The Most Common Traditional Chinese Characters
Traditional characters ranked 3,801–3,900 by frequency. Continue from where the previous page left off.
- top 100
- 39.0%
- top 1,000
- 89.1%
- top 2,500
- 98.6%
cumulative share of the COCT corpus covered by its most frequent characters
Traditional characters, ranks 3,801–3,900
4,974 characters · page 39 of 50- #3,801捩ㄌㄧㄝˋTo twist or wrench something; to tear or break apart; a plectrum for playing the pipa; a key part for starting a machine.
- #3,802屹ㄧˋHigh and steep; standing tall and erect; firm and unmoving; to rise high.
- #3,803藹ㄞˇFriendly; affable; lush; flourishing; to cover or conceal; clouds.
- #3,804簸ㄅㄛˇTo winnow grain by tossing it up and down; to shake or toss; to trample or waste.
- #3,805魘ㄧㄢˇA nightmare or bad dream; to have a nightmare; to feel chest oppression and difficulty breathing during a nightmare.
- #3,806呷ㄒㄧㄚˊTo sip or drink; to swallow; to eat or consume food.
- #3,807悵ㄔㄤˋUpset; disappointed; regretful; dispirited; dejected; feeling a sense of loss or dissatisfaction.
- #3,808踵ㄓㄨㄥˇHeel of the foot or shoe; to follow or pursue; to succeed or continue; to arrive or visit.
- #3,809踹ㄔㄨㄞˋto kick with the foot; to trample or tread on; to leap or jump (less common)
- #3,810悴ㄘㄨㄟˋHaggard or worn out from suffering; distressed; sad; downcast; poor; thin and weak.
- #3,811憔ㄑㄧㄠˊWorn-out; haggard; emaciated; gaunt; often seen in the word 憔悴 (qiáocuì), meaning haggard or worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn-worn out.
- #3,812汛ㄒㄩㄣˋHigh water or flood tide; to sprinkle water; menstrual period (less common).
- #3,813矇ㄇㄥto deceive or cheat; to make a wild guess; blind or dim-sighted; a blind person
- #3,814鞘ㄑㄧㄠˋScabbard or sheath for a sword or knife; hollow wooden tube for carrying silver; leather thong attached to a whip.
- #3,815坷ㄎㄜˇLump of earth or soil; used in the word for a bumpy or difficult road.
- #3,816櫚ㄌㄩˊA type of palm tree; often used in compounds referring to palm trees or related plants.
- #3,817濘ㄋㄧㄥˋMuddy; stagnant water and mud accumulated on a road; to be stuck in mud or a difficult situation.
- #3,818痙ㄐㄧㄥˋspasm; convulsion; fit; involuntary muscle contraction
- #3,819睪ㄍㄠTo spy out or investigate; to observe secretly; a testis (in compounds).
- #3,820鐸ㄉㄨㄛˊA large ancient bell, often with a handle and clapper, used for announcements or warnings; also a surname.
- #3,821汶ㄨㄣˋA river in northwest Sichuan; a classical name for a river in Shandong province, historically associated with the state of Qi.
- #3,822佬ㄌㄠˇMainly Cantonese; a man or person; often used informally or disparagingly for a specific type of person; can also be used as a suffix to denote a person.
- #3,823媲ㄆㄧˋTo match or be equal to; to compare favorably with; to be comparable to.
- #3,824熹ㄒㄧBright; warm; glimmer of light; dim light.
- #3,825涅ㄋㄧㄝˋA mineral used as a black dye; to dye black; black mud or slime.
- #3,826暄ㄒㄩㄢWarm; genial and comfortable; in northern China, soft and not firm.
- #3,827搐ㄔㄨˋto twitch; to have a spasm; muscle contraction
- #3,828餉ㄒㄧㄤˇSoldier's pay and rations; also, a short period of time.
- #3,829嗦ㄙㄨㄛTo suck or lick with the mouth; to talk a lot or be wordy; to shiver or tremble (often in compounds).
- #3,830逅ㄏㄡˋTo meet unexpectedly; to encounter by chance; used in the word 邂逅 (xièhòu), meaning to meet or encounter by chance.
- #3,831躡ㄋㄧㄝˋto tread on or step on; to walk quietly on tiptoe; to follow or track; to wear (shoes); ancient loom treadle
- #3,832嘰ㄐㄧTo make a chirping or squeaking sound; to grumble or complain; to take small amounts.
- #3,833暉ㄏㄨㄟSunshine; to shine upon; radiance; bright light.
- #3,834韭ㄐㄧㄡˇA type of plant, commonly known as chives or garlic chives; also used as a radical in Chinese characters.
- #3,835舺ㄐㄧㄚˇa place name in Taiwan, especially referring to the historic Monga area of Taipei; also a boat.
- #3,836艋ㄇㄥˇsmall boat
- #3,837磕ㄎㄜTo tap or knock something against a hard surface; to knock mud off boots or ash from a pipe; to bump into; to kowtow; (slang) to be enthusiastic about a fictional pairing or trope.
- #3,838潦ㄌㄧㄠˊHeavy rain; flooded; a puddle; used in words like潦草 (hasty) and潦倒 (down and out).
- #3,839敝ㄅㄧˋWorn out; shabby; ruined; defeated; to break or destroy; a polite self-referential term for 'my' or 'our'.TOCFL Level 5
- #3,840鰭ㄑㄧˊThe fin of a fish or other aquatic vertebrate; a limb used for swimming and steering; includes pectoral, dorsal, anal, and caudal fins.
- #3,841麓ㄌㄨˋThe foot or base of a hill or mountain; a mountainside.
- #3,842竺ㄓㄨˊOld name for India, especially in Buddhist contexts; a surname; archaic variant of a character meaning thick or earnest.
- #3,843躋ㄐㄧto ascend; to rise; to go up.
- #3,844謁ㄧㄝˋTo request an audience with a superior; to pay respects to; to visit; to announce or report to; a surname.
- #3,845邂ㄒㄧㄝˋTo meet unexpectedly; an encounter; a chance meeting; often used in the compound 邂逅.
- #3,846腱ㄐㄧㄢˋTendon; sinew; the tough fibrous tissue connecting muscle to bone.
- #3,847颼ㄙㄡSound of wind blowing; to blow as wind; chilly; sound of rain; rapid movement.
- #3,848吮ㄕㄨㄣˇTo suck with the mouth; to lick or sip; to suckle.
- #3,849黜ㄔㄨˋTo dismiss from office; to expel or remove; to demote or downgrade; to reject or exclude.
- #3,850篆ㄓㄨㄢˋSeal script, an ancient Chinese calligraphy style; an official seal or stamp; to write or engrave in seal script.
- #3,851麴ㄑㄩˊFermentation starter, leaven, or mold used in brewing or making soy products; also a surname.
- #3,852嗇ㄙㄜˋstingy; thrifty; miserly; related to farming; stopped up or constipated
- #3,853箔ㄅㄛˊThin metal sheet or leaf; paper for burning in rituals; a mat or screen made of reeds or bamboo; a basket for silkworms.
- #3,854脯ㄆㄨˊdried meat; preserved fruit; chest or breast
- #3,855葦ㄨㄟˇreed; rush; a type of narrow, long boat resembling reeds.
- #3,856伕ㄈㄨA laborer; a worker who performs heavy or arduous tasks; a common laborer.
- #3,857逵ㄎㄨㄟˊA broad, well-traveled road or thoroughfare; a crossroads; a navigable channel in water.
- #3,858鑣ㄅㄧㄠBit of a horse's bridle; a type of thrown weapon; archaic term for a horse or mount.
- #3,859杞ㄑㄧˇA small feudal state in ancient China; a surname; Chinese wolfberry shrub; willow.
- #3,860梟ㄒㄧㄠowl; valiant; a criminal trafficker; to behead; to eliminate
- #3,861朔ㄕㄨㄛˋThe first day of the lunar month; the beginning or start; north; northern.
- #3,862喳ㄓㄚOnomatopoeia for chirping or twittering sounds; a sound of assent used by inferiors to superiors in Qing dynasty Manchu.
- #3,863娼ㄔㄤprostitute; harlot; whore
- #3,864嗤ㄔTo laugh at or jeer at someone; to scoff or sneer; also describes a tearing sound or a laughing sound.
- #3,865釗ㄓㄠTo encourage or exhort; to cut or wear away edges; to strive or endeavor.
- #3,866嶇ㄑㄩRugged; steep; uneven; precipitous; used in compound words like 崎嶇 (qíqū) meaning rugged or arduous.
- #3,867纍ㄌㄟˊlarge rope; surname; to bind; to tie up; to wind around; to link; to join; (in compounds) piled up; accumulated
- #3,868葷ㄏㄨㄣmeat or strong-smelling vegetables (like garlic); vulgar or obscene; used in specific historical terms.
- #3,869霎ㄕㄚˋA short period of time; a moment; a sudden flash; light rain or drizzle.
- #3,870浬ㄌㄧˇA unit of distance used for navigation at sea, approximately 1,852 meters; a nautical mile.
- #3,871簍ㄌㄡˇA basket made of bamboo or rattan; used as a measure word for items contained in such a basket.
- #3,872巍ㄨㄟˊLofty; towering; majestic; eminent; high and grand; often used to describe mountains or buildings.
- #3,873苞ㄅㄠA bud or calyx of a flower; luxuriant or profuse growth; rush used for weaving; to wrap or contain; to encompass.
- #3,874詼ㄏㄨㄟHumorous or whimsical; to tease or joke with; to ridicule or mock.
- #3,875俾ㄅㄧˋTo cause or enable; to make something happen; to allow; to give (especially in Cantonese).
- #3,876桔ㄐㄧㄝˊA variant of 橘 (orange); used in names of plants like Chinese bellflower (桔梗) and archaic tools (桔槔).
- #3,877喋ㄉㄧㄝˊTo chatter or babble incessantly; to nag; to trample or tread upon.
- #3,878噌ㄘㄥTo scold or reprimand; a sound of bells or a whoosh; to break apart or split.
- #3,879寐ㄇㄟˋTo sleep soundly; to be asleep; to slumber deeply.
- #3,880攘ㄖㄤˇTo push up sleeves; to resist or repel; to seize or steal; to disturb or perturb; to expel ill fortune through ritual.
- #3,881儡ㄌㄟˇUsed in the word for puppet or dummy; also means ruined or withered; also means thin and haggard.
- #3,882褶ㄓㄜˊA pleat or crease in fabric; wrinkles; archaic term for court dress or a type of riding garment.
- #3,883羔ㄍㄠA young sheep or lamb; a young animal; young; made of black sheepskin.
- #3,884睬ㄘㄞˇTo pay attention; to take notice of; to care about; to heed; to acknowledge.
- #3,885裘ㄑㄧㄡˊFur; fur coat; surname.
- #3,886奚ㄒㄧA surname; a servant or slave; (literary) what, why, where, how.
- #3,887眈ㄉㄢTo stare intently or fixedly; to gaze menacingly; to loiter or delay; to hinder or obstruct.
- #3,888詡ㄒㄩˇboast; brag; to flatter; popular, well known; to spread widely; charming, graceful (rare).
- #3,889潺ㄔㄢˊSound of flowing water; trickle or flow gently (of water).
- #3,890膊ㄅㄛˊThe upper arm or shoulder area; the part of the body from the shoulder to the wrist; sometimes refers to the upper body generally.
- #3,891嘀ㄉㄧˊTo mutter or whisper; to make a soft sound like dripping or ticking.
- #3,892磺ㄏㄨㄤˊSulfur; brimstone; a yellow nonmetallic element used in gunpowder and vulcanization.
- #3,893傀ㄎㄨㄟˇGrand; strange; exotic; used in the word for puppet.
- #3,894菠ㄅㄛSpinach; a leafy green vegetable; also used in compounds for other plants like pineapple.
- #3,895孚ㄈㄨˊTo brood over eggs; to have confidence; to make people believe or trust.
- #3,896拈ㄋㄧㄢˊTo grasp or pick up with the fingers; to fiddle with or toy with; to rub or knead with fingers; to weigh something in the hand.
- #3,897茗ㄇㄧㄥˊYoung tea leaves; now often used as a general term for tea; a variant pronunciation of 名.
- #3,898慟ㄊㄨㄥˋTo grieve deeply; to be overcome with sadness; to mourn; to be moved by sorrow.
- #3,899絹ㄐㄩㄢˋA type of thin, tough silk fabric; a small square silk kerchief; to tie or bind with silk.
- #3,900謐ㄇㄧˋadjective: quiet, still, peaceful; calm and undisturbed; (verb) to be still, to be silent.
Frequency is derived from the COCT 通用詞頻表, a traditional-script word-frequency corpus published by Taiwan's National Academy for Educational Research. The inventory is the Ministry of Education's 常用國字標準字體表 (4,808 characters), plus 166 more that our Taiwan word data attests — 4,974 in total, ranked together by real frequency. The same ranking is available as JSON for tutors and apps via the Taiwan Mandarin API.