目 mù — eye; item; section; list; catalogue; table of contents
这个目标不难实现。Zhè ge mù biāo bù nán shí xiàn.This goal is not hard to achieve.
Common words: 节目 (jié mù)、目的 (mù dì)、目前 (mù qián)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "list"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "list", including 目 (mù), 单 (dān / chán / shàn), 谱 (pǔ). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "list" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 目 (mù), 单 (dān / chán / shàn), 谱 (pǔ) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span mù, dān, chán, shàn, pǔ — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 目 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 目 mùeye; item; section; list; catalogue; table of contentsUseful words: 节目, 目的
- 单 dān / chán / shànchieftain; bill; list; form; single; onlyUseful words: 名单, 单位
- 谱 pǔchart; list; score (music); spectrum (math.)(phys.)Useful words: 乐谱, 离谱儿
Common words for these 3 "list" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 目 (mù) — so "list" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
节目jié mù(TV or radio) program; show; item; act目的mù dìpurpose; aim; goal; target目前mù qiánat the present time; currently名单míng dānlist of names单位dān wèiunit (of measure); unit (group of people as a whole); work unit (place of employment, esp. in the PRC prior to economic reform)菜单cài dānmenu乐谱yuè pǔa musical score; sheet music离谱儿lí pǔ rerhua form of 离谱有谱yǒu pǔto have a plan; to know what one is doing
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "list".
单 dān / chán / shàn — chieftain; bill; list; form; single; only
请把名单交给老师。Qǐng bǎ míng dān jiāo gěi lǎo shī.Please hand the name list to the teacher.
Common words: 名单 (míng dān)、单位 (dān wèi)、菜单 (cài dān)
谱 pǔ — chart; list; score (music); spectrum (math.)(phys.)
她照着乐谱弹起了钢琴。Tā zhào zhe yuè pǔ tán qǐ le gāng qín.She played the piano following the sheet music.
Common words: 乐谱 (yuè pǔ)、离谱儿 (lí pǔ r)、有谱 (yǒu pǔ)
All 3 characters
Open 目、单、谱 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.