Vocabulary becomes active when a word is connected to sound, context and a sentence you can reuse.
Learn chunks, not only translations
A translation tells you what a word can mean. A chunk shows how Chinese speakers actually use it. For example, learning 我想问一下 gives you a complete and natural opening, not just the verb 问.
A useful vocabulary review
Save the original sentence, the important chunk, its meaning and one new example. Replay the audio during review so the expression stays connected to Chinese sound and tones.
Choose expressions with reuse value
Prioritize common sentence frames, conversational connectors, question openings and situation-specific phrases. These expressions help you understand more real speech and give you material for speaking practice.
The goal is not to collect the largest word list. It is to build a smaller set of Chinese expressions that you can recognize and use.