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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing "one of" with 之一 (zhīyī)

    HSK 3
    Listing & Enumeration
    Numbers & Quantity

    Structure

    Noun + 之一

    Explanation

    之一 means "one of" and is placed after a noun to indicate that it belongs to a larger group. It is commonly used to single out a member from a category, such as 最好的之一 meaning "one of the best." The structure mirrors the English "one of" but appears at the end of the noun phrase.

    Examples

    • 北京是中国最大的城市之一。

      běijīng shì zhōngguó zuìdà de chéngshì zhī yī.

      Beijing is one of the largest cities in China.

    • 她是我见过的最聪明的人之一。

      tā shì wǒ jiàn guò de zuì cōngmíng de rén zhī yī.

      She is one of the smartest people I've ever met.

    • 这部电影是今年最受欢迎的作品之一。

      zhè bù diànyǐng shì jīnnián zuì shòu huānyíng de zuòpǐn zhī yī.

      This movie is one of the most popular works of the year.