那些
nǎxiē · HSK 1
those
那 (that) + 些 (some/few) = those
那 means that/those and 些 is a measure word for an indefinite small amount. Together 那些 (nǎxiē) literally reads as that-some, marking a plural group of distant or previously mentioned things.
那 — 邑 radical 阝(right) + 冄 phonetic
Originally referred to a place name in ancient China, with the right-side 阝 (city/region radical) indicating a settlement and 冄 providing the sound. Over time it lost its geographic meaning and was borrowed as a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'that' or 'those'.
些 — 此 (this) + 二 (two)
些 combines 此 'this' with 二 'two', originally suggesting 'this and that few' — a small, indefinite quantity. It has long functioned as a measure word for an unspecified small amount, equivalent to 'some' or 'a few' in English. The modern meaning preserves this ancient sense of vague plurality.