些
some; a few (only after 一/这/那)
xiē
What does 些 mean?
些 (xiē) is a measure word meaning 'some / a few / a small amount' — but it has a STRICT rule: it can only follow 一 (yī), 这 (zhè), or 那 (nà). You say 一些 (some), 这些 (these), 那些 (those) — never 些 alone, never 三些 or 几些. The unit 一些 covers both countable 'some' (一些书 — some books) and uncountable 'some' (一些水 — some water), unlike English's split between 'some / a few / a little.'
些 also pairs with adjectives to soften comparison: 好一些 (a little better)
Character breakdown
some; a few (the 二 'two' bottom is historical, suggesting 'a small count')
Example sentences
我买了一些水果。
Wǒ mǎi le yìxiē shuǐguǒ.
I bought some fruit.
spoken
这些书是我的。
Zhèxiē shū shì wǒ de.
These books are mine.
spoken
那些人是谁？
Nàxiē rén shì shéi?
Who are those people?
spoken
今天好一些了。
Jīntiān hǎo yìxiē le.
Today I'm a little better.
spoken
Common phrases with 些
Synonyms
Don't confuse 些 with
FAQ
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