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.

lěi

Learning Chinese? 累 (lěi) is one of the essentia

zhǐ

The Chinese character 纸 (zhǐ) means 'paper'—a f

hóng

红 is a HSK 2 Chinese character pronounced hóng.

lán

The Chinese character 篮 (lán) means 'basket' —

10-stroke character 笔 (bǐ) carries the meaning '

11-stroke character 第 (dì) carries the meaning '

xiào

Think: 'Bamboo (⺮) bends with joy → 笑 = laugh/s

zhàn

The Chinese character 站 (zhàn) means 'station'

穿

chuān

Master 穿 (chuān), HSK level 2 — the Chinese wor

chī

Explore the meaning of 离 (chī): 'mythical beast'

piào

票 (piào) means 'ticket' in Chinese — a HSK 2 ch

zhī

知 • zhī • 'to know' — HSK 2 Chinese character

jīng

The Chinese character 睛 (jīng) means 'eyeball' o

yǎn

11-stroke character 眼 (yǎn) carries the meaning

zhēn

The Chinese character 真 (zhēn) means 'really' —

bǎi

What does 百 mean? Pronounced bǎi, HSK level 2, t

bái

白 • bái • 'white' — HSK 2 Chinese character w

bìng

Think: 'Sick person (疒) + BINGO! (丙) = BÌNG = i

nán

Learning Chinese? 男 (nán) is one of the essentia

guā

The Chinese character 瓜 (guā) means 'melon, gour

bān

班 (bān) means 'team; class; grade' — a core HSK

wán

The Chinese character 玩 (wán) means 'to play'—a

niú

Learning Chinese? 牛 (niú) is one of the essentia

huǒ

Master 火 (huǒ), HSK level 2 — the Chinese word

yóu

Write 游 correctly: 12 strokes, pronounced yóu, m