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.
53Geschichten53mit Audio erzählt~3Min. durchschnittliche Lesezeit
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
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.
A02 Min.217 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Culture & Travel
傣族泼水节第一瓢该泼给谁
A story about a girl participating in the traditional Dai Water Splashing Festival.
A02 Min.229 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Daily Life
Das Missverständnis, das durch fünf Minuten Verspätung ausgelöst wurde
A short story about a small misunderstanding at a coffee shop between two friends.
A02 Min.232 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Relationships & Drama
共用一把伞的两个人
Eine Kurzgeschichte über eine Frau, die beim Warten im Regen eine neue Freundin trifft.
A02 Min.232 WörterAudio7 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Mystery
菜市场那杆总缺一克的秤
A little girl helps a vegetable seller discover a secret hidden under her scale.
A02 Min.237 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
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.
A02 Min.245 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
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.
A02 Min.248 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
History
岳飞背上刺的那四个字
A story about a brave man named Yue Fei and the meaning of the words his mother tattooed on his back.
A02 Min.249 WörterAudio7 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
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 Min.252 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Myths & Legends
月亮上兔子捣药的规矩
A hardworking rabbit makes medicine on the moon to keep it shining bright.
A03 Min.255 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Relationships & Drama
转学生课桌里那架纸飞机
A new student named Xiao Mei finds a special paper plane on her desk that leads to a new friendship.
A03 Min.255 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
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 Min.269 WörterAudio4 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
History
唐朝公主种下的那棵石榴树
A princess in the Tang Dynasty plants a pomegranate tree and cares for it as it grows over time.
A03 Min.270 WörterAudio8 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Myths & Legends
石狮子眼睛红了的那天
A little girl discovers a warning from a stone lion that saves her village from a flood.
A03 Min.270 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Nature & Adventure
漓江竹筏上掉进水里的草帽
A young girl and her father enjoy a ride on a bamboo raft until an unexpected gust of wind creates a small problem.
A03 Min.272 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
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 Min.272 WörterAudio4 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Nature & Adventure
Das Schaf, das sich im Bambuswald verirrte
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 Min.277 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
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 Min.279 WörterAudio4 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Nature & Adventure
云雾中的独木桥
A brave girl helps a scared puppy cross a dangerous bridge in the mountains.
A03 Min.280 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Sports
跳绳比赛数错的那一下
A story about a skipping rope competition where the teacher makes a mistake while counting.
A03 Min.289 WörterAudio6 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Music & Arts
越剧后台没扣好的那颗盘扣
Übersetzte Beschreibung
A13 Min.293 WörterAudio7 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Food & Cuisine
外婆藏起来的辣椒油配方
A story about a girl who learns the true secret behind her grandmother's famous chili oil recipe.
A13 Min.296 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
History
皇帝吃剩的那道菜
An emperor shares his leftover food with a hungry boy, leading to a happy day for everyone.
A03 Min.297 WörterAudio11 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Sports
武术比赛前折断的那杆枪
A young martial arts student learns a valuable lesson when his spear breaks right before a big competition.
A13 Min.299 WörterAudio5 SchlüsselwörterQuiz
Easy stories by level
Chinese StoriesA0 — easiest Chinese stories
Alle anzeigen →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.
傣族泼水节第一瓢该泼给谁
A story about a girl participating in the traditional Dai Water Splashing Festival.
Das Missverständnis, das durch fünf Minuten Verspätung ausgelöst wurde
A short story about a small misunderstanding at a coffee shop between two friends.
共用一把伞的两个人
Eine Kurzgeschichte über eine Frau, die beim Warten im Regen eine neue Freundin trifft.
菜市场那杆总缺一克的秤
A little girl helps a vegetable seller discover a secret hidden under her scale.
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.
岳飞背上刺的那四个字
A story about a brave man named Yue Fei and the meaning of the words his mother tattooed on his back.
A1 — easiest Chinese stories
Alle anzeigen →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.
Das Schaf, das sich im Bambuswald verirrte
A young girl named Xiaoyu searches for her missing sheep in a misty bamboo forest and encounters a friendly giant panda along the way.
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.
越剧后台没扣好的那颗盘扣
Übersetzte Beschreibung
外婆藏起来的辣椒油配方
A story about a girl who learns the true secret behind her grandmother's famous chili oil recipe.
武术比赛前折断的那杆枪
A young martial arts student learns a valuable lesson when his spear breaks right before a big competition.
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?
Yes. You can read and listen to every story for free, with no sign-up. The Inklingo app adds saved vocabulary, progress tracking, and personalized review.
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.