To ask aloud which bird is the one in question.
Who, whom, anyone, or someone. Speech (讠) beside a bird (隹) calling it out from the flock.
谁
Common Usage & Traps
- 你是谁？ — Who are you?
- 谁说的？ — Who said that?
- 这是谁的？ — Whose is this?
- 谁知道？ — Who knows?
- 谁来了？ — Who came?
- 谁看见我的猫了？ — Who saw my cat?
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谁是你？你是谁？English puts 'who' first, but Chinese keeps it where the answer would go. 谁是你 sounds like 'Who is you?'
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这是谁书？这是谁的书？You need 的 to turn 谁 into 'whose'. Without it, it sounds like 'this is who book?'
When do you say 谁 and when do you say 谁的?
谁 means 'who', 谁的 means 'whose'. Add 的 to show ownership.
Use 谁 for people: 谁来了？ (Who came?). Use 谁的 for ownership: 这是谁的书？ (Whose book is this?). The 的 works like 我的 (my) or 你的 (your).
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Asking about a person | 谁来了？ | 谁的来了？ |
| Asking about ownership | 这是谁的书？ | 这是谁书？ |
Why do Chinese people say 你是谁 instead of 谁是你?
Chinese question words stay where the answer would go. No fronting like English.
In English, 'Who are you?' puts 'who' first. Chinese keeps normal order: 你是 (you are) + 谁 (who) = 你是谁. If 谁 is the doer, it goes first: 谁来了？ (Who came?). If 谁 is the receiver, it stays after the verb: 你看见谁了？ (Who did you see?).
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Who is doing it | 谁来了？ | 来了谁？ |
| Who is receiving it | 你看见谁了？ | 谁你看见了？ |
| Who are you | 你是谁？ | 谁是你？ |
Is it shéi or shuí?
Both are correct, but shéi is what people actually say. shuí sounds stiff and textbook-y.
In everyday speech, especially in the north, everyone says shéi. shuí is the dictionary reading and you'll hear it in some southern areas or formal broadcasts. If you say shuí in Beijing, people understand you but it sounds like a 1980s textbook. Go with shéi.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday speech | shéi | shuí (sounds stiff) |
Can 谁 be used in a statement, not just a question?
Yes. 谁 can mean 'anyone' or 'nobody' in statements, like 谁都知道 or 谁也不知道.
谁 isn't only for questions. In a plain statement, it can mean 'whoever' or 'anyone'. 谁都知道 means 'everyone knows'. 谁也不知道 means 'nobody knows'. The meaning flips based on whether the sentence is positive or negative.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Positive statement | 谁都知道。 (Everyone knows.) | 谁都知道吗？ (only if asking) |
| Negative statement | 谁也不知道。 (Nobody knows.) | 谁也不知道吗？ (only if asking) |
| As a question | 谁知道？ (Who knows?) | 谁都知道？ (surprised 'Everyone knows?') |
Appears in Stories 3 stories
This playful rhyme helps you learn family words in Chinese. Practice saying who's who with simple questions and answers!
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小朋友，我问问你，这个小朋友，他是 谁 ？
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那个小孩子，他是 谁 ？
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小朋友，我再问你，这个女孩子，她是 谁 ？
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那个女孩儿，她是 谁 ？
Before you read, think about the questions you ask every day. This simple poem shows you how to ask age, price, time, and more in friendly Chinese.
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看电视，他是 谁 ？
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
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谁 看见我的大白猫大白，请打电话给三号房间。”
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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