A woman or female person referred to in the third person. She, her; used for women, girls, and feminine entities. A woman (女) plus 也 (also): she is also a person.
The left side 女 means woman. The right side 也 is there purely for sound — it tells you to read the whole thing as tā, the same sound as 他. So the picture is simple: meaning on the left, sound on the right. That's why 她 means she/her and sounds exactly like 他.
In writing, 他 is male and 她 is female. Using 他 for a woman reads as a typo to native eyes.
它 is for animals and things, never people. Pick 他 or 她 depending on the person's gender.
No — they are both tā. The difference lives only on paper.
In spoken Chinese, 他, 她, and 它 are all pronounced exactly the same: tā. You cannot hear whether someone means he or she from the sound alone. The split is purely a written habit. So when you talk, context does the work; when you write, you must pick the right character.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Spoken | tā for he/she/it | trying to pronounce 她 differently |
| Written | 她 for a woman | 他 for a woman |
| Listening | rely on context | expecting a sound clue |
Use 他们. One man in the group flips it to the male form.
她们 is only for an all-female group. The moment one male joins the mix, you switch to 他们. It works like English 'guys' covering a mixed group. So a group of 99 women and 1 man is still 他们 in writing.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| All female group | 她们 | 他们 |
| Mixed group (even 1 man) | 他们 | 她们 |
| All male group | 他们 | 她们 |
Yes — but only in warm, formal writing. In daily speech you use 它.
Poetic or patriotic Chinese sometimes uses 她 for a country, a river, or a ship to show affection, like a sailor calling a boat 'she'. But in normal conversation, objects take 它. Call your phone 她 out loud and people will think you are joking.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday object | 它 | 她 |
| Poetic writing | 她 (for a country) | 它 in a poem about motherland |
| Casual speech | 它 | 她 for your phone |
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
她 是中国人。
她 的老家是上海。
她 是上海人。
她 下个月要回上海。
但是 她 可能会坐火车回上海。
This short, simple story follows a shopper's trip to the supermarket to buy apples. You'll learn useful vocabulary for shopping, prices, and comparing things.
她们 说小苹果非常好吃。
她 说 她 不知道。
This playful rhyme helps you learn family words in Chinese. Practice saying who's who with simple questions and answers!
小朋友，我再问你，这个女孩子， 她 是谁？
那个女孩儿， 她 是谁？
In this easy story, you will follow a simple trip to the supermarket to buy apples. Practice numbers, question words, and nationalities in a real-life shopping context.
她 说 她 不知道。
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
她 去洗手间了。
This heartwarming story shows how a small act of kindness can be passed on. Follow Gao Xianming as he learns an important lesson about generosity in his new city.
高先明对 她 说：“不要给我。
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