Mastering Chinese Words: Expanding Your Vocabulary with 2500 of the Most Common Chinese Words

By Language Equipped Travelers

Are you panicking because you need to learn Chinese quickly and all those symbols are terrifying you? No need to be terrified, or search any further…

To ensure you can learn as quickly as possible, this book uses Pinyin, meaning it is similar to the English alphabet. Pinyin transcribes the Chinese characters to help you learn the correct Mandarin pronunciation of words quickly.

Learning Chinese is quite elementary, but only if you have the right book on hand.

This book is loaded with popular words to help you increase your personal glossary and speak the language fluently. It is an ideal guide for beginners wanting to learn the language fast in a non-traditional way. Packed with easy phrases and together with the language lessons, you will be speaking Chinese like a native in no time.

The words and phrases are for daily use and will help you converse with the locals during your travels to China.

Some textbooks are boring, and the language used is complicated which may discourage you from wanting to learn. It is easier to learn if the book has a practical approach and an element of fun. This comprehensive, but simple guide, will certainly help you on your journey to learning this new language.

As you will discover, the words will be sufficient to use every day and for your travels. Packed with about 1000 plus phrases in Mandarin, you don't want to be caught without this travel companion on your trip to China. The most regular words are placed in a context that will help you start conversing quite easily.

It is well organized with the basics making up part 1 of the book. You can use those easier words as building blocks for the second part of the book, which contains words that will increase your Chinese skills even further. You will definitely improve your terminology and be able to speak quite fluently in no time at all.

So, what are you waiting for? Get this book immediately and get started!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Language Equipped Travelers
• Release date: Mar 9, 2021
• ISBN: 9781393076131

Book preview

©Copyright 2020

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews.

Disclaimer: No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the publisher.

While all attempts have been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein.

This book is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone, and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands. The reader is responsible for his or her own actions.

Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state and local laws governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada, UK or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of the purchaser or reader of these materials. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

Introduction

Within China, there are 56 nationalities, so you might be wondering what exactly is Chinese language? Well, it is Han language.

In China, the Han population is the largest. The other 55 nationalities are referred to as minorities. As most people use the Han language, it has become the main tool for communication between the different nationalities.

The Chinese language has its own pronunciation and characters. Even though the Chinese people use the same characters, they may differ in their pronunciation from place to place because of the sheer size of the country. As a result, many dialects exist within China, e.g., Shanghai dialect, Guangdong dialect (Cantonese), etc. If a person from Shanghai uses the Shanghai dialect in Guangdong, few people would understand what is being said. This would also apply to people speaking Cantonese in Shanghai. Different dialects can make communication very difficult.

After the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the government made great efforts to spread Putonghua (Mandarin), the common language. Putonghua is now called Modern Chinese. Pronunciation of Putonghua is based on the Beijing dialect, and the vocabulary is based on the north Chinese language. Now, Chinese people mainly use Putonghua to communicate. The Chinese language that you will learn in this book is Putonghua.

Learning Chinese characters is difficult, and because of this, people often lack the motivation to continue learning. In fact, to learn Chinese, it is not essential to learn the characters. To communicate verbally is often the learner’s desire. Based on this, this book was created to expand your vocabulary. Usually, Chinese textbooks rely on learners to learn the characters. But here, Pinyin is introduced, allowing learners quickly to remember every word.

Now it is time to commence your lessons and learn the fascinating language of the Chinese.

Good luck!

PART I

1,200 BASIC WORDS

A word is the smallest meaningful unit in a language. Words are used as basic building blocks to express ideas. In this chapter, you will learn 1,200 basic words.

Chinese words represented by a single syllable are called monosyllabic words. Words represented by two syllables are called dissyllabic words. Words composed of three or more syllables are called polysyllabic words. In writing, a syllable is a character. As such, monosyllabic words are represented by one character, dissyllabic words by two, and polysyllabic words by more than two.

Chinese words can be divided into two kinds: notional and function words. Nouns, verbs, auxiliary verbs, adjectives, numerals, measure words, and pronouns belong to the notional word category. Adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, particles, interjections, and onomatopes belong to the function word category.

Normally, a word belongs to a certain part of speech. Some words, however, have the grammatical function of two or more parts of speech. Remember to pay more attention to these words.

You shall deal with each part of speech separately.

Chapter 1. Nouns

In Chinese, the same form of a noun is used in the subject and object position. Except for the written form of third-person pronouns, Chinese nouns are not gendered, and there is no distinction between masculine, feminine, and neuter found in many European languages.

1. 家/jiā/ – home

2. 学校/xué xiào/ – school

3. 饭馆/fàn guǎn/ – restaurant

4. 餐厅/cān tīng/ – dining room; dining hall; restaurant

5. 商店/shāng diàn/ – shop; store

6. 医院/yī yuàn/ – hospital

7. 火车站/huǒ chē zhàn/ – train station

8. 公司/gōng sī/ – company

9. 机场/jī chǎng/ – airport

10. 教室/jiāo shì/ – classroom

11. 房间/fáng jiān/ – room

12. 路/lù/ – road; path

13. 超市/chāo shì/ – supermarket

14. 入口/rù kǒu/ – entrance

15. 公园/gōng yuán/ – park

16. 花园/huā yuán/ – garden

17. 图书馆/tú shū guǎn/ – library

18. 办公室/bàn gōng shì/ – office

19. 厨房/chú fáng/ – kitchen

20. 洗手间/xǐ shǒu jiān/ – washroom; toilet; lavatory

21. 厕所/cè suǒ/ – toilet

22. 银行/yín háng/ – bank

23. 宾馆/bīn guǎn/ – hotel

24. 加油站/jiā yóu zhàn/ – gas station

25. 大使馆/dà shǐ guǎn/ – embassy

26. 市场/shì chǎng/ – market

27. 长城/cháng chéng/ – the Great Wall

28. 长江/cháng jiāng/ – the Yangtze River

29. 黄河/huáng hé/ – Yellow River

30. 地方/dì fāng/ – place; region

31. 街道/jiē dào/ – street

32. 农村/nóng cūn/ – countryside; village

33. 城市/chéng shì/ – city

34. 北京/běi jīng/ – Beijing

35. 首都/shǒu dōu/ – capital

36. 省/shěng/ – province; to save

我们得想一种省钱的办法。– We have to think of a way to save money.

37. 中国/zhōng guó/ – China

38. 国家/guó jiā/ – country

39. 亚洲/yà zhōu/ – Asia

40. 世界/shì jiè/ – world

41. 地球/dì qiú/ – the Earth

42. 地点/dì diǎn/ – place; location

43. 上/shàng/ – up; on; last (week, etc.); Part I (of two parts)

书在桌子上。– The book is on the table.

我上周去了医院。– I went to the hospital last week.

《哈利·波特与死亡圣器·上》– Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I

44. 下/xià/ – down; under; below; next (week, month, year); Part II (of two parts)

他们在地下发现财宝。– They found treasure under the ground.

我下周要去北京。– I’m going to Beijing next week.

《哈利·波特与死亡圣器·下》– Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II

45. 前面/qián miàn/ – ahead; in front; preceding

46. 后面/hòu miàn/ – back; behind; afterward

47. 里/lǐ/ – inside; interior; Chinese mile (measure unit, 500 meters)

48. 左边/zuǒ biān/ – left side

49. 右边/yòu biān/ – right side

50. 外/wài/ – outside; external; foreign

51. 旁边/páng biān/ – side; to the side; beside

52. 中间/zhōng jiān/ – middle; between

我想要中间那个。– I want the middle one.

我不希望我们中间有秘密。– I don’t want any secrets between us.

53. 附近/fù jìn/ – nearby; (in the) vicinity

54. 东/dōng/ – east

55. 西/xī/ – west

56. 南/nán/ – south

57. 北方/běi fāng/ – north; the northern part of a country

58. 周围/zhōu wéi/ – surroundings

59. 对面/duì miàn/ – opposite

60. 内/nèi/ – inside; internal

61. 底/dǐ/ – bottom; the end of (a period of time)

把洋葱片铺在盘底。– Spread the onion slices on the bottom of the dish.

我月底还你钱。– I’ll pay you back at the end of this month.

62. 今天/jīn tiān/ – today

63. 明天/míng tiān/ – tomorrow

64. 昨天/zuó tiān/ – yesterday

65. 上午/shàng wǔ/ – morning

66.

Reviews for Mastering Chinese Words

[John Kenneth Vertido · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have found Mastering Chinese Words useful as it provides me with instant access to 2,500 of some of the most commonly used words in the Chinese language. This allows the learner to efficiently structure their study regiment

[Wonderweiss Roslo · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have found Mastering Chinese Words useful as it provides me with instant access to 2,500 of some of the most commonly used words in the Chinese language. This guide uses the Simplified Chinese characters so it is important for the buyer to know that.

[Harvey Woods · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The technique is solid and the lessons well taught. This is a very fine introduction to Chinese vocabulary that may arise when you visit China or simply conversing and understand the Chinese population here at home. Well worth it if you are serious about learning Chinese words.

[Marnie Bentulan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I found this book very challenging to read, but at the same time very helpful for beginners.

[Rosendo Villarmea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is interesting and challenging, but if you are eager to learn then this book is very helpful.

[Enmar David · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great for studying. Not really conversational but perfect for those really trying to dive in and learn the language.

[Scotty Voltaire · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is perfect for beginning, I am slowly going through each exercise and really enjoy the design and all the little facts that are placed to help you learn about the language and why the characters are they way they are. If you're looking to start learning Chinese, I highly recommend this book.

[Tolits Mendoza · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have found Mastering Chinese Words useful as it provides me with instant access to 2,500 of some of the most commonly used words in the Chinese language. This guide uses the Simplified Chinese characters so it is important for the buyer to know that. Having started learning the language using the Traditional Chinese characters, I have found this Simplified Chinese word compilation cumbersome at first but after learning (and understanding) the nuances of the "simplification" process, I eventually got used to it and actually found it to be a practical complement to my other Chinese language resource materials.

[Shiela Latag · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's very useful since it has the most common words but it would help if the sample sentences have pinyin also. it would be great if it can be printed in a handbook format but overall I like the content.

[Anthony N. Luarez Jr. · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You can use it on a really basic level and it suggests and teaches the basic words and phrases, which are all really useful everyday things. It is really challenging to learn since I am new to the tones so I still use this book while watching some example videos. This book is helpful for a learner like me. and I am also excited to learn writing Chinese characters.

[Hiel Bibliophile · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you have already learned the basic of Mandarin, then this is the next step to broaden your understanding and vocabulary of the language. If you have read Chinese for Beginners written by the same author of this book, then I think there’s no reason for you to miss this one. Each vocabulary is classified which makes it easier to read and to look for a word in case you want to review the definition of it. The book gives a note for each category allowing a learner to understand how it is use and how Mandarin differ from other languages. It’s very informational and very helpful knowing Mandarin is also complex. I learned a lot because of this book.

I’ve read a few blogs before about the hardest language to learn and Mandarin has topped the list. So if you are eager and wants to take your study to another level, just like me, I recommend that you add this book as one of your references and guide.

[Revi James · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best things that comes from Language Equipped Travelers are the most common words in a specific language. This helps me progress faster and more efficiently. It's a very good, comprehensible, and concise reference word list of phrases for reference to make the terms simpler to go over again and be familiar with Chinese.

[Julius Brigades · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is an Excellent source for learning useful Chinese. I think it is an extremely well arranged book and well informative. Use this book if you want to travel to China. It has a great section that applies specifically to business travelers and the book is a useful for leisure travelers as well.

[Jefferson Baniqued De Guzman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best book for practicing to learn the Chinese words very awesome. This compilation has allowed me to study and understand the simplification process used by mainland Chinese linguists and scholars to make it accessible to a greater part of the populace.

[Karl Angelo Gil · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is very helpful with learning vocabulary words! I can study words by the page! There are so many words I had not even learned yet!

[Nelna Mae Nalangan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you are in a hurry to learn basic Chinese words and helpful sentences, then, this book is for you. I love the way how books are listed, from most common up to complex words and then phrases and sentences. I also love the fact that the words and phrases are being categorized depending on which part of speech they belong to.
This is also a good book for those who want to try a new hobby and for those who are looking for books to add on their reading list. So far, my favorite Chinese word is měi lì, which means beautiful". Well, I believe every language is beautiful in their own way.

[Castañeda Del Rey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Chinese language is one of the language that is hard to learn since each word can have different pronoundciations and meaning. I love how this book gives accurate meaning to the words, it is easy to understand and use. This book will be a great start for you if you want to learn the basics.

[Gherome Kuriyama · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Planning in learning Chinese language, words, how to properly write the sentence or the word? If you also plan on going in a vacation, changing nationality, or wanted to learn different language for future reference, then this book is good for you no, it's perfect for you to learn. This book contains 2,500 most common Chinese words. We know that learning and experiencing it has a really big difference but first learning them is quite a good start so that in actual experience you have the basic vocubulary in commencing a conversation. With the help of this book your vocabulary will jump a few leaps through learning Chinese language. While browsing throughout the book I learned that it can teach you nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, et cetera. I will repeat this book is only for your vocabulary to broaden. Additional information this book also consist of tips that can make your study facinating, fun and will make it easier to learn.

[Marlon Devera Gumboc · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Learning foreign languages is sometimes a must specially when youre planning to stay abroad for work or vacation. Many people are having a hard time in memorizing the symbols of chinese language since it is a complex language. With this book, your difficulties in doing so will be lessen. This material will you to learn the chinese language quickly. It will provide you the 2500 popular words that you may use in familiarizing yourself with the language. It can be a great beginning for you if you want to master the language and be able to use it in speaking fluently.
You can start with the language lessons like words, phrases, sentences, and even parts of speech. You can learn all of those in just a short period of time by means of this material.

[Ian E. Daguplo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I find this book quite common. But, what I loved this book was giving appropriate definition of Chinese words and language. We can’t deny that this book was very helpful. From keeping every word details, expanding our vocabulary skills on Chinese, and more importantly the vision of this book to give enough knowledge about the said language.

At first, it was a bit difficult to learn this kind of language since it was my first time studying this. Although, I read some books same with concept with this. But truly, it is hard on studying. I read those given examples. Indeed, it was helpful if you want to learn quickly on Chinese Mandarin. I am looking forward to used my learnings from this to our Chinese brothers and sisters.

Highly recommended book.

[Herlyn Martin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This indeed a good book for flash or rush learnings in Chinese. It's so portable and easy to understand, it consist of common and necessary information and words that a new Chinese learners must know. And another thing in learning Chinese, it so interesting and fun as well. I hope I could share it with my friends they need this more since they have Chinese subjects in school. Well done!

[Laijho Marapao · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Finding ways to expand your chinese vocabulary? And landed on this book? Well you're in the right track!
This will help you broaden your vocabularies after being introduced to the 2500 common chinese words. Learning these will not only be beneficial with your vocabularies. These may also help you in your study, work, and even travel.
This book tackles the chinese language specifically parts of speech and types of sentences. This book will actually teach you on creating a basic sentences using chinese words. That would be exciting! It will expand your vocabulary and learn to create a sentence using the words you've learned.
Just a trivia for you guys, did you know what exactly is Chinese language? Well its "Han language"
Ive learned that upon reading this book. There are so many more things to discover with this book that will surely help you in your journey in expanding your chinese vocabulary.

[Chasty Faith Delos Reyes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Written in nice, convenient and practical way.

The Chinese Mandarin language has been one of the most spoken language in the world. In order to get a nice getaway in learning the said language, you need a good book to give you a great heads up. To my overview, the reason why I find this book fascinating is that instead of providing a narrowed and long list of uncommon words, the authors provided words and catch phrases that are usually used by native Chinese speakers. Down to the reason on why you should learn to speak Mandarin is that because, it will help you with being associated with multilingual people, can be source of income, to get to know the culture and tradition of a certain country and to have a grasp of idea on what language do they speak about. The authors are concerned indeed with the readers' welfare because they provided a lexicon that comes with an intricate explanation of how the words and phrases are being used. The book also contains techniques int strategies in order to know where to start, when to use, and how to master the Chines, most especially in a shot amount of time, without any huge effort being exerted. Highly recommended for travelers!

[Arvie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Honestly, I don't have any interest learning Mandarin for the reason that most people say that it is the most difficult language to learn. But my perspective was changed when I got to read this book where it gave me numerous Pinyin words that I could practice since the words given can be used in our everyday life. What I liked most about this book is that, it gave attention on why people say that learning Chinese is difficult whereas they just lack motivation and the author mentioned that learning Chinese characters is not essential to learn Chinese. Thus, the author gave tips and recommendations for us to use in learning Chinese language.

[Eduard Salvador · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book caters a huge amount of Chinese words that is mainly used in a day to day basis. What I liked about this book is it's organized list. It is not hard to find which part of speech you want to learn because it is grouped accordingly. The writer/s also included on how to properly speak the word by using intonations. With over 2,500 words to learn, this is the perfect tool to stock up your vocabulary of the Chinese language.

[Sara Jane del Rosario · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I learn a lot on how to write and read some basic words and phrases in Han. If you are in rash on how you can learn this language, this book is higly recommended for you.


This book guided the readers to easily understand on how to write the Chinese alphabet as well as on how to read it properly with compression, and to quickly remember every word and phrases to form a sentence. For them to easily communicate and socialize with the Chinese people.

[Lyra Jhoana Marapao · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book will really help you not only with your vocabulary but also with the basic english stuffs like parts of speech.
If you're planning to go abroad and stay probably in China as a worker or tourist, you can count on this book. It will help you in familiarizing chinese language and learn new words that might be helpful for you in communicating effectively.
This book thought me that the Chinese language is the 'Han langugae'. It helps me to be familiarized with their own pronunciations and characters. Ofcourse, it is very important specially when dealing with chinese national. If not, the communication process might result to misunderstanding.
A worth reading piece which I considered as very informative.
Learning chinese language is quit difficult but with the help of this book, and your motivation to continue learning, it can be a piece of cake!

[Myrchel Montesino · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Chinese is primarily a head-last language, implying that modifiers go before the words that they alter. In a noun phrase, for instance, the head noun comes last, and all modifiers, including relative provisos, come before it.

If you want to know more about chinese language lessons like I have mentioned above, this book will be your guide in achieving such knowledge.

[Lexi Shane · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Straight to the point, educational, and beneficial. These are the qualities that I have observed as to how the author wrote the book.

Mastering Chines Words is a book that assists readers to master Chinese vocabularies. Although this book is focused on words, it is not suitable to use if you are trying to learn conversational Chinese since it doesn't cover the sentence patterns.

Nevertheless, if you want to expand your vocabulary, this book is perfect for you. It includes almost all parts of speech, and it is well organized.

[Daisy Regala-Ando · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is great, the author is extraordinary for creating a book that is very helpful and educational. If you want to learn chinese easy and precise then this book is for you. Learning chinese is hard but through this book you can learn the language in no time, its contains all words you need to know and learn in one setting.