你

See also: 妳, 您, 祢, and 儞

你 U+4F60, 你 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4F60 ← 佟 [U+4F5F] CJK Unified Ideographs 佡 → [U+4F61]

你 U+2F804, 你 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-2F804 ← 𠄢 [U+2F803] CJK Compatibility Ideographs Supplement 侮 → [U+2F805]

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

你 (radical 9, 人+5, 7 strokes, cangjie input 人弓火 (ONF), four-corner 2729₀ or 2729₂, composition ⿰亻尔)

Derived characters

• 𪡇, 您

References

• KangXi: not present, would follow page 100, character 2
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 471
• Dae Jaweon: page 205, character 4
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 137, character 5
• Unihan data for U+4F60

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Chinese

simp. and trad.		你
alternative forms		伱 儞 伲 𤙌 汝 Min Nan 伱 儞 伲 𤙌 汝 Min Nan 㚢 Hakka

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 你
Transcribed ancient scripts L14036 L14037 L14038 L14039
References: Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation), which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including: Shuowen Jiezi (small seal), Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions), Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

Characters in the same phonetic series (尔) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
妳	*rneːlʔ
弥	*mnel
尒	*njelʔ
尔	*njelʔ
迩	*njelʔ
你	*nɯʔ
苶	*neːb, *njed, *neːd

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *nɯʔ): semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 尔 (OC *njelʔ).

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *na-ŋ (“you”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): nǐ (ni³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄋㄧˇ

  (Chengdu, SP): nyi³

  (Dungan, Cyrillic): ни (ni, II)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): nei⁵

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): nei¹, nei⁴

• Gan (Wiktionary): n³
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): ngì / ǹ / ǹg / nì

  (Meixian, Guangdong): ngi² / n²

• Jin (Wiktionary): ni²
• Min Bei (KCR): nì
• Min Dong (BUC): nī
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): lí / lír / lú / ní

  (Teochew, Peng'im): le²

• Wu (Wiktionary): nyi (T3); 'ni (T2)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): nyi³

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: nǐ
    • Zhuyin: ㄋㄧˇ
    • Wade–Giles: ni3
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: nii
    • Tongyong Pinyin: nǐ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ni²¹⁴/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: nyi³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ni
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nʲi⁵³/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic: ни (ni, II)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ni⁵¹/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: nei⁵
    • Yale: néih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: nei⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: néi⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nei̯¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: nei¹, nei⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ⁿdei³³/, /ⁿdei²¹/

Note:

• nei1 - vernacular;
• nei4 - literary.

Gan

• (Nanchang)
  • Wiktionary: n³
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̩²¹³/

Hakka

• (Northern Sixian, incl. Miaoli)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngì / ǹ / ǹg / nì
  • Hakka Romanization System: ngiˇ / nˇ / ngˇ / niˇ
  • Hagfa Pinyim: ngi² / n² / ng² / ni²
  • Sinological IPA: /ɲi¹¹/, /n¹¹/, /ŋ̍¹¹/, /ni¹¹/
• (Southern Sixian, incl. Meinong)
  • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngì / ǹ
  • Hakka Romanization System: ngiˇ / nˇ
  • Hagfa Pinyim: ngi² / n²
  • Sinological IPA: /ɲi¹¹/, /n¹¹/
• (Meixian)
  • Guangdong: ngi² / n²
  • Sinological IPA: /ɲi¹¹/, /n̩¹¹/

Jin

• (Taiyuan)⁺
  • Wiktionary: ni²
  • Sinological IPA (old-style): /ni⁵³/

Min Bei

• (Jian'ou)
  • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: nì
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ni⁴²/

Min Dong

• (Fuzhou)
  • Bàng-uâ-cê: nī
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nˡi³³/

Min Nan

• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, Yilan, Hsinchu, Philippines, Singapore)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lí
  • Tâi-lô: lí
  • Phofsit Daibuun: lie
  • IPA (Philippines): /li⁵⁵⁴/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou): /li⁵³/
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /li⁴¹/
  • IPA (Singapore): /li⁴²/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Tong'an, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Hsinchu, Singapore)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lír
  • Tâi-lô: lír
  • IPA (Kinmen): /lɯ⁵³/
  • IPA (Singapore): /lɯ⁴²/
  • IPA (Tong'an): /lɯ³¹/
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /lɯ⁵⁵⁴/
• (Hokkien: Taipei, Magong, Singapore, Penang)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lú
  • Tâi-lô: lú
  • Phofsit Daibuun: luo
  • IPA (Taipei): /lu⁵³/
  • IPA (Penang): /lu⁴⁴⁵/
  • IPA (Singapore): /lu⁴²/
• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ní
  • Tâi-lô: ní
  • Phofsit Daibuun: nie
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /nĩ⁵⁵⁴/
  • IPA (Kaohsiung): /nĩ⁴¹/
  • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /nĩ⁵³/

Note:

• lí/lír/lú - vernacular (common substitute for 汝);
• ní - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: le²
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lṳ́
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lɯ⁵²/

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wiktionary: nyi (T3); 'ni (T2)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲi²³/, /ʔni³⁴/

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: nyi³
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲi⁴¹/

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• Old Chinese

  (Zhengzhang): /*nɯʔ/

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	你
Reading #	1/1
No.	2769
Phonetic component	尔
Rime group	之
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	伱
Old Chinese	/*nɯʔ/
Notes	爾汝音變

Definitions

你

1. you (the person spoken to or written to)

   你好  ―  nǐ hǎo  ―  hello

   你今天好嗎？ / 你今天好吗？  ―  Nǐ jīntiān hǎo ma?  ―  How are you today?

   我喜歡你。 / 我喜欢你。  ―  Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ.  ―  I like you.

Usage notes

In traditional Chinese, 你 may be used to specifically refer to a male person, while 妳 can be used for a female person. In simplified Chinese, only 你 is standard.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 你 (“you (singular)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		汝, 爾, 乃, 而, 若, 伊, 子, 君 honorific, 卿 honorific
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		你, 您 honorific
Mandarin	Beijing	你, 您 honorific
	Taiwan	你, 您 honorific
	Harbin	你, 您 honorific
	Shenyang	你
	Hailar	你
	Ulanhot	你
	Tongliao	你
	Chifeng	你, 您 honorific
	Bayanhot	你, 您 honorific
	Jinan	你
	Muping	你
	Luoyang	你
	Wanrong	你
	Xi'an	你
	Zhengzhou	你
	Xining	你, 喬
	Xuzhou	恁, 你
	Yinchuan	你
	Lanzhou	你
	Ürümqi	你
	Wuhan	你, 你家 honorific
	Chengdu	你
	Guiyang	你
	Guilin	你
	Liuzhou	你
	Kunming	你
	Yangzhou	你
	Nanjing	你
	Hefei	你
	Nantong	你
	Malaysia	你, 您 honorific
	Singapore	你, 您 honorific
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	你
Cantonese	Guangzhou	你
	Hong Kong	你
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	你
	Macau	你
	Panyu	你
	Huadu (Huashan)	你
	Conghua	你
	Zengcheng	你
	Foshan	你
	Nanhai (Shatou)	你
	Shunde	你
	Sanshui	你
	Gaoming (Mingcheng)	你
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	你
	Zhuhai (Qianshan)	你
	Doumen (Shangheng Tanka)	你
	Doumen	你
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	你
	Xinhui	你
	Taishan	你
	Kaiping (Chikan)	你
	Enping (Niujiang)	你
	Heshan (Yayao)	你
	Dongguan	你
	Bao'an (Shajing)	你
	Shaoguan	你
	Yunfu	你
	Yangjiang	你
	Xinyi	你
	Lianjiang	你
	Danzhou	你
	Kuala Lumpur	你
	Singapore	你
Gan	Nanchang	你
	Lichuan	汝
	Pingxiang	恨, 你
Hakka	Meixian	你
	Xingning	你
	Huidong (Daling)	你
	Qujiang	你
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	你
	Changting	你
	Pingyu	你
	Wuping	你
	Liancheng	你
	Ninghua	你
	Yudu	你
	Ruijin	你
	Shicheng	你
	Shangyou	你
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	你
	Liudui (S. Sixian)	你
	Hsinchu (Hailu)	你
	Dongshi (Dabu)	你
	Hsinchu (Raoping)	你
	Yunlin (Zhao'an)	你
	Hong Kong	你
	Sabah	你
	Senai	你
	Singkawang	你
Huizhou	Jixi	爾, 爾仂
	Shexian	爾
	Tunxi	爾, 爾仂
Jin	Taiyuan	你
	Xinzhou	你, 你吶 honorific
	Baochang	你, 您 honorific
	Jining	你, 您 honorific
	Hohhot	你, 您 honorific
	Baotou	你, 您 honorific
	Dongsheng	你, 您 honorific
	Linhe	你, 您 honorific
	Haibowan	你, 您 honorific
Min Bei	Jian'ou	你
	Dikou	你
	Songxi	你
	Zhenghe	你
	Zhenqian	汝
	Jianyang	你
	Wuyishan	你
	Shibei	你
Min Dong	Fuzhou	汝
	Changle	汝
	Fuqing	汝
	Pingtan	汝
	Yongtai	汝
	Gutian	汝
	Fu'an	汝
	Ningde	汝
	Shouning	汝
	Zhouning	汝
	Fuding	汝
	Matsu	汝
Min Nan	Xiamen	汝
	Quanzhou	汝
	Zhangzhou	汝
	Taipei	汝
	Kaohsiung	汝
	Tainan	汝
	Taichung	汝
	Wuqi	汝
	Hsinchu	汝
	Taitung	汝
	Lukang	汝
	Sanxia	汝
	Yilan	汝
	Kinmen	汝
	Magong	汝
	Penang (Hokkien)	汝
	Singapore (Hokkien)	汝
	Philippines (Manila Hokkien)	汝
	Chaozhou	汝
	Shantou	汝
	Jieyang	汝
	Haifeng	汝
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	汝
	Singapore (Teochew)	汝
	Wenchang	汝
	Haikou	汝
	Leizhou	汝
Puxian Min	Putian	汝
	Xianyou	汝
Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	你
Wu	Shanghai	儂
	Suzhou	倷
	Wuxi	你
	Hangzhou	你
	Wenzhou	你
	Chongming	爾
	Danyang	爾
	Jinhua	儂
	Tangxi	爾, 爾儂
	Ningbo	儂, 爾, 爾儂
Xiang	Changsha	你
	Shuangfeng	你
	Xiangtan	你
	Loudi	你

Compounds

• 一場官司一場火，任你好漢沒處躲／一场官司一场火，任你好汉没处躲
• 不是你死，就是我活
• 不是我，便是你
• 不瞞你說／不瞒你说
• 不說話，沒人當你是啞吧／不说话，没人当你是哑吧
• 你三我四
• 你丟我撿／你丢我捡
• 你个
• 你來我往／你来我往
• 你個／你个
• 你們／你们 (nǐmen)
• 你儂／你侬 (nǐnóng)
• 你儂我儂／你侬我侬 (nǐnóngwǒnóng)
• 你儜
• 你咱
• 你好 (nǐ hǎo)
• 你娘
• 你媽的／你妈的 (nǐmāde)

• 你家
• 你家的
• 你懣／你懑
• 你我 (nǐwǒ)
• 你推我擠／你推我挤
• 你推我讓／你推我让
• 你敦
• 你有千條妙計，我有一定之規／你有千条妙计，我有一定之规
• 你東我西／你东我西
• 你死我活 (nǐsǐwǒhuó)
• 你每 (nǐměi)
• 你爭我奪／你争我夺
• 你生
• 你知我見／你知我见
• 你等 (nǐděng)
• 你箇
• 你老 (nǐlǎo)
• 你老子

• 你誇我逞／你夸我逞
• 你謙我讓／你谦我让
• 你追我趕／你追我赶
• 你那
• 你長我短／你长我短
• 你門／你门
• 天知地知，你知我知 (tiān zhī dì zhī, nǐ zhī wǒ zhī)
• 有你沒我／有你没我
• 有你的
• 管你
• 迷你 (mínǐ)
• 迷你型計算機／迷你型计算机
• 迷你玫瑰
• 迷你盆景
• 迷你裙 (mínǐqún)
• 迷你豬／迷你猪
• 迷你電腦／迷你电脑
• 閻王叫你三更死，誰敢留人到五更／阎王叫你三更死，谁敢留人到五更

See also

Standard Chinese personal pronouns
Person		Singular	Plural
1st	—	我 (wǒ)	我們／我们 (wǒmen)
	inclusive		咱們／咱们 (zánmen)
2nd	male/indefinite	你 (nǐ)	你們／你们 (nǐmen)
	female	妳／你 (nǐ)	妳們／你们 (nǐmen)
	deity	祢 (nǐ)	祢們／祢们 (nǐmen)
	polite	您 (nín)	你們／你们 (nǐmen) 您們／您们 (nínmen)
3rd	male/indefinite	他 (tā)	他們／他们 (tāmen)
	female	她 (tā)	她們／她们 (tāmen)
	deity	祂 (tā)	祂們／祂们 (tāmen)
	animal	牠／它 (tā)	牠們／它们 (tāmen)
	inanimate	它 (tā)	它們／它们 (tāmen)

References

• “Entry #2881”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (in Chinese and Min Nan), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.

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Japanese

Kanji

你

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

1. you

Readings

• Go-on: に (ni)
• Kan-on: じ (ji)
• Kun: なんじ (nanji, 你)^{←なんぢ (nandi, historical)}; しかり (shikari, 你り); その (sono, 你の); のみ (nomi, 你)

Usage notes

This character is not used in modern Japanese. It may appear as a 略字 (ryakuji, “abbreviated character”) for 爾, itself only used in historical texts and not used in modern Japanese.

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Korean

Hanja

你 (eum 니 (ni))

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

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Vietnamese

Han character

你: Hán Nôm readings: nể, né, nẻ, nệ, nễ, nhĩ

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

References

• Nom Foundation