Published Characters
Browse published characters with pinyin and meanings.
102 characters
部Published
Pinyinbù
Meaning“部” most commonly means a part or section of a whole, and by extension is used for organized divisions such as departments, ministries, troops, or large groups (e.g., “一部电影” = one movie, “部门” = department). It also appears in compound words to indicate sections of things like books or bodies (e.g., “上部” = upper part).
电Published
Pinyindiàn
Meaning“电” most commonly means “electricity” or “electric,” and appears in words like “电话” (telephone) and “电脑” (computer). It can also refer more generally to lightning or electric phenomena in nature.
是Published
Pinyinshì
MeaningIn modern Chinese, “是” is most commonly used as the verb “to be,” linking a subject to what it is (for example, “我是学生” = “I am a student”). It can also be used for emphasis or confirmation in conversation, similar to saying “indeed” or “yes, it is so.”
里Published
Pinyinlǐ
MeaningThe character “里” most commonly means “inside; within” and is used to talk about being in a place (e.g., 在家里 “at home,” 在心里 “in one’s heart”). It can also mean a traditional unit of distance (a “li,” about 500 meters), though this use is less common in everyday modern speech.
行Published
Pinyinxíng
MeaningIn Chinese, 行 most commonly means “to go; to walk; to move” and by extension “to do; to carry out (an action)” (as in 行动 “to take action,” 进行 “to carry out”). It can also mean “OK; all right” in phrases like 行吗? (“Is that OK?”) and appears in some words about professions or trades, such as 银行 (“bank,” literally “silver line/firm”).
理Published
Pinyinlǐ
Meaning“理” most commonly means “reason, logic, or principle” behind how things work or why something is right (as in 道理 “reason/principle”). It can also mean “to manage, put in order, or deal with” things (as in 整理 “to put in order,” 处理 “to handle”).
如Published
Pinyinrú
Meaning“如” most commonly means “like” or “as,” used to show similarity or to give examples (e.g., “such as…”). It can also mean “if” in some structures, and in classical or formal Chinese it can mean “to follow/comply with” or “to go to.”
后Published
Pinyinhòu
MeaningAccording to standard modern dictionaries, “后” most commonly means “after/later” (as in time sequence) and “back/behind” (as in location). It can also mean “empress/queen” or “sovereign’s wife” in historical or formal contexts.
能Published
Pinyinnéng
Meaning“能” most often means “can / be able to,” expressing ability, possibility, or permission (e.g., “我能游泳” – “I can swim”). It can also refer to capability or talent as a noun (“本领, 才能”).
们Published
Pinyinmen
Meaning“们” is a plural marker used after personal pronouns and many human nouns to show “more than one,” like turning “我 (I)” into “我们 (we)” or “学生 (student)” into “学生们 (students). It does not go with most non-human nouns, so you usually don’t use it with things like objects, animals, or abstract ideas.