和

• Pinyin: hé
• Hanzi breakdown: 和 = 禾 (grain) + 口 (mouth) — harmony, voices in unison

Meaning

And; with. The most common conjunction for linking nouns and a preposition meaning with.

As a conjunction, 和 connects nouns or noun phrases: 我和你 (you and I), 苹果和香蕉 (apples and bananas). As a preposition, it means with (和他一起 together with him). Unlike English 'and', 和 typically only links nouns, not clauses or verbs. For linking actions, use 也, 又, or other structures instead.

Examples

1. 我和妈妈去商店了。 Mum and I went to the shop.
2. 苹果和香蕉都很好吃。 Apples and bananas are both delicious.
3. 他和朋友一起打篮球。 He plays basketball with his friends.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, general

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我和他是好朋友。(He and I are good friends.)
• 面包和牛奶是我的早餐。(Bread and milk are my breakfast.)

Don't Say

• 说'我和去学校和回家'来连接动词。(Don't use 和 to connect verbs or clauses — 和 only connects nouns; say 我去学校然后回家)

Origin & History

Composed of 禾 (grain) and 口 (mouth). The original meaning was harmony — the sound of voices in unison, like grain swaying together in the wind.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal