Listen first
Play the narration once without reading, just to hear the sounds and rhythm of Chinese.
Easy Chinese Stories
Easy Chinese Stories
These are the easiest Chinese stories on Inklingo — short, simple, present-tense texts written for beginners and ESL learners. Every story has audio narration so you can read and listen together, pictures that make meaning clear, and key vocabulary you can tap. Start here and finish your first Chinese story today.
61stories61narrated with audio~3min average read
How to read your first Chinese story
You do not need every word. Follow these steps and you will get to the end.
Read and listen together
Read along while the audio plays — connecting sound to spelling is the fastest way to learn.
Tap what you don’t know
Tap any word for its meaning and skim the key vocabulary. Keep moving; a rough understanding is plenty on the first read.
Re-read for confidence
Read it a second time. The words you looked up will already feel familiar — that quick win keeps you going.
Start with these easy stories
Shortest and simplest first
Daily Life
Dad Drinks Milk
A story about a father drinking milk at home.
A01 min82 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
The Little Dog Watches the Ball
A story about a child giving a ball to a little dog.
A01 min84 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
The Little Dog Eats Bread
A little dog eats bread at home and feels happy with a child.
A01 min86 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
Mother Gives an Apple
A mother gives her child an apple, and the child eats it happily.
A01 min87 wordsAudio11 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
The Cat Drinks Water
A small cat is at home, and its mother gives it a cup of water.
A01 min87 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Relationships & Drama
A Friend Gives a Ball
A story about a friend giving a red ball.
A01 min89 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
Dad, Sit Here
A child gives Dad a large chair and a cup of water.
A01 min94 wordsAudio7 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
Mom Reads a Book
A story about a mother reading a book at home.
A01 min95 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Mystery
Where Is the Door?
Xiaoming looks around a room for the door and feels happy when he finds it.
A01 min95 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Relationships & Drama
I Give My Friend Water
A story about giving water to a friend at home.
A01 min97 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
My Blue Cup
A story about a blue cup and a mother giving water.
A01 min100 wordsAudio8 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
The Book in the Bag
A story about a child who finds a book in a bag.
A01 min105 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Mystery
Where Is the Apple?
A child looks for an apple at home and finds it in a schoolbag.
A01 min105 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
The Red Cup
A child is at home and drinks water from a red cup.
A01 min112 wordsAudio8 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
Two Cups
A simple story about two cups at home.
A01 min118 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Music & Arts
爷爷的口哨只吹一半
A short story about a grandfather who remembers a special song with the help of his grandson.
A12 min217 wordsAudio5 key wordsQuiz
Relationships & Drama
共用一把伞的两个人
A short story about a woman who meets a new friend while waiting in the rain.
A12 min232 wordsAudio7 key wordsQuiz
History
詹天佑图纸上那道人字弯
An engineer named Zhan Tianyou finds a clever way to build a railway through a tall mountain.
A12 min245 wordsAudio5 key wordsQuiz
Food & Cuisine
奶奶灶台上那罐陈醋
Grandma's favorite jar of vinegar is missing from the kitchen, and her granddaughter helps her find it.
A12 min248 wordsAudio6 key wordsQuiz
Mystery
钟表店橱窗里倒着走的表
A curious girl discovers a watch in a shop window that runs backward and learns the touching reason behind it.
A13 min252 wordsAudio5 key wordsQuiz
Culture & Travel
早茶店里排队的暗号
A grandmother teaches her granddaughter a secret code to get a table faster at a crowded morning tea restaurant.
A13 min269 wordsAudio4 key wordsQuiz
Food & Cuisine
兰州拉面师傅手腕那道弯
An old noodle master teaches his apprentice the secret to making perfect noodles through a physical lesson about his own wrist.
A13 min272 wordsAudio4 key wordsQuiz
Nature & Adventure
竹林深处迷路的那只羊
A young girl named Xiaoyu searches for her missing sheep in a misty bamboo forest and encounters a friendly giant panda along the way.
A13 min277 wordsAudio5 key wordsQuiz
Daily Life
自动售货机吞硬币后弹出的字条
A heartwarming story about a daily interaction between a girl and a vending machine repairman through handwritten notes.
A13 min279 wordsAudio4 key wordsQuiz
Easy stories by level
Chinese StoriesA0 — easiest Chinese stories
View all →Dad Drinks Milk
A story about a father drinking milk at home.
The Little Dog Watches the Ball
A story about a child giving a ball to a little dog.
The Little Dog Eats Bread
A little dog eats bread at home and feels happy with a child.
Mother Gives an Apple
A mother gives her child an apple, and the child eats it happily.
The Cat Drinks Water
A small cat is at home, and its mother gives it a cup of water.
A Friend Gives a Ball
A story about a friend giving a red ball.
Dad, Sit Here
A child gives Dad a large chair and a cup of water.
Mom Reads a Book
A story about a mother reading a book at home.
A1 — easiest Chinese stories
View all →爷爷的口哨只吹一半
A short story about a grandfather who remembers a special song with the help of his grandson.
共用一把伞的两个人
A short story about a woman who meets a new friend while waiting in the rain.
詹天佑图纸上那道人字弯
An engineer named Zhan Tianyou finds a clever way to build a railway through a tall mountain.
奶奶灶台上那罐陈醋
Grandma's favorite jar of vinegar is missing from the kitchen, and her granddaughter helps her find it.
钟表店橱窗里倒着走的表
A curious girl discovers a watch in a shop window that runs backward and learns the touching reason behind it.
早茶店里排队的暗号
A grandmother teaches her granddaughter a secret code to get a table faster at a crowded morning tea restaurant.
兰州拉面师傅手腕那道弯
An old noodle master teaches his apprentice the secret to making perfect noodles through a physical lesson about his own wrist.
竹林深处迷路的那只羊
A young girl named Xiaoyu searches for her missing sheep in a misty bamboo forest and encounters a friendly giant panda along the way.
Keep reading easy Chinese on the app
Inklingo turns easy stories into a personalized path: save the words you tap, review them with spaced repetition, and unlock the next story when you are ready.
Easy Chinese stories FAQ
What are the easiest Chinese stories for beginners?
The easiest are A0 and A1 texts: short, present-tense, built from the most common Chinese words, and paired with audio and pictures. Every story here is chosen for exactly that.
Are these good for ESL learners?
Yes. They are graded for beginners learning Chinese as a second language, with audio narration, images, and key vocabulary so you build reading and listening together.
Are the stories free?
Start reading without an account. Guest translations are limited to 12 taps per day. A free account saves your progress and includes 5 completed stories; further access requires Pro.
What should I read next?
When A0 and A1 stories feel comfortable, move on to A2 and then the intermediate (B1–B2) collection. Each step adds a little more vocabulary and slightly longer sentences.