measure word / particle HSK 2
some · a few · a little · a bit
Meaning
些 is a versatile measure word indicating an indefinite small quantity. It can be used with both countable and uncountable nouns to mean 'some' or 'a few'. When used after adjectives or verbs, it softens the degree or indicates 'a bit more/less'.
Usage
Native speakers use 些 very frequently in everyday speech. It appears in the common pattern '一些' (yīxiē, 'some'), after '这/那' to form 'these/those', and after verbs like '好些' (better) or '多些' (more). It's more casual than precise quantifiers and helps avoid sounding too direct or absolute.
Examples
- 01我想买一些水果。.I want to buy some fruit.
- 02这些书都是我的。.These books are all mine.
Common collocations
- 一些some, a few
- 这些these
- 好些quite a few, much better
- 多些a bit more
Origin
些 is composed of the character 此 (this) on top and 二 (two) below, originally suggesting 'these two' or a small plural amount. Over time it evolved to mean any small, indefinite quantity.