其余

• Pinyin: qí yú
• Hanzi breakdown: 其 = a winnowing basket shape — that, those (demonstrative); 余 = 人 (person) + 舍 variant — what is left after a person has taken their share

Meaning

The rest; the remaining; the others. Refers to whatever is left over from a specified group or quantity.

A pronoun or determiner used to refer to the remaining part of a group after some have been singled out. 其余的人 (the rest of the people), 其余时间 (the remaining time). More formal than 剩下的 (the leftover ones). Often appears in written Chinese and structured speech. Always implies a whole from which part has already been mentioned.

Examples

1. 除了小王以外，其余的同事都去参加了。 Apart from Xiao Wang, all the other colleagues attended.
2. 这些书你可以带走两本，其余的留在这儿。 You can take two of these books; leave the rest here.
3. 他只回答了一个问题，其余的都没回答。 He only answered one question and didn't answer the rest.

Usage Guide

Context: written Chinese, structured speech, enumeration

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 第一个方案通过了，其余的还在讨论。(The first proposal was approved; the rest are still under discussion.)
• 其余的事情明天再说。(The remaining matters can wait until tomorrow.)

Don't Say

• 其余一个人 (Don't use 其余 for a single remaining item — it implies a plural remainder; for one item, say 另一个 or 剩下的那个)

Origin & History

A compound of 其 (its/that/those) and 余 (surplus/remaining) — that which remains or is left over.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal