核心 (hé xīn) — core; nucleus in Mandarin
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#1092 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR C1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
核心 is pronounced hé xīn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Tuánduì hézoù de héxīn shì xiānghù xìnrèn.
The core of teamwork is mutual trust.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 核心 mean?+
核心 (hé xīn) means "core; nucleus" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 核心?+
核心 is pronounced hé xīn. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 核心 in Mandarin?+
核心 is the #1092 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 核心 fits
Every HSK 5 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
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What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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