nǎxiē: 哪些 - Which (plural)

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• Summary: Learn how to use 哪些 (nǎxiē), the essential Chinese question word for asking “which” or “which ones” when referring to multiple items. As the plural form of `哪 (nǎ)`, `哪些` is fundamental for asking for a selection from a group, such as “Which countries have you visited?” or “What are some of your hobbies?”. This guide will break down its meaning, provide practical examples, and clarify common mistakes, like when to use it instead of `什么 (shénme)`.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): nǎxiē
• Part of Speech: Interrogative Pronoun (Question Word)
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: “Which ones,” “which (plural),” or “what are some.”
• In a Nutshell: In English, “which” can be singular or plural. Chinese is more specific. You use `哪 (nǎ)` for a single item (“which book?”) and 哪些 (nǎxiē) when you're asking about two or more items (“which books?”). Think of it as asking someone to select multiple items from a real or implied list. It's the question you use when the answer is expected to be a plural.

• 哪 (nǎ): This character means “which”. It's composed of the “mouth” radical `口 (kǒu)` on the left and `那 (nà)`, which means “that”. You can think of it as using your mouth (`口`) to ask a question about “that one” (`那`)—in other words, asking “which one?”.
• 些 (xiē): This character means “some,” “a few,” or indicates a plural quantity. It attaches to other words to make them plural, like in `这些 (zhèxiē)` meaning “these” and `那些 (nàxiē)` meaning “those”.
• How they combine: The logic is very straightforward: `哪` (which) + `些` (plural marker) = 哪些 (nǎxiē), or “which ones”.

While 哪些 (nǎxiē) doesn't carry deep philosophical meaning like terms such as `关系 (guānxi)`, its existence highlights a feature of the Chinese language: a preference for clarity in number. The mandatory distinction between the singular `哪 (nǎ)` and the plural `哪些 (nǎxiē)` shows a built-in grammatical precision that English often leaves to context. In Western cultures, you might ask, “What are your hobbies?” This is an open-ended question. The Chinese equivalent, `你有哪些爱好? (Nǐ yǒu nǎxiē àihào?)`, frames the question slightly differently. It implicitly asks, “From the set of all possible hobbies, which specific ones do you have?” This framing encourages a list as an answer. This subtle shift reflects a communication style that often values specificity and concrete examples over abstract, open-ended inquiries. It’s less about a deep cultural value and more about a linguistic habit of categorizing and selecting from a set.

哪些 (nǎxiē) is a high-frequency, neutral term used in all levels of formality, from chatting with friends to filling out a formal survey.

• Asking for a Selection: This is its most common use. When presented with options, you use `哪些` to ask someone to choose more than one.
  • “Of these fruits, which ones do you want to eat?”
• Asking for Examples: When you want someone to list a few examples of something, `哪些` is the perfect fit. This is often where English speakers would use “what” or “what are some”.
  • “What are some famous tourist spots in Beijing?” (Lit: Beijing has which famous tourist spots?)
• In Surveys and Forms: You will frequently see `哪些` in written questions that allow for multiple answers.
  • “Which of the following channels did you use to learn about our product? (Select all that apply)”

• Example 1:
  • 你想买哪些书？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ xiǎng mǎi nǎxiē shū?
  • English: Which books do you want to buy?
  • Analysis: A classic example of asking for a selection from a set (all the books available). The expected answer is a list of two or more books.
• Example 2:
  • 你去过哪些国家？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ qùguo nǎxiē guójiā?
  • English: Which countries have you been to?
  • Analysis: Here, `哪些` is used to ask for a list of examples from the large, implied set of “all countries in the world.”
• Example 3:
  • 我们公司有哪些福利？
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī yǒu nǎxiē fúlì?
  • English: What are some of our company's benefits?
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how `哪些` can be translated as “what are some…”. It's asking for a list of benefits the company provides.
• Example 4:
  • 除了苹果，你还喜欢吃哪些水果？
  • Pinyin: Chúle píngguǒ, nǐ hái xǐhuān chī nǎxiē shuǐguǒ?
  • English: Besides apples, what other fruits do you like to eat?
  • Analysis: This shows `哪些` used in a more complex sentence, asking for additional items in a category.
• Example 5:
  • 请告诉我们，您对哪些方面不满意。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng gàosù wǒmen, nín duì nǎxiē fāngmiàn bù mǎnyì.
  • English: Please tell us which aspects you are not satisfied with.
  • Analysis: A more formal example, suitable for a customer feedback form or conversation. `方面 (fāngmiàn)` means “aspects” or “areas”.
• Example 6:
  • 参加派对的都有哪些人？
  • Pinyin: Cānjiā pàiduì de dōu yǒu nǎxiē rén?
  • English: Who (which people) will be at the party?
  • Analysis: While `谁 (shéi)` means “who,” `哪些人` is used here to ask for a list of guests. It's like asking “which people?”
• Example 7:
  • 学习中文有哪些好方法？
  • Pinyin: Xuéxí Zhōngwén yǒu nǎxiē hǎo fāngfǎ?
  • English: What are some good methods for learning Chinese?
  • Analysis: A very practical question for learners, asking for a list of effective methods.
• Example 8:
  • 菜单上，哪些是你们的特色菜？
  • Pinyin: Càidān shàng, nǎxiē shì nǐmen de tèsècài?
  • English: On the menu, which ones are your specialty dishes?
  • Analysis: In this context, the noun `菜 (cài)` is omitted after `哪些` because it's clear from the context (`特色菜`).
• Example 9:
  • 解决这个问题，我们需要考虑哪些因素？
  • Pinyin: Jiějué zhège wèntí, wǒmen xūyào kǎolǜ nǎxiē yīnsù?
  • English: To solve this problem, which factors do we need to consider?
  • Analysis: An example from a business or academic context, asking for a list of factors.
• Example 10:
  • 你觉得这部电影的成功有哪些主要原因？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde zhè bù diànyǐng de chénggōng yǒu nǎxiē zhǔyào yuányīn?
  • English: What do you think are the main reasons for this movie's success?
  • Analysis: This asks for an opinion that should be supported by a list of multiple reasons.

• `哪些 (nǎxiē)` vs. `什么 (shénme)`
  • This is the most common point of confusion. Use `哪些` when you expect a list or a selection from a set of options (even if the set is very large and implied). Use `什么 (shénme)` for open-ended questions about the nature or identity of something, where the answer is typically a single, unknown concept.
  • Correct: 你喜欢哪些运动？ (Nǐ xǐhuān nǎxiē yùndòng?) - Which sports do you like? (Asks for a list).
  • Correct: 这是什么运动？ (Zhè shì shénme yùndòng?) - What sport is this? (Asks for the name of one sport).
  • Mistake: `这是哪些运动？` This would only make sense if you were pointing to a video of people playing multiple sports at once and asking for them to be identified.
• `哪些 (nǎxiē)` vs. `哪 (nǎ)`
  • `哪 (nǎ)` is singular. It must be followed by a measure word. `哪些 (nǎxiē)` is plural and is followed directly by a noun.
  • Correct (Singular): 你要哪一杯咖啡？ (Nǐ yào nǎ yī bēi kāfēi?) - Which cup of coffee do you want?
  • Correct (Plural): 这里有几种咖啡，你要哪些？ (Zhèlǐ yǒu jǐ zhǒng kāfēi, nǐ yào nǎxiē?) - There are several kinds of coffee here, which ones do you want?
  • Mistake: `你要哪些杯咖啡？` This is grammatically awkward. Once you use `哪些`, you generally don't need a measure word.

• 哪 (nǎ) - The singular form of `哪些`, meaning “which.” It requires a measure word before the noun (e.g., `哪个人 nǎ ge rén`).
• 什么 (shénme) - The question word “what,” used for open-ended questions about unknown things.
• 这些 (zhèxiē) - “These.” The demonstrative pronoun that is the answer to a question using `哪些` (e.g., Q: “Which ones do you want?” A: “I want these.”).
• 那些 (nàxiē) - “Those.” The other key demonstrative plural pronoun.
• 谁 (shéi) - “Who,” “whom.” The question word for people.
• 哪里 (nǎlǐ) - “Where.” The question word for location.
• 为什么 (wèishénme) - “Why.” The question word for reasons.
• 几 (jǐ) - “How many,” used for asking about numbers expected to be small (usually under 10).
• 多少 (duōshao) - “How many,” “how much,” used for asking about larger or unknown numbers.