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那

那 (nà) Chinese Character: that, there

6 strokes · HSK 1 · Radical 阝

Point farther away: 那 means “that.”

Practice 那 in the interactive lesson

Chinese character story: Pointing Farther Away

那 (nà) means “that.” It points to something farther from the speaker. Use 那个 for “that one,” 那里 for “there,” and 那是 for “that is.” Pair it with 这 to understand distance: 这个, “this one”; 那个, “that one.”

🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes

Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.

那个
那that个measure word=that one or that
那里
那that里place=there

Chinese character origin and etymology

那 is documented as a basic character form. Its earlier written forms gradually became the regular-script shape used today.

In modern simplified Chinese, 那 is written with 6 strokes. This lesson separates documented shape history from the memory story so learners do not mistake a mnemonic for a historical claim. 那 works as one complete form rather than a puzzle made from smaller modern components. Learning its overall silhouette is useful because the same shape may later appear inside more complex characters.

Chinese character stroke order and structure

那 is written with 6 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.

  • 那 — learn the modern demonstrative as a whole

Common usage and sentence patterns

The examples below show 那 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.

那是我的朋友。 Nà shì wǒ de péngyou. That is my friend.
我喜欢那本书。 Wǒ xǐhuan nà běn shū. I like that book.
他住在那里。 Tā zhù zài nàlǐ. He lives there.

Learning tips for 那

Learn the reading as one unit: nà, with the fourth tone: a sharp fall. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “that, there,” and write the 6 strokes from memory.

Because 那 is a basic form, focus on its proportions and stroke direction. Compare it with 这 (zhè, this — closer to the speaker); 个 (gè, general measure word); 哪 (nǎ, which — pronounced with the third tone). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.

Quick review checklist

  • Can you recognize 那 without pinyin?
  • Can you say nà with the correct tone and explain “that, there”?
  • Can you write all 6 strokes in order?
  • Can you use 那 in one short sentence?

Related characters

Continue learning Chinese characters

Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.

Sources and editorial note

HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.

Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.