HSK 3
-儿、家、-们、-头、-子
- ér 、 jiā 、 - men 、 - tóu 、 - zǐ
Noun suffixes: -儿, 家, -们, -头, -子
Explanation
Suffixes (elements added after a word) are syllables attached to a root word to form a new noun. They are usually pronounced with the neutral tone and carry no real meaning of their own.
root word + suffix (儿 (ér) / 家 (jiā) / 们 (men) / 头 (tou) / 子 (zi)) → noun. For example: 画 (huà) (to paint) + 儿 → 画儿 (huàr) (a painting); 瓶 (píng) + 子 → 瓶子 (píngzi) (a bottle).
Use it when you need to turn a word into a noun or to create a familiar name. 儿 (ér) and 子 (zi) make a word sound friendlier and usually refer to objects (画儿 (huàr) - painting, 瓶子 (píngzi) - bottle, 屋子 (wūzi) - room). 家 (jiā) refers to a person with expertise (画家 (huàjiā) - painter, 作家 (zuòjiā) - writer). 们 (men) is added after a noun or pronoun referring to people to indicate the plural (朋友们 (péngyoumen) - friends, 老师们 (lǎoshīmen) - teachers). 头 (tou) refers to an object or a location (石头 (shítou) - stone, 里头 (lǐtou) - inside).
Vietnamese learners often add a number before a noun that has 们, for example incorrectly saying 三个朋友们 (sān ge péngyoumen) - once you have 们 (the general plural marker) you must NOT add a specific number. Also, not every noun can take the same suffix; you have to learn them word by word.
These suffixes are almost always pronounced with the neutral tone, unstressed.
Examples
painting, free time, painter, writer, friends, teachers, stone, inside, bottle, room
Learn “-儿、家、-们、-头、-子” effectively
The grammar point “-儿、家、-们、-头、-子” (Noun suffixes: -儿, 家, -们, -头, -子) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
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