們

們	U+5011, 們 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-5011

See also: 们

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

們 (Kangxi radical 9, 人+8, 10 strokes, Cangjie input 人日弓 (OAN), four-corner 2722₀, composition ⿰亻門)

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 107, character 26
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 766
Dae Jaweon: page 229, character 6
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 185, character 2
Unihan data for U+5011

Chinese

trad.		們
simp.		们

Glyph origin

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声): semantic 亻 (“person”) + phonetic 門 (OC *mɯːn).

Etymology 1

First attested in the Song dynasty (Lü, 1940). Various other glyphs representing *mVn have been attested in Song dynasty texts, including 懣, 滿, 瞞, 門.

It is probably related to 弭 (MC mjieX) (in 我弭) and 偉 (MC hjw+jX) (in 兒郎偉 / 儿郎伟 (érláng wěi)) attested in the Tang dynasty (Lü, 1940); it is related to 每 (měi), as in 我每 (wǒměi), common during the Jin (Jurchen), Yuan and early Ming dynasties (Lü, 1985).

Proposed etymologies:

From the personal pronoun plural marker 輩 (OC *puːls) (Lü, 1985; Feng, 1997; Li, 2013).
From 門 (MC mwon, “door; clan; family”) (Ota, 2003; Yu, 1989; Li and Shi, 2000).
From 每人 (MC mwojX nyin, “everybody”) (Norman, 1988); compare Eastern Min 各儂／各侬 (“everybody”), used in 我各儂／我各侬 (“we; us”), 汝各儂／汝各侬 (“you (plural)”), 伊各儂／伊各侬 (“they”).
From 物 (MC mjut, “thing”) (Jiang, 1995).
From plural features in Dravidian languages, cf. Classical Tamil -m, -mar, -mār suffixes, Tamil நாம் (nām, “inclusive we”), via Indic languages by means of Buddhist transmission (Chen & Ye, 2020).

Also compare 您.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): men, mén (men⁵／men⁰, men²)

(Zhuyin): ˙ㄇㄣ, ㄇㄣˊ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): men^2-1 / men²

(Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): mén
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): mun⁴

(Taishan, Wiktionary): mon³
Gan (Wiktionary): miin / miin⁴
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): mùn

(Meixian, Guangdong): mun² / mun³
Jin (Wiktionary): me / meng¹
Eastern Min (BUC): muòng
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): bûn

(Teochew, Peng'im): mung⁵
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶men
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): men

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, unstressed)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: men
  - Zhuyin: ˙ㄇㄣ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: me̊n
  - Wade–Giles: mên⁵
  - Yale: men
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: .men
  - Palladius: мэнь (mɛnʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mən/
- (Standard Chinese, stressed)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mén
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄣˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mén
  - Wade–Giles: mên²
  - Yale: mén
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: men
  - Palladius: мэнь (mɛnʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mən³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: men^2-1 / men²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: men / men
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mən²¹⁻⁵⁵/, /mən²¹/

Note:

men2-1 - vernacular;
men2 - literary.

(Nanjing)
- Nanjing Pinyin: mén
- Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): men²
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /mə̃²⁴/

Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: mun⁴
  - Yale: mùhn
  - Cantonese Pinyin: mun⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: mun⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /muːn²¹/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: mon³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵐbᵘɔn²²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: miin / miin⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mɨn/, /mɨn³⁵/

Note:

miin - vernacular;
miin4 - literary.

Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: mùn
  - Hakka Romanization System: mun^ˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: mun²
  - Sinological IPA: /mun¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: mun² / mun³
  - Sinological IPA: /mun¹¹/, /mun³¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: me / meng¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /mɤ/, /məŋ¹¹/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: muòng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /muoŋ⁵³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: bûn
  - Tâi-lô: bûn
  - Phofsit Daibuun: buun
  - Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /bun²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /bun²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /bun¹³/
  - Sinological IPA (Taipei): /bun²⁴/
  - Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /bun²³/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: mung⁵
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: mûng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /muŋ⁵⁵/
Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁶men
  - MiniDict: men^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³men
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /mən²³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: men
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mən/

Definitions

們

Suffix indicating plural for pronouns, some animated nouns and personifications.
我們／我们 ― wǒmen ― we

孩子們／孩子们 ― háizimen ― children
- 相公忠義，某們不肯做此事。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
  相公忠义，某们不肯做此事。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
  From: Various editors. c. 13th century. A Collection of Conversations of Master Zhu (《朱子語類》)
  Xiànggōng zhōngyì, mǒumen bùkěn zuò cǐshì. [Pinyin]
  Sir, you are a good man. We will not do this.
Suffix attached to the name of the representative of a group to refer to that whole group.
- 蔡京們著數高，治元祐黨，只一章疏便盡行遣了。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, trad.]
  蔡京们着数高，治元祐党，只一章疏便尽行遣了。 [Written Vernacular Chinese, simp.]
  From: Various editors. c. 13th century. A Collection of Conversations of Master Zhu (《朱子語類》)
  Cài Jīng men zhāoshù gāo, zhì Yuányòu dǎng, zhǐ yīzhāng shū biàn jìnxíng qiǎn le. [Pinyin]
  Cai Jing and his ilk got their tricks. To deal with the Yuanyou faction — they got rid of them all with one single memo.
- 總括先生來信的意思，大概有兩點，一是罵史太林先生們是官僚，再一是斥毛澤東先生們的「各派聯合一致抗日」的主張為出賣革命。 [MSC, trad.]
  总括先生来信的意思，大概有两点，一是骂史太林先生们是官僚，再一是斥毛泽东先生们的「各派联合一致抗日」的主张为出卖革命。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 1936, 魯迅 (Lu Xun), 《答托洛斯基派的信》 (Reply to a Letter from the Trotskyites). English translation based on [1]
  Zǒngkuò xiānsheng láixìn de yìsi, dàgài yǒu liǎng diǎn, yī shì mà Shǐtàilín xiānshengmen shì guānliáo, zài yī shì chì Máo Zédōng xiānshengmen de “gèpài liánhé yīzhì kàngrì” de zhǔzhāng wéi chūmài gémìng. [Pinyin]
  I take it that the main drift of your letter is contained in these two points: You consider Stalin and his colleagues bureaucrats, and the proposal of Mao Zedong and others — “Let all parties unite to resist Japan” — as a betrayal of the cause of revolution.
- 艾奇遜們的欺騙做法在中國還有一層薄薄的社會基礎。 [MSC, trad.]
  艾奇逊们的欺骗做法在中国还有一层薄薄的社会基础。 [MSC, simp.]
  From: 1949, 毛澤東 (Mao Zedong), 《丟掉幻想，準備鬥爭》 (Cast Away Illusions, Prepare for Struggle). English translation based on [2]
  Àiqíxùnmen de qīpiàn zuòfǎ zài Zhōngguó hái yǒu yī céng bóbó de shèhuì jīchǔ. [Pinyin]
  The deceptive manoeuvres of the Achesons still have a flimsy social base in China.
(dialectal Mandarin, Jin) General suffix indicating plural.
花兒們／花儿们 [dialectal Mandarin] ― huārmen [Pinyin] ― flowers

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 們 (“(plural marker on personal pronouns)”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		等
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		們
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	們
	Taiwan	們
	Harbin	們
	Singapore	們
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	們, 這夥
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	這些兒, 乜些兒
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	們
	Wanrong	的
	Xi'an	的, 們
	Xining	們
	Xuzhou	們
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	們
	Lanzhou	們
	Ürümqi	們
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	們
	Wuhan	們
	Guiyang	們
	Liuzhou	們
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	們
	Yangzhou	們
	Hefei	們
Cantonese	Guangzhou	哋
	Hong Kong	哋
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	哋
	Macau	哋
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	哋
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	哋
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	啲
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	班人
	Foshan	哋
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	哋
	Foshan (Shunde)	哋
	Foshan (Sanshui)	哋
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	哋
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	哋
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	哋
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	哋
	Dongguan	哋
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	哋
	Singapore (Guangfu)	哋
Gan	Nanchang	個俚, 們
	Lichuan	多
	Pingxiang	俚
	Jianning	多
	Taining	郎
Hakka	Meixian	等人
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	大家
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	兜
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	兜
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	哋
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	兜
	Yudu	底
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	這兜
	Miaoli (Toufen; N. Sixian)	兜
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	等
	Pingtung (Wuluo, Ligang; S. Sixian)	等
	Kaohsiung (Meinong; S. Sixian)	等
	Kaohsiung (Shanlin; S. Sixian)	等
Huizhou	Jixi	人
Jin	Taiyuan	們
Jin	Xinzhou	們
Northern Min	Jian'ou	夥人, 人
	Nanping (Xiayang, Yanping)	人
	Songxi	叢人
	Zhenghe	人
	Jianyang	夥人
	Wuyishan	夥人
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	各儂
	Fuqing	各儂
	Gutian	各儂
	Ningde	各儂
	Fuding	儂
	Youxi	各儂
Southern Min	Singapore (Hokkien)	儂
	Manila (Hokkien)	儂
	Longyan	儂
	Datian	夥
	Jieyang	儂
	Singapore (Teochew)	儂
	Leizhou	儂
	Wenchang	儂
	Haikou	儂
	Singapore (Hainanese)	儂
Puxian Min	Putian	輩
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	厝
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	輩
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	輩
	Xianyou (Youyang)	輩
Central Min	Yong'an	儕
	Sanming (Sanyuan)	儕
	Sanming (Shaxian)	儕
Shaojiang Min	Shaowu	多
	Guangze	多
	Jiangle	多
	Mingxi	多倽
	Shunchang	大家
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	呀儂
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	哋
Wu	Danyang	己
	Hangzhou	們
	Wenzhou	倈
	Jinhua	浪
Xiang	Changsha	們
Xiang	Shuangfeng	俚

Compounds

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): mèn (men⁴)

(Zhuyin): ㄇㄣˋ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: mèn
  - Zhuyin: ㄇㄣˋ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: mèn
  - Wade–Giles: mên⁴
  - Yale: mèn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: menn
  - Palladius: мэнь (mɛnʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /mən⁵¹/

Definitions

們

only used in 們渾／们浑 (mènhún)

Japanese

Kanji

們

(Hyōgai kanji)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

Go-on: もん (mon)
Kan-on: ぼん (bon)
Kun: ともがら (tomogara, 們)

Etymology

Kanji in this term
們
ともがら Hyōgai
kun'yomi

For pronunciation and definitions of 們 – see the following entry.

【ともがら】

[noun] fellows, folks

Alternative spellings
輩, 徒

(This term, 們, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Korean

Hanja

們 (eum 문 (mun))

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

們: Hán Nôm readings: món, môn, mon

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.