Chinese word frequency

Top 5,000 Chinese words

The 5,000 most frequent dictionary entries in SUBTLEX-CH subtitles, with pinyin and English definitions.

Words 2,901–3,000

Ordered by frequency
  1. 喽lóu(bound form) subordinates in a gang of bandits
  2. 枚méiclassifier for small objects: coins, badges, rings, carved seals, chess pieces, eggs, fingerprints etc (more formal than 個|个[gè]); classifier for bombs, missiles, satellites etc
  3. 石dàndry measure for grain equal to ten dou 斗[dǒu]; one hundred liters; ancient pr. [shí]
  4. 会见huì jiànto meet with (sb who is paying a visit); CL:次[cì]
  5. 走路zǒu lùto walk; to go on foot
  6. 想见xiǎng jiànto infer; to gather
  7. 涂túto apply (paint etc); to smear
  8. 不止bù zhǐincessantly; without end
  9. 伊拉克Yī lā kèIraq
  10. 障碍zhàng àibarrier; obstruction
  11. 顾问gù wènadviser; consultant
  12. 危机wēi jīcrisis; CL:個|个[gè]
  13. 敏感mǐn gǎnsensitive; susceptible
  14. 趁chènto avail oneself of; to take advantage of
  15. 博物馆bó wù guǎnmuseum
  16. 周五Zhōu wǔFriday
  17. 失shīto lose; to miss
  18. 摄像机shè xiàng jīvideo camera; CL:部[bù]
  19. 手下shǒu xiàunder one's control or administration; subordinates
  20. 打破dǎ pòto break; to smash
  21. 文化wén huàculture; civilizationIn context
  22. 马克mǎ kèmark (monetary unit)
  23. 遵守zūn shǒuto comply with; to abide by; to respect (an agreement)
  24. 飞船fēi chuánspaceship; spacecraft
  25. 主管zhǔ guǎnin charge; responsible for
  26. 保守bǎo shǒuconservative; to guard
  27. 刮guāto scrape; to blow
  28. 维持wéi chíto keep; to maintain; to preserve
  29. 主义zhǔ yì-ism; ideology
  30. 绿lǜgreen; (slang) (derived from 綠帽子|绿帽子[lǜ mào zi]) to cheat on (one's spouse or boyfriend or girlfriend)
  31. 常常cháng chángfrequently; often
  32. 摄影师shè yǐng shīphotographer; cinematographer; cameraman
  33. 煮zhǔto cook; to boil
  34. 营地yíng dìcamp
  35. 凶xiōngterrible; fearful
  36. 承担chéng dānto undertake; to assume (responsibility etc)
  37. 指挥官zhǐ huī guāncommander
  38. 出事chū shìto have an accident; to meet with a mishap
  39. 四处sì chùall over the place; everywhere and all directions
  40. 大厅dà tīnghall; concourse; public lounge; (hotel) lobby
  41. 希腊Xī làGreece
  42. 打扫dǎ sǎoto clean; to sweep
  43. 拆chāito tear open; to tear down
  44. 术shùmethod; technique
  45. 泰tàisafe; peaceful
  46. 缺quēdeficiency; lack
  47. 花园huā yuángarden; CL:座[zuò],個|个[gè]
  48. 订婚dìng hūnto get engaged
  49. 世shìlife; age
  50. 草cǎograss; straw
  51. 豁免权huò miǎn quánimmunity from prosecution
  52. 遭zāoto meet by chance (usually with misfortune); classifier for events: time, turn, incident
  53. 郡jùncanton; county
  54. 厌倦yàn juànto be weary of; to be fed up with; to be bored with
  55. 威士忌wēi shì jìwhiskey (loanword)
  56. 广播guǎng bōbroadcast; CL:個|个[gè]
  57. 罐guàncan; jar
  58. 西班牙语Xī bān yá yǔSpanish language
  59. 大声dà shēngloud voice; in a loud voice
  60. 天空tiān kōngsky
  61. 妙miàoclever; wonderful
  62. 本地běn dìlocal; this locality
  63. 粘zhānto glue; to paste; to adhere; to stick to
  64. 万岁wàn suìLong live (the king, the revolution etc)!; Your Majesty
  65. 冰箱bīng xiāngrefrigerator; (old) icebox
  66. 沙shāgranule; hoarse
  67. 合伙人hé huǒ rénpartner; associate
  68. 答dābound form having the same meaning as the free word 答[dá], used in 答應|答应[dā ying], 答理[dā li] etc
  69. 视频shì pínvideo
  70. 专门zhuān ménspecialist; specialized
  71. 全身quán shēnthe whole body; (typography) em
  72. 出卖chū màito offer for sale; to sell; to sell out; to betray
  73. 标记biāo jìsign; mark
  74. 治安zhì ānlaw and order; public security
  75. 穿着chuān zhuóattire; clothes; dress
  76. 会面huì miànto meet with; meeting
  77. 复仇fù chóuto avenge; vengeance
  78. 外科wài kēsurgery (branch of medicine)
  79. 女郎nǚ lángyoung woman; maiden
  80. 钢琴gāng qínpiano; CL:架[jià],臺|台[tái]
  81. 商shāngcommerce; merchant
  82. 数学shù xuémathematics
  83. 至于zhì yúas for; as to
  84. 尝chángto taste; to try (food); to experience
  85. 登记dēng jìto register (one's name)
  86. 篮球lán qiúbasketball; CL:個|个[gè],隻|只[zhī]
  87. 骂màto scold; to abuse
  88. 护hùto protect
  89. 指导zhǐ dǎoto guide; to give directions
  90. 界jiè(bound form) boundary; border; (bound form) realm
  91. 揭晓jiē xiǎoto announce publicly; to publish
  92. 材料cái liào(raw) material; data
  93. 流行liú xíng(of a contagious disease etc) to spread; to propagate
  94. 诊所zhěn suǒclinic
  95. 不安bù ānunpeaceful; unstable
  96. 搜sōuto search
  97. 昏迷hūn míto lose consciousness; to be in a coma
  98. 午夜wǔ yèmidnight
  99. 相关xiāng guānrelated; relevant
  100. 身材shēn cáistature; build (height and weight)

Based on SUBTLEX-CH film and TV subtitles. These lists include words with an exact simplified-spelling match in CC-CEDICT. Positions count dictionary entries; the original corpus rank is shown on each word’s page. Words with equal counts are ordered by spelling. Frequency here describes these subtitles, not every kind of Chinese.