Traditional Chinese Characters List | The 100 Most Common Characters

Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (7)

Learning Traditional Chinese characters can feel intimidating at first – especially when you hear there are over 100,000 of them recorded in history!

But here’s the good news: you don’t need to know anywhere near that many to start reading and communicating with confidence.

In fact, mastering just a few hundred of the most frequently used characters will give you a strong foundation for daily life in places like Taipei, Hong Kong, and Macau, where Traditional characters are still standard.

For daily life, ordering food, shopping, or asking for directions, you can actually get by with just 500–750 characters. That’s why starting small is the smartest approach.

Not sure what the difference is between Traditional and Simplified Chinese characters? Check out our full guide first.

This blog introduces the 100 most common Traditional Chinese characters, complete with pinyin, English meanings, and their simplified equivalents. Whether you’re preparing for travel, studying for exams, or just curious about the script, this list is a practical first step.

Ready to start recognizing some of the most important characters you’ll see everywhere in Traditional Chinese writing? Let’s dive in – then don’t forget to take our quiz at the end!

⬇️⬇️⬇️ Top 100 Traditional Chinese Characters Quiz ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Chinese Characters List || 1-10

Chinese Characters List || 11-20

Chinese Characters List || 21-30

Chinese Characters List || 31-40

Chinese Characters List || 41-50

Chinese Characters List || 51-60

Chinese Characters List || 61-70

Chinese Characters List || 71-80

Chinese Characters List || 81-90

Chinese Characters List || 91-100

BONUS || Common Chinese Characters Posters

50 Most Common Chinese Characters | A SIMPLE GUIDE
Want to discover Simplified Chinese as well? Check out the top 50 here

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 1-10

Now, if you’re also familiar with simplified Chinese you might actually notice that the top 10 most common traditional Chinese characters are written exactly the same as their simplified counterpart.

In fact, only around a quarter of the characters on this list differ from the simplified version.

It’s probable that when simplified Chinese was first developed they decided to keep many of the most common characters the same to make things easier.

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
的 的de grammatical particle marking possession
一 一yī one
是 是shì to be
不 不bù not, negative
了 了le verb particle marking past tense, completed action, change in condition.
人 人rén person
我 我wǒ I
在 在zài at, located at
有 有yǒu have, there is
他 他tā he
Traditional-Chinese-Characters-List

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 11-20

With our next 10 characters, we get our first variations from the simplified version.

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
這这zhè this
中中zhōng middle
大大dà big
來来lái come
上上shàng above, on, over/last, previous
國国guó country
個个gè general quantifier
到到dào to, towards, until, arrive
說说shuō speak, say
們们men pluralize nouns referring to people
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (2)
25 most common Mandarin Chinese characters! Swipe ➡️ to learn their meaning // Can you read and write all 25?
byu/LTL-Language-School inLTL_Chinese

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 21-30

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
為为wèi in order to, for the purpose of…
子子zǐ child
和和hé together, with
你你nǐ you
地地dì earth, ground, place
出出chū go out, come out
道道dào way, path, way
也也yě also, as well
時时shí time period, season
年年nián year
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (3)

Learn more about time in Chinese.

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 31-40

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
得 得 de to have to / adverbial particle
就 就 jiù just, simply, right away
那那 nà that
要 要 yào want, will do, need, important
下下 xià below, under, down / next
以以 yǐ because of, in order to / according to
生生 shēng give birth, life
會会 huì can, able, meet, party, society
自自 zì from, self
著着 zhe verb particle marking a progressive aspect (e.g. -ing)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (4)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (5)

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 41-50

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
去去 qù go, leave, depart
之之 zhī subordinator, go, leave for
過过 guò pass, cross, exceed
家家 jiā home, family
學学 xué study, learn
對对 duì correct, mutual, pair
可可 kě ~able, may, can
她她 tā she
裡里 lǐ neighborhood, half kilometer
后后 hòu queen
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (6)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (7)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (8)

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Traditional Chinese Characters List: 51-60

Great, you’ve made it halfway already!!

Just another 50 to go and you’ll be one step closer to your Chinese learning goals!

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
小小 xiǎo small
麼么 me/mo interrogative suffix
心心 xīn heart
多多 duō many, much, more
天天 tiān sky, heaven, god, day
而而 ér and, furthermore
能能 néng can, be able
好好 hǎo good
都都 dōu all
然然 rán correct, so, like that
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (9)

Want to learn more body parts in Chinese?

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 61-70

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
沒沒 méi haven’t, there isn’t, no
日日 rì sun
于于 yú in, at, for, to, from, by, than
起起 qǐ rise, start
還还 hái still, yet
發发 fā deliver, develop, expand
成成 chéng accomplish, succeed / to become
事事 shì matter, thing, event, accident
只只 zhǐ only, just
作作 zuò do, make
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (10)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (11)

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 71-80

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
當当 dāng serve as, act as
想想 xiǎng think, feel, want
看看 kàn see, look at
文文 wén language, literature
無无 wú without, have not
開开 kāi open
手手 shǒu hand
十十 shí ten
用用 yòng use
主主 zhǔ lord, master, live
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (12)

You might have noticed we’ve already had a couple of numbers included in this list of most common Traditional Chinese characters.

Learning how to recognise and write numbers in Chinese is also a really good thing to learn and get your head around early on.

HOW TO - Write Numbers In Chinese

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 81-90

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
行行 xíng go, OK
方方 fāng side
又又 yòu again, both… and…
如如 rú like, as, as if
前前 qián in front, previous, first, former
所所 suǒ place
本本 běn basis, origin, edition
見见 jiàn appear to be, meet with
經经 jīng longitude
頭头 tóu head, top, first
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (13)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (14)

Traditional Chinese Characters List: 91-100

Traditional CharacterSimplified CharacterPinyinEnglish Translation
面面 miàn face, surface
公公 gōng public, official
同同 tóng same
三三 sān three
已已 yǐ stop, end
老老 lǎo old
從从 cóng from, through
動动 dòng move
兩两 liǎng two
長长 cháng long, length
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (16)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (15)
Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters (17)

And there you have it, the 100 most common Traditional Chinese Characters full list!

Once you’ve learnt these you’ll start to recognise them everywhere, so it’s worthwhile to learn them to build a solid foundation.

Traditional Chinese Characters Quiz

Welcome to your Common Traditional Chinese Characters

的 (de)

不 (bù)

是 (shì)

一 (yī)

了 (le)

人 (rén)

我 (wǒ)

在 (zài)

有 (yǒu)

他 (tā)

這 (zhè)

中 (zhōng)

大 (dà)

來 (lái)

上 (shàng)

國 (guó)

個 (gè)

到 (dào)

說 (shuō)

們 (men)

子 (zǐ)

為 (wèi)

和 (hé)

你 (nǐ)

出 (chū)

地 (dì)

也 (yě)

道 (dào)

時 (shí)

年 (nián)

得 (de)

就 (jiù)

那 (nà)

要 (yào)

下 (xià)

以 (yǐ)

自 (zì)

會 (huì)

去 (qù)

生 (shēng)

著 (zhe)

之 (zhī)

過 (guò)

家 (jiā)

學 (xué)

對 (duì)

可 (kě)

她 (tā)

裡 (lǐ)

后 (hòu)

小 (xiǎo)

麼 (me/mo)

心 (xīn)

多 (duō)

天 (tiān)

而 (ér)

能 (néng)

好 (hǎo)

都 (dōu)

然 (rán)

沒 (méi)

于 (yú)

日 (rì)

起 (qǐ)

還 (hái)

發 (fā)

成 (chéng)

事 (shì)

只 (zhǐ)

當 (dāng)

作 (zuò)

想 (xiǎng)

看 (kàn)

文 (wén)

手 (shǒu)

無 (wú)

開 (kāi)

十 (shí)

主 (zhǔ)

行 (xíng)

方 (fāng)

用 (yòng)

又 (yòu)

前 (qián)

所 (suǒ)

如 (rú)

本 (běn)

見 (jiàn)

經 (jīng)

頭 (tóu)

面 (miàn)

公 (gōng)

同 (tóng)

三 (sān)

已 (yǐ)

老 (lǎo)

從 (cóng)

動 (dòng)

兩 (liǎng)

長 (cháng)

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Things You Have To Know About Taiwanese Mandarin

What is the difference between Taiwanese Mandarin and Standard Mandarin? What language do they speak in Taiwan? Your questions are all answered here.

Chinese Characters Posters

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Traditional Chinese Characters List || FAQs

What is the most common Traditional Chinese character?

The most common traditional Chinese character is 的 (de) which is a grammatical particle.

What are the 10 most common Traditional Chinese characters?

The 10 most common traditional Chinese characters are 的，一，是，不，了，人，我，在，有，他。

How long does it take to learn the 100 most common Traditional Chinese characters?

If you take Chinese classes you’ll definitely make quick progress in learning the 100 most common Traditional Chinese characters.

Are all simplified and traditional character different?

Only around a quarter of the characters on this list differ from the simplified version.

Where is best to learn Traditional Chinese?

Traditional Chinese is used in Taiwan and Hong Kong but as Cantonese is used mainly in Hong Kong, Taiwan is without doubt the best place to learn Traditional Chinese.

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