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 17 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
视
Learn inside a word
礻 on the left and 见 on the right. Compare the narrow left side with 讠 in 说.
电视 · diàn shì
television; TV
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 8 strokes · write 视
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.
是
Learn inside a word
日 is above a lower part with a horizontal line and spreading bottom strokes. Keep the upper box separate from the lower part.
是 · shì
be, when identifying someone or something
我是学生 means I am a student. Chinese does not use 是 before every adjective merely because English uses am or is.
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 9 strokes · write 是
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.
手
Learn inside a word
Short upper strokes and a horizontal crossing sit above a long central vertical hook. Compare the upper strokes with the single short sloping stroke above 千.
手机 · shǒu jī
mobile phone; cell phone
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 手
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.
书
Learn inside a word
Notice the central vertical stroke, the turning strokes, and the small upper-right stroke. This simplified shape differs considerably from traditional 書.
书 · shū
book
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
读书 · dúshū
read books; study, depending on context
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 书
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.
水
Learn inside a word
Notice the central vertical hook and the separate strokes on both sides. Compare the whole outline with 小.
水 · shuǐ
water
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
水果 · shuǐguǒ
fruit
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 水
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.
睡
Learn inside a word
目 on the left and 垂 on the right. The left enclosure has two inner horizontal strokes, unlike 日.
睡觉 · shuì jiào
sleep
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
睡 · shuì
sleep
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 13 strokes · write 睡
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.
说
Learn inside a word
讠 on the left, with 兑 on the right. Compare its right-hand shape with 语 rather than guessing from 讠 alone.
说 · shuō
speak; say
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
说话 · shuōhuà
speak; talk
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 9 strokes · write 说
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.
司
Learn inside a word
A large hooked enclosing stroke covers a short horizontal line and 口 from above and the right.
公司 · gōng sī
company
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 司
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.
四
Learn inside a word
An outer enclosure with two separate shapes inside. Do not leave the enclosure empty like 口.
四 · sì
four
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 四
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.
岁
Learn inside a word
山 above 夕. Compare the lower part with the 口 at the bottom of 名.
五岁 · wǔ suì
five years old
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
岁 · suì
years of age
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 岁
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.