Definition
之 (zhī) is a literary/formal particle used in classical-style writing. As a possessive, it replaces 的 (de) in set phrases and formal contexts (e.g. 中国之美). As an object pronoun, it is more concise than 他/她/它 (tā) and is used after verbs in literary Chinese (e.g. 原谅之). It is NOT used in everyday speech.
particle
(literary, possessive particle) equivalent to 的(literary, object pronoun) himherit(literary, demonstrative) this
Easily confused
- 临línlook-aliketo face, to overlook (a location or situation)
- 只zhǐsound-alike(classifier) used for one of a pair of animals, objects, or body parts; also for boats, certain containers
- 只zhǐsound-alikeonly, just, merely
- 指zhǐsound-aliketo point at, to indicate, to show
- 支zhīsound-alikeclassifier for long, thin objects (pens, guns), army divisions, and songs/compositions
- 支zhīsound-aliketo prop up, to support
- 直zhísound-alike(adjective) straight; frank; fair
- 至zhìsound-alike(verb, literary) to arrive
- 值zhísound-alike(verb) to be worth
- 纸zhǐsound-alikepaper
Examples
- 之。Zhōngguó zhī měi ràng rén jīngtàn.The beauty of China is breathtaking.
- ，之。Zhèxiē wèntí, wǒmen yīng rènzhēn chǔlǐ zhī.We should handle these problems carefully.
- ，。zhīhòu, wǒmen zài shāngliáng.After this, we will discuss it again.
Grammar
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