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Reversible Chinese words

故事 is a story and 事故 an accident: the same two characters, swapped. The pairs that flip, each word in a sentence, and how to tell them apart.

蝴蝶húdiébutterfly

Which order?

1 of 10

？？

a story

Speed

故事 · 事故: a story, an accident

故事 is a story; 事故 is an accident, a crash or a fire. A bad 事故 often makes a good 故事 later.

  1. nǎinai奶奶měitiān每天wǎnshang晚上gěi给wǒ我jiǎng讲gùshi故事。

    Grandma tells me a story every night.

    故事 gùshi · a story

  2. gāosù-gōnglù高速公路shàng上chū出le了shìgù事故。

    There’s been an accident on the motorway.

    事故 shìgù · an accident

蜜蜂 · 蜂蜜: a bee, honey

蜜蜂 is the bee and 蜂蜜 the honey it makes: the last character says what it is, the first what kind.

  1. huāyuán花园li里yǒu有hěn很duō多mìfēng蜜蜂。

    There are lots of bees in the garden.

    蜜蜂 mìfēng · a bee

  2. wǒ我xǐhuan喜欢zài在chá茶li里fàng放yīdiǎnr一点儿fēngmì蜂蜜。

    I like a little honey in my tea.

    蜂蜜 fēngmì · honey

牛奶 · 奶牛: milk, a dairy cow

牛奶 is milk, cow’s milk; 奶牛 is the dairy cow that gives it.

  1. wǒ我měitiān每天zǎoshang早上hē喝yī一bēi杯niúnǎi牛奶。

    I drink a glass of milk every morning.

    牛奶 niúnǎi · milk

  2. zhè这gè个nóngchǎng农场yǒu有liǎngbǎi两百tóu头nǎiniú奶牛。

    This farm has two hundred dairy cows.

    奶牛 nǎiniú · a dairy cow

马上 · 上马: right away, to get on a horse; to get going

马上 is “right away”; 上马 is getting on a horse, and also getting a project going.

  1. nǐ你děng等yīxià一下，wǒ我mǎshàng马上lái来。

    Hang on, I’ll be right there.

    马上 mǎshàng · right away

  2. zhè这gè个xiàngmù项目míngnián明年shàngmǎ上马。

    This project gets going next year.

    上马 shàngmǎ · to get on a horse; to get going

领带 · 带领: a tie, to lead

领带 is a tie; 带领 is to lead.

  1. tā他jīntiān今天dǎ打le了yī一tiáo条hóng红lǐngdài领带。

    He’s wearing a red tie today.

    领带 lǐngdài · a tie

  2. lǎoshī老师dàilǐng带领xuéshēng学生cānguān参观bówùguǎn博物馆。

    The teacher took the students round the museum.

    带领 dàilǐng · to lead

科学 · 学科: science, a school subject

科学 is science; 学科 is a subject you study, maths or history.

  1. wǒ我duì对kēxué科学hěn很gǎnxìngqù感兴趣。

    I’m very interested in science.

    科学 kēxué · science

  2. nǐ你zuì最xǐhuan喜欢nǎ哪gè个xuékē学科？

    Which subject do you like best?

    学科 xuékē · a school subject

中心 · 心中: the centre, in your heart

中心 is the centre, of a town or of attention; 心中 is in your heart, in your mind.

  1. wǒmen我们zhù住zài在chéngshì城市de的zhōngxīn中心。

    We live in the centre of the city.

    中心 zhōngxīn · the centre

  2. tā她zài在wǒ我xīnzhōng心中yǒngyuǎn永远shì是zuì最měi美de的。

    In my heart she’ll always be the most beautiful.

    心中 xīnzhōng · in your heart

女子 · 子女: a woman, children, sons and daughters

女子 is a woman, on signs and in sport (女子一百米, the women’s 100 metres); 子女 is your children, sons and daughters.

  1. tā她ná拿le了nǚzǐ女子yībǎi一百mǐ米de的guànjūn冠军。

    She won the women’s 100 metres.

    女子 nǚzǐ · a woman

  2. tāmen他们yǒu有sān三gè个zǐnǚ子女。

    They have three children.

    子女 zǐnǚ · children, sons and daughters

情人 · 人情: a lover, a favour owed

情人 is a lover (情人节 is Valentine’s Day); 人情 is a favour you owe someone, and human feeling.

  1. tāmen他们shì是qíngrén情人。

    They’re lovers.

    情人 qíngrén · a lover

  2. tā他bāng帮le了wǒ我，wǒ我qiàn欠tā他yīgè一个rénqíng人情。

    He helped me, so I owe him a favour.

    人情 rénqíng · a favour owed

自私 · 私自: selfish, without permission

自私 is selfish; 私自 is doing something without asking.

  1. tā他tài太zìsī自私le了，zhǐ只xiǎng想zhe着zìjǐ自己。

    He’s so selfish; he only thinks of himself.

    自私 zìsī · selfish

  2. bùyào不要sīzì私自ná拿biérén别人de的dōngxi东西。

    Don’t take other people’s things without asking.

    私自 sīzì · without permission

关机 · 机关: to switch off, a government office

关机 is switching off a phone or a computer; 机关 is a government office, and a hidden mechanism.

  1. wǒ我de的shǒujī手机méidiàn没电，guānjī关机le了。

    My phone ran out of battery and switched off.

    关机 guānjī · to switch off

  2. tā他zài在zhèngfǔ政府jīguān机关gōngzuò工作。

    He works in a government office.

    机关 jīguān · a government office

语法 · 法语: grammar, French

语法 is grammar; 法语 is French, the language of 法国 (France).

  1. Zhōngwén中文de的yǔfǎ语法bùtài不太nán难。

    Chinese grammar isn’t too hard.

    语法 yǔfǎ · grammar

  2. tā她zài在xué学Fǎyǔ法语。

    She’s learning French.

    法语 Fǎyǔ · French

数字 · 字数: a number, a word count

数字 is a number, a digit; 字数 is a word count.

  1. bā八shì是yīgè一个jílì吉利de的shùzì数字。

    Eight is a lucky number.

    数字 shùzì · a number

  2. zhè这piān篇zuòwén作文de的zìshù字数bùnéng不能shǎoyú少于bābǎi八百。

    This essay has to be at least 800 characters long.

    字数 zìshù · a word count

后天 · 天后: the day after tomorrow, a pop queen

后天 is the day after tomorrow; 天后 is a pop queen, a diva.

  1. wǒmen我们hòutiān后天qù去Běijīng北京。

    We’re going to Beijing the day after tomorrow.

    后天 hòutiān · the day after tomorrow

  2. tā她shì是zhè这jǐ几nián年zuì最hóng红de的tiānhòu天后。

    She’s the biggest pop queen of the last few years.

    天后 tiānhòu · a pop queen

说话 · 话说: to talk, by the way

说话 is to talk; 话说 is “by the way”, and how a storyteller begins.

  1. tā他shuōhuà说话hěn很kuài快。

    He talks fast.

    说话 shuōhuà · to talk

  2. huàshuō话说，nǐ你zhōumò周末yǒukòng有空ma吗？

    By the way, are you free this weekend?

    话说 huàshuō · by the way

著名 · 名著: famous, a classic (book)

著名 is famous; 名著 is a classic, a famous book.

  1. Hángzhōu杭州de的Xīhú西湖hěn很zhùmíng著名。

    Hangzhou’s West Lake is famous.

    著名 zhùmíng · famous

  2. wǒ我zàidú在读yīběn一本wàiguó外国míngzhù名著。

    I’m reading a foreign classic.

    名著 míngzhù · a classic (book)

错过 · 过错: to miss, a fault

错过 is to miss, a train or a chance; 过错 is a fault, the wrong someone did.

  1. kuàidiǎnr快点儿，bùrán不然jiù就cuòguò错过huǒchē火车le了。

    Hurry up, or we’ll miss the train.

    错过 cuòguò · to miss

  2. zhè这bùshì不是nǐ你de的guòcuò过错。

    This isn’t your fault.

    过错 guòcuò · a fault

提前 · 前提: ahead of time, a precondition

提前 is ahead of time; 前提 is a precondition.

  1. qǐng请tíqián提前shí十fēnzhōng分钟dào到。

    Please arrive ten minutes early.

    提前 tíqián · ahead of time

  2. jiànkāng健康shì是xìngfú幸福de的qiántí前提。

    Health is the precondition for happiness.

    前提 qiántí · a precondition

文盲 · 盲文: someone who can’t read, braille

文盲 is someone who can’t read; 盲文 is braille, writing for the blind.

  1. wǒ我nǎinai奶奶xiǎoshíhou小时候méi没shàng上guo过xué学，shì是gè个wénmáng文盲。

    My grandma never went to school as a child, so she can’t read.

    文盲 wénmáng · someone who can’t read

  2. diàntī电梯ànniǔ按钮shàng上yǒu有mángwén盲文。

    There’s braille on the lift buttons.

    盲文 mángwén · braille

明天 · 天明: tomorrow, daybreak

明天 is tomorrow; 天明 is daybreak, mostly in stories and songs.

  1. míngtiān明天jiàn见！

    See you tomorrow!

    明天 míngtiān · tomorrow

  2. tāmen他们yīzhí一直zǒu走dào到tiānmíng天明。

    They walked on until daybreak.

    天明 tiānmíng · daybreak

合适 · 适合: suitable, right, to suit

合适 describes something as right (大小正合适, just the right size); 适合 takes who or what it suits (适合你, suits you).

  1. zhè这shuāng双xié鞋dàxiǎo大小zhèng正héshì合适。

    These shoes are just the right size.

    合适 héshì · suitable, right

  2. zhège这个yánsè颜色hěn很shìhé适合nǐ你。

    This colour really suits you.

    适合 shìhé · to suit

产生 · 生产: to give rise to, to make, produce

产生 is giving rise to something: a problem, an idea, a feeling; 生产 is making things, in a factory or on a farm.

  1. zhè这gè个wèntí问题shì是zěnme怎么chǎnshēng产生de的？

    How did this problem come about?

    产生 chǎnshēng · to give rise to

  2. zhè这gè个gōngchǎng工厂zhǔyào主要shēngchǎn生产wánjù玩具。

    This factory mostly makes toys.

    生产 shēngchǎn · to make, produce

刷牙 · 牙刷: to brush your teeth, a toothbrush

Verb first, it’s the action: 刷牙 is brushing your teeth. Verb last, it’s the thing: 牙刷 is the toothbrush.

  1. shuìjiào睡觉qián前bié别wàng忘le了shuāyá刷牙。

    Don’t forget to brush your teeth before bed.

    刷牙 shuāyá · to brush your teeth

  2. wǒ我xūyào需要mǎi买yībǎ一把xīn新yáshuā牙刷。

    I need to buy a new toothbrush.

    牙刷 yáshuā · a toothbrush

达到 · 到达: to reach (a goal), to arrive

达到 is reaching a goal or a level; 到达 is arriving at a place.

  1. wǒmen我们dádào达到le了jīnnián今年de的mùbiāo目标。

    We’ve reached this year’s target.

    达到 dádào · to reach (a goal)

  2. huǒchē火车xiàwǔ下午sān三diǎn点dàodá到达Shànghǎi上海。

    The train arrives in Shanghai at three in the afternoon.

    到达 dàodá · to arrive

实现 · 现实: to make come true, reality

实现 is making something real, a dream or a plan; 现实 is reality.

  1. tā他zhōngyú终于shíxiàn实现le了zìjǐ自己de的mèngxiǎng梦想。

    He finally made his dream come true.

    实现 shíxiàn · to make come true

  2. mèngxiǎng梦想hé和xiànshí现实shì是bù不yīyàng一样de的。

    Dreams and reality aren’t the same.

    现实 xiànshí · reality

上网 · 网上: to go online, online

上网 is going online, something you do; 网上 is online, where something is.

  1. wǒ我měitiān每天wǎnshang晚上shàngwǎng上网liǎng两gè个xiǎoshí小时。

    I go online for two hours every evening.

    上网 shàngwǎng · to go online

  2. wǒ我zài在wǎngshang网上mǎi买le了yī一běn本shū书。

    I bought a book online.

    网上 wǎngshang · online

前面 · 面前: ahead, in front, in front of (someone)

前面 is ahead, in front of a place; 面前 is in front of a person, right before their eyes.

  1. qiánmiàn前面yǒu有yī一jiā家kāfēiguǎn咖啡馆。

    There’s a café up ahead.

    前面 qiánmiàn · ahead, in front

  2. tā他jiù就zhàn站zài在wǒ我miànqián面前，wǒ我què却méi没rènchū认出tā他。

    He was standing right in front of me, but I didn’t recognise him.

    面前 miànqián · in front of (someone)

对面 · 面对: opposite, to face

对面 is across, opposite; 面对 is to face, a problem or a person.

  1. yínháng银行zài在chāoshì超市duìmiàn对面。

    The bank is opposite the supermarket.

    对面 duìmiàn · opposite

  2. wǒmen我们yào要yǒnggǎn勇敢de地miànduì面对kùnnan困难。

    We have to face difficulties bravely.

    面对 miànduì · to face

房租 · 租房: rent, to rent a flat

房租 is the rent; 租房 is renting a flat.

  1. Běijīng北京de的fángzū房租tài太guì贵le了。

    Rent in Beijing is too expensive.

    房租 fángzū · rent

  2. wǒmen我们zài在xuéxiào学校fùjìn附近zūfáng租房。

    We rent a flat near the school.

    租房 zūfáng · to rent a flat

外国 · 国外: foreign, abroad

外国 is a foreign country, or foreign (外国电影); 国外 is abroad, where you go or live (在国外).

  1. zhè这shì是yī一bù部wàiguó外国diànyǐng电影。

    This is a foreign film.

    外国 wàiguó · foreign

  2. tā她zài在guówài国外zhù住le了wǔ五nián年。

    She lived abroad for five years.

    国外 guówài · abroad

回来 · 来回: to come back, there and back

回来 is coming back; 来回 is there and back, a round trip.

  1. nǐ你shénme什么shíhou时候huílái回来？

    When are you coming back?

    回来 huílái · to come back

  2. cóng从jiā家dào到gōngsī公司láihuí来回yào要liǎng两gè个xiǎoshí小时。

    It’s two hours there and back from home to the office.

    来回 láihuí · there and back

好看 · 看好: good-looking, good to watch, to back (to win)

好看 is good-looking, or good to watch; 看好 is backing someone to win.

  1. zhè这bù部diànyǐng电影hěn很hǎokàn好看。

    This film is really good.

    好看 hǎokàn · good-looking, good to watch

  2. hěn很duō多rén人kànhǎo看好zhè这zhī支qiúduì球队。

    Lots of people think this team will win.

    看好 kànhǎo · to back (to win)

上楼 · 楼上: to go upstairs, upstairs

上楼 is going upstairs; 楼上 is upstairs, the floor above.

  1. diàntī电梯huài坏le了，wǒmen我们zhǐnéng只能zǒu走zhe着shànglóu上楼。

    The lift’s broken, so we have to walk upstairs.

    上楼 shànglóu · to go upstairs

  2. lóushàng楼上de的línjū邻居hěn很chǎo吵。

    The neighbours upstairs are noisy.

    楼上 lóushàng · upstairs

黄金 · 金黄: gold, golden

黄金 is gold, the metal; 金黄 is golden, the colour.

  1. huángjīn黄金de的jiàgé价格yòu又zhǎng涨le了。

    The price of gold has gone up again.

    黄金 huángjīn · gold

  2. qiūtiān秋天de的dàotián稻田yīpiàn一片jīnhuáng金黄。

    In autumn the rice fields are all gold.

    金黄 jīnhuáng · golden

犯罪 · 罪犯: to commit a crime, a criminal

犯罪 is committing a crime; 罪犯 is the criminal.

  1. jiǔhòu酒后kāichē开车shì是fànzuì犯罪。

    Drink-driving is a crime.

    犯罪 fànzuì · to commit a crime

  2. jǐngchá警察zhuāzhù抓住le了zuìfàn罪犯。

    The police caught the criminal.

    罪犯 zuìfàn · a criminal

互相 · 相互: each other, each other; mutual

互相 and 相互 are both “each other” before a verb (互相帮助, 相互帮助). Only 相互 describes a thing: 这种感觉是相互的, the feeling is mutual.

  1. tóngxué同学men们yīnggāi应该hùxiāng互相bāngzhù帮助。

    Classmates should help each other.

    互相 hùxiāng · each other

  2. zhèzhǒng这种gǎnjué感觉shì是xiānghù相互de的。

    The feeling is mutual.

    相互 xiānghù · each other; mutual

代替 · 替代: to take the place of, to take the place of

代替 and 替代 both mean taking the place of someone or something, and are as common as each other.

  1. wǒ我kěyǐ可以dàitì代替nǐ你qù去kāihuì开会。

    I can go to the meeting in your place.

    代替 dàitì · to take the place of

  2. méiyǒu没有shénme什么kěyǐ可以tìdài替代jiārén家人de的ài爱。

    Nothing can take the place of a family’s love.

    替代 tìdài · to take the place of

夜宵 · 宵夜: a late-night snack, a late-night snack

夜宵 and 宵夜 are both a late-night snack, and you’ll hear both.

  1. wǒmen我们qù去chī吃yèxiāo夜宵ba吧。

    Let’s go and get a late-night snack.

    夜宵 yèxiāo · a late-night snack

  2. tā他měitiān每天wǎnshang晚上dōu都yào要chī吃xiāoyè宵夜。

    He has a late-night snack every night.

    宵夜 xiāoyè · a late-night snack

积累 · 累积: to build up, to add up

积累 and 累积 both mean building something up over time; 积累 is the usual one (积累经验, to build up experience).

  1. duō多dúshū读书kěyǐ可以jīlěi积累cíhuì词汇。

    Reading a lot builds up your vocabulary.

    积累 jīlěi · to build up

  2. zhèxiē这些qián钱shì是tā他shí十nián年lěijī累积xiàlái下来de的。

    He saved this money up over ten years.

    累积 lěijī · to add up

力气 · 气力: strength, strength

力气 and 气力 are both strength; 力气 is the everyday word, and 气力 is far rarer.

  1. tā他lìqi力气hěn很dà大。

    He’s very strong.

    力气 lìqi · strength

  2. tā他yòngjìn用尽le了quánshēn全身de的qìlì气力。

    He used every bit of his strength.

    气力 qìlì · strength

来往 · 往来: coming and going, dealings, exchanges

来往 and 往来 both mean coming and going, and keeping in touch; 往来 is the formal one, for trade and countries (贸易往来).

  1. jiē街shàng上láiwǎng来往de的chē车hěn很duō多。

    There’s a lot of traffic in the street.

    来往 láiwǎng · coming and going

  2. liǎngguó两国de的màoyì贸易wǎnglái往来yuèláiyuè越来越duō多。

    Trade between the two countries keeps growing.

    往来 wǎnglái · dealings, exchanges

Now read them in a real story

十两饺子How to order dumplings in ChineseHSK 1 · 1 minRead it free

Why does swapping two characters change the word?

In most Chinese words the last character says what the thing is and the first says what kind: 蜜蜂 is a honey bee, 蜂蜜 is bee honey, and 牛奶 is cow milk where 奶牛 is a milk cow. Put a verb first and the word is an action, 刷牙 (brush your teeth); put it last and it is a thing, 牙刷 (a toothbrush).

Do any mean the same both ways?

A few: 互相 and 相互 (each other), 代替 and 替代 (to take the place of), 夜宵 and 宵夜 (a late-night snack). Most pairs don’t, and the order is never a free choice: 故事 and 事故 are as different as a story and an accident.

How do I remember which is which?

Read the last character first. 蜂蜜 ends in 蜜, honey, so it is honey; 领带 ends in 带, a band, so it is a tie. Then learn each word in a sentence, not alone, and the order sticks.

Can’t hear it?

Play uses your device’s Mandarin voice. Edge, Chrome and Safari have one; a browser with none plays each word in our recorded voice instead.

More free tools

Pairs from our own dictionary and the ones learners ask about on Reddit; meanings from our dictionary, 互相 and 相互 checked against Laoshi’s grammar note; sentences and English ours; pinyin from our own reader.