Definitions

xiē (adjective) some; a few; several
xiē (adjective) small amount greater than 1

Etymology phono-semantic

two

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 些, structurally composed of 此 meaning 'this' placed above 二 meaning 'two,' originated in early Chinese as a final particle used within the regional dialect of Chu. Its function gradually transitioned from this grammatical role to that of a quantitative term indicating a small amount or plurality, such as 'some' or 'a few,' with this semantic shift becoming established over time. The graphical form of 些, built from the components 此 and 二, has remained consistent in its construction throughout its documented history.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请给我一水。

Qǐng gěi wǒ yīxiē shuǐ.

Please give me some water.

书很有趣。

Zhèxiē shū hěn yǒuqù.

These books are very interesting.

花很漂亮。

Nàxiē huā hěn piàoliang.

Those flowers are very beautiful.

我买了一水果。

Wǒ mǎile yīxiē shuǐguǒ.

I bought some fruits.

他吃了一面包和牛奶。

Tā chīle yīxiē miànbāo hé niúnǎi.

He ate some bread and milk.

我们需要准备礼物。

Wǒmen xūyào zhǔnbèi xiē lǐwù.

We need to prepare some gifts.

天天气很好。

Zhèxiē tiān tiānqì hěn hǎo.

These days the weather is very good.

他告诉我一重要的事情。

Tā gàosù wǒ yīxiē zhòngyào de shìqíng.

He told me some important things.