这
Character Story & Explanation
在现代汉语中，这（zhè）是使用频率最高的指示代词之一，出现在日常对话、 signage（如‘这里禁止吸烟’）、教材、新闻标题中。它固定搭配量词构成‘这个’‘这些’‘这儿’‘这边’等高频结构；成语中虽不单独成典，但常见于口语化表达如‘这山望着那山高’（literally 'looking at another mountain while standing on this one' — meaning 'always wanting something better').
字形上，这属形声字：左上部‘是’表音兼表意（‘是’本义为‘正、直’，引申为‘确定指代’），右下部‘辶’（chuò, the ‘walk’ radical） signals spatial reference — consistent with its use for proximal location. No oracle bone or bronze script forms survive for 这; it emerged later in seal script (c. 3rd century BCE) as a grammaticalized demonstrative.
Hi students! The character 这 (zhè) is one of the first demonstrative pronouns you’ll learn in Chinese — and it’s essential for pointing, introducing, and clarifying. It means 'this' or 'these', and always refers to something close to the speaker — either physically near you or conceptually current in the conversation. Unlike English, Chinese doesn’t change form for singular/plural: 这 works for both 'this book' and 'these books'. It’s never used alone — it must be followed by a measure word (like 这个 'zhè ge' for 'this one') or a noun (e.g., 这里 'zhè lǐ' = 'here').
Don’t confuse 这 with 那 (nà, 'that') — they’re opposites on the proximity scale. Also, remember that 这 has two common pronunciations: zhè (standard tone 4) and zhèi (colloquial, especially before measure words like 个). You’ll hear zhèi all the time in spoken Mandarin — 'zhèi ge' sounds more natural than 'zhè ge' in casual speech. Both are correct; zhèi is just informal and frequent.
Writing 这 is simple but important: 7 strokes, with the radical 辶 (chuò), meaning 'walking' or 'movement', on the bottom right — hinting at directionality or location. The top part 是 (shì, 'to be') originally indicated identity or reference, so together 这 subtly conveys 'the one that is (here/now)'. As an HSK Level 1 character, mastering 这 opens doors to basic questions ('What is this?'), directions ('This way!'), and everyday descriptions — making it truly foundational.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name
Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.
Get My Chinese Name →