Mandarin Characters In Order Of Frequency.

Front 1

的

Back 1

[de]

<grammatical particle marking genitive as well as simple and composed adjectives>

我的 wǒde my; 高的 gāode high, tall;
是的 shìde that's it, that's right; 是...的 shì...de one who...;

Front 2

一 (A: 壹)

Back 2

[yī]
one, a little;
第一 dì-yī first, primary;
看一看 kànyīkàn have a (quick) look at
[yí] (used before tone #4);
一个人 yí gè rén one person;
一定 yídìng certain;
一样 yíyàng same;

Front 3

是

Back 3

[shì]
to be
是不是? shìbushì? is (it) or is (it) not?;
是否 shìfǒu whether or not, is (it) or is (it) not?

Front 4

不

Back 4

[bù]
not
Not [bú] (used before tone #4);
不是 bú shì - isn't

Front 5

了

Back 5

[le]
<verb particle marking a new situation or a completed action>
你来了! Nǐ láile! You have come!
我累了! Wǒ lèile! I've gotten tired!
那好了! Nà hǎole! That's OK (now)!

Front 6

人

Back 6

[rén]
person;
人类 rénlèi humankind;
有人吗? yǒu rén ma? Is there anybody here?
{Compare with 入 rù enter}

Front 7

我

Back 7

[wǒ]
I, me, my;
我们 wǒmen we, us {Compare with 找 zhǎo seek}

Front 8

在

Back 8

[zài]
at;
现在 xiànzài now;
存在 cúnzài exist

Front 9

有

Back 9

[yǒu]
have, there is;
没有 méiyǒu haven't, there isn't;
有没有? Yǒuméiyǒu? Is there or isn't there? Have (you) or haven't (you)?;
有的 yǒude some
[yòu] (=又 yòu) again, both... and...

Front 10

他

Back 10

[tā]
he, him, his, (she, her, it, its)
(=其他 qítā) other
[tuō] (in classical texts) someone else, something else

Front 11

这 (F: 這)

Back 11

[zhè]
this
这儿 zhèr here [zhèi] this (before classifier)

Front 12

中

Back 12

[zhōng]
middle, in;
中国 Zhōngguó China [zhòng] hit (a target)

Front 13

大

Back 13

[dà]
big;
多大? duōdà? how large?;
大小 dàxiǎo size;
大家 dàjiā everybody [dài] 大夫 dàifu doctor {Compare with 太 tài very and 木 mù tree}

Front 14

来

Back 14

[lái] (F 來)
come;
原来 yuánlái originally, as a matter of fact;
来年 láinián coming/next year(s)
[lai] (when used as a verb complement);
起来 qǐlai get up

Front 15

上

Back 15

[shàng]
above, on, over, top, (go) up, last, previous

[shǎng] 上声 shǎngshēng 3rd tone in Mandarin
[shang] (when used as a verb complement)
{Compare with 下 xià under}

Front 16

国 (F: 國)

Back 16

[guó]
(=国家 guójiā) country, state, nation,
<family name>;
中国 Zhōngguó China; 美国 Měiguó USA

Front 17

个 (F: 個,箇)

Back 17

[gè]
<general and non-specific classifier>;
个人 gèrén personal;
个人主页 gèrénzhùyè personal homepage
[gě] 自个 zìgě oneself

Front 18

到

Back 18

[dào]
to, towards, until, arrive, reach

Front 19

说 (F: 說)

Back 19

[shuō]
explain, scold, refer to,
(=说话 shuōhuà) speak, say;
游说 yóushuō persuade
[shuì] try to persuade;
游说 yóushuì lobbying

Front 20

们 (F: 們)

Back 20

[men]
<pluralizing suffix for pronouns and nouns referring to persons>

我们 wǒmen we;
人们 rénmen people, persons

Front 21

为 (F: 為)

Back 21

[wèi]
for, for the sake of, in order to, in this connection
[wéi]
do, act, act as, be, become;
认为 rènwéi think or believe that...;
以为 yǐwéi think or believe erroneously that {Compare with 办 bàn do}

Front 22

子

Back 22

[zǐ]
child, son;
子女 zǐnǚ sons and daughters;
儿子 érzi son
[zi] (noun suffix);
桌子 zhuōzi table
兔子 rabbit

Front 23

和 (F： 龢)

Back 23

[hé]
together, with, harmony, gentle, mild, kind <family name>;

Front 24

你 (A: 妳)

Back 24

[nǐ]
you, your;

你们 nǐmen you (plural)

Front 25

地

Back 25

[dì]
earth, ground, soil, place, position, distance;

Front 26

出

Back 26

[chū]
go out, come out, in direction out from something, emit, issue, prouce
出现 chūxiàn appear, emerge,

Front 27

道

Back 27

[dào]
way, path, channel, way, say, a streak (of light), doctrine,
<classifier for rivers, topics, etc.>
(=道教 Dàojiào) Taoism;
知道 zhīdao know
[dǎo] (=导 dǎo) lead

Front 28

也

Back 28

[yě]
also, as well;
也许 yěxǔ perhaps

Front 29

时 (F: 時)

Back 29

[shí]
period, season,
(时间 shíjiān, 时候 shíhou) = time
(=时间 shíjiān, =时候 shíhou)

Front 30

年

Back 30

[nián]
year, <family name>;

今年 jīnnián this year
明年 míngnián next year;
去年 qùnián last year;

Front 31

得

Back 31

[de]
<adverbial particle: verb + 得 + descripion>;

走得快 zǒude kuài
[dé] get, reach, achieve

Front 32

就

Back 32

[jiù]
just, simply, right away;
就要 jiùyào about to (do something);
这就是我! Zhè jiùshì wǒ! This is simply me!;
他就要去. Tā jiùyào qù. He is about to leave

Front 33

那

Back 33

[nà]
[nèi] that (before classifier)
[nuó] 禅那 chánnuó deep meditation
[nuò] 无那 wúnuò helpless, unfortunately
[nǎ] (=哪 nǎ) what?

Front 34

要

Back 34

[yào]
want, will, shall, need, important, essential;
主要 zhǔyào main, fundamental
[yāo]
要求 yāoqiú demand

Front 35

下

Back 35

[xià]
below, under, (go) down, next (as opposed to previous/last)
{Compare with 上 shàng }

Front 36

以

Back 36

[yǐ]
use, take, according to, because of, in order to;

可以 kěyǐ OK, may;
所以 suǒyǐ so, therefore, as a result;

Front 37

生

Back 37

[shēng]
give birth, life;

先生 xiānsheng: mister, gentleman, Sir

Front 38

会 (F: 會)

Back 38

[huì]
can, able, meet, meeting, society, union, party
kuài] 会计 kuàijì accounting
[huǐ] 会儿 huìr moment

Front 39

自

Back 39

[zì]
from, since
(=自己 zìjǐ) self;

Front 40

着 (F: 著)

Back 40

[zhe]
<verb particle marking a continuing progress/state>

Front 41

去

Back 41

[qù]
go, leave, depart (opposite of 来 lái)

Front 42

之

Back 42

[zhī]
<subordinator similar to 的 de>, it (in classical texts)

Front 43

过 (F: 過)

Back 43

[guò]
pass, cross, go by, exceed,
<verb particle marking that someone has had the experience of doing something, that it has happened at least once>;

我去过中国两次. wǒ qùguo Zhōngguó liǎng cì. I have gone to China twice.

Front 44

家

Back 44

[jiā]
home, house, family;
国家 guójiā nation;
大家 dàjiā everybody

Front 45

学

Back 45

[xué]
study, learn;
学校 xuéxiào school
学生 xuésheng student
{Compare with 字 zì written character}

Front 46

对 (F: 對)

Back 46

[duì]
correct, answer, treat, agree, mutual, pair

对不起 duìbuqǐ excuse me

Front 47

可

Back 47

[kě]
~able
(=可以 kěyǐ) may, can
(=可是 kěshì) but, however

Front 48

她

Back 48

[tā]
she, her

Front 49

里

Back 49

[lǐ]
neighbourhood, half kilometer

哪里? nǎli? where?;
那里 nàli there; 这里 zhèli here

Front 50

后

Back 50

[hòu]
queen, (F後)

后天 hòutiān the day after tomorrow