Chinese grammar - Plurals and the plural marker 些 (xiē)

Plurals and the plural marker 些 (xiē)

Chinese does not typically mark nouns for number. So the same form of a noun is used regardless of whether it refers to one or multiple items.

That said, in many instances there are plural forms. One such case is the demonstrative pronouns 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà).

The plural marker 些 (xiē) is used with 这 (zhè) and 那 (nà) to refer to plurals of 'this' and 'that' forming 'these' and 'those'.

• 这些 (zhèxiē) means 'these (things)' close to the speaker.

• 那些 (nàxiē) means 'those (things)' further from the speaker.

Examples:
	这些是苹果。 zhè xiē shì píngguǒ. These are apples. Note 苹果 (píngguǒ) here refers to plural 'apples' 苹果 (píngguǒ) means 'apple'
	那些是桌子。 nà xiē shì zhuōzi. Those are tables. Note 桌子 (zhuōzi) here refers to plural 'tables'
	这些不是椅子。 zhè xiē bú shì yǐzi. These are not chairs. Note 椅子 (yǐzi) here refers to plural 'chairs'
	这些是橙子吗？ zhè xiē shì chéngzi ma? Are these oranges? Note 橙子 (chéngzi) here refers to plural 'oranges' 橙子 (chéngzi) means 'orange'
	那些不是柠檬吗？ nà xiē bú shì níngméng ma? Aren't those lemons? Note 柠檬 (níngméng) here refers to plural 'lemons' 柠檬 (níngméng) means 'lemon'
	这些是什么？ zhè xiē shì shénme? What are these (things)? 什么 (shénme) can be used to refer to plural objects
	那些是什么？ nà xiē shì shénme? What are those (things)?
	那些是山吗？ nà xiē shì shān ma? Are those mountains?
	那些是山。 nà xiē shì shān. Those are mountains.