(mǒu) — (pronoun) a certain, some (used before a noun to indicate an unspecified person, thing, time, or place); (pronoun) such-and-such (used after a surname to refer to a specific but unnamed person)

Definition

某 (mǒu) marks an unspecified person, thing, time, or place — like 'a certain / some' before a noun, or 'such-and-such' after a surname. Unlike 有些/有的, it refers to one specific unknown entity, not a partial group.

pronoun
a certainsome (used before a noun to indicate an unspecified person, thing, time, or place)such-and-such (used after a surname to refer to a specific but unnamed person)

Examples

  • mǒu Tiān wǒ zài jiē shàng yù dào le yí gè lǎo péng you.
    One day I ran into an old friend on the street.
  • mǒu Rén gěi nǐ jì le yì fēng xìn.
    Someone sent you a letter.
  • Zhāng mǒu shì zhè cì huó dòng de fù zé rén.
    A certain Zhang is the person in charge of this event.

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