一步一个脚印

The following is a list of 128 most common 儿化音 (erhuayin, erhua) words in Mandarin.

For the uninitiated, erhuayin is when you add 儿 on the end of a word. Simple examples include 好玩儿 (hǎowánr, “fun”) and 画画儿 (huàhuàr, “to paint; to draw”).

Note that I haven’t included incidences where erhuayin is added on the end of names, e.g. 兰儿 Lánr, 辰儿 Chénr, 曼儿 Mànr, 小王儿 Xiǎo Wángr, etc.

If you have any to add, please leave a comment in the comments section at the bottom of this post. Cheers!

1. 这儿 zhèr: here (synonym: 这里 zhèlǐ)
2. 那儿 nàr: there (synonym: 那里 nàlǐ)
3. 哪儿 nǎr: where (synonym: 哪里 nǎlǐ)
4. 事儿 shìr: matter; affair 怎么回事儿？: what’s up?; what happened? 没事儿。No problem.
   1. 出事儿: to have an accident
   2. 找事儿: 1. to look for trouble 2. to look for sth to do
   3. 顶事儿: to be of use; useful; helpful
   4. 共事儿: to work together 他不好共事儿。He’s not easy to get along with.
   5. 办事儿: to handle affairs; to work
5. 字儿 zìr: character (letter/symbol or Chinese character)
   1. 八字儿还没一撇儿: not even the first stroke of the character ba has been written down; things have not even begun to take shape yet; there is not the slightest sign of success yet
   2. 把我这X字儿倒过来写: eat one’s hat
   3. 白纸黑字儿: in black and white
6. 词儿 cír: word
   1. 没词儿: to be at loss for words
7. 画儿 huàr: painting; drawing 一张画儿: a painting
   1. 画画儿: to paint; to draw
8. 门儿 ménr: door
   1. 开门儿: open the door; (of a business) open
   2. 关门儿: close the door; closed
   3. 出门儿: 1. to be away from home 2. to go on a journey 2. to exit; to leave
   4. 走后们儿: use backdoor connections
   5. 抠门儿: stingy
   6. 串门儿: to drop in on sb; to pay a visit to sb
   7. 有门儿: likely to be realised; hopeful
   8. 没门儿: unlikely to be realised; no way
   9. 邪门儿: strange; weird
   10. 上门儿: 1. to drop in for a visit 2. to meet with one’s future wife’s parents
   11. 窍门儿 qiàoménr: trick; key (to a problem); knack
9. 活儿 huór: work; job
   1. 干活儿: to work
10. 花儿 huār: flower
    1. 浪花儿: spray from waves; splash
11. 边儿 biānr: side
    1. 这边儿: here; over here
    2. 那边儿: there; over there
    3. 路边儿: the side of the road; roadside
12. 今儿 jīnr: today [colloquial] (synonym: 今天 jīntiān)
13. 明儿 míngr: tomorrow [colloquial] (synonym: 明天 míngtiān)
14. 昨儿 zuór: yesterday [colloquial] (synonym: 昨天 zuótiān)
15. 绳儿 shéngr: rope
    1. 跳绳儿: to skip rope
16. 皮儿 pír: skin
    1. 拉皮儿: 1. pasta in sheet form 2. to have a face-lift
    2. 单眼皮儿: single eyelids
    3. 饺子皮儿: dumpling skin
17. 头儿 tóur: 1. head 2. leader; boss; supervisor
    1. 老头儿: old man
    2. 顶头儿: leader 顶头儿上司 superior; supervisor
    3. 尽头儿: end (of a place/location)
    4. 打头儿: 1. leader 2. first 我先打头儿去了。I’m off now.
18. 会儿 huìr (or: huǐr): moment [colloquial] 等一会儿。Wait a sec.
    1. 这会: right now 我刚才给他打电话，她这会儿不在家。I just called her, and she’s not at home right now.
19. 空儿 kòngr: free time; spare time 你什么时候有空儿？ When are you free?
    1. 抽空儿: find time
20. 片儿 piānr (or: piànr): 1. sheet 2. disk 3. movie
    1. 照片儿: picture
    2. 唱片儿: 1. disc 2. record; album
21. 块儿 kuàir: piece; chunk
    1. 冰块儿: ice cube
    2. 一块儿: together (synonym: 一起 yīqǐ)
    3. 方块儿: square
22. 玩儿 wánr: to play
    1. 好玩儿: fun
    2. 贪玩儿: to love fun and games
23. 托儿 tuōr: shill; plant (a person employed to act as a customer that competes for goods with others in order to attract more customers) 这家饭店刚开了，他们花钱雇了几个托儿。The restaurant has just opened and they’ve paid for some people to come and pretend to be their customers.
24. 壳儿 kér: shell
    1. 硬壳儿: shell
25. 歌儿 gēr: song 这首歌儿很好听。This song is great.
    1. 唱歌儿: to sing
26. 碗儿 wǎnr: bowl
27. 瓶儿 píngr: bottle
    1. 花瓶儿 huāpíngr: 1. vase. 2. just a pretty face
28. 板儿 bǎnr: board; plank
    1. 快板儿: kuaiban; clappertalk
    2. 木板儿: plank; board
    3. 板儿砖: brick
29. 兜儿 dōur: 1. pocket 2. small bag
30. 本儿 běnr: 1. capital (wealth) 2. book
    1. 亏本儿: to lose money when doing business
    2. 保本儿: to break even
    3. 笔记本儿: notebook
    4. 书本儿: books
31. 盖儿 gàir: lid; cap; cover
    1. 锅盖儿: pot cover
    2. 瓶盖儿: bottle cap
32. 套儿 tàor: 1. cap; cover 2. condom
    1. 外套儿: coat; jacket
33. 枣儿 zǎor: jujube; Chinese date
34. 信儿 xìnr: 1. information 2. news
35. 管儿 guǎnr: tube
    1. 吸管儿: straw (for drinking)
    2. 抽水管儿: drain pipe
36. 班儿 bānr: work shift
    1. 上班儿: start work
    2. 下班儿: get off work
    3. 顶班儿: 1. work regular shifts 2. take on sb’s shift
    4. 跟班儿: someone who always follow a certain person 两岁的孩子成了我的小跟班儿。The two year-old kid started to tag along with me.
37. 主儿 zhǔr: 1. master 2. employer 3. husband; fiancé; boyfriend; partner 4. owner
38. 伴儿 bànr: partner; companion 人生是孤独的，我们需要找个伴儿。Life can be lonely, we all need to find a partner.
    1. 同伴儿: companion
    2. 搭伴儿: to travel together; to keep each other company
39. 味儿 wèir: 1. taste 2. flavour 地道的中国味儿: authentically Chinese
    1. 口味儿: 1. personal taste 2. flavour
    2. 滋味儿: 1. taste; flavour  2. the way one feels
    3. 没味儿: boring
    4. 变味儿: go bad (of food); taste unpleasant
40. 眼儿 yǎnr: 1. eye 2. tiny hole; orifice
    1. 心眼儿: 1. heart; mind 2. experience; knowledge 3. intentions
    2. 屁眼儿: anus 我咒你生孩子没屁眼儿。Literally, “May your child be born with an imperforate anus” (strong cursing expression)
    3. 鸡眼儿: bunion; corn
    4. 肚脐眼儿: belly button
    5. 嗓子眼儿: throat 我心都提到嗓子眼儿了。My heart was racing.
    6. 白眼儿: 1. to look down upon 2. to disapprove
    7. 起眼儿: 1. attractive 2. outstanding; striking
41. 点儿 diǎnr: spot; point
    1. 一点儿: a little bit
    2. 有点儿: a little bit
    3. 差点儿: 1. almost 2. not quite good enough
    4. 快点儿: hurry up!
    5. 给［某人］点儿颜色看看: to teach sb a lesson
42. 末儿 mòr: powder
    1. 粉末儿
43. 沫儿 mòr: foam
    1. 泡沫儿
44. 盆儿 pénr: basin; tube
45. 口儿 kǒur: 1. cut; split 2. wound
    1. 路口儿: intersection; crossroad (synonym: 十字路口 shízì lùkǒu)
    2. 小两口儿: young couple
46. 卷儿 juǎnr: roll
    1. 烟卷儿: cigarette (synonym: 香烟 xiāngyān)
47. 圈儿 quānr: 1. circle 2. (juànr) enclosure; pen
    1. 圆圈儿(quānr): circle; ring 这个复杂的几何图案实际上就是圆圈儿和方块儿的组合。This complicated geometrical pattern is actually made up of circles and squares.
    2. 猪圈儿(juànr): pigsty
48. 冻儿 dòngr: jelly
49. 馅儿 xiànr: stuffing; filling (of food)
    1. 露馅儿: to give the game away; to let the cat out of the bag
50. 丝儿 sīr: shredded strands
    1. 铁丝儿: iron wire
    2. 萝卜丝儿: shredded turnip
    3. 土豆丝儿: shredded potato
    4. 头发丝儿: strands of hair
51. 份儿 fènr: share; portion; bit
    1. 独一份儿: something unique 放心吧，咱们这个店虽然小点儿，货色在这北京城里可是独一份儿。Don’t worry. Although our restaurant is a bit small, what we sell is unique in Beijing.
52. 样儿 yàngr: appearance; model 看你小样儿！well, look at you! (said to draw attention to sb’s behaviour or facial expression)
    1. 几样儿: 1. several kinds/sorts 2. how many kinds/sorts?
    2. 像样儿: presentable
    3. 好样儿的: well done
    4. 这么样儿: so; such; like this; this way
    5. 那么样儿: in that case
53. 筐儿 kuāngr: 1. basket 2. chest
    1. 竹筐儿: bamboo basket/chest
54. 对儿 duìr: 1. couple; pair 2. couplet
    1. 一对儿: 1. couple 2. pair
    2. 成双成对儿: form a pair
    3. 对儿: Chinese couplet
55. 摊儿 tānr: stall
    1. 地摊儿: stall
    2. 摆摊儿: to set up a stall
56. 干儿 gānr: dried food
    1. 豆腐干儿: dried tofu
57. 肝儿 gānr: liver
    1. 心肝儿: darling
58. 范儿 fànr: style [colloquial] (synonym: 风格 fēnggé)
59. 气儿 qìr: 1. air 2. energy 3. atmosphere 4. breath 5. anger
60. 面儿 miànr: 1. occasion 2. powder
    1. 场面儿: spectacle; scene; occasion
    2. 白面儿: heroin
    3. 表面儿: surface
    4. 封面 儿: 1. title page of a thread-bound book 2. front and back cover of a book 3. front cover
61. 劲儿 jìnr: 1. strength 2. energy 3. enthusiasm
    1. 用劲儿: exert oneself; put one’s back into it
    2. 后劲儿: delayed effect; aftereffect
    3. 差劲儿: no good; crap; disappointing; poor
    4. 没劲儿: exhausted
    5. 带劲儿: energetic; interesting; awesome 这个摇滚歌手的演出很带劲儿。The rock singer’s performance was amazing.
    6. 对劲儿: to look right 你看起来不对劲儿。You don’t look right.
    7. 得劲儿: comfortable; easy to use; handy
    8. 使劲儿: to exert all one’s strength
    9. 费劲儿: to need great effort
    10. 过劲儿: to go to extremes; excessive 我饿过劲儿了。 I’m so hungry that I’m not hungry anymore.
    11. 一个劲儿: continuously; persistently
62. 妞儿 niūr: girl
    1. 小妞儿: young girl
    2. 泡妞儿: to chase girls
63. 倍儿 bèir: extremely
    1. 身体倍儿棒: great body
    2. 倍儿漂亮: very pretty
64. 签儿 qiānr: 1. slip of paper 2. label
    1. 书签儿: bookmark
    2. 抽签儿: to cast a ballot; to run draw
65. 印儿 yìnr: 1. stamp 2. seal. 3. mark; imprint
    1. 手印儿: 1. handprint 2. fingerprint
    2. 脚印儿: footprint
66. 馆儿 guǎnr: building
    1. 饭馆儿: restaurant
    2. 博物馆儿: museum
    3. 茶馆儿: teahouse
67. 刺儿 cìr: thorn
    1. 刺儿头: one who is hard to get along with; a difficult person to deal with
    2. 找刺儿 to look for faults (synonym: 挑刺儿 tiāocìr)
68. 棍儿 gùnr: 1. rod; stick 2. penis [slang]
    1. 光棍儿: bachelor; single man
    2. 冰棍儿: popsicle
    3. 打光棍儿: to live a single life; to live alone
69. 神儿 shénr: 1. look; expression 2. air
    1. 走神儿 : to lose one’s concentration; to zone out
    2. 眼神儿: the look on sb’s face; expression in sb’s eyes
    3. 跳大神儿: to practice witchcraft
70. 角儿 juér: 1. theatrical role; part 2. [jiǎor] corner
    1. 主角儿[juér]: main role; leading role; protagonist
    2. 丑角儿[juér]: clown; buffoon
    3. 嘴角儿[jiǎor]: corners of the mouth
71. 窝儿 wōr: depression; hollow
    1. 酒窝儿: dimple
    2. 眼窝儿: eye socket
72. 底儿 dǐr: 1. foundation; basis; groundwork 2. shoe sole 3. sb’s past; sb’s unsavoury background
    1. 锅底儿: bottom of a pan/pot 你看，锅底儿有个脏东西。Have a look, there’s still some stuff left on the bottom of the pan.
    2. 心里有底儿: sure; confident
    3. 心里没底儿: unsure; unconfident
73. 仁儿 rénr: kernel
    1. 杏仁儿: almond
    2. 虾仁儿: shelled fresh shrimp; shrimp meat
74. 腕儿 wànr: celebrity; famous person; expert
    1. 手腕儿: wrist
    2. 大腕儿: big shot; celebrity 这个著名的电影明星是个大腕儿，他每次公开露面，狗仔队都试图拍摄他。 This famous movie star is a big shot – every time he goes out in public the paparazzi try to take photos of him.
75. 款儿 kuǎnr: 1. signature plus added comment (on scroll/etc.) 2. signature/inscription on a scroll/bronze/stone 3. item (of a list of statements) 4. well-made; satisfactory
    1. 傍大款儿: to date a rich guy; to be a gold-digger
76. 燕儿 yānr: swallow (species of bird)
77. 孩儿 háir: child
    1. 小孩儿: kid; child
    2. 男孩儿: boy
    3. 女孩儿: girl
78. 帮儿 bāngr: gang
79. 碗儿 wǎnr: bowl
80. 牌儿 páir: 1. card; tag; label 2. brand
    1. 大牌儿: big-shot celebrity
    2. 名牌儿:  1. famous brand 2. nameplate; name tag
    3. 耍大牌儿: act like a big-shot celebrity
81. 筋 jīnr: 1. tendon; sinew
    1. 抽筋儿: to get a cramp
    2. 橡皮筋儿: rubber band
82. 哥们儿 gēmenr: 1. buddy; mate; pal; good friend [for men] (synonym: 爷们儿 yémenr) 2. real man (synonym: 好汉 hǎohàn)
83. 爷们儿 yémenr: buddy; mate; pal; good friend [for men] (synonym: 爷们儿 gēmenr)
84. 公园儿 gōngyuánr: park
85. 背心儿 bèixīnr: sleeveless garment; vest; singlet
86. 媳妇儿 xífur: wife [colloquial] (synonym: 老婆 lǎopo)
87. 玩意儿 wányìr: thing 那是什么玩意儿？: what is that thing?
88. 手把儿 shǒubǎr: handle (synonym: 把儿 bǎr)
    1. 带把儿的: baby boy
89. 宝贝儿 bǎobèir: 1. baby 2. darling
90. 小曲儿 xiǎoqǔr: short song; ditty
91. 小调儿 xiǎodiàor: tune
92. 手绢儿 shǒujuànr: handkerchief (synonym: 手帕 shǒupà)
93. 伊妹儿 yīmèir: email (phonetic borrowing from English “email”)
94. 自个儿 zìgěr: oneself [colloquial] (synonym: 自己 zìjǐ)
95. 拉链儿 lāliànr: zipper
96. 皱纹儿 zhòuwénr: wrinkles
97. 钱包儿 qiánbāor: wallet; purse [colloquial]
98. 门槛儿 ménkǎnr: 1. doorstep 2. threshold
99. 纽扣儿 niǔkòur: button
100. 传单儿 chuándānr: leaflet
101. 一半儿 yībànr: half
     1. 一半儿一半儿的: half-half
102. 混混儿 hùnhùnr: 1. loafer; bum 2. rascal; scoundrel 3. to loaf about; to drift through life
103. 毛驴儿 máolǘr: donkey [colloquial] (synonym: 驴子 lǘzi)
104. 同辈儿 tóngbèir: a person of the same generation
105. 小盒儿 xiǎohér: small box / case
106. 灯泡儿 dēngpàor:1. light bulb 2. fifth wheel
107. 土豆儿 tǔdòur: potato
108. 模特儿 mótèr: (fashion) model
109. 模型儿 móxíngr: 1. model 2. pattern
110. 小菜儿 xiǎocàir: cold dish
111. 公子哥儿 gōngzǐgēr: 1. pampered son of a wealthy/influential family 2. playboy
112. 大年三十儿 dànián sānshír: New Year’s Eve
113. 白大褂儿 bái dàguàr: 1. white gown; doctor’s coat 2. doctor
114. 开春儿 kāichūnr: the coming of spring; beginning of spring
115. 打岔儿 dǎchàr: to interrupt; to cut in
116. 打饱嗝儿 dǎbǎogér: to belch (after eating)
117. 打盹儿 dǎdǔnr: to doze off
118. 出格儿 chūgér: 1. to misbehave 2. to be out of the ordinary (synonym: 出圈儿 chūquānr)
119. 嗝儿屁 gěrpì: to die
120. 盖帽儿 gàimàor: 1. to deflect a ball; a blocking shot 2. awesome
121. 有趣儿 yǒuqùr: interesting
122. 没准儿 méizhǔnr: not definite
123. 合群儿 héqúnr: get along well with others 咱们明天的爬山活动别叫他，他根本不合群儿。Let’s not ask him to go out with us tomorrow to go hiking, he’s totally unsociable.
124. 好好儿 hǎohāor: do sth well; carefully; earnestly
125. 压根儿 yàgēnr: totally; completely; simply [colloquial] (synonym: 根本 gēnběn)
126. 大伙儿 dàhuǒr: everyone
127. 八成儿 bāchéngr: 1. eighty percent 2. most likely; probably
128. 慢慢儿 mànmànr: slowly 慢慢儿来 take your time