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哪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
哪nǎhowHSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nǎwhich? (interrogative, followed by classifier or numeral-classifier)HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nǎwhichHSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nǎ(particle equivalent to 啊 after noun ending in -n)HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nǎwhich? where? how?HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nahowHSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nawhich? (interrogative, followed by classifier or numeral-classifier)HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nawhichHSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪na(particle equivalent to 啊 after noun ending in -n)HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪nawhich? where? how?HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪něihowHSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪něiwhich? (interrogative, followed by classifier or numeral-classifier)HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪něiwhichHSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪něi(particle equivalent to 啊 after noun ending in -n)HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
哪něiwhich? where? how?HSK 1, r, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #162, Easy
nǎ(na3)
primary
 T3
  1. 1how
  2. 2which? (interrogative, followed by classifier or numeral-classifier)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
哪nǎ(na3)

The character 哪 (nǎ) is an interrogative pronoun used to ask questions about selection or identification, meaning 'which?' or 'how?'. It is often used in contexts where you are asking for a specific option or clarification, typically followed by a classifier or numeral-classifier, such as in '哪个' (nǎ ge), meaning 'which one?'.

Strokes9Radical口Frequency#162DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, asking 'which?' reflects the importance of choice and preference in social interactions, often leading to discussions about food, travel, and personal interests, highlighting the communal aspect of decision-making.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person at a crossroads, looking confused, wondering '哪条路是对的?' (Which way is correct?). The character 哪 resembles a person (the left side) standing at a fork in the road (the right side), illustrating the idea of choice and direction.

Meanings of 哪

nǎ(na3)
primary
1how
2which? (interrogative, followed by classifier or numeral-classifier)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 哪

哪Simplified
9Strokes
口Radical
代词dàicípronoun (pron.)Part of Speech
#162Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1

Podcast: 哪

JasonAmy

Podcast: 哪

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 哪

Quick Contrast

哪个 (nǎ ge) vs 哪儿 (nǎ er) — use 哪 (nǎ) when asking about a specific choice, while 哪儿 (nǎ er) is used to inquire about a location.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person at a crossroads, looking confused, wondering '哪条路是对的?' (Which way is correct?). The character 哪 resembles a person (the left side) standing at a fork in the road (the right side), illustrating the idea of choice and direction.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 哪 with other question words like 什么 (shénme, 'what') or 多少 (duōshǎo, 'how many'), which can lead to misunderstandings. It's important to remember that 哪 is specifically for choices and options. Use it in both formal and informal contexts, but ensure correct tonal pronunciation to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 1 word, 哪 connects to other basic interrogative words like 什么 (shénme) and 谁 (shéi). Students should practice using 哪 in sentences to ask about preferences or selections to reinforce its usage in conversation.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, asking 'which?' reflects the importance of choice and preference in social interactions, often leading to discussions about food, travel, and personal interests, highlighting the communal aspect of decision-making.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes mix up 哪 with 哪个 (nǎ ge), which adds specificity; saying '我想知道哪' is incorrect. Instead, use '我想知道哪个' to ask 'I want to know which one'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 哪

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Etymology of 哪

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 那 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)那
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 哪?

Decomposition of 哪

IDS Structure⿰口那
哪Full Character
=
口kou3
left
那Na1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 哪?

Write 哪

哪

Practice writing 哪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 哪

哪 functions as a pronoun — it stands in for a noun. Use it in the same positions as nouns (subject before verb, object after). Plurals are formed by adding 们 (我们, 他们). It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

你去____里了？

Where did you go?

Example Sentences for 哪 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
哦，天哪，你总是这么激动，真该死。

ó， ， tiān， nǎ ， nǐ zǒng shì zhè mó， jī dòng ，。

Oh God, you get so flaming worked up about everything.
2
你不得不佩服梅利莎，她到哪里都吃得开。

nǐ bù dé bù pèi fú méi lì suō， ， tā dào nǎ lǐ dū chī dé。

You've got to hand it to Melissa, she certainly gets around.
3
在这些新片中你觉得哪些真的不错？

zài zhè xiē xīn piàn zhōng nǐ jué dé nǎ xiē zhēn de bù cuò？

Which of the new releases do you think are really good?
4
想想工作中哪些部分是自己喜欢的，哪些是不喜欢的。

xiǎng xiǎng gōng zuò zhōng nǎ xiē bù fēn shì zì jǐ xǐ huān de， ， nǎ xiē shì bù xǐ huān。

Consider what your likes and dislikes are about your job.
5
哪个校长只要犯了这样的错误都会被开除。

nǎ gè xiào cháng zhī yào fàn le zhè yàng de cuò wù dū huì bèi kāi chú。

Any head teacher who made errors like this would be chucked out.
6
“我们一直走到了莫斯利。”——“天哪！”

“ “ wǒ mén yī zhí zǒu dào le mò sī。”——“ lì 。”——“！”

"We walked all the way to Moseley." – "Blimey!"
7
“我的天哪，他原来是警察呀。”

“ “ wǒ de tiān， nǎ ， tā yuán lái shì jǐng。”

"Good lord, that's what he is: he's a policeman."
8
问他懂哪些英文词，塞姆科先生不假思索地回答：“一，二，三。”

wèn tā dǒng nǎ xiē yīng wén cí， ， sāi mǔ kē xiān shēng bù jiǎ sī suǒ dì huí：“ dá， ：“， yī。”

Asked what English he knew, Mr Semko rattled off "One, two, three"
9
你得知道站在哪里观察角度比较理想。

nǐ dé zhī dào zhàn zài nǎ lǐ guān chá jiǎo dù bǐ jiào lǐ xiǎng。

You have to know where to stand for a good viewpoint.
10
安德鲁过去只要看见狗，无论在哪里，无论什么狗，都会吓得一动不动。

ān dé lǔ guò qù zhī yào kàn jiàn gǒu， ， wú lùn zài nǎ， lǐ ， wú lùn shí， mó gǒu ， dū huì xià dé yī。

Andrew went rigid when he saw a dog, any dog, anywhere.

Cultural Notes for 哪

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, asking 'which?' reflects the importance of choice and preference in social interactions, often leading to discussions about food, travel, and personal interests, highlighting the communal aspect of decision-making.

Word Family of 哪

Words Containing This Character8
哪nǎhow
哪里nǎlǐwhere?哪裏
哪儿nǎrwhere?哪兒
哪个which哪個
哪些nǎxiēwho?
哪怕nǎpàeven
哪门子what kind哪門子
哪吒Nezha, protection deity
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 哪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 哪

You can use 哪 to ask about options, for example, '你喜欢哪个?' (Which do you like?).