Chinese Words and Vocabulary
706 essential Mandarin words and phrases, organized into HSK vocabulary lists and connected to the episodes where you hear them in context.
Founder of Fluentide · Native Mandarin speaker · Incoming Schwarzman Scholar at Tsinghua University
Updated July 30, 2026
The method in practice
Learn Chinese vocabulary the way native speakers do — in context
Fluentide places you at the HSK level where you already understand 70-80% of the vocabulary, then introduces the next layer through real-news episodes. Every new word shows up with pinyin, an English gloss, and the episode where you heard it — so the meaning sticks without flashcard grinding.
What is Chinese vocabulary?
Chinese vocabulary is the set of words and phrases a learner needs to read, listen to, and speak Mandarin at a given level.
The Hanban HSK 2.0 standard organizes Chinese vocabulary into six cumulative levels: HSK 1 covers about 150 absolute-beginner words (greetings, numbers, family, basic daily life), HSK 2 about 300 cumulative words, HSK 3 around 600, HSK 4 about 1,200, HSK 5 about 2,500, and HSK 6 around 5,000.
Each Chinese word is written in characters (hanzi), pronounced according to pinyin with four tones plus a neutral tone, and paired with a measure word when it counts. Functional daily conversation begins around 1,200 words (HSK 4); comfortable newspaper reading takes 3,000-5,000 words (HSK 5-6).
Most consistent learners reach HSK 4 in 12-18 months of daily study, and HSK 6 in 3-5 years. Beyond the textbook word lists, the way people really talk online has its own vocabulary — see the Chinese slang dictionary. For dictionaries, flashcards, courses, and practice beyond vocabulary, browse our Chinese learning resources.
How many words does each HSK level cover?
The official Hanban HSK 2.0 standard defines six proficiency levels with cumulative vocabulary requirements. Most learners reach HSK 4 (1,200 words) in 12-18 months of consistent study; HSK 6 (5,000 words) typically takes 3-5 years. If you already speak Mandarin from home but can't read it, you likely know thousands of these words by ear already — see how heritage speakers turn spoken words into reading.
Browse Chinese Vocabulary by HSK Level
HSK 1 Vocabulary
Roughly 150 absolute-beginner words: greetings, numbers, family, basic daily life.
Browse listHSK 2 Vocabulary
Adds ~150 elementary words for everyday situations: travel, hobbies, weather, opinions.
Browse listHSK 3-4 Vocabulary
Intermediate range expanding to ~1,200 words. Current events, abstract topics, news vocabulary.
Browse listHSK 5-6 Vocabulary
Advanced and near-native (~5,000 words). Idioms (chengyu), formal register, academic vocabulary.
Browse listChinese Vocabulary FAQ
Most-Used Mandarin Words in Fluentide Episodes
The 30 words that appear in the most Fluentide podcast episodes across all levels. These are high-frequency words worth learning first.
All 841 Chinese Words with Full Entries
Every Mandarin word with a full Fluentide entry — pinyin, translation, character breakdown, and example audio. Ordered by HSK level. Page 1 of 17.
Save words in context
Create a free account to save vocabulary in the episodes where you hear it
Vocabulary sticks when it is attached to audio, context, and a level you can actually understand. Register when you want Fluentide to save your level and keep episode-linked word progress.
- Save your level
- Revisit words in context
- Keep episode-linked vocabulary progress