Top 25 Videos from Chinese Class 101

CLI has churned through hundreds of videos by ChineseClass101.com to compile this list of 25 videos covering must-know Mandarin vocabulary.

We've extracted all of the vocabulary into simple lists of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and phrases at the end of this post — jump straight to the vocabulary list if that's what you're after.

You can also use this link to download a PDF containing the complete 222 word vocabulary list. Enjoy!

01 Core Vocabulary and Phrases

The first six videos build the foundation: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and the phrases that hold them together.

If you are just starting out, it's worth pairing these with our roundup of basic Chinese words every beginner should know.

#1 Learn 25 Must-Know Chinese Nouns

#2 Learn 25 Must-Know Chinese Verbs

#3 Learn 25 Chinese Adjectives

#4 Learn 5 Mandarin Words Pertaining to Studying a Language

#5 Learn 15 Favorite Chinese Words

#6 Learn 25 Chinese Phrases to Improve Your Fluency

02 Life Events and Fields of Study

These two short videos cover the vocabulary you need to talk about your own background and education.

#7 Learn 5 Life Events in Mandarin

#8 Learn 5 Subjects of Study in Mandarin

03 Food, Cooking, and the Table

Food is where a lot of everyday Chinese conversation happens, so this is one of the most immediately useful groups on the list.

Before you sit down to eat, our guide to the history of chopsticks is a good companion to the tableware video below.

#9 Learn 5 Vegetables in Mandarin

#10 Learn 5 Mandarin Words Related to Cooking

#11 Learn 5 Flavors in Mandarin

#12 Learn 5 Tableware Words in Mandarin

#13 Learn 5 Words Related to Cleaning Using Mandarin

04 Clothing and Accessories

Two videos to get you through a shopping trip or a conversation about what someone is wearing.

#14 Learn 5 Articles of Clothing in Mandarin

#15 Learn 5 Clothing Accessories in Mandarin

05 Animals and Geography

These two videos widen your vocabulary beyond the city and into the natural world.

#16 Learn 5 Mammals in Mandarin

#17 Learn 5 Geographic Terms in Mandarin

06 Travel, Borders, and Hotels

This group is the most practical set on the list if you have a trip to China coming up.

The currency video below pairs well with our overview of the Chinese renminbi, which explains how the currency is named and counted in everyday speech.

#18 Learn 5 Mandarin Words You'll Need When Crossing Borders

#19 Learn 5 Words Related to Tourism in Mandarin

#20 Learn 5 Words Related to Currency Exchange in Mandarin

#21 Learn 5 Mandarin Words You May Need in a Hotel

07 People, Health, Sports, and Home

The final four videos round out your vocabulary with words for describing people, staying healthy, and talking about life at home.

If sports come up often in your conversations, our look at the rise of soccer in China gives useful context for the 足球 vocabulary below.

#22 Learn 5 Words Describing Personalities in Mandarin

#23 Learn 5 Mandarin Words Regarding Health Concerns

#24 Learn to Say 5 Different Sports Using Mandarin

#25 Learn How to Say 5 Kinds of Furniture in Mandarin

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08 Vocabulary List

All 222 words and phrases from the 25 videos above are collected below. The list runs roughly in order of nouns, then verbs, then adjectives, and finally useful everyday phrases.

09 Keep Learning

Video lessons like these are a great way to build vocabulary, but they work best alongside real conversation practice. That's why so many of our students choose to Learn Chinese in China once they have a base to build on.

We hope to study Mandarin in China together some day soon. Don't forget to follow CLI on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

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For more channels worth your time, see our list of the best YouTube channels for studying Mandarin. 下次见！