Chinese word

谁

Pronunciation

Pinyinshuí

Meaning

  • pronounwho

Example

你知道谁在敲门吗？nǐ zhī dào shuí zài qiāo mén ma

Do you know who is knocking on the door?

Illustration for 谁 (who)

More examples

他在和谁说话？tā zài hé shuí shuō huà

Who is he talking to?

Core concept

A question focused on an unknown person, seeking a name, identity, or simply the person involved.

Common phrases

  • 谁在家shuí zài jiā

    Who is at home

  • 和谁说话hé shuí shuō huà

    talk to whom

Similar words

什么shén me: Asks for the nature, name, or content of a thing or matter.
哪儿nǎr: Asks about the place where someone or something is or is going.
几jǐ: Asks for the number of people or things.
哪个nǎ ge: Asks which one is being identified within a group.

Definition in Chinese

用于询问人的身份、姓名或指明不特定的人，既可以询问具体个人，也可在泛指或反问中使用yòng yú xún wèn rén de shēn fèn xìng míng huò zhǐ míng bú tè dìng de rén jì ké yǐ xún wèn jù tǐ gè rén yě kě zài fàn zhǐ huò fǎn wèn zhōng shǐ yòng

Word origin

谁 (shuí, "who") is formed from 讠 (yán, "speech") and 隹 (zhuī, "short-tailed bird"), with 讠 linking the character to questions and 隹 mainly providing its sound.

Usage tips

  • Chinese question words usually stay where the answer would stand, so the unknown person comes before the verb when that person acts and after the verb when receiving an action.

Word lists with this word