Questions & Answers about zhèxiē èrshǒu wánjù hěn gānjìng.
What does 这些 mean, and why is it at the beginning?
这些 means these. It points to things that are near the speaker, just like English these.
It comes first because Chinese usually puts a demonstrative word before the noun it describes:
- 这些玩具 = these toys
- 那些玩具 = those toys
So in this sentence, 这些二手玩具 means these second-hand toys.
Why is there no measure word after 这些?
In Mandarin, 这 by itself usually needs a measure word before a noun:
- 这个玩具 = this toy
- 这几个玩具 = these few toys
But 这些 already includes 些, which gives a plural meaning like some / these, so you do not add another measure word after it. That is why 这些玩具 is correct, not 这些个玩具 in standard neutral speech.
What does 二手 mean exactly?
二手 means second-hand or used. It is the normal word for something that has had a previous owner.
Literally, the characters mean two-hand, but you should learn it as a fixed expression meaning second-hand:
- 二手车 = used car
- 二手书 = used book
- 二手玩具 = second-hand toy / used toy