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| 开心 (kāixīn) | 她听到这个消息很开心。 (tā tīngdào zhège xiāoxi hěn kāixīn.) | happy — She is happy with the news. |
| 难过 (nánguò) | 电影的结局有点让人难过 (diànyǐng de jiéjú yǒudiǎn ràng rén nánguò). | sad — The ending of the movie was sad. |
| 累 (lèi) | 跑完步我觉得有点累 (pǎowán bù wǒ juéde yǒudiǎn lèi). | tired — I feel tired after running. |
| 平静 (píngjìng) | 蔚蓝的大海很平静 (wèilán de dàhǎi hěn píngjìng). | calm — The blue sea is calm. |
| 兴奋 (xīngfèn) | 孩子们对旅行感到很兴奋 (háizimen duì lǚxíng gǎndào hěn xīngfèn). | excited — The kids are excited to travel. |
| 善良 (shànliáng) | 谢谢你暖心的话。 (xièxie nǐ nuǎnxīn de huà.) | kind — Thank you for your kind words. |
| 友好 (yǒuhǎo) | 俱乐部里的人都很友好。 (jùlèbù lǐ de rén dōu hěn yǒuhǎo.) | friendly — Everyone at the club is friendly. |
| 音乐 (yīnyuè) | 房间里播放着轻柔的音乐 (fángjiān lǐ bōfàngzhe qīngróu de yīnyuè). | music — Soft music plays in the room. |
| 电影 (diànyǐng) | 我们看了一部冒险电影。 (wǒmen kàn le yī bù màoxiǎn diànyǐng.) | movie — We watched an adventure movie. |
| 阅读 (yuèdú) | 安静地阅读让我感到放松 (ānjìng de yuèdú ràng wǒ gǎndào fàngsōng). | reading — Quiet reading helps me relax. |
👉 Practice Deck 15: Chinese — Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies (32 Flashcards) →
30-Day Spaced Repetition Study Schedule for Mandarin Chinese (480 Core Words)
- Days 1–7 (Tones, Pinyin & Decks 1–3 — Greetings, Numbers & Home): Read every Pinyin syllable aloud with exaggerated tone contours (
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th). Master the first 96 words and notice how simple Chinese numbers and dates are. - Days 8–15 (Decks 4–7 — Food, Groceries, Family & Clothing): Add 16–32 new cards per day while completing your daily Spaced Repetition review queue. Pay attention to the measure words (
个, 杯, 碗, 件, 双) inside the example sentences. - Days 16–23 (Decks 8–11 — Health, Nature, Transit & City Errands): Train your eye to spot semantic radicals (
氵, 口, 艹, 木, 车) so you can recognize Hanzi characters even without looking at the Pinyin. - Days 24–30 (Decks 12–15 — Work, 32 Core Verbs, 32 Adjectives & Emotions): Combine the 32 invariable action verbs and 32 adjectives with the nouns from Decks 1–12 to speak full SVO sentences aloud.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Learning Mandarin Chinese Vocabulary
Should I learn Simplified or Traditional Chinese characters first?
Simplified Chinese (简体字 — Jiǎntǐzì) is the official standard across Mainland China, Singapore, and Malaysia, and is used on the HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi) proficiency exams. All 15 decks on Flashcards World teach Simplified Hanzi paired with standard tone-marked Pinyin, making it easy to read menus, signs, and messages right away.
How many Chinese words do I need for HSK 1, HSK 2, HSK 3, and HSK 4?
Under the classic HSK framework, HSK 1 requires 150 words, HSK 2 requires 300 words, HSK 3 requires 600 words, and HSK 4 requires 1,200 words (while the updated HSK 3.0 Band 1 starts at 500 words). Our 480 concrete thematic flashcards cover the core everyday vocabulary of HSK 1–3 plus essential real-world words from HSK 4.
Why do Chinese sentences say "很 (hěn)" before adjectives like "他的房子很大"?
In Mandarin, predicate adjectives act as stative verbs. You do not use 是 (shì — to be) before a simple adjective (✘ 房子是大). Instead, in a neutral positive statement, you place 很 (hěn) before the adjective: 房子很大 (Fángzi hěn dà — The house is big). Here, 很 serves as a natural rhythmic link rather than always meaning an emphatic "very."
How can I remember the tone of each Chinese word?
Treat the tone as part of the vowel itself rather than an afterthought. When reviewing flashcards on Flashcards World, always trace or gesture the tone contour with your hand (flat for 1st, rising for 2nd, dipping for 3rd, sharp downward chop for 4th) while speaking the full two-syllable word and example sentence aloud.
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