Vocabulary

前 (qián) = before, front (works as prefix or suffix). 之前 (zhī qián) = before, previously (standalone time phrase). Compare: 去年前几个月 (the first few months of last year) vs 三天之前我见过他 (I saw him three days before).

工作 (gōng zuò) = work, job, task (can be temporary). 职业 (zhí yè) = profession, career (long-term). Compare: 我今天有很多工作 (I have lots of work today) vs 医生是一个好职业 (doctor is a good profession).

离 (lí) = away from, at a distance (preposition used in sentences). 距离 (jù lí) = distance (standalone noun). Example: 学校离我家很近 (school is close to my home) vs 这个距离很远 (this distance is far).

看 (kàn) = to look, watch (the action). 看见 (kàn jiàn) = to see, catch sight of (the result). Compare: 我在看电视 (I'm watching TV) vs 我看见你 (I saw you).

因为 (yīn wèi) = because, the reason (explains cause). 所以 (suǒ yǐ) = therefore, so (the result). Sentence order: 因为下雨所以我没去 (because it rained, so I didn't go).

好 (hǎo) = good, fine, well (adjective). 好的 (hǎo de) = okay, alright, agreed (response/confirmation). Compare: 这个主意好 (this idea is good) vs 好的，我明白了 (okay, I understand).

告诉 (gào su) = to tell someone, inform. Always requires an object. 说 (shuō) = to say, speak (object optional). Compare: 他告诉我... (he told me...) vs 他说什么? (what did he say?).

开始 (kāi shǐ) = to start, begin (action or event). 最初 (zuì chū) = initially, from the beginning (state at a point in time). Example: 他开始工作 (he started working) vs 最初我不明白 (I didn't understand at first).

想 (xiǎng) = to want, think about. 想要 (xiǎng yào) = to want more intensely. Compare: 我想吃饭 (I want to eat) vs 我很想要这个礼物 (I really want this gift).

问题 (wèn tí) = question, problem to solve. 麻烦 (má fan) = hassle, trouble, bother. Collocate: 提问题 (ask a question) vs 惹麻烦 (cause trouble).

学 (xué) = to study, learn (a skill or subject). 上学 (shàng xué) = to attend school, go to class. Example: 我在学中文 (I'm studying Chinese) but 我每天上学 (I go to school every day).

不同 (bù tóng) = distinctly different. 差不多 (chà bu duō) = roughly the same, minor difference. Example: 这两个想法不同 (these two ideas are different) vs 这两种味道差不多 (these two flavors are about the same).

突然 works with momentary actions: 突然停了 (stopped suddenly), 突然哭了 (burst into tears). Avoid 突然变冷; use 忽然 or 突然变得冷 instead.

• 道路 = road, path
• 道理 = logic, reason
• 说道 = to say, tell
• 一道菜 = one dish

Also a measure word for screens, light, orders.

支持 = back a person or action actively. 赞成 = agree with an idea or view.

• 我支持你的梦想 (I support your dream)
• 我赞成你的主张 (I agree with your proposal)

作用 = effect, role, function. 发挥作用 (bring into play), 起作用 (take effect), 药的作用 (what the medicine does).

• 生 = birth, life
• 生活 = lifestyle, living
• 生气 = angry
• 陌生 = unfamiliar
• 生词 = new word

One root, many branches.

因为 = everyday reason. 由于 = formal, official cause, often written.

• 因为下雨了，我们取消了比赛 (We cancelled because of rain)
• 由于疫情，会议推迟了 (The meeting was postponed due to the pandemic)

Standalone 害 = harm/injure and is rare on its own; it usually combines: 害怕 (afraid), 害羞 (shy), 伤害 (injure). Note 害怕 means 'afraid' because of 怕 (fear); 害 itself does not mean 'fear'.

Both mean "how." 怎样 is slightly more formal and written. 怎么 is everyday speech.

• 你怎么做? (How do you do it?)
• 结果怎样? (How did it turn out?)

其实 is not a concrete noun. It reveals hidden truth or corrects an expectation.

• 他其实很聪明 (He's actually quite smart)
• 其实这不难 (Actually, this isn't hard)

• 假的 = fake, false
• 放假 = holiday, time off
• 假如 = if, suppose
• 假手于 = delegate to

Meaning shifts with context and part of speech.

花 = spend generally. 花费 = more formal. 耗费 = waste, squander. Always pair with time or money: 花了一个小时 (spent an hour), 花了很多钱 (spent a lot of money).

区别 = clear distinction; often used as a verb (to distinguish). 差别 = gap or disparity; emphasizes comparison.

• 这两个字有很大的区别 (These two characters have a major distinction)
• 他们的成绩有差别 (Their grades have a gap)

做 (zuò) = make, do (general, everyday): 做饭 (zuò fàn) = cook rice, 做决定 (zuò juéyì) = make a decision. 制造 (zhìzào) = manufacture, produce (industrial): 制造汽车 (zhìzào qìchē) = manufacture cars.

With people: 跟 (gēn) = with (interactive focus): 我跟他说话 (wǒ gēn tā shuōhuà) = I talk with him. 和 (hé) = and (neutral listing): 我和他是朋友 (wǒ hé tā shì péngyou) = he and I are friends.

来 (lái) = come toward the speaker. 去 (qù) = go away from the speaker. Not just "come" vs "go", it's relative direction. Example: 她来了 (tā lái le) = She's come (toward me).

Wrong: 他比我高 ✗ (Western order) Right: 我比他矮 ✓ = I am shorter than him (subject 我 first). Formula: A 比 B + comparative adjective.

长 (cháng) = long, lengthy. 长 (zhǎng) = grow, develop. Example: 长头发 (cháng tóufa) = long hair, but 长高 (zhǎng gāo) = grow taller (develop).

• 在家 (zài jiā) = be at home
• 在做 (zài zuò) = be doing (ongoing action)
• 存在 (cúnzài) = exist
• 在乎 (zàihu) = care about

Context determines the meaning.

• 打电话 (dǎ diànhuà) = call on phone
• 打球 (dǎ qiú) = play ball
• 打架 (dǎ jià) = fight (physically)
• 打扫 (dǎ sǎo) = clean, sweep

These fixed collocations are stable and unchanging.

• 出现 (chūxiàn) = appear
• 出发 (chūfā) = depart, set out
• 出身 (chūshēn) = origin, background
• 出租 (chūzū) = rent out, let

Common core: 出 = out/forth.

能 (néng) = able/capable (circumstance permits). 会 (huì) = know how to (learned skill). Example: 我能游泳 (wǒ néng yóuyǒng) = I can swim (I'm strong enough) vs. 我会游泳 (wǒ huì yóuyǒng) = I know how to swim (I learned it).

听 (tīng) = listen (active attention). 听见/听到 = hear (passive perception). Difference: 我在听音乐 (wǒ zài tīng yīnyuè) = I'm listening to music vs. 我听到声音 (wǒ tīngdào shēngyīn) = I heard a sound.

• 看书 (kàn shū) = read a book
• 看电影 (kàn diànyǐng) = watch a film
• 看医生 (kàn yīshēng) = see a doctor
• 看起来 (kànqǐlai) = seem, appear to be

对 (duì) = toward (no object transfer), used with actions like speaking or laughing: 对我说 (duì wǒ shuō) = speak to me. 给 (gěi) = give, transfer an object or complete an action: 给我书 (gěi wǒ shū) = give me a book.

想 (xiǎng) = want, wish (less obligatory). 要 (yào) = plan to, going to, or must (more obligatory). Example: 我想去 (wǒ xiǎng qù) = I'd like to go, but 我要去 (wǒ yào qù) = I have to go.

1. 我开始学中文 (I started studying Chinese), simple structure 2. 我开始努力学中文 (I started earnestly studying Chinese), with a stacked verb. Avoid: 开始为了做 (start in order to do). Mandarin prefers conciseness; stack verbs tightly without extra conjunctions.

1. 我开始学中文 (I started studying Chinese), simple structure 2. 我开始努力学中文 (I started earnestly studying Chinese), with verb complement. Avoid: 开始为了做 (start in order to do). Mandarin prefers conciseness; stack verbs tightly without extra conjunctions.

听起来 = sounds like, seems → 那个主意听起来不错 (That idea sounds good). 听见 = hear, perceive a sound → 我听见了一声叫喊 (I heard a shout). Rule: 听起来 = impression; 听见 = actual auditory perception.

As noun → 我的努力没有白费 (My effort was not in vain) As verb → 我努力学习 (I'm working hard to study). In Mandarin, many words function as both noun and verb without affixes. Compare English: 'the effort' or 'to make an effort'; in Chinese, just 努力 works both ways.

As noun → 我的努力没有白费 (My effort was not in vain) As verb → 我努力学习 (I'm working hard to study). In Mandarin, many words function as both noun and verb without affixes. Compare English: 'the effort' or 'to effort', in Chinese, just 努力 works both ways.

1. Definitely, certainly (certainty/belief) → 他一定会来 (He will definitely come) 2. Must, have to (obligation) → 你一定要告诉我 (You must tell me). First usage = confident prediction; second = requirement. Context resolves the ambiguity.

实际 (shíjì) = in practice, actual state (adjective/adverb) → 实际上 (in fact), 实际情况 (actual situation). 事实 (shìshí) = truth, what happened (noun) → 这是事实 (that's a fact). Rule: 实际 = manner; 事实 = thing.

1. Want → 我想吃饭 (I want to eat) 2. Remember → 我想起你了 (I remembered you) 3. Think/suppose → 我想这是对的 (I think this is correct). Note: 想起 = recall, but 想到 = think of/remember. Check the accompanying verb.

✓ 什么发生了? (What happened?) ✓ 发生事故 (an accident occurred) ✗ 我害怕发生 (wrong, use 感到害怕). 发生 (fāshēng) = happen/occur (objective events only). For emotions, use 感到, 有, or standalone verbs like 害怕, 生气.

同样 = similarly, the same way (comparison) → 我也有同样的想法 (I have the same idea too). 同时 = simultaneously, at the same time (temporal) → 我同时做两件事 (I'm doing two things at once). Remember: 同样 = same, 同时 = at the same time.

害怕 = personal feeling of fear, often fleeting → 我害怕黑暗 (I'm afraid of the dark). 恐怖 = terror, horrifying, terrorist-related → 恐怖分子 (terrorist). Use 害怕 for personal emotions; 恐怖 for events, crimes, and systemic terror.

关键 = critical juncture, decisive factor → 这是解决问题的关键 (this is the key to solving the problem). 重点 = main focus, emphasis → 今年的重点是销售 (this year's focus is sales). Use 关键 for 'the solution lies in', 重点 for 'the priority is'.

花 = to spend (time, money); 用 = to use (tools, methods). Compare: 我花了很多钱 (I spent a lot of money) vs 我用笔写 (I write with a pen). They are not interchangeable for money.

好 typically = good, but in compounds like 好吃 (delicious), 好看 (pretty), 好学 (easy to learn), 好走 (easy to walk) = easy. Remember: 好 forms positive compounds: 好天气 (good weather), but never 不好天气, use 坏天气 instead.

给 usually means 'for, to provide'; in some phrases it means 'to cause/create'. Example: 我给你买了书 (I bought a book for you) vs 我给孩子取了个名字 (I gave my child a name / I created a name for my child), same preposition, different subtle meaning.

看 = to look, to watch (action in progress); 看见 = to see (successful perception, result). Compare: 我在看电视 (I am watching TV) vs 我看见了一只猫 (I saw a cat / I caught sight of a cat).

因为 = because (introduces reason, before main clause); 因此 = therefore, as a result (introduces consequence, connector). Example: 因为下雨，因此我们取消了比赛 (because it rained, therefore we canceled the game).

• 有名 = famous (simple, colloquial)
• 有名气 = has reputation (positive, well-known)
• 著名 = renowned (formal, literary)

Example: 他是个著名的作家 (he is a renowned writer), 在城里很有名气 (he's quite well-known in the city).

问题 = problem, issue, question (requires solving or answering); 事情 = matter, affair, situation (event or circumstance in general). Example: 这是个重要的问题 (this is an important issue) vs 发生了一件奇怪的事情 (something strange happened).

想 = to want, to think (intent or personal judgment); 觉得 = to feel, to perceive (impression or sense). Compare: 我想去北京 (I want to go) vs 我觉得北京很漂亮 (I think Beijing is beautiful / I find it beautiful).

工作 = work/job (noun or verb: 做工作, 我在工作); 职业 = profession/occupation (noun only, formal). Example: 他的职业是医生 (his profession is doctor), but 今天他在工作 (today he is working).

• 说 = to say/speak (general utterance), 他说什么?
• 讲 = to speak about/teach/tell (content-focused), 讲故事, 讲课 (tell a story, give a class)
• 谈 = to discuss/negotiate (exchange views), 谈条件, 谈业务 (discuss terms, discuss business)

学习 = to study/learn (formal, the whole process); 学 = to learn, study, or imitate (broader, can mean to copy behavior). Compare: 我在大学学习工程 (I study engineering at university) vs 我学了他的方法 (I imitated his method).

不同 = distinctly different; 差不多 = nearly the same, roughly similar. Example: 他们的观点不同 (their views are clearly different), but 他们的身高差不多 (their heights are roughly alike).