Definition
他 (tā) is the standard third-person pronoun for 'he/him' in modern Mandarin. Unlike the listed siblings, it is a personal pronoun, not a demonstrative or possessive — 其他 and 别的 mean 'other/else', 另 means 'another', and 之 is a literary particle/pronoun used in formal writing. Use 他 for a male person (or when gender is unknown) in everyday speech.
pronoun
hehim
Easily confused
- 池chílook-alikepool, pond
- 它tāsound-alikeit
- 她tālook-alikeshe
- 塔tǎsound-alikepagoda; tower
- 地dìlook-alike(particle) structural particle for forming adverbials; -ly
- 踏tàsound-aliketo step on, to tread, to stamp
- 塌tāsound-aliketo collapse (of structures, etc.)
Examples
- 他。tā shì Zhōngguó rén.He is Chinese.
- 他。Wǒ jiào tā.I call him.
- 他。tā hěn hǎo.He is very good.
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