哪个 (nǎ ge) — which (one); who (among a group)

Definition

哪个 (nǎ ge) asks 'which one?' — used before a noun for a single choice (哪个学校, 哪个是你的). For people use 谁; for plural choices use 哪些.

pronoun

which (one)who (among a group)

Easily confused

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

个gèindividual

哪 means which and 个 means an individual, so together the word asks which one.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 個; 个 is its simplified writing.

亻固個

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rénperson

Sound part声符shēngfú

固

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 个, the form 個 pairs 亻 (person) with 固 as a sound part.

Appears in