176 words about ideas & philosophy, taken from the key-word lists of the graded readings on this site and sorted by HSK level. Each word links to the reading where it is used, so you can see it in a real sentence.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 补 | bǔ | to patch; to mend | HSK 4 | 成语故事：亡羊补牢 |
| 成语 | chéngyǔ | idiom (usually four characters) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画蛇添足 |
| 点 | diǎn | to dot; to put a dot on | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画龙点睛 |
| 得意 | déyì | pleased with oneself; smug | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画蛇添足 |
| 洞 | dòng | hole | HSK 4 | 成语故事：亡羊补牢 |
| 画龙点睛 | huà lóng diǎn jīng | to paint a dragon and dot in its eyes (to add the finishing touch that brings something to life) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画龙点睛 |
| 画蛇添足 | huà shé tiān zú | to draw a snake and add feet (to ruin something with unnecessary additions) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画蛇添足 |
| 画家 | huàjiā | painter; artist | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画龙点睛 |
| 后悔 | hòuhuǐ | to regret | HSK 4 | 成语故事：亡羊补牢 |
| 海龟 | hǎiguī | sea turtle | HSK 4 | 成语故事：井底之蛙 |
| 酒壶 | jiǔhú | wine pot (壶 hú: pot; also a measure word for liquids) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画蛇添足 |
| 井 | jǐng | well (for water) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：井底之蛙 |
| 井底之蛙 | jǐng dǐ zhī wā | a frog at the bottom of a well (a person with a narrow view of the world) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：井底之蛙 |
| 卡 | kǎ | to get stuck | HSK 4 | 成语故事：井底之蛙 |
| 狼 | láng | wolf | HSK 4 | 成语故事：亡羊补牢 |
| 龙 | lóng | dragon | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画龙点睛 |
| 农民 | nóngmín | farmer; peasant | HSK 4 | 成语故事：守株待兔 |
| 墙 | qiáng | wall | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画龙点睛 |
| 浅 | qiǎn | shallow | HSK 4 | 成语故事：井底之蛙 |
| 青蛙 | qīngwā | frog | HSK 4 | 成语故事：井底之蛙 |
| 射箭 | shèjiàn | archery; to shoot arrows | HSK 4 | 熟能生巧 |
| 蛇 | shé | snake | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画蛇添足 |
| 树桩 | shùzhuāng | tree stump | HSK 4 | 成语故事：守株待兔 |
| 熟能生巧 | shú néng shēng qiǎo | practice makes perfect | HSK 4 | 熟能生巧 |
| 守株待兔 | shǒu zhū dài tù | to guard a tree stump and wait for rabbits (to wait for luck instead of working) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：守株待兔 |
| 寺庙 | sìmiào | temple | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画龙点睛 |
| 添 | tiān | to add | HSK 4 | 成语故事：画蛇添足 |
| 铜钱 | tóngqián | copper coin | HSK 4 | 熟能生巧 |
| 兔子 | tùzi | rabbit | HSK 4 | 成语故事：守株待兔 |
| 亡羊补牢 | wáng yáng bǔ láo | to mend the pen after a sheep is lost (to fix a problem before it gets worse) | HSK 4 | 成语故事：亡羊补牢 |
| 羊圈 | yángjuàn | sheep pen | HSK 4 | 成语故事：亡羊补牢 |
| 油 | yóu | oil | HSK 4 | 熟能生巧 |
| 运气 | yùnqi | luck; fortune | HSK 4 | 成语故事：守株待兔 |
| 撞 | zhuàng | to crash into; to bump against | HSK 4 | 成语故事：守株待兔 |
| 中 | zhòng | to hit (a target) | HSK 4 | 熟能生巧 |
| 藏 | cáng | to hide | HSK 5 | 幸福是什么 |
| 反而 | fǎn'ér | on the contrary; instead | HSK 5 | 幸福是什么 |
| 焦虑 | jiāolǜ | anxious | HSK 5 | 幸福是什么 |
| 适应 | shìyìng | to adapt; adaptation | HSK 5 | 幸福是什么 |
| 幸福 | xìngfú | happiness | HSK 5 | 幸福是什么 |
| 安稳 | ānwěn | sound; peaceful | HSK 5 | 幸福是什么 |
| 便捷 | biànjié | convenient; quick and easy | HSK 6 | 快与慢的辩证 |
| 辩证 | biànzhèng | dialectical; viewing both sides | HSK 6 | 快与慢的辩证 |
| 边塞 | biānsài | frontier fortress | HSK 6 | 塞翁失马新解 |
| 半途而废 | bàn tú ér fèi | to give up halfway | HSK 6 | 内驱力 |
| 悖论 | bèilùn | paradox | HSK 6 | 快与慢的辩证 |
| 弊端 | bìduān | drawback; malpractice; harm | HSK 6 | 碎片化阅读之弊 |
| 不服气 | bù fúqì | unconvinced; refusing to accept something | HSK 6 | 禅与生活 |
| 不朽 | bùxiǔ | immortal; imperishable | HSK 6 | 匠人精神 |
| 剥夺 | bōduó | to deprive; to strip away | HSK 6 | 碎片化阅读之弊 |
| 察觉 | chájué | to perceive; to become aware of | HSK 6 | 认知偏差 |
| 禅 | chán | Zen; Chan Buddhism | HSK 6 | 禅与生活 |
| 沉淀 | chéndiàn | to settle; to sink in; to accumulate | HSK 6 | 碎片化阅读之弊 |
| 沉没成本 | chénmò chéngběn | sunk cost | HSK 6 | 沉没成本 |
| 持之以恒 | chí zhī yǐ héng | to persevere unremittingly | HSK 6 | 内驱力 |
| 崇尚 | chóngshàng | to esteem; to advocate | HSK 6 | 大器晚成 |
| 醇香 | chúnxiāng | mellow and fragrant (of wine) | HSK 6 | 延迟满足 |
| 挫折 | cuòzhé | setback | HSK 6 | 失败的价值 |
| 从容 | cóngróng | unhurried; calm and composed | HSK 6 | 快与慢的辩证 |
| 多余 | duōyú | unnecessary; superfluous | HSK 6 | 仪式感的意义 |
| 大器晚成 | dà qì wǎn chéng | great talent matures late | HSK 6 | 大器晚成 |
| 弹孔 | dànkǒng | bullet hole | HSK 6 | 幸存者偏差 |
| 得不偿失 | dé bù cháng shī | not worth the loss incurred | HSK 6 | 沉没成本 |
| 独处 | dúchǔ | solitude; being alone | HSK 6 | 孤独与独处之辨 |
| 滴水穿石 | dī shuǐ chuān shí | dripping water pierces stone (idiom) | HSK 6 | 坚持的力量 |
| 打磨 | dǎmó | to polish | HSK 6 | 大道至简 |
| 笃信 | dǔxìn | to believe firmly | HSK 6 | 大道至简 |
| 泛滥 | fànlàn | to flood; to overflow; to spread unchecked | HSK 6 | 道法自然 |
| 覆水难收 | fù shuǐ nán shōu | spilled water cannot be retrieved | HSK 6 | 沉没成本 |
| 复利 | fùlì | compound interest | HSK 6 | 习惯的复利 |
| 复盘 | fùpán | to review; debrief (a process) | HSK 6 | 失败的价值 |
| 发人深省 | fā rén shēn xǐng | to set one thinking deeply; thought-provoking | HSK 6 | 知足常乐 |
| 分寸感 | fēncùngǎn | sense of proportion | HSK 6 | 中庸之道 |
| 反思 | fǎnsī | reflection; to reflect on | HSK 6 | 失败的价值 |
| 腐蚀 | fǔshí | to corrode; to erode | HSK 6 | 内驱力 |
| 惯性 | guànxìng | inertia | HSK 6 | 仪式感的意义 |
| 过犹不及 | guò yóu bù jí | going too far is as bad as falling short | HSK 6 | 中庸之道 |
| 归根结底 | guīgēn jiédǐ | in the final analysis, ultimately | HSK 6 | 记忆的重构性 |
| 归咎 | guījiù | to attribute blame to | HSK 6 | 失败的价值 |
| 高估 | gāogū | to overestimate | HSK 6 | 认知偏差 |
| 唤醒 | huànxǐng | to awaken; arouse | HSK 6 | 仪式感的意义 |
| 汇聚 | huìjù | to converge; to gather | HSK 6 | 坚持的力量 |
| 祸福相依 | huò fú xiāng yī | fortune and misfortune are intertwined | HSK 6 | 塞翁失马新解 |
| 火候 | huǒhou | control of heat; timing | HSK 6 | 中庸之道 |
| 衡量 | héngliang | to measure; to weigh up | HSK 6 | 快与慢的辩证 |
| 横扫 | héngsǎo | to sweep (a competition); to rout | HSK 6 | 习惯的复利 |
| 核实 | héshí | to verify | HSK 6 | 媒介素养 |
| 轰轰烈烈 | hōng hōng liè liè | grand and spectacular; vigorous | HSK 6 | 习惯的复利 |
| 轰炸机 | hōngzhàjī | bomber (aircraft) | HSK 6 | 幸存者偏差 |
| 匠人 | jiàngrén | craftsman; artisan | HSK 6 | 匠人精神 |
| 匠心 | jiàngxīn | craftsman's devotion; ingenuity | HSK 6 | 匠人精神 |
| 捷径 | jiéjìng | shortcut | HSK 6 | 愚公移山与现代人 |
| 坚持 | jiānchí | to persist | HSK 6 | 坚持的力量 |
| 坚持不懈 | jiānchí búxiè | to persevere unremittingly | HSK 6 | 愚公移山与现代人 |
| 奖惩 | jiǎngchéng | rewards and punishments | HSK 6 | 内驱力 |
| 讲究 | jiǎngjiu | elaborate; particular (about something) | HSK 6 | 仪式感的意义 |
| 骏马 | jùnmǎ | fine steed | HSK 6 | 塞翁失马新解 |
| 积累 | jīlěi | accumulation | HSK 6 | 坚持的力量 |
| 精益求精 | jīng yì qiú jīng | to strive for ever greater perfection | HSK 6 | 匠人精神 |
| 讥笑 | jīxiào | to ridicule | HSK 6 | 愚公移山与现代人 |
| 克制 | kèzhì | restraint; to restrain | HSK 6 | 中庸之道 |
| 苛刻 | kēkè | harsh; exacting; demanding | HSK 6 | 匠人精神 |
| 量身定做 | liàng shēn dìng zuò | tailor-made; custom-fitted | HSK 6 | 禅与生活 |
| 留白 | liúbái | blank space; deliberate emptiness | HSK 6 | 塞翁失马新解 |
| 盲点 | mángdiǎn | blind spot | HSK 6 | 认知偏差 |
| 蛮力 | mánlì | brute force | HSK 6 | 道法自然 |
| 媒介素养 | méijiè sùyǎng | media literacy | HSK 6 | 媒介素养 |
| 蒙蔽 | méngbì | to blind; to deceive | HSK 6 | 幸存者偏差 |
| 名存实亡 | míng cún shí wáng | exist in name only | HSK 6 | 沉没成本 |
| 默默无闻 | mò mò wú wén | obscure; unknown to the world | HSK 6 | 习惯的复利 |
| 模糊 | móhu | blurry; vague | HSK 6 | 仪式感的意义 |
| 磨炼 | móliàn | to hone; to temper | HSK 6 | 大器晚成 |
| 满足感 | mǎnzúgǎn | sense of satisfaction | HSK 6 | 仪式感的意义 |
| 酿酒 | niàngjiǔ | to brew wine | HSK 6 | 延迟满足 |
| 扭曲 | niǔqū | to distort; to twist | HSK 6 | 道法自然 |
| 纳入 | nàrù | to bring into; to incorporate | HSK 6 | 幸存者偏差 |
| 内驱力 | nèiqūlì | intrinsic motivation; inner drive | HSK 6 | 内驱力 |
| 内省 | nèixǐng | introspection | HSK 6 | 孤独与独处之辨 |
| 浓缩 | nóngsuō | to condense; to concentrate | HSK 6 | 碎片化阅读之弊 |
| 偏差 | piānchā | bias; deviation | HSK 6 | 认知偏差 |
| 辟谣 | pìyáo | to refute a rumor | HSK 6 | 媒介素养 |
| 平庸 | píngyōng | mediocre; mediocrity | HSK 6 | 中庸之道 |
| 迫不及待 | pò bù jí dài | unable to wait a moment longer | HSK 6 | 延迟满足 |
| 拼凑 | pīncòu | to piece together | HSK 6 | 记忆的重构性 |
| 铺天盖地 | pū tiān gài dì | overwhelming; blotting out sky and earth | HSK 6 | 媒介素养 |
| 朴素 | pǔsù | plain; unadorned | HSK 6 | 大道至简 |
| 求而不得 | qiú ér bù dé | to seek but never attain (idiom) | HSK 6 | 孤独与独处之辨 |
| 骑虎难下 | qí hǔ nán xià | stuck with no way to back out | HSK 6 | 沉没成本 |
| 认知 | rènzhī | cognition; cognitive | HSK 6 | 认知偏差 |
| 日积月累 | rì jī yuè lěi | to accumulate over days and months | HSK 6 | 习惯的复利 |
| 顺其自然 | shùn qí zìrán | to let nature take its course; to go with the flow | HSK 6 | 道法自然 |
| 删繁就简 | shān fán jiù jiǎn | to cut the complex down to the simple | HSK 6 | 大道至简 |
| 深信不疑 | shēnxìn bùyí | to firmly believe without doubt | HSK 6 | 记忆的重构性 |
| 损失厌恶 | sǔnshī yànwù | loss aversion | HSK 6 | 沉没成本 |
| 推敲 | tuīqiāo | to weigh words carefully; to deliberate | HSK 6 | 碎片化阅读之弊 |
| 透支 | tòuzhī | to overdraw; to overdraft | HSK 6 | 习惯的复利 |
| 违背 | wéibèi | to go against; to violate | HSK 6 | 禅与生活 |
| 物欲 | wùyù | material desire | HSK 6 | 大道至简 |
| 无人问津 | wú rén wèn jīn | ignored by everyone (idiom) | HSK 6 | 孤独与独处之辨 |
| 无为 | wúwéi | non-action; refraining from forcing things (Daoist term) | HSK 6 | 道法自然 |
| 微不足道 | wēibùzúdào | insignificant (idiom) | HSK 6 | 坚持的力量 |
| 消极 | xiāojí | passive; negative; unenthusiastic | HSK 6 | 道法自然 |
| 汹涌 | xiōngyǒng | turbulent; surging (of water) | HSK 6 | 碎片化阅读之弊 |
| 修行 | xiūxíng | spiritual practice; cultivation | HSK 6 | 禅与生活 |
| 享乐 | xiǎnglè | pleasure-seeking; to indulge in pleasure | HSK 6 | 知足常乐 |
| 炫耀 | xuànyào | to show off | HSK 6 | 大道至简 |
| 细水长流 | xì shuǐ cháng liú | a small but steady stream lasts long | HSK 6 | 知足常乐 |
| 幸存者 | xìngcúnzhě | survivor | HSK 6 | 幸存者偏差 |
| 性价比 | xìngjiàbǐ | cost-performance ratio | HSK 6 | 愚公移山与现代人 |
| 信息茧房 | xìnxī jiǎnfáng | information cocoon | HSK 6 | 媒介素养 |
| 系统性 | xìtǒngxìng | systematic | HSK 6 | 认知偏差 |
| 形单影只 | xíng dān yǐng zhī | solitary and companionless (idiom) | HSK 6 | 孤独与独处之辨 |
| 虚荣 | xūróng | vanity | HSK 6 | 知足常乐 |
| 栩栩如生 | xǔxǔ rúshēng | vivid, lifelike | HSK 6 | 记忆的重构性 |
| 原封不动 | yuánfēngbùdòng | intact, unchanged | HSK 6 | 记忆的重构性 |
| 冤假错案 | yuānjiǎ cuò'àn | wrongful conviction, miscarriage of justice | HSK 6 | 记忆的重构性 |
| 谣言 | yáoyán | rumor | HSK 6 | 媒介素养 |
| 一事无成 | yí shì wú chéng | to achieve nothing | HSK 6 | 大器晚成 |
| 诱惑 | yòuhuò | to tempt; temptation | HSK 6 | 延迟满足 |
| 寓意 | yùyì | moral; implied meaning | HSK 6 | 塞翁失马新解 |
| 烟消云散 | yān xiāo yún sàn | to vanish like smoke and dispersing clouds | HSK 6 | 知足常乐 |
| 压抑 | yāyì | to repress; to stifle | HSK 6 | 延迟满足 |
| 一蹶不振 | yī jué bù zhèn | to collapse after a setback and never recover | HSK 6 | 失败的价值 |
| 因祸得福 | yīn huò dé fú | to turn misfortune into a blessing | HSK 6 | 失败的价值 |
| 隐患 | yǐnhuàn | hidden danger; latent risk | HSK 6 | 快与慢的辩证 |
| 装甲 | zhuāngjiǎ | armor | HSK 6 | 幸存者偏差 |
| 专注 | zhuānzhù | to concentrate; focused attention | HSK 6 | 禅与生活 |
| 追逐 | zhuīzhú | to chase; to pursue | HSK 6 | 知足常乐 |
| 转瞬即逝 | zhuǎn shùn jí shì | fleeting; vanishing in the blink of an eye | HSK 6 | 延迟满足 |
| 绽放 | zhànfàng | to bloom | HSK 6 | 大器晚成 |
| 征兵 | zhēngbīng | conscription | HSK 6 | 塞翁失马新解 |
| 中庸 | zhōngyōng | the Mean; the middle way | HSK 6 | 中庸之道 |
| 琢磨 | zuómo | to ponder; to turn over in one's mind | HSK 6 | 匠人精神 |
| 自不量力 | zì bú liàng lì | to overestimate one's strength | HSK 6 | 愚公移山与现代人 |
| 自主 | zìzhǔ | autonomous; self-directed | HSK 6 | 内驱力 |
| 而是 | ér shì | but rather | HSK 6 | 坚持的力量 |