shì 是 vs yǒu 有 – to be vs to have
Mandarin distinguishes existence, possession, and identity with different verbs. This short guide contrasts shì 是 and yǒu 有 with clear examples so you can choose the right word in context.
shì 是 (to be / to identify)
shì 是 links a subject to a noun, pronoun, or sometimes an adjective when emphasizing category or identity. It does not go directly before short adjectival phrases.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
yǒu 有 (to have / there is)
yǒu 有 expresses possession, existence, or presence. It can be used with nouns, measure words, and can introduce things that exist in a place.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Usage
Use shì 是 to state identity, role, or category. Use yǒu 有 to mention possession or existence. For properties expressed by adjectives, omit shì 是 and use the adjective directly.
Sign In
Add an email to access exercises.
Examples
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏢 这家公司是科技行业的领头羊。 | Zhè jiā gōngsī shì kējì hángyè de lǐngtóu yáng. | This company is a leader in the tech industry. | Identification of company’s role. |
| 🌟 他们的品牌是业内知名的标杆。 | Tāmen de pǐnpái shì yè nèi zhīmíng de biāogān. | Their brand is a well-known benchmark in the industry. | Defining brand reputation. |
| 🧑💼 她是公司的首席执行官。 | Tā shì gōngsī de shǒuxí zhíxíng guān. | She is the CEO of the company. | Identifying a person’s position. |
| 🏷️ 公司有多个子品牌。 | Gōngsī yǒu duō gè zǐ pǐnpái. | The company has multiple sub-brands. | Indicating possession. |
| 📦 他们有丰富的产品线。 | Tāmen yǒu fēngfù de chǎnpǐn xiàn. | They have a diverse product line. | Describing company assets. |
| 📈 公司有很高的市场份额。 | Gōngsī yǒu hěn gāo de shìchǎng fèn’é. | The company has a large market share. | Highlighting business scale. |
Summary
shì 是 links to identity or category; yǒu 有 marks possession or existence. For describing attributes with adjectives, skip shì 是 and use the adjective phrase directly.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025