Browse Chinese Characters — Learn Chinese Through Stories

Every character has an origin. Discover the pictographs, myths, and history behind each Chinese character — with pinyin, stroke order, HSK level, and audio pronunciation.

jiǎng

What does 奖 mean? Pronounced jiǎng, HSK level 4,

cāi

11-stroke character 猜 (cāi) carries the meaning

pái

Write 牌 correctly: 12 strokes, pronounced pái, m

ěr

Write 尔 correctly: 5 strokes, pronounced ěr, mea

The Chinese character 父 (fù) means 'father'—a f

zhēng

The Chinese character 争 (zhēng) means ‘to striv

shú

熟 (shú) means 'ripe; mature' — capturing culina

fán

烦 is a HSK 4 Chinese character pronounced fán. I

yān

Explore the meaning of 烟 (yān): 'cigarette or pi

无 means 'not to have' — a deceptively simple con

kǎo

The Chinese character 烤 (kǎo) means to roast, gr

济 (jì) means 'to cross a river'—a foundational

激 (jī) means 'to arouse' in Chinese — a HSK 4 c

泼 (pō) means 'to splash' in Chinese — a HSK 4 c

màn

Learning Chinese? 漫 (màn) is one of the essentia

yǎn

The Chinese character 演 (yǎn) means 'to perform;

wēn

温 (wēn) means 'warm; lukewarm' — a foundational

shāng

Write 汤 correctly: 6 strokes, pronounced shāng,

jiǎn

减 means 'to lower'—a culturally rich concept ref

shēn

Think: 'Shēn = 'sheen' of deep water — dark, ref

liáng

凉 • liáng • 'the five Liang of the Sixteen Kin

xiāo

消 (xiāo) means 'to diminish; to subside' — a fl

hǎi

Master 海 (hǎi), HSK level 4 — the Chinese word

làng

Discover 浪 (HSK 4): the Chinese character for 'wa

liú

流 • liú • 'to flow' — HSK 4 Chinese character