About
你 (nǐ) is a phono-semantic compound: the left-side person radical 亻 (rén) indicates its semantic category related to humans, while the right-side component 尔 (ěr) provides the phonetic value. Its traditional form uses 爾 (ěr), from which the simplified 尔 directly derives. The character was developed as the second-person singular pronoun "you" for vernacular speech, replacing older classical pronouns like 汝 (rǔ) and 爾 (ěr). Its structure, combining the human radical with a phonetic element, exemplifies the formation of vernacular pronouns to align with changes in spoken language.
Example Sentences Hide
你今天很忙吗?
你喜欢喝茶吗?
你经常去公园散步。
你如果来,我就告诉你。
你学中文学得很快。
你昨天买的书很有趣。
你被老师表扬了。
当你听到这个消息时,你会很高兴。