185 words about society & modern life, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 白天 | báitiān | daytime | HSK 4 | 快递小哥 |
| 厨房 | chúfáng | kitchen | HSK 4 | 外卖时代 |
| 插队 | chāduì | to cut in line | HSK 4 | 排队文化 |
| 出现 | chūxiàn | to appear; to show up | HSK 4 | 快递小哥 |
| 锻炼 | duànliàn | to exercise | HSK 4 | 广场舞 |
| 队伍 | duìwu | line; queue | HSK 4 | 排队文化 |
| 短信 | duǎnxìn | text message | HSK 4 | 快递小哥 |
| 代价 | dàijià | price; cost | HSK 4 | 外卖时代 |
| 方便 | fāngbiàn | convenient | HSK 4 | 外卖时代 |
| 广场舞 | guǎngchǎng wǔ | plaza dancing | HSK 4 | 广场舞 |
| 广告 | guǎnggào | advertisement | HSK 4 | 广告的秘密 |
| 故乡 | gùxiāng | hometown | HSK 4 | 移民与故乡 |
| 汉堡 | hànbǎo | hamburger | HSK 4 | 广告的秘密 |
| 决定 | juédìng | to decide | HSK 4 | 广告的秘密 |
| 技术 | jìshù | technology | HSK 4 | 无现金社会 |
| 记忆 | jìyì | memory | HSK 4 | 移民与故乡 |
| 快递 | kuàidì | express delivery; parcel | HSK 4 | 快递小哥 |
| 渴望 | kěwàng | to long for | HSK 4 | 广场舞 |
| 留 | liú | to stay; to keep | HSK 4 | 移民与故乡 |
| 礼貌 | lǐmào | polite; manners | HSK 4 | 排队文化 |
| 面子 | miànzi | face; social standing | HSK 4 | 面子 |
| 矛盾 | máodùn | conflict | HSK 4 | 广场舞 |
| 梦 | mèng | dream | HSK 4 | 广告的秘密 |
| 秘密 | mìmì | secret | HSK 4 | 广告的秘密 |
| 母亲 | mǔqīn | mother | HSK 4 | 移民与故乡 |
| 耐心 | nàixīn | patience | HSK 4 | 排队文化 |
| 骗 | piàn | to fool; to cheat | HSK 4 | 广告的秘密 |
| 排队 | páiduì | to queue; line up | HSK 4 | 排队文化 |
| 批评 | pīpíng | to criticize | HSK 4 | 面子 |
| 钱包 | qiánbāo | wallet | HSK 4 | 无现金社会 |
| 抢 | qiǎng | to fight over; to grab | HSK 4 | 面子 |
| 骑手 | qíshǒu | delivery rider | HSK 4 | 外卖时代 |
| 社会 | shèhuì | society | HSK 4 | 无现金社会 |
| 社区 | shèqū | community | HSK 4 | 广场舞 |
| 受不了 | shòu bu liǎo | cannot bear | HSK 4 | 面子 |
| 扫一扫 | sǎo yi sǎo | to scan (a QR code) | HSK 4 | 无现金社会 |
| 外卖 | wàimài | food delivery | HSK 4 | 外卖时代 |
| 味道 | wèidao | flavor; taste | HSK 4 | 外卖时代 |
| 文明 | wénmíng | civility; civilization | HSK 4 | 排队文化 |
| 现金 | xiànjīn | cash | HSK 4 | 无现金社会 |
| 小哥 | xiǎogē | young guy (friendly term for a rider) | HSK 4 | 快递小哥 |
| 小偷 | xiǎotōu | thief | HSK 4 | 无现金社会 |
| 远方 | yuǎnfāng | faraway place | HSK 4 | 移民与故乡 |
| 意见 | yìjiàn | opinion; suggestion | HSK 4 | 面子 |
| 移民 | yímín | migrant; to migrate | HSK 4 | 移民与故乡 |
| 优点 | yōudiǎn | strong point; merit | HSK 4 | 面子 |
| 争论 | zhēnglùn | debate; controversy | HSK 4 | 广场舞 |
| 准时 | zhǔnshí | on time; punctual | HSK 4 | 快递小哥 |
| 双十一 | Shuāng Shíyī | Double Eleven — Nov 11 online shopping festival | HSK 5 | 消费主义 |
| 变淡 | biàndàn | to fade (of feelings) | HSK 5 | 友情的保质期 |
| 便利 | biànlì | convenience | HSK 5 | 隐私与便利 |
| 白噪音 | bái zàoyīn | white noise | HSK 5 | 睡眠经济 |
| 保质期 | bǎozhìqī | shelf life; expiration date | HSK 5 | 友情的保质期 |
| 彻底 | chèdǐ | thorough(ly), complete(ly) | HSK 5 | 学区房 |
| 城市化 | chéngshìhuà | urbanization | HSK 5 | 城市化 |
| 成熟 | chéngshú | mature | HSK 5 | 留学的得与失 |
| 差别 | chābié | difference | HSK 5 | 代沟 |
| 冲击 | chōngjí | shock; impact | HSK 5 | 文化冲击 |
| 宠爱 | chǒng'ài | to dote on, to spoil with love | HSK 5 | 独生子女一代 |
| 宠物经济 | chǒngwù jīngjì | pet economy | HSK 5 | 宠物经济 |
| 参差不齐 | cēncī bù qí | uneven; varying widely | HSK 5 | 共享经济的退潮 |
| 代沟 | dàigōu | generation gap | HSK 5 | 代沟 |
| 独立 | dúlì | independent | HSK 5 | 独生子女一代 |
| 独生子女 | dúshēng zǐnǚ | only child | HSK 5 | 独生子女一代 |
| 当地 | dāngdì | local | HSK 5 | 文化冲击 |
| 倒闭 | dǎobì | to go bankrupt; close down | HSK 5 | 共享经济的退潮 |
| 费用 | fèiyòng | expense; cost | HSK 5 | 留学的得与失 |
| 发愁 | fāchóu | to worry | HSK 5 | 金钱与快乐 |
| 分寸 | fēncun | sense of propriety; restraint | HSK 5 | 网络暴力 |
| 分配 | fēnpèi | to distribute; distribution | HSK 5 | 学区房 |
| 分歧 | fēnqí | disagreement, difference of opinion | HSK 5 | 跨国婚姻 |
| 反而 | fǎn'ér | on the contrary; instead | HSK 5 | 消费主义 |
| 观念 | guānniàn | notion, mindset | HSK 5 | 独生子女一代 |
| 规模 | guīmó | scale; size | HSK 5 | 睡眠经济 |
| 贡献 | gòngxiàn | contribution | HSK 5 | 老龄化社会 |
| 共享经济 | gòngxiǎng jīngjì | sharing economy | HSK 5 | 共享经济的退潮 |
| 购物车 | gòuwùchē | shopping cart | HSK 5 | 消费主义 |
| 攻击 | gōngjī | to attack | HSK 5 | 网络暴力 |
| 沟通 | gōutōng | to communicate | HSK 5 | 跨国婚姻 |
| 孤独 | gūdú | lonely | HSK 5 | 金钱与快乐 |
| 孤单 | gūdān | lonely | HSK 5 | 文化冲击 |
| 红包 | hóngbāo | red envelope (gift of money) | HSK 5 | 跨国婚姻 |
| 婚姻 | hūnyīn | marriage | HSK 5 | 跨国婚姻 |
| 截图 | jiétú | to take a screenshot | HSK 5 | 网络暴力 |
| 阶段 | jiēduàn | stage; phase | HSK 5 | 文化冲击 |
| 竞争 | jìngzhēng | competition; to compete | HSK 5 | 内卷与躺平 |
| 积蓄 | jīxù | savings | HSK 5 | 学区房 |
| 举报 | jǔbào | to report (to a platform/authority) | HSK 5 | 网络暴力 |
| 跨国 | kuàguó | cross-national, transnational | HSK 5 | 跨国婚姻 |
| 客气话 | kèqihuà | polite remarks; small talk | HSK 5 | 友情的保质期 |
| 科技 | kējì | technology | HSK 5 | 隐私与便利 |
| 浪费 | làngfèi | to waste | HSK 5 | 宠物经济 |
| 路灯 | lùdēng | streetlight | HSK 5 | 家乡的变化 |
| 老龄化 | lǎolínghuà | aging (of population) | HSK 5 | 老龄化社会 |
| 明显 | míngxiǎn | obvious | HSK 5 | 留学的得与失 |
| 猫粮 | māoliáng | cat food | HSK 5 | 宠物经济 |
| 猫砂 | māoshā | cat litter | HSK 5 | 宠物经济 |
| 内卷 | nèijuǎn | involution — competition where everyone works harder but no one gains | HSK 5 | 内卷与躺平 |
| 泥 | ní | mud | HSK 5 | 家乡的变化 |
| 陪伴 | péibàn | companionship | HSK 5 | 宠物经济 |
| 平均 | píngjūn | even, equal | HSK 5 | 学区房 |
| 屏幕 | píngmù | screen | HSK 5 | 网络暴力 |
| 破产 | pòchǎn | bankruptcy | HSK 5 | 共享经济的退潮 |
| 全球化 | quánqiúhuà | globalization | HSK 5 | 跨国婚姻 |
| 庆祝 | qìngzhù | to celebrate | HSK 5 | 消费主义 |
| 其次 | qícì | secondly | HSK 5 | 留学的得与失 |
| 清醒 | qīngxǐng | clear-headed; sober | HSK 5 | 内卷与躺平 |
| 如今 | rújīn | nowadays | HSK 5 | 留学的得与失 |
| 睡眠经济 | shuìmián jīngjì | sleep economy | HSK 5 | 睡眠经济 |
| 刷脸支付 | shuāliǎn zhīfù | face-scan payment | HSK 5 | 隐私与便利 |
| 双方 | shuāngfāng | both sides | HSK 5 | 代沟 |
| 事业 | shìyè | career; undertaking | HSK 5 | 家乡的变化 |
| 寿命 | shòumìng | lifespan | HSK 5 | 老龄化社会 |
| 数据 | shùjù | data | HSK 5 | 宠物经济 |
| 失落 | shīluò | disappointed; down | HSK 5 | 友情的保质期 |
| 失眠 | shīmián | insomnia; to have trouble sleeping | HSK 5 | 睡眠经济 |
| 失去 | shīqù | to lose | HSK 5 | 留学的得与失 |
| 收入 | shōurù | income | HSK 5 | 金钱与快乐 |
| 所谓 | suǒwèi | so-called | HSK 5 | 文化冲击 |
| 天平 | tiānpíng | scale; balance | HSK 5 | 隐私与便利 |
| 退潮 | tuìcháo | ebb tide; receding wave | HSK 5 | 共享经济的退潮 |
| 褪黑素 | tuìhēisù | melatonin | HSK 5 | 睡眠经济 |
| 退休 | tuìxiū | to retire | HSK 5 | 老龄化社会 |
| 推迟 | tuīchí | to postpone | HSK 5 | 老龄化社会 |
| 提醒 | tíxǐng | to remind | HSK 5 | 金钱与快乐 |
| 躺平 | tǎngpíng | lying flat — opting out of the rat race | HSK 5 | 内卷与躺平 |
| 土路 | tǔlù | dirt road | HSK 5 | 家乡的变化 |
| 稳定 | wěndìng | stable | HSK 5 | 代沟 |
| 污染 | wūrǎn | pollution | HSK 5 | 城市化 |
| 网店 | wǎngdiàn | online shop | HSK 5 | 家乡的变化 |
| 网络暴力 | wǎngluò bàolì | online violence; cyberbullying | HSK 5 | 网络暴力 |
| 现象 | xiànxiàng | phenomenon | HSK 5 | 城市化 |
| 消费主义 | xiāofèi zhǔyì | consumerism | HSK 5 | 消费主义 |
| 消极 | xiāojí | negative; passive | HSK 5 | 内卷与躺平 |
| 消失 | xiāoshī | to disappear | HSK 5 | 文化冲击 |
| 学区房 | xuéqūfáng | school-district housing | HSK 5 | 学区房 |
| 需求 | xūqiú | need; demand | HSK 5 | 共享经济的退潮 |
| 研究 | yánjiū | research | HSK 5 | 金钱与快乐 |
| 印象 | yìnxiàng | impression | HSK 5 | 金钱与快乐 |
| 一旦 | yídàn | once; in case | HSK 5 | 家乡的变化 |
| 欲望 | yùwàng | desire | HSK 5 | 内卷与躺平 |
| 压力 | yālì | pressure | HSK 5 | 老龄化社会 |
| 拥挤 | yōngjǐ | crowded | HSK 5 | 城市化 |
| 隐私 | yǐnsī | privacy | HSK 5 | 隐私与便利 |
| 友情 | yǒuqíng | friendship | HSK 5 | 友情的保质期 |
| 政策 | zhèngcè | policy | HSK 5 | 独生子女一代 |
| 智能手环 | zhìnéng shǒuhuán | smart wristband | HSK 5 | 睡眠经济 |
| 珍贵 | zhēnguì | precious | HSK 5 | 友情的保质期 |
| 主张 | zhǔzhāng | to advocate | HSK 5 | 城市化 |
| 在于 | zàiyú | to lie in | HSK 5 | 代沟 |
| 资源 | zīyuán | resources | HSK 5 | 学区房 |
| 贬低 | biǎndī | to belittle; to play down | HSK 6 | 谦虚的文化根源 |
| 壁垒 | bìlěi | barrier | HSK 6 | 全球化的退潮 |
| 断言 | duànyán | to assert | HSK 6 | 全球化的退潮 |
| 短暂 | duǎnzàn | brief; fleeting | HSK 6 | 人类的未来 |
| 大打折扣 | dà dǎ zhékòu | greatly compromised; heavily discounted | HSK 6 | 大城市病 |
| 翻红 | fānhóng | to become popular again | HSK 6 | 怀旧为何流行 |
| 锋芒毕露 | fēng máng bì lù | to flaunt one's brilliance; make a show of one's talent | HSK 6 | 谦虚的文化根源 |
| 归属感 | guīshǔgǎn | sense of belonging | HSK 6 | 怀旧为何流行 |
| 攻克 | gōngkè | to conquer; overcome (a problem) | HSK 6 | 人类的未来 |
| 供应链 | gōngyìngliàn | supply chain | HSK 6 | 全球化的退潮 |
| 幻觉 | huànjué | illusion | HSK 6 | 怀旧为何流行 |
| 衡量 | héngliáng | to measure; weigh | HSK 6 | 大城市病 |
| 纠结 | jiūjié | to be tangled up in; agonize over | HSK 6 | 人类的未来 |
| 剪辑 | jiǎnjí | edited; cut (as in film) | HSK 6 | 怀旧为何流行 |
| 集体 | jítǐ | collective | HSK 6 | 集体与个人 |
| 匮乏 | kuìfá | scarcity; shortage | HSK 6 | 人类的未来 |
| 凝聚力 | níngjùlì | cohesion | HSK 6 | 集体与个人 |
| 浅见 | qiǎnjiàn | my shallow opinion (humble term for one's own view) | HSK 6 | 谦虚的文化根源 |
| 确定性 | quèdìngxìng | certainty | HSK 6 | 怀旧为何流行 |
| 取舍 | qǔshě | to choose between; accept or reject | HSK 6 | 集体与个人 |
| 双刃剑 | shuāngrènjiàn | double-edged sword | HSK 6 | 人类的未来 |
| 失衡 | shīhéng | imbalance | HSK 6 | 大城市病 |
| 吞噬 | tūnshì | to devour; engulf | HSK 6 | 大城市病 |
| 凸显 | tūxiǎn | to become prominent | HSK 6 | 大城市病 |
| 万家灯火 | wàn jiā dēnghuǒ | the lights of ten thousand homes (idiom) | HSK 6 | 人类的未来 |
| 维系 | wéixì | to maintain; to hold together (relationships) | HSK 6 | 谦虚的文化根源 |
| 相辅相成 | xiāngfǔ xiāngchéng | to complement each other | HSK 6 | 集体与个人 |
| 虚伪 | xūwěi | hypocritical; insincere | HSK 6 | 谦虚的文化根源 |
| 言过其实 | yán guò qí shí | to overstate; exaggerate | HSK 6 | 全球化的退潮 |
| 压抑 | yāyì | to suppress | HSK 6 | 集体与个人 |
| 拥堵 | yōngdǔ | congestion | HSK 6 | 大城市病 |
| 俨然 | yǎnrán | seemingly; as if (formal) | HSK 6 | 怀旧为何流行 |
| 有增无减 | yǒu zēng wú jiǎn | ever-increasing; growing rather than shrinking | HSK 6 | 全球化的退潮 |
| 拙作 | zhuōzuò | my clumsy work (humble term for one's own work) | HSK 6 | 谦虚的文化根源 |