| go (to) | qù |
| come | lái |
| write | xiě |
| speak | shōu |
| keep fit | jiàn fé |
| post | jì |
| give change | zhǎo qián |
| give change (tiny amounts) | zhǎo līng qián |
| give | gěi |
| weigh | chēng |
| want, need, ask | yào |
| pay by credit card ('swipe') | shuā kǎ |
| buy | mǎi |
| move, do | huó dòng |
| see; look at | kàn |
| sightseeing | kàn fēngjǐng |
| have | yǒu |
| buy | mǎi |
| do, be engaged in | gàn |
| visit (a place) | cānguān |
| arrange | ānpái |
| decide | júe ding |
| stay | zhù |
| to be surnamed | xìng |
| to like | xǐ huān |
| push | tuī |
| pull | lā |
| wait (for) | děng |
| arrive, reach | dào |
| go (up) | shàng |
| come up | shàng lai |
| come down | xià lai |
| go up | shàng qu |
| go down | xià qu |
| go upstairs | shàng lóu |
| ('where to go') | shàng nǎr |
| wear, put on | chuān |
| speak | tán huà |
| read (general) | kàn |
| read (more serious); read aloud | dú |
| look for | zhǎo |
| ask, enquire, question | wèn |
| say goodbye | gào bié |
| return, come back | huílai |
| go | zǒu |
| sit; travel | zuò |
| travel by (wheeled) vehicle | zuò-chē |
| drive a car/vehicle | kāi-chē |
| drive to | kāidào |
| travel in a lift | zuò-diàntī |
| walk, go by foot | zuò-lù |
| change buses/trains | dǎo-chē (huàn-chē) |
| know (it) | zhīdao |
| must, should, have to | děi |
| work | gōng zuò |
| sleep | shuì jiào |
| laugh | xiào |
| cry | kū |
| work, business | chū chāi |
| toilet | cè suǒ |
| toilet (pay) | gōng cè |
| toilet (polite: eg. at someone's house) | wèi shēng jiān |
| toilet (very polite, formal) | xǐ shōu jiān |
| village | cūn zi |
| bed | chuáng |
| window | chuāng hu |
| book | shū |
| stupid | shā |
| letter | xìn |
| envelope | xìn fāng |
| country | guó |
| international mail | guó jì |
| UK | yĪng guó |
| USA | měi guó |
| money | qián |
| shop, store | shāng diàn |
| department store | bǎihuò shāngdiàn |
| e.g. 'Boots department store' | 'Boots shāngdiàn' |
| crazy | fēng zi |
| things | dōngxi |
| activity | huó dòng |
| work, business | shìr |
| seat | zuò |
| cold | lěng |
| more | duò |
| even more | gèng |
| clothes | yīfu |
| television | diàn shì jī |
| radio | shōu yīn jī |
| already | yǐjīng |
| soon, quick, fast | kuài |
| book | shū |
| magazine, journal | zázhì |
| newspaper | bàozhǐ |
| evening paper | wǎnbào |
| to read a newspaper | dú bàozhǐ |
| gift, present | lǐwù |
| guest | kèren |
| sky; heaven | tiān, tiānkōng |
| hospital | yī yuàn |
| doctor | yī shēng |
| park | gōng yuàn |
| police station (local police) | pàichūsuǒ |
| police station | gōng ān jú |
| head | tóu |
| airport | jīchǎng |
| car (vehicle) | chē |
| motor vehicle | qìchē |
| bicycle | zì xíng chē |
| trishaw | sān lún chē |
| taxi (lit: 'out rent steam vehicle') | chūzūqìchē |
| taxi rank/office (lit: 'out rent steam vehicle stop') | chūzūqìchēzhàn |
| train | huǒ chē |
| railway station | huǒchēzhàn |
| exit | chūkǒu |
| tourist | yóukè |
| switch | kāi guān |
| door | mén |
| man | nán |
| woman | nǚ |
| colour | yánsè |
| hair | tóufa |
| café | kāfēitīng |
| student | xuésheng |
| road, way; bus route | lù |
| main road | dàlù |
| company | gōng sī |
| key | yào shi |
| gate | mén |
| hungry | è |
| red | hóng |
| yellow | huáng |
| green | lǜ |
| blue | lán |
| white | bái |
| black | hēi |
| occupied | yǒu rén |
| open | kāi |
| closed | guān |
| small | xiǎo |
| medium | zhōng |
| large | dà |
| extra large | tè-dà |
| enough | gòu |
| big enough | gòu dà |
| not big enough | bú gòu dà |
| direct(ly), straight | yìzhí |
| polite | kèqi |
| hot (temperature) | rè |
| hot (spicy) | là |
| cold | lěng |
| cold (gone cold, cooled) | liǎng |
| in addition, still, yet | hái |
| do you still have some money? | nǐ hái yǒu qián ma? |
| just, exactly; immediately, at once | jiù |
| immediately, at once | mǎshang (jiù) |
| eat | chī |
| drink | hé |
| drink water | hé shui |
| i'm hungry | wǒ è le |
| chicken | jī |
| meat | ròu |
| fish | yú |
| snake | shé |
| hot, spicy | là |
| soup | tāng |
| ginger | jiáng |
| sauce | jiàng |
| meal | fàn yú |
| restaurant, hotel | fàn diàn |
| restaurant | fàn guǎn |
| orange | jú zi |
| orange juice | jú zhī |
| dish | cài |
| menu | cài dān |
| vegetable | shū cài |
| meat | ròu |
| fry | zhá |
| prawn, shrimp | xiā |
| chilli, pepper | làzi |
| egg | jīdàn |
| cooked rice | mǐfàn |
| fried rice | chǎo mīfàn |
| bowl | wǎn |
| pork (meat) | zhū (ròu) |
| beef (meat) | niú (ròu) |
| lamb (meat) | (xiǎo) yáng (ròu) |
| bottle | píng |
| beer | píjiǔ |
| wine | jiǔ |
| one bottle of beer | yí píng píjiǔ |
| sugar, sweet(s) | táng |
| vinegar | cù |
| sweet and sour | tángcù |
| tofu | dòufu |
| breakfast | zǎo cān |
| lunch | wǔ cān |
| dinner | wǎn cān / fàn |
| to be there, to be in | zài |
| is Mr Wang there? | Wáng xiānsheng zài ma? |
| he's not there | Tā bú zài |
| at home | zài jiā |
| on the second floor | zài èr lóu |
| here, at this place | zài zhè r |
| there, at that place | zài nàr |
| where? at which place? | zài nǎr? |
| where is manager Wang? | Wáng jīnglǐ zài nǎr? |
| he's in Hong Kong | Tā zài Xiānggǎng |
| forward | qián |
| in front | zài qiántou |
| behind | zài hòutou |
| on top, over above | zài shàngtou |
| below under | zài xiàtou |
| on the right, right side | zài yòubianr |
| on the left, left side | zài zuǒbianr |
| inside | zài lǐtou |
| outside | zài wàitou |
| outside | wài |
| outside, outdoors, open air | wàibiānr |
| Miss Wang is outside | Wáng xiáojie zài wàitou |
| the cafe is on the right | kāfēitīng zài yòubianr |
| A is behind B | A zài B hòutou |
| behind me | zài wǒ (de) hòutou |
| behind Mr Wang | zài Wáng xiānsheng (de) hòutou |
| on the right of Beijing Hotel | zài Běijīng Fàndiàn (de) yòubianr |
| east | dōng |
| west | xī |
| south | nán |
| north | běi |
| 'the east' | dōngbianr |
| 'the west' | xībianr |
| 'the south' | nánbianr |
| 'the north' | běibianr |
| northeast (='east-north') | dōngběi |
| southeast (='east-south') | dōngnán |
| northwest (='west-north') | xīběi |
| southwest (='west-south') | xīnán |
| towards | wǎng |
| turn | guǎi |
| go forward | wǎng qián zou |
| turn left | wǎng zuǒ guǎi |
| no left turn ahead | qiántou bù zhǔn wǎng zuǒ guǎi |
| who? | shéi? (shui?) |
| whose? | shéi de? |
| what? what kind of? | shénme? |
| which? | něi? |
| that | nèi |
| who is he? | tā shi shéi? |
| he is Mr Wang | tā shi Wáng xiānsheng |
| whose passport? | shéi de hùzhào |
| my passport | wǒ de hùzhào |
| what nationality is he? | tā shi něi guó rén? |
| he is English | tā shi Yīngguó rén |
| what time? when? | shénme shíhou? |
| what place? where? | shénme dìfang |
| what person? who? | shénme rén |
| what matter? what's up? | shénme shì |
| why? | wèi shénme? |
| how many? (expecting 'up to ten') | jǐ |
| how many / much? (expecting larger number / amount) | duōshao |
| what's your phone number? | nī de diànhuà hàomǎ (shi duōshao / shénme)? |
| hello? (on telephone) | wéi |
| who's calling? (i.e. what company/place are you calling from?) | nǐ nǎr? |
| how? | zěnme |
| kind, type, sort | yàng |
| what's it like? how was it? how's it going? what do you think? | zěnmeyàng? |
| how's your meal? | fàn zěnmeyàng? |
| how was that film? | nèi ge diàn yǐng zěnmeyàng? |
| how do I get there? (where is it? which direction is it?) | zěnme zǒu? |
| how do I get there? (how do i find it? give me directions..) | zěnme qù? |