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How to Use the Core Word Lists: Each Core list contains 100 of the most commonly used words in the Chinese language, grouped by theme. Start with the Core 100 and move on to the next Core List as you progress. Not only will you begin learning the next 100 words, you'll also review the words you learned before! Premium members, add any word to your WordBank and study with My WordBank Flashcards!

Want to study all the words in our Word List? Jump to Core 2000 to see all the words and categories.

About the Core Word Lists: Our team of Chinese language teachers identified some of the most common words and phrases essential to the Chinese language and grouped them in themed lists based on situational use. Need to know the most common words related to Technology, Shopping or Business? You'll master "must-know" Chinese vocabulary with these essential Chinese word lists. Browse the lists below to review the vocabulary and sample sentences (requires a Premium subscription).

	Chinese	Traditional	Romanization	English	Class	Sample Sentences & Phrases
1	周	周	zhōu	week	noun	工作周 gōngzuòzhōu 工作周 work week See 5 More
2	年	年	nián	year	noun	闰年 rùnnián 閏年 leap year See 3 More
3	今天	今天	jīntiān	today	noun	今天6：15 jīntiān liù diǎn shíwǔ fēn 今天6：15 today at 6:15 See 4 More
4	明天	明天	míngtiān	tomorrow	noun	明天下午 míngtiān xiàwǔ 明天下午 tomorrow afternoon See 6 More
5	昨天	昨天	zuótiān	yesterday	noun	昨天下午 zuótiān xiàwǔ 昨天下午 yesterday afternoon See 3 More
6	日历	日曆	rìlì	calendar	noun	日历 rìlì 日曆 day calendar See 3 More
7	星期一	星期一	xīngqī yī	Monday	noun	黑色的星期一早上 hēisè de xīngqī yī zǎoshàng 黑色的星期一早上 Monday morning blues See 3 More
8	星期二	星期二	xīngqī èr	Tuesday	noun	下周二 xiàzhōu èr 下周二 Tuesday next week See 4 More
9	星期三	星期三	xīngqī sān	Wednesday	noun	星期三游戏之夜 xīngqī sān yóuxì zhī yè 星期三游戲之夜 game night Wednesday See 5 More
10	星期四	星期四	xīngqī sì	Thursday	noun	在星期四 zài xīngqī sì 在星期四 on Thursday See 5 More
11	星期五	星期五	xīngqī wǔ	Friday	noun	谢天谢地，今天星期五。 Xiètiānxièdì, jīntiān xīngqī wǔ. 謝天謝地，今天星期五。 Thank god it’s Friday. See 4 More
12	星期六	星期六	xīngqī liù	Saturday	noun	星期六晚上 xīngqī liù wǎnshàng 星期六晚上 Saturday night See 3 More
13	星期天	星期天	xīngqītiān	Sunday	noun	星期日早上的早餐 xīngqīrì zǎoshàng de zǎocān 星期日早上的早餐 Sunday morning breakfast See 6 More
14	秒	秒	miǎo	second	noun	只要一秒钟 zhǐyào yī miǎo zhōng 只要一秒鐘 just a second See 4 More
15	小时	小時	xiǎoshí	hour	noun	还有一个小时 háiyǒu yī gè xiǎoshí 還有一個小時 an hour away See 5 More
16	分钟	分鐘	fēnzhōng	minute	noun	就一分钟 jiù yī fēnzhōng 就一分鐘 just a minute See 3 More
17	点	點	diǎn	o'clock	noun	三点 sān diǎn 三點 3 o’clock See 2 More
18	钟表	鐘表	zhōngbiǎo	clock	noun	定个闹钟 dìng ge nàozhōng 定個鬧鐘 set an alarm clock See 4 More
19	能	能	néng	can	verb	可以跳过去 kěyǐ tiàoguòqù 可以跳過去 can jump over See 5 More
20	用	用	yòng	use	verb	用火车 yòng huǒchē 用火車 use a train See 8 More
21	做	做	zuò	do	verb	全部都做 quánbù dōu zuò 全部都做 to do it all See 6 More
22	去	去	qù	go	verb	没有地方可去 méiyǒu dìfang kě qù 沒有地方可去 nowhere to go See 4 More
23	来	來	lái	come	verb	早些来 zǎoxiē lái 早些來 come early See 5 More
24	笑	笑	xiào	laugh	verb	笑好玩儿的事情 xiào hǎowánr de shìqing 笑好玩兒的事情 laugh at something funny See 10 More
25	做	做	zuò	make	verb	煮咖啡 zhǔ kāfēi 煮咖啡 make coffee See 8 More

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Chinese Core 100 Word List beta