Dynamic learning of Chinese: “Shi” is the most common sound in Chinese Words from HSK1 through HSK6. By Serene Zawaydeh. November 24, 2024

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". 

一
八;bā;eight
扒;bā;dig
扒;bā;pick
疤;bā;scar
一三
芭蕾;bālěi;ballet
一二
巴结;bājié;flatter
一四
八卦;bāguà;gossip
一轻二
巴不得;bābudé;eagerly
二一四
黎巴嫩;lí bā nèn; Lebanon
二二四三
拔苗助长;bámiáozhùzhǎng;to help the seedlings grow
三
把;bǎ;Hold
三一
把关;bǎguān; checkpoint
三三
把手;bǎshǒu;handle
把柄;bǎbǐng;handle
靶子;bǎzǐ;target
三四
把握;bǎwò;grasp
四
坝;bà;dam
四一
罢休;bàxiū;stop
罢工;bà gōng;strike
四三
罢免;bàmiǎn;recall
四四    霸道;bàdào; rule by might. 霸占;bàzhàn;occupy
四轻
	爸爸;bàba;dad
	罢了;bàle;let it pass; that's all
轻
	吧;ba;bar

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