Independent Schools

Examinations Board

COMMON ENTRANCE EXAMINATION at 11+ and 13+

MANDARIN CHINESE

VOCABULARY AND CHINESE CHARACTERS

FOR USE WITH COMMON ENTRANCE SYLLABUS

Independent Schools Examinations Board

 CORE CHARACTERS FOR LEVEL 1

Activities:
Adjectives:
Adverb:
The body:
Chinese places:
Clothes:
Colours:
Food and drink:
Home:
Family: () () () () () ()
Numbers: (numbers 11-99)
Time and date:
School and classroom:
Question words:
Verbs:

CORE CHARACTERS FOR LEVEL 2

There is no fixed list of core characters at Level 2. It is hoped that candidates will learn
as wide a range of characters as possible.

2
 WORD LIST

Key

Candidates must be able to read and understand the word in Chinese

R
characters at this level.

Candidates will not have to read the word in Chinese characters at this level.
* They must, however, know the pinyin and understand the word aurally. They
may also need to be able to say the word.

(blank) When the Level 1 box is blank, the word is needed only at Level 2.

Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2

Activities
zu fn to cook R R
ch fn to eat/have a meal R R
kn dinsh to watch television R R
pob to run, to jog R R
() t (zqi) to play (football) R R
zqi football R R
kn dinyng see a film * R
yndng to exercise; sport * R
yng dinno to use the computer * *
shng wng surf the net * *
bsi to compete; competition * *
d pngpngqi to play ping pong * *
d wngqi to play tennis * *
yuyng to swim * *
d lnqi to play basketball *
q m to ride a horse *
Adjectives
d big R R
hoh delicious/good to drink R R
hoch delicious/good to eat R R
hown fun R R
ho good R R
xn new R R
xio small R R

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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
yu ysi interesting * R
lo old * R
/ mil/pioliang beautiful * *
wlio boring * *
pinyi cheap * *
cngmng clever *
gu expensive *
png fat *
goxng happy *
bishng sad *
i short *
go tall *
shu thin *
li tired *
Adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions
zi to be in/located in R R
b/b no; not R R
hn very * R
fichng very R
gn with R
y also R
h and R
bjio quite *
dnsh but *
The body
shu hand R R
gbo arm * *
rduo ear * *
ynjng eyes * *
jio foot * *
tu leg * *
zuba mouth * *
bzi nose * *
China and the world
Zhnggu China R R
Bijng Beijing R R
Chng Chng The Great Wall R R
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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
Hny Chinese R R
Zhngwn Chinese R R
Migu America * R
Ynggu Britain * R
Fgu France * R
Shnghi Shanghai * R
Yngy English * R
Xing Gng Hong Kong * *
Lndn London * *
Ggng The Forbidden City * *
Tinnmn Tiananmen Square * *
Hung H Yellow River * *
Migurn American person R
Zhnggurn Chinese person R
Ynggurn English person R
Fgurn French person R
Clothes
mozi hat R R
moy jumper R R
jik jacket * *
chnshn shirt * *
xizi shoes * *
qnzi skirt * *
T txshn T shirt * *
wzi socks * *
kzi trousers * *
yfu clothing R
Colours
hi black R R
ln blue R R
l green R R
hng red R R
bi white R R
hung yellow R R
Directions
shngmian above/on R
humian behind R
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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
ximian below/under R
qinmian in front (of) R
zubian left *
yubian right *
Food and drink
niru beef R R
jru chicken meat R R
qshu fizzy drink R R
nini milk R R
shu water R R
hnbobo hamburger R R
zofn breakfast R R
do knife R R
minbo bread * R
jdn chicken egg * R
kfi coffee * R
kl Coke * R
mintio noodles * R
() (m)fn rice * R
ch tea * R
wfn lunch * R
wnfn dinner * R
shtio chips * *
qiokl chocolate * *
pngguzh apple juice * *
chngzh orange juice * *
kuizi chopsticks * *
chzi fork * *
shozi spoon * *
jiozi dumplings *
lzh lychee *
cidn menu *
cngun restaurant *
xin salty *
l spicy *
tin sweet *
chnjun spring rolls *
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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
fwyun waiter *
dngo cake *
Greetings and introductions
n ho hello * R
zijin goodbye * R
xixie thank you * R
N ho ma? How are you? * R
W hn ho. I am well. * R
N jio shnme? What are you called? * R
W jio. I am called * R
N j su? How old are you? * R
W .su. I am . years old. * R
N zh zi nl? Where do you live? * R
W zh zi I live in * R
N sh shi? Who are you? * R
W sh I am * R
Holidays and special occasions
jiq holiday R R
hi the sea * R
fndin hotel/restaurant * R
hitn beach * *
Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2

shngr birthday R
kpin card *
jhu party *
lw present *
Home and family
mma mum R R
bba dad R R
gge elder brother R R
jijie elder sister R R
ddi younger brother R R
mimei younger sister R R
ji home R R
ktng living room R R
shf sofa R R
ysh bathroom/shower room * *

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 wsh bedroom * *
chfng kitchen * *
chung bed * *
zhuzi table/desk * *
yzi chair * *
shuj mobile phone * *
pngyou friend R
gu dog R
dngw animals *
wnj toy *
dngxi thing *
Numbers, time, date
y 1 R R
r 2 R R
sn 3 R R
s 4 R R
w 5 R R
li 6 R R
q 7 R R
b 8 R R
ji 9 R R
sh 10 R R
... sh y jishji 1199 R R
y bi 100 * R
2 (before a measure
ling
word)
R R

din o'clock R R
? j din le What time is it? R R
? j din zhng? What time is it? * *
xngq week R R
What day of the week is
xngq j? R R
it?
xngq y Monday R R
xngq r Tuesday R R
xngq sn Wednesday R R
xngq s Thursday R R
xngq w Friday R R
xngq li Saturday R R
xngq tin Sunday R R

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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
xngq r Sunday * R
tin day/sky R R
yu month/moon R R
j yu? What month is it? R R
y yu January R R
r yu February R R
sn yu March R R
s yu April R R
w yu May R R
li yu June R R
q yu July R R
b yu August R R
ji yu September R R
sh yu October R R
shy yu November R R
shr yu December R R
Yun Yuan/Chinese currency R R
(measure word for
g
things and people)
R
(measure word for
jin
clothing)
R
(measure word for some
zh
animals)
R

Places in town
gngyun park R
shngdin shop R
chosh supermarket R
yuj post office *
Pronouns
w I; me * R
n you * R
t he; him * R
t she; her * R
wmen we; us * R
w de my R
n de your R
/ t de his/hers R
wmen de ours R
nmen de your (plural) R
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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
/ tmen de their (male/female) R
zh l here * R
n l there * R
l inside * R
n that * R
zh this * R
nmen you (plural) * R
/ tmen/tmen they (m/f); them * R
Question words
ma question particle R R
j? how many? R R
shnme? what? * R
/ nl/ nr? where? * R
shi? who? * R
dusho qin? how much? R
n g? which? R
znme? how? R
School and classroom
bo bag R R
sh book R R
shngxu go to school R R
k lesson R R
b pen R R
ch ruler R R
kbn textbook R R
xusheng student * R
losh teacher * R
fngxu to finish school * *
zuy homework * *
shxu maths * *
ty PE * *
kxu science * *
kosh test/to test * *
xuxio school R
shzhu desk *
tpin picture *
bibn whiteboard *
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 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
Transport
qch car R
huch train R
fij plane R
ki ch to drive R
zu huch to go by train R
zu fij to go by plane R
chun boat *
zu chun to go by boat *
q ch to ride a bicycle *
zu l to walk *
Verbs
q to go R R
have/has; there is/there
yu
are
R R
do not/does not have;
miyu
there is not/are not
R R

xhuan to like R R
b xhuan do not/does not like R R
yo to want R R
b yo do not/does not want R R
mi to buy R R
zu to do/make R R
h to drink R R
ch to eat R R
qchung to get up R R
kn to watch R R
chun to wear * R
sh to be * R
jio to be called * R
shujio to sleep * R
zh to live * R
yng to use * *
hu to be able to/can R
b hu to not be able to/cant R
shu to speak R
gi to give *
chng g to sing *

11
 Chinese Pinyin English Level 1 Level 2
tio w to dance *
xing yo would like *
Weather
fng wind R
lng cold R
r hot R
lbian inside R
y rain R
xu snow R
wibian outside *
tiyng sun *
tinq weather *
Additional words
x happy/ happiness R R
f lucky/ good fortune R R
m horse R R
n female R R

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