Difference between revisions of "Comparing "renjia" and "bieren""
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{{Grammar Box}} | {{Grammar Box}} | ||
| − | When | + | When referring to other people, we can use both the words 人家 (rénjia) and 别人 (biérén). But 人家 has additional grammatical uses which we will explore in this article. |
== Both can mean "others" == | == Both can mean "others" == | ||
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*我 不 在乎 <em>人家</em> 怎么 说 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zàihu <em>rénjia</em> zěnme shuō.</span><span class="trans">I don't care about what other people say.</span> | *我 不 在乎 <em>人家</em> 怎么 说 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zàihu <em>rénjia</em> zěnme shuō.</span><span class="trans">I don't care about what other people say.</span> | ||
| − | *<em>别人</em> 怎么 想 我 怎么 知道 ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Biérén</em> zěnme xiǎng wǒ zěnme zhīdào?</span><span class="trans">How | + | *<em>别人</em> 怎么 想 我 怎么 知道 ？<span class="pinyin"><em>Biérén</em> zěnme xiǎng wǒ zěnme zhīdào?</span><span class="trans">How could I know what other people are thinking?</span> |
| − | *那 是 <em>人家</em> 的 事 ，你 管 那么 多 干嘛 ？<span class="pinyin">Nà shì <em>rénjia</em> de shì, nǐ guǎn nàme duō gàn ma?</span><span class="trans">That's other people's business. Why | + | *那 是 <em>人家</em> 的 事 ，你 管 那么 多 干嘛 ？<span class="pinyin">Nà shì <em>rénjia</em> de shì, nǐ guǎn nàme duō gàn ma?</span><span class="trans">That's other people's business. Why get involved?</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == Additional Uses of 人家 == |
| + | |||
| + | For these additional uses of 人家, it would be incorrect to use 别人. | ||
=== 人家 as "I" or "me" === | === 人家 as "I" or "me" === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
*因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 啊 。<span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi <em>rénjia</em> xǐhuan nǐ a.</span><span class="trans">Because I like you!</span> | *因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 啊 。<span class="pinyin">Yīnwèi <em>rénjia</em> xǐhuan nǐ a.</span><span class="trans">Because I like you!</span> | ||
| − | *讨厌 ！老是 拿 <em>人家</em> 开玩笑 。<span class="pinyin">Tǎoyàn! Lǎo shì ná <em>rénjia</em> kāiwánxiào.</span><span class="trans">You are annoying | + | *讨厌 ！老是 拿 <em>人家</em> 开玩笑 。<span class="pinyin">Tǎoyàn! Lǎo shì ná <em>rénjia</em> kāiwánxiào.</span><span class="trans">You are so annoying! You're always making fun of me.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *你 快 给 <em>人家</em> 道歉 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kuài gěi <em>rénjia</em> dàoqiàn.</span><span class="trans">Apologize to | + | *你 快 给 <em>人家</em> 道歉 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kuài gěi <em>rénjia</em> dàoqiàn.</span><span class="trans">Apologize to them now.</span> |
| − | *你 看 <em>人家</em> 多 聪明 ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kàn <em>rénjia</em> duō cōngming!</span><span class="trans">Look | + | *你 看 <em>人家</em> 多 聪明 ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kàn <em>rénjia</em> duō cōngming!</span><span class="trans">Look how smart he is!</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
=== 人家 as "residents" === | === 人家 as "residents" === | ||
| − | 人家 can also refer to households. In this case, it's pronounced as "rénjiā." This use is going to be the least common in everyday spoken Chinese. | + | 人家 can also refer to households. In this case, it's pronounced as "rénjiā" rather than "rénjia." This use is going to be the least common in everyday spoken Chinese. |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *这个 小区 有 多少 <strong>户</strong> <em>人家</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège xiǎoqū yǒu | + | *这个 小区 有 多少 <strong>户</strong> <em>人家</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Zhège xiǎoqū yǒu duōshao <strong>hù</strong> <em>rénjiā</em>?</span><span class="trans">How many households are here in this neighborhood?</span> |
*村子 里 现在 只 剩 十 <strong>户</strong> <em>人家</em> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Cūnzi lǐ xiànzài zhī shèng shí <strong>hù</strong> <em>rénjiā</em> le.</span><span class="trans">There are only ten households left in this village.</span> | *村子 里 现在 只 剩 十 <strong>户</strong> <em>人家</em> 了 。<span class="pinyin">Cūnzi lǐ xiànzài zhī shèng shí <strong>hù</strong> <em>rénjiā</em> le.</span><span class="trans">There are only ten households left in this village.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
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{{Source|对外汉语教学语法释疑201例|81}} | {{Source|对外汉语教学语法释疑201例|81}} | ||
{{Source|现代汉语八百词（增订本）|463}} | {{Source|现代汉语八百词（增订本）|463}} | ||
| + | {{Source|卓越汉语－公司实战篇|211}} | ||
=== Dictionaries === | === Dictionaries === | ||
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[[Category:grammar comparison]] | [[Category:grammar comparison]] | ||
| + | {{HSK|HSK6}} | ||
{{Basic Grammar|人家|B1|人家 vs. 别人|因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 啊 。我 不 在乎 <em>别人</em> 怎么 说 。|grammar point|ASGPINA4}} | {{Basic Grammar|人家|B1|人家 vs. 别人|因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 啊 。我 不 在乎 <em>别人</em> 怎么 说 。|grammar point|ASGPINA4}} | ||
{{Rel char|别人}} | {{Rel char|别人}} | ||
Latest revision as of 08:50, 24 April 2019
When referring to other people, we can use both the words 人家 (rénjia) and 别人 (biérén). But 人家 has additional grammatical uses which we will explore in this article.
Contents
Both can mean "others"
人家 and 别人 both refer to others besides the speaker and the listener. However, 人家 is more colloquial.
人家 and 别人 are interchangeable in these sentences below.
- 我 不 在乎 人家 怎么 说 。I don't care about what other people say.
- 别人 怎么 想 我 怎么 知道 ？How could I know what other people are thinking?
- 那 是 人家 的 事 ，你 管 那么 多 干嘛 ？That's other people's business. Why get involved?
Additional Uses of 人家
For these additional uses of 人家, it would be incorrect to use 别人.
人家 as "I" or "me"
人家 can be used to refer to yourself, and it is often used this way by women, giving it a sort of girly, shy, tender feeling.
- 因为 人家 喜欢 你 啊 。Because I like you!
- 讨厌 ！老是 拿 人家 开玩笑 。You are so annoying! You're always making fun of me.
人家 as "him" or "her"
人家 can also refer to someone previously referred to (in the context of the conversation or body of text) or it can refer to a certain someone that both the speaker and listener know.
- 你 快 给 人家 道歉 。Apologize to them now.
- 你 看 人家 多 聪明 ！Look how smart he is!
人家 as "residents"
人家 can also refer to households. In this case, it's pronounced as "rénjiā" rather than "rénjia." This use is going to be the least common in everyday spoken Chinese.
- 这个 小区 有 多少 户 人家 ？How many households are here in this neighborhood?
- 村子 里 现在 只 剩 十 户 人家 了 。There are only ten households left in this village.
Sources and further reading
Books
- 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (pp. 81) [ →buy]
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 463) [ →buy]
- 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 211) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 1145) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
