Chinese word

也

Pronunciation

Pinyinyě

Meaning

  • adverbalso

Example

我也不知道。wǒ yě bù zhī dào

I also don't know.

Illustration for 也 (also)

More examples

我们也去。wǒ men yě qù

We also go.

Core concept

Adds another person or thing to the same situation already being discussed.

Common phrases

  • 我也不知道wǒ yě bù zhī dào

    I don't know either

  • 我也喜欢wǒ yě xǐ huān

    I like it too

  • 我们也去wǒ men yě qù

    We also go

Similar words

还hái: Shows that a state or action is still continuing at the time being discussed.
又yòu: Shows that an action or event occurs again at another time.
都dōu: Shows that all the people or things in a group fit the statement.

Definition in Chinese

用来表示在陈述中增加另一个人或事物，说明其与前述人或事物具有相同或类似的情况，作副词使用。yòng lái biǎo shì zài chén shù zhōng zēng jiā lìng yí gè rén huò shì wù shuō míng qí yǔ qián shù rén huò shì wù jù yǒu xiāng tóng huò lèi sì de qíng kuàng zuò fù cí shǐ yòng

Word origin

In Classical Chinese, 也 (yě, "sentence-ending particle") often marked a judgment at the end of a sentence, and this linking role later developed into the modern adverb.

Usage tips

  • A sentence can sound natural in English with also at the beginning or end, but Chinese normally places this word before the main action or description.

Word lists with this word