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她们 (tā men) — they; them (used exclusively for females)

Definition

Feminine 'they/them' (used only for females or female groups). Use 他们 for males or mixed groups, and 它们 for things.

pronoun
theythem (used exclusively for females)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 她们。
    tā men Shì wǒ de xué shēng.
    They are my students.
  • 她们？
    Nǐ ài tā men ma?
    Do you love them?
  • 她们。
    tā men De lǎo shī hěn hǎo.
    Their teacher is very good.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

她tāshe
们menplural

她 refers to females, and 们 shows the plural.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
女女nǚfemale, woman
Sound part声符shēngfú
也
也yě她tā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

她 has 女 (woman) on the left and 也 on the right, which gives a clue to its sound. The shape was made for 'she' by replacing the person part of the same-sounding pronoun with 女.

Open 她 →

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 們; 们 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
門
門mén們men
Same sound today

The traditional form 們 uses 亻 for a person and 門 for the sound; the simplified 们 is a later shorthand.

Open 们 →
Appears in
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