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 18 of 25. Showing the selected level's list.
他
Learn inside a word
亻 on the left and 也 on the right. The right-hand part differs from 你, even though the left-hand part matches.
他 · tā
he; him
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
他们 · tāmen
they; them, masculine or mixed group
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 他
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.
它
Learn inside a word
宀 above 匕. Compare this pronoun with 他 and 她, which have a different structure.
它 · tā
it, usually for an animal or thing
它 sounds like 他 and 她. The written forms distinguish them; sound alone does not tell you which form was written.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
它们 · tāmen
they; them, for things and animals
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 它
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.
她
Learn inside a word
女 on the left and the same 也 found in 他 on the right. Check the left-hand part to distinguish the two pronouns.
她 · tā
she; her
他 and 她 sound identical in Mandarin. The written characters distinguish them; listening alone does not identify which one was written.
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
她们 · tāmen
they; them, written for an all-female group
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 她
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.
太
Learn inside a word
大 with an extra small dot below the crossing. Keep the dot when comparing 太 with 大.
太大 · tài dà
too big; very big, depending on context
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
太 · tài
too; very in certain frames
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 太
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.
题
Learn inside a word
是 on the left and 页 on the right. Keep both complete parts when distinguishing 题 from 是 alone.
问题 · wèn tí
question; problem
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 15 strokes · write 题
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.
天
Learn inside a word
Two horizontal strokes above the spreading lower strokes. Compare with 大, which has only one horizontal stroke.
今天 · jīn tiān
today
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
天 · tiān
day; sky, depending on context
白天 · báitiān
daytime
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 4 strokes · write 天
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.
条
Learn inside a word
夂 above 木. Compare the upper part with the 卜 and 日 above 木 in 桌.
一条鱼 · yì tiáo yú
one fish
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
面条儿 · miàntiáor
noodles
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 条
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.
听
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and 斤 on the right. Compare the right side with the 乞 in 吃.
听 · tīng
listen; hear
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
好听 · hǎotīng
pleasant to hear
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 7 strokes · write 听
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.
同
Learn inside a word
An enclosure open along the bottom contains a short horizontal stroke above 口. Compare the inside with 国.
同学 · tóng xué
classmate; fellow student
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 同
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.
外
Learn inside a word
夕 on the left and 卜 on the right. Compare with 名, which places 口 below 夕.
外面 · wài miàn
outside
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
外 · wài
outside; external, usually in a phrase
外边 · wàibian
outside
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 5 strokes · write 外
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.