和 vs 及 vs 以及: which 'and' to use for lists
和 is the neutral, everyday conjunction for connecting nouns and noun phrases. 及 and 以及 are formal alternatives used in writing to introduce less salient or additional items, often implying a hierarchy where 以及 is even more formal and literary than 及.
和 (hé) is the neutral, all-purpose conjunction for noun phrases in both spoken and written Chinese. It simply adds items without implying any order or importance. 及 (jí) and 以及 (yǐjí) are more formal and are used primarily in writing. They often introduce the last item in a list, and that item is typically less important or added as an afterthought. 以及 is the most formal and can also be used at the beginning of a phrase to mean 'as well as'. Choosing among them depends on register and the intended nuance of the list.
When to use each
Use 和 in most everyday contexts to connect nouns or noun phrases of equal status. It is neutral in register and works in both speech and writing. Also used to mean 'with' in phrases like 'A和B'. Avoid 和 in highly formal, literary lists where 及 or 以及 would be expected.
When used with pronouns like '我', '你', '他', 和 can mean 'with' as well as 'and', e.g. '我和你' (I and you / I with you).
Use 及 in formal writing, especially in legal, academic, or official contexts. It connects nouns and often introduces the final, less prominent item in a list. 及 implies a slight hierarchy: the items before it are primary, the one after secondary. It is less common in everyday speech.
及 can also be used in fixed expressions like '以及' (as a compound) or '及其' (and its/their). Unlike 和, 及 does not work as 'with'.
Use 以及 in very formal written Chinese to list items, often after a series of main items to add additional or less important ones. It can also be used at the start of a clause to mean 'as well as'. 以及 is more literary and less common than 及 in everyday writing. In some contexts it can connect phrases or clauses (not just nouns).
以及 can sometimes be interchangeable with 及, but 以及 is slightly more formal and can introduce a broader range of elements, including verb phrases in some cases.
At a glance
| 和 | 及 | 以及 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Register | Neutral; everyday speech and writing | Formal; primarily written | Very formal; literary/written |
| Position in list | Can appear between any items; not restricted to last | Usually introduces the last (least salient) item | Usually introduces the last (additional) item |
| Implied hierarchy | No hierarchy; items are equal | Items after 及 are secondary | Items after 以及 are additional/less important |
| Can connect phrases/clauses? | Only nouns or noun phrases | Primarily nouns; rarely clauses | Sometimes connects phrases (e.g., verb phrases) in very formal writing |
| Used as 'with'? | Yes (e.g., 我和你) | No | No |
Examples
- 和我喜欢苹果和香蕉。Wǒ xǐhuan píngguǒ hé xiāngjiāo.I like apples and bananas.Neutral list; 及 would be too formal here.
- 及本次会议主要讨论财务、人事及市场问题。Běn cì huìyì zhǔyào tǎolùn cáiwù, rénshì jí shìchǎng wèntí.This meeting mainly discusses finance, personnel, and market issues.Formal written list; 及 introduces the least salient item (market issues).
- 以及公司旗下有酒店、餐厅以及娱乐设施。Gōngsī qíxià yǒu jiǔdiàn, cāntīng yǐjí yúlè shèshī.The company owns hotels, restaurants, as well as entertainment facilities.Very formal; 以及 adds the final item which is seen as additional.
- 和我和朋友去了图书馆。Wǒ hé péngyou qùle túshūguǎn.I and a friend went to the library. / I went to the library with a friend.Here 和 means 'with' as well as 'and'.
- 及他负责销售及售后服务。Tā fùzé xiāoshòu jí shòuhòu fúwù.He is responsible for sales and after-sales service.Formal job description; after-sales service is secondary to sales.
- 以及本节课我们会学习语法、词汇以及如何写作文。Běn jié kè wǒmen huì xuéxí yǔfǎ, cíhuì yǐjí rúhé xiě zuòwén.In this lesson we will study grammar, vocabulary, as well as how to write essays.以及 can connect a clause (how to write essays) in formal contexts.
Common mistakes
- Using 及 in casual conversation where 和 is natural (e.g., '我和朋友' not '我及朋友').
- Using 和 in formal legal or academic lists where 及 or 以及 is expected (e.g., '协议条款和条件' should be '协议条款及条件').
- Using 以及 at the beginning of a list as the main conjunction; it should only introduce the final, additional items.
- Assuming 及 and 以及 are interchangeable in all contexts; 以及 is more formal and can sometimes connect clauses.
FAQ
- When do I use 和 vs 及 vs 以及?
- Use 和 for neutral lists in speech and writing. Use 及 in formal writing to connect nouns, especially when listing the last less important item. Use 以及 in very formal or literary contexts to add additional items after a main list; it's also used at the start of phrases meaning 'as well as'.
- Can I use 及 in everyday conversation?
- No, 及 sounds very formal and unnatural in casual speech. Stick to 和 for most spoken situations.
- Is 以及 interchangeable with 和?
- No, 以及 is much more formal and typically used in writing to introduce less salient items in a list. It cannot replace 和 in everyday sentences like '苹果和香蕉'.
- Does 及 mean 'and' or 'as well as'?
- 及 means 'and' but with a nuance of 'as well as' in the sense of adding something less important. It is not as neutral as 和. In dictionaries it is glossed as 'and', 'as well as'.