之一 - Expressing "one of"
HSK 4
The phrase 之一 (zhīyī) is a common and versatile way to express "one of" in Chinese. Despite its use of the archaic character 之 (zhī), it's widely used in both spoken and written Chinese.
Usage:
之一 typically appears at the end of a noun phrase and is often paired with modifiers like 最 (zuì), meaning "the most."
Structure:
[Modifier] + Noun + 之一
While 之一 adds a formal tone, it’s often used in casual speech as well, including in jokes or humorous statements.
Sample Sentences
他是我最好的朋友之一。He is one of my best friends.
中文是世界上最难学的语言之一。Chinese is one of the most difficult languages to learn in the world.
方便面是学生时代最重要的发明之一。Instant noodles are one of the most important inventions of student life.
In a Text
有一天，小明和朋友们聊天时，大家讨论起了生活中最让人感动的事情之一。小明说：“对我来说，小时候妈妈每天给我准备早餐是我记忆中最温暖的时刻之一。”
朋友们听后纷纷点头，有人说是第一次拿到考试满分，有人说是大学毕业时家人来参加典礼，还有人说是疫情期间收到朋友寄来的口罩。
小明笑着总结道：“生活中的小事其实才是我们最珍贵的回忆之一。”
总结道 (zǒngjié dào): To summarize and say; to conclude by saying
One day, Xiaoming was chatting with his friends, and they started discussing one of the most touching moments in life. Xiaoming said, "For me, one of the warmest moments in my memory is when my mom prepared breakfast for me every day when I was a kid."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Some mentioned getting a perfect score on a test for the first time, others talked about their family attending their graduation ceremony, and someone else said it was receiving masks from a friend during the pandemic.
Xiaoming smiled and concluded, "It's the small things in life that are actually one of our most precious memories."
