plural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals
HSK 1, k, 5 strokes, radical 亻, rank #110, Hard
们
men
plural marker for pronouns and some nouns
HSK 1, k, 5 strokes, radical 亻, rank #110, Hard
men(men5) T5
1plural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals
2plural marker for pronouns and some nouns
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March 24, 2026
们(們)men(men5)
The character 们 (men) is a plural marker used in Mandarin Chinese primarily for pronouns and some nouns that refer to individuals. It typically indicates that the subject is more than one person, such as in '我们' (wǒmen, we) or '他们' (tāmen, they). This character is essential for expressing plurality in conversation and writing.
Strokes5Radical亻Frequency#110DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
The use of 们 (men) reflects the importance of community and group identity in Chinese culture, where collectivism is often emphasized over individualism. This character is frequently used in contexts that highlight togetherness and unity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a group of friends standing together, and you want to address them all. The character 们 (men) looks like a person with arms open wide, welcoming everyone. Think of 'men' as a way to gather multiple people together, making it easier to remember its function as a plural marker.
Meanings of 们
men(men5)
1plural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals
2plural marker for pronouns and some nouns
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 们
们Simplified
們Traditional
5Strokes
亻Radical
后接成分suffix-forming morpheme (suff.)Part of Speech
#110Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL1
Podcast: 们
Podcast: 们
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AI Study Notes for 们
Quick Contrast
你们 (nǐmen, you-pl) vs 咱们 (zánmen, we-inclusive) — use 们 (men) for pluralizing 'you' vs 'we'.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a group of friends standing together, and you want to address them all. The character 们 (men) looks like a person with arms open wide, welcoming everyone. Think of 'men' as a way to gather multiple people together, making it easier to remember its function as a plural marker.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is to use 们 with inanimate objects or non-personal nouns, which is incorrect. Remember that 们 is used specifically for people or personified entities. The tone is neutral, so be careful not to emphasize it incorrectly when speaking.
HSK Study Tips
While 们 (men) is not officially listed in HSK levels, it is essential for beginners to understand how to form plural subjects. Focus on practicing its use with pronouns and commonly used nouns to build a solid foundation for sentence structure.
Cultural Note
The use of 们 (men) reflects the importance of community and group identity in Chinese culture, where collectivism is often emphasized over individualism. This character is frequently used in contexts that highlight togetherness and unity.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 们 with abstract nouns or non-human subjects, such as saying '事情们' (shìqíngmen, things). The correct form would be to simply use '事情' (shìqíng, things) without 们.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 们
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Grammar Patterns of 们
们 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
The character 们 (men) is a crucial part of Mandarin grammar, marking the plural form for pronouns and some nouns. It's used frequently in everyday conversations, making it essential for anyone learning Chinese.
🏮Cultural insight
The use of 们 (men) reflects the importance of community and group identity in Chinese culture, where collectivism is often emphasized over individualism. This character is frequently used in contexts that highlight togetherness and unity.
📜Proverb
In Chinese culture, the concept of community is strong. The use of 们 in language reflects this value, emphasizing the importance of 'we' over 'I' in many contexts.
Word Family of 们
Words Containing This Character19
我们wǒmenwe我們
他们tāmenthey他們
你们nǐmenyou (plural)你們
们menplural marker for pronouns, and nouns referring to individuals們
人们rénmenpeople人們
它们tāmenthey (for inanimate objects)它們
她们tāmenthey她們
咱们zánmen(dialect) I or me咱們
孩子们children孩子們
哥们Brothers!哥們
哥们儿Brothers!哥們兒
爷们husbands and their fathers etc爺們
弟兄们brothers弟兄們
爷们儿husbands and their fathers etc爺們兒
娘儿们wife娘兒們
图们江Tumen river in Jilin province 吉林省, forming the eastern border between China and North Korea圖們江
图们Tumen county level city in Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture 延邊朝鮮族自治州|延边朝鲜族自治州, Jilin圖們
图们市Tumen county level city in Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture 延邊朝鮮族自治州|延边朝鲜族自治州, Jilin圖們市
铁哥们(coll.) very close male friends鐵哥們
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 我们 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 们
No, 们 (men) is not used with all nouns. It is primarily used with personal pronouns and certain nouns that refer to people. For instance, you can say '妈妈们' (māmāmen) to mean 'mothers', but you wouldn’t typically use it with inanimate objects.
Yes, 们 (men) specifically denotes plurality for people in pronouns and certain nouns, while other plural markers are used in different contexts. For example, the measure word '个' (gè) can also imply plurality when used in specific structures, but it does not directly convey that a noun is plural like 们 does.
们 (men) is a plural marker used primarily for pronouns and nouns that refer to individuals. It is often attached to personal pronouns to indicate that you are talking about more than one person, such as in '我们' (wǒmen), which means 'we'.
To use 们 (men) in sentences, simply attach it to the end of a pronoun or a noun. For example, '他们' (tāmen) means 'they', and '学生们' (xuéshēngmen) means 'students'. This helps clarify that you are referring to a group rather than a single individual.
No, 们 is specifically used with pronouns and some nouns that refer to people. For example, you would say '学生们' (xuéshēngmen, students), but not '书们' (shūmen, books).
No, the pronunciation of 们 (men) remains the same regardless of context. It is always pronounced with the neutral tone.
