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March 24, 2026
你nǐ(ni3)
The character 你 (nǐ) is the informal second-person pronoun meaning 'you' in Mandarin. It is used in casual conversations among friends, family, or peers, distinguishing itself from the more respectful 您 (nín). This character is foundational in Mandarin as it directly addresses the listener.
Strokes7Radical亻Frequency#3DifficultyEasy
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, addressing someone using 你 instead of 您 can convey familiarity and warmth, while using 您 shows respect and politeness, especially in hierarchical situations common in familial and professional dynamics.
Memory tip
Imagine a friendly person pointing at you and saying 'nǐ' while using their finger to emphasize your presence. The radical '尔' (ěr) in 你 looks like a person pointing, reinforcing the idea of addressing someone directly.
Meanings of 你
nǐ(ni3)
1you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您[nín])
2you, second person pronoun
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
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About 你
你Simplified
7Strokes
亻Radical
代词dàicípronoun (pron.)Part of Speech
#3Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L1HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 你
Podcast: 你
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AI study notes for 你
Quick Contrast
你 (nǐ, you, casual) vs 您 (nín, you, formal) — use 你 in informal contexts, while 您 is reserved for formal or respectful situations.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include overusing 你 in formal contexts where 您 (nín) is more appropriate, such as addressing elders or superiors. Remember that 你 is informal, so it's best reserved for casual situations. Be mindful of tone variations, as mispronouncing can change the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 你 connects with other basic pronouns and simple sentence structures. Focus on practicing its use in greetings and basic questions, as it frequently appears in everyday conversations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 你 in formal situations. For example, saying '你好吗?' to a boss instead of '您好吗?' is inappropriate. Always assess the context to choose the correct form.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 你
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Knowing 你 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
How to say you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您[nín]) in Chinese
“you (informal, as opposed to courteous 您[nín])” in Chinese is你nǐ
The character 你 (nǐ) is the informal second-person pronoun meaning 'you' in Mandarin. It is used in casual conversations among friends, family, or peers, distinguishing itself from the more respectful 您 (nín). This character is foundational in Mandarin as it directly addresses the listener.
When to use 你
Common mistakes include overusing 你 in formal contexts where 您 (nín) is more appropriate, such as addressing elders or superiors. Remember that 你 is informal, so it's best reserved for casual situations. Be mindful of tone variations, as mispronouncing can change the meaning.
你 or something close to it
你 (nǐ, you, casual) vs 您 (nín, you, formal) — use 你 in informal contexts, while 您 is reserved for formal or respectful situations.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 你 in formal situations. For example, saying '你好吗?' to a boss instead of '您好吗?' is inappropriate. Always assess the context to choose the correct form.
Write 你
你
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Practice writing 你 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 你
你 functions as a pronoun — it stands in for a noun. Use it in the same positions as nouns (subject before verb, object after). Plurals are formed by adding 们 (我们, 他们). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Well, at any rate, let me thank you for all you did.
10
你可以和其他在线的人聊天。
nǐ kěyǐ hé qítā zàixiàn de rén liáotiān。
You can chat to other people who are online.
11
你好吗？
Nǐ hǎo ma?
How are you?
12
你喜欢吃什么？
Nǐ xǐhuan chī shénme?
What do you like to eat?
13
你住在哪里？
Nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ?
Where do you live?
14
你有几个朋友？
Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè péngyǒu?
How many friends do you have?
15
你今天晚上有空吗？
Nǐ jīntiān wǎnshàng yǒu kòng ma?
Are you free tonight?
16
你怎么去学校？坐车还是走路？
Nǐ zěnme qù xuéxiào? Zuò chē hái shì zǒulù?
How do you go to school? By bus or on foot?
17
你好吗？
Nǐ hǎo ma?
How are you?
18
你喜欢吃什么？
Nǐ xǐhuan chī shénme?
What do you like to eat?
19
你住在哪里？
Nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ?
Where do you live?
20
你有几个朋友？
Nǐ yǒu jǐ gè péngyǒu?
How many friends do you have?
21
你今天晚上有空吗？
Nǐ jīntiān wǎnshàng yǒu kòng ma?
Are you free tonight?
22
你怎么去学校？坐车还是走路？
Nǐ zěnme qù xuéxiào? Zuò chē hái shì zǒulù?
How do you go to school? By bus or on foot?
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Cultural Notes for 你
💡Did you know?
'你' is a common way to address friends and peers in Mandarin Chinese. It's informal and is used when speaking to someone of similar age or status.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Chinese culture, addressing someone with '您' (nín) shows respect, especially to elders or superiors. Using '你' (nǐ) can be seen as friendly and casual.
Word Family of 你
Compounds1
您nínyou (courteous, as opposed to informal 你[nǐ])
Words containing this character9
你nǐyou
你们nǐmenyou (plural)你們
你好nǐhǎohello
去你的qùnǐdeGet along with you!
你死我活nǐsǐwǒhuótwo parties cannot coexist
迷你mínǐmini (as in mini-skirt or Mini Cooper) (loanword)
你追我赶nǐzhuīwǒgǎnfriendly one-upmanship你追我趕
迷你裙mínǐqúnminiskirt
你争我夺nǐzhēngwǒduófierce rivalry你爭我奪
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 你
What does 您 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 你
No, 你 is considered informal. In formal situations or when showing respect, it is appropriate to use 您 (nín) instead. The choice between 你 and 您 depends on the level of familiarity and respect in the conversation.
你 (nǐ) is an informal way to say 'you', while 您 (nín) is the formal version used to show respect. The context of the conversation will dictate which one is appropriate to use.
你 (nǐ) means 'you' in Chinese and is used in informal contexts. It is the second person pronoun, distinguishing it from the more formal 您 (nín).
你 can be used to address someone directly in informal situations, such as in the sentence '你好吗?' (Nǐ hǎo ma?), which means 'How are you?'. It's commonly used among friends and peers.
Use 你 when speaking to friends or people of the same age or younger, and reserve 您 for formal situations or when addressing someone older.
Yes, 你 can be used in both spoken and written Chinese, particularly in informal contexts like emails to friends.
It's generally better to use 您 when meeting someone for the first time or in formal settings to show respect.
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