How to Say “The Other (One)” with 另 / 另外 (lìng / lìngwài)
另 and 另外 point to the OTHER member(s) of a set you’ve already framed: 另外 + Number + [Measure] + Noun (另外两张票, “the other two tickets”). Use the compact 另 with a singular 一 (另一个 “the other one,” 另一半 “the other half”). The classic pair is 一…另一… (“one…, the other…”). No 的 after 另外 / 另.
Why this trips learners up
When you’ve got a set and want to point at the rest of it, Chinese uses 另外 (or the short 另) as a determiner: 另外 + Number + [Measure] + Noun. 我买了三张票，另外两张给朋友 (“I bought three tickets, the other two are for friends”), 这几本书我先拿走，另外几本下次再拿 (“I’ll take these books first, the others next time”). One rule up front: there’s no 的 after 另外, it attaches straight to the number-measure-noun (另外两个人, never 另外的两个人).
When the other one is singular, the compact 另 steps in, almost always with 一: 另一个 (“the other one”), 另一件, 另一半 (“the other half”), 另一家. So the split is by number: 另 + 一 for a single leftover, but the full 另外 for two or more (另外两个, 另外几本, 另外一些). 另两个 sounds wrong; it has to be 另外两个.
The frame you’ll meet most is the pair 一…另一… (“one…, the other…”): 一个是我的，另一个是你的 (“one is mine, the other is yours”), 他有两家店，一家在市中心，另一家在郊区 (“he has two shops, one downtown, the other in the suburbs”). Note that this determiner 另 / 另外 is a different job from the connector 另外 you use to add a separate point (“besides…”) or the adverb 另外 before a verb (另外约时间, “set another time”); that 另外 modifies a clause or a verb, while this one modifies a noun.
Finally, 另 / 另外 mean THE other, the definite remainder of a known set. When you mean a vague “other / different / something else,” switch to 别的 or 其他: 我不要这个，给我别的 (“I don’t want this one, give me a different one”). And with exactly two, the single leftover is 另 (另一只), not 其他, since 其他 (“the others”) implies several are left. Quick guide: 另一 for one leftover, 另外 + number for several, no 的, and 别的 / 其他 for anything unspecified.
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
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.
yí gè 一个 Other shì 是 Verb wǒ de 我的 Object lìng ，另 Pattern yí 一 Number gè 个 Measure word shì 是 Verb nǐ de 你的 Object
One is mine, the other is yours (the pair frame 一…另一…).
zhè liǎng jiàn yīfu 这两件衣服 Other wǒ ，我 Subject xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb zhè jiàn 这件 Object bù ，不 Negation xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb lìng 另 Pattern yí 一 Number jiàn 件 Measure word
Of these two clothes, I like this one but not the other (另一件).
wǒ 我 Subject mǎi le 买了 Verb sān zhāng piào 三张票 Object lìngwài ，另外 Pattern liǎng 两 Number zhāng 张 Measure word gěi 给 Verb péngyou 朋友 Object
I bought three tickets; the other two are for friends (另外两张, 另外 with a plural number).
zhè jǐ běn shū 这几本书 Object wǒ 我 Subject xiān 先 Adverb názǒu 拿走 Verb lìngwài ，另外 Pattern jǐ 几 Number běn 本 Measure word xià cì zài ná 下次再拿 Other
I’ll take these books first and the others next time (另外几本).
dàngāo de yíbàn 蛋糕的一半 Other gěi 给 Verb nǐ 你 Object lìng ，另 Pattern yíbàn 一半 Number gěi 给 Verb dìdi 弟弟 Object
Half the cake is for you, the other half for your brother (另一半).
gēn tā yìqǐ lái de 跟他一起来的 Other lìngwài 另外 Pattern sān 三 Number gè 个 Measure word rén 人 Subject hái méi dào 还没到 Other
The other three people who came with him haven’t arrived yet (另外三个人, with a relative clause).
yǒuxiē rén 有些人 Other xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb kāfēi 咖啡 Object lìngwài ，另外 Pattern yìxiē 一些 Number rén 人 Subject xǐhuan 喜欢 Verb chá 茶 Object
Some people like coffee, others like tea (另外一些, “some others”).
tā yǒu liǎng jiā diàn 他有两家店 Other yī jiā ，一家 Other zài shìzhōngxīn 在市中心 Place lìng ，另 Pattern yì 一 Number jiā 家 Measure word zài jiāoqū 在郊区 Place
He has two shops, one downtown and the other in the suburbs (一…另一…).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: No 的 after 另外 or 另. “The other two people” is 另外两个人, not 另外的两个人. 另 / 另外 attaches straight to the number-measure-noun, with no linking 的.
Why it happens: 另 goes with a singular 一 (另一个, 另一半); for numbers of two or more, use the full 另外. “The other two” is 另外两个, not 另两个. Save 另 for “the other one.”
Why it happens: The single remaining one of a pair is 另 (另一只), not 其他. 其他 means “the others” and implies several are left, so with only two cats it’s 另一只是黑的, not 其他是黑的. Two items take 另; several take 其他 / 别的.
Compare & contrast
| 另 / 另外: THE other (the rest of a known set) | 别的 / 其他: other (unspecified, something else) | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 一个给你，另外一个给他yí gè gěi nǐ, lìngwài yí gè gěi tā = “one for you, the other for him” (the definite other of two → 另外) | 我不要这个，给我别的wǒ bú yào zhège, gěi wǒ bié de = “I don’t want this one, give me a different one” (some unspecified other → 别的) | 一个给你，另外一个给他 = “one for you, the other for him,” the definite other of two, so 另外. 我不要这个，给我别的 = “I don’t want this one, give me a different one,” some unspecified other, so 别的. Definite rest versus a vague different one. |
| 另外三个人还没到lìngwài sān gè rén hái méi dào = “the other three (specific) haven’t arrived” | 还有别的问题吗？hái yǒu bié de wèntí ma? = “are there any other (unspecified) questions?” | 另外三个人还没到 = “the other three (specific) people haven’t arrived.” 还有别的问题吗？= “are there any other (unspecified) questions?” 另外 knows exactly which; 别的 / 其他 leaves it open. |
Try it yourself
Say “One is mine, the other is yours.” Use the pair frame 一…另一…: 一个是我的，另一个是你的.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
How to Say “The Other (One)” with 另 / 另外 (lìng / lìngwài) grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.