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mǒu

certain

Usage note

表示不指明、个。

mǒu biǎo shì bù zhǐ míng 、 mǒu gè。

某 means some unspecified one.

Context note

常用于书面语、例子和表达。

mǒu cháng yòng yú shū miàn yǔ 、 lì zǐ hé biǎo dá。

It is often used in written language, examples, and expressions.

5 examples

一天。
mǒu yì tiān。
One day.
个人。
mǒu gè rén。
A certain person.
种办法。
mǒu zhǒng bàn fǎ。
A certain method.
地。
mǒu dì。
Some place.
个问题。
mǒu gè wèn tí。
A certain problem.

5 mini stories

老师说,常用于书面语。
lǎo shī shuō, mǒu cháng yòng yú shū miàn yǔ。
The teacher said 某 is often used in written language.
一天,他去了旅行。
mǒu yì tiān, tā qù le lǚ xíng。
One day, he went traveling.
个人提出了建议。
mǒu gè rén tí chū le jiàn yì。
A certain person made a suggestion.
种方法并不一定最好。
mǒu zhǒng fāng fǎ bìng bù yí dìng zuì hǎo。
A certain method is not necessarily the best.
地发生了变化。
mǒu dì fā shēng le biàn huà。
Some place changed.

Mini dialogue

某一天

A
一天,我在公园里看到一只小猫。
Mǒu yī tiān, wǒ zài gōngyuán lǐ kàn dào yī zhī xiǎo māo.
One day, I saw a little cat in the park.
B
真的吗?一天我也想去看看。
Zhēn de ma? Mǒu yī tiān wǒ yě xiǎng qù kàn kan.
Really? I also want to go see one day.

某人

A
人把书放在桌子上了。
Mǒu rén bǎ shū fàng zài zhuōzi shàng le.
Someone put the book on the table.
B
你知道是人吗?
Nǐ zhīdào shì mǒu rén ma?
Do you know who it is?

Related words and contrasts

similar
一些
yīxiē
some

某 is more specific but unspecified, while 一些 means 'some' in a general sense.

similar
某个
mǒu gè
a certain one

某个 is a common combination meaning 'a certain'.

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