Mandarin 之 (zhī): 之一, 之间, 三分之一 and 总之
By Michael McGettrick and Wee Khang LinUpdated 12 October 2026
(zhī) is the Classical Chinese counterpart of (de). It no longer links any noun to any noun, but it lives on inside fixed phrases: (zhīyī), one of; (zhīhòu), after; (zhījiān), between; (sān fēn zhī yī), a third; (zǒngzhī), in short. Learn each phrase as one word.
Quick check
Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.
Pick the right one
0/3Pick the Mandarin for the English.
one of my best friends
one third
my book
The whole system on one screen
The colours stay the same all page long:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou zhīyī | one of my best friends |
| xiàkè zhīhòu | after class |
| wǒmen zhījiān | between us |
| sān fēn zhī yī | one third |
| zǒngzhī | in short |
Outside these phrases, modern Mandarin links with (de): (wǒ de shū), my book. (wǒ zhī shū) is Classical Chinese, not a posher modern version.
之一 (zhīyī): one of
English puts "one of" first. Mandarin puts (zhīyī) at the end of the whole phrase, often after (zuì), most:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou zhīyī. | He's one of my best friends |
。 | Běijīng shì Zhōngguó zuì dà de chéngshì zhīyī. | Beijing is one of China's biggest cities |
。 | Zhè shì wǒmen zuì zhòngyào de wèntí zhīyī. | One of our most important problems |
之前 (zhīqián) and 之后 (zhīhòu): before and after
After a time or an event, they mean the same as (yǐqián) and (yǐhòu), and sound a shade more formal:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，。 | Chīfàn zhīqián, wǒmen xiān xǐshǒu. | Before eating, we wash our hands |
，。 | Xiàkè zhīhòu, wǒmen qù dǎqiú. | After class, we go and play ball |
，国。 | Bìyè zhīhòu, tā qù le guówài gōngzuò. | After graduating, he went to work abroad |
One difference. Alone at the start of a sentence, (yǐhòu) can mean "in future": 。 (Yǐhòu wǒ xiǎng qù Zhōngguó.), in future I want to go to China. (zhīhòu) there means "after that", so it points back at something just said: 。，。 (Wǒmen xiān chī le fàn. Zhīhòu, tā jiù huíjiā le.), we ate first; after that, he went home.
之间 (zhījiān): between
(zhījiān) goes after two named things or a group. It is the word for relationships, distances and differences:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
。 | Lǎoshī hé xuéshēng zhījiān de guānxì hěn hǎo. | Teachers and students get on well |
。 | Zhè shì wǒmen liǎng ge rén zhījiān de shì. | This is between the two of us |
。 | Běijīng hé Shànghǎi zhījiān yǒu hěn duō huǒchē. | Lots of trains run between Beijing and Shanghai |
(zhījiān) never takes (de) in front, because its already does that job: (wǒmen zhījiān), never . (zhōngjiān), the middle, is an ordinary noun and can: 。 (Tā zhàn zài liǎng ge rén de zhōngjiān.), he's standing between the two of them.
之中 (zhīzhōng), 之内 (zhīnèi) and 之下 (zhīxià)
The same (zhī) with a position word after it. All three are mostly abstract: among a group, within a limit, under a condition:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，。 | Zài zhèxiē fāngfǎ zhīzhōng, zhège zuì jiǎndān. | Of these methods, this one is simplest |
。 | Yí ge xīngqī zhīnèi wǒ huì gàosu nǐ. | I'll tell you within a week |
，。 | Zài lǎoshī de bāngzhù zhīxià, tā kǎo de hěn hǎo. | With his teacher's help, he did well |
The (zhī) often drops in these three: (zài zhèxiē fāngfǎ zhōng) and (zài lǎoshī de bāngzhù xià) are common too, and more everyday. For a real place, use the plain word: (zài zhuōzi shang), on the table.
Fractions and percentages: 分之 (fēn zhī)
The whole comes first, then (fēn zhī), then the part: "of three parts, one". English does it the other way round:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| sān fēn zhī yī | one third |
| sì fēn zhī sān | three quarters |
| bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí | fifty per cent |
| bǎi fēn zhī bǎi | a hundred per cent, completely |
In a sentence: 。 (Bǎi fēn zhī èrshí de xuéshēng chídào le.), twenty per cent of the students were late. (èr fēn zhī yī) is a half on paper; in speech, say (yíbàn).
总之 (zǒngzhī) and 反之 (fǎnzhī): 之 at the end
Here (zhī) is the old word for "it", so nothing follows it. Both open a clause and point back at what came before:
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
，，，。 | Zhè běn shū hěn hǎo, yě bú guì, zǒngzhī, hěn zhíde mǎi. | It's good and cheap: in short, well worth buying |
，；，。 | Jiàgé gāo, mǎi de rén jiù shǎo; fǎnzhī, mǎi de rén jiù duō. | High prices, fewer buyers; and the reverse |
(zǒngzhī) is at home in speech, for landing a point. (fǎnzhī), conversely, belongs in writing; in speech, say (fǎn guòlái shuō), the other way round.
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| | outside fixed phrases, use (de) |
| | (zhīyī) closes the phrase |
| | (zhī) already does the job of |
| | for "one third", the whole comes first |
What to do next
- Do the drill below.
- Say three facts about your class or office with fractions:
… (sān fēn zhī yī de rén…). - Then read the 以 (yǐ) family, the other classical survivor, and the three de, the modern linkers.