| 小说 | xiǎo shuō | novel / fiction / CL:本[ben3],部[bu4] |   |
| 新鲜 | xīn xiān | fresh (experience, food etc) / freshness / novel / uncommon | |
| 武侠小说 | wǔ xiá xiǎo shuō | a martial arts (wuxia) novel | |
| 新奇 | xīn qí | novel / new / exotic | |
| 长篇小说 | cháng piān xiǎo shuō | novel | |
| 人物 | rén wù | person / character (in a play, novel etc) / protagonist / CL:個|个[ge4] | |
| 角色 | jué sè | role / character in a novel / persona / also pr. [jiao3 se4] | |
| 言情小说 | yán qíng xiǎo shuō | romance novel / romantic fiction | |
| 主人公 | zhǔ rén gōng | hero (of a novel or film) / main protagonist | |
| 悟空 | Wù Kōng | Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers from the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 You2 Ji4] | |
| 新锐 | xīn ruì | cutting-edge (in technology, science, fashion, the arts etc) / novel and competitive / new and dashing | |
| 神雕侠侣 | Shén diāo xiá lu:3 | The Return of the Condor Heroes (classic wuxia martial arts TV films of 1998 and 2006 based on novel by Jinyong 金庸) | |
| 正传 | zhèng zhuàn | main subject of long novel / true biography | |
| 娜娜 | Nà nà | Nana (name) / Nana (1880 novel by Émile Zola) / Nana (Japanese manga series) | |
| 演义 | yǎn yì | to dramatize historical events / novel or play on historical theme | |
| 天龙八部 | Tiān lóng Bā Bù | Demigods and Semidevils, wuxia novel by Jin Yong 金庸[Jin1 Yong1] and its TV and screen adaptations | |
| 封神榜 | Fēng shén Bǎng | Investiture of the Gods, major Ming dynasty vernacular novel of mythology and fantasy, very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou's 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] overthrow of the Shang, subsequent material for opera, film, TV series, computer games etc | |
| 科幻小说 | kē huàn xiǎo shuō | science fiction novel | |
| 主人翁 | zhǔ rén wēng | master (of the house) / main character in a novel etc / hero or heroine | |
| 潘金莲 | Pān Jīn lián | Pan Jinlian (name lit. Golden Lotus), heroine of Ming dynasty vernacular novel Jinpingmei or the Golden Lotus 金瓶梅 | |
| 宋江 | Sòng Jiāng | Song Jiang, a principal hero of the novel Water Margin 水滸傳|水浒传 | |
| 卡门 | Kǎ mén | Carmen (name) / Carmen, 1875 opera by Georges Bizet 比才 / based on novel by Prosper Mérimée 梅里美[Mei2 li3 mei3] | |
| 金瓶梅 | Jīn píng méi | Jinpingmei or the Golden Lotus (1617), Ming dynasty vernacular novel, formerly notorious and banned for its sexual content | |
| 色情小说 | sè qíng xiǎo shuō | pornographic novel / dirty book | |
| 齐天大圣 | Qí tiān Dà shèng | Great Sage the Equal of Heaven, self-proclaimed title of the Monkey King Sun Wukong 孫悟空|孙悟空[Sun1 Wu4 kong1] in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4] | |
| 女主人公 | nu:3 zhǔ rén gōng | heroine (of a novel or film) / main female protagonist | |
| 李逵 | Lǐ Kuí | Li Kui, character in the novel Water Margin 水滸全傳|水浒全传[Shui3 hu3 quan2 zhuan4] | |
| 白骨精 | bái gǔ jīng | White Bone Spirit (in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4]) / (fig.) sly and cunning person | |
| 大闹天宫 | Dà nào Tiān gōng | Monkey Wreaks Havoc in Heaven, story about the Monkey King Sun Wukong 孫悟空|孙悟空[Sun1 Wu4 kong1] from the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记 | |
| 金箍棒 | jīn gū bàng | golden cudgel, weapon wielded by Sun Wukong in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4] | |
| 封神演义 | Fēng shén Yǎn yì | Investiture of the Gods, major Ming dynasty vernacular novel of mythology and fantasy, very loosely based on King Wu of Zhou's 周武王[Zhou1 Wu3 wang2] overthrow of the Shang, subsequent material for opera, film, TV series, computer games etc | |
| 狼图腾 | Láng Tú téng | Wolf Totem, novel by Lü / Jiamin 呂嘉民|吕嘉民[Lu:3 Jia1 min2] aka Jiang Rong 姜戎[Jiang1 Rong2] | |
| 春蚕 | Chūn cán | Silkworms in Spring (1933), Chinese silent movie in socialist realist style, based on novel by Mao Dun 茅盾[Mao2 Dun4] | |
| 吴承恩 | Wú Chéng ēn | Wu Cheng'en (1500-1582), author (or compiler) of novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记 | |
| 丁玲 | Dīng Líng | Ding Ling (1904-1986), female novelist, author of novel The Sun Shines over the Sanggan River 太陽照在桑乾河上|太阳照在桑干河上, attacked during the 1950s as anti-Party | |
| 白鲸 | bái jīng | white whale / beluga / Moby Dick, novel by Herman Melville 赫曼·麥爾維爾|赫曼·麦尔维尔[He4 man4 · / Mai4 er3 wei2 er3] | |
| 花头 | huā tou | trick / pattern / novel idea / knack | |
| 阿来 | A1 lái | Alai (1959-), ethnic Tibetan Chinese writer, awarded Mao Dun Literature Prize in 2000 for his novel 塵埃落定|尘埃落定[Chen2 ai1 luo4 ding4] "Red Poppies" | |
| 狄仁杰 | Dí Rén jié | Di Renjie (607-700), Tang dynasty politician, prime minister under Wu Zetian, subsequently hero of legends / master sleuth Judge Dee, aka Chinese Sherlock Holmes, in novel Three murder cases solved by Judge Dee 狄公案[Di2 gong1 an4] translated by Dutch sinologist R.H. van Gulik 高羅珮|高罗佩[Gao1 Luo2 pei4] | |
| 开荤 | kāi hūn | to eat meat after having maintained a vegetarian diet / (fig.) to do sth as a novel experience | |
| 倒叙 | dào xù | to flash back / flashback (in a novel, movie etc) | |
| 孙行者 | Sūn xíng zhě | Sun Wukong 孫悟空|孙悟空[Sun1 Wu4 kong1], the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4] | |
| 苦菜花 | Kǔ Cài huā | Bitter Cauliflower, 1954 socialist realist novel by Feng Deying 馮德英|冯德英[Feng2 De2 ying1] loosely based on Maxim Gorky's Mother, made into a 1967 film by Li Ang | |
| 魏巍 | Wèi Wēi | Wei Wei (1920-2008), novelist and poet, author of award-winning novel The East 東方|东方 / about the Korean war | |
| 章回小说 | zhāng huí xiǎo shuō | novel in chapters, main format for long novels from the Ming onwards, with each chapter headed by a summary couplet | |
| 肉蒲团 | Ròu Pú tuán | The Carnal Prayer Mat, Chinese erotic novel from 17th century, usually attributed to Li Yu 李漁|李渔[Li3 Yu3] | |
| 姚雪垠 | Yáo Xuě yín | Yao Xueyin (1910-1999), PRC novelist, author of historical novel Li Zicheng 李自成 | |
| 曹操 | Cáo Cāo | Cao Cao (155-220), famous statesman and general at the end of Han, noted poet and calligrapher, later warlord, founder and first king of Cao Wei 曹魏, father of Emperor Cao Pi 曹丕 / the main villain of novel the Romance of Three Kingdoms 三國演義|三国演义 | |
| 猴王 | Hóu wáng | Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4] | |
| 彼得潘 | Bǐ dé Pān | Peter Pan, the novel character | |
| 德古拉 | Dé gǔ lā | Dracula, novel by Bram Stoker / Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (1431-1476), nicknamed Vlad the Impaler or Dracula | |
| 孙悟空 | Sūn Wù kōng | Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, character with supernatural powers in the novel Journey to the West 西遊記|西游记[Xi1 you2 Ji4] / Son Goku, the main character in Dragon Ball 七龍珠|七龙珠[Qi1 long2 zhu1] | |
| 西游记 | Xī yóu Jì | Journey to the West, Ming dynasty novel by Wu Cheng'en 吳承恩|吴承恩, one of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature / also called Pilgrimage to the West or Monkey | |
| 骆驼祥子 | Luò tuo Xiáng zi | Camel Xiangzi, novel by Lao She 老舍[Lao3 She3] | |
| 武松 | Wǔ Sōng | Wu Song, a heroic outlaw of Liangshan Marsh in the classic novel Water Margin 水滸傳|水浒传[Shui3 hu3 Zhuan4], whose exploits include killing a tiger with his bare hands | |
| 儒林外史 | Rú lín Wài shǐ | The Scholars, Qing dynasty novel by Wu Jingzi 吳敬梓|吴敬梓[Wu2 Jing4 zi3], an extended satire on the Imperial Examination system | |
| 三侠五义 | Sān xiá wǔ yì | Sanxia wuyi (lit. Three knight-errants and five righteous one), novel edited from stories of late Qing dynasty pinghua 評話|评话 / master storyteller Shi Yukun 石玉昆 | |
| 中国小说史略 | Zhōng guó Xiǎo shuō Shǐ lu:è | Concise History of the Chinese Novel by Lu Xun 魯迅|鲁迅[Lu3 Xun4] | |
| 九尾龟 | jiǔ wěi guī | nine-tailed turtle of mythology / The Nine-tailed Turtle, novel by late Qing novelist Zhang Chunfan 張春帆|张春帆 | |
| 二十年目睹之怪现状 | Er4 shí Nián Mù dǔ zhī Guài Xiàn zhuàng | The Strange State of the World Witnessed Over 20 Years, novel by late Qing novelist Wu Jianren 吳趼人|吴趼人[Wu2 Jian3 ren2] | |
| 倚天屠龙记 | Yǐ tiān Tú lóng Jì | Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, wuxia (武俠|武侠[wu3 xia2], martial arts chivalry) novel by Jin Yong 金庸[Jin1 Yong1] and its screen adaptations | |
| 傲慢与偏见 | Aò màn yǔ piān jiàn | Pride and Prejudice, novel by Jane Austen 珍·奧斯汀|珍·奥斯汀[Zhen1 · / Ao4 si1 ting1] | |
| 儿女英雄传 | Er2 nu:3 Yīng xióng Zhuàn | The Gallant Maid, novel by Manchu-born Qing dynasty writer 文康[Wen2 Kang1] | |
| 动物庄园 | Dòng wù Zhuāng yuán | Animal Farm (1945), novel and famous satire on communist revolution by George Orwell 喬治·奧威爾|乔治·奥威尔[Qiao2 zhi4 · / Ao4 wei1 er3] / also translated 動物農場|动物农场[Dong4 wu4 Nong2 chang3] | |
| 动物农场 | Dòng wù Nóng chǎng | Animal Farm (1945), novel and famous satire on communist revolution by George Orwell 喬治·奧威爾|乔治·奥威尔[Qiao2 zhi4 · / Ao4 wei1 er3] | |
| 史传小说 | shǐ zhuàn xiǎo shuō | historical novel | |
| 在桥梁工地上 | zài qiáo liáng gōng dì shàng | At the bridge building site, 1956 novel by Liu Binyan 劉賓雁|刘宾雁 | |
| 堂·吉河德 | | Don Quixote (hero of novel by Cervantes) | |
| 夏敬渠 | Xià Jìng qú | Xia Jingqu (1705-1787), Qing novelist, author of monumental novel 野叟曝言[Ye3 sou3 Pu4 yan2] Humble Words of a Rustic Elder | |
| 大唐狄公案 | Dà Táng Dí Gōng àn | Three Murder Cases Solved by Judge Dee, 1949 novel by R.H. van Gulik, featuring Tang Dynasty politician Di Renjie 狄仁傑|狄仁杰[Di2 Ren2 jie2] as master sleuth | |
| 天路历程 | Tiān lù Lì chéng | Pilgrim's Progress, 1678 novel by John Bunyan (first Chinese translation 1851) | |
| 太阳照在桑干河上 | Tài yáng Zhào Zài Sāng gān Hé Shàng | The Sun Shines over the Sanggan River, proletarian novel by Ding Ling, winner of 1951 Stalin prize | |
| 好兵帅克 | Hǎo bīng Shuài kè | The Good Soldier Švejk (Schweik), satirical novel by Czech author Jaroslav Hašek (1883-1923) | |
| 孽海花 | Niè hǎi huā | Flower in the sea of evil, late Qing novel by Jin Tianhe 金天翮[Jin1 Tian1 he2] | |
| 官场现形记 | Guān chǎng Xiàn xíng Jì | Observations on the Current State of Officialdom, late Qing novel by Li Baojia 李寶嘉|李宝嘉[Li3 Bao3 jia4] | |
| 射雕英雄传 | Shè Diāo Yīng xióng Zhuàn | Legend of the Condor Heroes, wuxia (武俠|武侠[wu3 xia2], martial arts chivalry) novel by Jin Yong 金庸[Jin1 Yong1] and its screen adaptations | |
| 岐路灯 | Qí lù Dēng | Lamp in the Side Street (c. 1777), novel by Qing dynasty writer Li Lüyuan 李綠園|李绿园[Li3 Lu:4 yuan2] | |
| 文明小史 | Wén míng Xiǎo shǐ | Short History of Civilization, late Qing novel by Li Boyuan 李伯元[Li3 Bo2 yuan2] or Li Baojia 李寶嘉|李宝嘉[Li3 Bao3 jia1] describing the turmoil after the 1900 Eight-Nation Alliance 八國聯軍|八国联军[Ba1 guo2 Lian2 jun1] | |
| 李娃传 | Lǐ Wá Zhuàn | Tale of Courtesan Li Wa, novel by Tang writer Bai Xingjian 白行簡|白行简[Bai2 Xing2 jian3] along the lines of La Traviata, favorite opera plot | |
| 李汝珍 | Lǐ Rǔ zhēn | Li Ruzhen (c. 1763-c. 1830), Qing novelist and phonologist, author of fantasy novel Jinghua Yuan 鏡花緣|镜花缘 / or Flowers in the Mirror | |
| 李绿园 | Lǐ Lu:4 yuán | Li Lüyuan (1707-1790), Qing dynasty writer, author of novel Lamp in the Side Street 岐路燈|岐路灯[Qi2 lu4 Deng1] | |
| 梅里美 | Méi lǐ měi | Prosper Mérimée (1803-1870), French scholar and writer, author of novel Carmen on which Bizet based his opera | |
| 歧路灯 | Qí lù Dēng | Lamp in the Side Street, novel by Qing dynasty writer Li Lüyuan 李綠園|李绿园[Li3 Lu:4 yuan2] / also written 岐路燈|岐路灯[Qi2 lu4 Deng1] | |
| 浮生六记 | fú shēng liù jì | Six Records of a Floating Life, autobiographical novel and description of Qing dynasty life by 沈復|沈复[Shen3 Fu4], published 1808 | |
| 海上花列传 | Hǎi shàng Huā Liè zhuàn | The Sing-Song Girls of Shanghai by Han Bangqing 韓邦慶|韩邦庆[Han2 Bang1 qing4], long novel of lower life in Classical Chinese and Jiangsu vernacular / translated into Putonghua as 海上花 / by Iris Chang | |
| 狗日的粮食 | gǒu rì de liáng shi | The damned grain, novel by Liu Heng 劉恆|刘恒 | |
| 猎杀红色十月号 | Liè shā Hóng sè Shí yuè hào | "The Hunt for Red October", a novel by Tom Clancy | |
| 理性与感性 | Lǐ xìng yǔ Gǎn xìng | Sense and Sensibility, novel by Jane Austen 珍·奧斯汀|珍·奥斯汀[Zhen1 · / Ao4 si1 ting1] | |
| 白行简 | Bái Xíng jiǎn | Bai Xingjian (c. 776-826), younger brother of Bai Juyi 白居易[Bai2 Ju1 yi4], Tang novelist and poet, author of novel Tale of Courtesan Li Wa 李娃傳|李娃传[Li3 Wa2 Zhuan4] | |
| 真理部 | Zhēn lǐ bù | Ministry of Truth, a fictional ministry from George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four | |
| 神魔小说 | shén mó xiǎo shuō | supernatural novel / novel of ghosts and goblins | |
| 科技惊悚小说 | kē jì jīng sǒng xiǎo shuō | techno-thriller novel / science fiction thriller | |
| 纪昀 | Jì Yún | Ji Yun (1724-1805), Qing Dynasty writer, author of supernatural novel Notes on a Minutely Observed Thatched Hut 閱微草堂筆記|阅微草堂笔记 | |
| 美丽新世界 | Měi lì Xīn Shì jiè | Brave New World, novel by Aldous Huxley 阿道司·赫胥黎[A1 dao4 si1 · / He4 xu1 li2] | |
| 老残游记 | Lǎo Cán Yóu jì | The Travels of Lao Tsan, novel by late Qing novelist Liu E 劉鶚|刘鹗[Liu2 E4] | |
| 茅盾文学奖 | Máo Dùn Wén xué jiǎng | Mao Dun Literature Prize, PRC prize for novel writing, awarded since 1982 | |
| 褚人获 | Chǔ Rén huò | Chu Renhuo (1635-1682), author of historical novel Dramatized History of Sui and Tang 隋唐演義|隋唐演义[Sui2 Tang2 Yan3 yi4] | |
| 西楼梦 | Xī lóu mèng | Qing dynasty novel the Western Chamber by Yuan Yuling 袁于令 / same as 西樓記|西楼记 | |
| 西楼记 | Xī lóu Jì | Qing dynasty novel the Western Chamber by Yuan Yuling 袁于令[Yuan2 Yu2 ling4] / same as 西樓夢|西楼梦 | |
| 许仲琳 | Xǔ Zhòng lín | Xu Zhonglin or Chen Zhonglin 陳仲琳|陈仲琳[Chen2 Zhong4 lin2] (c. 1567-c. 1620), Ming novelist, to whom the fantasy novel Investiture of the Gods 封神演義|封神演义[Feng1 shen2 Yan3 yi4] is attributed, together with Lu Xixing 陸西星|陆西星[Lu4 Xi1 xing1] | |
