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Writer's pictureJamie Keyte

The 100 Most Common Chinese Characters

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Top 100 Most Common Chinese Characters. Nice and Simple. Study Up!


  1. 的 (de) - of, possessive particle

  2. 一 (yī) - one

  3. 是 (shì) - to be

  4. 不 (bù) - not, no

  5. 了 (le) - completed action marker

  6. 在 (zài) - at, in, on

  7. 人 (rén) - person

  8. 有 (yǒu) - to have

  9. 我 (wǒ) - I, me

  10. 他 (tā) - he, him

  11. 这 (zhè) - this

  12. 个 (gè) - measure word

  13. 们 (men) - plural marker for pronouns

  14. 中 (zhōng) - middle, center

  15. 来 (lái) - to come

  16. 上 (shàng) - up, on, above

  17. 大 (dà) - big

  18. 为 (wèi) - for

  19. 和 (hé) - and

  20. 国 (guó) - country

  21. 地 (dì) - ground, place

  22. 到 (dào) - to, arrive

  23. 以 (yǐ) - with, by

  24. 说 (shuō) - to speak, to say

  25. 时 (shí) - time

  26. 要 (yào) - to want, will

  27. 就 (jiù) - then, at once

  28. 出 (chū) - to go out

  29. 会 (huì) - can, to be able to

  30. 可 (kě) - can, may

  31. 也 (yě) - also, too

  32. 你 (nǐ) - you

  33. 对 (duì) - correct, right

  34. 生 (shēng) - to be born, life

  35. 能 (néng) - can, be able to

  36. 而 (ér) - and, but

  37. 子 (zi) - child, son

  38. 那 (nà) - that

  39. 得 (dé) - to get, to obtain

  40. 于 (yú) - in, at, to

  41. 着 (zhe) - -ing (indicates ongoing action)

  42. 下 (xià) - down, below

  43. 自 (zì) - self

  44. 之 (zhī) - possessive particle

  45. 年 (nián) - year

  46. 过 (guò) - to pass, to cross

  47. 发 (fā) - to send out

  48. 后 (hòu) - after, behind

  49. 作 (zuò) - to do, to make

  50. 里 (lǐ) - inside

  51. 用 (yòng) - to use

  52. 道 (dào) - way, path

  53. 行 (xíng) - to go, to walk

  54. 所 (suǒ) - place, that which

  55. 然 (rán) - correct, right

  56. 家 (jiā) - family, home

  57. 种 (zhǒng) - kind, type

  58. 事 (shì) - matter, thing

  59. 成 (chéng) - to become

  60. 方 (fāng) - direction, square

  61. 多 (duō) - many, much

  62. 经 (jīng) - through, classic

  63. 法 (fǎ) - law, method

  64. 只 (zhǐ) - only

  65. 当 (dāng) - to serve as, to be

  66. 现 (xiàn) - to appear

  67. 两 (liǎng) - two, both

  68. 同 (tóng) - same, together

  69. 分 (fēn) - to divide, minute

  70. 机 (jī) - machine, opportunity

  71. 些 (xiē) - some, few

  72. 民 (mín) - people, citizens

  73. 样 (yàng) - kind, type

  74. 理 (lǐ) - reason, logic

  75. 题 (tí) - topic, subject

  76. 意 (yì) - meaning, idea

  77. 实 (shí) - real, true

  78. 行 (háng) - line, row

  79. 多 (duō) - many, much

  80. 动 (dòng) - to move

  81. 处 (chù) - place, location

  82. 立 (lì) - to stand

  83. 本 (běn) - root, origin

  84. 起 (qǐ) - to rise, to start

  85. 美 (měi) - beautiful

  86. 市 (shì) - city, market

  87. 先 (xiān) - first

  88. 光 (guāng) - light

  89. 开 (kāi) - to open

  90. 各 (gè) - each

  91. 全 (quán) - whole, entire

  92. 别 (bié) - to leave, other

  93. 听 (tīng) - to listen

  94. 百 (bǎi) - hundred

  95. 党 (dǎng) - party

  96. 三 (sān) - three

  97. 小 (xiǎo) - small

  98. 始 (shǐ) - to begin

  99. 主 (zhǔ) - master, host

  100. 务 (wù) - affair, business

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