HSK 2 Demonstrative Pronouns: 这么, 那么, 这样, 那样, and 每

What Are These Demonstrative Pronouns?

In the supplied HSK 2 grammar outline, demonstrative pronouns (指示代词) expand beyond simple pointing words to include 这么 (zhème), 那么 (nàme), 这样 (zhèyàng), 那样 (nàyàng), and 每 (měi).

The first four words form a symmetrical system based on proximity: words starting with 这 refer to something close to the speaker or currently happening, while words starting with 那 refer to something more distant or previously mentioned. Meanwhile, 每 acts as a distributive demonstrative pronoun meaning 'every' or 'each', pointing to individual members within a group.

Expressing Degree with 这么 and 那么

While 这么 and 那么 can sometimes indicate manner before action verbs in casual speech, their primary function at this stage is to indicate degree. Placed directly before an adjective or a mental verb, 这么 means 'this [adjective]' or 'so [adjective]' (referring to something immediate or experienced right now), and 那么 means 'that [adjective]' or 'so [adjective]' (referring to something distant or hypothetical).

Describing Manner and Type with 这样 and 那样

The character 样 (yàng) means 'appearance', 'shape', or 'kind'. Consequently, 这样 ('this way' / 'like this') and 那样 ('that way' / 'like that') focus on the manner of an action, the nature of a situation, or the category of a noun.

When placed directly before an action verb, 这样 and 那样 explain how an action is performed:

Unlike 这么 and 那么, 这样 and 那样 can easily modify nouns by adding the structural particle 的 (de) to mean 'this kind of' or 'such a', and they can also stand at the end of a sentence after 是 to describe a state of affairs.

Key Contrasts: 这么/那么 vs. 这样/那样

Because English often translates both pairs as 'like this/that' or 'so', learners frequently mix them up. You can keep them separate by checking the grammatical environment:

• Before simple adjectives to show intensity (such as 'so cold' or 'that expensive'), use 这么 or 那么.
• Before 的 + Noun to mean 'this/that kind of [noun]', use 这样的 or 那样的. You generally do not say 这么的 or 那么的 directly before a noun.
• As a standalone predicate after 是 (for example, 'It is not like this'), use 这样 or 那样 rather than 这么 or 那么.
• Before action verbs to mean 'do it this way', 这样 and 那样 are standard in both spoken and written Chinese, whereas 这么 and 那么 are more colloquial in this slot.

Indicating 'Every' with 每 and Common Learner Errors

Each/every pattern: 每个学生 is a reliable model with a classifier. Some conventional forms have no separate classifier, including 每天, 每年, and 每人. 都 often makes distribution explicit, but is not required to make every 每 sentence complete.

Why do learners sometimes see 每 followed directly by a word without 个 or another measure word? This happens with words that are already measure words or time units functioning as measure words, such as 天 (tiān, 'day') or 年 (nián, 'year').

For 学生 in the neutral pattern, say 每个学生, not 每学生. Do not extend this to a ban on 每人, which is a normal expression meaning “each person”. Learn the actual collocation instead of assuming that only time words can follow 每 directly.

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