HSK Guide

shéiwho, whom

shéi (second tone, rising)shei2

Traditional:

who, whom

HSK 1· HSK 1–4 (classic)Level 1· Three-band, nine-level standardpronoun
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Meanings

  1. who, whom

    The question word for people. It occupies the slot the answer would take, so it can be the subject (谁来了?) or the object (你想问谁?) with no change of form.

    pronoun

The character has two accepted readings, shéi and shuí. shéi is what people actually say; shuí belongs to formal reading and to dictionaries.

Example sentences

  • 他是谁?他是誰? (first tone, high and level) shì (fourth tone, falling) shéi? (second tone, rising)···

    Who is he?

  • 谁会说汉语?誰會說漢語?Shéi (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) Hànyǔ? (fourth tone, falling)···

    Who can speak Chinese?