These is a demonstrative pronoun used to refer to multiple things or people that are near the speaker in space or time. It combines the demonstrative character 这 (zhè, meaning 'this') with the plural marker 些 (xiē, meaning 'some' or 'a few'), resulting in a plural form equivalent to English 'these'. Unlike English, Chinese doesn’t change word forms for number — 这些 always indicates plurality and cannot be used for singular nouns.

This word typically appears before a noun (e.g., 这些书 'these books') but can also stand alone as a subject or object when context makes the referent clear (e.g., 这些很好。'These are good.'). It’s neutral in register — appropriate in both spoken and written contexts — and commonly used in everyday conversation, instructions, comparisons, and classroom settings.