咱

• Pinyin: zán
• Hanzi breakdown: 咱 = 口 (mouth) + 自 (self), suggesting speech about oneself and one's group

Meaning

We; us. An informal pronoun that includes both the speaker and listener.

A colloquial, northern Chinese pronoun meaning 'we' that explicitly includes the listener. More casual than 我们. Often heard in Beijing dialect and northern Mandarin. In some dialects, 咱 can also mean 'I' in very casual speech. The full form 咱们 is more common in standard speech.

Examples

1. 咱走吧，别等了。 Let's go — don't wait anymore.
2. 咱是好朋友，不用客气。 We're good friends — no need to be polite.
3. 这件事咱以后再说。 Let's talk about this later.

Usage Guide

Context: conversation, friends, family

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 咱去吃饭吧。(Let's go eat.)
• 咱别生气了。(Let's not be angry anymore.)

Don't Say

• 咱请您帮忙。(Don't mix the casual 咱 with the very formal 您 — it sounds mismatched. Use 我们 with 您.)

Origin & History

Likely a contraction of 自家 (one's own family/group), evolving into a first-person inclusive pronoun in northern dialects.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal