Difference between revisions of "Expressing "one of" with "zhiyi""
 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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之一 (zhīyī) is one of those words that really gives your Chinese some polish. Using it with confidence makes your Chinese sound great! Learn how to use 之一 (zhīyī) properly in this article.
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之一 (zhīyī) is a simple phrase which means "one of." Although it uses the somewhat archaic word 之 (zhī), it's quite common in spoken Chinese, and is even commonly used in jokes.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
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In order to express "one of the..." in Chinese, "之一" (zhī yī) can be used at the end of the sentence.
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In order to express "one of" in Chinese, 之一 (zhī yī) can be used at the end of a noun phrase, which is often modified with 最 (zuì), meaning "the most."
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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An important note to keep in mind is that 之一 can only follow a noun.
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<div class="jiegou">
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[Noun Phrase] + 之一 + 是 ⋯⋯
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</div>
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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*她 是 我 的 好 朋友 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì wǒ de hǎo péngyou <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">She is one of my best friends.</span>
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*她 是 我 <strong>最 好</strong> 的 朋友 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì wǒ <strong>zuì hǎo</strong> de péngyou <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">She is one of my best friends.</span>
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*我 觉得 百事可乐 是 最 好喝 的 饮料 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde Bǎishì kělè shì zuì hǎohē de yǐnliào <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">I think Pepsi is one of the best tasting drinks.</span>
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*Frozen 是 我 <strong>最 喜欢</strong> 的 迪斯尼 电影 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Frozen shì wǒ <strong>zuì xǐhuan</strong> de Dísīní diànyǐng <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Frozen is one of my favorite Disney movies.</span>
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*纽约 是 世界 上 最 国际化 的 城市 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Niǔyuē shì shìjiè shàng zuì guójìhuà de chéngshì <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">New York is the one of the most international cities in the world.</span>
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*纽约 是 世界 上 <strong>最 国际化</strong> 的 城市 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Niǔyuē shì shìjiè shàng <strong>zuì guójìhuà</strong> de chéngshì <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">New York is the one of the most international cities in the world.</span>
 
*他 是 这个 公司 的 创始人 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì zhège gōngsī de chuàngshǐ rén <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">He is one of the founders of this company.</span>
 
*他 是 这个 公司 的 创始人 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì zhège gōngsī de chuàngshǐ rén <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">He is one of the founders of this company.</span>
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*成龙 是 最 有名 的 动作 明星 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Chéng Lóng shì zuì yǒumíng de dòngzuò míngxīng <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Jackie Cheng is one of the most famous action movie stars.</span>
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*成龙 是 <strong>最 有名</strong> 的 中国 明星 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Chéng Lóng shì <strong>zuì yǒumíng</strong> de Zhōngguó míngxīng <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Jackie Chan is one of the most famous Chinese movie stars.</span>
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*中国 的 空气 污染 是 的 老外 经常 抱怨 的 问题 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó kōngqì wūrǎn shì lǎowài jīngcháng bàoyuàn de wèntí <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">in China, air pollution is one of the problems foreigners complain a lot about.</span>
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*我 想 离开 北京 的 原因 <em>之 一</em> 是 空气 污染 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xiǎng líkāi Běijīng de yuányīn <em>zhī yī</em> shì kōngqì wūrǎn.</span><span class="trans">One of the reasons why I want to leave Beijing is the air pollution.</span>
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*中秋节 是 中国 最 重要 的 传统 节日 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngqiūjié shì Zhōngguó zuì zhòngyào de chuántǒng jiérì <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mid-autumn Day is one of the most important traditional festivals in China.</span>
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*中秋节 是 中国 重要 的 传统 节日 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngqiūjié shì Zhōngguó zhòngyào de chuántǒng jiérì <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Mid-autumn Day is one of the most important traditional festivals in China.</span>
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*全球化 是 21 世纪 最 大 的 特点 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Quánqiúhuà shì èrshí-yī shìjì zuì dà de tèdiǎn <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Globalization is one of the major features of the 21st century.</span>
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*个性化 是 我们 服务 的 主要 特点 <em>之 一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Gèxìnghuà shì wǒmen fúwù de zhǔyào tèdiǎn <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">Personalization is one of the major characteristics of our service.</span>
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</div>
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*我 选择 这 家 公司 的 原因 <em>之 一</em> 是 我 喜欢 这里 的 工作 环境。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ xuǎnzé zhè jiā gōngsī de yuányīn <em>zhī yī</em> shì wǒ xǐhuan zhèlǐ de gōngzuò huánjìng.</span><span class="trans">The reason why I choose this company is that I like the working environment here.</span>
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== The Common 之一  Joke ==
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A joke you'll hear a lot in Chinese involves using 最... but then pausing before saying 之一. This can leave the impression that you're saying someone or something is "the best," but really you're saying "''one of'' the best," which can make a big difference (and is not nearly as complimentary).
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<div class="liju">
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*她 是 我 <strong>最 好</strong> 的 朋友 …… <em>之一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì wǒ <strong>zuì hǎo</strong> de péngyou... <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">She is my best friend... well, one of them.</span>
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*你 是 我 <strong>最 喜欢</strong> 的 老师 …… <em>之一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì wǒ <strong>zuì xǐhuan</strong> de lǎoshī... <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">You are my favorite teacher... well, one of them.</span>
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*中国 是 我 <strong>最 爱</strong> 的 地方 …… <em>之一</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó shì wǒ <strong>zuì ài</strong> de dìfang... <em>zhī yī</em>.</span><span class="trans">China is my favorite place... well, one of them.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
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* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 259) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2|259}}
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* Integrated Chinese: Level 2 (1st ed) (pp. 227) '''AMAZON AFFILIATE LINK NEEDED'''
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2 (1st ed) |227}}
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*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 52-3) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|卓越汉语－公司实战篇|52-3}}
  
 
[[Category: B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
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{{Basic Grammar|之一|B1|⋯⋯之一|你 是 我 最 好 的 朋友 <em>之一</em> 。|grammar point|ASGMT1M1}}
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{{Rel char|之}}
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{{Rel char|一}}
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{{Rel char|最}}
 
{{Similar|"Among" as "dangzhong"}}
 
{{Similar|"Among" as "dangzhong"}}
 
{{Similar|"Within (it/them)" as "qizhong"}}
 
{{Similar|"Within (it/them)" as "qizhong"}}
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{{Basic Grammar|之一|B1|⋯⋯之一|你 是 我 最 好 的 朋友 <em>之一</em>。|grammar point|ASGMT1M1}}
 
 
{{Structure|Noun Phrases}}
 
{{Structure|Noun Phrases}}
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{{Translation|one of}}

Latest revision as of 08:01, 22 April 2019

之一 (zhīyī) is a simple phrase which means "one of." Although it uses the somewhat archaic word 之 (zhī), it's quite common in spoken Chinese, and is even commonly used in jokes.

Structure

In order to express "one of" in Chinese, 之一 (zhī yī) can be used at the end of a noun phrase, which is often modified with 最 (zuì), meaning "the most."

Subj. + 是 + [Noun Phrase] + 之一

[Noun Phrase] + 之一 + 是 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 她 是 我 最 好 的 朋友 之 一 。Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou zhī yī.She is one of my best friends.
  • Frozen 是 我 最 喜欢 的 迪斯尼 电影 之 一 。Frozen shì wǒ zuì xǐhuan de Dísīní diànyǐng zhī yī.Frozen is one of my favorite Disney movies.
  • 纽约 是 世界 上 最 国际化 的 城市 之 一 。Niǔyuē shì shìjiè shàng zuì guójìhuà de chéngshì zhī yī.New York is the one of the most international cities in the world.
  • 他 是 这个 公司 的 创始人 之 一 。Tā shì zhège gōngsī de chuàngshǐ rén zhī yī.He is one of the founders of this company.
  • 成龙 是 最 有名 的 中国 明星 之 一 。Chéng Lóng shì zuì yǒumíng de Zhōngguó míngxīng zhī yī.Jackie Chan is one of the most famous Chinese movie stars.
  • 我 想 离开 北京 的 原因 之 一 是 空气 污染 。Wǒ xiǎng líkāi Běijīng de yuányīn zhī yī shì kōngqì wūrǎn.One of the reasons why I want to leave Beijing is the air pollution.
  • 中秋节 是 中国 重要 的 传统 节日 之 一 。Zhōngqiūjié shì Zhōngguó zhòngyào de chuántǒng jiérì zhī yī.Mid-autumn Day is one of the most important traditional festivals in China.

The Common 之一 Joke

A joke you'll hear a lot in Chinese involves using 最... but then pausing before saying 之一. This can leave the impression that you're saying someone or something is "the best," but really you're saying "one of the best," which can make a big difference (and is not nearly as complimentary).

  • 她 是 我 最 好 的 朋友 …… 之一 。Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou... zhī yī.She is my best friend... well, one of them.
  • 你 是 我 最 喜欢 的 老师 …… 之一 。Nǐ shì wǒ zuì xǐhuan de lǎoshī... zhī yī.You are my favorite teacher... well, one of them.
  • 中国 是 我 最 爱 的 地方 …… 之一 。Zhōngguó shì wǒ zuì ài de dìfang... zhī yī.China is my favorite place... well, one of them.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books


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