How many words are in this list?

This page gives 100 Traditional Chinese words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.

Which words should I start with?

With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.

How can I remember this Traditional Chinese vocabulary?

By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.

Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?

Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

Traditional Chinese vocabulary: function words

Pronouns, articles, demonstratives, possessives: the small words of Traditional Chinese grammar you cannot build a sentence without.

Here are 100 Traditional Chinese words on “Function words”, translated into English and sorted from easiest to hardest.

Level 1: easy 40 words

Traditional Chinese	English
一個	aIndefinite article, masculine singular
一個	aIndefinite article, feminine singular
一點點	a little
全部	allDeterminer or pronoun, masculine plural
嗎	doQuestion marker, no literal equivalent
她自己	herselfReflexive pronoun, feminine singular
給他	himObject pronoun, to him or to her
他的	hisSingular possessor, belonging to him or her
我	ISubject pronoun, first person singular
我	meStressed form, after a preposition or on its own
多於	more than
我的	myPossessive determiner, before the noun
不是	noNegative answer
不再	no longer
什麼都沒有	nothingPronoun used on its own
其	of it
人們	one
只有	only
別的	other
同樣的	same
她	sheSubject pronoun, feminine singular
一些	somePartitive article, feminine singular
一些	somePartitive article, masculine singular
那個	theDefinite article, feminine singular
那個	theDefinite article, masculine singular
他們的	theirPlural possessor, belonging to them
有	there isExistence
這些	theseDemonstrative determiner, plural
他們	theySubject pronoun
這個	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a consonant
這個	thisDemonstrative determiner, feminine singular
我們	weSubject pronoun, first person plural
什麼	whatQuestion word, object
什麼	whatQuestion word, subject
什麼	whatBefore a verb
什麼時候	when
不	yesYes, contradicting a negative statement
給你	youObject pronoun, informal address
你	youSubject, informal address
您	youSubject, formal or plural address

Level 2: medium 35 words

Traditional Chinese	English
許多	a lot of
整個	allDeterminer, feminine singular
所有的	allDeterminer, feminine plural
任何人	anyone
同樣多的	as much as
每	eachDeterminer, before the noun
彼此	each otherMutual action between two people
足夠的	enough of
每個人	everybodyPeople in general, everyone together
他自己	himselfReflexive pronoun, masculine singular
怎麼	how
我自己	myself
從來不	never
沒有人	nobodyEveryday use
一個也沒有	nonePronoun, used on its own
任何-都不	not anyDeterminer, in a negative sentence
什麼也不	nothingNegation used with the verb
我們的	ourPossessive determiner, belonging to us
好幾個	several
幾個	someIndefinite determiner, a small number
某物	somethingIndefinite pronoun, an unspecified thing
那	thatDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something far away or already mentioned
那一個	that oneDemonstrative pronoun, masculine singular
他們	themStressed pronoun after a preposition
那就是	there isPointing out, presenting
這個	thisDemonstrative determiner, masculine before a vowel
那幾個	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, masculine plural
太多	too much
什麼東西	whatOn its own or after a preposition
哪個	whichInterrogative determiner, before the noun
其中的	whose
為什麼	why
為何不	why not
你	youStressed form, after a preposition
你自己	yourself

Level 3: hard 25 words

Traditional Chinese	English
隨便怎樣	any which way
任何東西	anything
任何時候	anytime
任何地方	anywhere
原封不動	as it is
某些	certain
各自	each onePronoun, masculine singular
各自	each onePronoun, feminine singular
他的東西	his ownPossessive pronoun, used on its own
到哪裡	how far
多少個	how manyFollowed by a noun, to ask about a number
我的東西	minePossessive pronoun, used on its own
大部分	most
既不也不	neither nor
無人	no oneFormal or legal register
自身	oneselfEmphatic form, stresses the subject
我們自己	ourselves
那樣的	such
某某	such a
他們自己	themselvesReflexive pronoun, masculine plural
這	this oneDemonstrative pronoun, refers to something close
那幾個	thoseDemonstrative pronoun, feminine plural
哪一個	which oneInterrogative pronoun, used on its own
無論是誰	whoever
你的東西	yoursPossessive pronoun, used on its own

Mini quiz

5 words from this page, picked at random. Find their translation.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list?: This page gives 100 Traditional Chinese words on “Function words”. The full topic holds 120 in the KoKo app: 48 at the easy level, 42 at the medium level and 30 at the hard level.
Which words should I start with?: With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.
How can I remember this Traditional Chinese vocabulary?: By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.
Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?: Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

How KoKo makes words stick

These lists come from KoKo, the app to learn Traditional Chinese vocabulary on iPhone.