Demonstrative adjectives in Mandarin Chinese show whether something is near or far from the speaker and sometimes from the listener, shaping how you point out things in conversation.
Nearby Demonstratives
The basic nearby demonstrative adjective is zhè (这), used to indicate something close to the speaker, and it appears before nouns to highlight immediacy.
Example
This apple is very tasty.
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍵 这杯茶很香。 | Zhè bēi chá hěn xiāng. | This cup of tea is very fragrant. | |
| 🥟 这些点心很好吃。 | Zhèxiē diǎnxīn hěn hǎochī. | These dim sum are delicious. | |
| 🧺 桌上放着这个篮子。 | Zhuō shàng fàngzhe zhège lánzi. | There is this basket on the table. | |
| 🍊 那个盘子里有水果。 | Nàge pánzi lǐ yǒu shuǐguǒ. | There is fruit on that plate. |
Faraway Demonstratives
For things farther from the speaker, use nà (那) as the demonstrative adjective, marking more distance in physical or metaphorical space.
Example
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏮 那里挂着红灯笼。 | Nàlǐ guàzhe hóng dēnglóng. | There are red lanterns hanging over there. | |
| 🧧 那些红包是谁的？ | Nàxiē hóngbāo shì shéi de? | Whose are those red envelopes? | |
| 📜 远处有那个卷轴。 | Yuǎn chù yǒu nàge juǎnzhóu. | There is that scroll in the distance. | |
| 🔥 那个火盆很暖和。 | Nàge huǒpén hěn nuǎnhuo. | That fire pit is very warm. |
Plural Demonstratives
To talk about multiple items, add -xiē (些) after zhè or nà to form zhèxiē (这些) for nearby things and nàxiē (那些) for distant things, signaling quantity as well as location.
Example
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🧨 这些鞭炮很响亮。 | Zhèxiē biānpào hěn xiǎngliàng. | These firecrackers are very loud. | |
| 🎆 那些烟花很漂亮。 | Nàxiē yānhuā hěn piàoliang. | Those fireworks are very beautiful. | |
| 🥮 我们买了这些月饼。 | Wǒmen mǎile zhèxiē yuèbǐng. | We bought these mooncakes. | |
| 🧻 请给我那些纸巾。 | Qǐng gěi wǒ nàxiē zhǐjīn. | Please give me those tissues. |
Demonstratives for Time and Abstracts
Use zhèi (这) and nèi (那) in spoken Mandarin for time or abstract references like moments, events, or ideas, making the expression more natural and colloquial.
Example
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⏳ 以前的习俗很有趣。 | Yǐqián de xísú hěn yǒuqù. | The old customs are very interesting. | |
| 🕰️ 现在开始放鞭炮。 | Xiànzài kāishǐ fàng biānpào. | Now start setting off firecrackers. | |
| 🔮 将来的节日会更热闹。 | Jiānglái de jiérì huì gèng rènào. | Future festivals will be even more lively. | |
| 📅 那个星期我们去看花灯。 | Nàge xīngqī wǒmen qù kàn huādēng. | That week we went to see the lanterns. |
Summary
Demonstrative adjectives like zhè (这) and nà (那) guide listeners by marking proximity, and adding -xiē (些) makes them plural; use zhèi (这) and nèi (那) for time or abstract references to sound natural.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025