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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'person who' with the suffix 者 (zhě)

    Description & Modification

    Structure

    Verb / Adjective + 者

    Explanation

    者 (zhě) is a literary suffix meaning 'person who' or 'one who,' attached to verbs or adjectives to form agent nouns. It is more formal than everyday speech and common in written Chinese and news. For example, 幸存者 means 'survivor' and 记者 means 'journalist.'

    Examples

    • 记者们在现场进行了报道。

      jìzhěmen zài xiànchǎng jìnxíng le bàodào.

      The reporters covered the story on the scene.

    • 这次事故的幸存者只有三人。

      zhè cì shìgù de xìngcúnzhě zhǐyǒu sān rén.

      There were only three survivors of this accident.

    • 志愿者们帮了很大的忙。

      zhìyuànzhěmen bāng le hěn dà de máng.

      The volunteers were a great help.

    Expressing 'person who' with the suffix 者 (zhě) | Chinese Grammar