5 · Written Chinese
Zhī and qí in modern writing
the classical possessive and pronoun
Zhī is the written de and lives on in fixed forms like zhīyī and zhījiān; qí means its, their or of them.
之 is the classical forerunner of 的. On its own it is rare in modern Chinese, but it survives in a set of very common forms: 之一, one of; 之间, between; 之后 and 之前, after and before (the written 以后 and 以前); 之中, among; and in fractions and percentages: 三分之一, one third, 百分之五十, fifty per cent.
之一 needs care, because the order is the reverse of English. English says “one of my best friends”; Chinese names the group first and closes with 之一: 他是我最好的朋友之一. No measure word is used — not 一个 — because 之一 already contains the number.
其 is a written pronoun: “its, his, her, their”, or “that, of them”. It always points back to something just named and never opens a sentence as a subject. It is most often met inside fixed words: 其中, among them; 其他, the other(s); 其余, the rest; and two words every learner already knows, 其实, actually, and 尤其, especially.
其中 always refers back to a group that has just been mentioned: 班上有二十个学生，其中一半是女生. Without that group it has nothing to point at. 其他 likewise implies a set: “the others besides the one already named”.
The form
| one of | …的朋友之一 |
| between | 两国之间 |
| after (written) | 毕业之后 |
| a fraction | 三分之一 |
| among them | …，其中… |
| the others | 其他同学 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
Zhīyī comes at the end of the group it picks from, with no measure word.
长城是世界上最有名的建筑之一。The Great Wall is one of the most famous structures in the world.
Zhījiān, zhīhòu, zhīqián and zhīzhōng are the written forms of between, after, before and among.
两个城市之间有高铁。There is a high-speed rail link between the two cities.
Qízhōng refers back to a group just mentioned: among them, of whom.
我们班有二十个学生，其中一半是女生。There are twenty students in our class, half of whom are girls.
Qí alone means its, his or their, and points back to something already named.
这家公司以其产品质量闻名。This company is known for the quality of its products.
A closer look
Zhī as the old de
In the classical language 之 linked a noun to the noun it described, exactly as 的 does today. Modern Chinese keeps it where a phrase has to sound weighty or compact: in titles, in slogans and above all in four-character expressions, where 之 often sits in third place — 无价之宝, a priceless treasure.
One construction with 之 is common in explanations: 之所以…，是因为…, “the reason why … is that …”. It turns the usual order round: first the result, then the cause, with the weight on the cause.
How to spot it
- 之一
- 之间
- 之后
- 其中
- 其他
- 其
Example sentences
春节是中国最重要的节日之一。The Spring Festival is one of China’s most important festivals.
朋友之间应该互相帮助。Friends should help one another.
报名的有五十人，其中三十人来自外地。Fifty people signed up, thirty of them from other parts of the country.
除了小王，其他人都到了。Apart from Xiao Wang, everyone else has arrived.
大约三分之一的学生住在学校里。About a third of the students live on campus.
每种方法都有其优点和缺点。Every method has its advantages and disadvantages.
8 more example sentences
这是我这辈子做过的最好的决定之一。This is one of the best decisions I have ever made.
下班之后，他常常去健身房。After work, he often goes to the gym.
出发之前，请检查一下护照。Before setting off, please check your passport.
书架上有很多书，其中大部分是小说。There are lots of books on the shelf, most of them novels.
这个问题只有你能回答，其他人都不清楚。Only you can answer this question; nobody else knows.
父母和孩子之间需要多沟通。Parents and children need to talk to each other more.
他喜欢运动，尤其是游泳。He loves sport, especially swimming.
这部电影在国外也很受欢迎，这说明了其魅力。This film is popular abroad too, which shows its appeal.
Worth knowing (2)
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Fractions and percentages
A fraction is said whole first, part second: 四分之三, three quarters, is “of four parts, three”. A percentage is the same with a hundred parts: 百分之二十, twenty per cent. Here 之 still means “of”, and 一 at the end keeps its first tone.
这件衣服打八折，就是便宜百分之二十。This garment is at eighty per cent of the price — twenty per cent off.
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The reason why: zhīsuǒyǐ
之所以 opens the result and 是因为 gives the cause. It is the frame of a careful explanation, common in essays and speeches.
他之所以成功，是因为从来不放弃。The reason he succeeded is that he never gave up.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English says “one of” first. Chinese names the group first and closes with 之一 — the same order as a fraction, 三分之一: “of three parts, one”.
Name the group first, then zhīyī; qí always points back to something already named.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.