些 meaning and stroke order
Classifier indicating a small amount or small number greater than 1: some, a few, several
How to write 些, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
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- 8
Meaning of 些
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- classifier indicating a small amount or small number greater than 1: some, a few, several
How 些 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Two.
二 gives the meaning and 此 hints at the sound.
Radical: 二 (two), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 些
些 is 此 (cǐ, this) sitting on top of 二 (èr, two). Think of "this, plus two more": not just one thing, but a few of them.
些 marks an unspecified plural amount, so it often follows 这, 那, 一 or 哪 to make words like 这些 (zhèxiē, these) and 一些 (yīxiē, some). After an adjective, 一些 or 些 softens a comparison to mean "a bit more". Example: 我想买一些水果。(Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yīxiē shuǐguǒ.) I want to buy some fruit.
Common mistake: Learners often write 这个些 or put a number before 些, like 三些书. Since 些 already means an unspecified plural, say 这些书 or 三本书, not both.
Common words with 些
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这些 | zhèxiē | these | HSK 1 |
| 那些 | nàxiē | those | HSK 1 |
| 一些 | yīxiē | some; a few; a little; (following an adjective) slightly ...er | HSK 1 |
| 有些 | yǒuxiē | some; somewhat; rather; a bit | HSK 1 |
| 哪些 | nǎxiē | which ones?; who? | HSK 1 |
| 有一些 | yǒuyīxiē | somewhat; rather | HSK 1 |
| 某些 | mǒuxiē | some; certain (things) | |
| 好些 | hǎoxiē | a good deal of; quite a lot | |
| 早些 | zǎoxiē | a bit earlier | |
| 些许 | xiēxǔ | a few; a little; a bit | |
| 险些 | xiǎnxiē | narrowly; almost |
些 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 些
How many strokes are in 些?
些 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 些 mean?
些 (xiē) means classifier indicating a small amount or small number greater than 1: some, a few, several. A common word with it is 这些 (zhèxiē), meaning "these".
How do you pronounce 些?
些 is pronounced xiē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 些?
The radical of 些 is 二, which carries the idea of "two". Dictionaries list 些 under this radical.
Is 些 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 些 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 一些 and 有些?
一些 (yīxiē) usually means "some" or "a few" and often comes before a noun or after an adjective, as in 好一些 (a bit better). 有些 (yǒuxiē) can also mean "some" at the start of a sentence, as in 有些人 (some people), and before adjectives it means "somewhat", as in 有些累 (a bit tired).
Do I need 们 after 这些 for people?
No. 这些 already shows plural, so 这些学生 (these students) is correct. Avoid adding 们, as in 这些学生们, which sounds redundant to most speakers.