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.   
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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.   
  
== Used as "others" ==
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== 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 both refer to others besides the speaker and the listener. However, 人家 is more colloquial.  
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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 possibly can I know what other people think?</span>
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*<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 would you care so much?</span>
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*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>
  
 
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== Multiple Meanings of 人家 ==
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== Additional Uses of 人家 ==
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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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*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, always making fun of me.</span>
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*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>
 
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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 her now.</span>
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*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 at him! How smart he is!</span>
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*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>
 
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=== 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 the least common in everyday spoken Chinese.  
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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 duōshǎo <strong>hù</strong> <em>rénjiā</em>?</span><span class="trans">How many household are here in this compartment?</span>
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*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>
 
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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}}
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{{Source|卓越汉语-公司实战篇|211}}
  
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
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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 啊 。我 不 在乎 <em>别人</em> 怎么 说。|grammar point|ASGPINA4}}
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{{HSK|HSK6}}
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{{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}}

Latest revision as of 08:50, 24 April 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-人家.jpg

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"

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 。Wǒ bù zàihu rénjia zěnme shuō.I don't care about what other people say.
  • 别人 怎么 想 我 怎么 知道 ?Biérén zěnme xiǎng wǒ zěnme zhīdào?How could I know what other people are thinking?
  • 那 是 人家 的 事 ,你 管 那么 多 干嘛 ?Nà shì rénjia de shì, nǐ guǎn nàme duō gàn ma?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 。Yīnwèi rénjia xǐhuan nǐ a.Because I like you!
  • 讨厌 !老是 拿 人家 开玩笑 。Tǎoyàn! Lǎo shì ná rénjia kāiwánxiào.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 。Nǐ kuài gěi rénjia dàoqiàn.Apologize to them now.
  • 你 看 人家 多 聪明 !Nǐ kàn rénjia duō cōngming!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 人家Zhège xiǎoqū yǒu duōshao rénjiā?How many households are here in this neighborhood?
  • 村子 里 现在 只 剩 十 人家 了 。Cūnzi lǐ xiànzài zhī shèng shí rénjiā le.There are only ten households left in this village.

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries