Dynamic learning of Chinese: “Shi” is the most common sound in Chinese Words from HSK1 through HSK6. By Serene Zawaydeh. November 24, 2024
During the process of learning HSK5, and doing the workbook exercises, it turned out that there are a lot of words that are not mentioned in HSK5 list of new words that pop up in the questions. There are words in HSK6 and words that are not within the scope of HSK words. The sentences in the book and the grammar points, include words that are not categorized as HSK5 words. This makes learning HSK5 more time consuming in general.
Five years into learning Chinese, and continuously adapting my own learning methods, I decided to dive into all the words from HSK1 to HSK6, starting with a visualization of the words that was developed by Chinese Zero to Hero. https://www.chinesezerotohero.com/hsk-word-vis/
I separated the tones from the pinyin and the sound of the word. For each character, I noted the pinyin, the pinyin without the tones, the tones, and added meanings of the words. This way I can have my own reference, and get answers to my own questions. It is also useful for being able to group words according to my own questions. This is part of my own learning process and knowing the details of words in each level. In this article, I will provide some results. Students are encouraged to create their own lists, to keep track of their own learning process.
One of the challenges of learning Chinese at higher levels, is that new words have similar pronunciation to previously learnt words, but are written differently. Furthermore, characters previously learnt are combined together to form new meanings. There is a need to continue learning vocabulary and to continue keeping track of the words learnt. In addition to using Pleco to look up words, I started adding new words that I come across to Chinesimple Dictionary (which is Free), which specifies the HSK level of each word, and whether it is Rare or Very Rare if not in HSK word lists. The sentences that are in HSK5, already include Very Rare words. While using Language Player, I also add new words that I come across to the Dictionary. The Chinese learning programs show that words are being shuffled from one HSK level to another. Not only are the words going from higher to lower levels, but there are words that go from a lower to a higher level.
The following visualization summarizes the sounds that appear in 5522 words, looking at the pinyin without the tones. Chinese indeed has a specific set of sounds that keep showing up with different characters. The sound “Shi” is the sound that appears the most. Wordart.com was used to create this word cloud.
Word Visualization of Common Sounds in 5522 Chinese Words, including words from HSK1 to HSK6
The list of 5522 words that I looked at includes all the words that are in Chinese Zero to Hero visualization of words from HSK1 to HSK6. When I started looking at HSK 7-9, it turned out that I already know some of the words. When I started looking at the New HSK6 words, it turned out that it includes new words that were not in the current HSK6.
In the list of words that I prepared, it is possible to search words by sound, regardless of the tone. This is possible in other apps, as we can search by a word without typing the tones. However, the list that I made can makes it possible to filter words by tone. This is helpful to be able to look at groups of words, and might help with better remembering the tone for specific words.
Following are some results, for the sound “shi” among other results.
The word “事”, always has fourth tone. Even if it is at the end of the word, it is still Fourth Tone, and it is not Neutral Tone.
事业;shìyè;career
事件;shìjiàn;event
事先;shìxiān;beforehand
事务;shìwù;affairs
事实;shìshí;fact
事态;shìtài;state of affairs
事情;shìqíng;things
事故;shìgù;accident
事物;shìwù;things
事迹;shìjì;deeds
事项;shìxiàng;matter
人事;rénshì;personnel
从事;cóngshì;engaged in
军事;jūnshì;military
刑事;xíng shì;Criminal
同事;tóngshì;colleague
启事;qǐshì;notice
失事;shīshì;accident
实事求是;shíshìqiúshì;seek truth from facts
当事人;dāngshìrén;party
往事;wǎngshì;past
故事;gùshì;story
时事;shíshì;current affairs
本事;běnshì;ability
碍事;àishì;Get in the way
董事长;dǒngshì zhǎng; chairman
领事馆;lǐngshìguǎn;consulate
Notice that the words "故事" means story, while "事故” means accident. Both words consist of two characters, and changing the order of the characters changes the meaning of the word. This is why it is important to know the meanings of words that are made from previously learnt characters.
Words containing “Shi”, starting with First Tone, followed by Second Tone.
一 二
充实;chōngshí;full
坚实;jiānshí;solid
失眠;shīmián;insomnia
当时;dāngshí;at that time
忠实;zhōngshí;loyalty
真实;zhēnshí;truth
结实;jiēshi;Strong
二 轻
时候;shíhòu;time
粮食;liángshi;food
Following are words that contain “Shi” and have fourth tone, followed by second tone.
四 二
不时;bùshí;from time to time
切实;qièshí;practical
化石;huàshí;fossil
意识;yìshí;consciousness
确实;quèshí;indeed
素食;sù shí;vegetarian
落实;luòshí;implement
视频;shìpín;video
证实;zhèngshí;confirmation
识别;shìbié;identify
试图;shìtú;try
踏实;tàshí;practical
适宜;shìyí;suitable
钻石;zuànshí;diamond
顿时;dùnshí;suddenly
Words containing “Shi” and starting with Third Tone, followed by Second tone.
三 二
小时;xiǎoshí;hours
朴实;pǔ shí;simple
美食;měi shí;culinary delicacy, fine food,
gourmet food
腐蚀;fǔshí;corrosion
饮食;yǐnshí;diet
Words having (Shi), with 4 Characters
四 四 二 三
绿色食品;Lǜsè shípǐn; organic food, green food product
四 三 四 二
废寝忘食;fèiqǐnwàngshí;forget about food and sleep
二 四 二 二
名副其实;míngfùqíshí;worthy of the name
二 四 二 四
实事求是;shíshìqiúshì;seek truth from facts
二 四 二 一
得不偿失;débùchángshī;gain more than lose
四 一 四 三
见多识广;jiàn duō shì guǎng;Well-informed
三 四 三 四
举世瞩目;jǔshì zhǔmù;world attention
Following are some words that contain the word sound “Sheng”, and have First Tone followed by Fourth Tone.
丰盛;fēngshèng;abundant
声势;shēngshì;momentum
声誉;shēngyù;reputation
昌盛;chāngshèng;flourish
牲畜;shēngchù;livestock
生态;shēngtài;ecology
生效;shēngxiào;Take effect
生日;shēngrì;birthday
生物;shēngwù;organism
生病;shēngbìng;sick
生肖;shēngxiào;zodiac
生育;shēngyù;fertility
生锈;shēng xiù;rust
While studying, some patterns can be noticed, that help with knowing how the word is pronounced. For example, the sound “ba” can be found in characters that contain either "巴" and "八".
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八;bā;eight |
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扒;bā;dig |
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扒;bā;pick |
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疤;bā;scar |
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一三 |
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芭蕾;bālěi;ballet |
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一二 |
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巴结;bājié;flatter |
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一四 |
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八卦;bāguà;gossip |
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一轻二 |
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巴不得;bābudé;eagerly |
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二一四 |
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黎巴嫩;lí bā nèn; Lebanon |
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拔苗助长;bámiáozhùzhǎng;to help the seedlings grow |
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三 |
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把;bǎ;Hold |
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三一 |
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把关;bǎguān; checkpoint |
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三三 |
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把手;bǎshǒu;handle |
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把柄;bǎbǐng;handle |
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靶子;bǎzǐ;target |
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三四 |
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把握;bǎwò;grasp |
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四 |
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坝;bà;dam |
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罢休;bàxiū;stop |
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罢工;bà gōng;strike |
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罢免;bàmiǎn;recall |
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霸道;bàdào; rule by might. 霸占;bàzhàn;occupy
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爸爸;bàba;dad |
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罢了;bàle;let it pass; that's all |
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吧;ba;bar |
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Words that have the sound “jing” and start with the First Tone
一声, 三声
精彩;jīngcǎi;wonderful
一声, 四声
经验;jīngyàn;experience
一声, 一声
精心;jīngxīn;meticulously
精通;jīngtōng;mastery
一声, 一声, 一声
经销商;jīngxiāo shāng;dealer, distributor
一声, 一声, 四声, 四声
兢兢业业;jīngjīngyèyè;conscientiously
一声, 三声
精简;jīngjiǎn;streamline
经纬;jīngwěi;longitude and latitude
一声, 三声, 四声, 四声
精打细算;jīngdǎxìsuàn;careful calculation
一声, 二声
惊奇;jīngqí;surprise
精华;jīnghuá;essence
精神;jīngshén;spirit
经常;jīngcháng;often
经营;jīngyíng;operation
一声, 四声
惊动;jīngdòng;alarm
惊讶;jīngyà;surprise
精密;jīngmì;precision
精确;jīngquè;precision
精致;jīngzhì;exquisiteness
经历;jīnglì;experience
经济;jīngjì;economy
经费;jīngfèi;funding
一声, 四声, 二声, 一声
精益求精;jīngyìqiújīng;excellence
Following are some words that have the sound “ji”, with similar sounds, and different characters.
ji dong
激动;jīdòng;excited
机动;jīdòng;mobility
ji yu
机遇;jīyù;opportunity
给予;jǐyǔ;give
ji lu
纪录;jìlù;record
记录;jìlù;record
A look into the tones of the character “只”
三声, 四声
只要;zhǐyào;only
三声,三声, 二声
只有, 才;zhǐyǒu cái; only, only
一声 the same character has two tones, and the meaning changes according to the tone.
只;zhǐ;only
只;zhī;single
三声, 三声
只好;zhǐhǎo;had to
A lot more details can be easily obtained from the list that I created.
The words in this analysis and visualization include all words that are found in Chinese Zero to Hero visualization of HSK1 to HSK6 words, in addition to other words.
https://www.chinesezerotohero.com/hsk-word-vis/
A text file of Chinese words and their meanings is available on MDBG.net, provided by CC-CEDICT. https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=cc-
Blogs that I wrote about the process of Learning Chinese
- Dynamic learning of Chinese: “Shi” is the most common sound in Chinese Words from HSK1 through HSK6. By Serene Zawaydeh. 2024 年11 月24日
- 我的汉语学习方式—做完HSK四之后! 2023年2月13日
- Learning Chinese: What kind of effort is needed to complete HSK4, and what is it like to study higher levels? 2023 年2月13日
- What does the process of learning Mandarin Chinese look like? Some tips for new learners.” 2022 年1 月20 日
- The Ongoing Process of Learning Chinese, HSK5. 2024 年1 月10日
- Examples of Simplified Chinese. There is no end to learning 学无止境! 2024 年1 月22 日
- Change is the only Constant Thing in the Process of Learning Chinese. 2024年 7 月19 日
- Tips for Practicing Writing Chinese Characters. 2024年9月10日
- What if… Higher Levels of HSK Chinese Tests could be Redesigned? 2024年4月2 日
- Making up Stories using Chinese Characters. 看汉字写小故事！2024 年6月29 日
- Lost Bag Story, Handwritten in Chinese; 2023 年3 月16 日
Thanks for reading my blogs. Please share them with others.
Best Regards,
Serene Zawaydeh
https://www.linkedin.com/in/serenezawaydeh/
serene.zawaydeh@gmail.com
Updated: Nov 24, 2024 @9:48PM
