Meanings of 那
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About 那
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Podcast: 那
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AI Study Notes for 那
那 (nà) vs. 这 (zhè) — use 那 for referring to something farther away, while 这 indicates something closer.
Imagine a traveler pointing to a distant mountain and saying, 'That mountain over there is beautiful.' The character '那' resembles a person (the vertical line) pointing (the horizontal line) towards something far away.
Common mistakes include confusing '那' (nà) with '哪' (nǎ), which means 'which' or 'where'. While '那' is generally informal, it can appear in formal contexts. Be mindful of its pronunciation, as misplacing the tones can alter meaning.
As an HSK Level 1 word, '那' is foundational for understanding demonstratives in Mandarin. Students should practice its use in simple sentences and familiarize themselves with related words like '这' (zhè - this).
'那' is frequently used in conversational Chinese to make transitions smoother, reflecting the importance of context in daily communication. In storytelling, this word helps to connect ideas and guide listeners through narratives.
Learners often confuse '那' with '哪', leading to incorrect phrases like '你是哪?' (nǐ shì nǎ?) instead of the correct '你是那?' (nǐ shì nà?) for 'You are that one?'. Pay attention to the context to avoid such errors.
Pronunciation of 那
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Etymology of 那
Phonosemantic compound. ⻏ represents the meaning and 冄 represents the sound. The character is based on the original meaning "name of a city", which is unrelated to the modern meaning.
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 那?
Decomposition of 那
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 那?
Write 那
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Practice writing 那 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 那
那 carries 13 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
____个人是谁？
Who is that person?
Common Confusions with 那
Similar pronunciation and meaning as question words.
Spot the Difference
Which character means "that"?
Usage Notes for 那
Many learners mistakenly pronounce '那' as 'nèi'. The standard pronunciation is 'nà'.
我想要那本书。
I want that book.
Fill in the Blank
我想要____本书。
I want that book.
Example Sentences for 那 (10)
Cultural Notes for 那
'那' is commonly used in everyday conversation in Chinese to refer to things that are not close to the speaker, highlighting the importance of spatial awareness in the language.
'那' is frequently used in conversational Chinese to make transitions smoother, reflecting the importance of context in daily communication. In storytelling, this word helps to connect ideas and guide listeners through narratives.
In Chinese culture, the concept of distance is not just physical but also relates to emotional and social contexts, which is reflected in the use of demonstrative pronouns like '那'.
Word Family of 那
Compound Meaning
What does 哪 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 那
那 and 哪 are not interchangeable, although they look similar. 那 (nà) means 'that,' while 哪 (nǎ) means 'which.' They serve different functions in sentences, with 哪 often used in questions to ask for specific choices.