Meanings of 牠
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About 牠
Podcast: 牠
Podcast: 牠
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AI Study Notes for 牠
牠 (tā) vs 它 (tā) — use 牠 for animals specifically, while 它 is for inanimate objects or non-specific entities.
Learners often confuse 牠 with 他 (tā, meaning 'he') or 她 (tā, meaning 'she'), so be sure to use 牠 only for animals. It is informal and commonly used in everyday conversations, especially among pet owners or in discussions about wildlife.
While 牠 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding this word can enhance your ability to express ideas about animals. Focus on practicing sentences that include 牠 to build familiarity and fluency.
Learners often mistakenly use 他 (tā) when referring to animals, thinking it is a general pronoun. Remember to use 牠 when talking about pets or animals, e.g., '牠在那儿' (It is over there) instead of '他在那儿'.
Pronunciation of 牠
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Etymology of 牠
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Case file: 牠
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 牠? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Decomposition of 牠
Identify the Components
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How to say it; polled cattle in Chinese
“it; polled cattle” in Chinese is牠
The character 牠 (tā) is used as a pronoun for animals, distinguishing them from humans. It can refer to any non-human entity, such as pets or livestock, and is important in contexts discussing animal behaviors, traits, or ownership.
When to use 牠
Learners often confuse 牠 with 他 (tā, meaning 'he') or 她 (tā, meaning 'she'), so be sure to use 牠 only for animals. It is informal and commonly used in everyday conversations, especially among pet owners or in discussions about wildlife.
牠 or something close to it
牠 (tā) vs 它 (tā) — use 牠 for animals specifically, while 它 is for inanimate objects or non-specific entities.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 他 (tā) when referring to animals, thinking it is a general pronoun. Remember to use 牠 when talking about pets or animals, e.g., '牠在那儿' (It is over there) instead of '他在那儿'.
Write 牠
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Practice writing 牠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 牠
Compound Meaning
What does 牠 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 牠
Yes, 牠 can be used for any non-human animal, but it's most commonly used for pets.
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