<p>Pronouns are often omitted in Chinese when the context is clear.</p>

<p><em>I’m so tired</em> is often just said as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>好累啊</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>Are you okay?</em> can be rendered as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>还好吗？</p>
</blockquote>

<p>and so on and so forth.</p>

<p>In the examples you gave the place would become the main subject and not <em>某人</em> (some person) or <em>某某</em> (someone).</p>

<p>Here are some rough ideas of how you would express these ideas in Chinese</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"One can always be sure to find tasty tea in that shop."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>那家店的茶很好喝 (that shops tea is tasty)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"One should not spit on the sidewalk."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>人行道不是吐痰的地方 (the sidewalk is not for spitting)</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"You/one are allowed to smoke in the shop."</p>
</blockquote>

<p>店内严禁吸烟 (smoking is forbidden in the shop)</p>

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2017-12-25T04:10:45.717Z
2017-12-25T04:55:55.823Z
2017-12-25T04:55:55.823Z
Mou某
<p>You would probably refer to One as <code>人们</code>. In chinese, it is most polite to refer to people as more than one. For example, instead of using 你, you would use 您. </p>

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2017-12-25T17:26:00.610Z
2017-12-25T17:26:00.610Z
Sweet_Cherry
<p>"You can" can be directly translated into "你能"/"你可以".</p>

<p>"One can" can be translated into "(大家/每个人/谁/我们) 都 (可以/能)."</p>

<p>Translate "you" to "你" is a good choice in most cases. But for "one", "每个人" is a generally good choice.  If something can be taken for granted or is obviously easy/trivial, you can use "谁".   Use "大家/我们" if you want to emphasize everybody including yourself.</p>

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2017-12-27T06:07:01.080Z
2017-12-27T06:07:01.080Z
Aria Ax
<blockquote>
<p>Which personal pronouns can I use in an instruction in Chinese to replace the English &quot;one&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>user3306356's answer did not answer this question. Yes, the subject (or it's pronouns) can be omitted if the meaning is clear.</p>
<p>But in Chinese grammar, the[ one can + main clause] structure does exist, it is [你可以 + main clause]</p>
<p>你 is not restricted to mean 'you' only, it can be a general pronoun that mean 'anyone'-- And it is usually omitted just as user3306356's answer suggested.</p>
<p>Example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>in '<strong>你</strong>可以在这里抽烟' (<strong>you</strong>/<strong>one</strong> can smoke here)</p>
<p><strong>你</strong> here refers to <strong>you</strong> and <strong>everyone else</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>One more example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>在这家工厂，<strong>你</strong>只有25分钟的午餐时间 (In this factory, <strong>you</strong>/<strong>one</strong> only have 25 minutes lunch time)</p>
<p><strong>你</strong> here refers to <strong>you</strong> and <strong>everyone else</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>'你可以在这里抽烟' can be rephrase to '这里可以抽烟' omit '你' and '在' because we know who we are speaking to and 这里 strongly implies 在这里</p>
<p>'在这家工厂，你只有25分钟的午餐时间' can be rephrase to '这工厂只有25分钟午餐时间' (We know who only get 25 minutes)</p>
<p>I said it many times, &quot;it is considered good form to omit everything you can omit, as long as the meaning is clear.&quot;</p>

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2017-12-25T07:45:37.897Z
Man, I haven't put any answer yet. lol
dan
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2017-12-25T07:52:50.333Z
But I kind of agree with you. 'One' can be interpreted as 我们 or 你 based on the context. And sometimes it can be elided.
dan
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2017-12-25T08:04:15.980Z
Sorry, I meant user3306356's answer, I would edit my answer
Tang Ho
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2017-12-25T08:39:22.130Z
My argument is that *One*, as used in English, is basically never translated into Chinese. If it were it would sound very English.
Mou某
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2017-12-26T01:58:30.513Z
@user3306356, I will not say it's 'never'. Sometimes, it can be as 我们 or 你 based on the context. "One should not spit on the sidewalk" can be 我们不应该在人行道上吐痰。
dan
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2017-12-26T02:42:47.853Z
So again, back to my point: this is more like English usage of *you* -or- *we* rather than *one*. I'm not trying to be pedantic, although it's getting there, but that's the point of these questions - I suppose.
Mou某
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2017-12-25T07:15:33.283Z
2018-01-04T01:07:20.900Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>Which personal pronouns can I use in an instruction in Chinese to replace the English "one" or "you" when used as meaning "you, we or anyone else":</p>

<p><strong>Examples in English:</strong></p>

<p>"One can always be sure to find tasty tea in that shop."</p>

<p>"One should not spit on the sidewalk."</p>

<p>"You/one are allowed to smoke in the shop."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-25T08:52:22.653Z
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/one.htm   In the United States, one sometimes has a literary or highfalutin feel to it; the more it is used, the more pretentious it feels. In British English, the use of the impersonal or generic one is more commonplace and has no such stigma. In the U.S., one is often replaced by you.
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-26T02:43:51.413Z
Or *the royal we*.
Mou某
<word-choice><word-requests><pronouns>
How do I write "One can ..." / "You can ..." (general personal pronoun) in Chinese?
# How do I write "One can ..." / "You can ..." (general personal pronoun) in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-25)

Which personal pronouns can I use in an instruction in Chinese to replace the English "one" or "you" when used as meaning "you, we or anyone else":

**Examples in English:**

"One can always be sure to find tasty tea in that shop."

"One should not spit on the sidewalk."

"You/one are allowed to smoke in the shop."

**Tags:** word-choice, word-requests, pronouns

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/one.htm   In the United States, one sometimes has a literary or highfalutin feel to it; the more it is used, the more pretentious it feels. In British English, the use of the impersonal or generic one is more commonplace and has no such stigma. In the U.S., one is often replaced by you.  
> **username_2**: Or *the royal we*.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-12-25. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

> Which personal pronouns can I use in an instruction in Chinese to replace the English "one"

user3306356's answer did not answer this question. Yes, the subject (or it's pronouns) can be omitted if the meaning is clear.

But in Chinese grammar, the[ one can + main clause] structure does exist, it is [你可以 + main clause]

你 is not restricted to mean 'you' only, it can be a general pronoun that mean 'anyone'-- And it is usually omitted just as user3306356's answer suggested.

Example:

> in '**你**可以在这里抽烟' (**you**/**one** can smoke here)
>
> **你** here refers to **you** and **everyone else**

One more example:

> 在这家工厂，**你**只有25分钟的午餐时间 (In this factory, **you**/**one** only have 25 minutes lunch time)
>
> **你** here refers to **you** and **everyone else**

'你可以在这里抽烟' can be rephrase to '这里可以抽烟' omit '你' and '在' because we know who we are speaking to and 这里 strongly implies 在这里

'在这家工厂，你只有25分钟的午餐时间' can be rephrase to '这工厂只有25分钟午餐时间' (We know who only get 25 minutes)

I said it many times, "it is considered good form to omit everything you can omit, as long as the meaning is clear."

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: Man, I haven't put any answer yet. lol  
> **username_6**: But I kind of agree with you. 'One' can be interpreted as 我们 or 你 based on the context. And sometimes it can be elided.  
> **username_5**: Sorry, I meant user3306356's answer, I would edit my answer  
> **username_2**: My argument is that *One*, as used in English, is basically never translated into Chinese. If it were it would sound very English.  
> **username_6**: @user3306356, I will not say it's 'never'. Sometimes, it can be as 我们 or 你 based on the context. "One should not spit on the sidewalk" can be 我们不应该在人行道上吐痰。  
> **username_2**: So again, back to my point: this is more like English usage of *you* -or- *we* rather than *one*. I'm not trying to be pedantic, although it's getting there, but that's the point of these questions - I suppose.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-12-25. Score: 4

Pronouns are often omitted in Chinese when the context is clear.

*I’m so tired* is often just said as:

> 好累啊

*Are you okay?* can be rendered as:

> 还好吗？

and so on and so forth.

In the examples you gave the place would become the main subject and not *某人* (some person) or *某某* (someone).

Here are some rough ideas of how you would express these ideas in Chinese

> "One can always be sure to find tasty tea in that shop."

那家店的茶很好喝 (that shops tea is tasty)

> "One should not spit on the sidewalk."

人行道不是吐痰的地方 (the sidewalk is not for spitting)

> "You/one are allowed to smoke in the shop."

店内严禁吸烟 (smoking is forbidden in the shop)


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-12-25. Score: 2

You would probably refer to One as `人们`. In chinese, it is most polite to refer to people as more than one. For example, instead of using 你, you would use 您.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-12-27. Score: 1

"You can" can be directly translated into "你能"/"你可以".

"One can" can be translated into "(大家/每个人/谁/我们) 都 (可以/能)."

Translate "you" to "你" is a good choice in most cases. But for "one", "每个人" is a generally good choice. If something can be taken for granted or is obviously easy/trivial, you can use "谁". Use "大家/我们" if you want to emphasize everybody including yourself.


---

