Learn a Chinese Character - 们

1. Character Basics

Radical: 人 (rén) - Human radical

Stroke Count: 5 strokes

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: men (Light tone)

3. Meaning

Plural marker for people; suffix indicating plural

4. Common Words

• 我们 (wǒmen) - We; us
• 你们 (nǐmen) - You (plural)
• 他们 (tāmen) - They; them (masculine or mixed)
• 她们 (tāmen) - They; them (feminine)
• 人们 (rénmen) - People
• 孩子们 (háizimen) - Children; kids
• 老师们 (lǎoshīmen) - Teachers
• 同学们 (tóngxuémen) - Classmates

5. Grammar & Usage

The character "们" is a suffix used to form plurals of personal pronouns and nouns referring to people. It is attached to the end of singular personal pronouns or nouns to indicate multiple people. Unlike English plurals, "们" is not used with numbers or quantifiers. For example, you would say "三个学生" (sān gè xuéshēng) for "three students," not "三个学生们."

6. Cultural Background

The use of "们" as a plural marker reflects the collectivist nature of Chinese culture, where group identity and relationships are highly valued. The language's emphasis on distinguishing between singular and plural forms for people highlights the cultural importance of social connections and community. Unlike some languages, Chinese does not have a general plural marker for non-human nouns, further emphasizing the focus on human relationships.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "们" consists of the human radical "人" on the left and "门" on the right. You can remember it as "multiple people (人) coming through a door (门)," which represents the plural meaning. The pronunciation "men" is a light tone, which is shorter and less emphasized than other tones.