Chinese Grammar Wiki (Intermediate)

Question 1

Adjective + 得不得了

adj. complement

Answer 1

得不得了 (de bùdéliǎo) can be used as a complement to suggest a situation is serious, or is likely to result in perhaps terrible consequences. It can be used in a positive sense, like in English when we say “I’m terribly happy”.

Question 2

Adjective + 得 很

adj. complement

Answer 2

The complement 得很 (dehěn) is used after adjectives to add intensity. It is similar to adding 很 before the adjective，the main difference being that adjective + 得很 is more informal, and adds more emphasis than just 很 + adjective.

Question 3

Adjective/Verb + 什么 + (Adjective/Verb)

adj/verb complement

Answer 3

Adding 什么 to the end of an adjective (or less frequently a verb) can be used to form a rhetorical question. In the phrase 你急什么？”what are you worried about?”, the speaker is implying that there is no need to be worried.
Like in English, “what are you worried about” can be a rhetorical question, and can also be actually inquiring about what exactly the listener is worried about. The same is true in Chinese, so context and tone of voice is important in understanding what the speaker means.
If the adjective or verb is repeated after the 什么 it acts to give further emphasis. It almost has a tone of incredulity, a bit like “what on earth are you worried/anxious about?”. Generally only single character adjectives can be used in this way.

Question 4

Adjective + 了（一）点儿

adj. complement

Answer 4

了一点儿(le yīdiǎnr), can be added after an adjective to mean “a little bit too”. It is softer in tone than using 太, and so is often used when the speaker doesn’t want to insult the listener by speaking too directly.

Question 5

Subject + 有的是 + Noun

Answer 5

“有的是” indicates that the amount or quantity of something is very large, and it can sometimes indicate a mood of exaggeration.

Question 6

原来 + [recently discovered information]

adv

Answer 6

Here 原来 means “all along”

Question 7

原来 + Noun/Adjective/[verb phrase]

adv

Answer 7

Here 原来 means “originally” or “former”

Question 8

甚至 + focus of emphasis / 甚至 + supplementary thought

adv

Answer 8

甚至 (shènzhì) is similar to “even” in English and is used for emphasis.

Question 9

Subject + 干脆 + Verb

adv

Answer 9

干脆 is an adverb meaning “you might as well” or “just”, and is normally used by the speaker to propose a straightforward course of action within a difficult situation.