For autodidact students of Mandarin, the pronoun 我们 (wǒmen) — "we/us" — introduces one of the most elegant features of Chinese pronoun grammar: plurals are formed by adding a single suffix 们 (men) to the singular. 我 (I) becomes 我们 (we); 你 (you) becomes 你们 (you all); 他 (he) becomes 他们 (they). The system is perfectly regular and applies across all persons.
A subtlety worth knowing from the start: Chinese distinguishes 我们 (wǒmen) from 咱们 (zánmen). Both mean "we," but 咱们 is explicitly inclusive of the listener — "we, you and I together." 我们 may or may not include the person being addressed. In everyday northern Chinese speech, 咱们 is a warm, inclusive invitation; 我们 is more neutral and universal.
Key Takeaways: - 我们 = we/us — formed by adding 们 to 我 (I) - 我们的 (wǒmen de) = our - 们 attaches only to personal pronouns, never to nouns - 咱们 (zánmen) = we/us [explicitly inclusive of listener] — northern Chinese usage - As object: same form — 帮我们 (help us), 告诉我们 (tell us)
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我们 is two characters. 我 (wǒ) is a complex character — a hand holding a weapon, an ancient pictograph of the self in relation to others. 们 (men) is a simple suffix character: 亻(the person radical, a compressed form of 人 rén) on the left, and 门 (mén, gate/door) on the right as a phonetic component. The person radical 亻confirms that 们 is exclusively for human plurals — you will never see it on 书 (books) or 猫 (cats).
Stroke order for 我: the character has seven strokes. The horizontal stroke at the top comes first, then the three strokes of the left component (like a hand), then the angled stroke, then the right component. Accurate stroke order matters for handwriting and for recognising the character in different fonts and handwriting styles.
Common learner mistakes: - Attempting 书们 or 猫们 for "books" or "cats" — 们 is for people only; plurality for nouns is expressed through context or number words - Forgetting that 我们 can function as both subject (we) and object (us) without any change of form - Overusing 我们 where Chinese would omit the subject entirely — once established in context, pronouns are often dropped
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21.1a 我们 we 是 are 朋友 friends
21.1b (wǒmen) we (shì) are (péngyou) friends
21.2a 我们 we 一起 together 去 go 看 see 电影 film 吧 SUGG
21.2b (wǒmen) we (yīqǐ) together (qù) go (kàn) see (diànyǐng) film (ba) SUGG
21.3a 我们 our 的 DE 学校 school 在 is-at 市中心 city-centre
21.3b (wǒmen) our (de) DE (xuéxiào) school (zài) is-at (shì zhōngxīn) city-centre
21.4a 老师 teacher 叫 told 我们 us 做 do 练习 exercises
21.4b (lǎoshī) teacher (jiào) told (wǒmen) us (zuò) do (liànxí) exercises
21.5a 我们 we 需要 need 更多 more 时间 time 来 to 准备 prepare
21.5b (wǒmen) we (xūyào) need (gèng duō) more (shíjiān) time (lái) to (zhǔnbèi) prepare
21.6a 这 this 是 is 我们 our 第一次 first-time 合作 collaborate
21.6b (zhè) this (shì) is (wǒmen) our (dì yī cì) first-time (hézuò) collaborate
21.7a 我们 we 昨天 yesterday 没 not-PAST 去 go 上课 class
21.7b (wǒmen) we (zuótiān) yesterday (méi) not-PAST (qù) go (shàngkè) class
21.8a 让 let 我们 us 开始 begin 吧 SUGG
21.8b (ràng) let (wǒmen) us (kāishǐ) begin (ba) SUGG
21.9a 我们 we 应该 should 互相 mutually 帮助 help
21.9b (wǒmen) we (yīnggāi) should (hùxiāng) mutually (bāngzhù) help
21.10a 他 he 比 than 我们 us 都 all 聪明 smart
21.10b (tā) he (bǐ) than (wǒmen) us (dōu) all (cōngming) smart
21.11a 我们 we 都 all 不 not 知道 know 答案 answer
21.11b (wǒmen) we (dōu) all (bù) not (zhīdào) know (dá'àn) answer
21.12a 咱们 we-INCL 走 go 吧 SUGG ， , 时间 time 不多了 not-much-PERF
21.12b (zánmen) we-INCL (zǒu) go (ba) SUGG (shíjiān) time (bù duō le) not-much-PERF
21.13a 这 this 是 is 我们 our 自己 own 的 DE 选择 choice
21.13b (zhè) this (shì) is (wǒmen) our (zìjǐ) own (de) DE (xuǎnzé) choice
21.14a 我们 we 公司 company 今年 this-year 发展 develop 得 DE 很好 very-well
21.14b (wǒmen) we (gōngsī) company (jīnnián) this-year (fāzhǎn) develop (de) DE (hěn hǎo) very-well
21.15a 我们 we 会 will 记住 remember 今天 today 的 DE
21.15b (wǒmen) we (huì) will (jìzhù) remember (jīntiān) today (de) DE
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21.1 我们是朋友。 "We are friends."
21.2 我们一起去看电影吧。 "Let's go and see a film together."
21.3 我们的学校在市中心。 "Our school is in the city centre."
21.4 老师叫我们做练习。 "The teacher told us to do exercises."
21.5 我们需要更多时间来准备。 "We need more time to prepare."
21.6 这是我们第一次合作。 "This is our first time working together."
21.7 我们昨天没去上课。 "We didn't go to class yesterday."
21.8 让我们开始吧。 "Let us begin."
21.9 我们应该互相帮助。 "We should help each other."
21.10 他比我们都聪明。 "He is smarter than all of us."
21.11 我们都不知道答案。 "None of us know the answer."
21.12 咱们走吧，时间不多了。 "Let's go — we don't have much time."
21.13 这是我们自己的选择。 "This is our own choice."
21.14 我们公司今年发展得很好。 "Our company has developed very well this year."
21.15 我们会记住今天的。 "We will remember today."
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21.1 我们是朋友。 21.2 我们一起去看电影吧。 21.3 我们的学校在市中心。 21.4 老师叫我们做练习。 21.5 我们需要更多时间来准备。 21.6 这是我们第一次合作。 21.7 我们昨天没去上课。 21.8 让我们开始吧。 21.9 我们应该互相帮助。 21.10 他比我们都聪明。 21.11 我们都不知道答案。 21.12 咱们走吧，时间不多了。 21.13 这是我们自己的选择。 21.14 我们公司今年发展得很好。 21.15 我们会记住今天的。
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These are the grammar rules for 我们 (wǒmen) — "we/us":
The plural suffix 们 (men): Chinese forms plural pronouns by adding 们 to the singular. The full paradigm:
First person: 我 (I) → 我们 (we) Second person: 你 (you sg.) → 你们 (you pl.) | 您 (you polite) → 您们 (rarely used; 您 itself often serves as polite plural) Third person: 他 (he) → 他们 (they, masc./mixed) | 她 (she) → 她们 (they, fem.) | 它 (it) → 它们 (they, non-human)
们 is exclusively for people. Chinese nouns do not inflect for number — 书 means both "book" and "books" depending on context. Plurality for nouns is indicated by number words, measure words, or context, never by 们.
我们 vs 咱们: Both mean "we," but with different scope. 我们 is neutral — it may or may not include the listener, depending on context. 咱们 is explicitly inclusive: "we, including you who are listening." In practice:
我们去了北京 — We went to Beijing (the listener probably wasn't there) 咱们去吧 — Let's go (you and I together — an invitation including the listener)
咱们 is particularly common in northern Chinese dialects and in Beijing speech. In the south and in formal writing, 我们 handles both functions.
Subject dropping: Once 我们 is established in context, Chinese often drops it. A series of sentences about "we" may only state 我们 once and rely on context thereafter. This is normal and natural — not a grammatical error.
让我们…吧 (ràng wǒmen…ba): A formal exhortation — "Let us begin / Let us work together." 让 (let/cause) + 我们 (us) + verb + 吧 (suggestion particle). This is the register of speeches, toasts, and formal openings. In casual speech, 咱们去吧 (Let's go) is more natural.
比…都 (bǐ…dōu): 他比我们都聪明 — "He is smarter than all of us." 都 after the standard of comparison extends the comparison to every member of the group. Without 都: 他比我们聪明 = "He is smarter than us [as a group]." With 都: "smarter than each and every one of us."
Common Mistakes: - 书们, 猫们 — 们 cannot attach to nouns - Translating English "we" with 我们 even when the subject should be dropped in natural Chinese - Confusing 我们 and 咱们 — in a formal speech, 我们 is correct; inviting a friend out, 咱们 is warmer
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The weight of 我们 in Chinese public language is considerable. In Confucian thought, the individual is always constituted through relationships — the self is never isolated but always already embedded in a "we." Political and official Chinese constantly deploys 我们: 我们中国人 (we Chinese people), 我们共同的目标 (our shared goal), 我们的未来 (our future). The pronoun performs inclusion and solidarity simultaneously.
In everyday life, 咱们 carries a particular warmth. A Beijing taxi driver saying 咱们走吧 (let's go) places himself and the passenger in the same journey. A teacher saying 咱们一起学 (let's learn together) signals partnership rather than authority. The inclusive first person is an act of relationship.
The phrase 我们会记住 (we will remember) appears at memorials, at graduations, in song lyrics marking the end of things. 我们 in this register speaks across time — the "we" who will carry memory forward.
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《诗经·秦风·无衣》— Shījīng, Qin Airs: "No Clothes", c. 7th century BCE
One of the most stirring poems in the Book of Songs. Two soldiers facing war speak of shared equipment, shared preparation, shared cause. The poem's "we" is never stated explicitly — it is embodied in every 与子同 (share with you):
岂曰无衣？与子同袍。王于兴师，修我戈矛，与子同仇！
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
岂 (qǐ) how/could 曰 (yuē) say 无 (wú) have-not 衣 (yī) clothes ？ ? 与 (yǔ) with 子 (zǐ) you-HON 同 (tóng) share 袍 (páo) robe 。 王 (wáng) king 于 (yū) PART 兴 (xīng) raise 师 (shī) army ， 修 (xiū) sharpen 我 (wǒ) our 戈 (gē) spear 矛 (máo) halberd ， 与 (yǔ) with 子 (zǐ) you-HON 同 (tóng) share 仇 (chóu) enemy/cause ！
F-B: Authentic Text with Translation
岂曰无衣？与子同袍。王于兴师，修我戈矛，与子同仇！
"Who says we have no clothes? We share a robe with you. The king raises an army — we sharpen our spears and halberds and share our cause with you!"
F-C: Authentic Text Only
岂曰无衣？与子同袍。王于兴师，修我戈矛，与子同仇！
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
修我戈矛 (xiū wǒ gē máo): 我 here = "our" — in classical Chinese, the singular 我 (I/my) frequently stands for the collective "we/our." The soldier speaks for both of them. This classical we-without-们 is the predecessor of modern 我们.
与子同 (yǔ zǐ tóng): repeated three times across the poem's three stanzas — "share with you." The triplet of 同 (same/share) — same robe, same garment, same cause — builds the poem's emotional force through accumulation rather than argument.
于 (yū): a classical particle used for emphasis or rhythm, without clear lexical meaning here. It appears between the subject 王 and the verb 兴 for metrical reasons.
F-E: Literary Commentary
The Shījīng poem "No Clothes" is a masterpiece of collective identity expressed through the grammar of sharing. The word 我们 does not appear — but the poem is entirely about the "we" that forms when two people say 与子同 (I share with you). This is the deepest grammar of 我们: not a pronoun but an act, the decision to be included in the same fate as another person. 我们 in modern Chinese inherits all of this — every time we say it, we are, however faintly, sharing a robe.
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Five university classmates take a trip to Yunnan together in their final year. The narrative uses 我们 across all its grammatical positions — subject, object, possessive — and across past, present, and future, building naturally from planning through departure, arrival, and memory.
21.16a 我们 we 五个 five-CL 同学 classmates 决定 decided 在 before 毕业 graduation 前 before 一起 together 去 go 云南 Yunnan
21.16b (wǒmen) we (wǔ gè) five-CL (tóngxué) classmates (juédìng) decided (zài) before (bìyè) graduation (qián) before (yīqǐ) together (qù) go (Yúnnán) Yunnan
21.17a 这 this 是 is 我们 our 大学 university 四年 four-years 里 in 第一次 first-time 一起 together 长途旅行 long-journey
21.17b (zhè) this (shì) is (wǒmen) our (dàxué) university (sì nián) four-years (lǐ) in (dì yī cì) first-time (yīqǐ) together (cháng tú lǚxíng) long-journey
21.18a 我们 we 提前 in-advance 两周 two-weeks 订好 booked-PERF 了 COMP 机票 flights 和 and 酒店 hotel
21.18b (wǒmen) we (tíqián) in-advance (liǎng zhōu) two-weeks (dìng hǎo) booked-PERF (le) COMP (jīpiào) flights (hé) and (jiǔdiàn) hotel
21.19a 到 arrive 了 PERF 昆明 Kunming ， , 我们 we 都 all 很 very 兴奋 excited
21.19b (dào le) arrive-PERF (Kūnmíng) Kunming (wǒmen) we (dōu) all (hěn) very (xīngfèn) excited
21.20a 我们 we 租 rented 了 PERF 一辆 one-CL 面包车 minivan ， , 朝 toward 大理 Dali 开去 drove
21.20b (wǒmen) we (zū) rented (le) PERF (yī liàng) one-CL (miànbāochē) minivan (cháo) toward (Dàlǐ) Dali (kāi qù) drove
21.21a 一路上 all-the-way 我们 we 唱歌 sang 、 , 聊天 chatted ， , 忘 forgot 了 PERF 时间 time
21.21b (yī lù shàng) all-the-way (wǒmen) we (chànggē) sang (liáotiān) chatted (wàng) forgot (le) PERF (shíjiān) time
21.22a 我们 our 的 DE 导游 guide 带 led 我们 us 走 walked 过 through 很多 many 古老 ancient 的 DE 街道 streets
21.22b (wǒmen) our (de) DE (dǎoyóu) guide (dài) led (wǒmen) us (zǒu) walked (guò) through (hěn duō) many (gǔlǎo) ancient (de) DE (jiēdào) streets
21.23a 晚上 evening 我们 we 在 at 洱海 Erhai-Lake 边 edge 坐 sat 着 PROG ， , 看 watched 星星 stars
21.23b (wǎnshang) evening (wǒmen) we (zài) at (Ěrhǎi) Erhai-Lake (biān) edge (zuò) sat (zhe) PROG (kàn) watched (xīngxīng) stars
21.24a 我们 we 互相 mutually 拍 took 照片 photos ， , 留 kept 下 down 了 PERF 那 those 些 CL-pl 笑脸 smiling-faces
21.24b (wǒmen) we (hùxiāng) mutually (pāi) took (zhàopiàn) photos (liú) kept (xià le) down-PERF (nà xiē) those CL-pl (xiào liǎn) smiling-faces
21.25a 临走 about-to-leave 时 when ， , 我们 we 站 stood 在 at 古城 old-city 门口 entrance ， , 谁 no-one 都 all 不 not 想 wanted 先 first 说 say 再见 goodbye
21.25b (lín zǒu shí) about-to-leave-when (wǒmen) we (zhàn) stood (zài) at (gǔchéng) old-city (ménkǒu) entrance (shéi) no-one (dōu) all (bù) not (xiǎng) wanted (xiān) first (shuō) say (zàijiàn) goodbye
21.26a 回程 return-journey 的 DE 飞机 plane 上 on ， , 我们 we 都 all 睡 slept 着 PROG 了 PERF ， , 脸上 face-on 带着 bearing 笑 smiles
21.26b (huí chéng de) return-journey-DE (fēijī) plane (shàng) on (wǒmen) we (dōu) all (shuì) slept (zhe) PROG (le) PERF (liǎn shàng) face-on (dài zhe) bearing (xiào) smiles
21.27a 多年 many-years 后 after ， , 我们 we 还 still 常常 often 翻 flip-through 看 look 那 those 些 CL-pl 照片 photos
21.27b (duō nián hòu) many-years-after (wǒmen) we (hái) still (chángcháng) often (fān) flip-through (kàn) look (nà xiē) those CL-pl (zhàopiàn) photos
21.28a 有 have 人 people 问 asked 我们 us ： : "那次 that-time 旅行 journey 最 most 难忘 memorable 的 DE 是 is 什么 what ؟"**
21.28b (yǒu rén) have-people (wèn) asked (wǒmen) us (nà cì) that-time (lǚxíng) journey (zuì) most (nánwàng) memorable (de shì) DE-is (shénme) what ?
21.29a 我们 we 的 DE 答案 answer 都 all 一样 same ： : "是 is 我们 we 在 at 一起 together 的 DE 那段 that-CL 时光 time 。"
21.29b (wǒmen) we (de) DE (dá'àn) answer (dōu) all (yīyàng) same (shì) is (wǒmen) we (zài) at (yīqǐ) together (de) DE (nà duàn) that-CL (shíguāng) time
21.30a 那次 that-time 旅行 journey 教 taught 会 taught-COMP 了 PERF 我们 us 一件事 one-matter ： : 有 have 人 people 与 with 我们 us 同行 travel-together ， , 才 only-then 叫 called 旅行 journey
21.30b (nà cì) that-time (lǚxíng) journey (jiāo huì le) taught-COMP-PERF (wǒmen) us (yī jiàn shì) one-matter (yǒu rén) have-people (yǔ) with (wǒmen) us (tóngxíng) travel-together (cái) only-then (jiào) called (lǚxíng) journey
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21.16 我们五个同学决定在毕业前一起去云南。 "The five of us classmates decided to go to Yunnan together before graduation."
21.17 这是我们大学四年里第一次一起长途旅行。 "This was the first long trip we took together in our four years of university."
21.18 我们提前两周订好了机票和酒店。 "We booked our flights and hotel two weeks in advance."
21.19 到了昆明，我们都很兴奋。 "When we arrived in Kunming, we were all very excited."
21.20 我们租了一辆面包车，朝大理开去。 "We rented a minivan and drove toward Dali."
21.21 一路上我们唱歌、聊天，忘了时间。 "All along the way we sang and chatted, forgetting about time."
21.22 我们的导游带我们走过很多古老的街道。 "Our guide led us through many ancient streets."
21.23 晚上我们在洱海边坐着，看星星。 "In the evening we sat by Erhai Lake watching the stars."
21.24 我们互相拍照片，留下了那些笑脸。 "We took photos of each other, preserving those smiling faces."
21.25 临走时，我们站在古城门口，谁都不想先说再见。 "When it was time to leave, we stood at the old city gate — no one wanted to be the first to say goodbye."
21.26 回程的飞机上，我们都睡着了，脸上带着笑。 "On the return flight we all fell asleep, smiles on our faces."
21.27 多年后，我们还常常翻看那些照片。 "Many years later, we still often flip through those photos."
21.28 有人问我们："那次旅行最难忘的是什么？" "People asked us: 'What was most memorable about that trip?'"
21.29 我们的答案都一样："是我们在一起的那段时光。" "Our answers were all the same: 'The time we spent together.'"
21.30 那次旅行教会了我们一件事：有人与我们同行，才叫旅行。 "That journey taught us one thing: when there are people travelling alongside you — that is what a journey means."
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21.16 我们五个同学决定在毕业前一起去云南。 21.17 这是我们大学四年里第一次一起长途旅行。 21.18 我们提前两周订好了机票和酒店。 21.19 到了昆明，我们都很兴奋。 21.20 我们租了一辆面包车，朝大理开去。 21.21 一路上我们唱歌、聊天，忘了时间。 21.22 我们的导游带我们走过很多古老的街道。 21.23 晚上我们在洱海边坐着，看星星。 21.24 我们互相拍照片，留下了那些笑脸。 21.25 临走时，我们站在古城门口，谁都不想先说再见。 21.26 回程的飞机上，我们都睡着了，脸上带着笑。 21.27 多年后，我们还常常翻看那些照片。 21.28 有人问我们："那次旅行最难忘的是什么？" 21.29 我们的答案都一样："是我们在一起的那段时光。" 21.30 那次旅行教会了我们一件事：有人与我们同行，才叫旅行。
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数量 + 名词 subject (21.16): 我们五个同学 — "the five of us classmates." 我们 + number + measure word + noun functions as a complex subject specifying the group's composition. The number phrase follows 我们 directly: 我们三个人 (the three of us), 我们两个朋友 (we two friends).
教会了 (jiāo huì le): verb 教 (teach) + resultative complement 会 (come to know/be able to) + 了 (perfective). 教会 = "teach successfully, to the point of ability." Contrast 教 alone (the act of teaching) with 教会 (teaching that results in the student being able to do something). This resultative complement pattern is productive: 学会 (learn successfully), 做会 (do until proficient), 说会 (practise until fluent).
才叫 (cái jiào): 才 (only then/not until) + 叫 (called/is truly) — a rhetorical structure asserting the necessary condition for something to qualify as what it is named. 有人与我们同行，才叫旅行 = "Only when there are people travelling alongside you does it truly deserve to be called a journey." 才 insists on the condition; without it, the name does not apply.
谁都不想 (shéi dōu bù xiǎng): "no one wanted to." 谁 (who/whoever) + 都 (all) + 不 (not) = "no one / not a single person." This negative universal uses 谁都不 rather than *没有人 for a more emphatic, inclusive negation — every person without exception is covered.
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我们 (wǒmen) — IPA: /wo˨˩˦.mən/
我 (wǒ): third tone — the full shape dips low then rises (˨˩˦), but in connected speech before another syllable, 我 takes the half-third (low level ˨˩). The full rising shape is heard only in isolation or emphatic stress.
们 (men): neutral tone (轻声 qīngshēng). Neutral tone is short, light, and unstressed — its pitch is determined by the tone of the preceding syllable. After a third-tone syllable, neutral tone tends to be mid-low. The vowel is a short central schwa [ə] followed by a nasal [n].
The combination 我们 in natural speech: /wo˨˩.mən/ — a falling-low syllable followed by a very brief unstressed syllable. In fast speech it can sound almost like a single heavy syllable: wǒm.
Contrast with 我 alone: 我 in isolation has the full dipping-rising third tone. In 我们, only the low part of that dip is heard before the suffix absorbs the rest.
✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾ ✾ ❦ ✾ ❦ ✾
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