Prefixes & Suffixes: 第-, 老-, 小-, -们, -子
Prefixes and suffixes are small word parts that attach to other words to change their kind. At HSK 3 these are 第 (makes ordinals), 老 and 小 (before a surname), 们 (makes a plural) and 子 (ends many nouns).
In English
These five affixes are easy to confuse, so watch where each one goes. 第 is an ordinal prefix and goes before a number: 第一, 第二. 老 and 小 go before a surname as friendly forms of address: 老 for someone older, 小 for someone younger.
们 is a plural suffix that attaches to pronouns and people only: 我们, 朋友们, never 书们. 子 is a word-building suffix on nouns such as 桌子 and 孩子, and it has no meaning of its own. 老师 is a separate fixed word, not 老 plus a name.
这五个词缀很容易混淆，要分清位置和用法。
第-（序数前缀）：第+数字，把基数词变成序数词。第一、第二、第三种。只能加在数字前面。
老-（熟人对年长者的亲切称呼）：老+姓，用于熟人之间对年纪较大者的称呼。老王、老张。注意："老师"是一个独立的固定词（teacher），跟"老王"的"老"不是同一种用法。
小-（熟人对年轻者的亲切称呼）：小+姓，用于对年纪较小的熟人的称呼。小李、小刘。
-们（复数后缀）：只加在代词或指人的名词后面。我们、你们、同学们、朋友们。不能加在无生命的名词后面（❌书们）。
-子（构词后缀）：加在词根后构成名词，本身通常无独立意义。桌子、椅子、瓶子、帽子、孩子。
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 这是我第一次去奶奶家。 | Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì qù nǎi nai jiā. | This is the first time I'm going to grandma's house. | 第一次：第+数字把基数词变成序数词，最基本的框架。 |
| 老王比我大五岁，是我的好朋友。 | Lǎo Wáng bǐ wǒ dà wǔ suì, shì wǒ de hǎo péng you. | Lao Wang is five years older than me; he's my good friend. | 老+姓：熟人间对年长朋友的亲切称呼，非正式语域。 |
| 小刘是我们班最年轻的学生，同学们都叫他小刘。 | Xiǎo Liú shì wǒ men bān zuì nián qīng de xué sheng, tóng xué men dōu jiào tā Xiǎo Liú. | Xiao Liu is the youngest student in our class; classmates all call him Xiao Liu. | 小+姓，与老+姓相对，用于较年轻的熟人；同时首次出现-们，加在"同学"这种指人名词后表复数。 |
| 老师们和同学们都参加了今天的活动。 | Lǎo shī men hé tóng xué men dōu cān jiā le jīn tiān de huó dòng. | Both the teachers and the classmates took part in today's activity. | -们分别加在"老师"和"同学"后表复数；注意"老师"本身是固定词，其中的"老"不是例2里的称呼前缀。 |
| 妹妹把新买的帽子放在桌子上。 | Mèi mei bǎ xīn mǎi de mào zi fàng zài zhuō zi shàng. | My younger sister put the newly bought hat on the table. | -子构成名词"帽子""桌子"，本身无独立意义；这类无生命名词不能加-们（❌帽子们）。 |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
第 (dì)
Turns a number into an ordinal, first, second, third.
Structure: 第 + number (+ measure word)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请翻到第十页。 | Qǐng fān dào dì shí yè. | Please turn to page ten. |
| 我是第二个到教室的。 | Wǒ shì dì èr gè dào jiào shì de. | I was the second to arrive in the classroom. |
| 他在比赛中得了第二名。 | Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng dé le dì èr míng. | He came second in the contest. |
Not: 我住在三第楼。 第 goes before the number: 第三楼.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, prefixes.
第 is also explained in: Ordinals and Room/Bus Numbers: 第一、302路 (HSK 2).
老 (lǎo)
Goes before a surname as a friendly way to address an older acquaintance.
Structure: 老 + surname
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 老张今年五十岁了，身体还很好。 | Lǎo zhāng jīn nián wǔ shí suì le, shēn tǐ hái hěn hǎo. | Lao Zhang is fifty this year and still in good health. |
| 老陈，你来帮我一下！ | Lǎo chén, nǐ lái bāng wǒ yí xià! | Lao Chen, come and help me for a moment! |
| 你认识老赵吗？他是我们的邻居。 | Nǐ rèn shí lǎo zhào ma? Tā shì wǒ men de lín jū. | Do you know Lao Zhao? He is our neighbour. |
Not: 她很年轻，大家都叫她老李。 老 is for someone older; for a young person say 小李.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, prefixes; level 4, adverbs (频率副词).
小 (xiǎo)
Goes before a surname as a friendly way to address a younger acquaintance.
Structure: 小 + surname
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 小王明天要去上海出差。 | Xiǎo wáng míng tiān yào qù shàng hǎi chū chāi. | Xiao Wang is going to Shanghai on business tomorrow. |
| 小周，请把门关上。 | Xiǎo zhōu, qǐng bǎ mén guān shàng. | Xiao Zhou, please close the door. |
| 我们公司的小陈刚结婚。 | Wǒ men gōng sī de xiǎo chén gāng jié hūn. | Xiao Chen from our company just got married. |
Not: 他六十岁了，大家都叫他小张。 小 is for someone younger; for an older man say 老张.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, prefixes.
小 is also explained in: Numeral + Adjective + Classifier Phrases (HSK 6).
们 (men)
Makes a pronoun or a noun for people plural.
Structure: pronoun / person noun + 们
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 孩子们正在院子里玩。 | Hái zi men zhèng zài yuàn zi lǐ wán. | The children are playing in the yard. |
| 朋友们都来祝贺我。 | Péng yǒu men dōu lái zhù hè wǒ. | My friends all came to congratulate me. |
| 他们都是我的同事。 | Tā men dōu shì wǒ de tóng shì. | They are all my colleagues. |
Not: 我有三个朋友们。 When a number already shows the plural, do not add 们: 三个朋友.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, suffixes.
子 (zi)
Ends many everyday nouns and has no meaning of its own.
Structure: root + 子 (neutral tone)
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请把椅子搬到那边。 | Qǐng bǎ yǐ zi bān dào nà biān. | Please move the chair over there. |
| 他买了一个新杯子。 | Tā mǎi le yí gè xīn bēi zi. | He bought a new cup. |
| 他的房子很大，也很干净。 | Tā de fáng zi hěn dà, yě hěn gān jìng. | His house is big and also very clean. |
Not: 我买了一本书子。 子 only appears in certain fixed words, so you cannot add it to any noun.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, suffixes.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Prefixes & Suffixes among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Prefixes & Suffixes
What does 前缀与后缀 (Prefixes & Suffixes) mean in Chinese?
Prefixes and suffixes are small word parts that attach to other words to change their kind. At HSK 3 these are 第 (makes ordinals), 老 and 小 (before a surname), 们 (makes a plural) and 子 (ends many nouns). It is an HSK 3 grammar point.
How do you use 前缀与后缀 (Prefixes & Suffixes) in a sentence?
这是我第一次去奶奶家。 — Zhè shì wǒ dì yī cì qù nǎi nai jiā. — This is the first time I'm going to grandma's house. 第一次：第+数字把基数词变成序数词，最基本的框架。.
What do you need to know before 前缀与后缀 (Prefixes & Suffixes)?
Ordinals and Room/Bus Numbers (HSK 2). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 前缀与后缀 (Prefixes & Suffixes) lead to?
Productive Prefixes and Suffixes (HSK 6). Each of them names 前缀与后缀 (Prefixes & Suffixes) among its own prerequisites.
Can I add 们 to any noun?
No. 们 goes only on pronouns and on nouns for people, such as 我们, 同学们 and 老师们. It does not go on objects, so 书们 is wrong. It also does not follow a number: say 三个学生, not 三个学生们.
Is the 老 in 老师 the same as in 老王?
No. 老师 is one fixed word meaning teacher. 老王 is the friendly address for a man named Wang who is older than you.
Prefixes & Suffixes is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level