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Desk and office words in Chinese (Mandarin)

Last updated July 7, 2026 · 6 min read

40 desk and office words

Phrases you can actually say

A word list gets you started, but a phrase is what you'll actually say out loud. Here are eight built from the table above:

• 我的电脑坏了。 Wǒ de diànnǎo huài le. — My computer is broken.
• 请把打印机打开。 Qǐng bǎ dǎyìnjī dǎkāi. — Please turn on the printer.
• 这支笔没有墨水了。 Zhè zhī bǐ méiyǒu mòshuǐ le. — This pen is out of ink.
• 文件都在这个文件夹里。 Wénjiàn dōu zài zhège wénjiànjiā lǐ. — All the documents are in this folder.
• 我在用耳机开会。 Wǒ zài yòng ěrjī kāihuì. — I'm using headphones for the meeting.
• 可以借我一把剪刀吗？ Kěyǐ jiè wǒ yì bǎ jiǎndāo ma? — Can I borrow a pair of scissors?
• 白板上写满了字。 Báibǎn shàng xiě mǎn le zì. — The whiteboard is full of writing.
• 我的水杯忘在桌上了。 Wǒ de shuǐbēi wàng zài zhuō shàng le. — I left my water cup on the desk.

Catch them instead of memorizing them

A list like this one is a starting point, not the finish line. The words that actually stay with you are the ones attached to something you own — not a printed page. Open CatchFrase, point your camera at the keyboard under your hands or the notebook by your elbow, and it names the object in Chinese: character, pinyin, and an example sentence, read aloud so you can hear it instead of guessing at it.

Every catch also becomes a sticker card in your own collection, and CatchFrase brings it back for a quick review right before you'd naturally forget it — the same spaced-repetition idea behind how to actually remember vocabulary, just applied to the actual objects on your desk instead of a deck someone else built.

Here's the honest math on the free tier: 10 catches a day means a 40-word desk list like this one takes about four days to fully catch, at roughly two minutes a session. Do it during the small dead moments of a workday — waiting on a page to load, between meetings — and it barely registers as studying.

Common questions

Is this list simplified or traditional characters?

Simplified — the characters used in mainland China. Every word is shown with the character and pinyin tone marks together.

Is this vocabulary useful for a real office in China?

Yes — these are everyday object names, not business jargon, so they hold up in a home office or a shared one. Workplace small talk and formal terms are a separate skill this list doesn't try to cover.

Is CatchFrase free to use for this?

The free tier includes 10 catches a day, a 75-card collection, and daily review — enough to work through a list like this one over a few days. CatchFrase Plus adds unlimited catches and deeper practice.