In English, when we are talking about someone in the third person, but we don't want to mention gender( or if we don't know the gender) we will use the pronoun "they", even if we are talking about one person.

Is it the same in Chinese? Do you use 他们 in that situation?

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Highly-rated answerer

uisce_earraigh

英语 (英国)
英语 (美国) 半母语者

@AuntieLuga I see, so in that case you would have to make a point of saying that you don't know the gender, because 他 looks like you mean male. Is this correct?

FutureGong

中文 (简体) 半母语者
中文 (繁体，台湾) 半母语者

No, 他们would make it sound there’s more than two people with at least one being male.

Just use “他”, or “TA” if you dislike the bias on sex in it(not quite formal though.

Other options could be “这个人”, “那个人”, “该…(eg:该生，该律师) “ and stuff depending on the context

Highly-rated answerer

uisce_earraigh

英语 (英国)
英语 (美国) 半母语者

@FutureGong Oh, I see, thank you!

FutureGong

中文 (简体) 半母语者
中文 (繁体，台湾) 半母语者

@uisce_earraigh No problemo. And you can point out what you refer to is male or not, but normally you don’t have to.

Highly-rated answerer

uisce_earraigh

英语 (英国)
英语 (美国) 半母语者

@FutureGong Hi, this might sound like a silly question, but I have never seen 该 used that way, e.g. 该生，该律师 (I think it means "the" in that situation?)

My question is, is it mainly used like the way you used it, or can I say something like,
“该问题是我不知道答案。” = "The problem is I don't know the answer." ?