他 vs 她 vs 它
他 vs 她 vs 它: Chinese Pronouns for He, She, and It
Quick Summary
他 is for males, 她 is for females, 它 is for animals and objects. All pronounced "tā".
Detailed Breakdown
tā
Third person pronoun (male)
Grammar Pattern
他 + Verb / 他的 + NounExamples
他是我的朋友
tā shì wǒ de péngyou
He is my friend
他的书
tā de shū
his book
我认识他
wǒ rènshi tā
I know him
tā
Third person pronoun (female)
Grammar Pattern
她 + Verb / 她的 + NounExamples
她是老师
tā shì lǎoshī
She is a teacher
她的名字
tā de míngzi
her name
我喜欢她
wǒ xǐhuan tā
I like her
tā
Third person pronoun (animals/objects)
Grammar Pattern
它 + Verb / 它的 + NounExamples
它是一只猫
tā shì yì zhī māo
It is a cat
它的颜色
tā de yánsè
its color
我找不到它
wǒ zhǎo bù dào tā
I can't find it
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | 他 | 她 | 它 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refers to | Male person | Female person | Animal/Object |
| Radical | 亻(person) | 女 (woman) | 宀 (roof) |
| Plural form | 他们 | 她们 | 它们 |
| Pronunciation | tā | tā | tā |
Memory Tips
- 他 has 亻(person radical) - generic person, defaults to male
- 她 has 女 (woman radical) - clearly female
- 它 has 宀 (roof) - things under a roof, not human
Common Mistakes
哥哥 (older brother) is male - use 他
妈妈 (mother) is female - use 她
For animals, use 它 (though 他/她 is sometimes used affectionately)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do 他, 她, and 它 sound the same?
Chinese traditionally had only one spoken third-person pronoun "tā". The written distinction (他 for male, 她 for female, 它 for things) was introduced in the early 20th century, influenced by Western languages.
What if I don't know the gender?
Use 他 as the default/generic form when gender is unknown or when referring to a mixed group. 他们 can mean "they" for any group including mixed genders.
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