他Tone 1

tā ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 亻

他 · tā

he;

him;

other;

another;

(in classical Chinese) other people or things

hehimother

Usage highlights

he/himhisthey/themother peopleother placesno other choice

Synonyms

彼— that; the other (classical)
别人— other people
他人— other people

Antonyms

我— I; me
己— self
自— self

Usage & contexts

Examples

He is my friend (他是我的朋友).
I don't know him (我不认识他).
This is his book (这是他的书).
They are going to the park (他们去公园).

Collocations

he/him(他)
his(他的)
they/them(他们)
other people(他人)
other places(他乡)
no other choice(别无他法)

Idioms

To die for a just cause(舍生取义)
To have no other choice(别无他法)
To be far from home(客死他乡)
To mind one's own business(各人自扫门前雪，莫管他人瓦上霜)

Cultural background

Originally meant 'other' or 'another' in classical Chinese, later specialized as the third-person masculine pronoun.
In modern Chinese, 他 is the standard pronoun for male referents, while 她 is used for females and 它 for non-human objects.
The character reflects the human radical 亻, indicating its reference to persons.

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