Usage note
其用于指代前面提到的人或物。
qí yòng yú zhǐ dài qián miàn tóu dào de rén huò wù.
Its is used to refer to a person or thing mentioned earlier.
Context note
他把书放在桌子上，其封面是红色的。
tā bǎ shū fàng zài zhuō zi shàng, qí fēn miàn shì hóng sè de.
He put the book on the table, its cover is red.
5 examples
这是他的书，其封面是蓝色的。
zhè shì tā de shū， qí fēng miàn shì lán sè de。
This is his book, its cover is blue.
她把包放在椅子上，其拉链坏了。
tā bǎ bāo fàng zài yǐ zi shàng， qí lā liàn huài le。
She put the bag on the chair, its zipper is broken.
他的车停在停车场，其车牌是红色的。
tā de chē tíng zài tíng chē chǎng， qí chē pái shì hóng sè de。
His car is parked in the parking lot, its license plate is red.
她借了书，其封面是绿色的。
tā jiè le shū， qí fēng miàn shì lǜ sè de。
She borrowed a book, its cover is green.
他的手机不见了，其屏幕是黑色的。
tā de shǒu jī bú jiàn le， qí píng mù shì hēi sè de。
His phone went missing, its screen is black.
5 mini stories
小明的书包里有一个蓝色的本子，其封面是红色的。
xiǎo míng de shū bāo lǐ yǒu yí gè lán sè de běn zi， qí fēng miàn shì hóng sè de。
Xiaoming's backpack has a blue notebook, its cover is red.
昨天他借了书，其封面是绿色的。今天他归还了书，其封面还是绿色的。
zuó tiān tā jiè le shū， qí fēng miàn shì lǜ sè de。 jīn tiān tā guī huán le shū， qí fēng miàn hái shì lǜ sè de。
Yesterday he borrowed a book, its cover was green. Today he returned the book, its cover is still green.
他的车停在停车场，其车牌是红色的。他每天都开车去上班，其车牌一直没变过。
tā de chē tíng zài tíng chē chǎng， qí chē pái shì hóng sè de。 tā měi tiān dōu kāi chē qù shàng bān， qí chē pái yì zhí méi biàn guò。
His car is parked in the parking lot, its license plate is red. He drives to work every day, its license plate has never changed.
她借了书，其封面是绿色的。她很喜欢这个本子，但不小心弄丢了。
tā jiè le shū， qí fēng miàn shì lǜ sè de。 tā hěn xǐ huan zhè ge běn zi， dàn bù xiǎo xīn nòng diū le。
She borrowed a book, its cover is green. She really liked this notebook, but accidentally lost it.
他的手机不见了，其屏幕是黑色的。他找了很久才找到它。
tā de shǒu jī bú jiàn le， qí píng mù shì hēi sè de。 tā zhǎo le hěn jiǔ cái zhǎo dào tā。
His phone went missing, its screen is black. He searched for a long time before finding it.
Mini dialogue
选水果
A
你喜欢哪种水果？
Nǐ xǐhuan nǎ zhǒng shuǐguǒ?
Which fruit do you like?
B
我喜欢苹果，其颜色很漂亮。
Wǒ xǐhuan píngguǒ, qí yánsè hěn piàoliang.
I like apples, their color is very pretty.
介绍宠物
A
这只猫很可爱，其眼睛是蓝色的。
Zhè zhī māo hěn kě'ài, qí yǎnjing shì lán sè de.
This cat is very cute, its eyes are blue.
B
是的，我很喜欢它。
Shì de, wǒ hěn xǐhuan tā.
Yes, I like it very much.
Related words and contrasts
contrast
他的
tā de
his
其 is a formal possessive, while 他的 is the common word for 'his'.
contrast
它的
tā de
its (for animals/objects)
其 can mean 'its', but 它的 is more common for non-human possession.