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 3 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
车
Learn inside a word
Horizontal strokes cross a long central vertical, with a turning stroke on the left. Compare with the simpler crossing of 十.
火车 · huǒ chē
train
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
车 · chē
a vehicle; a car in this 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 车
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.
吃
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and 乞 on the right. Check the right-hand part rather than reading every character with 口 as the same word.
吃饭 · chī fàn
eat; have a meal
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
吃 · chī
eat
好吃 · hǎochī
tasty; good to eat
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 吃
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.
出
Learn inside a word
Two open-top enclosing parts are stacked along a central vertical stroke. Compare with 山, which has only one lower joining line.
出去 · chū qù
go out
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
出租车 · chūzūchē
taxi
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 出
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.
穿
Learn inside a word
穴 is above 牙. Notice the lower vertical hook and sloping stroke when comparing the full shape with 家.
穿衣服 · chuān yī fu
wear clothes; put clothes on
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
穿 · chuān
wear; put on clothing
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 9 strokes · write 穿
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.
床
Learn inside a word
广 covers 木 from above and the left. Unlike 杯, 木 is underneath a covering part rather than on the left.
床 · chuáng
bed
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
起床 · qǐchuáng
get up from bed
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 床
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.
打
Learn inside a word
扌 on the left and 丁 on the right. The narrow left-hand part differs from 亻 in 作.
打电话 · dǎ diàn huà
make 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 5 strokes · write 打
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.
大
Learn inside a word
The 人-like outline has a horizontal stroke across it. Keep that stroke when recalling the shape.
大人 · dà ren
adult
人 has a neutral syllable in this everyday word. This is a word reading, rather than two separately pronounced character names.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
大 · dà
big; large
大家 · dàjiā
everyone
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 3 strokes · write 大
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.
蛋
Learn inside a word
An upper 疋-shaped part sits above 虫. Notice the small dot at the lower right of 虫.
鸡蛋 · jī dàn
chicken egg; egg
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 蛋
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.
到
Learn inside a word
至 on the left and 刂, a narrow two-stroke upright part, on the right.
到 · dào
arrive; reach
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 到
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.
道
Learn inside a word
首 is inside the surrounding movement part 辶. Compare the inner part with the 文 in 这.
知道 · zhī dào
know information; know that something is so
道 has the citation reading dào. In everyday 知道, the second syllable may be light and sound like neutral dao. Learn the complete word rather than imposing one sentence rhythm everywhere.
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 道
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.