谁
shéi
who; whom
Type: PronounsHSK 1
Radical 讠 (speech) + 隹 (bird). In the old days 'who' was a person who chattered like a bird (a stranger). It blends sound and meaning.
Pronunciation is colloquial: shéi (northern China), shuí (the written standard). Both are correct. In daily life most Chinese say shéi.
讠yánspeech
隹zhuībird
他是谁？
Tā shì shéi?
Who is he?
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