What do pronouns mean in classical Chinese?

Pronouns are a kind of words that are frequently used in classical Chinese. Understanding the classification and usage of pronouns is of great significance for reading and understanding classical Chinese. In terms of usage, pronouns in classical Chinese can be divided into three categories: personal pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and interrogative pronouns.

Let's talk about the first category, personal pronouns.

Like modern Chinese, personal pronouns are divided into the first person, the second person and the third person.

First person pronouns: I, I, Yu, Yu, I, etc.

Although these words are all in the first person, their usage is slightly different. Look at the words "I" and "I" first. From the perspective of grammatical function, "I" is often used as subject and attribute, and "I" is often used as object and sometimes as subject. For example:

1, who is Xu Hongmei and me? ("Zou Ji satirizes Wang Qi's incompetence")

2, the beauty of the guests is me, what do I want from me. (same as above)

Who are Xu Hongmei and me in the north of the city? (same as above)

When the words "I" and "I" appear in a sentence at the same time, the grammatical division of labor between subject and object becomes more obvious. For example:

1, the beauty of my wife is mine, and I am also private. (same as above)

2. What can I do if I take my treasure instead of my city? (Biography of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru)

I know that my son left me because I didn't say anything. ("lose")

Say "Yu" and "Yu" first. These two words can be used as subjects or objects in classical Chinese. For example:

1, with the loss of ancient books, there is an extra servant tablet ... (Wang Anshi's "You Bao Chan")

2. The ancients did not bully. (Han Yu, Shi Shuo)

Being an official for two years makes me feel very comfortable. ("Pipa")

4, belong to the composition to remember. (The Story of Yueyang Tower)

The word "I" has been the first person pronoun of the emperor since the Qin Dynasty, and people outside the emperor cannot call themselves "I". However, in the pre-Qin era, regardless of the level, most people could call themselves "I". For example:

1, Rong Zukao, didn't waste my life. (The Book of Songs? Daya？ Han Wei ")

2. Emperor Levin's Miao nationality is Xi, and my emperor Kao Boyong. ("Li Sao")

Second person pronouns: female (such as), (er), ruo, er, nai, etc.

"Woman (such as)", (son) and "if" can be used as subject, object and attribute. For example:

1, what do you know? (The Story of Shi Zhongshan)

2, a three-year-old woman, I am willing to care. (Storytelling)

3. What if it is toxic? ("The Snake Catcher said")

4. What if it is serving and blessing? (same as above)

"Two" is used for public holidays, which is the same as "two". For example:

1, the word is young, so it is a chicken and a dolphin. (Biography of Planting Camels)

2, and mother is here. ("Selected Records of Ji Xiang")

Third person pronouns: Zhi, Zhi, etc.

Both "Zhi" and "Qi" can be translated into "He" and "They", but the usage is different. "Zhi" is mainly used as an object; "Qi" is mainly used as an attribute. For example:

1, please hit the child offender. (Candle by Candle)

I don't know what I have lost. (same as above)

"He" is generally not a personal pronoun in classical Chinese, but a pronoun with the meaning of "the other" and "the other". For example:

1, nothing more, just a familiar hand. (The Oil Man)

2, your majesty, how to grow the ambition of others and destroy yourself. (The Journey to the West)

In addition, personal pronouns in classical Chinese are not singular or plural, and the difference between singular and plural mainly depends on the context. For example:

1, the other party is exhausted and I have a surplus, so it is gram. (Cao Gui debate) "I" is translated as "we".

2. If you know, why? (Luz, Ceng Yong, You Ran and Gong Xihua sit down) "Er" is translated into "You".

Words such as "friend", "genus", "Cao", "generation" and "are sometimes used to express the plural. After the first person and the third person. For example:

1, if it is all captured. ("The Hongmen Banquet")

2. Cao Cao's name is dead, and the river flows forever. (Du Fu's "Drama as Six Jueju")

3, so we are also storytellers, today is rich! (Biography of Liu Jingting)

4. We live in China today. (with his wife's book)

Also, in classical Chinese, when expressing the first and second personal names, words expressing modesty and honorific titles are often used instead. Generally claiming to be modest. For example:

1, when my concubine is left blank, it is often rare to meet each other. (Peacock flies southeast)

2. The ministers and generals tried to attack the State of Qin. ("The Hongmen Banquet")

3. All fools think that things in the palace are neither big nor small. ("model")

I devote myself to my country. ("I am in the country")

If you are addressing each other, you often use your honorific title. For example:

1, and your smell is from Jin Jun (Candle by Candle).

2. What is the master's reason? ("Luz, Ceng Yong, You Ran, Gong Xihua sit")

3. Worship the king again. ("The Hongmen Banquet")

4. I went to the army and went to work. (same as above)

It should be pointed out that the person referred to by pronouns in classical Chinese is not fixed, and sometimes three names can be used interchangeably. For example:

1, will you be born with sorrow? (The snake catcher said) "Chi" translates as "I", which is what the snake catcher calls himself.

2, taste its name, still do not lose Cao. (Battle of Red Cliffs) Qi refers to Lu Su himself.

Let's talk about the second category: demonstrative pronouns.

There are three types of demonstrative pronouns in ancient Chinese: modern words, distant pronouns and infinitive pronouns.

Proximity pronouns are: this, four, yes, zi, zhi and so on. , which can be translated into "this" and "this". For example:

1, I made people look at it, all of them were dragons and tigers, and the emperor was angry. ("The Hongmen Banquet")

2. Wes, who are we going home with? (The Story of Yueyang Tower)

This is my fault. (Candle by Candle)

4, and mother is here. ("Selected Records of Ji Xiang")

5. What do you know about the second worm? ("Xiaoyao Tour")

Pronouns far away are: Peter, husband, qi, etc. It can be translated into "that", "that" and so on. For example:

1, the boy's teacher, teaches this book and learns its sentences from readers ...

2, the sky is the sky, and it is extremely extreme. ("Send Twelve Lang Wen")

Sometimes the word "there" can refer to a specific person or thing. For example:

1, know yourself and know yourself. (conspiracy to attack) "there" translates as "enemy"

2. I am exhausted, so I will overcome it. (Debate) "He" is translated as "Qi Jun".

In most cases, "fu" appears as a structural auxiliary word and a mood auxiliary word. Even if it is used as a distance pronoun, its indicating function is not obvious. For example:

1, what do my husband's three sons have to say? ("Luz, Ceng Yong, You Ran, Gong Xihua sit")

2, in order to see the folk customs. ("The Snake Catcher said")

3. I'm sorry, too. It won't be a pleasant trip. ("You Bao Chan")

The usage of the word "qi" is changeable. Whether it is used as a personal pronoun or a demonstrative pronoun depends on the specific context. When looking for a word as a distant reference, it usually acts as an attribute. For example:

1, a famous mountain in Tibet. (Report to Ren Anshu)

A good traveler will not be poor. ("You Bao Chan")

There are two kinds of infinitive pronouns: empty reference and non-reference. Among them, "a" or "or" is a virtual reference, which is an affirmation of indefinite pronouns. Translation depends on the context. For example:

1, somewhere, and mother is here. The speaker can't remember which place it is, so he uses "some"

2. Linchuan Wang Moji. At that time, an article was written by convention, equivalent to "someone".

3, either a teacher or not. Translate it as "yes" or "someone".

"Mo", "Nothing" and "One" are indefinite pronouns, which have no reference and no definition, and are generally translated as "nobody". For example:

1, ladies-in-waiting are private kings. ("Zou Ji satirizes Wang Qi's incompetence")

2, look at its beautiful corridor, everyone sighs. (Prince Square)

3. Have a beginning and no end. ("Poetry? Daya？ sway

Finally, the third category, interrogative pronouns.

Classical Chinese words referring to people, things, things, places, reasons, etc. What I want to ask is an interrogative pronoun. They are often used as advanced objects. Who, who, what, who, who, Hu, Yan, An, evil, etc.

The word "who" is mainly used to ask people. Can be used as subject, predicate, object, attribute, etc. For example:

1, whoever wins will die. (Qin Dynasty)

2. Who is the pavilion? (Zuiweng Pavilion)

Wes, who are we going home with? (The Story of Yueyang Tower)

4. Guiyu was destroyed in the rafters. Who is wrong?

"Who" is often used as the subject in classical Chinese to ask people. For example:

1, which one can be ridiculed? ("You Bao Chan")

2. Who is beautiful with Xugong? ("Zou Ji satirizes Wang Qi's incompetence")

"He" is often used as the object in advance in classical Chinese, and the translation methods are different in different contexts. For example:

1. What is the king doing here? ("The Hongmen Banquet")

2. Fu Jin, what do you hate? (Candle by Candle)

3. What do you know about the second worm? ("Xiaoyao Tour")

4. The book of Dongye, the newspaper of Geng Lan, what's on my side? ("Sacrifice to Twelve Lang Wen")

The word "land" is not used much. Generally translated as "what". For example:

1, dead or not, isn't it awkward? (Inscription of Five Tombs)

2. What about those who are tied up? ("Yan Zi makes Chu")

"Hu" is mainly used as subject and object in classical Chinese. It can be translated into "why", "what" and so on. For example:

1, back to Xi, the countryside will be abandoned, Hu Bugui? ("Back to Xi Word")

2. What does Hu Wei want? (same as above)

The usage of ""is the same as "Hu". For example:

1, Xi to Jiu Wan Li and South? ("Xiaoyao Tour")

2. Is the fate of love in doubt? ("Back to Xi Word")

When "Yan" is used as an adverbial, it is generally translated as "why" and "where". For example:

1, how to use the dead Zheng to accompany the neighbors? (Candle by Candle)

2. If you don't miss Qin, what should you take? (same as above)

When "Yan" is used as a part-time language, it is equivalent to the prepositional phrases "then" and "here" and has the function of indication. For example:

1, mountains are piled up, and the wind and rain are prosperous. "Yan" is translated as "here".

2. If you don't miss Qin, what should you take? (warning Qin family with candles) "Yan" translates as "where did it come from"

"An" is generally translated as "where" and "how" in classical Chinese. For example:

1, ampere squared 60 or 70, such as 50 or 60, instead of state? ("Luz, Ceng Yong, You Ran, Gong Xihua sit")

2. Is Pei Hongan there? ("The Hongmen Banquet")

"Evil" can be used as an adverbial or an object. Often translated as "how", "where" and "what".

1, small easy big, he knows evil? ("Qi Huan Jinwen Shi Zhi")

2. What happened to him? ("Xiaoyao Tour")