How to use 彼此
彼此 + Predicate; Verb + 彼此; 彼此 + 的 + Noun
彼此 expresses a relationship shared reciprocally by the relevant participants. It often corresponds to each other, but can also emphasize that both sides share a situation or responsibility. The participants should be clear from the context. They may be two individuals or members of a larger group, rather than only the speaker and listener.
彼此 can appear before a predicate, after a suitable verb as its object, or before 的 and a noun describing something belonging to the respective participants. Its placement changes the grammatical relationship, so do not insert it anywhere that English uses “each other.” The familiar response 彼此彼此 acknowledges that a compliment or criticism applies equally to both sides.
Examples with pinyin and English
我们只见过一次， 彼此不是很了解。
We've only met once. We don't know each other well.
我们是一个团队， 彼此应该多沟通。
We're a team. We should communicate more.
我很尊重我的对手，我希望彼此都能有好的表现。
I respect my opponent very much. I hope we both can perform well.
我们是一家人，必须好好照顾彼此。
We're a family. We must do a good job looking after each other.
What to remember
- Establish the relevant participants.
- 彼此 can be a participant, object, or modifier.
- 彼此彼此 means the point applies to both sides.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.