Usage of 他们
'他们' is the third-person plural pronoun used to refer to a group of people excluding the speaker and listener. It is composed of '他' (he/they) plus the plural marker '们'.
Common Contexts
It is used to talk about others in everyday conversation, such as describing actions, states, or opinions of a group. It can refer to males, mixed gender groups, or when gender is unknown or irrelevant.
Collocations and Patterns
- 他们 + verb: to describe what 'they' are doing (e.g., 他们去学校 - They go to school).
- 他们的 + noun: to indicate possession (e.g., 他们的家 - their home).
- 他们为什么 + verb: to ask reasons related to 'them' (e.g., 他们为什么不来？ - Why aren't they coming?).
Notes
Unlike English, Chinese pronouns do not change form for subject/object, so 他们 can be used in various grammatical roles. Avoid confusing 他们 with '她们' (they, female) or '它们' (they, for objects/animals).