其中 (among them / of which)
IntroducedA subset stays inside the earlier group
- Thirty students are mentioned, five of whom are boys.
- thirty三十(measure word)个students学生，among them其中five五(measure word)个are是boys男生。 — The five boys belong to the group of thirty.
Thirty students are mentioned, five of whom are boys. What does 三十个学生，其中五个是男生。 communicate?
The five boys belong to the group of thirty. 其中 needs a recoverable group, but it may start a new sentence referring to a preceding sentence. Do not add the five again to make thirty-five.
Build the form
- The pattern in this lesson is among them其中 (among them / of which). Locate it in the original interlinear examples below.
- Keep the words in their demonstrated positions; the pattern must fit the intended situation as well as the sentence form.
thirty三十(measure word)个students学生，among them其中five五(measure word)个are是boys男生。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: Thirty students, five of whom are boys: 三十个学生，____ 五个是男生。
… ，其中 … = among them: 其中五个是男生.
Read examples in context
- In the opening example, thirty三十(measure word)个students学生，among them其中five五(measure word)个are是boys男生。: The five boys belong to the group of thirty.
- Explain who acts, what is described and which time or group is relevant before choosing an English paraphrase.
What must be recoverable for 其中五个 to make sense?
The group may be named in an earlier sentence or supplied by context. 其中 can begin a new sentence with that group recoverable.
Know the boundary
- among them其中 needs a recoverable group, but it may start a new sentence referring to a preceding sentence.
- Do not add the five again to make thirty-five.
其中 means “all of them”.
其中 = among them (a part), not all.
In the opening situation: The five boys belong to the group of thirty.
其中 needs a recoverable group, but it may start a new sentence referring to a preceding sentence. Do not add the five again to make thirty-five. The five boys belong to the group of thirty.
Use the distinction
- The five boys belong to the group of thirty.
- among them其中 needs a recoverable group, but it may start a new sentence referring to a preceding sentence. Do not add the five again to make thirty-five.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Nouns.
Thirty students are mentioned, five of whom are boys. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.