zhè shì róushùnjì.

to be

Breakdown of zhè shì róushùnjì.

• 这zhè: this
• 柔顺剂róushùnjì: fabric softener

Questions & Answers about zhè shì róushùnjì.

Why is the sentence order 这 是 柔顺剂?

This follows the very common Mandarin pattern:

subject + 是 + noun

So here:

• 这 = this
• 是 = links this with what it is
• 柔顺剂 = the thing being identified

It works a lot like This is X in English.

---

What does 这 mean here, and why is it enough by itself?

这 means this.

In this sentence, 这 is being used as a pronoun, like this in English. That is why it can stand alone:

• 这是柔顺剂。 = This is fabric softener.

If you want to say this one or this bottle, you might use a longer form such as:

• 这个 = this one / this
• 这瓶 = this bottle

But 这 by itself is completely natural when you are pointing something out.

---

Why isn’t there a measure word after 这?