taa1 mun4它們它们
Jyutpingtaa1 mun4
Yaletā mùhn
Definition
They or them; the third-person plural pronoun for non-living things in written Chinese.
writtencommunication
How it's used
Cantonese speakers exclusively use 佢哋 for all plural third person pronouns, regardless of whether the referent is human or inanimate. Using 它們 in spoken Cantonese sounds unnatural and overly formal, as if reading directly from a textbook or a written report. It is strictly a feature of written Chinese that does not cross over into natural speech.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to apply the distinction between 他, 她, and 它 found in written Chinese to spoken Cantonese, but this is unnecessary. Using 它們 in conversation will make you sound like a machine or a non-native speaker trying to translate directly from Mandarin.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
