Learning a new language can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Mandarin Chinese, in particular, is an essential language to learn, given the global importance of China in business, politics, and culture.
As a beginner, it is crucial to start with a strong foundation of commonly used words in order to communicate effectively.
In this article, we present a list of the top 100 Mandarin words curated by Mandarin Monkey, which will provide a solid starting point for anyone looking to learn this fascinating language.
- 你 (nǐ) – you
- 好 (hǎo) – good, well
- 我 (wǒ) – I, me
- 是 (shì) – to be, yes
- 不 (bù) – no, not
- 了 (le) – particle used to indicate a completed action or state
- 的 (de) – possessive particle
- 他 (tā) – he, him
- 她 (tā) – she, her
- 它 (tā) – it
- 们 (men) – plural marker for pronouns and nouns referring to people
- 这 (zhè) – this
- 那 (nà) – that
- 在 (zài) – at, in, on
- 有 (yǒu) – to have, there is/are
- 和 (hé) – and, with, together
- 个 (gè) – measure word for general use
- 会 (huì) – can, able, to meet
- 人 (rén) – person, people
- 要 (yào) – to want, to need
- 去 (qù) – to go
- 来 (lái) – to come
- 上 (shàng) – up, upon
- 下 (xià) – down, below
- 对 (duì) – correct, to, towards
- 说 (shuō) – to speak, to say
- 看 (kàn) – to look, to see
- 给 (gěi) – to give, for, for the benefit of
- 但 (dàn) – but, however
- 以 (yǐ) – according to, in order to
- 想 (xiǎng) – to think, to believe, to suppose
- 知道 (zhī dào) – to know
- 听 (tīng) – to listen, to hear
- 能 (néng) – can, to be able to
- 也 (yě) – also, too
- 已经 (yǐ jīng) – already
- 还 (hái) – still, yet
- 很 (hěn) – very
- 可以 (kě yǐ) – can, may
- 请 (qǐng) – please, to request
- 再 (zài) – again
- 或 (huò) – or, either, else
- 所以 (suǒ yǐ) – so, therefore
- 时间 (shí jiān) – time
- 多 (duō) – many
- 少 (shǎo) – few, little
- 大 (dà) – big, large
- 小 (xiǎo) – small, little
- 今天 (jīn tiān) – today
- 明天 (míng tiān) – tomorrow
- 昨天 (zuó tiān) – yesterday
- 前天 (qián tiān) – the day before yesterday
- 后天 (hòu tiān) – the day after tomorrow
- 点 (diǎn) – o’clock, point, dot
- 分钟 (fēn zhōng) – minute
- 小时 (xiǎo shí) – hour
- 天 (tiān) – day, sky
- 周 (zhōu) – week
- 月 (yuè) – month, moon
- 年 (nián) – year
- 早上 (zǎo shang) – morning
- 中午 (zhōng wǔ) – noon
- 下午 (xià wǔ) – afternoon
- 晚上 (wǎn shang) – evening, night
- 爱 (ài) – to love, to like
- 吃 (chī) – to eat
- 喝 (hē) – to drink
- 睡觉 (shuì jiào) – to sleep, to go to bed
- 工作 (gōng zuò) – work, job
- 学习 (xué xí) – to study, to learn
- 朋友 (péng yǒu) – friend
- 家 (jiā) – home, family
- 孩子 (hái zi) – child, children
- 书 (shū) – book
- 电影 (diàn yǐng) – movie, film
- 电视 (diàn shì) – television
- 电话 (diàn huà) – telephone
- 手机 (shǒu jī) – mobile phone, cellphone
- 电脑 (diàn nǎo) – computer
- 网络 (wǎng luò) – network, internet
- 汽车 (qì chē) – car, automobile
- 飞机 (fēi jī) – airplane
- 火车 (huǒ chē) – train
- 饭 (fàn) – meal, cooked rice
- 水 (shuǐ) – water
- 茶 (chá) – tea
- 咖啡 (kā fēi) – coffee
- 啤酒 (pí jiǔ) – beer
- 菜 (cài) – dish, cuisine, vegetables
- 鱼 (yú) – fish
- 肉 (ròu) – meat
- 鸡 (jī) – chicken
- 蛋 (dàn) – egg
- 汉字 (hàn zì) – Chinese characters
- 拼音 (pīn yīn) – Pinyin, the romanization system for Chinese characters
- 问题 (wèn tí) – question, problem
- 回答 (huí dá) – to answer, reply
- 帮助 (bāng zhù) – to help, assist
- 谢谢 (xiè xie) – thank you
- 不客气 (bú kè qi) – you’re welcome, don’t mention it
Conclusion
These top 100 Mandarin words provide a comprehensive foundation for beginners looking to learn the Chinese language. By focusing on these essential words and phrases, you will be better equipped to navigate everyday conversations and situations. As you progress in your studies, you’ll naturally expand your vocabulary and gain a deeper understanding of Mandarin Chinese. Remember to practice regularly and consistently, as language learning requires dedication and persistence.