Chinese course / HSK2 / Characters
HSK2: 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.
125 characters · Batch 1 of 13. Showing the selected level's list.
啊
Learn inside a word
口 on the left and 阿 on the right. The right part includes 阝 beside 可.
啊 · a
sentence particle or exclamation, with pronunciation depending on context
Neutral a is common at the end of a sentence. Exclamations can carry another tone, and the sound can change beside neighbouring sounds.
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 啊
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.
帮
Learn inside a word
邦 above 巾. Notice the upright strokes and right-side 阝 in the upper part.
帮 · bāng
help
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
帮忙 · bāngmáng
give someone a hand
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 9 strokes · write 帮
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.
备
Learn inside a word
夂 above 田. Compare with 条, whose lower part is 木.
准备 · zhǔn bèi
prepare; get ready
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 备
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.
比
Learn inside a word
Two upright side-by-side parts, each with a lower turn. Compare their different upper strokes rather than treating them as identical copies.
比 · bǐ
comparison marker, like than in the selected pattern
我比他高 means I am taller than him. 比 belongs to a comparison pattern; it does not replace every English use of than.
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 4 strokes · write 比
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.
笔
Learn inside a word
⺮ above 毛. Compare the lower part with the central hooked stroke in 手.
笔 · bǐ
pen; pencil; writing implement
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 笔
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.
表
Learn inside a word
A crossed upper part with horizontal lines sits above long spreading and turning lower strokes. Compare with 衣 by checking the extra upper lines.
手表 · shǒu biǎo
wristwatch; watch
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 表
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.
别
Learn inside a word
另 on the left and 刂 on the right. The left part contains 口 above 力.
别 · bié
do not; don't, before a verb in the selected use
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 7 strokes · write 别
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.
步
Learn inside a word
止 above a lower part with a central upright and sloping strokes. Compare the upper 止 with the lower part of 正.
跑步 · pǎo bù
run; go running
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 7 strokes · write 步
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.
场
Learn inside a word
土 on the left and a hooked upper stroke with two sloping lower strokes on the right. Compare with 块, which has the same left part but a different right part.
机场 · jī chǎng
airport
Practise this character in its guided group. The guided sequence introduces selected useful words across levels.
商场 · shāngchǎng
shopping centre; shopping mall
These are whole-word readings and selected meanings. A character can have another reading or function in another word.
Learn the 6 strokes · write 场
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.
词
Learn inside a word
讠 on the left and 司 on the right. Compare the right part with 司 in 公司.
词 · cí
word; expression
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 7 strokes · write 词
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.