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.

勤工俭学

qín gōng jiǎn xué

勤工俭学 literally combines four characters: 勤 (d

半刻

bàn kè

‘半刻’ literally means ‘half a ke’, where ‘ke

三刻

sān kè

‘三刻’ literally means ‘three ke,’ where ‘ke

刻钟

kè zhōng

刻钟 literally means 'carved hour'—a historical t

每刻

měi kè

每刻 (měi kè) literally means 'each quarter-hour

一刻

yī kè

‘一刻’ literally combines ‘一’ (yī, meaning '

刷脸

shuā liǎn

‘刷脸’ literally means 'to swipe/scan the face'

刮擦

guā cā

‘刮擦’ (guā cā) is a compound noun meaning ‘s

刮痧

guā shā

Gua Sha is a traditional East Asian therapeutic te

冰淇淋

bīng qí lín

Ice cream is a frozen dessert made from dairy (oft

冰箱

bīng xiāng

‘冰箱’ literally means ‘ice box’—a compound n

冬装

dōng zhuāng

‘冬装’ (dōng zhuāng) literally combines 冬 (d

立冬

lì dōng

‘Lìdōng’ (Start of Winter) is the 19th of Chin

寒冬

hán dōng

寒冬 literally means 'cold winter' — 寒 (hán) me

冬至

dōng zhì

Winter Solstice (dōng zhì) is the astronomical e

冬天

dōng tiān

冬天 (dōng tiān) means 'winter'—the coldest of

词典

cí diǎn

‘词典’ (cí diǎn) literally means ‘word canon

典范

diǎn fàn

‘典范’ (diǎn fàn) is a formal noun meaning ‘m

典型

diǎn xíng

‘典型’ (diǎn xíng) literally combines 典 (diǎ

典礼

diǎn lǐ

‘典礼’ (diǎn lǐ) is a formal noun meaning 'cer

字典

zì diǎn

A zìdiǎn is a reference book or digital tool tha

亚军

yà jūn

"Yà jūn" literally means "second place military

单元

dān yuán

单元 (dān yuán) literally combines 单 (dān), me

元音

yuán yīn

‘元音’ literally means ‘original sound’—‘元

元首

yuán shǒu

‘元首’ (yuán shǒu) literally combines 元 (yuá

元素

yuán sù

‘元素’ (yuán sù) literally combines 元 (yuán)

元旦

yuán dàn

‘元旦’ (yuán dàn) literally means ‘the first

录像

lù xiàng

‘录像’ (lù xiàng) literally combines ‘录’ (t

佛像

fó xiàng

佛像 (fó xiàng) literally means 'Buddha image'

画像

huà xiàng

‘画像’ literally combines ‘画’ (huà), meaning

图像

tú xiàng

图像 (tú xiàng) is a formal, written noun meanin

伞兵

sǎn bīng

‘伞兵’ literally means ‘umbrella soldier’ — a

保护伞

bǎo hù sǎn

The term 保护伞 literally means 'protective umbrel

降落伞

jiàng luò sǎn

'Jiàng luò sǎn' literally means 'descend-fall-u

太阳伞

tài yáng sǎn

'太阳伞' (tài yáng sǎn) literally means 'sun um

保健

bǎojiàn

'保健' (bǎojiàn) literally combines '保' (bǎo),

健康

jiànkāng

健康 (jiànkāng) means 'health' as a noun or 'hea

假期

jià qī

‘假期’ (jià qī) is a noun meaning 'holiday' or

假货

jiǎ huò

'假货' (jiǎ huò) literally means 'false goods'

通讯

tōng xùn

‘通讯’ (tōng xùn) is a noun meaning ‘communic