Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 你 | nǐ | /ni²¹⁴/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nʲi⁵³/ (Mandarin, Chengdu, Sinological IPA) |
|
| 您 | nín | /nin³⁵/ (Mandarin, Standard Chinese, Sinological IPA) /nei̯¹³/ (Cantonese, Guangzhou, Sinological IPA, Standard Cantonese, Hong Kong) |
formal |
| 你 | /li⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Philippines, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Hsinchu) /li⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Philippines, Singapore, Sinological IPA, Hsinchu) |
Hokkien | |
| 汝 | lí, lú | /lu⁵³/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Xiamen, Taipei, Sinological IPA) /lɯ⁵⁵⁴/ (Min Nan, Hokkien, Quanzhou, Sinological IPA) |
Hokkien |
The primary function of these terms is as a subject pronoun to address the person being spoken to. In certain contexts, the phrase 你这个…… is used before an epithet or noun (such as "idiot" or "bad person") to express annoyance or to scold someone.
Which one should you use?
While 你 is the standard form, 您 is used specifically to convey politeness and respect. For literary contexts in Hokkien, the form 汝 is used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
你 is the most common and basic way to say "you" and is suitable for informal settings. To show respect to elders, superiors or customers, use the formal term 您 instead of 你. Another formal way to address someone is by using 尊敬的 followed by their title or name.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hokkien, you can use 你 or the literary form 汝. In Dungan, the word is ни (ni).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the singular 你 into the plural "you all", add the suffix 们 to create 你们. If you are addressing a group of people politely, you can use 您们, although this is less commonly used in casual speech than the standard plural 你们.
How do you pronounce it?
/ni²¹⁴/
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 您住在哪里？Where do you live?This sentence is useful for asking where someone lives using the formal 您.Tatoeba #393584 by GlossaMatik, translation #370708 by saeb
- 你记日记吗？Do you keep a diary?This sentence is useful for asking if someone keeps a diary using the informal 你.Tatoeba #396625 by GlossaMatik, translation #15872 by CK
- 您可以走了。You may go.This sentence is useful for telling someone they may go using the formal 您.Tatoeba #396894 by GlossaMatik, translation #518553 by CK
- 您好！请问您需要帮助吗？Hello! May I ask if you need any assistance?
- 尊敬的李先生，请您签字。Dear Mr. Li, please sign here.
- 你好！你今天过得怎么样？Hi! How was your day today?
- 你们都准备好了吗？Are all of you ready?
- 10969 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are meeting for lunch.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你今天怎么样？Nǐ jīntiān zěnmeyàng?How are you today?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我很好，谢谢。Wǒ hěn hǎo, xièxie.I am very well, thank you.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你饿了吗？Nǐ è le ma?Are you hungry?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我很饿，走吧。Wǒ hěn è, zǒu ba.I'm very hungry, let's go.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “you” translations and entries 你, 您, 你, 汝, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 你, 您, 汝, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
