Browse "Noun" Characters

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

被窝

bèi wō

'被窝' literally combines '被' (bèi), meaning 'qu

棉被

mián bèi

棉被 (mián bèi) is a traditional Chinese quilt f

被套

bèi tào

‘被套’ (bèi tào) literally means ‘bedding cov

被单

bèi dān

‘被单’ (bèi dān) is a common noun meaning ‘be

被子

bèi zi

‘被子’ (bèi zi) is a common noun meaning ‘quil

棉衫

mián shān

棉衫 (mián shān) literally combines 棉 (mián),

白衫

bái shān

‘白衫’ (bái shān) literally means ‘white shir

长衫

cháng shān

Cháng shān (长衫) is a traditional Chinese garme

短衫

duǎn shān

‘短衫’ (duǎn shān) literally combines ‘短’ (

汗衫

hàn shān

‘汗衫’ (hàn shān) literally means ‘sweat shir

衬衫

chèn shān

Shirt is a formal or semi-formal upper-body garmen

街坊

jiē fang

‘街坊’ (jiē fāng) literally combines ‘街’ (j

街头

jiē tóu

街头 literally means 'street end' or 'street head'

街角

jiē jiǎo

街角 (jiē jiǎo) literally combines 街 (jiē), me

街道

jiē dào

街道 (jiē dào) literally combines 街 (jiē), mea

小街

xiǎo jiē

‘Xiǎo jiē’ literally means ‘small street’—a

大街

dà jiē

‘Dà jiē’ literally means ‘big street’ — ‘d

蓝莓

lán méi

‘蓝莓’ is a compound noun meaning ‘blueberry’

蓝领

lán lǐng

'Blue-collar worker' is a direct loan translation

蓝色

lán sè

'蓝色' (lán sè) literally means 'blue color' and

蓝天

lán tiān

‘蓝天’ literally means ‘blue sky’—a compound

香芭蕉

xiāng bā jiāo

香芭蕉 (xiāng bā jiāo) is a less common, litera

蕉心

jiāo xīn

‘蕉心’ literally means ‘banana heart’ — it re

蕉风

jiāo fēng

‘蕉风’ is a poetic, literary compound meaning 'b

蕉叶

jiāo yè

'Jiāo yè' literally means 'banana leaf' — combi

芭蕉

bā jiāo

‘芭蕉’ (bā jiāo) refers to the Japanese banana

香蕉

xiāng jiāo

香蕉 (xiāng jiāo) is the standard Mandarin word

万紫千红

wàn zǐ qiān hóng

‘Wàn zǐ qiān hóng’ literally means ‘ten tho

万物

wàn wù

'Wàn wù' literally means 'ten thousand things'—

毒草

dúcǎo

‘毒草’ literally means ‘poisonous grass’ or ‘

杂草

zácǎo

‘杂草’ literally combines ‘杂’ (zá), meaning

草书

cǎoshū

‘Cǎoshū’ (cursive script) is one of the major

草稿

cǎogǎo

‘草稿’ (cǎogǎo) literally combines ‘草’ (cǎ

小草

xiǎocǎo

‘Xiǎocǎo’ literally means ‘small grass’ — c

草地

cǎodì

'Cǎodì' literally combines 'cǎo' (grass) and 'd

烟花

yān huā

烟花 (yān huā) literally means 'smoke flower'—a

花样

huā yàng

The word huāyàng literally combines 花 (huā, 'f

游船

yóu chuán

游船 literally combines 游 (yóu), meaning 'to tra

货船

huò chuán

'货船' (huò chuán) literally combines '货' (huò

客船

kè chuán

‘客船’ literally means ‘guest ship’ — 客 (kè