The Chinese language is unique in that it consists of just about 425 morphemes. Morphemes are words with a meaning that cannot be further divided. One could say, Chinese consists of just 425 unique words. All further meanings are derived from double meanings, from combining words, and from pronouncing them in a different tone.

To further explain the term morpheme: the English word "house" is a morpheme. It is a word with a meaning that cannot be divided into other words with a meaning. The English word "housewife" is not a morpheme. It is a combination of two morphemes, "house" and "wife". The letter sequence "ouse" is not a morpheme: it does not have a meaning. The letter sequence "use" is a morpheme, but "house", even though the letter sequence "use" is contained in it, is not a combination of two morphemes, "ho" and "use". Rather, the sequence "use" only accidentally occurs in the written representation of the morpheme "house".

To learn to speak Chinese, it is important to be aware of the very limited number of morphemes in this language. Because this awareness is so important, this dictionary starts with listing below the 425 morphemes of which the Chinese language builds all meanings.

For each morpheme, we have an own page. But please be aware that while we are ordered like a standard Chinese dictionary, our learner's dictionary is not complete. Rather, it suggests for each morpheme which meanings should be learned to arrive at a basic knowledge of Chinese.

A (5)
a-1, a-2, a-3, a-4, ai-1, ai-2,ai-3,ai-4, an-1, an-2, an-3, an-4, ang-1, ang-2, ang-3, ang-4, ao-1, ao-2,ao-3,ao-4

B (16)
ba-1, ba-2, ba-3, ba-4, bai-1, bai-2, bai-3, bai-4, ban-1, ban-2, ban-3, ban-4, bang-1, bang-2, bang-3, bang-4, bao-1, bao-2, bao-3, bao-4, bei-1, bei-2, bei-3, bei-4, ben-1, ben-2, ben-3, ben-4, beng-1, beng-2, beng-3, beng-4, bi-1, bi-2, bi-3, bi-4, bian-1, bian-2, bian-3, bian-4, biao-1, biao-2, biao-3, biao-4, bie-1, bie-2, bie-3, bie-4, bin-1, bin-2, bin-3, bin-4, bing-1, bing-2, bing-3, bing-4, bo-1, bo-2, bo-3, bo-4, bu-1, bu-2, bu-3, bu-4

C (36)
ca-1, ca-2, ca-3, ca-4, cai-1, cai-2, cai-3, cai-4, can-1, can-2, can-3, can-4, cang-1, cang-2, cang-3, cang-4, cao-1, cao-2, cao-3, cao-4, ce-1, ce-2, ce-3, ce-4, cei-1, cei-2, cei-3, cei-4, cen-1, cen-2, cen-3, cen-4, ceng-1, ceng-2, ceng-3, ceng-4, cha-1, cha-2, cha-3, cha-4, chai-1, chai-2, chai-3, chai-4, chan-1,chan-2, chan-3, chan-4, chang-1, chang-2, chang-3, chang-4, chao-1, chao-2, chao-3, chao-4, che-1, che-2, che-3, che-4, chen-1, chen-2, chen-3, chen-4, cheng-1, cheng-2, cheng-3, cheng-4, chi-1, chi-2, chi-3, chi-4, chong-1, chong-2, chong-3, chong-4, chou-1, chou-2, chou-3, chou-4, chu-1, chu-2, chu-3, chu-4, chua-1, chua-2, chua-3, chua-4, chuai-1, chuai-2, chuai-3, chuai-4, chuan-1, chuan-2, chuan-3, chuan-4, chuang-1, chuang-2, chuang-3, chuang-4, chui-1, chui-2, chui-3, chui-4, chun-1, chun-2, chun-3, chun-4, chuo-1, chuo-2, chuo-3, chuo-4, ci-1, ci-2, ci-3, ci-4, cong-1, cong-2, cong-3, cong-4, cou-1, cou-2, cou-3, cou-4, cu-1, cu-2, cu-3, cu-4, cuan-1, cuan-2, cuan-3, cuan-4, cui-1, cui-2, cui-3, cui-4, cun-1, cun-2, cun-3, cun-4, cuo-1, cuo-2, cuo-3, cuo-4,

D (21)
da-1, da-2, da-3, da-4, dai-1, dai-2, dai-3, dai-4, dan-1, dan-2, dan-3, dan-4, dang-1, dang-2, dang-3, dang-4, dao-1, dao-2, dao-3, dao-4, de-1, de-2, de-3, de-4, deng-1, deng-2, deng-3, deng-4, di-1, di-2, di-3, di-4, dia-1, dia-2, dia-3, dia-4, dian-1, dian-2, dian-3, dian-4, diao-1, diao-2, diao-3, diao-4, die-1, die-2, die-3, die-4, ding-1, ding-2, ding-3, ding-4, diu-1, diu-2, diu-3, diu-4, dong-1, dong-2, dong-3, dong-4, dou-1, dou-1, dou-2, dou-3, dou-4, du-1, du-2, du-3, du-4, duan-1, duan-2, duan-3, duan-4, dui-1, dui-2, dui-3, dui-4, dun-1, dun-2, dun-3, dun-4, duo -1, duo -2, duo -3, duo -4

F (9)
fa-1, fa-2, fa-3, fa-4, fan-1, fan-2, fan-3, fan-4, fang-1, fang-2, fang-3, fang-4, fei-1, fei-2, fei-3, fei-4, fen-1, fen-2, fen-3, fen-4, feng-1, feng-2, feng-3, feng-4, fo-1, fo-2, fo-3, fo-4, fou-1, fou-2, fou-3, fou-4, fu-1, fu-2, fu-3, fu-4

G (19)
ga-1, ga-2, ga-3, ga-4, gai-1, gai-2, gai-3, gai-4, gan-1, gan-2, gan-3, gan-4, gang-1, gang-2, gang-3, gang-4, gao-1, gao-2, gao-3, gao-4, ge-1, ge-2, ge-3, ge-4, gei-1, gei-2, gei-3, gei-4, gen-1, gen-2, gen-3, gen-4, geng-1, geng-2, geng-3, geng-4, gong-1, gong-2, gong-3, gong-4, gou-1, gou-2, gou-3, gou-4, gu-1, gu-2, gu-3, gu-4, gua-1, gua-2, gua-3, gua-4, guai-1, guai-2, guai-3, guai-4, guan-1, guan-2, guan-3, guan-4, guang-1, guang-2, guang-3, guang-4, gui-1, gui-2, gui-3, gui-4, gun-1, gun-2, gun-3, gun-4, guo-1, guo-2, guo-3, guo-4

H (19)
ha-1, ha-2, ha-3, ha-4, hai-1, hai-2, hai-3, hai-4, han-1, han-2, han-3, han-4, hang-1, hang-2, hang-3, hang-4, hao-1, hao-2, hao-3, hao-4, he-1, he-2, he-3, he-4, hei-1, hei-2, hei-3, hei-4, hen-1, hen-2, hen-3, hen-4, heng, heng-2, heng-3, heng-4, hong-1, hong-2, hong-3, hong-4, hou-1, hou-2, hou-3, hou-4, hu-1, hu-2, hu-3, hu-4, hua-1, hua-2, hua-3, hua-4, huai-1, huai-2, huai-3, huai-4, huan-1, huan-3, huan-4, huang-1, huang-2, huang-3, huang-4, hui-1, hui-2, hui-3, hui-4, hun-1, hun-2, hun-3, hun-4, huo-1, huo-2, huo-3, huo-4

J (14)
ji-1, ji-2, ji-3, ji-4, jia-1, jia-2, jia-3, jia-4, jian-1, jian-2, jian-3, jian-4, jiang-1, jiang-2, jiang-3, jiang-4, jiao-1, jiao-2, jiao-3, jiao-4, jie-1, jie-2, jie-3, jie-4, jin-1, jin-2, jin-3, jin-4, jing-1, jing-2, jing-3, jing-4, jiong-1, jiong-2, jiong-3, jiong-4, jiu-1, jiu-2, jiu-3, jiu-4, ju-1, ju-2, ju-3, ju-4, juan-1, juan-2, juan-3, juan-4, jue-1, jue-2, jue-3, jue-4, jun-1, jun-2, jun-3, jun-4

K (19)
ka-1, ka-2, ka-3, ka-4, kai-1, kai-2, kai-3, kai-4, kan-1, kan-2, kan-3, kan-4, kang-1, kang-2, kang-3, kang-4, kao-1, kao-2, kao-3, kao-4, ke-1, ke-2. ke-3, ke-4, kei-1, kei-2, kei-3, kei-4, ken-1, ken-2, ken-3, ken-4, keng-1, keng-2, keng-3, keng-4, kong-1, kong-2, kong-3, kong-4, kou-1, kou-2, kou-3, kou-4, ku-1, ku-2, ku-3, ku-4, kua-1, kua-2, kua-3, kua-4, kuai-1, kuai-2, kuai-3, kuai-4, kuan-1, kuan-2, kuan-3, kuan-4, kui-1, kui-2, kui-3, kui-4, kun-1, kun-2, kun-3, kun-4, kuang-1, kuang-2, kuang-3, kuang-4, kuo-1, kuo-2, kuo-3, kuo-4,

L (26)
la-1, la-2, la-3, la-4, lai-1, lai-2, lai-3, lai-4, lan-1, lan-2, lan-3, lan-4, lang-1, lang-2, lang-3, lang-4, lao-1, lao-2, lao-3, lao-4, le-1, le-2, le-3, le-4, lei-1, lei-2, lei-3, lei-4, leng-1, leng-2, leng-3, leng-4, li-0, li-2, li-3, li-4, lia-1, lia-2, lia-3, lia-4, lian-1, lian-2, lian-3, lian-4, liang-1, liang-2, liang-3, liang-4, liao-1, liao-2, liao-3, liao-4, lie-1, lie-2, lie-3, lie-4, lin-1, lin-2, lin-3, lin-4, ling-1, ling-2, ling-3, ling-4, liu-1, liu-2, liu-3, liu-4, lo-1, lo-2, lo-3, lo-4, long-1, long-2, long-3, long-4, lou-1, lou-2, lou-3, lou-4, lu-1, lu-2, lu-3, lu-4, luan-1, luan-2, luan-3, luan-4, lue-1,lue-2, lue-3, lue-4, lun-1, lun-2, lun-3, lun-4, luo-1, luo-2, luo-3, luo-4, lv-1, lv-2, lv-3, lv-4

M (19)
ma-1, ma-2, ma-3, ma-4, mai-1, mai-2, mai-3, mai-4, man-1, man-2, man-3, man-4, mang-1, mang-2, mang-3, mang-4, mao-1, mao-2, mao-3, mao-4, me-1, me-2 me-3, me-4, mei-1, mei-2, mei-3, mei - 4, men-1, men-2, men-3, men-4, meng-1, meng-2, meng-3, meng-4, mi-1, mi-2, mi-3, mi-4, mian-1, mian-2, mian-3, mian-4, miao-1, miao-2, miao-3, miao-4, mie-1, mie-2, mie-3, mie-4, min-1, min-2, min-3, min-4, ming-1, ming-2, ming-3, ming-4, miu-1, miu-2, miu-3, miu-4, mo-1, mo-2, mo-3, mo-4, mou-1, mou-2, mou-3, mou-4, mu-1, mu-2, mu-3, mu-4

N (23)
na-1, na-2, na-3, na-4, nai-1, nai-2,nai-3,nai-4, nan-1, nan-2, nan-3, nan-4, nang-1, nang-2, nang-3, nang-4, nao-1, nao-2, nao-3, nao-4, ne-0, ne-1, ne-2, ne-3, ne-4, nei-1, nei-2, nei-3, nei-4, nen-1, nen-2, nen-3, nen-4, neng-1, neng-2, neng-3, neng-4, ni-1, ni-2, ni-3, ni-4, nian-1, nian-2, nian-3, nian-4, niang-1, niang-2, niang-3, niang-4, niao-1, niao-2, niao-3, niao-4, nie-1, nie-2, nie-3, nie-4, nin-1, nin-2, nin-3, nin-4, ning-1, ning-2,ning-3,ning-4, niu-1, niu-2, niu-3, niu-4, nong-1, nong-2, nong-3, nong-4, nou-1, nou-2, nou-3, nou-4, nu-1, nu-2, nu-3, nu-4, nuan-1, nuan-2, nuan-3, nuan-4, nue-1, nue-2, nue-3, nue-4, nuo-1, nuo-2, nuo-3, nuo-4

O (1)
o-1, o-2, o-3, o-4

P (17)
pa, pai-1, pai-2, pai-3, pai-4, pan-1, pan-2, pan-3, pan-4, pang-1, pang-2, pang-3, pang-4, pao-1, pao-2, pao-3, pao-4, pei-1, pei-2, pei-3, pei-4, pen-1, pen-2, pen-3, pen-4, peng-1, peng-2, peng-3, peng-4, pi-1, pi-2, pi-3, pi-4, pian-1, pian-2, pian-3, pian-4, piao-1, piao-2, piao-3, piao-4, pie-1, pie-2, pie-3, pie-4, pin-1, pin-2, pin-3,pin-4, ping-1, ping-2, ping-3, ping-4, po-1, po-2, po-3, po-4, pou-1, pou-2, pou-3, pou-4, pu-1, pu-2, pu-3, pu-4

Q (14)
qi-1, qi-2, qi-3, qi-4, qia-1, qia-2, qia-3, qia-4, qian-1, qian-2, qian-3, qian-4, qiang-1, qiang-2, qiang-3, qiang-4, qiao-1, qiao-2, qiao-3, qiao-4, qie-1, qie-2, qie-3, qie-4, qin-1, qin-2, qin-3, qin-4, qing-1, qing-2, qing-3, qing-4, qiong-1, qiong-2, qiong-3, qiong-4, qiu-1, qiu-2, qiu-3, qiu-4, qu-1, qu-2, qu-3, qu-4, quan-1, quan-2, quan-3, quan-4, que-1, que-2, que-3, que-4, qun-1, qun-3, qun-3, qun-4

R (13)
ran-1, ran-2, ran-3, ran-4, rang-1, rang-2, rang-3, rang-4, rao-1, rao-2, rao-3, rao-4, re-1, re-2, re-3, re-4, ren-1, ren-2, ren-3, ren-4, reng-1, reng-2, reng-3, reng-4, ri-1, ri-2, ri-3, ri-4, rong-1, rong-2, rong-3, rong-4, rou-1, rou-2, rou-3, rou-4, ru-1, ru-2, ru-3, ru-4, ruan-1, ruan-2, ruan-3, ruan-4, rui-1, rui-2, rui-3, rui-4, run-1, run-2, run-3, run-4, ruo-1, ruo-2, ruo-3, ruo-4

S(37)
sa-1, sa-2, sa-3, sa-4, sai-1, sai-2, sai-3, sai-4, san-1, san-2, san-3, san-4, sang-1, sang-2, sang-3, sang-4, sao-1, sao-2, sao-3, sao-4, se-1, se-2, se-3, se-4, sen-1, sen-2, sen-3, sen-4, seng-1, seng-2, seng-3, seng-4, sha-1, sha-2, sha-3, sha-4, shai-1, shai-3, shai-3, shai-4, shan-1, shan-2, shan-3, shan-4, shang-1, shang-2, shang-3, shang-4, shao-1, shao-2, shao-3, shao-4, she-1, she-2, she-3, she-4, shei-1, shei-2, shei-3, shei-4, shen-1, shen-2, shen-3, shen-4, sheng-1, sheng-2, sheng-3, sheng-4, shi-0, shi-1, shi-2, shi-3, shi-4, shu-1, shu-2, shu-3, shu-4, shou-1, shou-2, shou-3, shou-4, shui-1, shui-2, shui-3, shui-4, shua-1, shua-2, shua-3, shua-4, shuai-1, shuai-2, shuai-3, shuai-4, shuan-1, shuan-2, shuan-3, shuan-4, shuang-1, shuang-2, shuang-3, shuang-4, shuo-1, shuo-2, shuo-3, shuo-4, si-1, si-2, si-3, si-4, song-1, song-2, song-3, song-4, sou-1, sou-2, sou-3, sou-4, su-1, su-2, su-3, su-4, sui-1, sui-2, sui-3, sui-4, sun-1, sun-2, sun-3, sun-4, suo-1, suo-2, suo-3, suo-4

T (20)
ta, tai-1, tai-2, tai-3, tai-4, tan-1, tan-2, tan-3, tan-4, tang-1, tang-2, tang-3, tang-4, tao-1, tao-2, tao-3, tao-4, te-1, te-2, te-3, te-4, tei-1, tei-2, tei-3, tei-4, teng-1, teng-2, teng-3, teng-4, ti-1, ti-2, ti-3, ti-4, tian-1, tian-2, tian-3, tian-4, tiao-1,tiao-2, tiao-3, tiao-4, tie-1, tie-2, tie-3, tie-4, ting-1, ting-2, ting-3, ting-4, tong-1, tong-2, tong-3, tong-4, tou-1, tou-2, tou-3, tou-4, tu-1, tu-2, tu-3, tu-4, tuan-1, tuan-2, tuan-3, tuan-4, tui-1, tui-2, tui-3, tui-4, tun-2, tun-2, tun-3, tun-4, tuo-1, tuo-2, tuo-3, tuo-4

W (8)
wa-1, wa-2, wa-3, wa-4, wai-1, wai-2, wai-3, wai-4, wan-1, wan-2, wan-3, wan-4, wang-1, wang-2, wang-3, wang-4, wei-1, wei-2, wei-3, wei-4, wen-1, wen-2, wen-3, wen-4, weng-1, weng-2, weng-3, weng-4, wo-1, wo-2, wo-3, wo-4, wu-1, wu-2, wu-3, wu-4

X (14)
xi-1, xi-2, xi-3, xi-4, xia-1, xia-2, xia-3, xia-4, xian-1, xian-2, xian-3, xian-4, xiang-1, xiang-2, xiang-3, xiang-4, xiao-1, xiao-2, xiao-3, xiao-4, xie-1, xie-2, xie-3, xie-4, xin-1, xin-2, xin-3, xin-4, xing-1, xing-2, xing-3, xing-4, xiong-1, xiong-2, xiong-3, xiong-4, xiu-1, xiu-2, xiu-3, xiu-4, xu-1, xu-2, xu-3, xu-4, xuan-1, xuan-2, xuan-3, xuan-4, xue-1, xue-2, xue-3, xue-4, xue-1, xun-1, xun-2, xun-3, xun-4

Y (14)
ya-1, ya-2, ya-3, ya-4, yan-1, yan-2, yan-3, yan-4, yang-1, yang-2, yang-3, yang-4, yao-1, yao-2, yao-3, yao-4, ye-1, ye-2, ye-3, ye-4, yi, yi-2, yi-3, yi-4, yin-1, yin-2, yin-3, yin-4, ying-1, ying-2, ying-3, ying-3, yo-1, yo-2, yo-3, yo-4, yong-1, yong-2, yong-3, yong-4, you-1, you-2, you-3, you-4, yu-1, yu-2, yu-3 yu-4, yuan-1, yuan-2, yuan-3, yuan-4, yue-1, yue-2, yue-3, yue-4, yun-1, yun-2, yun-3, yun-4

Z (37)
za-1, za-2, za-3, za-4, zai-1, zai-2, zai-3, zai-4, zan-1, zan-2, zan-3, zan-4, zang-1, zang-2, zang-3, zang-4, zao-1, zao-2, zao-3, zao-4, ze-1, ze-2, ze-3, ze-4, zei-1, zei-2, zei-3, zei-4, zen-1, zen-2, zen-3, zen-4, zeng-1, zeng-2, zeng-3, zeng-4, zha-1, zha-2, zha-3, zha-4, zhai-1, zhai-2, zhai-3, zhai-4, zhan-1, zhai-2, zhai-3, zhai-4, zhang-1, zhang-2, zhang-3, zhang-4, zhao-1, zhao-1, zhao-2, zhao-3, zhao-4, zhe-1, zhe-2, zhe-3, zhe-4, zhei-1, zhei-2, zhei-3, zhei-4, zhen-1, zhen-2, zhen-3, zhen-4, zheng-1, zheng-2, zheng-3, zheng-4, zhi-1, zhi-2, zhi-3, zhi-4, zhong-1, zhong-2, zhong-3, zhong-4, zhou-1, zhou-2, zhou-3, zhou-4, zhu-1, zhu-2, zhu-3, zhu-4, zhua-1, zhua-2, zhua-3, zhua-4, zhuai-1, zhuai-2, zhuai-3, zhuai-4, zhuan-1, zhuan-2, zhuan-3, zhuan-4, zhuang-1, zhuang-2, zhuang-3, zhuang-4, zhui-1, zhui-2, zhui-3, zhui-4, zhun-1, zhun-2, zhun-3, zhun-4, zhuo-1, zhuo-2, zhuo-3, zhuo-4, zi-0, zi-1, zi-3, zi-4, zong-1, zong-2, zong-3, zong-4, zou-1, zou-2, zou-3, zou-4, zu-1, zu-2, zu-3, zu-4, zu-1, zu-2, zu-3, zu-4, zuan-1, zuan-2, zuan-3, zuan-4, zui-1, zui-2, zui-3, zui-4, zun-1, zun-2, zun-3, zun-4, zuo-1, zuo-2, zuo-3, zuo-4