ZHIZHI 知止 · LEARN CHINESE DAILY

also / too

3 strokes · 乙 (second radical) · HSK 1

Where 也 comes from

也 is an ancient pictograph whose original subject is debated — possibly a serpent, possibly a water basin. Whatever it once drew, it was borrowed long ago to serve as a grammar word: 'also, too', and in classical Chinese, a marker of emphasis at the end of a sentence.

也 in Chinese culture

也 means 'also' and sits right before the verb, not after the subject as in English: 我也是 = 'I am too' (literally 'I-also-am'), 我也好 = 'I'm also fine'. It's one of the highest-frequency function words in Chinese — you'll reach for it constantly to agree and add on.

Example

yě — also / too

我也是。
Wǒ yě shì.
Me too. / I am too.

How to remember it

A hook with a long sweeping stroke — the grammar word for ALSO.

也 goes before the verb, never after the subject like English 'too': 我也喜欢 = 'I also like it'. Master that placement and you sound instantly more natural.

Same sound, different tones

1st yē
coconut
2nd yé
grandfather
3rd yě
also
4th yè
night

Words unlocked by 也

我也 wǒ yě
me too / I also
也好 yě hǎo
also fine / that works too
我也是 wǒ yě shì
me too
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