yǒu: 有 - To have, To exist, There is/are

• Keywords: yǒu, 有, Chinese have, Chinese exist, how to say there is in Chinese, yǒu meaning, yǒu grammar, Mandarin possession, Mandarin there is, HSK 1 grammar, Chinese verb to have, yǒu vs méiyǒu, yǒu vs shì
• Summary: Discover the meaning and usage of 有 (yǒu), one of the most essential verbs in Mandarin Chinese. This page provides a deep dive into yǒu, which means “to have” and “to exist.” You will learn how to express possession (I have a book), state existence (there is a person), ask questions, and understand its crucial role in Chinese grammar, including its negative form 没有 (méiyǒu). This is a must-know HSK 1 word for any beginner.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yǒu
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: To have, to possess; to exist, there is/are.
• In a Nutshell: 有 (yǒu) is the Swiss Army knife of basic Chinese verbs. Its primary job is to show possession, exactly like “to have” in English (“I have a dog”). Its second, equally important job is to state that something exists somewhere, replacing the English phrase “there is” or “there are” (“There is a cat on the chair”). Mastering these two functions of 有 is a fundamental step toward building proper Chinese sentences.

• 有 (yǒu): The character's origin story is a fantastic memory aid. Ancient oracle bone script depicts a hand (又, yòu) holding a piece of meat (月, a component that often relates to 肉, ròu, meat). A hand holding meat is the most direct and primal way to illustrate the concept of “possessing” or “having” something. This single, vivid image perfectly encapsulates the core meaning of 有.

While 有 (yǒu) is a grammatical word, its usage reveals a key difference between Chinese and English philosophical-linguistic structures. English separates the concept of “being” into identity (“to be”) and possession (“to have”). Chinese splits it differently.

• Existence (`有`) vs. Identity (`是`):

In English, the verb “to be” handles both identity (“He is a doctor”) and, in a way, existence (“There is a book on the table”). Chinese makes a clearer distinction:

• 是 (shì) is used for identity or equivalence: A = B. `他是医生 (Tā shì yīshēng)`.
• 有 (yǒu) is used for existence or possession: A has B, or B exists at location A. `桌子上有一本书 (Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yī běn shū)`.

This distinction is crucial. Using 是 to state existence (e.g., `桌子上是一本书`) is a common beginner mistake. While grammatically it can be interpreted (“The thing on the table is a book”), it's not the natural way to say “There is a book on the table.” The Chinese way first establishes the location (`桌子上`), then states what exists there (`有`). This structure grounds the existence of an object in a specific place.

有 (yǒu) is ubiquitous in daily conversation. Here are its main uses:

• 1. Expressing Possession: The most straightforward usage.
  • Structure: `Subject + 有 + Object`
  • Example: `我有两个姐姐 (Wǒ yǒu liǎng ge jiějiě)` - I have two older sisters.
• 2. Stating Existence (“There is/are”): A fundamental sentence pattern.
  • Structure: `Location + 有 + Object`
  • Example: `我们学校有一个很大的图书馆 (Wǒmen xuéxiào yǒu yí ge hěn dà de túshūguǎn)` - Our school has a very big library / There is a very big library at our school.
• 3. Describing Qualities (Abstract Possession): Many adjectives are formed with 有 + a noun.
  • `有钱 (yǒu qián)` - rich (lit. “to have money”)
  • `有名 (yǒu míng)` - famous (lit. “to have a name”)
  • `有意思 (yǒu yìsi)` - interesting (lit. “to have meaning/interest”)
  • `有道理 (yǒu dàolǐ)` - reasonable, makes sense (lit. “to have reason”)
• 4. Asking Questions: You can form a question in two common ways.
  • Adding `吗 (ma)`: `你有时间吗？ (Nǐ yǒu shíjiān ma?)` - Do you have time?
  • Using the `有-没有` verb-negative-verb structure: `你有没有手机？ (Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu shǒujī?)` - Do you have a phone (or not)? Both are very common.
• 5. Expressing Measurement or Quantity:
  • Structure: `Subject + 有 + [Number + Measure Word] + [Adjective]`
  • Example: `这条河有两百米宽 (Zhè tiáo hé yǒu liǎng bǎi mǐ kuān)` - This river is 200 meters wide (lit. “This river has 200 meters of width”).

• Example 1:
  • 我有一个问题。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ yǒu yí ge wèntí.
  • English: I have a question.
  • Analysis: The most basic possession structure. `Subject (我) + 有 + Object (一个问题)`.
• Example 2:
  • 冰箱里有牛奶吗？
  • Pinyin: Bīngxiāng lǐ yǒu niúnǎi ma?
  • English: Is there milk in the fridge?
  • Analysis: A question about existence in a specific location (`冰箱里` - in the fridge). The `…吗?` particle turns the statement into a yes/no question.
• Example 3:
  • 他很有钱，但是他不快乐。
  • Pinyin: Tā hěn yǒuqián, dànshì tā bù kuàilè.
  • English: He is very rich, but he is not happy.
  • Analysis: Here, `有钱` functions as a single adjective meaning “rich”. This “有 + Noun” pattern is very common for descriptive words.
• Example 4:
  • 你有没有看到我的钥匙？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu kàndào wǒ de yàoshi?
  • English: Have you seen my keys?
  • Analysis: This uses the `有-没有` structure to ask a question about a past action. Here, `有没有` means “did you or did you not…”. It is the proper way to negate a past action.
• Example 5:
  • 这部电影很有意思，你应该看看。
  • Pinyin: Zhè bù diànyǐng hěn yǒu yìsi, nǐ yīnggāi kànkan.
  • English: This movie is very interesting, you should watch it.
  • Analysis: Another example of an adjective phrase. `有意思` means “interesting”. To say something is “not interesting,” you use `没有意思 (méiyǒu yìsi)`.
• Example 6:
  • 附近有地铁站吗？
  • Pinyin: Fùjìn yǒu dìtiězhàn ma?
  • English: Is there a subway station nearby?
  • Analysis: A classic existential question. `Location (附近) + 有 + Object (地铁站) + 吗?`.
• Example 7:
  • 我昨天没有去上班。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān méiyǒu qù shàngbān.
  • English: I didn't go to work yesterday.
  • Analysis: This is a critical grammar point. To negate a completed action in the past, you use `没有` (or `没`), not `不 (bù)`.
• Example 8:
  • 你的话很有道理。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de huà hěn yǒu dàolǐ.
  • English: What you said makes a lot of sense.
  • Analysis: `有道理` is a very useful phrase meaning “makes sense” or “is reasonable.” It literally means “has reason/logic.”
• Example 9:
  • 这里有人吗？
  • Pinyin: Zhèlǐ yǒu rén ma?
  • English: Is anyone here? / Is this seat taken?
  • Analysis: A versatile question used to check if a place is occupied or if someone is present. The location is `这里` (here).
• Example 10:
  • 只要有希望，就不要放弃。
  • Pinyin: Zhǐyào yǒu xīwàng, jiù búyào fàngqì.
  • English: As long as there is hope, don't give up.
  • Analysis: This shows 有 used in a more abstract, philosophical sense. It signifies the existence of an intangible concept like “hope” (`希望`).

• `有` vs. `是` (yǒu vs. shì): The #1 Mistake
  • Don't use `是 (shì)` to say “there is.” `是` is for defining what something is (A=B). `有` is for stating that something exists.
  • Incorrect: `桌子上是一个苹果。(Zhuōzi shàng shì yí ge píngguǒ.)`
  • Correct: `桌子上有一个苹果。(Zhuōzi shàng yǒu yí ge píngguǒ.)` - There is an apple on the table.
• The Negative is ALWAYS `没有` (méiyǒu)
  • The verb `有` is special. Its negative form is always `没有 (méiyǒu)`, never `不有 (bù yǒu)`.
  • Incorrect: `我不有车。(Wǒ bù yǒu chē.)`
  • Correct: `我没有车。(Wǒ méiyǒu chē.)` - I don't have a car.
  • This applies to past actions as well: `我没去 (Wǒ méi qù)`, not `我不去了 (Wǒ bù qù le)` (which means “I'm not going anymore”).
• Possessing vs. Experiencing an Illness
  • In English, we “have” a cold. In Chinese, it's more common to treat it as an event or state.
  • Less Natural: `我有一个感冒。(Wǒ yǒu yí ge gǎnmào.)`
  • More Natural: `我感冒了。(Wǒ gǎnmào le.)` - I've caught a cold.

• 没有 (méiyǒu) - The direct antonym and negative form of `有`. Means “to not have,” “to not exist,” or is used to negate past actions.
• 是 (shì) - The verb “to be,” used for identity and equivalence. Often confused with `有` by beginners.
• 在 (zài) - A verb meaning “to be at/in/on” a location. It emphasizes the location of a *known* subject (`我在家` - I am at home), whereas `有` introduces the existence of a *new* object at a location (`家里有人` - There is someone at home).
• 拥有 (yōngyǒu) - A more formal, literary word for “to own” or “to possess,” often used for significant, abstract, or large-scale things (e.g., power, property, a large company).
• 具有 (jùyǒu) - A formal verb meaning “to have” or “to possess” an abstract quality, feature, or function. Often seen in written language.
• 存在 (cúnzài) - The formal verb “to exist.” It's more philosophical or scientific than the everyday `有`.
• 有意思 (yǒu yìsi) - A common adjective phrase built from `有`, meaning “interesting.”
• 有名 (yǒu míng) - A common adjective built from `有`, meaning “famous.”