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.

约重

yāo zhòng

约重 (yāo zhòng) is a noun meaning 'approximate

约秤

yāo chèng

‘约秤’ (yāo chèng) is a traditional Chinese ba

纪录片

jì lù piàn

A jìlùpiàn (documentary film) is a non-fictiona

纪元

jì yuán

‘纪元’ (jì yuán) literally combines ‘纪’ (j

年纪

nián jǐ

年纪 (niánjì) literally combines 年 (nián, 'yea

糖分

táng fèn

‘糖分’ (táng fèn) literally combines ‘糖’ (t

血糖

xuè táng

‘血糖’ literally means ‘blood sugar’ — a comp

糖水

táng shuǐ

‘Táng shuǐ’ literally means 'sugar water' — c

糖果

táng guǒ

‘糖果’ (táng guǒ) literally means ‘sugar frui

白糖

bái táng

‘白糖’ (bái táng) literally means 'white sugar

精华

jīnghuá

‘精华’ (jīnghuá) literally combines 精 (jīng)

精品

jīngpǐn

精品 literally combines 精 (jīng), meaning 'refin

精神

jīngshén

精神 (jīngshén) literally combines 精 (jīng), m

粗粮

cū liáng

粗粮 (cū liáng) literally means 'coarse grain'

粗布

cū bù

粗布 (cū bù) literally means 'coarse cloth' —

学籍

xué jí

‘学籍’ (xuéjí) literally combines ‘学’ (xué

名籍

míng jí

‘名籍’ (míng jí) literally combines ‘名’ (m

典籍

diǎn jí

‘典籍’ (diǎn jí) refers to authoritative, hist

籍贯

jí guàn

‘Jíguàn’ literally combines ‘jí’ (register,

户籍

hù jí

‘户籍’ (hùjí) refers to China’s official hous

签证

qiān zhèng

签证 (qiān zhèng) is a noun meaning 'visa'—an o

开篇

kāi piān

'Kāi piān' literally combines 'kāi' (to open) a

专篇

zhuān piān

专篇 (zhuān piān) is a compound noun meaning 'sp

长篇

cháng piān

‘长篇’ literally means ‘long piece’—‘长’ (c

短篇

duǎn piān

‘短篇’ literally means ‘short piece’—‘短’ (

篇章

piān zhāng

篇章 literally combines 篇 (piān), meaning 'a pie

一篇

yī piān

‘一篇’ is a measure word (classifier) used speci

管家

guǎn jiā

管家 (guǎn jiā) literally combines 管 (guǎn), m

笨鸟先飞

bèn niǎo xiān fēi

This four-character idiom literally means 'a slow

笨蛋

bèn dàn

‘笨蛋’ (bèn dàn) literally means ‘stupid egg

护身符

hù shēn fú

护身符 (hù shēn fú) literally means 'protect-th

符节

fú jié

‘符节’ (fú jié) was an official token used in

字符

zì fú

‘字符’ (zì fú) literally means ‘character sym

符咒

fú zhòu

‘符咒’ (fú zhòu) is a compound noun meaning ‘

符号

fú hào

‘符号’ (fú hào) literally combines ‘符’ (fú

竞速

jìng sù

竞速 literally means 'competing in speed' — 竞 (j

竞赛

jìng sài

竞赛 (jìng sài) is a noun meaning 'contest' or '

幼童

yòu tóng

幼童 literally combines 幼 (yòu), meaning 'young'

童谣

tóng yáo

‘Tóng yáo’ (童谣) literally combines ‘tóng’

童心

tóng xīn

‘Tóng xīn’ literally means ‘child heart’—a