# Chinese Word Searches and Crosswords: 30 Printable Puzzles with Pinyin

Thirty word searches and crosswords on ten beginner topics, from numbers to the days of the week. Pinyin and English sit beside every word, and every puzzle has an answer key.

Source: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/chinese-word-search-and-crossword-puzzles

## At a glance

- Level: Beginner · HSK 1
- Format: Workbook · PDF · 38 pages · US Letter (prints on A4)
- Price: Free · free with a saymei account · updated Nov 11, 2026

## Download

Free with a SayMei account, on the workbook's page: https://www.saymei.app/resources/downloads/chinese-word-search-and-crossword-puzzles. SayMei emails a copy too.

## A line from the workbook

找到了！ (Zhǎodào le!) — Found it!

## By the end you can

- Find beginner words in Chinese characters. Ten character word searches list each word's pinyin and English, and the player finds its characters in the grid. 熊猫 (xióngmāo): panda
- Spell words in pinyin without tone marks. Ten pinyin word searches list the English and the characters. A word bank at the foot of the page gives the pinyin with tones, and folds under for a harder puzzle. 爸爸 (bàba): dad
- Solve crosswords from English and character clues. Each crossword has 10 clues, such as tiger 老虎 (5). Answers go in pinyin, one letter per square, and ü has a square of its own. 老虎 (lǎohǔ): tiger
- Learn the words for 10 everyday topics. Numbers, colours and shapes, family, food, animals, school, the body, weather, greetings and feelings, and time: 223 words in all. 星期一 (xīngqīyī): Monday
- Read the tones from the pinyin. Word lists and word banks show every tone mark. The how-to page explains the changes in speech, such as 一百 said yìbǎi. 一百 (yībǎi): one hundred
- Move up a level as the book goes on. From topic 6 the word searches add diagonal words, and folding the word bank under makes any pinyin puzzle harder.
- Check every answer with the key. Five answer pages shade each word search's words and fill in each crossword, so a grown-up can mark without speaking Chinese.

## What's inside

- Numbers: Character Word Search: Numbers: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Numbers: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Numbers: Crossword
- Colours and shapes: Character Word Search: Colours and shapes: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Colours and shapes: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Colours and shapes: Crossword
- Family: Character Word Search: Family: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Family: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Family: Crossword
- Food: Character Word Search: Food: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Food: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Food: Crossword
- Animals: Character Word Search: Animals: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Animals: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Animals: Crossword
- School: Character Word Search: School: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: School: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: School: Crossword
- Body: Character Word Search: Body: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Body: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Body: Crossword
- Weather: Character Word Search: Weather: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Weather: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Weather: Crossword
- Greetings and feelings: Character Word Search: Greetings and feelings: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Greetings and feelings: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Greetings and feelings: Crossword
- Time: Character Word Search: Time: Character Word Search · Pinyin Word Search: Time: Pinyin Word Search · Crossword: Time: Crossword
- Answer key: Answer key · Answer key · Answer key · Answer key · Answer key

## How to use this book

Each topic has three puzzles in order of difficulty, so one topic a week fits a class well: one puzzle a lesson. At home, do one puzzle a sitting and say the words aloud together.

- Before: Read the words aloud. Read the topic's word list together with the tones, so the puzzles practise words the players have heard.
- Puzzle 1: Character word search. Find the characters from the pinyin and English. Say each word aloud when it's found.
- Puzzle 2: Pinyin word search. Find the pinyin from the English and the characters. Fold the word bank under once the topic feels easy.
- Puzzle 3: Crossword. Write the pinyin from the clues, then check the spelling against the word bank.
- After: Mark and test a partner. Check with the answer key at the back. Then one player says the English and the other answers in Chinese.

## Who it's for

Teachers of beginner Chinese classes, Chinese clubs and homeschool, and parents whose children are starting Mandarin. Adult beginners enjoy them too.

Before you start: Nothing. Every word has its pinyin and English on the page, the word banks help with spelling, and the answers are at the back, so grown-ups don't need to speak Chinese.

## Are the puzzles in characters or in pinyin?

Both. Each topic has a character word search, where players find the characters from the pinyin and English, then a pinyin word search and a crossword, where they write or find the pinyin from the English and the characters.

## Why are there no tone marks in the grids?

A grid square holds one plain letter, so the pinyin is written without tone marks or spaces: 谢谢 xièxie is written xiexie. The word lists and word banks show every tone mark, so read them aloud with the tones.

## Can a child do these without knowing any Chinese?

Yes. The pinyin word searches and crosswords work from English, and the fold-under word bank gives the spelling. The character word searches are easier once the words have been read aloud together.

## Are the characters simplified or traditional?

Simplified, the characters used in mainland China and Singapore and in most school courses.

## Do I need a SayMei account?

Yes, to download the PDF, and the account is free: sign up with Google, Apple or your email address. With it we email you a copy of the workbook, keep every workbook you download on your account on all your devices, save your place in the free online practice, and you can practise speaking with Mei Lin, SayMei's AI tutor.

## How do I print it?

The PDF is US Letter size. On A4 paper, choose "Fit to page" (or "Scale to fit") in the print dialog so nothing is cut off. Print the whole workbook or only the pages you need; colour looks best, and black and white works too.

Version 2026-11, updated Nov 11, 2026.