The word “it” is usually implied by the verb - Cchatty

The word “it” is usually implied by the verb

Unlike in English, the word “it” is rarely used in Chinese but is implied by the verb:

I saw it.
Wǒ kànjiàn le.
我看见了。

I bought it.
Wǒ mǎi le.
我买了。

You cannot use “it,” tā 它, to refer to the date or time:

It’s Friday (today).
✔ CC: Jīntiān shì xīngqīwǔ.
今天是星期五。
(NOTE: in Chinese, the word “today” is needed.)

✖ BC: Tā shì xīngqīwǔ jīntiān.
它是星期五今天。
It’s the first of June (today).

✔ CC: Jīntiān shì liùyùe yíhào.
今天是六月一号。

✖ BC: Tā shì liùyùe yíhào jīntiān.
它是六月一号今天。

You cannot use tā 它 to refer to the weather: It’s raining.

✔ CC: Xiàyǔ le.
下雨了。

✖ BC: Tā xiàyǔ.
它下雨。
Literally: It is raining.

You cannot use tā 它 in sentences like “It’s mine” or “It’s his.” Instead, use “this” zhè 这 or “that” nà 那：

It’s mine.
Zhè (nà) shì wǒde.
这 (那)是我的。

You cannot use tā 它 when referring to an abstract thing or event:

It’s a good idea.
Nà shì yíge hǎo zhǔyi.
那是一个好主意。

It doesn’t matter.
Méiyǒu guānxi.
没有关系。

It’s very hard to talk with him.
Hěn nán gēn tā duìhuà.
很难跟他对话。

This is equally true when “it” is used as a direct object to refer to abstract things:

Maybe he has been reformed, but I doubt it.
Yěxǔ tā gǎiguò zìxīn le, dànshi wǒ hěn huáiyí.
也许他改过自新了，但是我很怀疑。

You cannot use tā 它 when stating who someone is, in sentences like “It’s me” or “It’s Mary”:

It’s me.
✔ CC: Shì wǒ.
是我。
✖ BC: Tā shì wǒ.
它是我。

You cannot use tā 它 when “it” is used in English to refer to human beings, like a child:

This is a rite of passage that every child has to go through as it grows up.
Zhè shì měi yíge háizi zài chéngzhǎng guòchéng zhōng bìxū jīngguò de.
这是每一个孩子在成长过程中必须经过的。

If you use “it” as a direct object referring to a place, you cannot use tā 它. Instead, use zhèlǐ 这里 or nàlǐ 那里：

I like it here.
Wǒ xǐhuān zhèlǐ.
我喜欢这里。

There are only two cases where “it” in English can be translated as tā 它 in Chinese:

(a) Tā 它 can be used to refer to animals

There is a cat over there. It has black fur.
Nàbiān yǒu yìzhī māo. Tā yǒu hēisède máo.
那边有一只猫。它有黑色的毛。

(b) Tā 它 can be used for direct objects with the bǎ 把 pattern

“Where is my book?” “I put it on the table.”
“Wǒde shū zai nǎlǐ?” “Wǒ bǎ tā fàngzài zhuōzi shàng le.”
“我的书在哪里?” “我把它放在桌子上了。”

When the bǎ 把 pattern is not used, however, you cannot use tā 它 to refer to the direct object:

a room without furniture in it
yíge méiyǒu jiāju de fángjiān
一个没有家具的房间