[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fiHjJMBopNsdDmencctzIQ1tUW---kOVAXM9GcSJfD54":3},{"success":4,"data":5},true,{"id":6,"group_id":7,"locale":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"level":11,"content":12,"seo_title":13,"seo_description":14,"cover_image_url":15,"is_published":4,"created_at":16,"updated_at":16,"type":17,"alternate_urls":18,"examples":19,"quizzes":33},28,"3687b6fa-9745-4c9e-a70e-0c1f43b04149","en","how-to-ask-who-in-chinese-shui","How to Ask \"Who?\" in Chinese: Mastering 谁 (shuí)","HSK 1","## 1. Meaning and Usage\n谁 (shuí) is an interrogative pronoun in Chinese, primarily meaning \"who\" or \"whom.\" It is used to ask questions about people and can function as the subject, object, or possessive in a sentence.\n\n## 2. Formulas and Examples\n\n### 1. 谁 as the Subject of a Sentence\nWhen asking \"who\" performed an action or \"who\" is someone\u002Fsomething, 谁 takes the place of the subject in the sentence.\n\n**Formula:** `$$谁 + Verb Phrase (+ Object)?$$`\n\n> **谁是你的老师？**\n> *Shuí shì nǐ de lǎoshī?*\n> Who is your teacher?\n\n> **谁吃了我的苹果？**\n> *Shuí chī le wǒ de píngguǒ?*\n> Who ate my apple?\n\n### 2. 谁 as the Object of a Sentence\nWhen asking \"whom\" an action is directed towards, 谁 takes the place of the object in the sentence.\n\n**Formula:** `$$Subject + Verb + 谁?$$`\n\n> **你认识谁？**\n> *Nǐ rènshi shuí?*\n> Whom do you know?\n\n> **他想见谁？**\n> *Tā xiǎng jiàn shuí?*\n> Whom does he want to see?\n\n### 3. 谁的 (shuí de) for Possessive\nTo ask \"whose\" something is, 谁 is followed by 的 (de).\n\n**Formula:** `$$这是\u002F那是 + 谁的 + Noun?$$`\n\n> **这是谁的书？**\n> *Zhè shì shuí de shū?*\n> Whose book is this?\n\n> **那是谁的手机？**\n> *Nà shì shuí de shǒujī?*\n> Whose phone is that?\n\n### 4. 谁 with 是...的 (shì...de) Structure for Emphasis\nThe 是...的 (shì...de) structure is used to emphasize the time, place, manner, or agent of a past action. When asking \"who was it that did X,\" 谁 is placed after 是.\n\n**Formula:** `$$是谁 + Verb + (Object) + 的?$$`\n\n> **是谁给你打了电话？**\n> *Shì shuí gěi nǐ dǎ le diànhuà?*\n> Who was it that called you?\n\n> **是谁发明了灯泡？**\n> *Shì shuí fāmíng le dēngpào?*\n> Who was it that invented the light bulb?\n\n### 5. 谁 in Non-Interrogative Contexts (Referring to \"Everyone\" or \"No one\")\nIn some advanced usages, 谁 can be used with adverbs like 都 (dōu) or 也 (yě) to mean \"everyone\" or \"no one,\" respectively.\n\n#### a. 谁都... (shuí dōu...) - Everyone\u002FAnyone\nUsed to indicate \"everyone\" or \"anyone\" without a specific person in mind.\n\n**Formula:** `$$谁都 + Verb\u002FAdjective + (Object)$$`\n\n> **谁都喜欢他。**\n> *Shuí dōu xǐhuān tā.*\n> Everyone likes him.\n\n> **这件事谁都知道。**\n> *Zhè jiàn shì shuí dōu zhīdào.*\n> Everyone knows about this matter.\n\n#### b. 谁也... (shuí yě...) - No one\u002FNobody\nUsed with a negative (不\u002F没) to indicate \"no one\" or \"nobody.\"\n\n**Formula:** `$$谁也 + 不\u002F没 + Verb\u002FAdjective + (Object)$$`\n\n> **谁也不知道。**\n> *Shuí yě bù zhīdào.*\n> Nobody knows.\n\n> **谁也没看见他。**\n> *Shuí yě méi kànjiàn tā.*\n> Nobody saw him.\n\n## 3. Essential HSK Tips & Common Mistakes\n\n*   **Tip 1: Position is Key.** The interrogative pronoun 谁 directly replaces the person you are asking about, whether they are the subject, object, or part of a possessive phrase. The sentence structure remains largely the same as a declarative sentence.\n    *   Correct usage (subject replacement):\n        > **他去了。 -> 谁去了？**\n        > *Tā qù le. -> Shuí qù le?*\n        > He went. -> Who went?\n    *   Correct usage (object replacement):\n        > **我看见了她。 -> 你看见了谁？**\n        > *Wǒ kànjiàn le tā. -> Nǐ kànjiàn le shuí?*\n        > I saw her. -> Whom did you see?\n\n*   **Tip 2: No need for 吗 (ma).** When 谁 is used, the sentence is already a question, so you generally do not add the question particle 吗 (ma) at the end.\n    *   **Incorrect:**\n        > **他是谁吗？**\n        > *Tā shì shuí ma?*\n        > (Incorrect way to ask \"Who is he?\")\n    *   **Correct:**\n        > **他是谁？**\n        > *Tā shì shuí?*\n        > Who is he?\n\n*   **Tip 3: Distinguish 谁 (shuí) from 什么 (shénme).** Remember that 谁 is exclusively for asking about *people*, while 什么 (shénme) is for asking about *things* or *what*.\n    *   **Correct (asking about a person):**\n        > **你喜欢谁？**\n        > *Nǐ xǐhuān shuí?*\n        > Whom do you like?\n    *   **Correct (asking about a thing\u002Fwhat):**\n        > **你喜欢什么？**\n        > *Nǐ xǐhuān shénme?*\n        > What do you like?\n    *   **Common Mistake:** Using 什么 when asking about a person. For example, `你是谁？` (Who are you?) is correct, not `你是什么？` (What are you? - which would be offensive if directed at a person).","Who in Chinese: Learn 谁 (shuí) Grammar","Master asking \"Who?\" in Chinese with our comprehensive guide to 谁 (shuí). Covers usage, examples, and common phrases for HSK 1 learners.",null,"2026-07-01T10:32:48.901Z","structure",{"en":9},[20,27],{"id":21,"topic_id":6,"source_type":22,"song_id":15,"chinese_sentence":23,"pinyin_sentence":24,"translation":25,"explanation":26,"created_at":16},61,"ai_standard","谁来了？","Shuí lái le?","Who came?","In this sentence, '谁' (shuí) functions as the subject, asking about the identity of the person who performed the action of coming. It replaces the unknown person's name.",{"id":28,"topic_id":6,"source_type":22,"song_id":15,"chinese_sentence":29,"pinyin_sentence":30,"translation":31,"explanation":32,"created_at":16},62,"你跟谁去？","Nǐ gēn shuí qù?","Who are you going with?","Here, '谁' (shuí) is used after the preposition '跟' (gēn, with) to ask about the companion. '谁' acts as the object of the prepositional phrase, indicating the person involved in the action with the subject.",[34,44,54],{"id":35,"topic_id":6,"question_text":36,"options":37,"correct_answer_index":42,"explanation_answer":43,"created_at":16},82,"听说公司要派一个人去美国出差，你觉得______最合适？",[38,39,40,41],"A. 哪","B. 谁","C. 什么","D. 为什么",1,"The sentence asks for a person who is most suitable for a business trip. '谁' (shuí) means 'who' and is used to ask about a person. '哪' (nǎ) usually requires a measure word (e.g., '哪个人' - which person) and implies selection from a known set, which isn't the case here. '什么' (shénme) means 'what' and refers to things or types. '为什么' (wèishénme) means 'why' and asks for a reason. Therefore, '谁' is the only appropriate choice.",{"id":45,"topic_id":6,"question_text":46,"options":47,"correct_answer_index":52,"explanation_answer":53,"created_at":16},83,"Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?",[48,49,50,51],"A. 你知道是谁没去参加会议吗？","B. 谁你知道没去参加会议吗？","C. 没去参加会议是谁你吗知道？","D. 你是谁知道没去参加会议吗？",0,"Option A is grammatically correct. It uses the structure '是谁 + predicate' (是谁没去参加会议 - who it is that didn't attend the meeting) correctly embedded within a larger question '你知道...吗？' (Do you know...). This structure emphasizes the identity of the person. Options B, C, and D all have incorrect word order, misplacing '谁' or other sentence elements, making them ungrammatical.",{"id":55,"topic_id":6,"question_text":56,"options":57,"correct_answer_index":62,"explanation_answer":63,"created_at":16},84,"Which of the following sentences is grammatically INCORRECT?",[58,59,60,61],"A. 谁都会犯错，这是很正常的。","B. 这本书是谁写的？你认识作者吗？","C. 很谁都喜欢吃火锅，所以这家店总是爆满。","D. 你到底在跟谁说话？我怎么没看见别人？",2,"Option C is grammatically incorrect. '谁都' (shuí dōu) means 'everyone' or 'anyone' and is an interrogative pronoun construction. In Chinese grammar, interrogative pronouns (like 谁, 什么, 哪儿) cannot be directly modified by degree adverbs such as '很' (hěn - very). To express 'many people like to eat hotpot,' one should use '很多人都喜欢吃火锅' (hěn duō rén dōu xǐhuān chī huǒguō) or simply '大家都喜欢吃火锅' (dàjiā dōu xǐhuān chī huǒguō). Options A, B, and D are all grammatically correct uses of '谁'."]