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 7 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
果
Learn inside a word
An enclosed upper part with a crossing sits above 木; the central vertical continues through the shape.
水果 · shuǐ guǒ
fruit
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
苹果 · píngguǒ
apple
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 8 strokes · write 果
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.
还
Learn inside a word
不 combines with 辶. Compare the inner 不 with the inner 寸 in 过.
还有 · hái yǒu
also have; there is also
还 is hái here. The reading huán is used in words about returning something, such as 还书.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
还 · hái
still; also, depending on context
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 还
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.
孩
Learn inside a word
子 on the left and 亥 on the right. Compare the position of 子 with the 子 below 宀 in 字.
孩子 · hái zi
child
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 孩
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.
汉
Learn inside a word
Three small water-side strokes 氵 on the left, with 又 on the right. Keep the two sides distinct.
汉字 · hàn zì
Chinese character; Chinese characters
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
汉语 · Hànyǔ
the Chinese language; Mandarin in this course
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 汉
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.
好
Learn inside a word
女 is on the left and 子 is on the right. The parts are narrower than the same characters written separately.
好 · hǎo
good
This is a useful shape analysis, not a historical story about why the character means good. 好 also has other readings in other words.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
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 好
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.
号
Learn inside a word
口 above a lower horizontal and turning hooked stroke. Compare with 名, which places its 口 at the bottom.
号码 · hào mǎ
number; identifying number
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
号 · hào
a date number; number
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 号
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.
喝
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and the more complex 曷 on the right, with 日 near the top of that part.
喝水 · hē shuǐ
drink water
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
喝 · hē
drink
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 12 strokes · write 喝
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.
和
Learn inside a word
禾 on the left and 口 on the right. Compare its arrangement with 叫, whose box is on the left.
我和你 · wǒ hé nǐ
you and I
和 joins the two pronouns here. English and between complete sentences is not automatically translated with 和.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
和 · hé
and; with
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 8 strokes · write 和
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.
很
Learn inside a word
彳 on the left and 艮 on the right. The left has an extra upper sloping stroke compared with 亻.
很好 · hěn hǎo
good; very good, depending on context
很 is often unstressed in a simple adjective statement. It does not always express the strong emphasis of English very.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
很 · hěn
a degree word; often an unstressed adjective linker
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 9 strokes · write 很
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.
后
Learn inside a word
Two upper sloping strokes cover a short horizontal line and 口 below. Compare its box with the one in 名.
后面 · hòu miàn
behind; at the back
后 can refer to position or time in different words. 后面 here is a position word, not a translation of every use of 后.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
后 · hòu
after; behind
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 后
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.