Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 和 | hé |
| 與 / 与 | yǔ |
| 及 | jí |
| 以及 | yǐjí |
| 暨 | jì |
| 同 | tóng |
These words are used as conjunctions to connect similar words or phrases. When using 和 to connect a list of more than two items, it is common practice to use commas for the first items and reserve 和 specifically for the final pair.
Which one should you use?
While 和 (hé) is used for connecting nouns, it is not used to connect two independent clauses like the English 'and' in 'I went and he stayed'. The form 與 / 与 (yǔ) is a more formal or literary version of 和. The form 以及 (yǐjí) is used in formal contexts to mean 'as well as' or 'and also', often to add a final item to a list. The form 及 (jí) is also available for connecting items. The form 暨 (jì) is a specialized conjunction, and 同 (tóng) functions as 'and' in certain contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
与 / 与 is a more formal or literary version used in written texts. 以及 is used in formal contexts to mean 'as well as' or 'and also', typically when adding a final item to a list. In colloquial Mandarin, 跟 is a common way to say 'and'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the word for 'and' is 同.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The conjunction 和 is primarily used to connect nouns or noun phrases, rather than connecting full clauses or sentences. Note that 與 / 与 can also function as a noun in the context of logic.
How do you pronounce it?
hé
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use 和 to connect two complete sentences. Instead of using it to join independent clauses, you should use a different conjunction or simply start a new sentence.
Did you know?
- The most common way to say 'and' in Mandarin, 和, is also the word used to describe 'Japanese' in certain contexts.
- The character 及 literally depicts a 'hand' reaching out to grab a 'person'.
- In colloquial spoken Mandarin, people frequently replace the standard 和 with the word 跟, which literally means 'to follow'.
Examples in context
- 你和我同龄。You and I are the same age.This sentence demonstrates using 和 to connect two people.Tatoeba #1423324 by sadhen, translation #17589 by CK
- 咖啡和香烟。Coffee and cigarettes.This sentence shows the use of 和 to connect two nouns.Tatoeba #4265176 by notabene, translation #337347 by qsanta
- 思念和祈禱。Thoughts and prayers.This sentence shows the use of 和 to connect two noun phrases.Tatoeba #13244334 by LeviHighway, translation #12606759 by rul
- 我喜欢喝咖啡和茶。I like to drink coffee and tea.
- 他会说英语和法语。He can speak English and French.
- 我去了北京和上海。I visited Beijing and Shanghai.
- 我鍾意食麵同飯。I like to eat noodles and rice.
- 佢識講廣東話同英文。He can speak Cantonese and English.
- 1409 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are discussing what to buy at a grocery store.
- 梓涵 Zihan我们要买鸡蛋和牛奶吗？wǒ men yào mǎi jī dàn hé niú nǎi ma?Do we need to buy eggs and milk?
- 伟 Wei是的，还要买面包。shì de, hái yào mǎi miàn bāo.Yes, we also need to buy bread.
- 梓涵 Zihan伟，你觉得牛奶好吗？wěi, nǐ jué de niú nǎi hǎo ma?Wei, do you think the milk is good?
- 伟 Wei我觉得很好。wǒ jué de hěn hǎo.I think it is very good.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “and” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 及, 和, 與, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
