N

ná 拿 V hold, carry in hand ■ 我手里拿着很多书， 不能开门，请你帮帮我。Wǒ shǒu li názhe hěn
duō shū, bù néng kāi mén, qǐng nǐ bāngbang wǒ. I’m holding lots of books and can’t open the door.
Please help me. 拿主意 ná zhǔyi make a decision ■ 这件事你得自 己拿主意。 Zhè jiàn shì nǐ děi
zìjǐ ná zhǔyi. You’ve got to make a decision about this matter by yourself. 拿走 ná zǒu take away,
remove ■ 他已经不在这个 办公室工作了，不过东西还没有拿走。Tā yǐjīng bú zài zhège
bàngōngshì gōngzuò le, búguò dōngxi hái méiyǒu názǒu. He no longer works in this office, but he
has not removed his things.
náshǒu 拿手 ADJ very good at, adept at 拿手好戏 náshǒu hǎoxì something that one is adept at, one’s favorite
game
nǎ 哪 PRON 1 which ■ 哪辆自行车是你的？Nǎ liàng zìxíngchē shì nǐ de? Which bicycle is yours? ■ 这
么多新车，你说哪辆最漂亮？Zhème duō xīn chē, nǐ shuō nǎ liàng zuì piàoliang? Of so many
new cars, which do you think is the most attractive? 2 whatever, whichever ■ 这些鞋子，我哪 双
都不喜欢。Zhèxiē xiézi, wǒ nǎ shuāng dōu bù xǐhuan. I don’t like any of these shoes. ■ 下星期
我都在家，你哪天来都可以。Xià xīngqī wǒ dōu zài jiā, nǐ nǎ tiān lái dōu kěyǐ. I’ll be home all
next week. You may come any day.
nǎli 哪里 [modif: 哪 which + 里 place] PRON where ■ 你住在哪里？Nǐ zhù zài nǎli? Where do you
live?
NOTE: 哪里哪里 nǎli nǎli is an idiomatic expression used as a modest reply to a compliment, e.g. ■“你汉字写
得真漂亮。”“哪里哪里。” “Nǐ Hànzì xiě de zhēn piàoliang.” “Nǎli, nǎli.” “You write beautiful Chinese
characters.” “Thank you.”

nǎpà 哪怕 CONJ even if, even though ■ 哪怕卖掉 房子，王先生和王太太也要让孩子念大学。Nǎpà
màidiào fángzi, Wáng xiānsheng hé Wáng tàitai yěyào ràng háizi niàn dàxué. Even if they have to
sell the house, Mr and Mrs Wang will put their son through university. ■ 他总是完成每天的工
作，哪怕要开夜车。Tā zǒngshì wánchéng měi tiān de gōngzuò, nǎpà yào kāi yèchē. He always
finishes the day’s work, even when he has to burn the midnight oil.
NOTE: 哪怕 nǎpà introduces an exaggerated, rather unlikely situation to emphasize the statement of the
sentence.

nǎr 哪儿 PRON same as 哪里 nǎli. Used colloquially.
nǎxiē 哪些 PRON the plural form of 哪 nǎ ■ 你想 看哪些书？Nǐ xiǎng kàn nǎxiē shū? Which books do
you want to read?
nà 那 PRON 1 that ■ 这辆自行车是我的，那辆自行 车是我弟弟的。Zhè liàng zìxíngchē shì wǒ de, nà
liàng zìxíngchē shì wǒ dìdi de. This bike is mine. That one is my younger brother’s. ■ “麻烦你帮
我 租一套房子。”“那不难。”“Máfan nǐ bāng wǒ zū yí tào fángzi.” “Nà bù nán.” “Would
you mind renting a house for me?” “That won’t be a problem.” 2 same as 那么 nàme II conjunction
nàge 那个 [modif: 那 that + 个 one] PRON that one ■ 那个不是我的，我的在这里。Nàge bú shì wǒ de,
wǒ de zài zhèli. That one is not mine. Mine’s here.
nàli 那里 [modif: 那 that + 里 place] PRON there, over there ■ 他在那里工作。Tā zài nàli gōngzuò. He
works there. ■ 那里就是图书馆。Nàli jiù shì túshūguǎn. Over there is the library.

NOTES:  (1) 那里 nàli is  used    after   a   personal    noun    or  pronoun to  make    it  a   place   word,   as  a   personal noun

or  pronoun it  cannot  be  used    immediately after a preposition.    For example, 我从张小姐听到这个消  息。Wǒ

cóng    Zhāng   xiǎojiě tīngdào zhège   xiāoxi. is  incorrect. 那里 nàli must be  added   after 张小姐 Zhāng  xiǎojiě (Miss

Zhang): 我从张小姐那里听到这   个消息。 Wǒ    cóng    Zhāng   xiǎojiě nàli    tīngdào zhège   xiāoxi. I   learnt  the news    from

Miss    Zhang.  In  this    case 张小姐那里 Zhāng    xiǎojiě nàli becomes    a   place   word    which   can occur   after   the

preposition 从 cóng. (2) Colloquially, 那儿 nàr may    replace 那里 nàli.