Chinese textbook

From zero to HSK 4: six chapters of basics and 85 lessons (HSK 1 — 20, HSK 2 — 10, HSK 3 — 20, HSK 4 — 35) — dialogues, all 2,000 words of the four levels in the 2025 HSK syllabus, grammar and exercises: multiple choice, listening, sentence building, dialogues. Free, no sign-up. Every word links to its character page with stroke order; every lesson makes a worksheet.

▶ Start with chapter 1

Basics

  1. Chapter 1. How Chinese worksBefore learning words, let’s see what the language is made of: syllables, tones and characters. Ten minutes now will save you months later.
  2. Chapter 2. Pinyin: reading Chinese syllablesPinyin spells Chinese syllables with Latin letters. Syllable = initial consonant + final + tone. Tap the syllables — they are recordings of a native speaker.
  3. Chapter 3. TonesMandarin has four tones plus a light (neutral) tone. The tone is part of the word: get it wrong and you say a different word.
  4. Chapter 4. Strokes and stroke orderEvery character is written with a few kinds of strokes in a fixed order. The order matters: the character comes out balanced, is easier to remember and to read in handwriting.
  5. Chapter 5. What characters are made of: radicalsMost characters are built from parts. One part often hints at the meaning (the radical), another at the sound. Knowing 20 common radicals, you will start guessing unfamiliar characters.
  6. Chapter 6. First phrases and how to studyTen phrases you will use from day one, and a simple study plan with the OctoLearn tools.

HSK 1

  1. Lesson 1. 你好！ Hello!Greetings, thanks, apologies and goodbyes. The pronouns “I”, “you”, “he”, “she”.
  2. Lesson 2. 你叫什么名字？ What’s your name?Introductions: your name, “I am a student”, questions with 吗 and 什么.
  3. Lesson 3. 你是哪国人？ Where are you from?Countries and languages, 也 “also”, the question word 哪 “which”.
  4. Lesson 4. 这是我的家 This is my familyFamily, 这/那 “this/that”, possessive 的, 有/没有 “have / not have”.
  5. Lesson 5. 你今年多大？ How old are you?Numbers 0–100, age, the measure word 个, 两 vs 二, 几 vs 多少.
  6. Lesson 6. 今天几号？ What’s the date today?Dates, days of the week, birthdays. The order “year — month — day”.
  7. Lesson 7. 现在几点？ What time is it?Telling the time, parts of the day, daily routine. Where time goes in a sentence.
  8. Lesson 8. 你想吃什么？ What would you like to eat?At a café: food and drinks, 想 and 要, the measure word 杯, 一点儿.
  9. Lesson 9. 多少钱？ How much is it?Shopping and money: 块 and 毛, 这个/那个, 太…了.
  10. Lesson 10. 你在哪儿？ Where are you?Where things are: 在, positions (left, right, in front…), 有 meaning “there is”.
  11. Lesson 11. 你怎么去？ How will you get there?Transport: 坐/开, 怎么 “how”, 从…到… “from … to …”, 远 “far”.
  12. Lesson 12. 天气怎么样？ How’s the weather?Weather, adjectives as predicates (很/非常/太), the question 怎么样.
  13. Lesson 13. 你喜欢做什么？ What do you like doing?Hobbies, 喜欢 + verb, suggestions with 吧, 一起 “together”, 常常/有时候 “often/sometimes”.
  14. Lesson 14. 你会写汉字吗？ Can you write characters?Skills and ability: 会 vs 能; studying: 课, 写, 读, 难, 明白.
  15. Lesson 15. 我昨天去了医院 I went to the hospital yesterdayThe past: the particle 了 and negation with 没(有). Happening now: 正在…呢.
  16. Lesson 16. 这是谁的？ Whose is this?The question words 谁 “who” and 谁的 “whose”, 这些 / 那些 / 哪些 “these / those / which”, 有的 “some”, 都 “all”. The measure words 只 and 件. Pets and clothes.
  17. Lesson 17. 请问，书店在哪里？ Where is the bookshop?Where things are: 这里 / 那里 / 哪里, 这边 / 那边, the place words 上, 下, 里, 外, 前. “I live in…” — 住在…. Politely: 请 and 请问.
  18. Lesson 18. 你做什么工作？ What do you do?Work and school: 工作, 上班 / 下班, 小学 / 中学 / 大学. Two verbs in a row: 去超市买东西. Verb-object words like 上班. Forms of address: 先生, 女士, 大家.
  19. Lesson 19. 真好吃！ Delicious!Opinions: 好吃, 好听, 好玩儿, 便宜; 觉得 “to think”; 有点儿 “a bit (too)”; 给 someone something; 可以 “may”; thousands and halves.
  20. Lesson 20. 下雪了！ It’s snowing!了 at the end of a sentence — “now it’s so”. Prohibition with 不要. Yes/no questions without 吗: 忙不忙? Ordinals with 第. Verb + 一下. HSK 1 wrap-up.

HSK 2

  1. Lesson 1. 我比你高 I’m taller than youComparison: 比 and 没有, 最 “the most”, 离 “distance from”, 这么 / 那么 “so”, the particle 啊.
  2. Lesson 2. 你去过中国吗？ Have you been to China?Experience: 过 “have ever”. How many times — 次, how long — 学了三年. 已经…了 “already”, 从…开始 “starting from”. School: class, words, exercises.
  3. Lesson 3. 你喜欢什么颜色？ What colour do you like?Colours and shopping: 红色的 “a red one” — the 的 phrase; doubled adjectives 高高的; the measure words 条 and 包; ten thousands — 万; 什么的 “and so on”.
  4. Lesson 4. 地铁站怎么走？ How do I get to the metro?Directions: 往 “towards”, 怎么走 “how to get there”, 左边 / 右边, 前面 / 后面 / 里面; transport: metro, bus, taxi; 就 “right, just”.
  5. Lesson 5. 你跑得快吗？ Do you run fast?Sport: 跑步, 游泳, 踢足球, 打篮球. How well — 跑得快 (得); 地 before a verb; 每 “every”; 经常 “often”, 一起 “together”.
  6. Lesson 6. 你怎么了？ What’s wrong?How you feel: 我头疼 “I have a headache”. Reasons — 因为…，所以…, the question 为什么. Prohibition with 别. 一会儿 “a little while”, 就 “right after”.
  7. Lesson 7. 咖啡还是茶？ Coffee or tea?At a restaurant and buying a present: 还是 “or” in questions and “had better”, 让 “to let, to tell”, 送 “to give as a gift”, 跟…一起, 花 “to spend”, 妈妈做的饭 “the food Mum cooks”.
  8. Lesson 8. 你是怎么来的？ How did you get here?Travel: 是…的 — “when / where / how (it happened)”; 快要…了 “about to”; 着 — an ongoing state (门开着); weather 晴 / 阴; 周 “week”.
  9. Lesson 9. 快进来吧！ Come on in!At home: which way an action goes — 进来 / 出去 / 回来 / 起来; its result — 吃完, 做好, 写错, 听懂; “dinner is ready” — 饭做好了; 坏 “broken”.
  10. Lesson 10. 您贵姓？ What’s your surname?Family and favours: 您贵姓? 虽然…但是… “although…”, doubled verbs 看看 / 想了想, 自己 “oneself”, 可能 “maybe”, 帮忙 “help”, 都…了 “already”. HSK 2 wrap-up.

HSK 3

  1. Lesson 1. 天气越来越冷了 It’s getting colder and colderWeather and seasons. 越来越 “more and more”, 越…越… “the more…, the more…”, comparison with 更 / 还, 跟…一样 “the same as”, 不比, 极了 “extremely”, 好像 “seems”, 变成 “turn into”.
  2. Lesson 2. 附近有公园吗？ Is there a park nearby?The city and compass points: 东 / 南 / 西 / 北 and 东北, 西南…; 北方 / 南方; 向 “towards”; 附近 “nearby”; 一直往前走 “go straight on”.
  3. Lesson 3. 这双鞋挺合适的 These shoes fit wellShopping: measure words 双, 张, 种, 把; weight and length — 斤, 公斤, 米; money — 毛 / 角; 只 zhǐ “only”; 挺…的 “quite”; 不大不小 “just right”; approximate numbers: 十几, 二十多, 三四个.
  4. Lesson 4. 又好吃又新鲜 Tasty and freshFood: 一碗, 一盘, 一瓶; 又…又… “both… and…”; 一边…一边… “while”; 先…再 / 然后… “first…, then…”; 尝一口 “have a taste”; 吃饱 “be full”.
  5. Lesson 5. 把沙发搬上去 Carry the sofa upstairsMoving and cleaning: the 把 construction — “do something to an object”: 把沙发搬上去, 把衣服放在…, 把灯关上; floors with 层; 用 “with”; 洗澡.
  6. Lesson 6. 我看不懂这个句子 I can’t understand this sentenceStudying: 遍 “a time (from start to finish)”; “can / can’t” after the verb — 看得懂 / 看不懂, 写不完, 记不住; results 记住, 学到; 一页一页地 “page by page”.
  7. Lesson 7. 你应该去医院 You should see a doctorHealth and appearance: 应该 / 该 “should”, 得 děi “have to”, 必须 “must”, 不用 “no need”; 如果…就… and …的话 “if”; 该…了 “it’s time to”. Body parts: 脸, 嘴, 牙, 耳朵, 腿, 脚.
  8. Lesson 8. 飞机十点才起飞 The plane won’t take off until tenTravel: 刚 and 刚才 “just now”, 马上 “right away”, 才 “not until (late)” and 就 “already (early)”, 一…就… “as soon as”, 来了三天了 “have been here three days”, the measure word 辆.
  9. Lesson 9. 我想请三天假 I’d like three days offWork: 请假 “ask for leave”, 放假, 开会 — separable verbs (请了三天假); 完成, 离开, 分开; 打算 “plan to”, 决定 “decide”; 总是 and 一直 “always, all along”; 一刻 “a quarter of an hour”; 从…起 “starting from”.
  10. Lesson 10. 手机被妹妹拿走了 My sister took my phonePhone, mail and the internet: the passive with 被; 收到 “receive”, 发给 “send to”; 听说 “I hear that”; 封 — measure word for letters; 关机 / 开机.
  11. Lesson 11. 我高兴极了！ I’m over the moon!Feelings: 开心, 难过, 生气, 着急, 担心, 害怕, 放心. How strong — 高兴极了, 急坏了, 高兴得很; 让 “make (someone feel)”: 这件事让我很生气; 一点儿也不 “not at all”; 一会儿…一会儿… “now…, now…”; 急什么啊 “what’s the rush”.
  12. Lesson 12. 我对网球很感兴趣 I’m really into tennisHobbies, sport, a party: 对…感兴趣 “be interested in”, 除了…以外，还… “besides…, also…”, 不但…而且… “not only…, but also…”, 对…来说 “for someone”, 参加 “take part”.
  13. Lesson 13. 欢迎来我家做客 Welcome to our homePeople and guests: 老王 and 小李; words in -家, -员 (画家, 运动员); 请 / 叫 + someone + do something; 结婚 “marry”; 像 “look like”; 咱们 “you and I”; the order of several modifiers.
  14. Lesson 14. 前面跑过来一个孩子 A child came running upNature and animals: appearing and disappearing — 前面跑过来一个孩子, 树上飞走了一只鸟; 着 — “standing, sitting” (站着吃); 到处 “everywhere”; 长 zhǎng “grow”; 养 “keep (animals)”; 小心! 注意安全!
  15. Lesson 15. 好久不见！ Long time no see!Time and history: (在)…以前 / 以后 “before / after”, 后来 “afterwards (in the past)”, 终于 “finally”, 不久 “soon”, 好久 “a long time”. Festivals, studying abroad, culture.
  16. Lesson 16. 我以为你不喜欢 I thought you didn’t like itOpinions: 认为 “believe” and 以为 “wrongly think”; 看来, 看起来, 看上去 “seems, looks”; 一般来说 “generally”; the rhetorical 不是…吗？; 当然, 其实, 一定, 大概, 差不多, 几乎; 关于 “about”, 根据 “according to”.
  17. Lesson 17. 你能借给我一本词典吗？ Could you lend me a dictionary?Help and courtesy: 借给 / 还给 / 送给 + whom + what; 还 huán “give back”; 为 and 为了 “for, in order to”; 别人, 别的, 其他; 怎么办 “what to do”; 遇到, 发现, 受到.
  18. Lesson 18. 越学越有意思 The more I learn, the more interesting it getsLearning a language: 想起来 “remember”, 想不出来 “can’t think of”, 写下来 “write down”, 坚持下去 “keep going”; 越学越… “the more I learn, the more…”; 在老师的帮助下 “with the teacher’s help”, 在学习上 “in one’s studies”.
  19. Lesson 19. 只要你努力，就一定能学好 As long as you work hard, you’ll learn itConditions and choices: 只要…就… “as long as…”, 只有…才… “only if…”, 或者 “or” (in statements) vs 还是 (in questions); 什么都 / 谁都 / 哪儿都 “anything / anyone / anywhere”; 以上 / 以下 “above / below”.
  20. Lesson 20. 新的一年有什么打算？ Plans for the new yearHSK 3 wrap-up: 会 “will” (prediction), 差五分八点 “five to eight”, 只能 “can only, have to”, 干 “do”, 好多 “lots of”, 起 “starting from”; review of 把 / 被 and comparisons. Newspapers, lists, paper.

HSK 4

  1. Lesson 1. 欢迎来到我们学院 Welcome to our collegeUniversity: majors, courses, the campus. 十分 and 更加 “very” and “even more”, 尤其 “especially”, the exclamation 多么…啊, 各 / 各位 / 各种 “each, everyone, all kinds of” and the written 此 “this”.
  2. Lesson 2. 我差点儿迟到了 I was nearly lateExams: signing up, questions, scores. 差（一）点儿 “almost”, 只好 “had no choice but”, 正好 “just right”, 结果 “as a result” and 好好 “properly”.
  3. Lesson 3. 老师表扬了我 The teacher praised meClass and teacher: praise, criticism, homework. 表扬 / 批评 + someone + for what, 选…当 / 做 / 为 “choose as”, 首先…然后… “first…, then…”, 例如 “for example”.
  4. Lesson 4. 打扰一下 Excuse meLanguage and politeness: language exchange, translation, apologies. The interjections 啊 ā and 嗯 ǹg, 就是说 “that is”, 不是…而是… “not…, but…”, polite 打扰 / 麻烦 / 抱歉 / 道歉.
  5. Lesson 5. 毕业以后你有什么打算？ What are your plans after graduating?Graduation and plans: a master’s, a scholarship, a dream. 将 / 将要 “will” (formal), 既然…就… “since…, then…”, 为了…而… “in order to…”, 留 / 留下 “stay, leave behind”.
  6. Lesson 6. 我来应聘 I’m here about the jobLooking for a job: vacancies, interviews, pay. 不仅 / 不光…还 / 而且… “not only…, but also…”, 要是…就… “if…, then…”, …否则… “otherwise”.
  7. Lesson 7. 这件事由你负责 You’ll be in charge of thisAt the office: tasks, documents, deadlines. 按 / 按照 “according to”, 作为 “as”, 由 “by (someone)”, 按时 “on time”, 工作是工作，休息是休息 and …就是了 “just…, that’s all”.
  8. Lesson 8. 难道你不同意吗？ Don’t you agree?Discussing and arguing: suggestions, opinions, objections. 难道…吗？ “surely… not?”, rhetorical questions (谁知道？), 并不 “not at all”, the conjunctions 而, 并, 并且 and the reproach 还X呢 “and you call yourself X!”.
  9. Lesson 9. 我家离这儿三公里左右 I live about three kilometres awayWhere things are: city, suburbs, parts of the country. 由 “from”, approximate numbers: 大约 “about”, 左右 “or so”, 前后 “around (a time)”, 十来个 “ten or so”.
  10. Lesson 10. 请把车停在这儿 Please park hereTransport: taxis, the metro, traffic jams, parking. Four more 把 patterns: 把车停一停, 把车卖了, 把课文读了两遍, 把车往前开; 趟 “a trip”.
  11. Lesson 11. 飞机推迟起飞了 The flight is delayedAt the airport: check-in, security, boarding. The passive with 叫 / 让, the written 将 (= 把), 等 / 等到 “when, by the time”, 由于…因此… “because of…, so…”, 来得及 / 来不及 “be / not be in time”, 赶紧 / 赶快 “hurry” and …，好… “so that”.
  12. Lesson 12. 暑假你去哪儿度假？ Where are you going for the summer?Holidays and travel: hotels, sightseeing, scenery. 首先…其次… “firstly…, secondly…”, 一方面…，另一方面… “on the one hand…, on the other…”, …，于是… “so then”.
  13. Lesson 13. 打八折 Twenty per cent offShopping: prices, discounts, payment, delivery. Comparison with A不如B “A isn’t as good as B”, 跟…相比 “compared with”, 一个比一个 “each one more…”, fractions, percentages and 倍 “times”.
  14. Lesson 14. 我的电话打不通 You can’t get through to meThe internet and communication: messages, videos, parcels. 也许 “maybe”, 恐怕 “I’m afraid”, 说不定 “quite possibly”, the formal 是否 / 能否 “whether”.
  15. Lesson 15. 好吃是好吃，就是有点儿咸 Tasty, but a bit saltyCooking and taste: at a restaurant and at home. 稍 / 稍微 “a little”, 够…的 “really quite”, …X是X，就是 / 不过… “it’s X all right, but…”, tastes and weights.
  16. Lesson 16. 为我们的友谊干杯！ To our friendship!At the table: a meal with friends, drinks, sweets. 敢 “to dare”, the measure words 顿 and 份, 一大碗 “a big bowl”, 有的是 “plenty of”, 你吃你的吧 “you just eat” and 贵就贵点儿吧 “so what if it’s pricier”.
  17. Lesson 17. 我头痛得厉害 I have a terrible headacheHealth: the body, illness, at the doctor’s. …死了 “terribly”, …得厉害 “badly”, 吃得了 / 吃不了 “can / can’t eat (that much)”, 睡不着 “can’t fall asleep”.
  18. Lesson 18. 说什么也得赢！ We must win, whatever it takes!Sport: matches, teams, training. 场 “a match”, 连…也 / 都… “even”, …更… “all the more”, 再也不 / 没 “never again”, 说什么也得… “whatever it takes”.
  19. Lesson 19. 房子要出租 Flat for rentHome: renting, furniture, cleaning. 一屋子人 “a roomful of people”, 一脸汗 “a face covered in sweat”, 怎么也找不到 “can’t find it anywhere” and the homographs 干 gān / gàn, 空 kōng / kòng.
  20. Lesson 20. 洗衣机坏了 The washing machine’s brokenThings: repairs, household shopping, measure words. 打 “a dozen”, 袋 “a bag”, 棵 (trees), 台 (machines), 幅 (paintings); 用来 / 用于 “used for”, 不如 “might as well”.
  21. Lesson 21. 这身衣服怎么样？ How do I look in this?Looks and clothes: shopping, outfits, haircuts. 不怎么 “not very”, 穿 / 戴 / 脱 “wear / put on / take off”, 一身衣服 “an outfit”, 看样子 “it looks like”, the suffix 性 and the written 无.
  22. Lesson 22. 让你睡你就睡！ When I say sleep, you sleep!Family and generations: parents, grandchildren, relatives, childhood. 互相 / 相互 “each other”, 老 “always”, 让你…你就… “do as you’re told”, …也得…，不…也得… “like it or not”, 俩 “the two of”.
  23. Lesson 23. 他既幽默又活泼 He’s funny and livelyCharacter: strengths and weaknesses. 既…又 / 也… “both… and…”, the patterns 一A一B, 有A有B, 无A无B, 故意 “on purpose” and 老是 “always”.
  24. Lesson 24. 我竟然考了第一名！ I came first — can you believe it!Feelings: joy, annoyance, surprise, envy. 竟然 “to my surprise”, 却 “yet”, 尽管…可是… “although…, still…”, 使 / 让 + someone “make someone feel”, 有什么好…的 “what’s there to…!”.
  25. Lesson 25. 真正的朋友 A true friendFriendship and love: dates, invitations, gratitude. 不是…，就是… “either…, or…”, comparing with 相同 / 相反 / 同样 / 区别, and 约 “to arrange to meet”.
  26. Lesson 26. 不管多冷，我都得去上班 However cold it is, I have to go to workWeather and climate: temperature, wind, the sky. 不管…都… “no matter how…”, 忽然 “suddenly”, 高于 / 低于 “higher / lower than”, degrees and 降温 “a cold snap”.
  27. Lesson 27. 保护我们的地球 Protect our EarthNature and the environment: forests, water, air, animals. 随着 “as, along with”, 甚至 “even”, 无论 / 不论…都… “no matter…” and 种 zhòng “to plant”.
  28. Lesson 28. 这才是艺术！ Now that’s art!Stage and music: theatre, Peking opera, concerts, piano. The pattern V一X是一X “every bit counts”, 才 / 就 / 还 for emphasis, 首 “a song”, 弹 “to play (piano)”.
  29. Lesson 29. 这是他最好的作品之一 It’s one of his best worksBooks and media: novels, magazines, articles, ads. The written words 者 “one who”, 之 (之前, 之后, 之间, 之中, 之一), 等 “etc.” and 拿…来说 “take… for example”.
  30. Lesson 30. 当新年到来的时候 When the New Year comesFestivals and traditions: New Year, red envelopes, a festival. 当…的时候 “when”, 自…起 “starting from”, 一切 / 所有 / 全部 / 全都 / 整个 “all, every, whole”.
  31. Lesson 31. 至少存一百块 Save at least a hundred yuanMoney: pocket money, savings, business. 共 “in total”, 全 “all of it”, 光 “only (colloquial)”, 仅 / 仅仅 “merely”, 至少 “at least”, 算 “to count; to be considered”, 大大 “greatly”.
  32. Lesson 32. 科技发展得真快 Technology moves so fastScience and technology: phones, research, discoveries. 对于 “regarding, for”, 与 “and, with” (written), 在…方面 “in terms of”, 进行 “to carry out”, 不断 “continuously”.
  33. Lesson 33. 规定是规定 Rules are rulesSociety and rules: bans, the law, a survey. Double negatives (不得不 “have to”, 没有人不… “there’s no one who doesn’t…”), 任何 “any”, 规定是规定 “rules are rules”, 否则 “otherwise”, 不必 “needn’t”.
  34. Lesson 34. 千万别放弃！ Whatever you do, don’t give up!Difficulties and solutions: problems, causes, a way out. 究竟 / 到底 “on earth, after all”, 千万 “by all means”, 确实 “really”, 本来 / 原来, 即使 / 就是…也… “even if”, 然而 / 不过 “however”, 此外 / 另外 / 加上 “besides”.
  35. Lesson 35. 活到老，学到老 Live and learnLife’s journey: memories, changes, dreams. 从来不 / 从来没…过 “never”, 往往 “as a rule”, 偶尔 “occasionally”, 重新 / 再次 “anew, again”, 已 / 仍然 “already, still” and short sentences without conjunctions: 不说我也知道.