Learning Chinese at the HSK 1 level is all about building confidence with simple, practical sentences you can actually use in daily life. Instead of memorizing isolated words, you’ll progress much faster by learning complete sentences that reflect real conversations.
In this guide, you’ll learn 20 easy and useful Chinese sentences covering greetings, shopping, eating, asking questions, and more. Each sentence includes Chinese characters, pinyin, and English translation to help you understand and remember naturally.
Basic Greetings and Polite Expressions
These are the first sentences every beginner should master. You’ll use them daily when interacting with people in China or Chinese-speaking environments.
- 你好 (nǐ hǎo) – Hello
- 早上好 (zǎo shang hǎo) – Good morning
- 晚上好 (wǎn shang hǎo) – Good evening
- 谢谢你 (xiè xie nǐ) – Thank you
- 不客气 (bú kè qi) – You’re welcome
Example sentences:
你好，我是学生 (nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì xué shēng) – Hello, I am a student
谢谢你帮我 (xiè xie nǐ bāng wǒ) – Thank you for helping me
早上好，老师 (zǎo shang hǎo, lǎo shī) – Good morning, teacher
Introducing Yourself in Daily Life
When meeting new people, these simple sentences will help you introduce yourself naturally.
- 我叫李明 (wǒ jiào lǐ míng) – My name is Li Ming
- 我是中国人 (wǒ shì zhōng guó rén) – I am Chinese
- 我是学生 (wǒ shì xué shēng) – I am a student
- 我住在北京 (wǒ zhù zài běi jīng) – I live in Beijing
Example sentences:
我叫安娜 (wǒ jiào ān nà) – My name is Anna
我是老师 (wǒ shì lǎo shī) – I am a teacher
我住在上海 (wǒ zhù zài shàng hǎi) – I live in Shanghai
Talking About Daily Needs
These sentences are extremely useful when you are out in places like a Restaurant (餐厅, cān tīng) or Store (商店, shāng diàn).
- 我要这个 (wǒ yào zhè ge) – I want this
- 这个多少钱 (zhè ge duō shǎo qián) – How much is this
- 我饿了 (wǒ è le) – I am hungry
- 我渴了 (wǒ kě le) – I am thirsty
Example sentences:
我要一杯水 (wǒ yào yì bēi shuǐ) – I want a glass of water
这个多少钱 (zhè ge duō shǎo qián) – How much is this
我饿了，我要吃饭 (wǒ è le, wǒ yào chī fàn) – I am hungry, I want to eat
Asking Simple Questions
Questions are key to communication. These HSK 1 level questions help you navigate everyday situations like asking directions or understanding others.
- 你叫什么名字 (nǐ jiào shén me míng zi) – What is your name
- 你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma) – How are you
- 这是什麼 (zhè shì shén me) – What is this
- 你去哪里 (nǐ qù nǎ lǐ) – Where are you going
Example sentences:
你叫什么名字 (nǐ jiào shén me míng zi) – What is your name
你好吗 (nǐ hǎo ma) – How are you
你去学校吗 (nǐ qù xué xiào ma) – Are you going to school
Talking About Time and Routine
Time-related expressions are very common in daily conversations, especially when planning or discussing schedules.
- 现在几点 (xiàn zài jǐ diǎn) – What time is it now
- 我今天很忙 (wǒ jīn tiān hěn máng) – I am busy today
- 我明天去学校 (wǒ míng tiān qù xué xiào) – I will go to school tomorrow
Example sentences:
现在三点 (xiàn zài sān diǎn) – It is 3 o’clock now
我今天很忙 (wǒ jīn tiān hěn máng) – I am busy today
我明天去工作 (wǒ míng tiān qù gōng zuò) – I will go to work tomorrow
Talking About Preferences and Feelings
Being able to express what you like or how you feel helps make conversations more natural and personal.
我喜欢咖啡 (wǒ xǐ huān kā fēi) – I like coffee
我不喜欢茶 (wǒ bù xǐ huān chá) – I don’t like tea
我很高兴 (wǒ hěn gāo xìng) – I am happy
我很累 (wǒ hěn lèi) – I am tired
Example sentences:
我喜欢中国菜 (wǒ xǐ huān zhōng guó cài) – I like Chinese food
我不喜欢水 (wǒ bù xǐ huān shuǐ) – I don’t like water
我很高兴见你 (wǒ hěn gāo xìng jiàn nǐ) – Nice to meet you
Useful Sentences for Getting Around
These sentences are helpful when you are outside, especially in places like Airport (机场, jī chǎng) or Hotel (酒店, jiǔ diàn).
你会说英语吗 (nǐ huì shuō yīng yǔ ma) – Can you speak English
厕所在哪里 (cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ) – Where is the bathroom
我不知道 (wǒ bù zhī dào) – I don’t know
请帮我 (qǐng bāng wǒ) – Please help me
Example sentences:
厕所在哪里 (cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ) – Where is the bathroom
请帮我一下 (qǐng bāng wǒ yí xià) – Please help me
我不知道这个地方 (wǒ bù zhī dào zhè ge dì fang) – I don’t know this place
New Words from This Blog Post
你好 (nǐ hǎo) – hello
谢谢 (xiè xie) – thank you
学生 (xué shēng) – student
老师 (lǎo shī) – teacher
名字 (míng zi) – name
喜欢 (xǐ huān) – like
吃饭 (chī fàn) – eat
多少钱 (duō shǎo qián) – how much money
今天 (jīn tiān) – today
明天 (míng tiān) – tomorrow
现在 (xiàn zài) – now
地方 (dì fang) – place
帮助 (bāng zhù) – help
厕所 (cè suǒ) – bathroom
咖啡 (kā fēi) – coffee
