# 此 / 这个



## nic456

Hello,

I learned to use 这个 as a demonstrative pronoun and 个 means it is singular. Now I have come across 此 which can be both singular and plural. If I search for this in the dictionary, the only result is, funny enough, zhe4ge. Can you please explain me the difference between the two?

谢谢!


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## viajero_canjeado

As a rule, 此 is more commonly encountered in written contexts, and is not always able to correspond one-to-one with 這個，take for example:

此次 
這個次


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## Frank2012

Hi,
I think 此 means 这, just like 'this'.
Can't think of any plural usage for 此 for now.
此 is an old word, but we use it nowadays, a little bit like we use some acient chinese to show our knowledge and education. You can't get that effect with 这 instead.

But 此 has some meanings that 这 doesn't have, usually combined with other charecter.
e.g. 彼此, means 'each other', 如此, means 'such'

Hope this helps.


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## xiaolijie

viajero_canjeado said:


> 此次
> 這個次


Hi vc, I think the 2nd example being unacceptable is because of a grammatical mistake in it which native speakers are unlikely to make: 次 itself is a measure-word, one would not put another measure-word in front of it. 這次 should be fine.


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## Lucia_zwl

Basically, they mean the same, but 此 is more formal while 这 and 这个 are more common in daily language. For example:
此人：这个人 this person
此时：这时，这个时候 this moment
此处：这个地方 this place
此事：这件事 this thing/event
此次：这次 this time
此网页无法显示：这个网页无法显示，这个网页打不开 this webpage is not available

But I can hardly think of any example of 此 referring to plural...


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## 文星辰simon

此路是我开，此树是我栽。
要想打此过，留下买路财。


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## SuperXW

nic456 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I learned to use 这个 as a demonstrative pronoun and 个 means it is singular. Now I have come across 此 which can be both singular and plural. If I search for this in the dictionary, the only result is, funny enough, zhe4ge. Can you please explain me the difference between the two?
> 
> 谢谢!



I don't feel it's funny...There are many funnier things in dictionaries... 0.0
*I think 此 is simply "this". Using 此, the classifier(量词) is usually omitted, that's why 此 is often equal to 这个 (not always, of course). I don't see anywhere it is "plural"... We can say 这些 for plural, but rarely 此些...*
Never learn Chinese word by word...It's a whole different system with different expressions and even different logics...If each word can reflect an exact English one, we can all rely on machine translations, no need to learn.


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## weescape

Frank2012 said:


> But 此 has some meanings that 这 doesn't have, usually combined with other charecter.
> e.g. 彼此, means 'each other', 如此, means 'such'



彼此 originally should be "that and this", 如此 "like this"

i agree with frank, it's an old word. the difference between these two, i think, lies in the degree of formality. Usually such old words are used in quite formal texts like laws or contacts or academic papers etc and sometimes letters.


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## Youngfun

Dictionaries not always show all the synonyms. 
Another formal  synonym is 该。


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## nic456

Well, thanks a lot. I have caused quite a commotion.   First of all, apologies for my mistake re. plural, I have on the list 这些. And I have learned that the new word is more formal and primarily used in written language. 周末愉快!


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## Ali Smith

nic456 said:


> Hello,
> 
> I learned to use 这个 as a demonstrative pronoun and 个 means it is singular. Now I have come across 此 which can be both singular and plural. If I search for this in the dictionary, the only result is, funny enough, zhe4ge. Can you please explain me the difference between the two?
> 
> 谢谢!



Please note that in Mandarin, 这个 is pronounced zhèige, not zhège.


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## albert_laosong

Not necessarily, in Mandarin zhèige and zhège are both okay, and I think zhèige is more used informally, while zhège can be used in both informal and formal situations.


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## Ali Smith

I just remembered that although my textbook teaches "zhèige", most of my Chinese friends from all over China usually said "zhège". They're the same ones who used 哪里, 小孩, 好玩, etc. too.

I think the people who say zhèige are the ones who do 儿化音, and the ones who don't do 儿化音 say zhège.


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## tinsh

此 equals to THIS, is a ancient word, also used in literature nowadays.
这 equals to THIS.
这个 equals to THIS ONE.
There is a difference between Chinese and English, i.e.,
这个人 is of the structure 代词+量词+名词，and THIS ONE is 代词+代词, so it should be replaced with THIS PERSON (代词+名词).
Generally speaking, 此, 这 or THIS followed by one noun. For plural, they are:
此二人, 这两个人, THESE/THE TWO PERSONS.


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## SuperXW

Ali Smith said:


> I just remembered that although my textbook teaches "zhèige", most of my Chinese friends from all over China usually said "zhège".


I think your textbook is trying to show examples of "native oral Beijing-Mandarin", just like some English books giving "gonna/wanna/gotcha" in dialogs.


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