Primary 1 (Grade 1) is when children move from tracing pictographs to writing the words they say every day. This page sets out the 100 characters of SayMei's Grade 1 sequence in ten units of ten: greetings and names (你 nǐ, 好 hǎo, 我 wǒ, 叫 jiào), family, the little words that hold sentences together, question words, picture-puzzle characters built from simpler parts (日 rì + 月 yuè = 明 míng), food, actions, school words, colors and useful verbs. Each unit lists its characters with pinyin, meaning and stroke count, plus example words made only from characters already learned, so every word on the sheet is readable. Characters stay at 13 strokes or fewer. The sequence is our own and does not follow any school syllabus, so it works alongside whatever textbook your child uses. Start with units 1 and 2, print two units a week free or save the PDF, and say each word aloud as you write it.
Make a sheet from your child's 听写 (tīng xiě) list
School spelling tests, 听写 (tīng xiě), follow the class textbook. Type or paste that week's characters into the worksheet generator and it prints the same tracing sheet, with pinyin and meanings.
Your own list: Open the worksheet generator
Unit 1: Hello and my name
Primary 1 unit 1: Hello and my name| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 你 | 你 | nǐ | you | 7 | |
| 好 | 好 | hǎo | good | 6 | 女 + 子 |
| 我 | 我 | wǒ | I; me | 7 | |
| 是 | 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are) | 9 | |
| 不 | 不 | bù | not; no | 4 | |
| 叫 | 叫 | jiào | to be called; to call | 5 | |
| 名 | 名 | míng | name | 6 | |
| 字 | 字 | zì | character; word | 6 | |
| 再 | 再 | zài | again | 6 | |
| 见 | 見 | jiàn | to see; to meet | 4 | |
Words to read: 你好 (nǐ hǎo) hello; 名字 (míng zi) name; 再见 (zài jiàn) goodbye; 不是 (bú shì) is not; 好人 (hǎo rén) good person
Unit 2: My family
Primary 1 unit 2: My family| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 爸 | 爸 | bà | dad | 8 | |
| 妈 | 媽 | mā | mom | 6 | |
| 哥 | 哥 | gē | older brother | 10 | |
| 姐 | 姐 | jiě | older sister | 8 | |
| 弟 | 弟 | dì | younger brother | 7 | |
| 妹 | 妹 | mèi | younger sister | 8 | |
| 家 | 家 | jiā | home; family | 10 | |
| 父 | 父 | fù | father | 4 | |
| 母 | 母 | mǔ | mother | 5 | |
| 儿 | 兒 | ér | child; son | 2 | |
Words to read: 爸爸 (bà ba) dad; 妈妈 (mā ma) mom; 哥哥 (gē ge) older brother; 姐姐 (jiě jie) older sister; 弟弟 (dì di) younger brother; 妹妹 (mèi mei) younger sister; 父母 (fù mǔ) parents; 儿子 (ér zi) son; 女儿 (nǚ ér) daughter; 大家 (dà jiā) everyone
Unit 3: Little words for sentences
Primary 1 unit 3: Little words for sentences| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 他 | 他 | tā | he; him | 5 | |
| 她 | 她 | tā | she; her | 6 | |
| 们 | 們 | men | (makes people words plural) | 5 | |
| 也 | 也 | yě | also; too | 3 | |
| 的 | 的 | de | (shows belonging, like 's) | 8 | |
| 了 | 了 | le | (shows something has happened) | 2 | |
| 在 | 在 | zài | at; in; to be at | 6 | |
| 有 | 有 | yǒu | to have; there is | 6 | |
| 和 | 和 | hé | and | 8 | |
| 很 | 很 | hěn | very | 9 | |
Words to read: 我们 (wǒ men) we; us; 你们 (nǐ men) you (more than one); 他们 (tā men) they; 我的 (wǒ de) my; mine; 好了 (hǎo le) done; all right; 在家 (zài jiā) at home; 有人 (yǒu rén) someone; 很好 (hěn hǎo) very good
Unit 4: Question words
Primary 1 unit 4: Question words| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 这 | 這 | zhè | this | 7 | |
| 那 | 那 | nà | that | 6 | |
| 什 | 什 | shén | (in 什么, what) | 4 | |
| 么 | 麼 | me | (in 什么, what) | 3 | |
| 吗 | 嗎 | ma | (turns a sentence into a yes/no question) | 6 | |
| 谁 | 誰 | shéi | who | 10 | |
| 哪 | 哪 | nǎ | which | 9 | |
| 几 | 幾 | jǐ | how many; a few | 2 | |
| 个 | 個 | gè | (measure word for people and things) | 3 | |
| 呢 | 呢 | ne | (asks 'and you?', 'what about...?') | 8 | |
Words to read: 什么 (shén me) what; 这个 (zhè ge) this one; 那个 (nà ge) that one; 哪个 (nǎ ge) which one; 几个 (jǐ ge) how many; 好吗 (hǎo ma) OK?; 你呢 (nǐ ne) and you?; 谁的 (shéi de) whose
Unit 5: Picture puzzles: characters built from characters
Primary 1 unit 5: Picture puzzles: characters built from characters| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 明 | 明 | míng | bright | 8 | 日 + 月 |
| 林 | 林 | lín | woods | 8 | 木 + 木 |
| 森 | 森 | sēn | forest | 12 | 木 + 木 + 木 |
| 休 | 休 | xiū | to rest | 6 | 人 + 木 (a person resting by a tree) |
| 从 | 從 | cóng | from; to follow | 4 | 人 + 人 (one person following another) |
| 众 | 眾 | zhòng | crowd | 6 | 人 + 人 + 人 |
| 男 | 男 | nán | man; boy | 7 | 田 + 力 (strength in the fields) |
| 尖 | 尖 | jiān | pointed; sharp | 6 | 小 on top of 大 |
| 品 | 品 | pǐn | goods; quality | 9 | 口 + 口 + 口 |
| 双 | 雙 | shuāng | pair; two | 4 | 又 + 又 (two hands) |
Words to read: 明天 (míng tiān) tomorrow; 明月 (míng yuè) bright moon; 森林 (sēn lín) forest; 男人 (nán rén) man; 男女 (nán nǚ) men and women; 从小 (cóng xiǎo) since childhood; 双手 (shuāng shǒu) both hands
Unit 6: Food and drink
Primary 1 unit 6: Food and drink| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 吃 | 吃 | chī | to eat | 6 | |
| 喝 | 喝 | hē | to drink | 12 | |
| 饭 | 飯 | fàn | rice; meal | 7 | |
| 面 | 麵 | miàn | noodles | 9 | |
| 果 | 果 | guǒ | fruit | 8 | |
| 菜 | 菜 | cài | vegetable; dish | 11 | |
| 肉 | 肉 | ròu | meat | 6 | |
| 茶 | 茶 | chá | tea | 9 | |
| 奶 | 奶 | nǎi | milk | 5 | |
| 鱼 | 魚 | yú | fish | 8 | |
Words to read: 吃饭 (chī fàn) to eat (a meal); 喝水 (hē shuǐ) to drink water; 米饭 (mǐ fàn) cooked rice; 水果 (shuǐ guǒ) fruit; 牛奶 (niú nǎi) milk; 牛肉 (niú ròu) beef; 羊肉 (yáng ròu) lamb; mutton; 奶茶 (nǎi chá) milk tea
Unit 7: Moving and doing
Primary 1 unit 7: Moving and doing| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 看 | 看 | kàn | to look; to watch; to read | 9 | 手 over 目 (a hand shading the eyes) |
| 听 | 聽 | tīng | to listen | 7 | |
| 说 | 說 | shuō | to speak; to say | 9 | |
| 走 | 走 | zǒu | to walk; to leave | 7 | |
| 来 | 來 | lái | to come | 7 | |
| 去 | 去 | qù | to go | 5 | |
| 坐 | 坐 | zuò | to sit; to ride | 7 | |
| 立 | 立 | lì | to stand | 5 | |
| 写 | 寫 | xiě | to write | 5 | |
| 读 | 讀 | dú | to read aloud | 10 | |
Words to read: 看看 (kàn kan) to have a look; 听说 (tīng shuō) to hear (that); 坐下 (zuò xià) to sit down; 好看 (hǎo kàn) good-looking; 好听 (hǎo tīng) nice to hear
Unit 8: School and big numbers
Primary 1 unit 8: School and big numbers| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 学 | 學 | xué | to learn | 8 | |
| 书 | 書 | shū | book | 4 | |
| 文 | 文 | wén | writing; language | 4 | |
| 本 | 本 | běn | notebook; (measure word for books) | 5 | |
| 百 | 百 | bǎi | hundred | 6 | |
| 千 | 千 | qiān | thousand | 3 | |
| 万 | 萬 | wàn | ten thousand | 3 | |
| 多 | 多 | duō | many; much | 6 | |
| 少 | 少 | shǎo | few; little | 4 | |
| 年 | 年 | nián | year | 6 | |
Words to read: 上学 (shàng xué) to go to school; 中文 (zhōng wén) Chinese (language); 写字 (xiě zì) to write characters; 看书 (kàn shū) to read a book; 本子 (běn zi) notebook; 多少 (duō shao) how many; how much; 一百 (yì bǎi) one hundred
Unit 9: Colors
Primary 1 unit 9: Colors| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 红 | 紅 | hóng | red | 6 | |
| 白 | 白 | bái | white | 5 | |
| 黑 | 黑 | hēi | black | 12 | |
| 黄 | 黃 | huáng | yellow | 11 | |
| 绿 | 綠 | lǜ | green | 11 | |
| 蓝 | 藍 | lán | blue | 13 | |
| 色 | 色 | sè | color | 6 | |
| 金 | 金 | jīn | gold | 8 | |
| 灰 | 灰 | huī | gray | 6 | |
| 紫 | 紫 | zǐ | purple | 12 | |
Words to read: 红色 (hóng sè) red; 黄色 (huáng sè) yellow; 蓝色 (lán sè) blue; 绿色 (lǜ sè) green; 紫色 (zǐ sè) purple; 灰色 (huī sè) gray; 白天 (bái tiān) daytime; 金鱼 (jīn yú) goldfish
Unit 10: Useful verbs
Primary 1 unit 10: Useful verbs| Character | Traditional | Pinyin | Meaning | Strokes | Built from |
|---|
| 会 | 會 | huì | can; to know how to | 6 | |
| 能 | 能 | néng | can; to be able to | 10 | |
| 要 | 要 | yào | to want; will | 9 | |
| 到 | 到 | dào | to arrive; to | 8 | |
| 回 | 回 | huí | to go back | 6 | |
| 出 | 出 | chū | to go out | 5 | |
| 进 | 進 | jìn | to go in | 7 | |
| 国 | 國 | guó | country | 8 | |
| 岁 | 歲 | suì | years old | 6 | |
| 太 | 太 | tài | too; very | 4 | |
Words to read: 回家 (huí jiā) to go home; 中国 (zhōng guó) China; 几岁 (jǐ suì) how old; 太好了 (tài hǎo le) great!; 不要 (bú yào) don't; 出来 (chū lai) to come out; 进来 (jìn lai) to come in
How the 340 characters are ordered
Our own second-language pace for weekend schools, international schools and home learners: about one character a week in kindergarten and three a week from Primary 1. It is not a school syllabus; native-speaker schools move much faster.
More Chinese worksheets for kids
- Chinese worksheets for kids: Free printable Chinese worksheets for children from kindergarten to Primary 3: big tracing boxes, pinyin and English on every sheet.
- Kindergarten Chinese: The first 40 characters for K1 and K2: numbers, pictographs and first words in extra-large boxes. 一 二 三 四
- Primary 2 Chinese: SayMei's 100 Grade 2 characters: body, animals, time, directions, weather, home, school and joining words. 头 足 身 体
- Primary 3 Chinese: SayMei's 100 Grade 3 characters, most taught in families that share a part: 氵 (shuǐ), 口 (kǒu), 木 (mù), 亻 (rén), 扌 (shǒu), 讠 (yán) and 日 (rì). 河 海 江 湖
- Chinese Pictographs: 36 classic pictographs, characters that began as pictures, with what each one shows. 人 大 女 子
- YCT Vocabulary Lists: The official YCT 1–4 word lists have 80, 150, 300 and 600 words; each list includes the one before it. 爱 八 爸爸 鼻子
Frequently asked questions
How many Chinese characters does a Primary 1 child learn?
It depends on the school. This page sets out 100 characters for Primary 1, about three a week over a school year, from 你 (nǐ) and 好 (hǎo) to useful verbs. Native-speaker schools in China expect far more: about 1,600 characters recognized by the end of Grade 2.
Can I make a worksheet from my child's 听写 (tīng xiě) list?
Yes. Type or paste the week's 听写 (tīng xiě, dictation) characters into the worksheet generator, separated by commas or spaces, and it prints the same tracing sheet with pinyin and meanings. It is free and needs no account.
Do these worksheets follow the MOE or KSSR syllabus?
No. They follow SayMei's own sequence and do not copy the Singapore MOE or Malaysian KSSR textbooks, so they work beside either. Use them for extra practice, and use the worksheet generator for your class's own word list.
What is in each Primary 1 unit?
Ten characters with pinyin, meaning and stroke count, plus example words built only from characters already learned, such as 你好 (nǐ hǎo) and 爸爸 (bà ba). Unit 5 builds characters from parts: 日 (rì) and 月 (yuè) make 明 (míng, bright).
Is this worksheet free to print?
Yes. The Primary 1 Chinese worksheet is free to print or save as a PDF, with no account or email needed, and you can print as many copies as you like for a class. Choose A4 or US Letter before you press Print or Save PDF.