其Tone 2

qí ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 八

其 · qí

his;

her;

its;

their;

that;

such;

used as a pronoun or demonstrative;

also functions as a modal particle.

hisherits

Usage highlights

ActuallyOtherAmong themEspeciallyPeriodicallyItself

Synonyms

他— he/him
她— she/her
它— it
那— that

Antonyms

此— this
自— self

Usage & contexts

Examples

He does his own work (他自己做他的工作).
That book is very interesting (那本书其内容很有趣).
I don't know his name (我不知道其名字).
Such behavior is unacceptable (其行为不可接受).

Collocations

Actually(其实)
Other(其他)
Among them(其中)
Especially(尤其)
Periodically(定期地)
Itself(其本身)

Idioms

To each according to his ability(各尽其能)
To change according to circumstances(随机应变)
To reap what one has sown(自食其果)
To return to one's original state(返其本真)
Things will develop in the opposite direction when they become extreme(物极必反)

Cultural background

Originally depicted a winnowing basket in oracle bone script, later borrowed as a pronoun.
Frequently used in classical Chinese as a third-person pronoun or demonstrative.
Commonly appears in compound words and idioms with abstract meanings.

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