Chinese Words to Know for A1 Level

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Learning a new language can be an exciting yet challenging endeavor, especially when it comes to Mandarin Chinese. As a beginner, or A1 level learner, you need to focus on building a strong foundation. This involves learning essential vocabulary that will help you navigate simple conversations, understand basic texts, and begin to appreciate the language’s unique characteristics. In this article, we will explore key Chinese words that A1 level learners should know. These words will cover various categories, including greetings, numbers, common verbs, and everyday nouns.

Greetings and Basic Phrases

When starting to learn Chinese, one of the first areas to focus on is greetings and basic phrases. These are the building blocks of everyday conversations.

ไฝ ๅฅฝ (nว hวŽo) – Hello: This is the most common way to greet someone in Mandarin. Itโ€™s equivalent to saying โ€œhelloโ€ in English.

่ฐข่ฐข (xiรจ xie) – Thank you: Knowing how to express gratitude is essential. “่ฐข่ฐข” is a simple and polite way to say thank you.

ๅฏนไธ่ตท (duรฌ bรน qว) – Sorry: Apologizing is another basic yet crucial part of daily interactions. “ๅฏนไธ่ตท” is used to say “sorry.”

ๅ†่ง (zร i jiร n) – Goodbye: This word is used when parting ways. It literally means โ€œsee you again.โ€

่ฏท (qวng) – Please: Adding “่ฏท” before a request makes it more polite. For instance, “่ฏทๅ” (qวng zuรฒ) means “please sit.”

ๆ˜ฏ (shรฌ) – Yes/To be: This is the verb “to be” and is also used to affirmatively answer yes/no questions.

ไธๆ˜ฏ (bรน shรฌ) – No/Not to be: This negates the verb “to be” and is used to say “no” or “is not.”

Numbers

Understanding numbers is fundamental as they are used in various contexts such as telling time, counting, and handling money. Below are the numbers from 1 to 10.

ไธ€ (yฤซ) – One

ไบŒ (รจr) – Two

ไธ‰ (sฤn) – Three

ๅ›› (sรฌ) – Four

ไบ” (wว”) – Five

ๅ…ญ (liรน) – Six

ไธƒ (qฤซ) – Seven

ๅ…ซ (bฤ) – Eight

ไน (jiว”) – Nine

ๅ (shรญ) – Ten

Once you master these, you can start combining them to form larger numbers. For example, 11 is “ๅไธ€” (shรญ yฤซ), 20 is “ไบŒๅ” (รจr shรญ), and so on.

Common Verbs

Verbs are action words that are essential for forming sentences. Below are some of the most commonly used verbs in Mandarin Chinese.

ๅƒ (chฤซ) – To eat: This verb is useful in various contexts, especially when discussing food.

ๅ– (hฤ“) – To drink: This is another essential verb, particularly in social settings.

ๅŽป (qรน) – To go: “ๅŽป” is used to indicate movement or travel to a place.

ๆฅ (lรกi) – To come: This verb is often used in conjunction with “ๅŽป.”

็œ‹ (kร n) – To see/To watch: This verb can be used for both seeing and watching, such as watching TV.

ๅฌ (tฤซng) – To listen: This verb is used for listening, whether itโ€™s music, a conversation, or instructions.

่ฏด (shuล) – To speak: “่ฏด” is used for speaking or saying something.

่ฏป (dรบ) – To read: This verb is used when reading books, articles, or any written material.

ๅ†™ (xiฤ›) – To write: This is the verb for writing, whether itโ€™s a letter, email, or essay.

Everyday Nouns

Nouns are words that represent people, places, or things. Here are some basic nouns that you will find useful.

ไบบ (rรฉn) – Person: This is a general term for a person.

ๅฎถ (jiฤ) – Home/Family: This noun can refer to both your home and your family.

ๅญฆๆ ก (xuรฉ xiร o) – School: This is the word for school, an essential term for students.

ไนฆ (shลซ) – Book: This noun is useful when talking about reading and studying.

ๆฐด (shuว) – Water: A basic yet important word, especially when asking for a drink.

้ฃŸ็‰ฉ (shรญ wรน) – Food: This is a general term for food.

ๆœ‹ๅ‹ (pรฉng yว’u) – Friend: A word you will use often in social contexts.

่€ๅธˆ (lวŽo shฤซ) – Teacher: An important term for anyone in a learning environment.

ๅญฆ็”Ÿ (xuรฉ shฤ“ng) – Student: This noun is used to describe someone who is studying.

็Œซ (mฤo) – Cat: A common household pet.

็‹— (gว’u) – Dog: Another common household pet.

Time and Date

Understanding how to express time and date is crucial for making plans and scheduling activities.

ไปŠๅคฉ (jฤซn tiฤn) – Today: This word is used to refer to the current day.

ๆ˜Žๅคฉ (mรญng tiฤn) – Tomorrow: This word is used to refer to the next day.

ๆ˜จๅคฉ (zuรณ tiฤn) – Yesterday: This word is used to refer to the previous day.

ๆ˜ŸๆœŸ (xฤซng qฤซ) – Week: This word is used to refer to the week. For example, “ๆ˜ŸๆœŸไธ€” (xฤซng qฤซ yฤซ) means Monday.

ๆœˆ (yuรจ) – Month: This word is used to refer to the month. For example, “ไธ€ๆœˆ” (yฤซ yuรจ) means January.

ๅนด (niรกn) – Year: This word is used to refer to the year. For example, “ไปŠๅนด” (jฤซn niรกn) means this year.

ๅฐๆ—ถ (xiวŽo shรญ) – Hour: This word is used to refer to an hour.

ๅˆ†้’Ÿ (fฤ“n zhลng) – Minute: This word is used to refer to a minute.

็ง’ (miวŽo) – Second: This word is used to refer to a second.

Directions

Knowing how to ask for and understand directions can be very helpful, especially when traveling.

ๅทฆ (zuว’) – Left: This word is used to indicate the left direction.

ๅณ (yรฒu) – Right: This word is used to indicate the right direction.

ๅ‰ (qiรกn) – Front: This word is used to indicate the front direction.

ๅŽ (hรฒu) – Back: This word is used to indicate the back direction.

ไธŠ (shร ng) – Up: This word is used to indicate the upward direction.

ไธ‹ (xiร ) – Down: This word is used to indicate the downward direction.

Colors

Colors are another basic yet essential category of vocabulary. Here are some common colors:

็บข่‰ฒ (hรณng sรจ) – Red

่“่‰ฒ (lรกn sรจ) – Blue

็ปฟ่‰ฒ (lวœ sรจ) – Green

้ป„่‰ฒ (huรกng sรจ) – Yellow

้ป‘่‰ฒ (hฤ“i sรจ) – Black

็™ฝ่‰ฒ (bรกi sรจ) – White

็ฐ่‰ฒ (huฤซ sรจ) – Gray

ๆฉ™่‰ฒ (chรฉng sรจ) – Orange

็ดซ่‰ฒ (zว sรจ) – Purple

Family Members

Talking about family is a common topic in any language. Here are some basic words for family members:

็ˆธ็ˆธ (bร  ba) – Father

ๅฆˆๅฆˆ (mฤ ma) – Mother

ๅ“ฅๅ“ฅ (gฤ“ ge) – Older brother

ๅผŸๅผŸ (dรฌ di) – Younger brother

ๅงๅง (jiฤ› jie) – Older sister

ๅฆนๅฆน (mรจi mei) – Younger sister

็ˆท็ˆท (yรฉ ye) – Grandfather (paternal)

ๅฅถๅฅถ (nวŽi nai) – Grandmother (paternal)

ๅค–ๅ…ฌ (wร i gลng) – Grandfather (maternal)

ๅค–ๅฉ† (wร i pรณ) – Grandmother (maternal)

Common Adjectives

Adjectives help describe nouns and add detail to your conversations. Here are some common adjectives in Mandarin:

ๅคง (dร ) – Big

ๅฐ (xiวŽo) – Small

ๅฅฝ (hวŽo) – Good

ๅ (huร i) – Bad

้ซ˜ (gฤo) – Tall/High

็Ÿฎ (วŽi) – Short/Low

้•ฟ (chรกng) – Long

็Ÿญ (duวŽn) – Short

ๅฟซ (kuร i) – Fast

ๆ…ข (mร n) – Slow

Useful Questions

Being able to ask questions is crucial for effective communication. Here are some useful question words and phrases:

ไป€ไนˆ (shรฉn me) – What: This is used to ask for information. For example, “่ฟ™ๆ˜ฏไป€ไนˆ?” (zhรจ shรฌ shรฉn me?) means “What is this?”

่ฐ (shuรญ/shรฉi) – Who: This is used to ask about people. For example, “ไป–ๆ˜ฏ่ฐ?” (tฤ shรฌ shuรญ?) means “Who is he?”

ๅ“ช้‡Œ (nวŽ lว) – Where: This is used to ask about locations. For example, “ไฝ ๅœจๅ“ช้‡Œ?” (nว zร i nวŽ lว?) means “Where are you?”

ไป€ไนˆๆ—ถๅ€™ (shรฉn me shรญ hรฒu) – When: This is used to ask about time. For example, “ไฝ ไป€ไนˆๆ—ถๅ€™ๆฅ?” (nว shรฉn me shรญ hรฒu lรกi?) means “When are you coming?”

ไธบไป€ไนˆ (wรจi shรฉn me) – Why: This is used to ask for reasons. For example, “ไฝ ไธบไป€ไนˆๅญฆไธญๆ–‡?” (nว wรจi shรฉn me xuรฉ zhลng wรฉn?) means “Why are you learning Chinese?”

ๆ€Žไนˆ (zฤ›n me) – How: This is used to ask about the manner or method. For example, “ไฝ ๆ€ŽไนˆๅŽปๅญฆๆ ก?” (nว zฤ›n me qรน xuรฉ xiร o?) means “How do you go to school?”

ๅคšๅฐ‘ (duล shวŽo) – How many/How much: This is used to ask about quantity. For example, “่ฟ™ไธชๅคšๅฐ‘้’ฑ?” (zhรจ ge duล shวŽo qiรกn?) means “How much is this?”

Basic Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that connect clauses or sentences. Here are some basic conjunctions in Mandarin:

ๅ’Œ (hรฉ) – And: This is used to connect words or phrases. For example, “ๆˆ‘ๅ’Œไฝ ” (wว’ hรฉ nว) means “you and I.”

ไฝ†ๆ˜ฏ (dร n shรฌ) – But: This is used to introduce a contrast. For example, “ๆˆ‘ๅ–œๆฌขไฝ ๏ผŒไฝ†ๆ˜ฏๆˆ‘ไธ็ˆฑไฝ ใ€‚” (wว’ xว huan nว, dร n shรฌ wว’ bรน ร i nว) means “I like you, but I don’t love you.”

ๅ› ไธบ (yฤซn wรจi) – Because: This is used to give a reason. For example, “ๆˆ‘่ฟŸๅˆฐไบ†๏ผŒๅ› ไธบๆˆ‘็ก่ฟ‡ๅคดไบ†ใ€‚” (wว’ chรญ dร o le, yฤซn wรจi wว’ shuรฌ guรฒ tรณu le) means “I was late because I overslept.”

ๆ‰€ไปฅ (suว’ yว) – Therefore/So: This is used to show a result. For example, “ๆˆ‘็”Ÿ็—…ไบ†๏ผŒๆ‰€ไปฅๆˆ‘ไธ่ƒฝๅŽปไธŠๅญฆใ€‚” (wว’ shฤ“ng bรฌng le, suว’ yว wว’ bรน nรฉng qรน shร ng xuรฉ) means “I am sick, so I can’t go to school.”

Basic Prepositions

Prepositions are used to show relationships between different elements in a sentence. Here are some basic prepositions in Mandarin:

ๅœจ (zร i) – At/In/On: This is used to indicate location. For example, “ๆˆ‘ๅœจๅฎถใ€‚” (wว’ zร i jiฤ) means “I am at home.”

ไปŽ (cรณng) – From: This is used to indicate the starting point. For example, “ๆˆ‘ไปŽ็พŽๅ›ฝๆฅใ€‚” (wว’ cรณng mฤ›i guรณ lรกi) means “I come from the USA.”

ๅˆฐ (dร o) – To/Until: This is used to indicate the end point. For example, “ๆˆ‘ไปฌๅˆฐๅŒ—ไบฌไบ†ใ€‚” (wว’ men dร o bฤ›i jฤซng le) means “We have arrived in Beijing.”

่ทŸ (gฤ“n) – With: This is used to indicate accompaniment. For example, “ๆˆ‘่ทŸไฝ ไธ€่ตทๅŽปใ€‚” (wว’ gฤ“n nว yฤซ qว qรน) means “I will go with you.”

ไธบไบ† (wรจi le) – For: This is used to indicate purpose. For example, “ไธบไบ†ไฝ ๏ผŒๆˆ‘ๆ„ฟๆ„ๅšไปปไฝ•ไบ‹ใ€‚” (wรจi le nว, wว’ yuร n yรฌ zuรฒ rรจn hรฉ shรฌ) means “For you, I am willing to do anything.”

Conclusion

Mastering these A1 level Chinese words will give you a strong foundation to build upon as you continue your language learning journey. Remember that practice and repetition are key. Try to incorporate these words into your daily conversations and written exercises. As you become more comfortable with this vocabulary, you will find it easier to progress to more complex aspects of the Chinese language. Happy learning!

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