Common Usage & Traps
- 一些 — some
- 这些 — these
- 那些 — those
- 有些 — some
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些人一些人些 cannot stand alone as a modifier; it must be preceded by a determiner like 一, 这, 那, or 有.
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些东西一些东西些 is a bound morpheme and cannot be used alone to mean 'some'.
些
Origin & Mnemonic:
A small number or amount; a little bit. Some, a few, a little; slightly. 此 (this) over 二 (two): stop here at just these two—not many.
What is the difference between 些 and 少?
些 means 'some' and is a measure word; 少 means 'few' or 'little' and is an adjective.
些 (xiē) is a bound morpheme that indicates an indefinite small quantity, often translated as 'some'. It must be used with a preceding determiner like 一, 这, 那, or 有. 少 (shǎo) means 'few' or 'little' and functions as an adjective or adverb, describing a small amount. They are not interchangeable.
| Dimension | 些 | 少 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | some (indefinite small quantity) | few, little |
| Part of speech | measure word / bound morpheme | adjective / adverb |
| Usage | must be preceded by 一, 这, 那, 有 | can stand alone or modify nouns/verbs |
| Example | 一些书 (some books) | 书很少 (few books) |
Can 些 be used as a measure word like 个?
No, 些 is not a general measure word like 个; it indicates an indefinite small quantity and only pairs with 一 or demonstratives.
个 (gè) is a general measure word used with countable nouns and can follow any number (e.g., 三个苹果). 些 (xiē) is a measure word that indicates an indefinite small amount, and it is only used with 一 (一些) or with demonstratives (这些, 那些). It cannot be used with other numbers. For example, you cannot say 三些苹果; you must say 三个苹果.
| Dimension | 些 | 个 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | some (indefinite small quantity) | general measure word |
| Number restriction | only with 一 or demonstratives | any number |
| Example | 一些苹果 (some apples) | 三个苹果 (three apples) |
| Standalone | cannot stand alone | can stand alone after number |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
This is a short dialogue about a shopping trip. A woman buys many things, including food, drinks, furniture, and pet food, while her boyfriend reminds her not to overspend.
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我买了鸡蛋、面包、牛奶，还有 一些 水果， 这些 都是你和我的吃的和喝的东西，还有给我们的小猫和小狗吃的东西。
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那些 桌子、椅子什么的，这个星期都便宜了，都不贵。”
Read about a work trip to Beijing where a group of colleagues takes a very large airplane. Practice weather words and actions in a simple travel story.
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我们 有些 人穿的衣服很少。
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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