Chinese Words with Example Sentences
Frequent Chinese words shown in a real sentence, with the English translation of that sentence.
| Chinese | Pinyin | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 建筑 | jianzhu | to construct; building; CL:個|个[ge4] | 京都有很多有名的古建筑。 There are many famous historic buildings in Kyoto. |
| 其它 | qita | (adjective) other | 一个经验丰富的律师会以其它方法来处理这个情形的。 A more experienced lawyer would have dealt with the case in a different way. |
| 不错 | bucuo | correct; right; not bad; pretty good | 他买了部不错的相机给我。 He bought me a nice camera. |
| 哈哈 | haha | (onom.) laughing out loud | 他的话把大家惹得哈哈大笑。 His words set everybody roaring with laughter. |
| 版本 | banben | version; edition; release | 你有听过那首歌的法文版本吗？ Have you ever heard that song sung in French? |
| 之一 | zhiyi | one of (sth); one out of a multitude; one (third, quarter, percent etc) | 仅三分之一的成员出席了会议。 Only one third of the members turned up at the meeting. |
| 职业 | zhiye | occupation; profession; vocation; professional | 他的职业是医生。 He is a doctor by profession. |
| 访问 | fangwen | to visit; to call on; to interview; CL:次[ci4] | 他访问过法国三次。 He has been to France three times. |
| 结构 | jiegou | structure; composition; makeup; architecture; CL:座[zuo4],個|个[ge4] | 中国的汉字数量繁多，推行汉字简化的目的，是把结构复杂的繁体字转换成易学易记的简体字，从而提高国民的识字水平。 In China, there is a large number of characters, so the goal of the character simplification was to replace the complex traditional characters with easy to remember simplified characters and increase the literacy rate. |
| 银行 | yinhang | bank; CL:家[jia1],個|个[ge4] | Taro在银行提了10000日元。 Taro drew 10,000 yen from the bank. |
| 材料 | cailiao | (raw) material; data; (fig.) person who has the potential to do the job | 我们从马来西亚得到材料。 We get the materials from Malaysia. |
| 英语 | Yingyu | English (language) | 80％的英语单字来自其他语言。 80% of all English words come from other languages. |
| 视频 | shipin | video | 我的录像机可以拍高清视频。 My camera can shoot high-definition video. |
| 记录 | jilu | to record; record (written account); note-taker; record (in sports etc); CL:個|个[ge4] | 这些记录不对公众开放。 Those records are not accessible to the public. |
| 通知 | tongzhi | to notify; to inform; notice; notification; CL:個|个[ge4] | 他把交通事故通知了警察。 He notified the police of the traffic accident. |
| 正常 | zhengchang | regular; normal; ordinary | 不要再把我当成“正常” 人! Stop seeing me as a "normal" person! |
| 负责 | fuze | to be responsible for; to be in charge of; to bear responsibility for; conscientious | 一个人要为他的行为负责。 A man is responsible for his deeds. |
| 申请 | shenqing | to apply for sth; application form (CL:份[fen4]) | 50个申请人中有20个不合格。 There were 20 failures among 50 applicants. |
| 全面 | quanmian | all-around; comprehensive; total; overall | 全面罢工瘫痪了整个国家。 The general strike paralyzed the whole country. |
| 下面 | xiamian | below; under; next; the following | 下面写上我们班同学的名字。 Underneath we wrote the names of the students in our class. |
| 下面 | xiamian | to boil noodles | 下面写上我们班同学的名字。 Underneath we wrote the names of the students in our class. |
| 找到 | zhaodao | to find | 他们在雪地里找到了熊的脚印。 They found the track of a bear in the snow. |
| 保持 | baochi | to keep; to maintain; to hold; to preserve | 他保持现在这种速度温习的话，考试合格绝对没问题。 He is sure to pass the exam if he studies at this rate. |
| 只能 | zhineng | can only; obliged to do sth; to have no other choice | 你只能怪责自己。 You have no one but yourself to blame. |
| 购买 | goumai | to purchase; to buy | 我当时每个月都会购买五本书。 I bought five books a month. |
| 他们的 | tamende | their / theirs | 一个差劲的厨师和下毒者唯一的不同在于他们的意图。 The only difference between a bad cook and a poisoner is the intent. |
| 数量 | shuliang | amount; quantity (CL:個|个[ge4]); quantitative; (math.) scalar quantity | 一般来说，消费者喜欢数量胜于质量。 In general, consumers prefer quantity to quality. |
| 服务器 | fuwuqi | server (computer); CL:臺|台[tai2] | 我该在这个服务器上设置一个防火墙。 I need to configure this server with an appropriate firewall system. |
| 眼睛 | yanjing | eye; CL:隻|只[zhi1],雙|双[shuang1] | 两个女孩都有一双蓝眼睛。 Both girls have blue eyes. |
| 另外 | lingwai | additional; in addition; besides; separate; other; moreover; furthermore | 在服务台另外预约。 Make another appointment at the front desk. |
| 具体 | juti | concrete; specific; detailed | 可以说说您的具体要求吗？ Could you tell me what your specific requirements are? |
| 计算机 | jisuanji | computer; (Tw) calculator; CL:臺|台[tai2] | 我的一些同学真是菜鸟，他们一点都不懂计算机。 Some of my classmates are pure noobs; they know nothing about computing sciences. |
| 增长 | zengzhang | to grow; to increase | 交通事故的数量似乎在增长。 The number of traffic accidents seems to be on the increase. |
| 办法 | banfa | means; method; way (of doing sth); CL:條|条[tiao2],個|个[ge4] | 他没有办法生火，便只好把鱼活生生的吃掉。 As he had no way of making fire, he ate the fish raw. |
| 媒体 | meiti | media, esp. news media | 关于这个问题，我觉得垃圾媒体只报道了很片面的信息。 Concerning this issue, I feel that the trash media only report biased information. |
| 资金 | zijin | funds; capital | 博物馆资金不足，只好关门。 The museum had to close due to lack of finances. |
| 全球 | quanqiu | the whole world; worldwide; global | 911事件让世人震惊，全球所有的政治家都一致谴责恐怖分子的这一应受人斥责的行径。 Shocked by the events of September 11th, politicians all over the world condemned the terrorists of their reprehensible deed. |
| 科学 | kexue | science; scientific knowledge; scientific; rational; CL:門|门[men2],個|个[ge4],種|种[zhong3] | 人类登上月球、柏林墙倒下，世界被我们的科学和想像被连接在一起。 A man touched down on the moon. A wall came down in Berlin. A world was connected by our own science and imagination. |
| 关注 | guanzhu | to pay attention to; to follow sth closely; to follow (on social media); concern; interest; attention | 只有为数不多的几个电视节目值得关注。 Only a few TV programs are worth watching. |
| 电视 | dianshi | television; TV; CL:臺|台[tai2],部[bu4] | 五十年前，人们作梦也不会想到有电视和电脑之类的东西。 Such things as television and computers could not have been dreamed of fifty years ago. |
| 造成 | zaocheng | to bring about; to create; to cause | 狂风暴雨造成她无法准时抵达。 The storm prevented her from arriving on time. |
| 当时 | dangshi | then; at that time; while | 他当时很累。 He was tired then. |
| 当时 | dangshi | at once; right away | 他当时很累。 He was tired then. |
| 家庭 | jiating | family; household; CL:戶|户[hu4],個|个[ge4] | 上星期天我的家庭去了动物园看熊猫。 My family went to the zoo to see pandas last Sunday. |
| 身上 | shenshang | on the body; at hand; among | 他身上的钱全被强盗抢走了。 A mugger robbed him of all of his money. |
| 超级 | chaoji | super-; ultra-; hyper- | 你去那个超级市场，几乎甚么日用品都买得到。 If you go to that supermarket, you can buy most things you use in your daily life. |
| 是不是 | shibushi | is or isn't; yes or no; whether or not | 世界上是不是真的有鬼呢？ Do ghosts really exist? |
| 几个 | jige | a few; several; how many | 一直等了好几个小时，才有人来救我们。 We waited for hours before help arrived. |
| 有点 | youdian | a little | Delbert 好像有点神不守舍。 I think that Delbert is crazy. |
| 思想 | sixiang | thought; thinking; idea; ideology; CL:個|个[ge4] | 在思想的领域中， 荒诞和堕落仍然主宰著世界， 它们的操控只是短时间地被暂停。 In the sphere of thought, absurdity and perversity remain the masters of the world, and their dominion is suspended only for brief periods. |
| 也许 | yexu | perhaps; maybe | 也许下一次吧。 Maybe some other time. |
| 改变 | gaibian | to change; to alter; to transform | 人们因为热切地寻求更有现代风格的衣服，所以把以前的旗袍改变成一个适合他们品位的东西。 People eagerly sought a more modernised style of dress and transformed the old qipao to suit their tastes. |
| 连接 | lianjie | to link; to join; to connect | 一条胡同跟另一条连接，四合院跟其他四合院连接形成一个街区，而街区跟其他街区连接形成整个城市。 One hutong connects with another, siheyuans connect with other siheyuans to form a block, and blocks join with other blocks to form the whole city. |
| 有效 | youxiao | effective; in effect; valid | 法院判决了那个遗言是有效的。 The court adjudged that the will was valid. |
| 实际 | shiji | reality; practice; practical; realistic; real; actual | 『一见鍾情』以及『从一而终』的感情是不切实际的，我们需要 的不是这种不切实际而虚幻的感情。 The feelings of "love at first sight" and "faithful unto death" are unrealistic; this sort of unrealistic and illusory feeling is not what we need. |
| 以前 | yiqian | before; formerly; previous; ago | 「对的，我们以前见过面。」佐敦先生说。 "Yes, we have met before," said Mr Jordan. |
| 提出 | tichu | to raise (an issue); to propose; to put forward; to suggest; to post (on a website); to withdraw (cash) | 她提出了入学申请。 She made out the application for admission. |
| 先生 | xiansheng | teacher; gentleman; sir; mister (Mr.); husband; (dialect) doctor; CL:位[wei4] | “一只猫？”老先生问。 "A cat?" asked the old man. |
| 任务 | renwu | mission; assignment; task; duty; role; CL:項|项[xiang4],個|个[ge4] | 他的勇气将帮助他度过这艰难的任务。 His courage will carry him through this difficult job. |
| 消息 | xiaoxi | (piece of) news; information; message; CL:條|条[tiao2] | 他去世的消息在世界各地播出。 His death was broadcast all over the world. |
| 传真 | chuanzhen | to fax; a fax; (literary) to portray vividly in painting | 我前几天收到了你的传真。 I got your fax the other day. |
| 十分 | shifen | very; completely; utterly; extremely; absolutely; hundred percent; to divide into ten equal parts | 丈夫去世时她十分绝望。 She was in despair when her husband died. |
| 表现 | biaoxian | to show; to show off; to display; to manifest; expression; manifestation; show; display; performance (at work etc); behavior | 两组在比赛中的表现都不太好。 Neither team played well in the game. |
| 最近 | zuijin | recently; soon; nearest | 他最近从法国回来了。 He has recently returned from France. |
| 产业 | chanye | industry; estate; property; industrial | 信息产业部在其“十一五规划”（二零零六年至二零一零年）中立誓要实现村村通电话，乡乡能上网。 In its "Eleven Five Plan" (2006 to 2010), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology pledged to implement phone connections in every village and Internet connections in every town. |
| 时代 | shidai | age; era; epoch; period (in one's life); CL:個|个[ge4] | 他是时代杂志的记者。 He is a reporter for Time magazine. |
| 医院 | yiyuan | hospital; CL:所[suo3],家[jia1],座[zuo4] | 他的妻子在医院裡因为她在一场车祸中受伤了。 His wife is in the hospital because she was injured in a car crash. |
| 美元 | Meiyuan | American dollar; US dollar | 1美元相当于110日元。 One dollar is equivalent to 110 yen. |
| 未来 | weilai | future; tomorrow; CL:個|个[ge4]; approaching; coming; pending | 他一直好好的，却突然死去了。未来的事情，实在是无法预知的。 He was so healthy up to the minute of his sudden death. You really never know what might happen next. |
| 改革 | gaige | reform; CL:次[ci4],種|种[zhong3],項|项[xiang4]; to reform | 国家发展和改革委员会的报告说，农村电信基础设施的快速推进是网民人数增长的主要原因。 The report from the National Development and Reform Committee says that the advance in rural high-speed telecommunication infrastructure is the main reason for the increase in Internet users. |
| 工业 | gongye | industry | 他承诺给这个地区带来新的工业，但是政治家很少完成他们的承诺。 He promised to bring new industries to the region, but politicians rarely keep their word. |
| 移动 | yidong | to move; movement; migration; mobile; portable | 我在棋盘上把一个棋子在向前移动一步。 I moved a chess piece on the board one forward. |
| 力量 | liliang | power; force; strength | 单凭力量不能保证取胜。 Relying on strength alone cannot guarantee victory. |
| 说道 | shuodao | to discuss; reason (behind sth) | “你说得太多了，”他说道。 "You talk too much," he said. |
| 说道 | shuodao | to state; to say (the quoted words) | “你说得太多了，”他说道。 "You talk too much," he said. |
| 一声 | yisheng | first tone in Mandarin (high, level tone) | 大魔王终于失去知觉，砰的一声倒在了地上。 The demon lord finally lost conciousness and fell to the floor with a thud. |
| 现金 | xianjin | cash | 我想付现金。 I would like to pay with cash. |
| 打开 | dakai | to open; to show (a ticket); to turn on; to switch on | 你用什么打开的？ What did you open it with? |
| 变化 | bianhua | (intransitive) to change; to vary; change; variation (CL:個|个[ge4]) | 人类适应环境变化的能力很强。 Man has a great capacity to adapt to environmental changes. |
| 不少 | bushao | many; a lot; not few | 不少人以高薪为成功的条件。 Many people consider a high salary to be a condition for success. |
| 幸福 | xingfu | happiness; happy; blessed | Emi看上去很幸福。 Emi looks happy. |
| 按照 | anzhao | according to; in accordance with; in the light of; on the basis of | 他严格按照原则办事。 He is a stickler for principles. |
| 并且 | bingqie | and; besides; moreover; furthermore; in addition | 他履行了他的承诺，并且帮助了他的兄弟。 He kept his promise and helped his brothers. |
| 错误 | cuowu | mistaken; false; wrong; error; mistake; CL:個|个[ge4] | Jones 先生帮我纠正了文章的错误。 I had Mr Jones correct my composition. |
| 现代 | xiandai | modern times; modern age; modern era | 不可否认的，在现代生活中我们不能没有电话。 It cannot be denied that we cannot do without the telephone in our modern life. |
| 不知 | buzhi | not to know; unaware; unknowingly; fig. not to admit (defeat, hardships, tiredness etc) | Alice 不知道书本放了在哪里，于是便去问母亲。 Alice, not knowing where to find the book, asked her mother where it was. |
| 检查 | jiancha | inspection; to examine; to inspect; CL:次[ci4] | 你可以仔细检查一下我的报告吗？ Would you please look over my report? |
| 商业 | shangye | business; trade; commerce | 他仍是个商业新手。 He is still green in business. |
| 这次 | zheci | present / now / current | Jack这次肯定会成功。 Jack is bound to succeed this time. |
| 邮件 | youjian | mail; post; email | 你有没有电子邮件地址？ Do you have an e-mail address? |
| 测试 | ceshi | to test (machinery etc); to test (a person's skill in a particular area); a test; (computing) beta (version of software) | Tom看上去对英语测试的结果很担心。 Tom looked worried about the result of an English test. |
| 根本 | genben | fundamental; basic; root; simply; absolutely (not); (not) at all; CL:個|个[ge4] | 从根本上说，十二生肖的形成，与动物崇拜有关。 On a fundamental level, the 12 forms of the Chinese zodiac are related to animal worship. |
| 似乎 | sihu | it seems; seemingly; as if | 事故似乎和厚厚的积雪有关。 The accident seemed to have something to do with the heavy snow. |
| 不得 | bude | must not; may not; not to be allowed; cannot | 他们不得不后撤。 They had no alternative but to retreat. |
| 之前 | zhiqian | before; prior to; ago; previously; beforehand | Jane在运动会之前把头发剃短了。 Jane had her hair cut short before the athletic meeting. |
| 教师 | jiaoshi | teacher; CL:個|个[ge4] | 他不是医生，他是教师。 He is not a doctor but a teacher. |
| 下来 | xialai | to come down; (completed action marker); (after verb of motion, indicates motion down and towards us, also fig.); (indicates continuation from the past towards us); to be harvested (of crops); to be over (of a period of time); to go among the masses (said of leaders) | 一个大炸弹跌了下来，并夺走了很多人的生命。 A big bomb fell, and a great many people lost their lives. |
| 美丽 | meili | beautiful | 从太空里看，地球是个十分美丽的星球。 Seen from space, the earth is very beautiful. |
| 离开 | likai | to depart; to leave | 一定要熄了火，然后再离开。 Be sure to put out the fire before you leave. |
| 人才 | rencai | talent; talented person; looks; attractive looks | 要做怪事必须有两个人才行。 It takes two to do something strange. |
Why an example is not a definition
A definition tells you what a word means; an example tells you how it behaves. In Chinese the difference is larger than in most languages, because so much of the grammar is carried by word order and by small particles rather than by endings. Knowing that a verb means to give does not tell you where its two objects go, and no definition will.
Each line here is a frequent dictionary word for which the example corpus has an English sentence. One sentence per word: enough to see the word in use, not a concordance. The sentences come from the same table the search tool interrogates, so what you read here is what a search for that word would have returned first.
The search tool is for a word you already have in front of you. This list is for browsing the words that the corpus can actually show in a sentence, which is a different and smaller set than the dictionary as a whole.