和 (hé) — and; with

和 (hé)

和 is a conjunction meaning "and" or "with." It links nouns, pronouns, and noun phrases together.

Meanings

1. [conjunction] And (connecting two nouns or noun phrases).
2. [preposition] With; together with (indicating accompaniment or relationship).

Example Sentences

我和你一起去。 Wǒ hé nǐ yīqǐ qù. I will go together with you.

桌子上有书和笔。 Zhuōzi shàng yǒu shū hé bǐ. There are books and pens on the table.

他和我是朋友。 Tā hé wǒ shì péngyou. He and I are friends.

你和你的家人都好吗？ Nǐ hé nǐ de jiārén dōu hǎo ma? Are you and your family all doing well?

Usage Notes

和 connects nouns and noun phrases only. It does not connect verb phrases or sentences the way "and" does in English. To connect two actions or clauses, use connectors like 然后 (ránhòu, then) or simply juxtapose the clauses. For example, you cannot say 我吃饭和他喝茶 — instead say 我吃饭，他喝茶. Also note that in sentences with 都 (all/both), 和 connects the subjects: 我和他都是学生 (Both he and I are students).

Collocations or Common Phrases

Memory Hook

和 contains the mouth radical (口) on the right — two mouths talking to each other, side by side together.