Chinese vocabulary: intermediate (B1)
The 168 words and phrases taught in the intermediate chapters, in the order the course teaches them. Press ▶ to hear each one.
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1. Stories and memories
From chapter 1: learn these words in context
- 奶奶nǎinaigrandma (father's mother) · (yéye) is grandpa. Xiaoyu calls her (nín), as many Beijing families do.
- 那时候nà shíhouat that time, back then
- 才cáinot until, only then; only · for something late: (sānshí suì cái jiéhūn)
- 胡同hútònghutong, a narrow lane in old Beijing
- 后来hòuláilater, afterwards · only for the past; for the future say (yǐhòu)
- 搬bānto move (house); to carry · (bānjiā), to move house; (bāndào Shànghǎi), to move to Shanghai
- 邻居línjūneighbour · (rènshi), to know (a person), to get to know: (Nǐmen shì zěnme rènshi de?), how did you meet?
- 当时dāngshíat the time, then
- 结婚jiéhūnto get married · (gēn … jiéhūn), to marry someone
- 就jiùalready, as early as · for something early: (èrshí suì jiù jiéhūn le)
- 年轻niánqīngyoung · (niánqīng de shíhou), when (someone) was young; (chànggē), to sing
- 记得jìdeto remember · (bú jìde), don't remember
- 最后zuìhòuin the end, finally; last
- 回忆huíyìmemory (of the past); to recall
2. Opinions and reasons
From chapter 2: learn these words in context
- 决定juédìngto decide; decision · (zuò juédìng), to make a decision
- 工资gōngzīpay, salary · (gōngzī gāo), well paid
- 机会jīhuìopportunity, chance
- 压力yālìpressure, stress · (yālì hěn dà), there's a lot of pressure
- 虽然suīránalthough · with (dànshì) or (kěshì) in the second half
- 但是dànshìbut
- 对…来说duì … lái shuōfor (someone), as far as (someone) is concerned
- 同意tóngyìto agree
- 稳定wěndìngstable, steady
- 其实qíshíactually, in fact
- 认为rènwéito believe, to think (an opinion)
- 考虑kǎolǜto think about, to consider · (wǒ kǎolǜ yíxià), let me think about it
- 选择xuǎnzéchoice; to choose
- 看法kànfǎopinion, view · (Nǐ de kànfǎ ne?), what's your view?
3. News and current events
From chapter 3: learn these words in context
- 新闻xīnwénnews; a news story · (kàn xīnwén), to read or watch the news
- 号线hào xiàn(metro) line number … · (sān hào xiàn), Line 3
- 开通kāitōngto open (a new line, road or service) · (xiū), to build; to repair: (xiūhǎo le), has been built, is finished; (qù yīyuàn), to go to hospital
- 被bèi(marks the passive) by · (bèi chē zhuàng le), was hit by a car
- 撞zhuàngto hit, to crash into
- 受伤shòushāngto be injured, to get hurt
- 发生fāshēngto happen · (Fāshēngle shénme shì?), what happened?
- 小偷xiǎotōuthief · (tōu), to steal
- 警察jǐngchápolice; police officer
- 抓住zhuāzhùto catch · (zhuā), grab, + (zhù), firmly
- 听说tīngshuōto hear (that), people say
- 暴雨bàoyǔrainstorm, heavy rain
- 提醒tíxǐngto remind; to warn
- 市民shìmínpeople living in a city, residents
4. Feelings and relationships
From chapter 4: learn these words in context
- 心情xīnqíngmood · (xīnqíng bù hǎo), in a bad mood
- 男朋友nánpéngyouboyfriend · girlfriend: (nǚpéngyou)
- 吵架chǎojiàto quarrel, to have a row · (gēn … chǎojià), to fight with someone
- 生气shēngqìangry; to get angry · (duì … shēngqì), angry with someone
- 难过nánguòsad, upset
- 失望shīwàngdisappointed · (shēngrì), birthday: (zuótiān shì wǒ shēngrì), yesterday was my birthday
- 误会wùhuìmisunderstanding; to misunderstand
- 关心guānxīnto care about, to be concerned about
- 互相hùxiāngeach other · before the verb: (hùxiāng bāngzhù), help each other
- 理解lǐjiěto understand (a person or a reason) · for words and languages, use (dǒng)
- 道歉dàoqiànto apologise · (gēn … dàoqiàn), to apologise to someone
- 担心dānxīnto worry; worried · (bié dānxīn), don't worry
- 好好hǎohāoproperly, well, to the full · before a verb: (hǎohāo xiūxi)
- 原谅yuánliàngto forgive
5. Hopes and wishes
From chapter 5: learn these words in context
- 将来jiāngláiin the future; the future
- 留学liúxuéto study abroad · (qù Yīngguó liúxué), go and study in Britain; (Zhōngguó), China; (huā qián), to spend money
- 梦想mèngxiǎngdream (hope for the future)
- 希望xīwàngto hope; hope · (wǒ xīwàng …), I hope (that)…
- 准备zhǔnbèito prepare; to plan to, to be going to
- 申请shēnqǐngto apply (for); application
- 奖学金jiǎngxuéjīnscholarship · (nádào jiǎngxuéjīn), to get a scholarship; (bù róngyì), not easy; (búyòng), no need to
- 要是yàoshiif · spoken, like (rúguǒ)
- 成绩chéngjìresults, marks, grades
- 的话dehuàif (at the end of the “if” part)
- 放心fàngxīnto be at ease, to stop worrying · (nǐ fàngxīn ba), don't worry; (bú fàngxīn), to worry
- 愿意yuànyìto be willing to, to want to
- 支持zhīchíto support
- 实现shíxiànto come true; to make (a plan) happen · (mèngxiǎng shíxiàn le), the dream came true
6. Solving problems
From chapter 6: learn these words in context
- 打不开dǎ bu kāiwon't open, won't turn on · (dǎkāi), to open, to turn on
- 屏幕píngmùscreen
- 充电器chōngdiànqìcharger · (chōngdiàn), to charge; (diànnǎo), computer, laptop
- 坏huàibroken; bad · (huài le), it's broken; (shuāihuài), break by dropping
- 检查jiǎncháto check, to examine · (xiǎoxīn), careful: (wǒ yòng de hěn xiǎoxīn), I've been careful with it
- 修xiūto repair, to fix · (xiūhǎo), fixed; (xiū de hǎo), can be fixed
- 解决jiějuéto solve, to sort out
- 保修bǎoxiūwarranty; to be under warranty
- 免费miǎnfèifree (of charge)
- 换一台新的huàn yì tái xīn deto exchange it for a new one · (tái) is the measure word for machines
- 发票fāpiàoreceipt, invoice (official)
- 退货tuìhuòto return goods (for your money back)
- 负责fùzéto be responsible for, to take care of · (diànnǎo li de dōngxi), the things on the computer; (dōngxi), things, stuff
- 找不到zhǎo bu dàocan't find
7. Culture and traditions
From chapter 7: learn these words in context
- 过年guòniánto celebrate the New Year (Spring Festival)
- 春节ChūnjiéSpring Festival, Chinese New Year · in January or February, by the lunar calendar
- 传统chuántǒngtradition; traditional
- 节日jiérìfestival, holiday
- 一般yìbānusually, generally; ordinary
- 团圆tuányuánto be together again (as a family)
- 除夕chúxīNew Year's Eve (Spring Festival)
- 除了…以外chúle … yǐwàibesides; except · “besides” with (hái) or (yě), “except” with (dōu)
- 年夜饭niányèfànNew Year's Eve family dinner · often with (yú), fish, and in the south (niángāo), New Year rice cake
- 红包hóngbāored envelope (with money in it) · also sent as money on WeChat
- 贴tiēto stick, to put up (on a wall or door)
- 春联chūnliánspring couplets (red paper strips with New Year wishes) · (shàngmiàn xiězhe …), on it is written …; (xiě), to write
- 放鞭炮fàng biānpàoto set off firecrackers
- 习俗xísúcustom
8. Work and careers
From chapter 8: learn these words in context
- 面试miànshì(job) interview; to interview · (jièshào yíxià zìjǐ), to introduce yourself; (jièshào), to introduce
- 应聘yìngpìnto apply for a job
- 贵公司guì gōngsīyour company (formal, polite)
- 市场shìchǎngmarket; marketing · (shìchǎngbù), marketing department
- 简历jiǎnlìCV, résumé
- 感兴趣gǎn xìngqùto be interested · (duì … gǎn xìngqù), interested in something
- 为了wèilein order to, for (a goal)
- 团队tuánduìteam · (dài tuánduì), to lead a team
- 经验jīngyànexperience · (yǒu jīngyàn), experienced
- 优点yōudiǎnstrength, good point
- 缺点quēdiǎnweakness, shortcoming
- 不但…而且…búdàn … érqiě …not only … but also …
- 能力nénglìability, skills · (gōutōng nénglì), communication skills; (gōutōng), to communicate
- 待遇dàiyùpay and conditions (salary, benefits)
9. Health and lifestyle
From chapter 9: learn these words in context
- 体检tǐjiǎnmedical check-up; to have a check-up
- 血压xuèyāblood pressure · (xuèyā gāo), high blood pressure; (xuè) is often said xiě in speech
- 身体shēntǐbody; health · (shēntǐ hǎo), in good health; (zuìjìn), recently, lately
- 越来越yuèláiyuèmore and more
- 胖pàngfat, overweight · the opposite is (shòu), thin
- 锻炼duànliànto exercise, to work out
- 熬夜áoyèto stay up late (into the night)
- 习惯xíguànhabit; to be used to
- 戒烟jièyānto give up smoking · (chōuyān), to smoke
- 一定要yídìng yàomust, really have to
- 油yóuoil, fat (in food) · (wǒ àiren zuò cài yóu fàng de hěn duō), my wife cooks with a lot of oil. (àiren), husband or wife, is common among older married people on the mainland.
- 盐yánsalt
- 坚持jiānchíto keep it up, to stick with it · (cóng míngtiān kāishǐ), starting tomorrow; (kāishǐ), to start
- 健康jiànkānghealthy; health
10. Money and everyday services
From chapter 10: learn these words in context
- 办bànto do, to arrange, to get (paperwork) done
- 开户kāihùto open an account · (kāi ge hù), open an account
- 银行卡yínhángkǎbank card
- 存钱cún qiánto deposit money, to save money
- 取钱qǔ qiánto withdraw money
- 填表tián biǎoto fill in a form · (biǎo), form; measure word (zhāng)
- 签名qiānmíngto sign (your name); signature · (qiān ge míng), sign
- 手续费shǒuxùfèifee, service charge
- 密码mìmǎPIN, password · (shūrù mìmǎ), to enter a PIN
- 转账zhuǎnzhàngto transfer money · (gěi … zhuǎnzhàng), transfer money to someone
- 窗口chuāngkǒucounter, service window
- 万wànten thousand
- 利息lìxīinterest (on money)
- 快递kuàidìcourier, parcel delivery; parcel · (jì kuàidì), to send a parcel
11. Travel stories
From chapter 11: learn these words in context
- 差点儿chàdiǎnralmost, nearly
- 赶上gǎnshàngto make it in time (for a train or plane) · (gǎn bu shàng), can't make it in time
- 飞机fēijīplane
- 古城gǔchéngold town, ancient city
- 一…就…yī … jiù …as soon as … · (yī) changes tone: (yí jìn), (yì tīng)
- 钱包qiánbāowallet, purse
- 丢diūto lose; to leave behind · (diū zài chūzūchē shang le), left in the taxi
- 着急zháojíworried, anxious, in a panic · (fēicháng zháojí), in a real panic; (fēicháng), very, extremely
- 连…都…lián … dōu …even
- 幸亏xìngkuīluckily, thank goodness
- 司机sījīdriver · (wǒ mǎshàng gěi nǐ sòng huílai), I'll bring it straight back; (mǎshàng), at once
- 送回来sòng huílaito bring back, to return (something to someone)
- 没想到méi xiǎngdàodidn't expect, never thought
- 运气yùnqiluck · (yùnqi zhēn hǎo), really lucky
12. Review: telling your story
From chapter 12: learn these words in context
- 经历jīnglìexperiences, life story; to go through
- 出生chūshēngto be born · (wǒ shì yī jiǔ jiǔ líng nián chūshēng de), I was born in 1990
- 农村nóngcūncountryside, village
- 进城jìnchéngto go to the city (to live or work)
- 打工dǎgōngto work (for someone else), to do a job for pay · used for workers from the countryside and for students' part-time jobs
- 辛苦xīnkǔhard, tiring · (xīnkǔ le), thanks for your hard work
- 粤菜YuècàiCantonese food · (Yuè) is a short name for Guangdong
- 开店kāi diànto open a shop or restaurant, to run your own business · (fàndiàn), restaurant (also used for large hotels)
- 生意shēngyibusiness, trade · (shēngyi hěn hǎo), business is good
- 退休tuìxiūto retire
- 年轻人niánqīngrényoung people
- 建议jiànyìadvice, suggestion; to suggest
- 骄傲jiāo'àoproud · (wèi … jiāo'ào), proud of
- 成功chénggōngto succeed; successful
Other levels: Beginner (A1) · Elementary (A2) · Upper intermediate (B2)