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 19 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
玩
Learn inside a word
王 on the left and 元 on the right. Compare its left part with the 亻 in 休.
玩 · wán
play; have fun
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
好玩儿 · hǎowánr
fun; enjoyable
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 8 strokes · write 玩
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.
晚
Learn inside a word
日 on the left and 免 on the right. Compare its more complex right side with the 月 in 明.
晚上 · wǎn shang
evening; at night
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
晚 · wǎn
late
晚饭 · wǎnfàn
evening meal; dinner
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 11 strokes · write 晚
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.
喂
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and 畏 on the right. Notice the enclosed crossing near the top of the right-hand part.
喂 · wèi
hello, when answering or starting a phone call
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 12 strokes · write 喂
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.
文
Learn inside a word
A dot and horizontal line sit above crossing lower strokes. Compare the crossing with the separated lower strokes of 六.
中文 · zhōng wén
Chinese, especially the written language
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 文
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.
问
Learn inside a word
门 surrounds 口. Compare with 间, where the enclosed part is 日.
问 · wèn
ask
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
请问 · qǐngwèn
excuse me, may I ask
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 问
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.
我
Learn inside a word
A dense shape with a long slanting hooked stroke and a small upper-right stroke. Compare with a printed model rather than reducing it to 人.
我 · wǒ
I; me
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
我们 · wǒmen
we; us
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 我
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.
五
Learn inside a word
Look at the top and bottom horizontal lines and the turning part between them. Do not read it as 三 by counting visible horizontal lines.
五 · wǔ
five
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 五
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.
午
Learn inside a word
A short sloping top stroke, two horizontal strokes and a central vertical stroke. Compare with 牛, whose central vertical line extends above the upper horizontal line.
中午 · zhōng wǔ
noon; midday
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
上午 · shàngwǔ
morning, before noon
午饭 · wǔfàn
lunch
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 午
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.
西
Learn inside a word
A top horizontal line sits above an enclosed lower part with inner upright turns. Compare its inside with 四.
西 · xī
west
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
东西 · dōngxi
things; belongings
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 西
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.
息
Learn inside a word
自 above 心. Notice the small top stroke above the upper enclosure.
休息 · xiū xi
rest; take a break
息 is neutral xi in 休息, though its citation reading is xī.
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 10 strokes · write 息
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.