<p>I'm not a native speaker, but I think they can be used the same in most cases but in some cases are slightly different.</p>

<p>Same:</p>

<p>Did Tom's brother throw the ball?</p>

<p>不，是别人丢的</p>

<p>不，是别的人丢的</p>

<p>Not same:</p>

<p>Is Tom's brother the same guy who threw the ball?</p>

<p>不，Tom 的哥哥是别的人 (I don't think 别人 would work as well here)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-29T22:35:27.270Z
some maybe 别人 implies an _unknown_ other person?
jsj
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-02-29T21:05:39.003Z
2012-02-29T21:05:39.003Z
Dan
<p>There are, in fact, two different words written 别人. </p>

<p>The first is pronounced "biérén" and is a noun. It means "other person (other people)" (另外的人). An example of its use is a sentence like</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>屋子里只有我和他，没有别人。 Only he and I are in the room, no one else.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The second is pronounced "biéren" (note the neutral tone on the second syllable) and is a personal pronoun. It is used to refer to people other than oneself or the person in question. Dan provides a good example (though I would have used 扔 instead of 丢 -- a native speaker will have to weigh in here); in "是别人丢的", 别人 is a pronoun.</p>

<p>As far as I know, 别的人 can be used in place of 别人 in both cases. Nevertheless, I think 别人 is more common in general, and for some reason I tend to think that 别的人 is more naturally a noun than it is a pronoun.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-01T17:27:06.343Z
2012-03-01T17:27:06.343Z
Alf
<p>What is there difference between these two expressions, or are they synonmyous?</p>

<meaning><synonyms><meaning-in-context>
What is the difference between 别人 and 别的人?
# What is the difference between 别人 and 别的人?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-02-29)

What is there difference between these two expressions, or are they synonmyous?

**Tags:** meaning, synonyms, meaning-in-context


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2012-03-01. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

There are, in fact, two different words written 别人.

The first is pronounced "biérén" and is a noun. It means "other person (other people)" (另外的人). An example of its use is a sentence like

> 屋子里只有我和他，没有别人。 Only he and I are in the room, no one else.

The second is pronounced "biéren" (note the neutral tone on the second syllable) and is a personal pronoun. It is used to refer to people other than oneself or the person in question. Dan provides a good example (though I would have used 扔 instead of 丢 -- a native speaker will have to weigh in here); in "是别人丢的", 别人 is a pronoun.

As far as I know, 别的人 can be used in place of 别人 in both cases. Nevertheless, I think 别人 is more common in general, and for some reason I tend to think that 别的人 is more naturally a noun than it is a pronoun.


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### Answer by username_1 on 2012-02-29. Score: 1

I'm not a native speaker, but I think they can be used the same in most cases but in some cases are slightly different.

Same:

Did Tom's brother throw the ball?

不，是别人丢的

不，是别的人丢的

Not same:

Is Tom's brother the same guy who threw the ball?

不，Tom 的哥哥是别的人 (I don't think 别人 would work as well here)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: some maybe 别人 implies an _unknown_ other person?  

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