们

• Pinyin: men
• Hanzi breakdown: 们 = 亻(person) + 门 (door, phonetic component)

Meaning

Plural suffix for pronouns and some nouns referring to people. Turns singular into plural.

Added after pronouns (我们, 你们, 他们) and sometimes after nouns referring to people (朋友们, 同学们) to indicate plurality. Never used with numbers or measure words, and only for people, not objects.

Examples

1. 同学们，上课了！ Classmates, class is starting!
2. 朋友们都来了。 All the friends have arrived.
3. 孩子们在外面玩。 The children are playing outside.

Usage Guide

Context: grammar, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 老师们好！(Hello, teachers!)
• 我们走吧。(Let's go.)

Don't Say

• 三个学生们来了。(Don't use 们 with a number + measure word — say 三个学生来了; 们 and quantifiers cannot coexist)

Origin & History

Originally written as 每 or 门 in classical texts. The modern character 们 uses 亻(person) and 门 (phonetic), indicating its exclusive use with people.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal