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 1 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
爱
Learn inside a word
爫 and 冖 sit above 友 in this simplified shape. Compare with a printed model; a memory story is not evidence of its history.
爱 · ài
love; like very much
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 爱
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.
八
Learn inside a word
Two separated sloping strokes. Unlike 人, they do not meet at the top.
八 · bā
eight
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 2 strokes · write 八
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.
爸
Learn inside a word
父 is above 巴. In 爸爸 the same complete character is written twice.
爸爸 · bà ba
dad; father
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 爸
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.
吧
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and 巴 on the right. Compare the right part with the 尼 in 呢.
走吧 · zǒu ba
let's go; go ahead, depending on context
吧 is neutral ba here and softens a suggestion. It is not an automatic translation of every English please.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
吧 · ba
a particle for a suggestion
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 吧
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.
白
Learn inside a word
A short sloping stroke is above a 日-like enclosure. Keep that extra top stroke when comparing 白 with 日.
白天 · bái tiān
daytime
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 白
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.
百
Learn inside a word
A horizontal top above 白, whose enclosed part contains an inner line. Contrast the whole character with 日.
百 · bǎi
hundred
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 6 strokes · write 百
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.
班
Learn inside a word
Two 王-like sides stand around a narrow central part. Notice all three vertical sections.
班 · bān
class group, in the selected use
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
上班 · shàngbān
go to work; be at work
下班 · xiàbān
finish work; leave work
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 10 strokes · write 班
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.
半
Learn inside a word
Two small upper strokes above horizontal lines crossed by a long central vertical stroke.
半年 · bàn nián
half a year
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
半 · bàn
half
一半 · yíbàn
half of something
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 半
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.
包
Learn inside a word
勹 wraps around 巳. Check the turning inner shape rather than treating the inside as an empty box.
包 · bāo
bag, in the selected use
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
包子 · bāozi
a steamed bun with filling
面包 · miànbāo
bread
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 包
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.
杯
Learn inside a word
木 on the left and 不 on the right. Look for the narrowed 木 shape you also see in other object words.
杯子 · bēi zi
cup; glass used for drinking
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 杯
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.