Definitions
(pronoun)
it
Etymology
Pictograph of a snake, now written as 蛇. The current use as a pronoun is a phonetic loan.
About
The character "它" originated as a pictograph representing a snake, which in early Chinese usage carried meanings of harm, evil, or otherness, often referring to calamity or something alien. Its modern structure is analyzed as comprising the radical "宀" over "匕", a compositional interpretation that emerged later and does not reflect the initial pictographic design. Over time, the semantic value of "它" shifted from denoting negative or external entities to serving as a neutral third-person pronoun specifically for inanimate objects, with its earlier ominous associations gradually fading away.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
它是一只猫。
它非常聪明。
它在吃食物。
它的眼睛很亮。
它比兔子跑得快。
如果你善待它，它会亲近你。
它被训练成导盲犬。
尽管它受伤了，但仍坚持工作。