Tuesday 30 June 2015

说 (to say/speak/tell)


Pinyin:  shuo1

Meaning: To say, to tell, to speak.

Number of strokes: 7

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 讠 (speech) radical

Monday 29 June 2015

会 (future tense particle; to be able to; meeting)


Pinyin:  hui4

Meaning: 1. A particle added in front of a verb to indicate the future tense. 2. To be able to do something; to have or know a skill/ability. 3. (noun) Meeting.

Examples:
1. 明天下雨吗? (ming2tian1 hui4 xia4yu3 ma1?, Will it rain tomorrow?)
2. 我开车。(wo3hui4 kai1che1, I know how to drive/I can drive.)
3. 我中文。(wo3hui4 zhong1wen2, I know Chinese.)
4. 我们要开。(wo3men2 yao4 kai1hui4, We are going to have a meeting.)

Number of strokes: 6

HSK level: 1

Radicals:  (person) radical

Sunday 28 June 2015

这 (this)


Pinyin:  zhe4

Meaning: This
[Note: usually followed by a classifier in formal contexts, however in colloquial speech the classifier can be omitted.]

Examples:
1. 孩子真调皮。(zhe4 hai2zi zhen1 tiao2pi2, This child is so naughty.)
2. 水果真好吃。(zhe4 shui3guo3 zhen1 tian2, This fruit is so sweet.)

Number of strokes: 7

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 辶 (walk) radical

Saturday 27 June 2015

了 (completed action particle)


Pinyin:  le

Meaning: a particle added to the end of a verb to indicate a completed action. 
[Note: this is only used to indicate actions completed in the recent past or at a specified point in the past. The particle 过 is usually used to indicate an action which has been completed in the distant past or at an indefinite point in time in the past].

Examples:
A: 你吃吗? (ni3 chi1le ma1?, Have you eaten?) B: 。 (wo3 chi1le, I have eaten.)

Number of strokes: 2

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Friday 26 June 2015

有 (to have, to be/exist (in a place))


Pinyin:  you3

Meaning: 1. to have (in the possessive sense), 2. to have (done something) [Note: usually used in the negative sense], 3. to be/exist in a place (ie. "there is/are ~")

Examples:
1. 我一个孩子。 (wo3you3 yi2ge4 hai2zi, I have one child.)
2. 我没去过中国。 (wo3mei2you3 qv4guo4 zhong3guo2, I have not been to China.)
3. 这里很多医生。 (zhe4li3 you3 hen3duo1 yi1sheng1, There are many doctors here. (Lit: Here have many doctors.)

Number of strokes: 6

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Thursday 25 June 2015

好 (good, ok (affirmative answer to a question), easy/enjoyable (prefix to form positive adjectives)


Pinyin: hao3

Meaning: 1. good (adjective), 2. ok (an affirmative answer to a question indicating agreement); 3. prefix added to a verb to form a positive adjective indicating ease of use or enjoyment

Examples: 
1. 人 ((a) good person)
2. A: 你跟我去吧。 (ni3 gen3wo3 qv4ba, Come with me.) B: 。 (hao3, Ok.)
3. 吃 (delicious/yummy, lit: good to eat), 玩 (fun, lit: good to play), 看 (1. attractive, lit: good to look at)
4. 这车很开。(zhe4liang4che1 hen3hao3kai1, This car is very easy to drive.)

Number of strokes: 6

HSK level: 1

Radicals:  (woman) radical

Wednesday 24 June 2015

们 (plural suffix for personal nouns/pronouns)

们 


Pinyin: men

Meaning: a suffix added at the end of a personal noun/pronoun to form the plural form of that noun/pronoun.

Examples: 我们 (wo3men, we/us), 你们 (ni3men, you (plural)), 他们 (ta1men, they/them), 朋友们 (peng2you3men, friends), 孩子们 (hai2zimen, children)

[Note: 们 is often omitted from the plural form of personal nouns and is usually only added for emphasis, eg. when addressing a group of people.]

Number of strokes: 5

HSK level: 1

Radicals:  (person) radical

Tuesday 23 June 2015

在 (at/to be (at a place)/to be doing something)


Pinyin: zai4

Meaning: 1. at; 2. to be/exist at a place; 3. to be in the middle of doing something (precedes a verb to form the present participle of the verb)

Examples:
1. A: 你家吗? (ni3 zai4 jia1 ma1?, Are you at home?) B: 我。(wo3 zai4 jia1, I am at home). 
2. A: 他 (ta1 zai4 ma1?, Is he [here/there]?) B: 他不。(ta1 bu2 zai4, He is not [here/there]). 
3. 我吃饭。(wo3 zai4 chi1fan4, I am eating (a meal))

Number of strokes: 6

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Monday 22 June 2015

不 (no/not, negative prefix)


Pinyin: bu4
[note: pronunciation changes to bu2 when immediately preceeding another tone 4 character]

Meaning: 1. no (in answer to a question, rarely used on its own); 2. not (used to negate a statement in the present or future tense)

Examples:
1. A: 你是医生吗? (ni3shi4 yi1sheng1 ma1?, Are you a doctor?) B: 。(bu2shi4, no/(I) am not). 
2. A: 你饿吗 (ni3 e4 ma1?, Are you hungry?) B: 我饿。(wo3 bu2 e4, I (am) not hungry). 

Number of strokes: 4

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 一 (one) radical

Sunday 21 June 2015

吗 (question particle)


Pinyin: ma1 (or ma)

Meaning: a particle added at the end of a statement to form a sentence

Examples: 医生? (ni3shi4 yi1sheng1 ma1?, Are you a doctor?, Lit: You are (a) doctor [question particle]?)

Number of strokes: 6

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 口 (mouth) radical

Saturday 20 June 2015

是 (yes, is/are/am/to be)


Pinyin: shi4

Meaning: 1. yes (in answer to a question); 2. is/are/am/to be (when stating a fact)

Examples:
1. A: 你医生吗? (ni3shi4 yi1sheng1 ma1?, Are you a doctor?) B: 的。(shi4de, Yes). 
[Note: 的 is not necessary, however is often added to the end of a spoken statement for emphasis.]
2. 我医生。 (wo3shi4 yi1sheng1, I am (a) doctor.)

Number of strokes: 9

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 日 (sun) radical

Friday 19 June 2015

的 (possessive article)


Pinyin: de

Meaning: of / ~'s (possessive particle)

Examples: 我的 (wo3de, mine), 你的 (ni3de, yours), 他的 (ta1de, his)

Number of strokes: 8

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 白 (white) radical

Thursday 18 June 2015

它 (it)


Pinyin: ta1

Meaning: it

Number of strokes: 5

HSK level: 2

Radicals:  (roof) radical

Wednesday 17 June 2015

她 (she/her)


Pinyin: ta1

Meaning: she, her

Number of strokes: 6

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 女 (woman) radical

Tuesday 16 June 2015

他 (he/him)


Pinyin: ta1

Meaning: he, him

Number of strokes: 5

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 人 (person) radical

Monday 15 June 2015

你 (you)


Pinyin: ni3

Meaning: you

Number of strokes: 7

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 人 (person) radical

Sunday 14 June 2015

我 (I/me)


Pinyin: wo3

Meaning: I, me

Number of strokes: 7

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Saturday 13 June 2015

十 (ten)


Pinyin: shi2

Meaning: (numeral) ten.

Number of strokes: 2

HSK level: 1

Radicals:  (ten) radical

Friday 12 June 2015

九 (nine)


Pinyin: jiu3

Meaning: (numeral) nine.

Number of strokes: 2

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 乚 (second) radical

Thursday 11 June 2015

八 (eight)


Pinyin: ba1

Meaning: (numeral) eight.

Number of strokes: 2

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Wednesday 10 June 2015

七 (seven)


Pinyin: qi1

Meaning: (numeral) seven.

Number of strokes: 2

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 一 (one) radical

Tuesday 9 June 2015

六 (six)


Pinyin: liu4

Meaning: (numeral) six.

Number of strokes: 4

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Monday 8 June 2015

五 (five)


Pinyin: wu3

Meaning: (numeral) five.

Number of strokes: 4

HSK level: 1

Radicals: N/A

Sunday 7 June 2015

四 (four)


Pinyin: si4

Meaning: (numeral) four.

Number of strokes: 5

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 口 (mouth) radical

Saturday 6 June 2015

三 (three)


Pinyin: san1

Meaning: (numeral) three.

Number of strokes: 3

HSK level: 1

Radicals: 一 (one) radical

Friday 5 June 2015

二 (two)


Pinyin: er4

Meaning: (numeral) two.

Number of strokes: 2

HSK level: 1

Radicals:  (two) radical