Quick answer. Primary 1 Chinese vocabulary grows through listening, speaking, recognising characters and using them in simple sentences. This parent-friendly list contains 200 distinct high-utility Chinese words and short expressions in ten everyday groups, with English meanings and practical activities. It is a teaching resource, not a claimed official MOE list or a requirement to memorise all 200 words at once.
For a child beginning Primary 1 in Singapore, start with what the child can understand and say before judging spelling or handwriting. MOE’s 2024 Primary Chinese Language syllabus was introduced starting with the 2024 Primary One cohort, and emphasises meaningful language use. Children starting P1 in 2026 fall within that rollout; classroom targets and prescribed characters should still be checked with the school.
What this guide covers:
- Exactly 200 different Chinese Language vocabulary entries in ten life-based topics
- Every entry translated into plain English
- Model sentences for oral, reading and writing practice
- A nine-step method and a four-week parent plan
- What the MOE syllabus does—and does not—say about memorising vocabulary
The full Primary 1 Chinese Language vocabulary list: 200 words and useful expressions
Go topic by topic. An entry may be a single word or an everyday expression. The English gloss explains a common meaning; the right meaning in a sentence depends on context. This is not an MOE-prescribed test list.
Greetings, questions and polite language (words 1–20)
- 你好 — hello
- 您好 — respectful hello
- 早上 — early morning
- 早安 — good morning
- 下午 — afternoon
- 晚上 — evening
- 晚安 — good night
- 再见 — goodbye
- 谢谢 — thank you
- 不客气 — you’re welcome
- 对不起 — sorry
- 没关系 — it’s all right
- 请 — please
- 请问 — excuse me; may I ask
- 可以 — may; can
- 不可以 — may not; cannot
- 好的 — all right
- 是 — to be; yes
- 不是 — is not
- 有 — to have
Try this: Use a greeting at breakfast and a polite question when asking for help.
Classroom, books and learning (words 21–40)
- 学校 — school
- 教室 — classroom
- 老师 — teacher
- 同学 — classmate
- 学生 — student
- 课本 — textbook
- 书包 — schoolbag
- 铅笔 — pencil
- 橡皮 — eraser
- 尺子 — ruler
- 纸 — paper
- 本子 — exercise book
- 桌子 — table; desk
- 椅子 — chair
- 黑板 — blackboard
- 白板 — whiteboard
- 书 — book
- 图画 — drawing; picture
- 作业 — homework
- 上课 — to attend class; class begins
Try this: Point to five real objects; ask the child to name each without looking at a translation.
Family and people (words 41–60)
- 爸爸 — dad
- 妈妈 — mum
- 哥哥 — older brother
- 姐姐 — older sister
- 弟弟 — younger brother
- 妹妹 — younger sister
- 爷爷 — paternal grandfather
- 奶奶 — paternal grandmother
- 外公 — maternal grandfather
- 外婆 — maternal grandmother
- 叔叔 — uncle; adult man
- 阿姨 — auntie
- 家庭 — family
- 家 — home
- 亲人 — relative; loved one
- 朋友 — friend
- 邻居 — neighbour
- 孩子 — child
- 宝宝 — baby
- 大家 — everyone
Try this: Build a simple family picture and let the child introduce people in full sentences.
Body, feelings and needs (words 61–80)
- 头 — head
- 眼睛 — eyes
- 耳朵 — ears
- 鼻子 — nose
- 嘴巴 — mouth
- 手 — hand
- 脚 — foot; leg in everyday speech
- 头发 — hair
- 牙齿 — teeth
- 脸 — face
- 开心 — happy
- 难过 — sad
- 害怕 — afraid
- 生气 — angry
- 累 — tired
- 饿 — hungry
- 渴 — thirsty
- 舒服 — comfortable
- 疼 — to hurt; painful
- 笑 — to smile; laugh
Try this: Ask ‘你怎么了？’ and practise answering with one feeling plus one reason.
Meals and everyday food (words 81–100)
- 水 — water
- 米饭 — cooked rice
- 面条 — noodles
- 面包 — bread
- 牛奶 — milk
- 鸡蛋 — egg
- 鱼 — fish
- 肉 — meat
- 鸡肉 — chicken meat
- 青菜 — leafy vegetables
- 水果 — fruit
- 苹果 — apple
- 香蕉 — banana
- 橙子 — orange
- 西瓜 — watermelon
- 汤 — soup
- 早餐 — breakfast
- 午餐 — lunch
- 晚餐 — dinner
- 好吃 — tasty
Try this: At dinner, ask for two foods and a complete sentence about what the child likes.
Colours, numbers, sizes and time (words 101–120)
- 红色 — red
- 蓝色 — blue
- 黄色 — yellow
- 绿色 — green
- 白色 — white
- 黑色 — black
- 大 — big
- 小 — small
- 多 — many; much
- 少 — few; little
- 一 — one
- 二 — two
- 三 — three
- 四 — four
- 五 — five
- 今天 — today
- 明天 — tomorrow
- 昨天 — yesterday
- 现在 — now
- 时间 — time
Try this: Sort real objects by colour and size rather than chanting the words in isolation.
Places, directions and transport (words 121–140)
- 公园 — park
- 操场 — school field; playground
- 图书馆 — library
- 食堂 — canteen
- 厕所 — toilet
- 商店 — shop
- 市场 — market
- 医院 — hospital
- 巴士 — bus
- 地铁 — MRT; metro
- 车站 — station
- 汽车 — car
- 自行车 — bicycle
- 马路 — road
- 天桥 — overhead bridge
- 路口 — junction
- 左边 — left side
- 右边 — right side
- 前面 — in front
- 后面 — behind
Try this: On a safe walk, name a landmark and describe whether it is left, right, ahead or behind.
Weather, animals and plants (words 141–160)
- 太阳 — sun
- 月亮 — moon
- 星星 — star
- 天空 — sky
- 云 — cloud
- 雨 — rain
- 风 — wind
- 树 — tree
- 花 — flower
- 草 — grass
- 小鸟 — little bird
- 小猫 — kitten; little cat
- 小狗 — puppy; little dog
- 蝴蝶 — butterfly
- 蚂蚁 — ant
- 热 — hot
- 冷 — cold
- 晴天 — sunny weather
- 雨天 — rainy day
- 彩虹 — rainbow
Try this: Observe the sky for one minute, then tell a two-sentence weather report.
Useful everyday actions (words 161–180)
- 看 — look; watch
- 听 — listen
- 说 — speak; say
- 读 — read
- 写 — write
- 画 — draw
- 走 — walk
- 跑 — run
- 跳 — jump
- 坐 — sit
- 站 — stand
- 吃 — eat
- 喝 — drink
- 玩 — play
- 睡觉 — sleep
- 洗手 — wash hands
- 帮忙 — help
- 打开 — open
- 关上 — close
- 等待 — wait
Try this: Act out verbs and ask the child to describe the action instead of merely pointing.
Questions, pronouns and linking ideas (words 181–200)
- 什么 — what
- 谁 — who
- 哪里 — where
- 为什么 — why
- 怎么 — how
- 几 — how many (small number)
- 多少 — how many; how much
- 哪个 — which one
- 这个 — this one
- 那个 — that one
- 我的 — my; mine
- 你的 — your; yours
- 他的 — his
- 她的 — hers
- 我们 — we; us
- 你们 — you (plural)
- 他们 — they (typically male or mixed group)
- 一起 — together
- 因为 — because
- 所以 — therefore; so
Try this: Practise the ‘为什么—因为’ exchange so the child learns to explain rather than only label.
Ten family practice scenes: one for every Primary 1 Chinese vocabulary group
A word enters a child’s usable language when it fits a situation, not just a test answer. Each scene below gives parents an example of what to say, what to observe and how to extend the idea into a real exchange. These suggestions can be adapted to the learner’s pace and the words their school is using now.
1. A greeting should open an actual conversation
At breakfast, greet your child with 早安 and invite a reply. Then deliberately change the person: when asking a teacher or an older neighbour for help, a respectful form such as 您好 or 请问 may be appropriate. A greeting is more useful when a child knows what to say next. Ask one ordinary question about the day and show how to listen for the answer. Compare 谢谢 with 不客气, which responds to gratitude, and 对不起 with 没关系, which can respond to an apology. These are not interchangeable. Act out a short scene, swap roles and ask which expression would fit. A child who correctly chooses the expression for the situation has learned more than someone who can simply recite the four translations. Avoid making unfamiliar adults the child’s practice audience; use trusted family members and safe pretend situations first.
2. Classroom words must work as instructions too
Lay out a book, exercise book, ruler, pencil and schoolbag. Let your child point to an object when you name it, then reverse the task and ask the child to give it a name. Move from labels to practical instructions: 把铅笔放在桌子上 means put the pencil on the table, while 把书放进书包 asks for a different action. The words may be familiar, but the location and verb determine what must happen. Read a simple line containing 课本 or 作业 and ask what the student should do. Be careful not to equate 书, 本子 and 课本: they can all relate to school materials but mean different things. When the child follows two distinct instructions correctly, the words have begun to connect with comprehension rather than isolated object naming.
3. Family vocabulary carries real relationships
Family words have cultural and relational detail. In Mandarin, 爷爷 and 外公 distinguish different grandparent relationships, while 奶奶 and 外婆 make a parallel distinction. Do not treat them as four arbitrary characters to memorise; connect each to familiar people when those relatives are part of the child’s life. Not every child lives in the same household arrangement, and no child should feel tested on a family structure that is not theirs. Use drawings, photographs with permission or fictional characters to make a safe family map. A child might say 这是我的姐姐 and then add 她喜欢画画. Once the learner can introduce someone, ask a natural follow-up such as what the person enjoys. That simple exchange links a person word, a pronoun and an action, laying groundwork for longer reading passages.
4. Feelings words let children ask for help
Point to a facial expression and ask whether the person seems 开心, 难过 or 害怕. Give a second clue—what just happened in the story—and ask if the original choice still fits. This teaches children not to judge emotions from an image alone. Next, practise needs that a Primary 1 child may genuinely need to express: 我饿了, 我渴了, 我累了. Add an appropriate request, perhaps 我想喝水. The difference between feeling and action matters. When a child says 疼, adults should first respond to the child’s wellbeing, not turn the moment into a quiz. During planned practice, use pretend stories instead. At the end, ask the child to describe a time a fictional character felt worried and what a caring friend could do. Language becomes a way to communicate and show empathy.
5. Food words belong to preferences and requests
A menu or dinner table offers naturally repeated vocabulary. Ask the child to choose between 米饭 and 面条, or identify one fruit from a small set. Then move beyond naming: 我喜欢苹果 and 苹果很好吃 express a preference and a description. Some children know the object but cannot politely ask for it; model 请给我一点水 or a similarly simple, natural request. Use food words to practise listening for categories: 水果 is a category, while 苹果 and 香蕉 are examples. Ask the learner to find a new example at a market or in a picture book. Respect food allergies and different family diets. The lesson is not to insist that a child eat a particular food; it is to help them communicate what they see, need, prefer and understand using language relevant to real life.
6. Time and number words organise information
Place five pencils on a table, then ask how many there are. Change the amount and ask again, using 一, 二, 三, 四 and 五 in meaningful counting instead of a song alone. Next, introduce 今天, 明天 and 昨天 with true events: yesterday we went to the library; today we are at home; tomorrow we might visit grandparents. Encourage the child to use a complete sentence with one of these time words. If they say 明天 for an event that has already happened, guide them with a simple timeline rather than a negative mark. Colours and sizes can become a sorting game, but ask the child to explain the rule: these three objects are 红色, those two are 小. The bigger learning goal is to see how a word changes the information carried by a sentence.
7. Direction words can support safe navigation
Use a drawing of a familiar neighbourhood, not an unsupervised real journey, to practise 左边, 右边, 前面 and 后面. Put a picture of a 图书馆 on one side of a road and a 公园 on the other, then ask where each place is. Turn the map around and notice that left and right depend on the viewer’s position. The child might recognise the words but fail to apply them after changing perspective; this is a valuable problem to discover. Talk about common public places such as the market, canteen, MRT and bus stop, but do not assume every child has visited each one. Read a short fictional direction and let the child trace it with a finger. On a family outing, an adult still handles road-safety decisions, while the child practises the language safely.
8. Nature words can become careful observation
On a sunny afternoon, ask the child what is visible: 太阳, 天空, 云, 树 and 花 may all appear together. On a rainy day, return to the same view and ask what changed. Weather language becomes more accurate when the child reports what is actually seen rather than repeating a fixed sentence. For animals, distinguish a type of creature from its setting: 小鸟 can be on a tree, and 蚂蚁 may be on the ground. After listening to a short description, ask whether the child can point to the right picture. Then try a new sentence using two familiar nouns and one verb, such as 小鸟在树上. Drawing a scene and describing it orally often reveals whether the child understands positions and relationships, not only the labels. Curiosity matters more than an elaborate written answer.
9. Action verbs become useful when paired with objects
Make two columns: action and object. The child might match 读 with 书, 写 with 本子, 画 with 图画 or 喝 with 水. Read these combinations aloud and ask which ones sound natural. Some words can take different objects, while others may need a suitable phrase rather than a single direct pairing. Add one location or time, such as 我今天在教室里读书. If the child can act out 打开 and 关上, ask them to describe the difference in words. Verbs help a young learner move from naming the world to explaining events. Do not equate speed with understanding: a child who answers slowly but correctly in a novel sentence may be demonstrating a more useful skill than one who rushes through memorised flashcards.
10. Questions and connectors create real conversation
A child may know 哪里 and 什么 but never get to ask a real question. Create a harmless mystery with a picture: one object is missing, a character is late or a pet has moved. Ask 什么不见了, 谁拿了它 or 它在哪里, adjusting complexity to the learner. Then model one reason using 因为 and a conclusion using 所以. Children sometimes repeat 因为 and 所以 without a logical relationship; ask whether the second half actually follows from the first. Pronouns also deserve attention: 他 and 她 sound the same in Mandarin but differ in the written language. Read short sentences with clear referents and ask who each pronoun means. These small conversations create the foundation for later comprehension, where readers must link several sentences to a shared meaning.
What the MOE curriculum tells parents—and what it does not
The Singapore MOE Chinese Language syllabus is a curriculum document. It explains learning aims, language use, communication and progression; it is not the same thing as one fixed public internet list of 200 English-to-Chinese translations. A classroom textbook chooses particular characters and passages, while the teacher knows which written forms a class has already studied. This guide provides practice material parents can select from, not a declaration that every P1 pupil must write every expression listed here. When you are uncertain, ask the teacher three concrete questions: which words should my child recognise when reading; which should they write accurately; and what listening or oral skill is being taught now? These answers prevent homework from becoming an endless spelling test. Use extra words to support comprehension and enjoyment, while preserving time to read school materials carefully.
How a ten-minute lesson might actually sound
Begin with a real object, perhaps a cup of water. Say 水 and ask the child to choose the matching picture. Follow with 我想喝水 and invite the child to complete the sentence. Show the written word 水 in a short line of print, then ask the learner to find it again in a second line. After a few minutes, close the list and ask what the child would say if they were thirsty. If they answer with 水, acknowledge the correct meaning and gently model a full request. Tomorrow, revisit the same word in a story rather than presenting it as a surprise test. This routine connects listening, expression, print recognition and retrieval. It also lets the parent see exactly what has become more independent. The aim is a calm habit that can grow with the child.
Why a word can be understood without being writable
Chinese character recognition and character writing are related but not identical. A child may recognise 老师 in a classroom label, understand it when spoken, and still struggle to write the characters from memory. That does not erase the first two achievements. If a written target is prescribed by the school, practise the relevant character structure and correct it carefully. If the purpose of the exercise is oral communication, do not change it into a handwriting exam. A practical parent record can have separate columns for heard, spoken, read and written. Such a record gives a teacher something concrete to respond to and helps the parent avoid the assumption that one spelling error proves the child cannot understand Chinese. The next skill should be taught deliberately rather than guessed.
How to keep the material appropriate for a Primary 1 learner
A six- or seven-year-old may arrive with very different home-language experiences. One child converses freely with grandparents but barely reads characters; another recognises common labels but is reluctant to speak aloud. Begin from the demonstrated starting position. Use short stories, play, everyday choices and enough repetition for familiarity. Stop if the session has become mainly argument or anxiety, because the child then has little room to experiment with language. A word list should make the next useful word easy to find, not imply an unmanageable burden. Over time, broaden from family and school to community, nature and cultural conversations. The measure of progress is a child who can understand and express more, not a spreadsheet showing that every item was ticked in a single month.
Eight short model sentences with meanings
Read each aloud naturally. Ask the child to explain who is doing what; then swap one word to create a new, truthful sentence. These are original example sentences, not extracted from a school workbook.
- 你好！我是小明。
Hello! I am Xiao Ming.
- 我今天带了书包。
I brought my schoolbag today.
- 请问，图书馆在哪里？
Excuse me, where is the library?
- 妹妹在公园里看小鸟。
My younger sister is watching little birds in the park.
- 我渴了，想喝水。
I am thirsty and want to drink water.
- 老师说：“请把本子放在桌子上。”
The teacher says, ‘Please put the exercise book on the table.’
- 因为下雨，所以我们在教室里读书。
Because it is raining, we are reading in the classroom.
- 我和朋友一起洗手。
My friend and I wash our hands together.
What it means to know a vocabulary word
Hanyu Pinyin helps a learner connect pronunciation with familiar speech, but it is not a substitute for recognising characters in context. Introduce a word aloud, show the character, model a natural sentence, and come back to it after a few days. Even a child who can recite a word may need support distinguishing its meaning in a story.
Vocabulary learning is not one task. It usually involves at least four connected abilities: understanding a spoken word, speaking it for a real purpose, reading it in a context and, when appropriate, writing it accurately. A child can succeed at one and still need practice at another. Ask which link is weak before adding a thick new workbook.
Do not test all 200 words every evening. First use a few in pleasant conversations. Then mix older and newer words, revisit them later and occasionally check whether the child recognises them in a different sentence. That is the point when a memorised item starts becoming flexible knowledge.
A quick starting-point check for parents
Choose ten words from one section. Avoid giving hints or showing English meanings on the first attempt. Observe what the learner actually does and record strengths without turning the exercise into a performance.
- Can the child understand 8 of 10 words when you speak them without pointing?
- Can the child say 5 words clearly enough to be understood in context?
- Can the child recognise 5 of the printed expressions in short familiar sentences?
- Can the child make 2 original sentences, not just repeat your model?
Use the answers to select the next lesson. If comprehension is strong but reading is weak, spend time matching print to meaning. If reading is strong but speaking is hesitant, practise gentle question-and-answer exchanges. If the child cannot yet understand the spoken word, begin with listening and a concrete example rather than demanding written spelling.
A nine-step method: from first encounter to confident use
1. Choose words that solve a real problem
Select five or six entries that fit the child’s school day, home routine or current picture book. Use a word to ask for an object, name a feeling or explain an event. A goal such as ‘ask for help politely’ is more meaningful than ‘finish twenty new words’. Start with demonstrated understanding; move ahead only when the learner can use a few words without a prompt.
2. Let the child hear a natural model
Speak each word inside a complete, age-appropriate sentence, at a normal pace, then repeat once more slowly if needed. Point to an actual object, a picture or an action to establish meaning. Invite the child to listen for the word a second time. A spoken example provides the rhythm and context a printed list cannot provide by itself.
3. Invite an answer, not just an echo
Ask a genuine question with more than one possible answer. If the learner answers in a single word, respond kindly and model one complete sentence. The aim is to communicate rather than recite. Give time for thinking and let the child answer a follow-up question in their own way. Repeating a model is only the first rung of the ladder.
4. Connect the spoken word to print
Show the word only after the child has an idea of what it means. Point to it in a short sentence and ask the child to find it again elsewhere. Notice the sounds, letters or characters appropriate to this language, but do not turn the whole session into a copying drill. Reading should lead to meaning, not stop at pronunciation.
5. Make a tiny memory connection
Ask the child to connect the word to a place, person, feeling or event they know. A familiar lunchbox, bus stop or bedtime routine gives the word a useful retrieval cue. Two truthful personal examples are often better than ten unrelated memorised sentences. Avoid attaching frightening examples when a simple safe one will do.
6. Contrast words that could be confused
Present a pair such as big/small, today/tomorrow or happy/sad and ask the child to sort real situations. Teach the difference with a short example. If two words have overlapping English translations, ask which one fits this particular sentence. That is the start of precise language use rather than mechanical matching.
7. Read and discuss a miniature story
Write or tell a four- to six-sentence story using a handful of familiar entries. Ask what happened first, what changed and why someone acted. Let the child find two words in the story and paraphrase the main idea. Story comprehension gives vocabulary a purpose; it also shows whether the learner can follow meaning across sentences.
8. Retrieve without immediately showing the answer
After a short break, ask for a word by describing a situation rather than showing its English translation. If the learner hesitates, provide a small cue; if they still cannot recall it, model the answer and try again another day. Returning to a word is not failure. It is part of building durable access to language.
9. Transfer the word into tomorrow’s life
The next day, ask the child to use two or three entries during a real routine: thanking someone, giving directions, describing the weather or explaining a choice. Change the setting from the original list. A word is far more useful when a learner can recognise it in a new story and speak it without waiting for a test.
Five things to notice when practice is not working
Parents often see a child who can repeat a word correctly on Monday but fails to use it on Thursday. That does not automatically mean the child has forgotten everything or is not working hard. The practice may have checked one narrow skill and assumed the others would follow.
- Distinguish hearing a Chinese word from recognising its written characters. A child can understand 妈妈 when spoken but fail to spot 妈 in an unfamiliar line of print. Work on the missing connection rather than restarting every lesson.
- Teach tone and Hanyu Pinyin gently, using the school’s method. If an early reader sees only pinyin, cover it after pronunciation practice and ask the learner to recognise one or two characters in a real sentence.
- Keep handwriting proportionate to the child’s stage. Character structure and correct stroke awareness matter, but copying twenty characters without understanding is not the same as building vocabulary.
- Use familiar Singapore situations: asking where the canteen is, greeting grandparents or naming something seen at a neighbourhood park. The child should see that Chinese is useful beyond the textbook.
- When a child answers with one word, model the next step without scolding: ‘公园’ can become ‘我去公园’, and later ‘我和爸爸去公园’. This is a natural ladder from labels to sentences.
If frustration rises, reduce the number of new words, return to a simple successful exchange and tell the teacher what specific behaviour you observed. The helpful report is ‘can read the word but cannot explain it in a sentence’, not simply ‘weak in Mother Tongue’.
Four-week home plan for busy families
Use ten calm minutes on most school days. This plan is a flexible model, not a school timetable. Children who are not ready for written work can spend more time talking and listening; children who are ready may write one or two short original sentences. One missed day is not a reason for a catch-up marathon.
- Week 1. Choose 20 words from greetings, family and school. Practise listening and speaking first; use five as labels on real objects.
- Week 2. Add 20 words from food and actions. Ask simple ‘什么’ and ‘哪里’ questions about real activities.
- Week 3. Revisit the first 40 words without showing the list; read a six-sentence original home story and find familiar characters.
- Week 4. Let the child tell a short experience from beginning to end using five familiar words. Record which words still need a model and plan the next group.
A simple weekly check: Ask for five words aloud, find five in print, use two in sentences and notice one word the child can now use outside the exercise. Keep the record short: known; needs a clue; not yet known. Rotate through all ten groups over time rather than treating this first month as a race through 200 items.
Frequently asked questions
Is this the official MOE Primary 1 Chinese word list?
No. It is an original, practical set of 200 entries for vocabulary teaching. MOE curricula and schools determine what is prescribed for a particular class.
Should a Primary 1 child memorise all 200?
No. Start with a small familiar set; practise recall, understanding and use. Revisit words rather than rushing to finish the page.
Does Hanyu Pinyin count as reading Chinese?
Pinyin supports sound mapping. Children also need to recognise written Chinese characters and interpret sentences.
How do I help a child who speaks Chinese but cannot read it?
Use short texts with familiar spoken vocabulary; match sound to print, notice characters and ask simple meaning questions.
What if my child cannot speak Chinese at home?
Start with shared listening, clear audio from a trusted source and short repeated exchanges. You do not have to lecture the child in Chinese.
Should we start PSLE composition vocabulary in P1?
Build usable, age-appropriate vocabulary and oral confidence first. PSLE tasks belong to later primary years.
How much daily practice is enough?
A manageable ten-minute routine done regularly is often more productive than an occasional long copying session.
Continue within the primary Mother Tongue series: Primary 2 Chinese vocabulary and sentence building; Primary 1 Malay vocabulary; and Primary 1 Tamil vocabulary.
Official syllabus and further reading
Read the Singapore MOE 2024 Chinese Language primary syllabus (PDF) for national curriculum aims and the relevant implementation guidance. For the complete primary-language overview, see eduKate’s guide to Primary Mother Tongue Chinese, Malay and Tamil. To explore vocabulary development beyond a word list, visit the eduKate Vocabulary Learning Hub and How the Brain Builds Vocabulary. Exam formats for older pupils are published separately by SEAB for the 2026 PSLE; they are not Primary 1 memorisation targets.
Parent takeaway: Choose the next five useful words only after you know the child’s starting point. Build understanding and confidence first; add complexity when those foundations are secure.