Usage note
那个用来指代前面提到的某个人或事物，通常用于避免重复。
nà ge lái zǔ dài qián miàn tōng dào de yǒu rén huò shì wù, tōng cháng yòng yú bìng fú diào zuò.
那个 is used to refer back to a person or thing mentioned earlier, usually to avoid repetition.
Context note
那个常用于对话或叙述中，指代前面提到的人或物。例如：妈妈买了苹果，那个是红的。
nà ge cháng yòng yú huì huà huò shù xù zhōng, zhǐ dài qián miàn diào dào de rén huò wù. rú lèi: mā ma mǎi le píng guǒ, nà ge shì hóng de.
那个 is commonly used in conversations or narratives to refer back to a person or thing mentioned earlier. For example: Mom bought apples; that one is red.
5 examples
妈妈买了苹果，那个是红的。
mā ma mǎi le píng guǒ， nà ge shì hóng de。
Mom bought apples, that one is red.
我们去了公园，那个地方很美。
wǒ men qù le gōng yuán， nà ge dì fāng hěn měi。
We went to the park, that place is very beautiful.
我看到了一只猫，那个在树上。
wǒ kàn dào le yì zhī māo， nà ge zài shù shàng。
I saw a cat, that one is on the tree.
昨天我们去了超市，那个卖水果的地方很大。
zuó tiān wǒ men qù le chāo shì， nà ge mài shuǐ guǒ de dì fāng hěn dà。
Yesterday we went to the supermarket; that place selling fruits is very big.
爸爸买了新书，那个放在桌子上。
bà ba mǎi le xīn shū， nà ge fàng zài zhuō zi shàng。
Dad bought a new book, that one is on the table.
5 mini stories
妈妈说：我们去了公园，那个地方很美。我看到了一只猫，那个在树上。
mā ma shuō： wǒ men qù le gōng yuán， nà ge dì fāng hěn měi。 wǒ kàn dào le yì zhī māo， nà ge zài shù shàng。
Mom said: We went to the park; that place is very beautiful. I saw a cat, that one is on the tree.
昨天我们去了超市，那个卖水果的地方很大。爸爸买了新书，那个放在桌子上。
zuó tiān wǒ men qù le chāo shì， nà ge mài shuǐ guǒ de dì fāng hěn dà。 bà ba mǎi le xīn shū， nà ge fàng zài zhuō zi shàng。
Yesterday we went to the supermarket; that place selling fruits is very big. Dad bought a new book, that one is on the table.
我昨天去了公园，看到了很多花，那个非常漂亮。
wǒ zuó tiān qù le gōng yuán， kàn dào le hěn duō huā， nà ge fēi cháng piào liang。
I went to the park yesterday and saw many flowers; those were very beautiful.
妈妈买了新衣服，那个真好看。我们一起去试穿了。
mā ma mǎi le xīn yī fu， nà ge zhēn hǎo kàn。 wǒ men yì qǐ qù shì chuān le。
Mom bought new clothes, that one is really nice. We tried them on together.
昨天我们去了动物园，看到了很多动物，那个非常有趣。
zuó tiān wǒ men qù le dòng wù yuán， kàn dào le hěn duō dòng wù， nà ge fēi cháng yǒu qù。
Yesterday we went to the zoo and saw many animals; those were very interesting.
Mini dialogue
那个苹果
A
你要哪个苹果？
Nǐ yào nǎ ge píngguǒ?
Which apple do you want?
B
我要那个红的。
Wǒ yào nà ge hóng de.
I want that red one.
那个玩具
A
那个玩具是你的吗？
Nà ge wánjù shì nǐ de ma?
Is that toy yours?
B
不是，那个是他的。
Bù shì, nà ge shì tā de.
No, that one is his.
Related words and contrasts
opposite
这个
zhè ge
this one
那个 means 'that one', 这个 means 'this one'.
contrast
哪个
nǎ ge
which one
那个 points to a thing, 哪个 asks about a thing.