100 Most Common Chinese Characters

The Chinese Language Institute

No. 汉字 Pinyin English

1 的 de (possessive particle), of / really and truly / aim, clear
2 一 yī / yì ／yí one / single / a(n)
3 是 shì is, are, am, yes to be
4 不 bù (negative prefix) no, not
(modal particle intensifying preceding clause), (past tense marker) / to
5 了 le／liǎo
know, to understand, to know
6 人 rén man, person, people
7 我 wǒ I, me, myself
8 在 zài (located) at, in, exist
9 有 yǒu to have, there is, there are, to exist, to be
10 他 tā he, him
11 这 zhè this/ these
12 为 wéi / wèi act as, take…to be, to be, to do, to serve as, to become / because of, for, to
13 之 zhī him, her, it
14 大 dà big, huge, large, major, great, wide, deep, oldest, eldest / doctor
15 来 lái to come
16 以 yǐ to use, take, according to, because of, in order to
17 个 gè (a measure word), individual
18 中 zhōng within, among, in, middle, center, while (doing something), during
19 上 shàng above, on, over, top, (go) up, last, previous
20 们 men (plural marker for pronouns and a few animate nouns)
21 到 dào to (a place), until (a time), up to, to go, to arrive
22 说 shuō to speak, to say
23 国 guó country, state, nation
24 和 hé / huò and, together, with, peace / harmony
25 地 dì / de earth, ground, field, place, land / -ly
26 也 yě too, also, as well
27 子 zǐ child, son
28 时 shí time, when, hour, period, season
direction, way, method, road, path, principle, truth, reason, skill, method,
29 道 dào
Tao (of Taoism), a measure word, to say, to speak, to talk
30 出 chū to go out, to come out, to occur, to produce, to go beyond, to rise, to occur
and, as well as, but (not), yet (not), (shows causal relation), (shows change
31 而 ér
of state), (shows contrast)
32 要 yào / yāo vital, to want, to be going to, must / demand, ask, request
33 于 yú at, in, in regard to
34 就 jiù at once, then, right away, only, just
35 下 xià below, under, (go) down, next (as opposed to previous/last)
36 得 dé / de / děi obtain, get, gain, to have to, must, ought to, to need to
37 可 kě can, may, able to, certain(ly), (particle used for emphasis)
38 你 nǐ you
39 年 nián year
40 生 shēng to be born, to give birth, life, to grow
41 自 zì from, self, oneself, since
42 会 huì can, able, meet, meeting, society, union, party
43 那 nà that, those
44 后 hòu back, behind, rear, afterwards, after, later
45 能 néng can, may, capable, energy, able
couple, pair, to be opposite, to oppose, to face, for, to, correct (answer), to
46 对 duì
answer, to reply, to direct (towards something), right
zhe／zhuó／
47 着 zhāo／zháo
verb particle marking a continuing progress/state

48 事 shì matter, thing, item, work, affair

49 其 qí his, her, its, theirs, that, such, it (refers to something preceding it)
50 里 lǐ within, inside
51 所 suǒ actually，place
52 去 qù to go, to leave, to depart
a row, profession, professional / all right, capable, competent, okay, to go,
53 行 háng / xíng
to do, to travel, temporary, to walk, to go, will do / behavior, conduct
(past tense marker), to cross, to go over, to pass (time), to live, to get along,
54 过 guò
(surname)
55 家 jiā home, family, a person engaged in a certain art or profession
56 十 shí ten
57 用 yòng to use
58 发 fā／fà to send out, to show (one‘s feeling), to issue, to develop / hair
59 天 tiān day, sky, heaven
60 如 rú as (if), such as
61 然 rán correct, right, so, thus, like this, -ly
62 作 zuò to regard as, to take (somebody) for, to do, to make
63 方 fāng square, quadrilateral, direction, just
64 成 chéng finish, complete, accomplish, become, turn into, win, succeed
65 者 zhě -ist, -er (person), person (who does something)
66 多 duō many, much, a lot of, numerous, multi-
67 日 rì day, sun, date, day of the month
68 都 dōu all, both (if two things are involved), entirely (due to)each, even, already
69 三 sān three
70 小 xiǎo small, tiny, few, young
71 军 jūn army, military, arms
72 二 èr two
73 无 wú -less, not to have, no, none, not, to lack, un-
74 同 tóng like, same, similar, together, alike, with
75 么 me (interrog. suff.)
76 经 jīng classics, sacred book, pass through, to undergo, scripture
77 法 fǎ law, method, way, Buddhist teaching
to be, to act as, withstand, when, during, ought, should, match equally,
78 当 dāng / dàng equal, same, obstruct, just at (a time or place), on the spot, right, just at / at
or in the very same…, suitable, adequate, fitting, proper, replace, represent
79 起 qǐ qǐ：to rise, to raise, to get up
80 与 yú / yǔ / yù (interrog. part.) / and, to give, together with / take part in
81 好 hǎo / hào good, well / be fond of
to look after, to take care of, to watch, to guard / it depends, think, to see,
82 看 kān / kàn
to look at
83 学 xué learn, study, science, -ology
84 进 jìn advance, enter, to come in
85 种 zhǒng / zhòng kind, type, race (of people), seed, type / to grow, to plant
86 将 jiāng / jiàng (will, shall, future tense), ready, prepared, to get, to use / a general
also, in addition, more, still, else, still, yet, (not) yet / (surname), pay back,
87 还 hái / huán
return
to divide, minute, (a measure word), (a unit of length = 0.33centimeter) /
88 分 fēn / fèn
part
89 此 cǐ this, these
90 心 xīn heart, mind
91 前 qián before, in front, ago, former, previous, earlier, front
92 面 miàn face, side, surface, aspect, top, face, flour, noodles
93 又 yòu (once) again, also, both… and…, again
94 定 dìng to set, to fix, to determine, to decide, to order
95 见 jiàn / xiàn to see, to meet, to appear (to be something), to interview / appear
96 只 zhī／zhǐ only, just, but, measure word for one of a pair
97 主 zhǔ to own, to host, master, lord, primary
98 没 méi／mò (negative prefix for verbs), have not, not / sink, disappear
99 公 gōng just, honorable (designation), public, common
100 从 cóng from, since, obey, observe, follow

100 Most Common Chinese Characters www.studycli.org