Difference between revisions of "Comparing "renjia" and "bieren""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
 
  
 
When describing others, we can use the word 人家  (rénjia) or 别人 (biéren). But 人家 also has other grammatical uses, which we will explore in this article.   
 
When describing others, we can use the word 人家  (rénjia) or 别人 (biéren). But 人家 also has other grammatical uses, which we will explore in this article.   
  
== Both mean "others" ==
+
== Used as "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 both refer to others besides the speaker and the listener. However, 人家 is more colloquial.  
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
These sentences mean the same thing:
+
人家 and 别人 are interchangeable in these sentences below.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 我 不 在乎 <em>人家</em> 怎么 说。<span class="expl">Slightly more colloquial</span>
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*我 不 在乎 <em>人家</em> 怎么 说 。<span class="trans">I don't care about what other people say.</span>
* 我 不 在乎 <em>别人</em> 怎么 说。<span class="trans">I don't care what other people say.</span>
+
*<em>人家</em> 怎么 想 跟 我 怎么 知道 ?<span class="trans">How possibly can I know what others think?</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 人家 can mean "I" ==
+
== 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.
 
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.
 
=== Structure ===
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
人家 + [Rest of Sentence]
 
</div>
 
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 嘛。<span class="trans">Because I like you!</span>
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*因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 啊 。<span class="trans">Because I like you!</span>
* 讨厌,老是 拿 <em>人家</em> 开玩笑 。<span class="trans">You meanie, always making fun of me.</span>
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*讨厌 !老是 拿 <em>人家</em> 开玩笑 。<span class="trans">You are annoying, always making fun of me.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 人家 can mean a certain "him" or "her" ==
+
== 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.
 
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.
 
=== Structure ===
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
Subj. + Verb + 人家
 
</div>
 
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 你 快 给 <em>人家</em> 道歉。<span class="trans">Quickly go and apologize to her.</span>
+
*你 快 给 <em>人家</em> 道歉 。<span class="trans">Apologize to her now.</span>
* 你 看 <em>人家</em> 升职 升 得 快,你呢?<span class="trans">You see him getting promoted quickly. What about you?</span>
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*你 看 <em>人家</em> 多 聪明 !<span class="trans">Look at him! How smart he is!</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 人家 can mean "residents" ==
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== 人家 as "residents" ==
  
 
人家 can also mean residents or inhabitants.
 
人家 can also mean residents or inhabitants.
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 这里 很 少 有 <em>人家</em> <span class="trans">There are very few residents here.</span>
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*这个 小区 多少 户 <em>人家</em> <span class="trans">How many residents here.</span>
* 前面 有 一 户 <em>人家</em>,我们 去 看看 吧 。<span class="trans">There's a family out front. Let's go see them.</span>
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*村子 里 现在 只 剩 十几 户 <em>人家</em> 。<span class="trans">There.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|人家|B1|人家 vs 别人|因为 <em>人家</em> 喜欢 你 嘛。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}}
 
{{Used for|Describing people}}
 
{{Used for|Describing people}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Comparison|Nouns}}
 
{{Comparison|Nouns}}

Revision as of 04:48, 16 January 2018

Chinese-grammar-wiki-人家.jpg

When describing others, we can use the word 人家 (rénjia) or 别人 (biéren). But 人家 also has other grammatical uses, which we will explore in this article.

Used as "others"

人家 and 别人 both refer to others besides the speaker and the listener. However, 人家 is more colloquial.

Structure

Verb + 人家/别人

Examples

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.
  • 人家 怎么 想 跟 我 怎么 知道 ?How possibly can I know what others think?

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.

Examples

  • 因为 人家 喜欢 你 啊 。Because I like you!
  • 讨厌 !老是 拿 人家 开玩笑 。You are annoying, 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.

Examples

  • 你 快 给 人家 道歉 。Apologize to her now.
  • 你 看 人家 多 聪明 !Look at him! How smart he is!

人家 as "residents"

人家 can also mean residents or inhabitants.

Examples

  • 这个 小区 有 多少 户 人家How many residents here.
  • 村子 里 现在 只 剩 十几 户 人家 了 。There.

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries