Chinese course / HSK1 / Characters
HSK1: character recognition
Begin with the gentle character starter if these shapes are new. This page is the official HSK 3.0 study list, with links to words containing each character. Use five to ten targets alongside words you already understand.
Look at a character inside a familiar word. Cover the word's reading and meaning, recall them, then open its example to check. Recognising a component alone does not tell you the meaning of every word containing it.
246 characters · Batch 16 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
谁
Learn inside a word
讠 on the left and 隹 on the right. Notice the upright strokes and stacked horizontal strokes on the right.
谁 · shéi
who
Shéi is a common reading; shuí is also used. These are readings of the same question word.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
谁 · shéi/shuí
who
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 10 strokes · write 谁
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
什
Learn inside a word
亻 on the left and 十 on the right. Learn this shape as part of 什么.
什么 · shén me
what
什 is shén in 什么. This word reading is more useful here than guessing a sound from 十.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 什
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
生
Learn inside a word
A short sloping stroke at the upper left, horizontal lines and a long central vertical stroke. Compare with 年 by checking the top and the arrangement of lines.
学生 · xué sheng
student
生 is neutral sheng in 学生, though its citation reading is shēng.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
生病 · shēngbìng
become or be ill
先生 · xiānsheng
Mr; a polite term for a man
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 生
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
师
Learn inside a word
Two narrow left strokes stand beside a right part with a horizontal top and 巾 below.
老师 · lǎo shī
teacher
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 师
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
十
Learn inside a word
A horizontal line crossed by a vertical line. This is ten, not a plus sign inside a word.
十年 · shí nián
ten years
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
十 · shí
ten
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 2 strokes · write 十
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
时
Learn inside a word
日 on the left and 寸 on the right. Notice the small dot in the right-hand part.
时间 · shí jiān
time
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
时候 · shíhou
time; when something happens
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 时
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
识
Learn inside a word
讠 on the left and 只 on the right. The right part has 口 above two separated lower strokes.
认识 · rèn shi
know a person; recognise; be acquainted with
识 is neutral shi in 认识. Learn the reading of the whole word rather than giving every 识 a neutral syllable.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 识
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
士
Learn inside a word
A vertical crosses two horizontal lines, with the upper horizontal longer. Compare with 土, whose lower horizontal is longer in the usual printed form.
女士 · nǚ shì
lady; Ms
女士 is a polite term for a woman and can follow her family name in an address. It does not tell you whether she is married.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 3 strokes · write 士
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
市
Learn inside a word
A dot and horizontal line are above 巾. Notice the central vertical and two outer lower strokes.
超市 · chāo shì
supermarket
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 市
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
事
Learn inside a word
A horizontal top and 口 sit above several crossing lines along a central vertical hook. Compare the full model carefully rather than omitting the middle lines.
事情 · shì qing
matter; thing to deal with
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
事 · shì
a matter; a thing to do
没事 · méishì
it is nothing; nothing is wrong
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 8 strokes · write 事
Watch the direction and order. Use “Next stroke” to go slowly, then try writing with the model hidden. On paper, copy once, cover the model, write once, and compare.
Open this panel to load the model.
The writing check compares your strokes with this model. A completed trace is practice, rather than proof of independent handwriting. Your strokes stay on this page.
The model's font shape can differ from the reading font. Compare stroke structure and proportions rather than font styling.
Source and coverage
Character lists come from the official HSK 3.0 syllabus. Recognition and handwriting lists remain separate. All listed characters have local stroke models; the guided prose teaches selected characters. This inventory, model practice and word links do not constitute complete character instruction or exam readiness.
Stroke models: Hanzi Writer Data, derived from Make Me a Hanzi. Copyright © 1999 Arphic Technology Co., Ltd. Data is provided without warranty and may be redistributed under the Arphic Public License. The renderer uses the MIT license.