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Level Advanced Chinese · HSK 5–6

Classical Traces: 之, 其, 所 and 此, 该, 本, 某, 各

Modern written Chinese keeps a handful of words from Classical Chinese. You can't read a newspaper, a contract or an instruction leaflet without them, and they appear in hundreds of fixed words (之一, 其中, 所以, 所谓). This guide covers the ones you need for reading and for formal writing.

之: the written 的

之 (zhī) links a modifier to a noun, like 的: 城市之间 (between cities), 原因之一 (one of the reasons), 三分之一 (one third). It survives mostly in fixed patterns: X 之一 (one of X), X 之间 (between), X 之后 / 之前 (after, before), X 之中 (among).

In free writing, 之 appears in balanced four-character phrases: 无价之宝 (a priceless treasure).

  • 长城是世界上最著名的建筑之一。

    Chángchéng shì shìjiè shang zuì zhùmíng de jiànzhù zhī yī.

    The Great Wall is one of the most famous structures in the world.

  • 两国之间的贸易不断增长。

    Liǎng guó zhījiān de màoyì búduàn zēngzhǎng.

    Trade between the two countries keeps growing.

其: his, its, their, that

其 (qí) is a written pronoun meaning 'his, her, its, their' or 'that, the said': 其原因 (its cause), 其他 (other), 其中 (among them), 尤其 (especially), 及其 (and its). It refers back to something just mentioned and can't be the subject of a main sentence on its own.

  • 公司有五百名员工，其中一半是女性。

    Gōngsī yǒu wǔbǎi míng yuángōng, qízhōng yíbàn shì nǚxìng.

    The company has five hundred employees, half of whom are women.

  • 我们应该尊重每个人及其选择。

    Wǒmen yīnggāi zūnzhòng měi ge rén jí qí xuǎnzé.

    We should respect every individual and their choices.

所 + verb, 所谓 and 所在

所 (suǒ) + verb turns the verb into 'what is V-ed': 我所知道的 (what I know), 他所说的话 (what he said). The 的 often follows. It's formal: in speech 我知道的 is enough.

所谓 (suǒwèi) means 'so-called, what is called': it can be neutral (introducing a term) or sceptical. 所在 (suǒzài) means 'where something lies': 问题所在 (where the problem lies).

  • 据我所知，他已经离开公司了。

    Jù wǒ suǒ zhī, tā yǐjīng líkāi gōngsī le.

    As far as I know, he has already left the company.

  • 所谓“内卷”，就是过度竞争。

    Suǒwèi “nèijuǎn”, jiù shì guòdù jìngzhēng.

    What's called 'involution' is simply excessive competition.

此, 该, 本, 某 and 各

These are the written demonstratives. 此 (cǐ): this (此人, 此事). 该 (gāi): the said, the aforementioned (该公司, the company in question). 本 (běn): this, our own (本店, 本市, 本人). 某 (mǒu): a certain (某人, 某公司). 各 (gè): each, every (各位, 各国).

Spoken equivalents: 这个, 那个, 我们, 有个, 每个.

  • 本店今日停业。

    Běn diàn jīnrì tíngyè.

    This shop is closed today.

  • 该公司去年利润增长了百分之二十。

    Gāi gōngsī qùnián lìrùn zēngzhǎngle bǎi fēn zhī èrshí.

    The company's profits grew by twenty per cent last year.

Common mistakes

  • ✗她是我最好的朋友之一个。

    ✓她是我最好的朋友之一。

    Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou zhī yī.

    之一 is a fixed form: no measure word follows.

  • ✗其很重要。

    ✓这一点很重要。

    Zhè yì diǎn hěn zhòngyào.

    其 can't stand alone as a subject in modern Chinese; it modifies a noun or appears inside fixed words.

  • ✗该人很友好。 (talking about a friend)

    ✓这个人很友好。

    Zhège rén hěn yǒuhǎo.

    该 is bureaucratic: reports, police statements, news. In conversation it sounds absurd.

Questions learners ask

Is 所以 related to 所?

Yes: historically 所以 meant 'that by which, the reason'. In modern Chinese, treat it as one word.

Does 本人 mean 'this person'?

It means 'myself' or 'the person in question': 本人签字 (to be signed in person).

Practice this in lessons

The Advanced Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

Practice this in lessons →

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