B2 Intermediate Quantities & Measures

How to Say “Among Them” with 其中 (qízhōng)

其中 (qízhōng) means “among them / of which / of it,” and it points BACK to a group you've already named: [group]，其中 + subset (我买了五本书，其中三本是小说, “I bought five books; three of them are novels”). Pair it with a number or 之一 for “one of them” (其中一个 / 其中之一), add 的 for “the … of it” (其中的辛苦). Keep it apart from 当中, which attaches straight to a fresh group noun (朋友当中) and can mark a process; 其中 does neither.

Why this trips learners up

其中 (qízhōng) means “among them / of which / of it,” and the one fact that unlocks it is that it refers back. 其 is a classical word for 那 / 那些 (“that / those”), pointing to something already mentioned, so 其中 is literally “in that group” = “among the aforementioned.” You name a group in one clause, then 其中 heads the next and comments on part of it: [group]，其中 + subset. 我买了五本书，其中三本是小说 (“I bought five books; three of them are novels”). It's very close to English “of which”: “I have four cars, of which three are BMWs.”

The everyday shape is 其中 + Number + Measure: 其中三本 (“three of them”), 其中两个 (“two of them”). For a single member, 其中 leans on 一个 or on 之一: 其中一个 / 其中之一 both mean “one of them” (他只是其中一个, 天气只是其中之一). Add 的 and 其中 modifies a noun, “the … of it”: concretely 把其中的这张递给我 (“pass me this one of them”), or abstractly 你不会明白其中的压力 (“you won't understand the pressure involved”). And in set phrases it goes fully abstract: 乐在其中 means “to find joy in it.”

Now the boundary that trips people up, the mirror image of 当中 (dāngzhōng). Both translate as “among,” but they attach differently. 当中 hooks directly onto a group noun: 我的朋友当中，你最好 (“among my friends, you're the best”). 其中 can't do that, because it needs the group to have been named already: you'd say 我有很多朋友，其中你最好. So “among my friends” attached right onto 朋友 is 当中, never 其中. Think of it as the difference between “among my friends” (当中) and “of them” (其中).

Two more lines not to cross. First, 其中 can never mark an ongoing process: “still under discussion” is 还在讨论当中, never 讨论其中. Save 其中 for “of an already-mentioned set.” Second, 其中 means “among them,” not “one of them” on its own: 我也是其中 is incomplete; you need 我也是其中之一 or 我也是其中一个. So: 其中 = “of which,” pointing back to a named group; 当中 = “among,” hooked onto a fresh one.

The structure

Other 其中 qízhōng Other

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Object Place Adverb Function word Adjective Connector Measure word Other

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

wǒ 我 Subject mǎi le 买了 Verb wǔ běn shū 五本书 Object qízhōng ，其中 Pattern sān běn 三本 Measure word shì 是 Verb xiǎoshuō 小说 Object

I bought five books; three of them are novels (其中 + Number + Measure).

bān shàng 班上 Place yǒu 有 Verb hěn duō 很多 Adjective gāoshǒu 高手 Object tā ，他 Subject zhǐ shì 只是 Adverb qízhōng 其中 Pattern yí gè 一个 Measure word

There are many talented people in the class; he's just one of them (其中一个).

zhè jǐ gè yuányīn 这几个原因 Other lǐ 里 Place tiānqì ，天气 Subject zhǐ shì 只是 Adverb qízhōng 其中 Pattern zhī yī 之一 Pattern

Of these several reasons, the weather is just one of them (其中之一).

wǒ 我 Subject qù guo 去过 Verb hěn duō chéngshì 很多城市 Object qízhōng ，其中 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject zuì 最 Adverb xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb Xī’ān 西安 Object

I've been to many cities; of them, the one I like most is Xi'an (其中 heading the second clause).

zhuō shàng 桌上 Place yǒu 有 Verb yì duī zhàopiàn 一堆照片 Object qǐng ，请 Adverb bǎ 把 Function word qízhōng 其中 Pattern de 的 Function word zhè zhāng 这张 Object dì gěi 递给 Verb wǒ 我 Object

There's a pile of photos on the table; please pass me this one of them (其中的 + concrete noun, with 把).

méi jīnglì guo de rén 没经历过的人 Subject bú huì ，不会 Function word míngbai 明白 Verb qízhōng 其中 Pattern de 的 Function word yālì 压力 Object

Someone who hasn't been through it won't understand the pressure involved (其中的 + abstract noun).

xué Zhōngwén 学中文 Subject suīrán 虽然 Connector xīnkǔ 辛苦 Adjective dàn ，但 Connector tā 他 Subject lè zài 乐在 Verb qízhōng 其中 Pattern

Learning Chinese is hard work, but he finds joy in it (the set phrase 乐在其中).

zhè fèn hétong 这份合同 Subject kàn qǐlái 看起来 Verb jiǎndān 简单 Adjective qízhōng ，其中 Pattern què 却 Adverb yǒu 有 Verb bù shǎo 不少 Adjective xiànjǐng 陷阱 Object

This contract looks simple, but there are quite a few traps in it (abstract 其中, “therein”).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 我的朋友其中，你最好。 wǒ de péngyou qízhōng, nǐ zuì hǎo.

Say this: 我的朋友当中，你最好。 wǒ de péngyou dāngzhōng, nǐ zuì hǎo.

Why it happens: 其中 refers back to a group already named, so it can't hook directly onto a fresh group noun. “Among my friends, you're the best” attached straight onto 朋友 is 我的朋友当中，你最好, using 当中. To use 其中 you'd have to name the group first: 我有很多朋友，其中你最好. 当中 attaches; 其中 points back.

Avoid: 项目还在讨论其中。 xiàngmù hái zài tǎolùn qízhōng.

Say this: 项目还在讨论当中。 xiàngmù hái zài tǎolùn dāngzhōng.

Why it happens: 其中 can never mark an ongoing process. “The project is still under discussion” is 项目还在讨论当中, not 讨论其中, because 其中 only means “among an already-mentioned set” and can't frame an activity in progress. Use 当中 (or 中) for a process; keep 其中 for “of which.”

Avoid: 这些志愿者很了不起，我也是其中。 zhèxiē zhìyuànzhě hěn liǎobuqǐ, wǒ yě shì qízhōng.

Say this: 这些志愿者很了不起，我也是其中之一。 zhèxiē zhìyuànzhě hěn liǎobuqǐ, wǒ yě shì qízhōng zhī yī.

Why it happens: 其中 means “among them,” not “one of them” by itself. 我也是其中 is incomplete; you need 我也是其中之一 or 我也是其中一个 to name the single member. 其中 sets up the group; 一个 / 之一 picks out the one.

Compare & contrast

其中 qízhōng (of an ALREADY-mentioned group, “of which,” points back; not for processes)	当中 dāngzhōng (attaches directly to a fresh group noun, “among X”; also marks a process)	The difference
我有很多朋友，其中你最可靠wǒ yǒu hěn duō péngyou, qízhōng nǐ zuì kěkào = “I have many friends; of them, you’re the most reliable” (refers back)	我的朋友当中，你最可靠wǒ de péngyou dāngzhōng, nǐ zuì kěkào = “among my friends, you’re the most reliable” (attaches to the group)	我有很多朋友，其中你最可靠 means “I have many friends; of them, you're the most reliable,” 其中 pointing back to the group just named. 我的朋友当中，你最可靠 means “among my friends, you're the most reliable,” 当中 hooking straight onto 朋友. 其中 refers back to an established set; 当中 attaches to the group right there.
项目还在讨论其中 ✗xiàngmù hái zài tǎolùn qízhōng = wrong: 其中 can’t mark a process	项目还在讨论当中xiàngmù hái zài tǎolùn dāngzhōng = “the project is still under discussion” (当中 marks the process)	项目还在讨论当中 means “the project is still under discussion,” 当中 framing an ongoing, formal process. 项目还在讨论其中 is wrong, because 其中 can't mark a process at all. For an activity in progress, only 当中 (or 中) works; 其中 is strictly “among the aforementioned.”

Rule of thumb其中 means “among them / of which,” and it points BACK to a group you've already named, usually heading the next clause: [group]，其中 + subset (我买了五本书，其中三本是小说). It pairs with a number or 之一 for “one of them” (其中一个 / 其中之一), takes 的 for “the … of it” (其中的辛苦), and goes abstract in set phrases (乐在其中). Two lines not to cross: to attach directly to a freshly named group (“among my friends”) use 当中, not 其中 (其中 refers back); and 其中 can never mark an ongoing process (还在讨论当中, never 其中).

Try it yourself

Say “I have three children; two of them went to college.” Name the group, then 其中 + Number + Measure.

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “Among Them” with 其中 (qízhōng) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

Other + 其中 + Other

Example

我买了五本书，其中三本是小说

I bought five books; three of them are novels (其中 + Number + Measure).

Watch out

✗ 我的朋友其中，你最好。 → ✓ 我的朋友当中，你最好。