- 故事gù shistory; taleHSK 3
- 传zhuànbiography; historical narrativeHSK 7-9
- 文wénwritten language; writing; script; culture; literary tradition; literature; literary worksHSK 7-9
- 作家zuò jiāauthorHSK 4
- 小说xiǎo shuōnovel; fictionHSK 4
- 诗shīpoem; poetry; verseHSK 5
- 经典jīng diǎn(noun) the classics; classic works of literature, art, or religion; (adjective) classic; typical; representing the highest standardHSK 5
- 悲剧bēi jùtragedy (a disastrous event or a play with a sad ending)HSK 6
- 情节qíng jiéplot, storyline (of a story, film, etc.); circumstances, details (of an event, accident, or case)HSK 6
- 论lún(bound form) used in 论语 (Lúnyǔ, the Analects of Confucius)HSK 7-9
- 虚构xū gòuto fabricate, to make up (a story, a character, etc.), to fictionalizeHSK 7-9
- 童话tóng huàfairy tale; children's storyHSK 6
- 诗人shī rénpoetHSK 5
- 文学wén xuéliteratureHSK 5
- 莎士比亚Shā shì bǐ yàShakespeareHSK 7-9
- 典diǎn(noun) canon, classic, standard; (noun) ceremony; (verb) to mortgage, to pawnHSK 7-9
- 改编gǎi biānto adapt (a literary work, script, etc.)HSK 6
- 诗歌shī gēpoetry; poemHSK 6
- 科幻kē huànscience fiction (abbreviation for 科学幻想)HSK 6
- 谭tánsurname Tan; (literary) tale; story (e.g. 天方夜谭)HSK 7-9
- 下集xià jínext episode; sequel; subsequent volume (of a book or series)HSK 7-9
- 佳人jiā rénbeautiful woman (literary); a lady of great beauty (in classical poetry or formal prose)HSK 7-9
- 尾声wěi shēng(music) coda; concluding passage; (literature) epilogue; closing chapter; (figurative) final stage; end (of an event or period)HSK 7-9
- 自传zì zhuànautobiographyHSK 7-9
- 押韵yá yùn(adjective) rhyming, having a rhymeHSK 7-9
- 吟yínto chant, to recite (poetry); to hum, to sing softly; (noun) a poem, a chant, a song (especially in literary contexts)HSK 7-9
- 主人公zhǔ rén gōngprotagonist, main character (of a novel, film, play, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 题材tí cáisubject matter; theme (of a literary or artistic work)HSK 6
- 名言míng yánfamous saying; well-known remark (often from a notable person)HSK 7-9
- 大侠dà xiáchivalrous hero; knight-errant (in wuxia fiction); (term of address, respectful) hero; masterHSK 7-9
- 小说家xiǎo shuō jiānovelistHSK 7-9
- 着作zhù zuòliterary work, scholarly work, writingsHSK 7-9
- 著作zhù zuòliterary work, writing(s), bookHSK 6
- 动漫dòng mànanime and manga (as a combined cultural concept); animation and comicsHSK 6
- 剧作家jù zuò jiāplaywright, dramatistHSK 7-9
- 风骚fēng sāo(noun) literary excellence / poetic grace (referring to the 国风 and 离骚 tradition); (noun) coquetry / flirtatiousness (often derogatory)HSK 7-9
- 传记zhuàn jìbiographyHSK 7-9
- 大团圆dàhappy ending; reunion (of all parties involved, esp. in literature or family gatherings)HSK 7-9
- 抒情shū qíngto express emotion; to give lyrical expression to one's feelingsHSK 7-9
- 史诗shǐ shīepic (a long narrative poem or comparable work in literature, film, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 诗意shī yìpoetic flavor, poetic sentiment; a romantic or aesthetically beautiful qualityHSK 7-9
- 罗宾汉Luó bīn hànRobin HoodHSK 7-9
- 俳pái(bound form) haiku (as in 俳句); (bound form) comic, comical (as in 俳谐)HSK 7-9
- 续集xù jísequel; continuation (of a book, movie, etc.)HSK 7-9
- 大雅dà yǎ(noun) refined elegance; good taste; sophistication; (noun) the 'Greater Odes' section of the Book of Songs (诗经)HSK 7-9
- 轶事yì shìanecdote (variant of 逸事)HSK 7-9
- 外传wài chuánunofficial biography; supplement to official biographiesHSK 7-9
- 名着míng zhùmasterpieceHSK 7-9
- 连环画lián huán huàpicture-story book (a traditional Chinese comic book format)HSK 7-9
- 却说què shuì(fixed expression) meanwhile; let's resume our story (narrative transition device in traditional fiction)HSK 7-9
- 韵律yùn lǜrhythm (in poetry, music, or speech); prosody; rules of rhyming and meter; rhyme scheme; metrical patternHSK 7-9
- 颂sòng(bound form) to praise; to extol; (bound form) a eulogy; an ode; a song of praiseHSK 7-9
- 巴金Bā JīnBa Jin (pen name of Li Feigan, 1904–2005, influential Chinese novelist and essayist)HSK 7-9
- 散文sǎn wénprose (as opposed to poetry); essay (a literary composition)HSK 6
- 韵yùnrhyme (in poetry or verse); charm, appeal, grace (in art, music, or demeanor); final (in phonetics / phonology)HSK 7-9
- 原着yuán zhùoriginal work (as opposed to a translation, adaptation, or abridgment)HSK 7-9
- 新作xīn zuōnew work (a newly created artistic or literary piece)HSK 7-9
- 笔名bǐ míngpen name; pseudonymHSK 7-9
- 诗集shī jípoetry collectionHSK 7-9
- 浪漫主义làng màn zhǔ yìromanticism (18th–19th century artistic and literary movement); (by extension) romantic idealism or a romanticist styleHSK 7-9