Most Common Chinese Characters || Video, FREE PDF & Quiz

Q: What is the most common Chinese character?

The most common Chinese character is 的 (de) which actually has no meaning by itself but is a grammatical particle used in Chinese.

Q: What are the top 10 most common Chinese characters?

The top 10 most common Chinese characters are (from first to tenth) : 的 一 是 不 了 人 我 在 有 他

Q: How many characters do I need to know to pass HSK1?

If you know 178 Chinese characters , you should be able to pass HSK 1 , which is the most basic exam to define a foreigners capability in Mandarin.

Must-Know Chinese Characters: The Most Common 100

With thousands of Chinese characters in existence, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed when starting out.

To make things more confusing, there are many different lists claiming to show the most common ones.

So, where should you begin?

The truth is, you don’t need to learn all the Chinese characters—far from it. By focusing on the most frequently used ones, you can build a strong foundation and make real progress fast.

Start small: learn 10 characters, then 50, then 100… before you know it, you’ll reach 1,000—the point where fluent conversation becomes possible. Aim for around 3,000 characters, and you’ll be able to read newspapers, websites, and books with confidence.

Ready to begin? Let’s start with the first 100 most common Chinese characters.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE – We’ve got a great free quiz on the most common characters at the end!

Chinese characters are made up of one, two, or several Chinese radicals.

Most Common Chinese Characters || 1-10
Most Common Chinese Characters || 11-20
Most Common Chinese Characters || 21-30
Most Common Chinese Characters || 31-40
Most Common Chinese Characters || 41-50
Most Common Chinese Characters || 51-60
Most Common Chinese Characters || 61-70
Most Common Chinese Characters || 71-80
Most Common Chinese Characters || 81-90
Most Common Chinese Characters || 91-100
BONUS || Most Common Chinese Characters Quiz
DOUBLE BONUS || Common Chinese Characters Poster
Most Common Chinese Characters || FAQs
Before we reveal all… we think you’ll like this

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Most Common Chinese Characters: 1-10

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	Example
的	de	grammatical particle marking possession	这是我的。 (zhè shì wǒ de.) (This is mine.)
一	yī	one	我要一个。 (wǒ yào yī gè.) (I want one.)
是	shì	to be	他是老师。 (tā shì lǎoshī.) (He is a teacher.)
不	bù	not, negative	我不知道。 (wǒ bù zhīdào.) (I don’t know.)
了	le	verb particle marking past tense, completed action, change in condition.	我吃了。 (wǒ chī le.) (I ate.)
人	rén	person	他是好人。 (tā shì hǎo rén.) (He is a good person.)
我	wǒ	I	我爱你。 (wǒ ài nǐ.) (I love you.)
在	zài	at, located at	他在家。 (tā zài jiā.) (He is at home.)
有	yǒu	have, there is	我有钱。 (wǒ yǒu qián.) (I have money.)
他	tā	he	他不在。 (tā bù zài.) (He is not here.)

Pinyin

Most Common Chinese Characters: 11-20

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
这	zhè	this	这是什么？ (zhè shì shénme?) (What is this?)
中	zhōng	middle	我在中间。 (wǒ zài zhōngjiān.) (I’m in the middle.)
大	dà	big	那只狗很大。 (nà zhǐ gǒu hěn dà.) (That dog is big.)
来	lái	come	过来！ (guò lái!) (Come here!)
上	shàng	above, on, over/last, previous	他上楼了。 (tā shàng lóu le.) (He went upstairs.)
国	guó	country	我爱中国。 (wǒ ài Zhōngguó.) (I love China.)
个	gè	general quantifier	我要一个。 (wǒ yào yī gè.) (I want one.)
到	dào	to, towards, until, arrive	他到了。 (tā dào le.) (He arrived.)
说	shuō	speak, say	你说什么？ (nǐ shuō shénme?) (What did you say?)
们	men	pluralize nouns referring to people	我们是朋友。 (wǒmen shì péngyǒu.) (We are friends.)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 21-30

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English
为	wèi	in order to, for the purpose of…	为你加油！ (wèi nǐ jiāyóu!) (Cheering for you!)
子	zǐ	child	小子很聪明。 (xiǎo zi hěn cōngmíng.) (The boy is smart.)
和	hé	together, with	我和你去。 (wǒ hé nǐ qù.) (I’ll go with you.)
你	nǐ	you	你好吗？ (nǐ hǎo ma?) (How are you?)
地	dì	earth, ground, place	这个地方。 (zhè ge dì fāng) (This place.)
出	chū	go out, come out	他出去了。 (tā chūqù le.) (He went out.)
道	dào	way, path	人各有道。 (rén gè yǒu dào) Everyone has their own path.
也	yě	also, as well	我也喜欢。 (wǒ yě xǐhuān.) (I like it too.)
时	shí	time period, season	什么时候？ (shén me shí hòu?) What time?
年	nián	year	我明年会去。 (wǒ míng nián huì qù.) (I’ll go next year)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 31-40

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
得	de	adverbial particle	跑得很快。 (pǎo de hěn kuài.) (Runs very fast.)
就	jiù	just, simply, right away	我就知道！ (wǒ jiù zhīdào!) (I just knew it!)
那	nà	that	那是谁？ (nà shì shéi?) (Who is that?)
要	yào	want, will do, need, important	我要水。 (wǒ yào shuǐ.) (I want water.)
下	xià	below, under, down / next	请坐下。 (qǐng zuò xià.) (Please sit down.)
以	yǐ	because of, in order to / according to	可以走了。 (kěyǐ zǒu le.) (You can leave now.) Note: “以” appears in compound words like 可以.
生	shēng	give birth, life	生孩子。 (Shēng hái zǐ) (Give birth)
会	huì	can, able, meet, party, society	我会说中文。 (wǒ huì shuō zhōngwén.) (I can speak Chinese.)
自	zì	from, self	他自学中文。 (tā zì xué zhōngwén.) (He self-studies Chinese.)
着	zhe	verb particle marking a progressive aspect (e.g. -ing)	他笑着说。 (tā xiào zhe shuō.) (He smiled while speaking.)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 41-50

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
去	qù	go, leave, depart	我要去了。 (wǒ yào qù le.) (I’m going now.)
之	zhī	possessive particle (formal), go, leave for	中国之美。 (Zhōng guó zhī měi) (Beauty of china)
过	guò	past particle, pass, cross, exceed	我去过北京。 (wǒ qù guò Běijīng.) (I’ve been to Beijing.)
家	jiā	home, family	我回家了。 (wǒ huí jiā le.) (I went home.)
学	xué	study, learn	她学中文。 (tā xué zhōngwén.) (She studies Chinese.)
对	duì	correct, mutual, pair	你说得对。 (nǐ shuō de duì.) (You are right.)
可	kě	~able, may, can	可不可以？ (kě bù kěyǐ?) (Can I or not?) Used in 可 as part of 可以
她	tā	she	她是我妹妹。 (tā shì wǒ mèi mei.) (She is my sister.)
里	lǐ	inside	他在家里。 (tā zài jiā lǐ.) (He is at home.)
后	hòu	behind, after	在你后面。 (zài nǐ hòu miàn) (Behind you)

If you are still with us, we salute you… we’ve hit the half-way point. Time for the next 50, deep breath, let’s go!
The most common characters in Chinese from 50th-100th…

Most Common Chinese Characters: 51-60

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
小	xiǎo	small	他很小。 (tā hěn xiǎo.) (He is small.)
么	me/mo	interrogative suffix	你做什么？ (nǐ zuò shénme?) (What are you doing?) Used in 什么 – shénme
心	xīn	heart	我心很累。 (wǒ xīn hěn lèi.) (My heart is tired.)
多	duō	many, much, more	人太多了。 (rén tài duō le.) (Too many people.)
天	tiān	sky, heaven, god, day	今天很热。 (jīn tiān hěn rè.) (Today is hot.)
而	ér	and, furthermore	知易而行难。 (zhī yì ér xíng nán.) (Knowing is easy, doing is hard.)
能	néng	can, be able	我能去吗？ (wǒ néng qù ma?) (Can I go?)
好	hǎo	good	我很好。 (wǒ hěn hǎo.) (I’m good.)
都	dōu	all	我们都去。 (wǒmen dōu qù.) (We all go.)
然	rán	like that, correct, so	突然下雨了。 (tūrán xià yǔ le.) (It suddenly rained.) (Used in 突然 – suddenly)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 61-70

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
没	méi	haven’t, there isn’t, no	我没有钱。 (wǒ méi yǒu qián.) (I don’t have money.)
日	rì	sun	日出了。 (rì chū le.) (The sun has risen.)
于	yú	in, at, for, to, from, by, than	生于中国。 (shēng yú Zhōngguó.) (Born in China.) (Used more formally/literary)
起	qǐ	rise, start	站起来。 (zhàn qǐ lái.) (Stand up.)
还	hái	still, yet	我还没去。 (wǒ hái méi qù.) (I still haven’t gone.)
发	fā	send, develop, expand	发邮件吧。 (fā yóujiàn ba.) (Send the email.)
成	chéng	accomplish, succeed / to become	成他成功了。 (tā chénggōng le.) (He succeeded.)
事	shì	matter, thing, event, accident	没事。 (méi shì.) (It’s nothing / No problem.)
只	zhǐ	only, just	我只有一个。 (wǒ zhǐ yǒu yī gè.) (I only have one.)
作	zuò	writings; work	作业做完了。 (zuòyè zuò wán le.) (Homework is finished.)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 71-80

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
当	dāng	serve as, act as	他当老师。 (tā dāng lǎoshī.) (He works as a teacher)
想	xiǎng	think, feel, want	我想你。 (wǒ xiǎng nǐ.) (I miss you.)
看	kàn	see, look at	你看！ (nǐ kàn!) (Look!)
文	wén	language, literature	我爱中文。 (wǒ ài zhōngwén.) (I love Chinese.)
无	wú	without, have not	无可奈何。 (wú kě nài hé.) (Helpless / Nothing can be done.) Common idiom
开	kāi	open	门开了。 (mén kāi le.) (The door opened.)
手	shǒu	hand	举手。 (jǔ shǒu.) (Raise your hand.)
十	shí	ten	我十岁了。 (wǒ shí suì le.) (I’m ten years old.)
用	yòng	use	怎么用？ (zěnme yòng?) (How do I use it?)
主	zhǔ	lord, master, live	主人回来了。 (zhǔrén huí lái le.) (The owner came back.)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 81-90

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTENCE
行	xíng	go, OK	这样行吗？ (zhè yàng xíng ma?) (Is this OK?)
方	fāng	side	另一方面 (Lìng yī fāng miàn) (On the other hand)
又	yòu	again, both… and…	他又来了。 (tā yòu lái le.) (He came again.)
如	rú	like, as, as if	如你所说。 (rú nǐ suǒ shuō.) (As you said.)
前	qián	in front, previous, first, former	他在前面。 (tā zài qián miàn.) (He’s in front.)
所	suǒ	place	我所想的。 (wǒ suǒ xiǎng de.) (What I’m thinking about.)
本	běn	basis, origin, edition	我本来去。 (wǒ běnlái qù.) (I was going to go.)
见	jiàn	appear to be, meet with	我看见他了。 (wǒ kànjiàn tā le.) (I saw him.)
经	jīng	pass through	火车经过北京。 (huǒchē jīngguò Běijīng.) (The train passes through Beijing.)
头	tóu	head, top, first	他头很大。 (tā tóu hěn dà.) (His head is big.)

Most Common Chinese Characters: 91-100

Character	Pinyin	Meaning in English	EXAMPLE SENTECE
面	miàn	face, surface	我见过他面。 (wǒ jiàn guò tā miàn.) (I’ve seen his face.)
公	gōng	public, official	公园很大。 (gōngyuán hěn dà.) (The park is big.)
同	tóng	same	我同意。 (wǒ tóng yì) (I agree.)
三	sān	three	我有三个。 (wǒ yǒu sān gè.) (I have three.)
已	yǐ	already	她已经到了。 (tā yǐjīng dào le.) (She already arrived.)
老	lǎo	old	他很老。 (tā hěn lǎo.) (He is old.)
从	cóng	from, through	我从北京来。 (wǒ cóng Běijīng lái.) (I come from Beijing.)
动	dòng	move	别动！ (bié dòng!) (Don’t move!)
两	liǎng	two	我有两本。 (wǒ yǒu liǎng běn.) (I have two books.)
长	cháng	long, length	她头发很长。 (tā tóufa hěn cháng.) (Her hair is very long.)

BONUS – Most Common Chinese Characters Quiz

Ready to put yourself to the test with our quick-fire quiz?

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Common Chinese Characters Poster

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Once you’ve got a grasp of the most-used characters, a semester program in Beijing is a great way to keep building on that foundation through daily immersion

BONUS CONTENT | Interested in other languages too? Why not check out our list of 100 Korean words to learn, the 100 most common Japanese words and the most commonly used Vietnamese words too.

Most Common Chinese Characters || FAQs

What is the most common Chinese character?

The most common Chinese character is 的 (de) which actually has no meaning by itself but is a grammatical particle used in Chinese.

What are the top 10 most common Chinese characters?

The top 10 most common Chinese characters are (from first to tenth):

的一是不了人我在有他

How many characters do I need to know to pass HSK1?

If you know 178 Chinese characters, you should be able to pass HSK 1, which is the most basic exam to define a foreigners capability in Mandarin.

How long does it take to learn the first 100 Chinese characters?

You could learn these characters, and their meanings pretty quickly if you study Chinese intensively. This is the key, if you have the time, and the drive and motivation, you can learn these in a few hours of Chinese class no problem.