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 2 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
本
Learn inside a word
木 with an extra short horizontal stroke near the bottom of its central vertical. Keep that extra stroke when comparing 本 with 木.
一本书 · yì běn shū
one book
本 is a classifier for books here. It has other uses, such as in 本来; do not transfer this counting meaning to every word.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
本 · běn
a classifier for books
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 本
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.
边
Learn inside a word
力 combines with 辶. Compare the inner part with the 文 in 这.
旁边 · páng biān
beside; next to
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
边 · biān
side; an edge or direction in a phrase
那边 · nàbiān
over there; that side
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 边
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.
便
Learn inside a word
亻 on the left and 更 on the right. Compare its right side with the 牛 in 件.
便宜 · pián yi
inexpensive; cheap
便 is pián in 便宜. It is biàn in other words, such as 方便.
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 便
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.
病
Learn inside a word
疒 covers 丙 from above and the left. Notice the small side strokes of the covering part.
生病 · shēng bìng
become ill; be ill
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
病 · bìng
illness; disease
看病 · kànbìng
see a doctor about an illness
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 10 strokes · write 病
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.
不
Learn inside a word
A horizontal top with a central downward stroke and strokes spreading to either side. Notice how this differs from 小.
不好 · bù hǎo
not good
不 is bù here. Before a fourth-tone syllable it is usually bú, as in 不是 bú shì.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
不 · bù
not
不要 · búyào
do not; do not want
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 不
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.
菜
Learn inside a word
艹 above 采. The lower part includes small upper strokes above 木.
菜 · cài
vegetable; dish served as food
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 11 strokes · write 菜
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.
茶
Learn inside a word
艹 sits above a 人-like middle and a lower part with a vertical hook and side strokes. Check the full lower shape against 木.
茶 · chá
tea
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 茶
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.
常
Learn inside a word
A small upper part and covering stroke sit above 口 and 巾. Compare the bottom with the 子 in 学.
经常 · jīng cháng
often
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
非常 · fēicháng
very; extremely
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 11 strokes · write 常
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.
唱
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and 昌 on the right. The right part contains two 日 shapes stacked vertically.
唱歌 · chàng gē
sing; sing a song
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
唱 · chàng
sing
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 11 strokes · write 唱
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.
超
Learn inside a word
走 on the left and below, with 召 at the upper right. Compare the outer part with the simpler 辶 in 过.
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 12 strokes · write 超
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.