<p>There is no plural form for the non-human Chinese nouns. 树 can be singular or plural. 树木 is a general term for trees (any tree; all trees)</p>
<p>To indicate tree  in the plural form, you need to add plural counting words like 'two, few, some', or a plural pronoun like 'these, those'</p>
<p>一棵樹 - a tree</p>
<p>那棵樹 - that tree</p>
<p>幾棵樹 - a few trees</p>
<p>那些樹 - those trees</p>
<p>樹木 is a general term for trees. It refers to all trees in general. e.g. 樹木的歷史大概有 4.2億年 - The history of trees is about 420 million years</p>
<p>Similarly:</p>
<p>一隻野獸 - a wild animal</p>
<p>那隻野獸 - that animal</p>
<p>那些野獸 - those animals</p>
<p>幾隻野獸 - a few wild animals</p>
<p>野獸 - wild animals in general</p>
<ul>
<li>I see trees - 我看到樹/ 我看到樹木</li>
<li>I see the trees - 我看到那些樹 / 我看到那些樹木</li>
<li>I see the big red trees - 我看到那些大紅樹</li>
<li>I see many trees - 我看見很多樹/ 我看見很多樹木</li>
<li>I see both trees - 兩棵樹我都看到了</li>
</ul>
<p>There is no plural form for the non-human Chinese nouns, but for a human noun, you can add 們, as in 人們，醫生們，士兵們 (people, doctors, soldiers)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-26T08:28:43.400Z
2021-01-26T08:50:39.750Z
2021-01-26T08:50:39.750Z
Tang Ho
<p>I am learning very basic Chinese as part of a software project. I randomly chose the word &quot;tree&quot; as my go-to noun. However, it appears tree is pluralized in Chinese, even though it is said Chinese doesn't use plurals.</p>
<pre><code>树木 (shùmù) trees
树 (shù) tree
</code></pre>
<p>It seems that 木 mù means wood. I don't understand what is happening here.</p>
<p>I thought that if I were to pluralize tree, I would say some equivalent of &quot;many tree&quot; or &quot;tree many&quot; or something, but I don't see that when searching around.</p>
<p>What am I missing?</p>
<p>I am trying to translate these sentences:</p>
<ul>
<li>I see trees</li>
<li>I see the trees</li>
<li>I see the big red trees</li>
<li>I see many trees</li>
<li>I see both trees</li>
<li>I ... trees</li>
</ul>
<p>But it doesn't seem to be following the pattern in intro Chinese grammar texts.</p>
<p>How should I be thinking about this?</p>

<grammar>
Is tree pluralized in Chinese?
# Is tree pluralized in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-01-26)

I am learning very basic Chinese as part of a software project. I randomly chose the word "tree" as my go-to noun. However, it appears tree is pluralized in Chinese, even though it is said Chinese doesn't use plurals.
树木 (shùmù) trees
树 (shù) tree

It seems that 木 mù means wood. I don't understand what is happening here.
I thought that if I were to pluralize tree, I would say some equivalent of "many tree" or "tree many" or something, but I don't see that when searching around.
What am I missing?
I am trying to translate these sentences:

I see trees
I see the trees
I see the big red trees
I see many trees
I see both trees
I ... trees

But it doesn't seem to be following the pattern in intro Chinese grammar texts.
How should I be thinking about this?

**Tags:** grammar

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-01-26. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

There is no plural form for the non-human Chinese nouns. 树 can be singular or plural. 树木 is a general term for trees (any tree; all trees)

To indicate tree in the plural form, you need to add plural counting words like 'two, few, some', or a plural pronoun like 'these, those'

一棵樹 - a tree

那棵樹 - that tree

幾棵樹 - a few trees

那些樹 - those trees

樹木 is a general term for trees. It refers to all trees in general. e.g. 樹木的歷史大概有 4.2億年 - The history of trees is about 420 million years

Similarly:

一隻野獸 - a wild animal

那隻野獸 - that animal

那些野獸 - those animals

幾隻野獸 - a few wild animals

野獸 - wild animals in general

* I see trees - 我看到樹/ 我看到樹木
* I see the trees - 我看到那些樹 / 我看到那些樹木
* I see the big red trees - 我看到那些大紅樹
* I see many trees - 我看見很多樹/ 我看見很多樹木
* I see both trees - 兩棵樹我都看到了

There is no plural form for the non-human Chinese nouns, but for a human noun, you can add 們, as in 人們，醫生們，士兵們 (people, doctors, soldiers)


---

