For autodidact students of Mandarin, the demonstrative pronoun 这 (zhè) — "this" — is one of the first words learnt and one of the last fully mastered. Its apparent simplicity conceals a key structural requirement of Chinese: between 这 and a noun, a measure word (量词 liàngcí) is almost always required. You cannot say *这书 for "this book" — it must be 这本书 (this [volume-CL] book). The measure word system is one of Chinese's most distinctive grammatical features, and 这 is the ideal vehicle for introducing it.
FAQ: What does 这 (zhè) mean in Mandarin? 这 means "this" — the proximal demonstrative referring to something near the speaker. Before nouns it requires a measure word: 这本书 (this book), 这个人 (this person), 这张纸 (this sheet of paper). Before a verb phrase or as a sentence topic, it can stand alone: 这很好 (This is very good), 这是我的 (This is mine). Its pair is 那 (nà, that — Lesson 22).
Key Takeaways: - 这 + measure word + noun = "this [noun]" - 这个 (zhège) = "this one" — 个 (gè) is the default/generic measure word - Without a noun: 这 = "this" as a topic or subject — 这很有意思 (This is very interesting) - 这里/这儿 (zhèlǐ/zhèr) = "here" — location forms of 这
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这 is a phonetic compound: the top element 文 (wén, writing) serves as a partial phonetic component, and 辶 (the "walk" radical) appears at the bottom-left, suggesting movement or direction — appropriate for a word pointing toward something.
Common measure words encountered with 这: - 这个 (zhège): this one [generic — people, things] - 这本 (zhè běn): this [bound volume — books, notebooks] - 这张 (zhè zhāng): this [flat sheet — paper, tables, photos] - 这条 (zhè tiáo): this [long flexible thing — rivers, roads, fish, trousers] - 这栋/座 (zhè dòng/zuò): this [building] - 这辆 (zhè liàng): this [vehicle] - 这双 (zhè shuāng): this [pair — shoes, chopsticks]
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19.1a 这 this 个 CL 人 person 是 is 谁 who ؟
19.1b (zhè) this (gè) CL (rén) person (shì) is (shéi) who ?
19.2a 这 this 本 CL-vol 书 book 很 very 有意思 interesting
19.2b (zhè) this (běn) CL-vol (shū) book (hěn) very (yǒu yìsi) interesting
19.3a 这 this 是 is 我 my 的 DE 手机 phone
19.3b (zhè) this (shì) is (wǒ) my (de) DE (shǒujī) phone
19.4a 这 this 里 here 有 have 一家 one-CL 好 good 餐厅 restaurant
19.4b (zhè) this (lǐ) here (yǒu) have (yī jiā) one-CL (hǎo) good (cāntīng) restaurant
19.5a 这 this 件 CL-garment 衣服 clothes 多少 how-much 钱 money ؟
19.5b (zhè) this (jiàn) CL-garment (yīfu) clothes (duōshao) how-much (qián) money ?
19.6a 这 this 个 CL 问题 problem 很 very 难 difficult 回答 answer
19.6b (zhè) this (gè) CL (wèntí) problem (hěn) very (nán) difficult (huídá) answer
19.7a 我 I 喜欢 like 这 this 个 CL 城市 city 的 DE 天气 weather
19.7b (wǒ) I (xǐhuan) like (zhè) this (gè) CL (chéngshì) city (de) DE (tiānqì) weather
19.8a 这 this 条 CL-strip 鱼 fish 新鲜 fresh 吗 Q ؟
19.8b (zhè) this (tiáo) CL-strip (yú) fish (xīnxiān) fresh (ma) Q ?
19.9a 他 he 就是 exactly-is 这 this 样 way 的 DE 人 person
19.9b (tā) he (jiùshì) exactly-is (zhè) this (yàng) way (de) DE (rén) person
19.10a 这 this 双 CL-pair 鞋 shoes 是 are 我 my 妈妈 mother 送 give 的 DE
19.10b (zhè) this (shuāng) CL-pair (xié) shoes (shì) are (wǒ) my (māma) mother (sòng) give (de) DE
19.11a 你 you 看 look 这 this 张 CL-flat 照片 photo ， , 认出 recognise 我了 me-PERF 吗 Q ؟
19.11b (nǐ) you (kàn) look (zhè) this (zhāng) CL-flat (zhàopiàn) photo (rènchū) recognise (wǒ le) me-PERF (ma) Q ?
19.12a 这 this 种 CL-kind 做法 approach 不 not 对 right
19.12b (zhè) this (zhǒng) CL-kind (zuòfǎ) approach (bù) not (duì) right
19.13a 从 from 这 this 里 here 到 to 火车站 train-station 怎么 how 走 go ؟
19.13b (cóng) from (zhè) this (lǐ) here (dào) to (huǒchēzhàn) train-station (zěnme) how (zǒu) go ?
19.14a 这 this 首 CL-song 歌 song 让 make 我 me 想起 recall 了 PERF 童年 childhood
19.14b (zhè) this (shǒu) CL-song (gē) song (ràng) make (wǒ) me (xiǎngqǐ) recall (le) PERF (tóngnián) childhood
19.15a 这 this 一切 everything 都 all 会 will 过去 pass 的 DE
19.15b (zhè) this (yīqiè) everything (dōu) all (huì) will (guòqù) pass (de) DE
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19.1 这个人是谁？ "Who is this person?" 19.2 这本书很有意思。 "This book is very interesting." 19.3 这是我的手机。 "This is my phone." 19.4 这里有一家好餐厅。 "There is a good restaurant here." 19.5 这件衣服多少钱？ "How much does this piece of clothing cost?" 19.6 这个问题很难回答。 "This question is very difficult to answer." 19.7 我喜欢这个城市的天气。 "I like the weather of this city." 19.8 这条鱼新鲜吗？ "Is this fish fresh?" 19.9 他就是这样的人。 "He is exactly this kind of person." 19.10 这双鞋是我妈妈送的。 "These shoes were a gift from my mother." 19.11 你看这张照片，认出我了吗？ "Look at this photo — do you recognise me?" 19.12 这种做法不对。 "This approach is not right." 19.13 从这里到火车站怎么走？ "How do you get from here to the train station?" 19.14 这首歌让我想起了童年。 "This song makes me recall my childhood." 19.15 这一切都会过去的。 "All of this will pass."
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19.1 这个人是谁？ 19.2 这本书很有意思。 19.3 这是我的手机。 19.4 这里有一家好餐厅。 19.5 这件衣服多少钱？ 19.6 这个问题很难回答。 19.7 我喜欢这个城市的天气。 19.8 这条鱼新鲜吗？ 19.9 他就是这样的人。 19.10 这双鞋是我妈妈送的。 19.11 你看这张照片，认出我了吗？ 19.12 这种做法不对。 19.13 从这里到火车站怎么走？ 19.14 这首歌让我想起了童年。 19.15 这一切都会过去的。
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These are the grammar rules for 这 (zhè) — "this":
Measure words (量词 liàngcí) — the obligatory go-between: Between a demonstrative (这/那) or number and a noun, a measure word is required. Every noun class has its associated measure word(s). The default measure word for people and general objects is 个 (gè). Learners must build a repertoire of common measure word-noun pairings.
Key measure word-noun pairings in this lesson: - 个 (gè): general [人 person, 问题 question, 城市 city] - 本 (běn): bound volumes [书 book, 杂志 magazine] - 件 (jiàn): garments, items [衣服 clothes, 事 matter] - 条 (tiáo): long flexible things [鱼 fish, 路 road, 裤子 trousers] - 双 (shuāng): pairs [鞋 shoes, 手套 gloves, 筷子 chopsticks] - 张 (zhāng): flat sheets [照片 photo, 纸 paper, 桌子 table] - 首 (shǒu): songs and poems [歌 song, 诗 poem] - 种 (zhǒng): kinds/types [做法 approach, 感觉 feeling]
就是 (jiùshì): "exactly is / precisely" — 就 intensifies 是, expressing identification with emphasis: 他就是这样的人 (He is exactly this kind of person).
这一切 (zhè yīqiè): "all of this" — 一切 (all/everything) following 这 is not a measure word but a quantifier phrase. 这一切 is a common phrase for "all of this."
Common Mistakes: - Omitting the measure word: *这书很好 — incorrect; needs 这本书 - Using 个 for all nouns — while 个 is the default, using wrong measure words sounds unnatural to native ears - Confusing 这里 (here) with 这 + 里 structure — 这里 is a fixed location word
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The measure word system is often cited as one of the greatest challenges for learners of Chinese, but it is also one of the richest windows into Chinese categorisation of the world. Measure words classify objects by shape, material, function, and cultural significance: 把 for objects with handles (umbrella, knife, chair), 棵 for trees and plants, 幅 for paintings, 封 for sealed letters. Using measure words correctly signals fluency and cultural attunement.
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鲁迅 (Lu Xun), 《故乡》(My Old Home), 1921
The opening of this celebrated story — one of the most studied in modern Chinese literature — uses 这 with quiet devastation.
阿！这不是我二十年来时时记得的故乡？
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
阿 (ā) EXCL ！ ! 这 (zhè) this 不是 (bùshì) is-not 我 (wǒ) I/my 二十年 (èrshí nián) twenty-years 来 (lái) since 时时 (shíshí) always 记得 (jìde) remember 的 (de) DE 故乡 (gùxiāng) hometown ？
F-B: Text with Translation
阿！这不是我二十年来时时记得的故乡？
"Ah! Is this not the hometown I have always remembered for twenty years?"
F-C: Authentic Text Only
阿！这不是我二十年来时时记得的故乡？
F-D: Grammar Notes
这 as sentence topic: Here 这 stands alone before 不是 — "this" refers to the scene before the narrator's eyes. No measure word is needed when 这 is the full subject of a sentence.
不是…? (bùshì…?): negative rhetorical question — the sentence expects agreement. "Is this NOT my hometown?" implies: surely this IS my hometown — but the 这 (this bleak landscape) makes the identification painful.
时时 (shíshí): reduplicated time word meaning "always/constantly" — a literary intensification of 时 (time/always).
F-E: Literary Commentary
Lu Xun's 这 is one of the most emotionally freighted demonstratives in modern Chinese literature. The narrator returns home after twenty years and confronts the reality of the village. This — 这 — is what he sees. The word points at the desolation he has tried to recall as beauty. The sentence's power lies in 这 standing naked before 不是: this is not. The demonstrative that should affirm — this IS my home — instead hesitates. The word "this" becomes a measure of loss.
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Wang Fang shops at a street market. The dialogue is built around 这 as she examines, questions, and buys various items — showing measure words naturally in context.
19.16a 王芳 Wang-Fang 走 walk 进 into 市场 market ， , 看 look 到 to 很多 many 东西 things
19.16b (Wáng Fāng) Wang-Fang (zǒu) walk (jìn) into (shìchǎng) market (kàn) look (dào) to (hěn duō) many (dōngxi) things
19.17a 她 she 问 ask ： : "这 this 个 CL 苹果 apple 怎么 how 卖 sell ؟"**
19.17b (tā) she (wèn) ask (zhè) this (gè) CL (píngguǒ) apple (zěnme) how (mài) sell ?
19.18a 小贩 vendor 说 say ："这 this 些 CL-pl 苹果 apples 很 very 甜 sweet ， , 五块 five-yuan 钱 money 一 one 斤 jin。"
19.18b (xiǎofàn) vendor (shuō) say (zhè) this (xiē) CL-pl (píngguǒ) apples (hěn) very (tián) sweet (wǔ kuài) five-yuan (qián) money (yī) one (jīn) jin
19.19a 王芳 Wang-Fang 指 point 着 PROG 那边 over-there 的 DE 蔬菜 vegetables 问 ask ："这 this 些 CL-pl 是 are 什么 what ?"**
19.19b (Wáng Fāng) Wang-Fang (zhǐ) point (zhe) PROG (nàbiān) over-there (de) DE (shūcài) vegetables (wèn) ask (zhè) this (xiē) CL-pl (shì) are (shénme) what ?
19.20a "这 this 是 is 韭菜 chives ， , 这 this 是 is 芹菜 celery 。"
19.20b (zhè) this (shì) is (jiǔcài) chives (zhè) this (shì) is (qíncài) celery
19.21a 她 she 买 buy 了 PERF 这 this 些 CL-pl 蔬菜 vegetables 和 and 一 one 条 CL-strip 鱼 fish
19.21b (tā) she (mǎi) buy (le) PERF (zhè) this (xiē) CL-pl (shūcài) vegetables (hé) and (yī) one (tiáo) CL-strip (yú) fish
19.22a 鱼贩 fishmonger 说 say ："这 this 条 CL-strip 鱼 fish 今天 today 刚 just 送 deliver 来 come 的 DE ， , 新鲜 fresh 得很 very。"
19.22b (yúfàn) fishmonger (shuō) say (zhè) this (tiáo) CL-strip (yú) fish (jīntiān) today (gāng) just (sòng) deliver (lái) come (de) DE (xīnxiān) fresh (de hěn) very
19.23a 王芳 Wang-Fang 看 look 到 see 一双 one-pair 漂亮 beautiful 的 DE 筷子 chopsticks 问 ask ："这 this 双 CL-pair 多少钱 how-much ?"**
19.23b (Wáng Fāng) Wang-Fang (kàn) look (dào) see (yī shuāng) one-pair (piàoliang) beautiful (de) DE (kuàizi) chopsticks (wèn) ask (zhè) this (shuāng) CL-pair (duōshao qián) how-much ?
19.24a "这 this 双 CL-pair 是 is 竹子 bamboo 做 make 的 DE ， , 二十 twenty 块 yuan。"
19.24b (zhè) this (shuāng) CL-pair (shì) is (zhúzi) bamboo (zuò) make (de) DE (èrshí) twenty (kuài) yuan
19.25a 王芳 Wang-Fang 买 buy 了 PERF 很多 many 东西 things ， , 很 very 满意 satisfied 这 this 次 CL-occasion 的 DE 购物 shopping
19.25b (Wáng Fāng) Wang-Fang (mǎi) buy (le) PERF (hěn duō) many (dōngxi) things (hěn) very (mǎnyì) satisfied (zhè) this (cì) CL-occasion (de) DE (gòuwù) shopping
19.26a 回 return 到 to 家 home ， , 她 she 把 BA 这 these 些 CL-pl 食材 ingredients 放 put 进 into 冰箱 refrigerator
19.26b (huí) return (dào) to (jiā) home (tā) she (bǎ) BA (zhè) these (xiē) CL-pl (shícái) ingredients (fàng) put (jìn) into (bīngxiāng) refrigerator
19.27a 她 she 打算 plan 用 use 这 these 些 CL-pl 做 make 一顿 one-CL-meal 丰盛 sumptuous 的 DE 晚餐 dinner
19.27b (tā) she (dǎsuàn) plan (yòng) use (zhè) these (xiē) CL-pl (zuò) make (yī dùn) one-CL-meal (fēngshèng) sumptuous (de) DE (wǎncān) dinner
19.28a 这 this 种 CL-kind 生活 life 让 make 她 her 感到 feel 满足 contentment
19.28b (zhè) this (zhǒng) CL-kind (shēnghuó) life (ràng) make (tā) her (gǎndào) feel (mǎnzú) contentment
19.29a 朋友 friends 问 ask 她 her ："这 this 些 CL-pl 菜 dishes 是 are 你 you 做 make 的 DE 吗 Q ?"**
19.29b (péngyou) friends (wèn) ask (tā) her (zhè) this (xiē) CL-pl (cài) dishes (shì) are (nǐ) you (zuò) make (de) DE (ma) Q ?
19.30a "对 yes ， , 这 this 就是 exactly-is 我 my 妈妈 mother 教 teach 我 me 的 DE 做法 approach。"
19.30b (duì) yes (zhè) this (jiùshì) exactly-is (wǒ) my (māma) mother (jiāo) teach (wǒ) me (de) DE (zuòfǎ) approach
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19.16 王芳走进市场，看到很多东西。 "Wang Fang walked into the market and saw many things." 19.17 她问："这个苹果怎么卖？" "She asked: 'How are these apples sold?'" 19.18 小贩说："这些苹果很甜，五块钱一斤。" "The vendor said: 'These apples are very sweet, five yuan a jin.'" 19.19 王芳指着那边的蔬菜问："这些是什么？" "Wang Fang pointed at the vegetables over there and asked: 'What are these?'" 19.20 "这是韭菜，这是芹菜。" "'This is chives, this is celery.'" 19.21 她买了这些蔬菜和一条鱼。 "She bought these vegetables and a fish." 19.22 鱼贩说："这条鱼今天刚送来的，新鲜得很。" "The fishmonger said: 'This fish was just delivered today, very fresh.'" 19.23 王芳看到一双漂亮的筷子，问："这双多少钱？" "Wang Fang saw a beautiful pair of chopsticks and asked: 'How much for this pair?'" 19.24 "这双是竹子做的，二十块。" "'This pair is made of bamboo, twenty yuan.'" 19.25 王芳买了很多东西，很满意这次的购物。 "Wang Fang bought many things and was very satisfied with this shopping trip." 19.26 回到家，她把这些食材放进冰箱。 "Back home, she put these ingredients in the refrigerator." 19.27 她打算用这些做一顿丰盛的晚餐。 "She planned to use these to make a sumptuous dinner." 19.28 这种生活让她感到满足。 "This kind of life made her feel content." 19.29 朋友问她："这些菜是你做的吗？" "Friends asked her: 'Did you make these dishes?'" 19.30 "对，这就是我妈妈教我的做法。" "'Yes, this is exactly the approach my mother taught me.'"
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19.16 王芳走进市场，看到很多东西。 19.17 她问："这个苹果怎么卖？" 19.18 小贩说："这些苹果很甜，五块钱一斤。" 19.19 王芳指着那边的蔬菜问："这些是什么？" 19.20 "这是韭菜，这是芹菜。" 19.21 她买了这些蔬菜和一条鱼。 19.22 鱼贩说："这条鱼今天刚送来的，新鲜得很。" 19.23 王芳看到一双漂亮的筷子，问："这双多少钱？" 19.24 "这双是竹子做的，二十块。" 19.25 王芳买了很多东西，很满意这次的购物。 19.26 回到家，她把这些食材放进冰箱。 19.27 她打算用这些做一顿丰盛的晚餐。 19.28 这种生活让她感到满足。 19.29 朋友问她："这些菜是你做的吗？" 19.30 "对，这就是我妈妈教我的做法。"
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这些 (zhèxiē): 这 + 些 (some/several) = "these" [plural]. 些 is used where a measure word would be difficult to specify or where plurality is emphasised without a number. Common in informal and market speech.
怎么卖 (zěnme mài): "how is [this] sold?" — a standard market phrase for asking price, selling unit, or method. 怎么 (how) + 卖 (sell). More natural than the direct 多少钱 (how much) when inquiring about unit pricing.
刚…来的 (gāng…lái de): 刚 (just) + verb + 来 (come) + 的 (DE completion marker) — the 的 at the end of a sentence signals that the event described occurred at a specific past moment: 今天刚送来的 (just delivered today). This 的 completion pattern is important in explaining recent relevant past.
这次 (zhè cì): 这 + 次 (time/occasion) — "this time/this occasion." 次 is the measure word for occurrences/instances: 这次购物 (this shopping trip), 第一次 (first time).
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这 (zhè) — IPA: /ʈʂɤ˥˩/ — Fourth tone, falling.
- zh: retroflex affricate [ʈʂ] — the tongue tip curls back to the palate and makes a stop, then releases into a fricative. Similar to "j" in "jump" but with the tongue further back. - è: mid-central vowel [ɤ] — unrounded, mid-back; no English equivalent - Tone 4: sharp fall from high to low
In rapid speech, 这个 (zhège) is often reduced to zhège or even zège. The 个 is often unstressed (neutral tone).
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