This list brings together 40 Chinese words starting with the letter B, running from “Bàba” to “Bāozi.” They cover everyday essentials — family terms, numbers, colors, verbs, and common nouns — the kind of vocabulary you’ll hear in homes, classrooms, and markets across China every day. Whether you’re just starting to learn Mandarin or brushing up on core vocabulary, this collection gives you a solid, practical starting point.
Chinese words are units of meaning built from characters, each carrying its own pronunciation, tone, and often a rich layer of cultural context. Many, like “bù” (not) and “bié” (don’t), appear constantly in daily speech, while others, like “bāozi” (steamed bun), point to beloved traditions — in this case, a breakfast staple found on street corners nationwide. Learning them side by side with their tones and usage helps you build real conversational fluency, not just textbook knowledge.
Below you’ll find the table with the word, its English translation, Mandarin spelling, example usage, and description.
Word: the Chinese term itself, written in Pinyin with tone marks so you know exactly how to pronounce it.
English translation: the closest everyday English meaning, giving you a quick way to recognize what the word means.
Mandarin spelling: the original Chinese characters, useful for reading, writing, and recognizing the word in real-world text.
Example usage: a short sentence showing the word in context, with an English translation so you can see how it’s actually used.
Description: a plain-language explanation of the word’s meaning, common usage, and any cultural or grammatical notes worth knowing.
Chinese words
| Word | English translation | Mandarin spelling | Example usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bàba | Dad / father | 爸爸 | Wǒ de bàba shì lǎoshī. (My dad is a teacher.) |
| Bái | White | 白 | Tā chuān le yí jiàn bái chènshān. (She wore a white shirt.) |
| Bǎi | Hundred | 百 | Zhè běn shū yǒu yìbǎi yè. (This book has a hundred pages.) |
| Bān | Class | 班 | Wǒ zài sān bān. (I’m in class three.) |
| Bàn | Half | 半 | Xiànzài shì liǎng diǎn bàn. (It’s half past two now.) |
| Bāng | To help | 帮 | Nǐ néng bāng wǒ ma? (Can you help me?) |
| Bāngzhù | To help / assistance | 帮助 | Lǎoshī gěi le wǒ hěn duō bāngzhù. (The teacher gave me a lot of help.) |
| Bāo | Bag / to wrap | 包 | Tā mǎi le yí gè xīn bāo. (She bought a new bag.) |
| Bǎo | Full (satiated) | 饱 | Wǒ chī bǎo le. (I’m full.) |
| Bǎohù | To protect | 保护 | Wǒmen yīnggāi bǎohù huánjìng. (We should protect the environment.) |
| Bēizi | Cup | 杯子 | Qǐng gěi wǒ yí gè bēizi. (Please give me a cup.) |
| Běn | Origin / measure word for books | 本 | Wǒ mǎi le liǎng běn shū. (I bought two books.) |
| Bǐ | Pen | 笔 | Wǒ de bǐ méi shuǐ le. (My pen ran out of ink.) |
| Bǐjiào | Relatively / to compare | 比较 | Zhè jiàn yīfu bǐjiào guì. (This piece of clothing is relatively expensive.) |
| Bìxū | Must | 必须 | Nǐ bìxū zhǔnshí dào. (You must arrive on time.) |
| Biān | Side / edge | 边 | Tā zhàn zài wǒ pángbiān. (He stood by my side.) |
| Biànhuà | Change | 变化 | Tiānqì fāshēng le biànhuà. (The weather has changed.) |
| Biǎoshì | To express / to indicate | 表示 | Tā de xiàoróng biǎoshì tā hěn gāoxìng. (Her smile indicated she was happy.) |
| Bié | Don’t | 别 | Bié dānxīn. (Don’t worry.) |
| Bīng | Ice | 冰 | Wǒ yào yì bēi bīng shuǐ. (I want a glass of iced water.) |
| Bìng | Illness | 病 | Tā shēng bìng le. (He got sick.) |
| Bó | Uncle | 伯 | Tā shì wǒ de bófù. (He is my uncle.) |
| Bù | Not | 不 | Wǒ bù xǐhuān kāfēi. (I don’t like coffee.) |
| Bùfen | Part / portion | 部分 | Zhè zhǐshì gùshi de yí bùfen. (This is just part of the story.) |
| Bùguò | However | 不过 | Wǒ hěn lèi, bùguò wǒ hái yào gōngzuò. (I’m tired, but I still need to work.) |
| Bùyào | Don’t | 不要 | Bùyào chídào! (Don’t be late!) |
| Bǔchōng | To supplement | 补充 | Wǒ xiǎng bǔchōng yí diǎn. (I’d like to add something.) |
| Bāngmáng | To help out | 帮忙 | Nǐ néng bāng wǒ gè máng ma? (Can you do me a favor?) |
| Bàogào | Report | 报告 | Tā xiě le yí fèn bàogào. (She wrote a report.) |
| Bēijù | Tragedy | 悲剧 | Zhè shì yí gè bēijù. (This is a tragedy.) |
| Běifāng | The north | 北方 | Tā láizì Zhōngguó běifāng. (He comes from northern China.) |
| Bèi | By (passive marker) | 被 | Chuānghu bèi fēng chuī kāi le. (The window was blown open by the wind.) |
| Bǐrú | For example | 比如 | Wǒ xǐhuān shuǐguǒ, bǐrú píngguǒ. (I like fruit, for example apples.) |
| Biǎn | Flat | 扁 | Zhè gè hézi shì biǎn de. (This box is flat.) |
| Bǐnggān | Cookie / cracker | 饼干 | Wǒ mǎi le yì bāo bǐnggān. (I bought a bag of cookies.) |
| Bówùguǎn | Museum | 博物馆 | Wǒmen qù le lìshǐ bówùguǎn. (We went to the history museum.) |
| Bú kèqi | You’re welcome | 不客气 | “Xièxie!” “Bú kèqi!” (“Thank you!” “You’re welcome!”) |
| Běijīng | Beijing | 北京 | Běijīng shì Zhōngguó de shǒudū. (Beijing is the capital of China.) |
| Bàozhǐ | Newspaper | 报纸 | Wǒ měitiān kàn bàozhǐ. (I read the newspaper every day.) |
| Bāozi | Steamed bun | 包子 | Zǎofàn wǒ chī le liǎng gè bāozi. (I ate two steamed buns for breakfast.) |
Descriptions
Bàba
An informal, affectionate term for father, used daily by children and adults alike across China.
Bái
A basic color word for white, also used figuratively to mean “blank” or “in vain” in other compounds.
Bǎi
The number 100, a common building block for larger numbers and everyday counting.
Bān
Refers to a class, shift, or group of people, often used in school (“bānjí”) or work (“shàngbān”) contexts.
Bàn
A simple, versatile word meaning “half,” used constantly in telling time and dividing quantities.
Bāng
A short, everyday verb meaning to help or assist someone with a task.
Bāngzhù
A slightly more formal noun/verb for help or assistance, common in both spoken and written Chinese.
Bāo
Refers to a bag or package, and as a verb means to wrap — as in the famous dumpling, bāozi.
Bǎo
Describes the feeling of being full after eating, a phrase heard at nearly every Chinese dinner table.
Bǎohù
A common verb meaning to protect or safeguard, widely used in environmental and safety contexts.
Bēizi
The everyday word for a cup or mug, one of the first vocabulary items learners pick up.
Běn
Functions both as “origin/root” and as the standard measure word used when counting books.
Bǐ
A general term for writing instruments, covering pens, pencils, and brushes alike.
Bǐjiào
Used both as a verb meaning “to compare” and an adverb meaning “relatively” or “fairly.”
Bìxū
A strong modal word expressing necessity or obligation, stronger in tone than “should.”
Biān
Indicates a side, edge, or border, often combined with direction words like “left side” or “right side.”
Biànhuà
A noun describing a change or transformation, commonly used for weather, plans, or personal growth.
Biǎoshì
A verb meaning to express, indicate, or signify a feeling, opinion, or meaning.
Bié
A short, direct word placed before a verb to tell someone not to do something.
Bīng
The basic word for ice, frequently paired with drinks, desserts, and weather terms.
Bìng
A general word for sickness or disease, used in both everyday speech and medical contexts.
Bó
Traditionally refers to an older paternal uncle, reflecting the precision of Chinese kinship terms.
Bù
One of the most frequently used words in Chinese, a simple negation placed before verbs and adjectives.
Bùfen
Refers to a part, portion, or section of a larger whole.
Bùguò
A common transition word meaning “however” or “but,” softer in tone than a strong contrast.
Bùyào
A firm way to tell someone not to do something, slightly stronger than “bié.”
Bǔchōng
Means to supplement, add to, or replenish, often used when adding extra information.
Bāngmáng
An informal way of asking for or offering help, often used as “bāng ge máng.”
Bàogào
A noun and verb referring to a formal report, used in school, business, and news settings.
Bēijù
Describes a tragic event or story, used both literally and to describe unfortunate situations.
Běifāng
Refers to the northern region of a country, commonly used to describe northern China’s climate and culture.
Bèi
A grammatical marker used to form the passive voice, showing that a subject receives an action.
Bǐrú
A common phrase used to introduce examples in conversation or writing.
Biǎn
A simple adjective describing something flat or flattened in shape.
Bǐnggān
The everyday word for cookies or crackers, a popular snack across China.
Bówùguǎn
Refers to a museum, a compound word built from “wide/broad” and “objects/hall.”
Bú kèqi
A polite, standard reply to “thank you,” literally meaning “don’t be polite/formal.”
Běijīng
The capital city of China, whose name literally means “northern capital.”
Bàozhǐ
The standard word for a printed newspaper, combining “report” and “paper.”
Bāozi
A popular steamed bun filled with meat or vegetables, a beloved Chinese breakfast staple.