Chinese characters 2,501–3,000, by frequency

Characters 2,501–3,000 of 9,574, ordered by how often they're used. Each one has its stroke order, words and example sentences.

• 梳shūcomb; brush
• 曹cáoministry officials; surname
• 茫mángvast, boundless, widespread
• 弦xiánstring; hypotenuse, crescent
• 慨kǎisigh, regret; generous
• 羡xiànenvy, admire; praise; covet
• 蛙wāfrog
• 吨dūnmetric ton; (Cant.) to babble, gibberish
• 晴qíngclear weather, fine weather
• 秩zhìorder; orderly; salary; decade
• 搁gēplace, put, lay down; delay
• 橱chúcabinet, wardrobe, cupboard
• 浸jìnsoak, immerse, dip, percolate
• 勿wùmust not, do not; without, never
• 稚zhìyoung, immature; childhood
• 淑shūgood, pure, virtuous, charming
• 豚túnsmall pig, suckling pig; shuffle one's feet
• 徐xúslowly, quietly, calmly; composed, dignified
• 颂sònglaud, acclaim; hymn; ode
• 砖zhuāntile, brick
• 锐ruìsharp, keen, acute, pointed
• 趾zhǐtoe; tracks, footprints
• 跤jiāostumble, fall down; wrestle
• 巷xiàngalley, lane
• 拷kǎotorture and interrogate; hit
• 茎jīngstem, stalk
• 铲chǎnspade, shovel, trowel, scoop
• 咧liěto draw back the corners of one's mouth
• 柄bǐnghandle, lever, knob; authority
• 娇jiāoseductive and loveable; tender
• 辐fúspokes of wheel
• 虹hóngrainbow
• 陀tuósteep bank, rough terrain
• 驳bóvaricolored, variegated; mixed
• 稻dàorice growing in field, rice plant
• 锦jǐnbrocade, tapestry; embroidered
• 杖zhàngcane, walking stick
• 挚zhìsincere, warm, cordial; surname
• 膛tángchest; hollow space, cavity
• 驼tuóa camel; humpbacked; to carry on the back
• 捞lāoscoop out of water; dredge, fish
• 榜bǎngplacard; list of successful exam candidates
• 萧xiāocommon artemisia; dejected
• 吩fēnorder, command, instruct
• 蕉jiāobanana; plantain
• 戳chuōprick, stab; stamp, seal, chop
• 贿huìbribe; bribes; riches, wealth
• 灿cànvivid, illuminating; bright
• 碑bēistone tablet; gravestone
• 猾huácrafty, cunning, shrewd; deceitful
• 鳄èalligator
• 亭tíngpavilion; erect
• 冯féngsurname; gallop; by dint of
• 弊bìevil, wrong, bad; criminal
• 谦qiānhumble, modest
• 涅nièblacken; black mud, slime
• 锤chuíbalance weight on scale; hammer
• 掠lüèrob, ransack, plunder; pass by
• 戮lùkill, massacre; oppress
• 陋lòunarrow; crude, coarse; ugly
• 晰xīclear, evident; clearly
• 枯kūdried out, withered, decayed
• 叙xùexpress, state, relate, narrate
• 胀zhàngswell, inflate, expand
• 悼dàogrieve, mourn, lament; grieved
• 棘jíjujube tree; thorns, brambles
• 霜shuāngfrost; crystallized; candied
• 咽yànto swallow
• 嗑kēeat seeds; reproach; loquacious
• 颇pōlean one side; very, rather
• 剃tìshave
• 斜xiéslanting, sloping, inclined
• 帘liánflag-sign of a tavern
• 掏tāotake out; pull out; clean out
• 嫩nènsoft, tender, delicate; young
• 腺xiàngland
• 咸xiántogether; all, completely; united; hexagram ䷞
• 壶hújar, pot, jug, vase; surname
• 墅shùvilla, country house
• 驯xùntame, docile, obedient
• 嗓sǎngvoice; throat
• 慷kāngardent; generous, magnanimous
• 昧mèiobscure, dark; darken
• 坊fānglane (usually as part of a street name); memorial archway
• 焊hànweld, solder
• 尹yǐngovern; oversee; director
• 颁bānconfer, bestow; publish, promulgate
• 蔬shūvegetables, greens
• 裔yìprogeny, descendants, posterity
• 禽qínbirds, fowl; surname; capture
• 牡mǔmale of animals; bolt of door
• 袍páolong gown, robe, cloak
• 榴liúpomegranate
• 裕yùabundant, rich, plentiful
• 绊bànloop, catch; fetter, shackle
• 肆sìindulge; excess; numeral four; particle meaning now, therefore; shop
• 皂zàosoap; black; menial servant
• 斥chìto scold, upbraid, accuse, reproach
• 躯qūbody
• 泛fànto drift, float; careless, reckless
• 臀túnbuttocks
• 忏chànregret, repent; confess sins
• 锯jùa saw; to saw; amputate
• 狩shòuwinter hunting; imperial tour
• 逞chěngindulge oneself; brag, show off
• 锻duànforge metal; temper, refine
• 赦shèforgive, remit, pardon
• 缅miǎndistant, remote; think of
• 叠diépile; be piled up; fold up
• 嗷áoloud clamor; sound of wailing
• 呻shēngroan, moan; recite with intonation
• 募mùlevy, raise; summon; recruit
• 攀pānclimb; pull; hang on to
• 嬷módialectal or obsolete equivalent of 媽
• 碳tàncarbon (element 6, C)
• 蓬péngtype of raspberry; fairyland
• 烹pēngboil, cook; quick fry, stir fry
• 瀑pùwaterfall, cascade; heavy rain
• 骸háiskeleton, body; leg bone
• 溪xīmountain stream, creek
• 魁kuíchief; leader; best; monstrous
• 缚fùto tie
• 嗜shìbe fond of, have weakness for
• 吁xūsh; hush
• 熏xūnsmoke, fog, vapor; smoke, cure
• 酗xùdrunk, to become violent under the influence of alcohol
• 框kuàngframe; framework; door frame
• 盈yíngfill; full, overflowing; surplus
• 虏lǔto capture, imprison, seize; a prison
• 剖pōusplit in two, slice; dissect
• 铅qiānlead (element 82, Pb)
• 眨zhǎwink
• 勺sháospoon, ladle; unit of volume
• 濑làiswift current; rapids
• 哮xiàocough; pant; roar
• 舵duòrudder, helm
• 恳kěnsincere, earnest, cordial
• 逸yìflee, escape, break loose
• 幢chuángbanner; pennant (in ancient China)
• 斐fěigraceful, elegant, beautiful
• 蔓màncreeping plants, tendrils, vines
• 滨bīnbeach, sea coast; river bank
• 哗huāclang; sound of gurgling, splashing or flowing water
• 癫diāncrazy, mad; madness, mania, insane
• 狭xiánarrow, limited; narrow-minded
• 咨zīinquire, consult, discuss; plan
• 吕lǚsurname; a musical note
• 斧fǔaxe, hatchet; chop, hew
• 婷tíngpretty; attractive; graceful
• 桂guìcassia or cinnamon
• 谭tánsurname
• 嗅xiùsmell, scent, sniff; olfactive
• 溺nìdrown; submerge in water; indulge
• 黏niánstick to; glutinous, sticky; glue
• 吱zhīchirping, squeaking, hissing
• 屉tìdrawer; tray; pad; screen
• 茉mòwhite jasmine
• 绒róngsilk, cotton, or woolen fabric
• 铭mínginscribe, engrave
• 驹jūcolt; fleet, swift; sun; surname
• 豁huòopen; clear; liberal-minded; generous; to exempt; to remit
• 嗦suōsuck
• 捧pěnghold up in two hands
• 哔bìused in transliterations
• 栗lìchestnut tree, chestnuts; surname
• 宏hóngwide, spacious, great, vast
• 沫mòfroth, foam, bubbles, suds
• 梭suōweaver's shuttle; go to and fro
• 昌chānglight of sun; good, proper
• 兑duìcash; exchange
• 儒rúConfucian scholar
• 驰chígo quickly or swiftly; hurry
• 腻nìgreasy, oily, dirty; smooth
• 卿qīngnoble, high officer
• 绰chuògraceful, delicate; spacious
• 暮mùevening, dusk, sunset; ending
• 奢shēextravagant, wasteful; exaggerate
• 葵kuísunflower; measure
• 簿bùregister, account book, notebook
• 纤xiānfine, delicate; minute; graceful
• 绷bēngbind, draw firmly, strap
• 冥míngdark, gloomy, night; deep
• 谐xiéharmonize, agree; joke, jest
• 蹦bènghop, leap, jump; bright
• 萎wěiwither, wilt
• 嚼juéprattle, be glib
• 拓tuòto expand; to push sth with the hand; to develop; to open up
• 噜lūverbose, talkative; mumbling
• 挫cuòpush down; chop down; grind
• 俺ǎnpersonal pronoun, I
• 焚fénburn
• 庸yōngusual, common, ordinary, mediocre
• 辰chénearly morning; fifth earthly branch; Kangxi radical 161
• 劈pīto hack; to chop; to split open; (of lightning) to strike
• 蚂mǎused in 螞蟥; used in 螞蟻
• 芽yábud, sprout, shoot
• 惕tìbe cautious, careful, alert
• 蚀shínibble away; erode; eclipse
• 掷zhìthrow, hurl, cast, fling
• 枉wǎnguseless, in vain; bent, crooked
• 栽zāito cultivate, plant; to care for plants
• 堤dīdike
• 殴ōubeat, fight with fists, hit
• 雌cífemale; feminine; gentle, soft
• 窍qiàohole, opening, aperture
• 窒zhìstop up, obstruct
• 撼hànmove, shake; (Cant.) to fight
• 萌méngbud, sprout
• 媚mèicharming, attractive; flatter
• 橘júorange, tangerine
• 沦lúnbe lost; sink, be submerged
• 焕huànshining
• 渊yuānsurge up, bubble up, gush forth
• 鹤hècrane; Grus species (various)
• 嘟dūsound of horn tooting
• 掐qiāhold; gather with hand; choke
• 芯xīnpith from rush (Juncus effusus)
• 衔xiánbit; hold in mouth, bite; gag
• 癖pǐcraving, weakness for; indigestion
• 溢yìoverflow, brim over; full
• 唷yōfinal particle
• 俯fǔbow down, face down, look down
• 唠láochat, jaw, gossip, talk
• 逍xiāoramble, stroll, jaunt, loiter
• 轿jiàosedan-chair, palanquin
• 嗽sòucough, gargle, clear throat
• 厘límanage, control; thousandth part of tael
• 浇jiāospray, water, sprinkle
• 蒜suàngarlic
• 汪wāngvast, extensive, deep; surname
• 赂lùbribe; give present
• 醇chúnrich, good as wine; pure, unmixed
• 缴jiǎodeliver, submit; hand over
• 靡míto waste (money)
• 钦qīnrespect, admire; respectful
• 嗡wēngsound of flying bees, airplanes
• 践jiàntrample, tread upon, walk on
• 骤zhòuprocedure; gallop; sudden(ly)
• 朽xiǔdecayed, rotten; rot, decay
• 渗shènsoak through, infiltrate
• 悯mǐnpity, sympathize with, grieve for
• 僚liáocompanion, colleague; officials; bureaucracy; a pretty face
• 竖shùperpendicular, vertical; erect
• 蹭cèngto shuffle, procrastinate, dilly-dally
• 梵fànBuddhist, Sanskrit
• 礁jiāoreef; jetty; submerged rocks
• 盏zhǎnsmall cup or container
• 捆kǔntie up; bind, truss up; bundle
• 坪pínglevel ground; Japanese measure
• 婪láncovet; covetous, avaricious
• 钝dùnblunt, obtuse; dull; flat; dull-witted
• 迦jiācharacter for transliteration
• 饪rèncooked food; cook until well done
• 剔tīpick out; scrape off; scrape meat
• 莽mǎngthicket, underbrush; poisonous
• 沸fèiboil, bubble up, gush
• 憋biēto suppress inner feelings; hasty
• 瑚húcoral; person of virtue
• 掰bāi(Cant.) to tear, to rip
• 肋lèiribs; chest
• 扒bāto peel; to skin; to tear; to pull down
• 岳yuèmountain peak; surname
• 窟kūhole, cave; cellar; underground
• 昔xīformerly; ancient; in beginning
• 靓jìngmake up face; ornament; quiet
• 朕zhènpronoun 'I'
• 谴qiǎnreprimand, scold, abuse
• 喀kāvomit; used in transliterations
• 骆luòa white horse with black mane; a camel
• 螂lángmantis, dung beetle
• 杏xìngapricot; almond
• 撇piēto cast away; to fling aside
• 疹zhěnmeasles; rash; fever
• 煌huángbright, shining, luminous
• 匈xiōngbreast, chest, thorax; clamor; the Hsiung Nu 'Huns'
• 嘎gāsound of laughter; bad, malevolent
• 酿niàngbrew, ferment
• 坤kūnearth; feminine, female; trigram ☷; hexagram ䷁
• 闺guīsmall entrance; women's quarters
• 飙biāowhirlwind, stormy gale
• 酵jiàoyeast, leaven
• 瘫tānparalysis, palsy, numbness
• 燥zàodry, parched, arid; quick-tempered
• 苔táimoss, lichen
• 赃zāngbooty, loot, stolen goods; bribe
• 栓shuānwooden peg, post or stick
• 媳xídaughter-in-law
• 碌lùrough, uneven, rocky; mediocre
• 皱zhòuwrinkles, creases, folds
• 挠náoscratch; disturb, bother; submit
• 咩miēthe bleating of sheep; (Cant.) an interrogative particle
• 芥jièmustard plant; mustard; tiny
• 啪pāsyllable
• 鸿hóngspecies of wild swan; vast
• 曝bàoused in 曝光
• 炖dùnheat with fire; stew
• 函háncorrespondence; a case; a box
• 塘tángpond; tank; dike, embankment
• 坝bàembankment; dam
• 闸zhásluice; flood gate, canal lock
• 阀fápowerful and influential group
• 仲zhòngmiddle brother; go between, mediator; surname
• 桐tóngname applied various trees
• 蘑mótype of edible mushroom
• 鱿yóucuttlefish
• 乙yǐsecond; 2nd heavenly stem
• 觅mìseek; search
• 澄chéngclear; limpid; to clarify; to purify
• 肪fánganimal fat
• 瞪dèngstare at
• 屿yǔisland
• 卦guàfortune telling; tell fortunes
• 岭lǐngmountain ridge, mountain peak
• 瑜yúflawless gem or jewel
• 炭tàncharcoal; coal; carbon
• 刃rènedged tool, cutlery, knife edge
• 揪jiūgrasp with hand, pinch
• 搂lǒuhug, embrace; drag, pull
• 僧sēngBuddhist priest, monk; san of Sanskrit sangha
• 伺cìused in 伺候
• 掀xiānlift, raise; stir
• 虔qiánact with reverence; reverent
• 褐hècoarse woolen cloth; dull, dark
• 昭zhāobright, luminous; illustrious
• 栖qīperch; roost; stay
• 缆lǎnhawser, heavy-duty rope, cable
• 妃fēiwife, spouse; imperial concubine
• 韵yùnrhyme; vowel
• 屑xièbits, scraps, crumbs, fragments
• 躬gōngbody; personally, in person
• 毅yìresolute, decisive, firm, persist
• 烘hōngbake, roast; dry by fire
• 瘟wēnepidemic, plague, pestilence
• 钳qiánpincers, pliers, tongs; to compress
• 窖jiàopit, cellar
• 氨ānammonia; hydrogen nitride
• 悍hàncourageous, brave; violent
• 拇mǔthumb; big toe
• 硕shuògreat, eminent; large, big
• 茂màothick, lush, dense; talented
• 噬shìbite; gnaw; snap at
• 馨xīnfragrant, aromatic; distant fragrance
• 嬉xīenjoy; play, amuse oneself
• 魄pòvigor; body; dark part of moon
• 咆páoroar
• 溶róngto melt, dissolve; overflowing with
• 缪móuwind around, bind; prepare
• 惫bèitired, weary, fatigued
• 亵xièslight, insult, treat with disrespect
• 砂shāsand; pebbles, gravel; gritty
• 窄zhǎinarrow, tight; narrow-minded
• 酋qiúchief of tribe, chieftain
• 锈xiùrust, corrode
• 蚊wénmosquito; gnat
• 拧níngpinch; twist, wring; determined
• 圭guījade pointed at top
• 拌bànmix
• 猿yuánape
• 蜥xīlizard
• 侏zhūsmall, little, tiny, dwarf
• 渺miǎoendlessly long, boundless, vast
• 拽zhuàidrag, tow; throw; twist
• 耿gěngbright, shining; have guts
• 藉jíto insult; used in 狼藉
• 蝎xiēscorpion
• 薛xuēkind of marsh grass; feudal state
• 霞xiárosy clouds
• 哒dāa sound made to get a horse to move forward
• 玄xuándeep, profound, abstruse; Kangxi radical 95
• 涡wōswirl, whirlpool, eddy
• 祟suìevil spirit; evil influence
• 绸chóusilk cloth, satin damask
• 撬qiàolift, raise; pry open
• 熔róngmelt, smelt, fuse; mold
• 凿záochisel; bore, pierce
• 嚣xiāobe noisy; treat with contempt
• 邸dǐofficial residence, residence of
• 辖xiálinchpin of wheel; control
• 髓suǐbone marrow; essences, substances
• 髦máoflowing hair of young child
• 茅máoreeds, rushes, grass; surname
• 婿xùson-in-law; husband
• 痉jìngconvulsions, fits
• 煞shāto terminate; to cut short; to bring to a stop; to squeeze
• 溅jiànsprinkle, spray; spill, splash
• 喵miāothe mew of the cat
• 衍yǎnoverflow, spill over, spread out
• 萍píngduckweed; wandering, traveling
• 粥zhōurice gruel, congee
• 掺chānmix, blend, adulterate
• 侬nóngI; you; family name
• 嚎háocry loudly, yell, scream
• 纬wěiwoof; parallels of latitude
• 儡lěipuppet, dummy
• 舷xiánthe sides of a boat, bulwarks; a gunwale
• 酥sūbutter; flaky, crispy, light, fluffy
• 亥hàitwelfth earthly branch
• 犀xīrhinoceros; sharp, well-tempered
• 靶bǎtarget; splashboard on chariot
• 妍yánbeautiful, handsome; seductive
• 鹦yīngparrot
• 凰huángfemale phoenix
• 帖tiēfitting snugly; appropriate; suitable; to paste; to obey
• 辽liáodistant, far
• 瓷cícrockery, porcelain, chinaware
• 勘kāninvestigate; compare; collate
• 凳dèngbench; stool
• 沈shěnsink, submerge; addicted to; surname
• 雏chúchick, fledging; infant, toddler
• 敷fūspread, diffuse; apply, paint
• 侈chǐluxurious, extravagant
• 耕gēngplow, cultivate
• 蟑zhāngcockroach
• 抉juéchoose, select; gouge, pluck out
• 喋diénag; chatter, babble, twitter
• 弘hóngenlarge, expand; liberal, great
• 绽zhànripped seam, rend, crack
• 跋bágo by foot; epilogue, colophon
• 锚máoanchor
• 捍hànward off, guard against, defend
• 壤rǎngsoil, loam, earth; rich
• 椎zhuīhammer, mallet; vertebra
• 斋zhāivegetarian diet; study
• 卒zúsoldier; servant; at last, finally
• 瞳tóngpupil of eye
• 痪huànparalysis, numbness of limbs
• 苛kēsmall, petty; harsh, rigorous
• 萤yíngglow-worm, luminous insect
• 隙xìcrack, split, fissure; grudge
• 崭zhǎnhigh, steep, precipitous; new
• 羔gāolamb, kid
• 椰yēpalm tree, coconut palm
• 裘qiúfur garments; surname
• 岔chàdiverge, branch off; fork in road
• 扛kángcarry on shoulders; lift
• 擂léito pound (with a mortar and pestle); to hit (a person)
• 聆línglisten, hear
• 咚dōngonomatopoetic, a thumping sound
• 绣xiùembroider; embroidery; ornament
• 蔡càisurname; species of tortoise
• 陵línghill, mound; mausoleum
• 鹉wǔspecies of parrot
• 汝rǔyou
• 穗suìear of grain; tassel; Guangzhou
• 旱hàndrought; dry; dry land
• 颊jiácheeks, jaw
• 僻pìout-of-the-way, remote; unorthodox
• 寨zhàistockade, stronghold, outpost; brothel
• 叽jīsigh in disapproval; take small
• 丐gàibeggar; beg; give
• 株zhūnumerary adjunct for trees; root
• 寝qǐnsleep, rest; bed chamber
• 绫língthin silk, damask silk
• 饲sìraise animals; feed; nourish
• 懈xièidle, relaxed, remiss
• 芮ruìtiny, small; water's edge
• 痊quánbe healed, be cured; recover
• 睾gāotesticle
• 陨yǔnfall, slip; let fall; die
• 啸xiàoroar, howl, scream; whistle
• 蹄tíhoof; horse
• 秽huìdirty, unclean; immoral, obscene
• 嘻xīmirthful, happy; interjection
• 迭diérepeatedly, frequently
• 呛qiāngto choke (because of swallowing the wrong way)
• 冕miǎncrown; ceremonial cap
• 滤lǜstrain out, filter
• 桨jiǎngoar, paddle
• 滞zhìblock up, obstruct; stagnant
• 飓jùcyclone, typhoon, gale
• 渎dúditch, sluice, gutter, drain
• 肛gānganus
• 拢lǒngcollect, bring together
• 蓉rónghibiscus; Chengdu, Sichuan
• 颅lúskull
• 鞠jūbow, bend; rear, raise, nourish
• 菠bōspinach and similar greens
• 翩piānfly, flutter
• 喃nánkeep talking, chattering; mumble
• 煽shānstir up, incite, agitate, provoke
• 膨péngto swell; swollen, bloated, inflated
• 芦lúrushes, reeds
• 琐suǒtrifling, petty; troublesome
• 悚sǒngafraid, scared, frightened
• 鼎dǐnglarge, three-legged bronze caldron; Kangxi radical 206; hexagram ䷱
• 沐mùbathe, cleanse, wash, shampoo
• 伎jìtalent, skill, ability
• 郭guōouter part (of a city); surname
• 徊huáilinger, walk to and fro, hesitate
• 藻zǎosplendid, magnificent; algae
• 瘸quélameness, paralysis of hands, leg
• 婉wǎnamiable, congenial; restrained
• 蒋jiǎngsurname; Hydropyrum latifolium
• 栅zhàfence; palisade; grid
• 猁lìa kind of monkey
• 辙zhéwagon ruts, wheel tracks
• 裴péisurname; look of a flowing gown
• 彬bīncultivated, well-bred
• 跺duòstamp feet, step
• 墟xūhigh mound; hilly countryside; wasteland