* Qin (秦): Located in the west, the Qin state was the most powerful of the Warring States and eventually conquered all the others to establish the Qin Dynasty.
* Chu (楚): Located in the south, Chu was the largest of the Warring States and a major rival of Qin.
* Qi (齐): Located in the east, Qi was known for its wealth and cultural development.
* Yan (燕): Located in the northeast, Yan was known for its military strength and its conflicts with the Xiongnu nomads.
* Zhao (赵): Located in the north, Zhao was known for its cavalry and its defense against the Xiongnu.
* Wei (魏): Located in the central plains, Wei was a major power in the early Warring States period but declined later.
* Han (韩): Located in the central plains, Han was a smaller state that was often allied with Wei.
In addition to these major states, there were also a number of smaller states and tribal groups that existed in ancient China. These included the Shu (蜀) state in Sichuan, the Wu (吴) state in Jiangsu, the Yue (越) state in Zhejiang, and the Baiyue (百越) peoples of southern China.