Chinese characters 1,501–2,000, by frequency

Characters 1,501–2,000 of 9,574, ordered by how often they're used. Each one has its stroke order, words and example sentences.

• 寓yùresidence; lodge; dwell
• 葬zàngbury, inter
• 驶shǐsail, drive, pilot; fast, quick
• 纹wénline, streak, stripe; wrinkle
• 奏zòumemorialize emperor; report
• 盒hésmall box or case; casket
• 拼pīnjoin together, link, incorporate
• 省shěngto save; to economize; to be frugal; to omit; to delete
• 牲shēngsacrificial animal; animal
• 湖húa lake; Hubei, Hunan; bluish-green
• 鼻bínose; first; Kangxi radical 209
• 浴yùbathe, wash; bath
• 羞xiūdisgrace, shame; ashamed; shy
• 括kuòinclude, embrace, enclose
• 耍shuǎfrolic, play, amuse, play with
• 宙zhòutime as concept; infinite time
• 键jiàndoor bolt, lock bolt; key
• 闲xiánfence, guard; defend; idle time
• 隆lóngprosperous, plentiful, abundant
• 罢bàcease, finish, stop; give up
• 账zhàngaccounts; bill, debt; credit
• 碍àiobstruct, hinder, block, deter
• 岸ànbank, shore; beach, coast
• 贾jiǎsurname; merchant; buy, trade
• 俱jùall, together; accompany
• 舍shěto give up; to abandon; to give alms
• 偏piāninclined one side; slanting
• 牧mùtend cattle, shepherd
• 颜yánface, facial appearance
• 济jìhelp, aid, relieve; ferry, cross
• 敲qiāostrike, beat, pound, hammer; rap
• 述shùnarrate, state, express
• 蕾lěibuds, unopened flowers
• 贴tiēpaste to, stick on; attached to
• 胖pàngfat, obese; fatty
• 貌màocountenance, appearance
• 掩yǎnto cover (with the hand); shut, conceal; ambush
• 奴núslave, servant
• 燃ránburn; light fire, ignite
• 企qǐplan a project; stand on tiptoe
• 辞cíwords, speech, expression, phrase
• 固gùto become solid, solidify; strength
• 饮yǐndrink; swallow; kind of drink
• 阶jiēstairs, steps; rank, degree
• 姨yímother/wife's sister; concubine
• 剂jìmedicinal preparation
• 盟méngswear; oath, covenant, alliance
• 稣sūrevive, to rise again; collect
• 革géleather, animal hides; Kangxi radical 177; hexagram ䷰
• 爹diēfather, daddy
• 丧sàngto lose sth abstract but important (courage, authority, one's life etc)
• 贱jiànmean, low; cheap, worthless
• 烤kǎobake, roast, toast, cook
• 倍bèitimes, fold, multiple times
• 障zhàngseparate; shield; barricade
• 陈chénexhibit, display; plead; a surname
• 宗zōnglineage, ancestry; ancestor, clan
• 匹pǐbolt of cloth; counter for horses
• 申shēnto state to a superior, report; extend; ninth earthly branch
• 益yìprofit, benefit; advantage; hexagram ䷩
• 玉yùjade, precious stone, gem
• 肥féifat, plump, obese; fertile
• 延yándelay, postpone, defer
• 荡dàngpond, pool; wash away, cleanse
• 植zhíplant, trees, plants; grow
• 葛géedible bean; surname
• 恢huīrestore; big, great, immense, vast
• 澡zǎowash, bathe
• 秋qiūautumn, fall; year
• 奸jiāncrafty, villainous, false
• 哟yōah, final particle
• 佐zuǒassist, aid, second; subordinate
• 拯zhěnghelp, save, aid; lift, raise
• 嘘xūexhale; blow out; deep sigh; hiss; praise
• 陛bìsteps leading throne; throne
• 珊shāncoral
• 逐zhúchase, expel; one by one
• 韩hánfence; surname; Korea
• 钢gāngsteel; hard, strong, tough
• 怨yuànhatred, enmity, resentment
• 艘sōucounter for ships, vessels
• 壁bìpartition wall; walls of a house; 14th lunar mansion, determinative star γ Pe...
• 裂lièsplit, crack, break open; rend
• 剪jiǎnscissors; cut, divide, separate
• 酱jiàngany jam-like or paste-like food
• 仰yǎngraise the head to look; look up to, rely on, admire
• 巫wūwizard, sorcerer, witch, shaman
• 糊húto paste; to glue; blurry; unclear; muddled
• 晓xiǎodawn, daybreak; clear, explicit
• 凭pínglean on, depend on, rely on
• 裁cáicut out; decrease
• 撑chēngprop up, support; brace
• 址zhǐsite, location, land for house
• 描miáocopy, trace, sketch; depict
• 卧wòlie down; crouch
• 宽kuānbroad, wide; spacious, vast
• 捉zhuōgrasp, clutch; catch, seize
• 厕cèmingle with; toilet, lavatory
• 购gòubuy, purchase; hire
• 轴zhóuaxle, axletree; pivot; axis
• 佬lǎo(Cant.) man, person; mature
• 积jīaccumulate, store up, amass
• 邻línneighbor; neighborhood
• 遵zūnobey, comply with, follow; honor
• 壮zhuàngbig, large; robust; name of tribe
• 蛇shésnake
• 辩biàndispute, argue, debate, discuss
• 孙sūngrandchild, descendent; surname
• 予yǔI, me; to give
• 缘yuánhem, margin; reason, cause; fate
• 渴kěthirsty, parched; yearn, pine
• 殿diànhall; palace; temple
• 摔shuāifall to the ground; stumble, trip
• 潮cháotide; moist, wet, damp; flow
• 宜yísuitable, right, fitting, proper
• 冬dōngwinter, 11th lunar month
• 筑zhùancient lute; build
• 椅yǐchair, seat
• 牺xīsacrifice, give up; sacrificial
• 柔róusoft; gentle, pliant
• 昂ángrise, raise; proud, bold; upright
• 墓mùgrave, tomb
• 奉fèngoffer; receive; serve; respect
• 粗cūrough, thick, course; rude
• 返fǎnreturn, revert to, restore
• 喷pēnspurt, blow out, puff out
• 巡xúnpatrol, go on circuit, cruise
• 灾zāicalamity, disaster, catastrophe
• 惠huìfavor, benefit, confer kindness
• 茨cíthatching; caltrop, Tribulus terrestris
• 拔báuproot, pull out
• 伸shēnextend, stretch out, open up; trust
• 欣xīnhappy, joyous, delighted
• 嘉jiāexcellent; joyful; auspicious
• 阁géchamber, pavilion; cabinet
• 绕ràoentwine; wind around; surround
• 铃língbell
• 姻yīnrelatives by marriage
• 侦zhēnspy, reconnoiter; detective
• 薄báothin; cold in manner; indifferent; weak; light; infertile
• 符fúi.d. tag, tally, symbol, charm
• 廉liánupright, honorable, honest
• 箭jiànarrow; type of bamboo
• 誉yùfame, reputation; praise
• 萝luótype of creeping plant; turnip
• 滩tānbank, a sandbar, shoal; rapids
• 瞎xiāblind, reckless; rash
• 辱rǔhumiliate, insult, abuse
• 歇xiērest, stop, lodge
• 贺hècongratulate; send present
• 贼zéithief, traitor; kill
• 仓cānggranary; berth; sea
• 胞bāowomb, placenta, fetal membrane
• 穷qióngpoor, destitute, impoverished
• 趴pālying prone, leaning over
• 扣kòuknock, strike, rap, tap; button
• 倾qīngupset, pour out, overflow
• 缩suōcontract, draw in, reduce
• 芭bāplantain or banana palm; fragrant
• 佑yòuhelp, protect, bless
• 柜guìcabinet, cupboard; shop counter
• 艇tǐngsmall boat, dugout, punt
• 窃qièsecretly, stealthily; steal; thief
• 穆mùmajestic, solemn, reverent; calm
• 兔tùrabbit, hare
• 仁rénhumaneness, benevolence, kindness
• 惑huòconfuse, mislead, baffle; doubt
• 妞niūgirl
• 汗hànperspiration, sweat
• 耻chǐshame, humiliation; ashamed
• 绳shéngrope, string, cord; control
• 融róngmelt, fuse; blend, harmonize
• 渡dùcross, ferry over; ferry
• 湿shīwet, moist, humid, damp; illness
• 割gēcut, divide, partition; cede
• 瞒mándeceive, lie; eyes half-closed
• 芝zhīsesame; a purplish or brown mushroom thought to have miraculous powers; 'a di...
• 眠miánclose eyes, sleep; hibernate
• 渐jiàngradually
• 舱cānghold of ship; cabin
• 闯chuǎngrush in, burst in, charge in
• 砍kǎnhack, chop, cut, fell
• 庄zhuāngvillage, hamlet; villa, manor
• 夹jiābe wedged or inserted between
• 涂túsurname; name of certain rivers
• 奔bēnto hurry; to rush; to run quickly; to elope
• 售shòusell
• 愈yùmore and more, even more
• 牵qiāndrag, pull, lead by hand
• 惩chéngpunish, reprimand; warn
• 唔wúhold in mouth; bite; (Cant.) not, negation
• 抬táilift, carry
• 召zhàoimperial decree; summon
• 殊shūdifferent, special, unusual
• 脉màiblood vessels, veins, arteries
• 诱yòupersuade, entice, induce; guide
• 辜gūcrime, criminal offense
• 矩jǔcarpenter's square, ruler, rule
• 涉shèford stream, wade across
• 漏lòuleak, drip; funnel; hour glass
• 仙xiānTaoist super-being, transcendent, immortal
• 痕hénscar; mark; trace
• 婴yīngbaby, infant; bother
• 伏fúcrouch, crawl, lie hidden, conceal
• 币bìcurrency, coins, legal tender
• 甘gānsweetness; sweet, tasty
• 骄jiāospirited horse; haughty
• 江jiānglarge river; the Yangzi; surname
• 辣làpeppery, pungent, hot; cruel
• 薇wēiOsmunda regalis, a species of fern
• 啰luōphonetic
• 耀yàoshine, sparkle, dazzle; glory
• 饰shìdecorate, ornament, adorn
• 昏hūndusk, nightfall, twilight, dark
• 川chuānstream, river; flow; boil
• 骚sāoharass, bother, annoy, disturb
• 杉shānvarious species of pine and fir
• 振zhènraise, excite, arouse action
• 慈cíkind, charitable, benevolent
• 忌jìjealous, envious; fear
• 趟tàngtime, occasion; take journey
• 琪qítype of jade
• 唤huàncall
• 蛮mánbarbarians; barbarous, savage
• 祸huòmisfortune, calamity, disaster
• 肩jiānshoulders; to shoulder; bear
• 冻dòngfreeze; cold, congeal; jelly
• 署shǔpublic office
• 幽yōuquiet, secluded, tranquil; dark
• 债zhàidebt, loan, liabilities
• 乳rǔbreast, nipples; milk, suckle
• 井jǐngwell, mine shaft, pit; surname; 22nd lunar mansion, determinative star μ Gemi...
• 链liànchain, wire, cable; chain, shack
• 患huànsuffer, worry about; suffering
• 猛měngviolent, savage, cruel; bold
• 凉liángcool, cold; disheartened
• 宿sùlodge for the night; old; former
• 骂màaccuse, blame, curse, scold
• 哼hēnghum; sing softly; groan, moan; (Cant.) an interjecting indicating disapproval
• 狠hěnvicious, cruel; severely, extreme
• 旋xuánto revolve; a loop; a circle
• 娶qǔmarry, take wife
• 含hánhold in mouth; cherish; contain
• 臂bìarm
• 偿chángrepay, recompense; restitution
• 臣chénminister, statesman, official; Kangxi radical 131
• 泥nímud, mire; earth, clay; plaster
• 驱qūspur a horse on; expel, drive away
• 污wūfilthy, dirty, impure, polluted
• 缝fèngseam; crack; narrow slit
• 径jìngnarrow path; diameter; direct
• 肠chángintestines; emotions; sausage
• 辑jígather up, collect; edit, compile
• 俊jùntalented, capable; handsome
• 脆cuìcrisp; fragile, frail; brittle
• 趁chèntake advantage of, avail oneself
• 肤fūskin; superficial, shallow
• 龄língage; years
• 诊zhěnexamine patient, diagnose
• 泪lèitears; weep, cry
• 幼yòuinfant, young child; immature
• 晕yūnconfused; dizzy; giddy; to faint; to swoon
• 膀bǎngupper arm; wing
• 溜liūto slip away; to escape in stealth; to skate
• 猴hóumonkey, ape; monkey-like
• 腔qiāngchest cavity; hollow in body
• 愤fènresent, hate; indignant
• 舌shétongue; clapper of bell; Kangxi radical 135
• 寸cùninch; small, tiny; Kangxi radical 41
• 狄dítribe from northern China; surname
• 擅shànmonopolize; claim; arbitrarily; to dare
• 桃táopeach; marriage; surname
• 胶jiāoglue, gum, resin, rubber; sound; shin bone
• 夸kuāextravagant, luxurious; handsome
• 遥yáofar away, distant, remote
• 媒méigo-between, matchmaker; medium
• 押yāmortgage, pledge; deposit; to pawn; to arrest, detain, guard
• 蜂fēngbee, wasp, hornet
• 汇huìconcourse; flow together, gather
• 玻bōglass
• 丰fēngabundant, lush, bountiful, plenty
• 悉xīknow, learn about, comprehend
• 胃wèistomach; gizzard of fowl; 17th lunar mansion, determinative star 35 Arietis
• 矿kuàngmine; mineral, ore
• 吞tūnswallow; absorb, annex, engulf
• 轨guǐtrack, rut, path
• 孔kǒngopening, hole, orifice; great
• 拆chāito break up, split apart, rip open; to destroy
• 吊diàocondole, mourn, pity; hang
• 挣zhēngused in 掙扎
• 陌mòfoot path between rice fields
• 矶jījetty; submerged rock; eddy
• 裙qúnskirt, apron, petticoat
• 忽hūsuddenly, abruptly; neglect
• 慌huāngnervous, panicky, frantic
• 扬yángscatter, spread; praise
• 摧cuīdestroy, break, injure
• 凌língpure; virtuous; insult; maltreat
• 艰jiāndifficult, hard; distressing
• 汁zhījuice, liquor, fluid, sap, gravy, sauce
• 腐fǔrot, decay, spoil; rotten
• 浮fúto float, drift, waft; to exceed; superfluous
• 崔cuīhigh, lofty, towering; surname
• 桶tǒngpail, bucket, tub; cask, keg
• 茜qiànmadder, Rubia cordifolia; reeds
• 踏tàstep on, trample, tread on, walk
• 崩bēngrupture, split apart, collapse
• 齿chǐteeth; gears, cogs; age; simplified form of the Kangxi radical 211
• 焦jiāoburned, scorched; anxious, vexed
• 讶yàexpress surprise, be surprised
• 淡dànweak, watery; insipid, tasteless
• 幅fúpiece, strip, breadth of, hem
• 侠xiáchivalrous person; knight-errant
• 侧cèside; incline, slant, lean
• 税shuìtaxes
• 肖xiàolook like, resemble, be like
• 腊làyear-end sacrifice; dried meat
• 尘chéndust, dirt, ashes, cinders
• 扭niǔturn, twist, wrench; seize, grasp
• 忧yōusad, grieved; grief, melancholy
• 泄xièleak; vent; flow; reveal
• 刷shuābrush; clean with brush, scrub
• 珀pòamber
• 咯gēfinal particle
• 巾jīnkerchief; towel; turban; Kangxi radical 50
• 湾wānbay, cove, inlet, bend of stream
• 弥míextensive, full; fill; complete
• 甩shuǎithrow away, discard
• 挤jǐcrowd, squeeze, push against
• 莲liánlotus, water lily; paradise
• 疾jíillness, disease, sickness; to hate
• 酸suāntart, sour; acid; stiff; spoiled
• 诸zhūvarious, all, these; surname
• 姬jībeauty; imperial concubine
• 滴dīdrip; drop of water
• 隶lìsubservient; servant; Kangxi radical 171
• 汀tīngsandbar, beach, bank, shore
• 妥tuǒsatisfactory, appropriate
• 亏kuīlose, fail; damage; deficient
• 粹cuìpure; unadulterated; select
• 岩yáncliff; rocks; mountain
• 鹰yīngfalcon; Accipiter species (various)
• 析xīsplit wood; break apart; divide
• 恕shùforgive, excuse, show mercy
• 裸luǒbare, nude; undress, strip
• 妒dùjealous, envious
• 漠mòdesert; aloof, indifferent, cool
• 宴yànto entertain, feast; a feast, banquet
• 纵zòngindulge in, give free reign to
• 培péibank up with dirt; cultivate
• 淋líndrip, soak, drench; perfectly
• 仿fǎngimitate, copy; as if
• 揍zòuhit, beat; smash, break
• 递dìhand over, deliver; substitute
• 贩fànpeddler, hawker, street merchant
• 脖bóneck
• 勾gōuto attract; to arouse; to tick; to strike out; to delineate
• 恰qiàjust, exactly, precisely; proper
• 缠chánwrap, wind around; tie, bind
• 狮shīlion
• 弯wānbend, curve
• 厄èadversity, difficulty, distress
• 轰hōngrumble, explosion, blast
• 扇shànfan; door panel
• 励lìstrive; encourage
• 填tiánfill in, fill up; make good
• 勤qínindustrious, diligent, attentive
• 赔péiindemnify, suffer loss
• 栋dòngmain beams supporting house
• 仗zhàngrely upon; protector; fight; war, weaponry
• 坠zhuìfall down, drop, sink, go to ruin
• 钩gōuhook, barb; sickle; stroke with
• 俗súsocial customs; vulgar, unrefined
• 罩zhàobasket for catching fish; cover
• 藤téngrattan, cane; creeper plant
• 葡púgrapes
• 璃líglass
• 役yìservice; a servant, laborer; to serve
• 霉méimildew, mold; moldy, mildewed
• 唉āialas, exclamation of surprise or pain
• 篇piānchapter, section, essay, article
• 缓huǎnslow, leisurely; to postpone, delay
• 闷mèngloomy, depressed, melancholy
• 赐cìgive, bestow favors; appoint
• 衡héngmeasure, weigh, judge, consider
• 妖yāostrange, weird, supernatural
• 衫shānshirt; robe; gown; jacket
• 横hénghorizontal; across; crosswise
• 厚hòuthick; substantial; greatly
• 屠túbutcher, slaughter, massacre
• 堪kānadequately capable of, worthy of
• 煮zhǔcook
• 慕mùlong for, desire; admire
• 恼nǎoangered, filled with hate
• 旗qíbanner, flag, streamer
• 讽fěngrecite, incant; satirize
• 癌áicancer; marmoset
• 丸wánsmall round object; pellet, pill
• 慧huìbright, intelligent; intelligence
• 囚qiúprisoner, convict; confine
• 炒chǎofry, saute, roast, boil, cook
• 御yùdrive, ride; chariot; manage
• 杆gānpole
• 棍gùnstick, cudgel; scoundrel
• 雾wùfog, mist, vapor, fine spray
• 寒háncold, wintry, chilly
• 琼qióngjade; rare, precious; elegant; (Cant.) to coagulate
• 揭jiēraise, lift up; surname
• 窝wōnest; cave, den; hiding place
• 抚fǔpat, console, comfort; pacify
• 撕sīrip, tear; buy cloth
• 番fānto take turns; a turn, a time; to repeat
• 萄táograpes
• 储chǔsave money, store, reserve; heir
• 鹿lùdeer; surname; Kangxi radical 198
• 罐guànjar, jug, pitcher, pot
• 卑bēihumble, low, inferior; despise
• 页yèpage, sheet, leaf; rad. no. 181
• 繁fáncomplicated, complex, difficult
• 饶ráobountiful, abundant, plentiful
• 谍diéan intelligence report; to spy; spying
• 廊lángcorridor, porch, veranda
• 仆pūto fall forward; to fall prostrate
• 磁címagnetic; magnetism; porcelain
• 篮lánbasket
• 刘liúsurname; kill, destroy
• 袖xiùsleeve; put something in sleeve
• 钉dīngnail, spike; pursue closely
• 赋fùtax; give; endow; army; diffuse
• 蚁yǐants
• 逗dòutempt, allure, arouse, stir
• 恒héngconstant, regular, persistent
• 捡jiǎnto pick up
• 捐juāncontribute; give up, renounce
• 碗wǎnbowl, small dish
• 毙bìkill; die violent death
• 腰yāowaist; kidney
• 妆zhuāngto adorn oneself, dress up, use make-up
• 苹píngartemisia; duckweed; apple
• 诅zǔcurse; swear, pledge
• 宠chǒngfavorite, concubine; favor
• 龟guīturtle or tortoise; cuckold
• 淘táowash in a sieve; weed out
• 宰zǎito slaughter; to rule
• 逻luópatrol; inspect; watch; patrol
• 哀āisad, mournful, pitiful; pity
• 铺pùplank bed; place to sleep; shop; store
• 挨āiin order; in sequence; close to; adjacent to
• 衬chènunderwear; inner garments
• 峰fēngpeak, summit; hump of camel
• 屈qūbend, flex; bent, crooked; crouch
• 薪xīnfuel, firewood; salary
• 嫉jíjealousy; be jealous of
• 册cèbook, volume, register, list
• 寂jìstill, silent, quiet; desolate
• 董dǒngdirect, supervise; surname
• 泉quánspring, fountain; wealth, money
• 沿yánfollow a course, go along
• 郁yùsweet smelling, rich in aroma; (Cant.) to move, hit
• 详xiángdetailed, complete, thorough
• 鲸jīngwhale
• 僵jiāngstiff and motionless, stock still
• 截jiécut off, stop, obstruct, intersect
• 踩cǎistep on
• 措cuòplace; collect, arrange; employ
• 钓diàofish; fishhook; tempt, lure
• 肌jīmuscle tissue; meat on bones
• 畏wèifear, dread, awe, reverence
• 央yāngcenter, conclude, run out; beg
• 炉lúfireplace, stove, oven, furnace
• 奎kuístride of man; 15th lunar mansion, determinative star η Andromedae
• 钮niǔbutton, knob; surname
• 沟gōuditch, drain, narrow waterway
• 睁zhēngopen eyes; stare
• 猩xīngspecies of orangutan
• 愧kuìashamed, conscience-stricken
• 贷dàilend; borrow; pardon
• 坎kǎnpit, hole; snare, trap; crisis; trigram ☵; hexagram ䷜
• 咋zǎquestion-forming particle, why? how? what?; to bite; loud
• 紫zǐpurple, violet; amethyst; surname
• 朴pǔsimple, unadorned; sincere; surname; a tree
• 翼yìwings; fins on fish; shelter; 27th lunar mansion, determinative star α Crater...
• 润rùnsoft, moist; sleek; freshen
• 拦lánobstruct, impede, bar, hinder
• 瞬shùnwink, blink; in a wink, a flash
• 诶éian exclamation of confirmation
• 悬xuánhang, suspend, hoist; be hung
• 舅jiùmother's brother, uncle
• 擎qínglift up, hold up, support
• 拨bōmove; dispel; distribute
• 辉huībrightness, luster, brilliance
• 氧yǎngoxygen (element 8, O)
• 饱bǎoeat heartily; eat one's fill
• 询xúninquire into, ask about; consult
• 贫pínpoor, impoverished, needy
• 芙fúhibiscus
• 佣yōngto hire; to employ; servant; hired laborer; domestic help
• 跌diēstumble, slip, fall down; stamp
• 喘chuǎnpant, gasp, breathe heavily
• 壳ké(coll.) shell (of an egg, nut, crab etc); case; casing