pron.
you (plural)
你们
you (plural)
Plural 'you' (你 you + 们 plural suffix). Used when directly addressing two or more people; say 你们好 (hello everyone).
Common Usage & Traps
- 你们好 — Hello (to a group)
- 你们是学生 — You all are students
- 你们都来了吗 — Are you all here?
- 你们的老师 — Your (plural) teacher
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你们好 (to one person)你好你们 is plural. One person gets 你, not 你们.
Can 你们 mean a polite 'you' to just one person?
No. 你们 is always plural, even when you want to be polite.
Chinese does not use the plural for politeness. To one person, say 你. To two or more people, say 你们. In the story, Xiaomi asks 你们知道吗 because she is talking to a group, not because she is being extra polite.
“小米：你们知道吗？” (Xiaomi: Did you guys know?)
“小米：你们知道吗？” (Xiaomi: Did you guys know?)
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| One person | 你好 | 你们好 |
| Two or more people | 你们好 | 你好 |
Do you say 你们 as nǐmén or nǐmen?
Say nǐmen. The 们 is neutral and light.
们 loses its full tone after 你. It sounds short and weak, not like a separate heavy syllable. If you say nǐmén, it breaks the normal rhythm and sounds like two separate words. This neutral tone also happens in 我们, 他们, and 她们.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Full pronunciation | nǐmen | nǐmén |
| Tone on 们 | neutral | second tone |
| Rhythm | light second syllable | two strong beats |
Appears in Stories 4 stories
Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.
This humorous dialogue follows a man who spends all his savings on his girlfriend's Apple phone and a lucky number, leaving him broke. A fun read for HSK 3 learners.
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你们 是不是快办喜事了？
Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.
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“今天 你们 学校没有人呀？”
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
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他问我：“ 你们 这行怎么样？”
Chat about where friends study Chinese while exploring 哪儿 and 哪里 across Beijing and Shanghai. Practice asking “where”, talking about “here” and “there”, and using the modest reply 哪里哪里 to accept a compliment.
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小米： 你们 知道吗？
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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