For autodidact students of Mandarin, the conjunction 和 (hé) is essential from the very first lesson. It connects nouns and noun phrases — "A and B," "A with B" — and is one of the most frequent words in written Chinese. However, 和 has a crucial limitation that English speakers must internalise immediately: it connects nouns, not verbs or clauses. To say "he came and ate," Chinese uses a different structure entirely.
FAQ: What does 和 (hé) mean in Mandarin? 和 means "and" when connecting nouns or noun phrases: 我和你 (you and I), 书和笔 (books and pens). For "with" in the sense of accompaniment, Chinese uses 和/跟 + noun + 一起 (yīqǐ, together): 我和他一起去 (I go with him). 和 cannot connect verbs or sentences — that function belongs to 而且 (érqiě, moreover), 然后 (ránhòu, then), or simply juxtaposition.
Key Takeaways: - 和 (hé) connects nouns/pronouns: 茶和咖啡 (tea and coffee) - 和 cannot connect verbs or full clauses — use 然后, 而且, or juxtaposition - "With" as accompaniment: 和/跟 + person + 一起 (together) - In speech, 和 is sometimes reduced to hàn or hé depending on dialect
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The character 和 shows 禾 (hé, grain/cereal crop) on the left and 口 (kǒu, mouth) on the right. The combination suggests the harmony of sharing grain — historically linked to the concept of peace and harmony (和平 hépíng, peace; 和谐 héxié, harmony). The same character appears in the word for Japan: 日本 (Rìběn) is sometimes referred to as 和国 in classical texts.
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17.1a 我 I 和 and 你 you 是 are 好朋友 good-friends
17.1b (wǒ) I (hé) and (nǐ) you (shì) are (hǎo péngyou) good-friends
17.2a 茶 tea 和 and 咖啡 coffee 都 both 很好喝 very-good-to-drink
17.2b (chá) tea (hé) and (kāfēi) coffee (dōu) both (hěn hǎo hē) very-good-to-drink
17.3a 他 he 和 with 妻子 wife 一起 together 住 live 在 in 上海 Shanghai
17.3b (tā) he (hé) with (qīzi) wife (yīqǐ) together (zhù) live (zài) in (Shànghǎi) Shanghai
17.4a 数学 maths 和 and 物理 physics 是 are 他 his 最喜欢 most-liked 的 DE 科目 subjects
17.4b (shùxué) maths (hé) and (wùlǐ) physics (shì) are (tā) his (zuì xǐhuan) most-liked (de) DE (kēmù) subjects
17.5a 请 please 把 BA 苹果 apple 和 and 橙子 oranges 放 put 在 in 桌子 table 上 on
17.5b (qǐng) please (bǎ) BA (píngguǒ) apple (hé) and (chéngzi) oranges (fàng) put (zài) in (zhuōzi) table (shàng) on
17.6a 妈妈 mother 和 and 爸爸 father 今天 today 都 both 不 not 在家 at-home
17.6b (māma) mother (hé) and (bàba) father (jīntiān) today (dōu) both (bù) not (zài jiā) at-home
17.7a 中国 China 和 and 日本 Japan 是 are 邻国 neighbouring-countries
17.7b (Zhōngguó) China (hé) and (Rìběn) Japan (shì) are (línguó) neighbouring-countries
17.8a 语言 language 和 and 文化 culture 是 are 分不开 inseparable 的 DE
17.8b (yǔyán) language (hé) and (wénhuà) culture (shì) are (fēn bu kāi) inseparable (de) DE
17.9a 我 I 和 with 同学 classmates 一起 together 去 go 图书馆 library 学习 study
17.9b (wǒ) I (hé) with (tóngxué) classmates (yīqǐ) together (qù) go (túshūguǎn) library (xuéxí) study
17.10a 黑 black 和 and 白 white 是 are 两种 two-kind 颜色 colours
17.10b (hēi) black (hé) and (bái) white (shì) are (liǎng zhǒng) two-kind (yánsè) colours
17.11a 她 she 穿 wear 着 PROG 红色 red 和 and 白色 white 的 DE 衣服 clothes
17.11b (tā) she (chuān) wear (zhe) PROG (hóng sè) red (hé) and (bái sè) white (de) DE (yīfu) clothes
17.12a 学习 study 和 and 休息 rest 都 both 很 very 重要 important
17.12b (xuéxí) study (hé) and (xiūxi) rest (dōu) both (hěn) very (zhòngyào) important
17.13a 和平 peace 和 and 发展 development 是 are 世界 world 的 DE 主题 theme
17.13b (hépíng) peace (hé) and (fāzhǎn) development (shì) are (shìjiè) world (de) DE (zhǔtí) theme
17.14a 我 I 和 with 他 him 认识 know [acquainted] 二十 twenty 年 years 了 PERF
17.14b (wǒ) I (hé) with (tā) him (rènshi) know [acquainted] (èrshí) twenty (nián) years (le) PERF
17.15a 音乐 music 和 and 绘画 painting 让 make 生活 life 更 more 美好 beautiful
17.15b (yīnyuè) music (hé) and (huìhuà) painting (ràng) make (shēnghuó) life (gèng) more (měihǎo) beautiful
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17.1 我和你是好朋友。 "You and I are good friends." 17.2 茶和咖啡都很好喝。 "Both tea and coffee taste good." 17.3 他和妻子一起住在上海。 "He lives in Shanghai with his wife." 17.4 数学和物理是他最喜欢的科目。 "Maths and physics are his favourite subjects." 17.5 请把苹果和橙子放在桌子上。 "Please put the apples and oranges on the table." 17.6 妈妈和爸爸今天都不在家。 "Mother and father are both not at home today." 17.7 中国和日本是邻国。 "China and Japan are neighbouring countries." 17.8 语言和文化是分不开的。 "Language and culture are inseparable." 17.9 我和同学一起去图书馆学习。 "I go to the library to study with classmates." 17.10 黑和白是两种颜色。 "Black and white are two colours." 17.11 她穿着红色和白色的衣服。 "She is wearing red and white clothes." 17.12 学习和休息都很重要。 "Both study and rest are very important." 17.13 和平和发展是世界的主题。 "Peace and development are the world's themes." 17.14 我和他认识二十年了。 "I have known him for twenty years." 17.15 音乐和绘画让生活更美好。 "Music and painting make life more beautiful."
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17.1 我和你是好朋友。 17.2 茶和咖啡都很好喝。 17.3 他和妻子一起住在上海。 17.4 数学和物理是他最喜欢的科目。 17.5 请把苹果和橙子放在桌子上。 17.6 妈妈和爸爸今天都不在家。 17.7 中国和日本是邻国。 17.8 语言和文化是分不开的。 17.9 我和同学一起去图书馆学习。 17.10 黑和白是两种颜色。 17.11 她穿着红色和白色的衣服。 17.12 学习和休息都很重要。 17.13 和平和发展是世界的主题。 17.14 我和他认识二十年了。 17.15 音乐和绘画让生活更美好。
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These are the grammar rules for 和 (hé) — "and/with":
Scope limitation — nouns only: 和 connects nouns, noun phrases, and pronouns. It cannot connect verbs or clauses. English "and" has a much wider scope. To connect actions in sequence: 然后 (ránhòu, then/and then) or juxtaposition. To add a second predicate: 而且 (érqiě, moreover/and also).
The 和…一起 construction for "with": When expressing accompaniment ("X with Y"), Chinese uses 和/跟 + person + 一起 (together): 我和他一起去 (I'm going with him). The 一起 is essential; without it, 和 reads as simply "and."
都 (dōu) with 和: When two items connected by 和 are both the subject, 都 (all/both) often follows: 茶和咖啡都很好喝 (Tea and coffee are both good). 都 marks that the predicate applies to all items in the subject.
让 (ràng) causative (example 17.15): 音乐让生活更美好 — 让 (let/make/cause) introduces a causative construction: Subject + 让 + Object + Result. Chinese causatives are common and elegant.
Common Mistakes: - Using 和 to connect verbs: *他吃饭和喝水 — wrong; use juxtaposition 他吃饭喝水 or 然后 - Omitting 一起 in accompaniment: *我和他去 can be interpreted as "he and I are going" (both subjects) rather than "I'm going with him" — add 一起 for clarity
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和 (hé) in its extended meaning of harmony is one of the foundational concepts in Chinese philosophy and social life. 和 appears in 和平 (hépíng, peace), 和谐 (héxié, harmony), 和气 (héqì, amiable), 中和 (zhōnghé, balance/moderation). Confucian ethics places 和 at the centre of right relationships: 礼之用，和为贵 (In the practice of ritual propriety, harmony is the most precious thing — Analects 1.12).
In modern political language, 和谐社会 (harmonious society) was a key slogan of the Hu Jintao era (2002–2012). The word 和 carries weight beyond grammar.
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《论语·学而》第十二章 — Analects of Confucius, Book 1, Chapter 12
礼之用，和为贵。先王之道，斯为美。
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
礼 (lǐ) ritual/propriety 之 (zhī) GEN [CLASSICAL] 用 (yòng) use ， , 和 (hé) harmony 为 (wéi) is [CLASSICAL] 贵 (guì) precious 。
F-B: Text with Translation
礼之用，和为贵。先王之道，斯为美。
"In the practice of ritual propriety, harmony is the most precious thing. In the way of the ancient kings, this was the beautiful element."
F-C: Authentic Text Only
礼之用，和为贵。先王之道，斯为美。
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
之 (zhī): classical possessive/genitive particle, equivalent to modern 的. 礼之用 = 礼的用途 (the use of ritual).
为 (wéi): classical "to be/is" — used where modern Chinese uses 是 (shì). 和为贵 = 和是最珍贵的.
斯 (sī): classical demonstrative pronoun "this" — equivalent to modern 这 (zhè).
F-E: Literary Commentary
This is perhaps the most famous occurrence of 和 in the Chinese philosophical canon. The Analects here make 和 not merely a grammatical connector but the supreme value of civilised life. The lesson word links two elements — as it does grammatically — and in doing so expresses the highest human aspiration: that the connection between things should be harmonious.
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Two university students, Chen Fang and Liu Yang, discuss their friendship, shared interests, and plans. 和 appears throughout connecting nouns, in 和…一起 constructions, and in the cultural concept of 和谐.
17.16a 陈芳 Chen-Fang 和 and 刘阳 Liu-Yang 是 are 大学 university 同学 classmates
17.16b (Chén Fāng) Chen-Fang (hé) and (Liú Yáng) Liu-Yang (shì) are (dàxué) university (tóngxué) classmates
17.17a 他们 they 喜欢 like 和 with 对方 each-other 一起 together 讨论 discuss 问题 problems
17.17b (tāmen) they (xǐhuan) like (hé) with (duìfāng) each-other (yīqǐ) together (tǎolùn) discuss (wèntí) problems
17.18a 陈芳 Chen-Fang 学 study 中文 Chinese 和 and 历史 history
17.18b (Chén Fāng) Chen-Fang (xué) study (Zhōngwén) Chinese (hé) and (lìshǐ) history
17.19a 刘阳 Liu-Yang 学 study 物理 physics 和 and 数学 maths
17.19b (Liú Yáng) Liu-Yang (xué) study (wùlǐ) physics (hé) and (shùxué) maths
17.20a 他们 they 和 with 朋友 friends 一起 together 去 go 食堂 canteen 吃饭 eat-meal
17.20b (tāmen) they (hé) with (péngyou) friends (yīqǐ) together (qù) go (shítáng) canteen (chīfàn) eat-meal
17.21a 陈芳 Chen-Fang 说 say ： : "友谊 friendship 和 and 知识 knowledge 都 both 很重要 very-important 。"
17.21b (Chén Fāng) Chen-Fang (shuō) say (yǒuyì) friendship (hé) and (zhīshi) knowledge (dōu) both (hěn zhòngyào) very-important
17.22a 刘阳 Liu-Yang 同意 agree 并 and-also 说 say ："和 with 好朋友 good-friends 一起 together 学习 study 最开心 most-happy 。"
17.22b (Liú Yáng) Liu-Yang (tóngyì) agree (bìng) and-also (shuō) say (hé) with (hǎo péngyou) good-friends (yīqǐ) together (xuéxí) study (zuì kāixīn) most-happy
17.23a 周末 weekend 他们 they 和 with 其他 other 同学 classmates 一起 together 打 play 篮球 basketball
17.23b (zhōumò) weekend (tāmen) they (hé) with (qítā) other (tóngxué) classmates (yīqǐ) together (dǎ) play (lánqiú) basketball
17.24a 他们 they 的 DE 友谊 friendship 和 and 信任 trust 让 make 彼此 each-other 更 more 努力 hardworking
17.24b (tāmen) they (de) DE (yǒuyì) friendship (hé) and (xìnrèn) trust (ràng) make (bǐcǐ) each-other (gèng) more (nǔlì) hardworking
17.25a 毕业 graduate 以后 after ， , 他们 they 打算 plan 和 with 对方 each-other 保持 maintain 联系 contact
17.25b (bìyè) graduate (yǐhòu) after (tāmen) they (dǎsuàn) plan (hé) with (duìfāng) each-other (bǎochí) maintain (liánxì) contact
17.26a 陈芳 Chen-Fang 想 want 做 do 老师 teacher ， , 刘阳 Liu-Yang 想 want 做 do 工程师 engineer
17.26b (Chén Fāng) Chen-Fang (xiǎng) want (zuò) do (lǎoshī) teacher (Liú Yáng) Liu-Yang (xiǎng) want (zuò) do (gōngchéngshī) engineer
17.27a 无论 no-matter 做 do 什么 what 工作 work ， , 他们 they 都 both 想 want 和 with 好朋友 good-friends 一起 together 努力 work-hard
17.27b (wúlùn) no-matter (zuò) do (shénme) what (gōngzuò) work (tāmen) they (dōu) both (xiǎng) want (hé) with (hǎo péngyou) good-friends (yīqǐ) together (nǔlì) work-hard
17.28a 他们 they 知道 know 真正 truly 的 DE 友谊 friendship 是 is 理解 understanding 和 and 支持 support
17.28b (tāmen) they (zhīdào) know (zhēnzhèng) truly (de) DE (yǒuyì) friendship (shì) is (lǐjiě) understanding (hé) and (zhīchí) support
17.29a 四年 four-years 的 DE 大学 university 时光 time ， , 让 make 他们 them 和 with 彼此 each-other 的 DE 情谊 friendship 更加 even-more 深厚 deep
17.29b (sì nián) four-years (de) DE (dàxué) university (shíguāng) time (ràng) make (tāmen) them (hé) with (bǐcǐ) each-other (de) DE (qíngyì) friendship (gèngjiā) even-more (shēnhòu) deep
17.30a 和 with 好朋友 good-friend 一起 together 走过 walk-through 的 DE 岁月 years ， , 是 are 人生 life 最 most 宝贵 precious 的 DE 财富 treasure
17.30b (hé) with (hǎo péngyou) good-friend (yīqǐ) together (zǒuguò) walk-through (de) DE (suìyuè) years (shì) are (rénshēng) life (zuì) most (bǎoguì) precious (de) DE (cáifù) treasure
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17.16 陈芳和刘阳是大学同学。 "Chen Fang and Liu Yang are university classmates." 17.17 他们喜欢和对方一起讨论问题。 "They like discussing problems with each other." 17.18 陈芳学中文和历史。 "Chen Fang studies Chinese and history." 17.19 刘阳学物理和数学。 "Liu Yang studies physics and maths." 17.20 他们和朋友一起去食堂吃饭。 "They go to the canteen with friends to eat." 17.21 陈芳说："友谊和知识都很重要。" "Chen Fang said: 'Friendship and knowledge are both important.'" 17.22 刘阳同意并说："和好朋友一起学习最开心。" "Liu Yang agreed and said: 'Studying with good friends is the happiest.'" 17.23 周末他们和其他同学一起打篮球。 "At weekends they play basketball with other classmates." 17.24 他们的友谊和信任让彼此更努力。 "Their friendship and trust make each other work harder." 17.25 毕业以后，他们打算和对方保持联系。 "After graduation, they plan to stay in contact with each other." 17.26 陈芳想做老师，刘阳想做工程师。 "Chen Fang wants to be a teacher; Liu Yang wants to be an engineer." 17.27 无论做什么工作，他们都想和好朋友一起努力。 "Whatever work they do, they both want to work hard alongside good friends." 17.28 他们知道真正的友谊是理解和支持。 "They know that true friendship is understanding and support." 17.29 四年的大学时光，让他们和彼此的情谊更加深厚。 "Four years of university time made their friendship with each other even deeper." 17.30 和好朋友一起走过的岁月，是人生最宝贵的财富。 "The years spent alongside a good friend are life's most precious treasure."
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17.16 陈芳和刘阳是大学同学。 17.17 他们喜欢和对方一起讨论问题。 17.18 陈芳学中文和历史。 17.19 刘阳学物理和数学。 17.20 他们和朋友一起去食堂吃饭。 17.21 陈芳说："友谊和知识都很重要。" 17.22 刘阳同意并说："和好朋友一起学习最开心。" 17.23 周末他们和其他同学一起打篮球。 17.24 他们的友谊和信任让彼此更努力。 17.25 毕业以后，他们打算和对方保持联系。 17.26 陈芳想做老师，刘阳想做工程师。 17.27 无论做什么工作，他们都想和好朋友一起努力。 17.28 他们知道真正的友谊是理解和支持。 17.29 四年的大学时光，让他们和彼此的情谊更加深厚。 17.30 和好朋友一起走过的岁月，是人生最宝贵的财富。
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并 (bìng) — coordinating conjunction for verbs: 刘阳同意并说 — 并 (and also / and at the same time) connects two verb phrases and is the correct conjunction when 和 cannot be used. 并 links actions performed by the same subject in close sequence or simultaneously.
无论…都 (wúlùn…dōu) — concessive construction: 无论做什么工作，他们都想 — "No matter what work they do, they both want..." This is a fundamental concessive pattern: 无论 + condition + ，+ subject + 都 + result. It expresses unconditional applicability.
让 causative with pronoun objects: 让他们和彼此的情谊更加深厚 — the causative 让 here takes the reflexive/reciprocal 他们 as its object and the result clause follows. The structure: [cause subject] + 让 + [affected party] + [result].
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和 (hé) — IPA: /xɤ˧˥/ — Second tone, rising.
- h: voiceless velar fricative [x] — produced like the ch in Scottish "loch," not the English h. A friction sound at the back of the mouth. - é: mid-central unrounded vowel [ɤ] — no English equivalent; the tongue is mid-high and central, mouth not fully open, lips flat - Tone 2 (ˊ): starts at mid pitch and rises sharply to high — like the intonation of a questioning "hm?" in English
Note: In some compounds, 和 is pronounced hè (4th tone) or huo (neutral). As the standard conjunction, it is hé (2nd tone).
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