Grammar set - 11 Flashcards
Degree complement
=》While most complements follow verbs, degree complements very often follow adjectives. They intensify or in some other way modify the degree of expression of the adjective (or verb).
When to use it
=》Until now, you may have probably been getting by just fine modifying your verbs with adverbs. You can use 非常 to say “very” and all that. Great. But once you learn to use degree complements, a whole new layer of expressiveness is infused into your language. You will be able to express degree of verbs and adjectives with much more precision and color. But how do you know when to use the degree complement? Here are the main reasons to use it:
- To express how a verb happened or assess its quality
- To express to what extent (or degree) an adjective is true
》For the first case, the most typical examples would be describing how well an action is done, or in asking how well an action is done, which are sometimes also classified as descriptive complements and state complements.
1）
你们 觉得 我 画 得 怎么样 ？The complement is used to ask “how well I draw.”Nǐmen juéde wǒ huà de zěnmeyàng?
我们 觉得 你 画 得 很 好 。The complement tells us that “I draw very well.”Wǒmen juéde nǐ huà de hěn hǎo.
2）
他 英语 说 得 怎么样 ？ The complement is used to ask “how well he speaks English.”Tā de Yīngyǔ shuō de zěnmeyàng?
他 英语 说 得 一般 。 The complement tells us that “His English is average.”Tā de Yīngyǔ shuō de yībān.
Basic Pattern
=》Instead of using the good old standby adverbs 很 and 非常, we can use all kinds of degree complements to spice up our adjective.
Structure = Verb + 得 + [Degree Complement]
Examples
你 做 得 不错 。Nǐ zuò de bùcuò.You’re doing a great job.
孩子们 学 得 得 挺 快 的 。Háizi men xué de de tǐng kuài de.The kids are learning fast.
我 吃 得 太 饱了 。Wǒ chī de tài bǎo le.I’m stuffed.
你们 谈 得 顺利 吗 ？Nǐmen tán de shùnlì ma?Did your conversation go well?
她 长 得 还可以 。Tā zhǎng de hái kěyǐ.She is all right looking.
Descriptive and State Complements
=》Not every aspect of Chinese grammar is agreed upon in the world of academia, and this is the case with degree complements, descriptive complements, and state complements. Some scholars hold that the three are distinct, while others posit they’re all just types of degree complements. Still others maintain that degree complements are one, and descriptive complements and state complements are also one.
Here’s how a professor of Chinese at Yale puts it[1]:
Generally speaking, the complement of degree is a grammatical unit that describes the main verb of the sentence. Specifically, the complement of degree is an assessment of an action or a description of the consequential state of an action. It may also be a description of the degree of a state. ##
》Okayyy, so it sounds like descriptions and states are all degree complements? That's one of the views on the issue. 》None of these classifications truly matters though: the key is understanding them and using complements correctly to express yourself in Chinese. (This is already difficult without adding in unnecessary academic distinctions!)
Degree Complements with Objects
=》Both adding a complement to a verb with an object and adding an objective to a verb with a complement complicate a sentence in Mandarin, because a single verb cannot be followed by both an object and a complement. In order to get all three pieces of information into a grammatically correct Chinese sentence, there are two approaches to take:
Approach #1: Repeat the Verb
✓ - 你 说 中文 说 得 很 好 。Nǐ shuō Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.You speak Chinese well. (lit. You speak Chinese speak it well.)
》Make sure that the object comes after the first instance of the verb, and the complement after the second.
Approach #2: Move the Object to the Front
✓ - 你 的 中文 说 得 很 好 。Nǐ de Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo.You speak Chinese well. (lit. You Chinese speak well.)
》Just to be completely clear, the following sentences are both incorrect:
X - 你 说 中文 很 好 。Nǐ shuō Zhōngwén hěn hǎo.
X - 你 说 中文 得 很 好 。Nǐ shuō Zhōngwén de hěn hǎo.
A few more examples:
1）
你 做 菜 做 得 很 好 。Nǐ zuò cài zuò de hěn hǎo.You cook very well.
你 的 菜 做 得 很 好 。Nǐ de cài zuò de hěn hǎo.You cook very well.
2）
你 写 字 写 得 很 漂亮 。Nǐ xiě zì xiě de hěn piàoliang.You handwriting is beautiful.
你 的 字 写 得 很 漂亮 。Nǐ de zì xiě de hěn piàoliang.You handwriting is beautiful.
Degree Complements Following Adjectives
Common Patterns
》There are three especially common degree complements which can follow adjectives immediately and are not preceded by a 得:
- 极了 (like 好), indicating an extremely high degree.
- 死了 usually comes after adjectives with negative connotations (like 忙, 累, 臭, 难看), and are commonly used to exaggerate the degree of how bad something is. In recent years, however, 死了 also comes after adjectives with positive connotations.
3. Figuratively, 坏了 is a bit like the complement 死了, and can be used to mean “extremely” in either a positive or a negative sense.
Examples
1）
味道 好 极了 。Wèidào hǎo jí le.The taste is amazing.
这里 的 天气 舒服 极了 。Zhèlǐ de tiānqì shūfu jíle.The weather here is so comfortable.
2）
他 的 袜子 臭 死了 。Tā de wàzi chòu sǐ le.His socks totally reek.
小狗 可爱 死了 。Xiǎogǒu kě’ài sǐ le.Her baby is so adorable!
3）
老师 说 今天 没有 作业 ，我们 都 高兴 坏了 。Lǎoshī shuō jīntiān méiyǒu zuòyè, wǒmen dōu gāoxìng huài le.The teacher said there’s no homework for today, which made the students extremely happy.
找 不 到 孩子 ，妈妈急 坏了 。Zhǎo bu dào háizi, māma jí huài le.Having not found the child, the mother was extremely anxious.
》Note that 死 can also act as a result complement. In the examples above, however, it merely indicates an extreme degree (no actual deaths involved!).
Compared with Potential Complements
=》Some sentences that contain adjective complements may be indistinguishable as degree or potential complements when they are taken out of context. The following table explains different meanings that one complement phrase could have as either a degree or potential.
Examples of complement phrases that can serve as both degree and potential complements
Example - Degree Complement Translation - Potential Complement Translation
她说得很清楚 “She speaks very clearly.” “She is able to speak very clearly.”
他做得非常快 “He does it very fast.” “He is able to do it very fast.”
他们唱得很好 “They sing very well.” “They are able to sing very well.”
》Degree complements commonly are directly preceded by an adverb (她说得很清楚) distinguishing them from potential complements which are never directly preceded by an adverb.
Direction complement
=》A direction complement is a complement that’s to describe the direction of the action of a verb. After the verb which takes the direction complement already has some inherent movement implied, and then adding a direction complement makes clearer where exactly that action is going.
Direction complement “-qilai”
=》起来 (qǐlái) comes up very frequently in Chinese and can be used both literally and figuratively. This is a little like the usage of “up” in English which can be used literally, as in “stand up,” or figuratively, as in “add up.” When used figuratively, 起来 often serves as a direction complement.
Basic Meaning
% Structure = Verb + 起来
》起来 can be used to express an upward movement like "up," as in the English examples of "stand up" or "pick up."
Examples
请 大家 站 起来 。Qǐng dàjiā zhàn qǐlái.Everyone, please stand up.
捡 起来。Jiǎn qǐlái.Pick it up (from the floor).
头 抬 起来 。Tóu tái qǐlái.Raise your head.
别动 ！把 手 举 起来 。Bié dòng! Bǎ shǒu jǔ qǐlái.Don’t move! Put your hands up.
Used for Initiation of an Action
》起来 can also be used to show that an action or state has started and is ongoing:
% Structure = Verb / Adj.+ 起来 +了
Examples
小鸟 飞 起来 了 。Xiǎoniǎo fēi qǐláile.The birds starts flying.
宝宝 哭 起来 了 。Bǎobao kū qǐlái le.The baby started crying.
两 个 大妈 吵 起来 了 。Liǎng gè dàmā chǎo qǐlái le.Two middle-aged ladies started arguing.
天气 热 起来 了 。Tiānqì rè qǐlái le.It’s getting hot.
结婚 以后 ，她 胖 起来 了 。Jiéhūn yǐhòu, tā pàng qǐlái le.She is getting fat after she gets married.
爷爷 的 身体 好 起来 了 。Yéye de shēntǐ hǎo qǐlái le.Grandpa’s health is getting better.
》When used like this, 起来 is only used with spontaneous actions, like 唱 (chàng), 跳 (tiào), 聊 (liáo), or with states like 热 (rè), 冷 (lěng), or 好 (hǎo) etc. It cannot be used with planned actions.
X - 我们 做饭 起来 吧。Wǒmen zuòfàn qǐlái ba.
✓ - 我们 开始 做饭 吧 。Wǒmen kāishǐ zuòfàn ba.Let’s start cooking.
》It can also used as a way to encourage people to start doing something immediately:
大家 唱 起来 ，跳 起来 ! Dàjiā chàng qǐlái, tiào qǐlái !Let’s sing and dance!
Used for an Initial Judgement
》起来 can also be used to express a preliminary judgement. 起来 is used here to express that the speaker has only just initiated an action, and based on that, has made a quick judgement. It is used in the following structure:
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + 起来 + Adv. + Adj.
》This expresses that the subject seems adjective when the action of the verb is performed. This structure is frequently used with perception verbs such as 看, 听, 闻, 尝 etc.
Examples
他 看起来 很 友好 。Tā kàn qǐlái hěn yǒuhǎo.He looks very friendly.
你 的 头发 闻起来 很 香 。Nǐ de tóufa wén qǐlái hěn xiāng.Your hair smells good.
这 件 事情 听起来 有点 复杂 。Zhè jiàn shìqing tīng qǐlái yǒudiǎn fùzá.This matter sounds a little bit complex.
这些 菜 尝起来 都 不错 。Zhèxiē cài cháng qǐlái dōu bùcuò.These food taste all good.
你 的 床 摸起来 很 舒服 。Nǐ de chuáng mō qǐlái hěn shūfu.Your bed feels very comfortable.
Potential complement
=》Verbs can take potential complements that indicate whether or not the action is actually possible. They are useful in Chinese to say if an action can take place.
Affirmative Form
=》Structurally, potential complements are closely related to both result complements and direction complements, so it helps to be familiar with those first. The most important and commonly used potential complements are derived from other complements such as the following:
Verb + 见 e.g. 看见, 听见 (result complements) Verb + 懂 e.g. 看懂, 听懂 (result complements) Verb + 完 e.g. 吃完, 做完, 用完, 花完 (result complements) Verb + Adj. e.g. 看清楚, 听明白, 洗干净 (result complements) Verb + 到 e.g. 找到, 买到, 收到 (result complements) Verb + Direction e.g. 上来, 下去, 进去, 起来, 走过去, 爬上去 (direction complements) 》Potential complements can be positive or negative. What this means is fairly intuitive - potential complements can be used to express that something can happen or that it can't.
%Structure = Subj. + Verb + 得 + Complement
Examples
你 没 戴 眼镜 ，看 得 清楚 吗 ？Nǐ méi dài yǎnjìng, kàn de qīngchu ma?You didn't wear glasses. Can you see things clearly? 他 这么 粗心 ，做 得 好 吗 ？Tā zhème cūxīn, zuò de hǎo ma?He'a so careless. Can he do it well? 你 这么 聪明 ，肯定 学 得 会 。Nǐ zhème cōngming, kěndìng xué de huì.You're so smart. You can definitely learn this. 早上 五点 出发 ，孩子们 起 得 来 吗 ？Zǎoshang wǔdiǎn chūfā, háizi men qǐ de lái ma? We're leaving at five a.m.. Will the kids be able to get up? 这么 高 的 山 ，你 爬 得 上去 吗 ？Zhème gāo de shān, nǐ pá de shàngqù ma? The mountain is so high. Can you make it to the top?
Negative Form
Structure
Subj. + Verb + 不 + Complement
Examples
你 的 声音 太 小 了 ，我们 听 不 见 。Nǐ de shēngyīn tài xiǎo le, wǒmen tīng bu jiàn.Your voice is too soft. We can’t hear you.
这里 太 暗 了 ，我 看 不 清楚 。Zhèlǐ tài àn le, wǒ kàn bu qīngchu.It’s too dim here. I can’t see clearly.
这个 自行车 太 破 了 ，谁 都 修 不 好 。Zhège zìxíngchē tài pò le, shéi dōu xiū bu hǎo .This bike is so broken. Nobody can fix it.
她 的 腿 受伤 了 ，站 不 起来 了 。Tā de tuǐ shòushāng le, zhàn bu qǐlái le.Her leg is injured. She can’t stand.
门 太 小 了 ，我 开 不 进去 。Mén tài xiǎo le, wǒ kāi bu jìnqù.The door is too small. I can’t drive inside.
Potential Complement with Objects
》Objects in sentences with potential complements can occur either after the complement or at the beginning of a sentence.
A few examples:
你 听 得 懂 上海话 吗 ？Nǐ tīng de dǒng Shànghǎi-huà ma?Can you understand Shanghai dialect?
她 这么 小 ，看 得 懂 这 本 书 吗 ？Tā zhème xiǎo, kàn de dǒng zhè běn shū ma?She’s so young. Can she really understand this book?
我怕 我 做 不 好 这份 工作 。Wǒ pà wǒ zuò bu hǎo zhè fèn gōngzuò.I’m afraid that I can’t do this job well.
这 种 手机 现在 买 不 到 了 。Zhè zhǒng shǒujī xiànzài mǎi bu dào le.You can’t buyThis type of cell phone now.
这本书 我 一个星期 肯定 看 得 完 。Zhè běn shū wǒ yī gè xīngiqī kěndìng kàn de wán.I can definitely finish reading this book within one week.
Advanced Potential Complements
》There are actually quite a few potential complements out there, and this article touches on some of the simplest and most common ones. Be aware that there are many more, but they all follow the same basic pattern outlined here. You can also see our article on advanced potential complements.
Result complement “xiaqu”
=》下去 (xiàqù) can be used as a result complement to talk about things continuing or carrying on. Think of it as a figurative way of “keeping the ball rolling” (downhill).
Affirmative Form
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + 下去
Examples
说 下去 。Shuō xiàqù.Keep talking.
这样做 很 有 意义 ，你 应该 做 下去 。Zhèyàng zuò hěn yǒu yìyì, nǐ yīnggāi zuò xiàqù.It’s very meaningful to do this. You should keep doing it.
他 走 了 ，因为 他 没脸 待 下去 了 。Tā zǒu le, yīnwèi tā méiliǎn dāi xiàqù le.He left because he didn’t have a face to keep staying.
再 玩 下去 你 就 死定 了 。Zài wán xiàqù nǐ jiù sǐ dìng le.You’ll be dead if you keep playing.
你 不能 这样 生活 下去 了 。Nǐ bù néng zhèyàng shēnghuó xiàqù le.You can’t keep living like this.
Negative Form
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + 不 + 下去 + 了
》Note that 了 is mostly used when it's negated.
Examples
这个 故事 太 无聊 了 ，我 听 不 下去 了 。Zhège gùshi tài wúliáo le, wǒ tīng bu xiàqù le.This story is too boring, I don’t want to keep listening.
这个 电影 太 暴力 了 ，我 看 不 下去 了 。Zhège diànyǐng tài bàolì le, wǒ kàn bu xiàqù le.This scene in the movie is too cruel. I can’t keep watching it.
你 说话 太 恶心 了 ，我 吃不 下去 了 。Nǐ shuōhuà tài ěxīn le, wǒ chī bu xiàqù le.The way you talk is so disgusting. I can’t continue with my food.
这个 宾馆 太 脏 了 ，我 待 不 下去 了 。Zhège bīnguǎn tài zāng le, wǒ dāi bu xiàqù le.This hotel is too dirty. I can’t stay here any longer.
我 跟 他 过 不 下去 了 ，我 要 离婚 。Wǒ gēn tā guò bu xiàqù le, wǒ yào líhūn.I can’t keep living a life with him. I want a divorce.
Result complements
=》Result complements or one of the most common and useful types of complements. Often the complement is simply an adjective like 好 (hǎo) or a single syllable like 完 (wán). They indicate that an action has led to a certain result and make that result clear to the listener.
Using Adjectives
》好 (hǎo) implies that something is done to completion or done well. Forming a result complement with 好 has a very similar meaning to forming one with 完. It expresses that the action has been completed successfully. 》错 (cuò) is used to express that an action has been performed incorrectly in some way, resulting in a mistake (错). This pattern covers what is often expressed with the adverb "incorrectly" in English. 》Other adjectives commonly used as result complements include: 晚 (wǎn), 饱 (bǎo), 坏 (huài), 清楚 (qīngchu), 明白 (míngbai), 干净 (gānjìng), 破 (pò). 》For the basic structure, you'll almost always see a 了 after the complement:
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + Adj. + 了 (+ Obj.)
》To negate a result complement, use 没 instead of 不:
% Structure = Subj. + 没 + Verb + Adj. (+ Obj.)
Examples
你 吃 好 了 吗 ？Nǐ chī hǎo le ma?Are you done eating?
对不起 ，我 记 错 了 时间 。Duìbuqǐ, wǒ jì cuò le shíjiān.Sorry, I remember the time wrong.
你 来 晚 了 ，我们 已经 关门 了 。Nǐ lái wǎn le, wǒmen yǐjīng guānmén 了 le.You came too late. We’re closed already.
他 玩 坏 了 哥哥 的 玩具 。Tā wán huài le gēge de wánjù.He broke his older brother’s toy.
我 没 吃 饱 。Wǒ méi chī bǎo.I didn’t eat enough.
他 还 没 想 好 。Tā hái méi xiǎng hǎo.He hasn’t thought it through yet.
我们 没 听 清楚 ，请 再 说 一遍 。Wǒmen méi tīng qīngchu, qǐng zài shuō yī biàn.We didn’t hear it clearly. Please say it again.
》When using result complements, it's very common to make the object a topic. This means the object is moved to the beginning of the sentence and the subject is often omitted.
Some examples:
这 个 字 写 错 了。Zhège zì xiě cuò le.You wrote this character wrong.
杯子 摔 坏 了 。Bēizi shuāi huài le.The cup is broken.
房间 打扫 干净 了 吗 ？Fángjiān dǎsǎo gānjìng le ma?Is your room all cleaned up?
Using One-Syllable Verbs
=》Besides adjectives, there are a few single-syllable verbs which an also be used as result complements. Some examples include 到 (dào), 见 (jiàn), 懂 (dǒng), 会 (huì), 走 (zǒu), 掉 (diào). There really aren’t a lot of these, which is part of the reason why these words are usually seen as one verb instead of two verbs.
》For the basic structure, you'll often see a 了 after the complement:
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + [One-syllable Verb] +了 (+ Obj.)
Examples
1）
老师 拿走 了 我 的 iPad 。Lǎoshī názǒu le wǒ de iPad.The teacher took away my iPad.
小偷 偷走 了 我 的 钱包 。Xiǎotōu tōuzǒu le wǒ de qiánbāo.The thief stole my wallet.
2)
他 不小心 推倒 了 一 个 老人 。Tā bù xiǎoxīn tuīdǎo le yī gè lǎorén.He pushed over an old people by accident.
你 撞倒 了 我 的 自行车 。Nǐ zhuàngdǎo le wǒ de zìxíngchē.You knocked over my bike.
3）
谁 扔掉 了 我 的 袜子 ？Shéi rēngdiào le wǒ de wàzi?Who threw away my socks?
我 卖掉 了 我 的 旧 手机 。Wǒ màidiào le wǒ de jiù shǒujī.I sold my old cell phone.
4)
你们 都 听懂 了 吗 ？Nǐmen dōu tīngdǒng ma?Do you understand all of it?
我 看 了 ，但是 没 看懂 。Wǒ kàn le, dànshì méi kàndǒng.I read it, but I didn’t really understand it.
5)
你 踩到 了 我 的 脚 。Nǐ cǎidào le wǒ de jiǎo.You’re stepping on my foot.
我 不小心 撞到 了 墙 。Wǒ bù xiǎoxīn zhuàngdào le qiáng.I hit the wall by accident.
6)
我 女儿 学会 了 数数 。Wǒ nǚ’ér xuéhuì le shǔ shù.My daughter has learned how to count numbers.
我 爸爸 还没 学会 用 智能 手机 。Wǒ bàba hái méi xuéhuì yòng zhìnéng shǒujī.My father hasn’t learnt how to use a smart phone yet.
Compared with Potential Complement
Result and Potential Complements
Result Complement //Aff. Potential Complement Neg. //Potential Complement 做 完 做 得 完 做 不 完 听 懂 听 得 懂 听 不 懂 看 清楚 看 得 清楚 看 不 清楚 洗 干净 洗 得 干净 洗 不 干净
Used in 把 Sentences
=》You might have noticed that quite a few of the example sentences in this article are 把 sentences. This is because 把 sentences and result complements work particularly well together, as they both deal with the result of an action or the disposal of an object.
》Apart from result complements involving perception and psychological verbs, most result compounds work nicely in 把 sentences.
Result complements in 把 sentences
Subject / 把 / Object / RC compound verb 我 把 杯子 摔 坏 了 。 他 把 我 的 电脑 修 好 了 。 小偷 把 我 的 钱包 偷 走 了 。 我们 把 房间 打扫 干净 了 。
Expressing “all” with “suoyou”
=》In this grammar structure, we learn about a way to say “all of” something. Sort of like how we might say “all the king’s men” or “all the money in the world.”
Basic Pattern
》This pattern is used to refer to "all" of a noun, with the quantity of said noun usually being fairly large. You may notice that the 的 after 所有 is occasionally omitted.
% Structure = 所有 (+ 的) + Noun
Examples
你 买 了 她 所有的 书 ？Nǐ mǎi le tā suǒyǒu de shū?You’ve bought all her books?
我 喜欢 所有 我 妈妈 做 的 菜 。Wǒ xǐhuan suǒyǒu wǒ māma zuò de cài.I like all the food my mom cooks.
他 记得 所有 朋友 的 生日 。Tā jìde suǒyǒu péngyou de shēngrì.He remembers all his friends’ birthdays.
我 的 孩子 看 过 所有 迪斯尼 动画片 。Wǒ de háizi kàn guo suǒyǒu Dísīní dònghuàpiàn.My children have seen all Disney animated films.
Advanced Pattern
% Structure = 有 (+ 的) + Noun + 都 + Predicate
》The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
Examples
所有 人 都 走 了 吗 ？Suǒyǒu rén dōu zǒu le ma?Did all the people leave?
所有 的 学校 都 放假 了。Suǒyǒu de xuéxiào dōu fàngjià le.All the schools are out for the holiday.
我们 学校 所有 的 老师 都 会 说 英文 。Wǒmen xuéxiào suǒyǒu de lǎoshī dōu huì shuō Yīngwén.All the teachers in our school can speak English.
我们 公司 所有 人 都 参加 了 这个 会议 。Wǒmen gōngsī suǒyǒu rén dōu cānjiā le zhège huìyì.All people in our company attended this meeting.
“Not All” with 不是所有的
% Structure = 不是 + 所有 (+ 的) + Noun + 都 + Predicate
Examples
不是 所有的 美国 人 都 爱 喝 咖啡 。Bù shì suǒyǒu de Měiguó rén dōu ài hē kāfēi.Not all Americans like drinking coffee.
不是 所有 问题 都 能 用 钱 来 解决 。Bù shì suǒyǒu wèntí dōu néng yòng qián lái jiějué.We can’t solve all problems with money.
不是 所有 朋友 都 愿意 帮 他 。Bù shì suǒyǒu péngyou dōu yuànyì bāng tā.Not all of his friends are willing to help him.
不是 所有的 公司 都 给 员工 提供 培训 。Bù shì suǒyǒu de gōngsī dōu gěi yuángōng tígōng péixùn.Not all companies provide their employees with training.
Expressing “one of” with “…zhi yi”
=》之一 (zhīyī) is one of those words that really gives your Chinese some polish. Using it with confidence makes your Chinese sound great! Learn how to use 之一 (zhīyī) properly in this article.
》In order to express "one of the..." in Chinese, 之一 (zhī yī) can be used at the end of a noun phrase, which is often modified with 最 (zuì), meaning "the most."
% Structure = Subj. + 是 + [Noun Phrase] + 之一
or
% Structure = [Noun Phrase] + 之一 + 是 ⋯⋯
》An important note to keep in mind is that 之一 can only follow a noun phrase.
Examples
她 是 我 最 好 的 朋友 之 一 。Tā shì wǒ zuì hǎo de péngyou zhī yī.She is one of my best friends.
Frozen 是 我 最喜欢 的 迪斯尼 电影 之 一 。Frozen shì wǒ zuì xǐhuan de Dísīní diànyǐng zhī yī.Frozen is one of my favorite Disney movies.
纽约 是 世界 上 最 国际化 的 城市 之 一 。Niǔyuē shì shìjiè shàng zuì guójìhuà de chéngshì zhī yī.New York is the one of the most international cities in the world.
他 是 这个 公司 的 创始人 之 一 。Tā shì zhège gōngsī de chuàngshǐ rén zhī yī.He is one of the founders of this company.
成龙 是 最 有名 的 动作 明星 之 一 。Chéng Lóng shì zuì yǒumíng de dòngzuò míngxīng zhī yī.Jackie Cheng is one of the most famous action movie stars.
中秋节 是 中国 重要 的 传统 节日 之 一 。Zhōngqiūjié shì Zhōngguó zhòngyào de chuántǒng jiérì zhī yī.Mid-autumn Day is one of the important traditional festivals in China.
全球化 是 21 世纪 最 大 的 特点 之 一 。Quánqiúhuà shì èrshí-yī shìjì zuì dà de tèdiǎn zhī yī.Globalization is one of the major features of the 21st century.
我们 的 服务 主要 特点 之 一 是 个性化 。Wǒmen de fúwù zhǔyào tèdiǎn zhī yī shì gèxìnghuà .Personalization is one of the major characteristics of our service.
我 想 离开 北京 的 原因 之 一 是 空气 污染 。Wǒ xiǎng líkāi Běijīng de yuányīn zhī yī shì kōngqì wūrǎn.One of the reasons why I want to leave Beijing is its air pollution.
他 辞职 的 原因 之 一 是 老板 经常 让 他们 加班 。Tā cízhí de yuányīn zhī yī shì lǎobǎn jīngcháng ràng tāmen jiābān.One of the reasons why he quit his job is that the boss often asks them to work late.
Expressing “the other” with “lingwai”
=》另外(lìngwài) is often used as a pronoun to denote “the other” and there is no need to add 的 after 另外. 外 can be omitted when it’s used with single noun.
% Structure = 另外 + Number + [Measure Word] + Noun
Examples
我 有 两 个 手机 ，一 个 是 小米 ，另 一 个 是 iPhone 。Wǒ yǒu liǎng gè shǒujī, yī gè shì Xiǎomǐ, lìng yī gè shì iPhone.I have two cell phones. One is Xiao Mi, and the other is iPhone.
她 有 两 套 房子 ，一 套 自己 住 ，另 一 套 租 给 别人 了 。Tā yǒu liǎng tào fángzi, yī tào zìjǐ zhù, lìng yī tào zū gěi biérén le.She has two houses. She lives in one and rents the other one to other people.
我 买 了 三 张 票 ，一 张 是 我的 ，另外 两 张 是 给 朋友 的。Wǒ mǎi le sān zhāng piào, yī zhāng shì wǒ de, lìngwài liǎng zhāng shì gěi péngyou de.I bought three tickets. One is for myself, and the other two are for my friends.
这 几 本 书 我 今天 拿走 ，另外 几 本 下 次 再 拿 。Zhè jǐ běn shū wǒ jīntiān názǒu, lìngwài jǐ běn xià cì zài ná.I will take these books today. I can take the others next time.
这个 蛋糕 一半 是 你 的 ，另 一半 是 妹妹 的 。Zhège dàngāo yībàn shì nǐ de, lìng yībàn shì mèimei de.Half of this cake is yours. The other half is your little sister’s.
跟 他 一起 去 的 另外 两 个 人 已经 死 了 。Gēn tā yīqǐ qù de lìngwài liǎng gè rén yǐjīng sǐ le.The other two people who went with him already died.
她 打算 在 北京 待 五 天 。三 天 出去 玩 ，另外 两天 去 看 朋友 。Tā dǎsuàn zài Běijīng dāi wǔ tiān. Sān tiān chūqù wán, lìngwài liǎngtiān qù kàn péngyou.She plans to stay in Beijing for three days. Three days for going out and having fun. The other two days for visiting friends.
我们 公司 和 另外 两 家 公司 共用 一个 办公室 。Wǒmen gōngsī hé lìngwài liǎng jiā gōngsī gòngyòng yī gè bàngōngshì.Our company shares the office with the other two companies.
他 的 两个 女儿 一个 嫁给 了 美国人 ，另 一个 嫁给 了 德国 人 。 Tā de liǎng gè nǚ’ér yī gè jià gěi le Měiguó rén, lìng yī gè jià gěi le Déguó rén.He has two daughters, one of which married a American guy and the other married a German guy.
一些 人 总是 对 另外 一些 人 有 偏见 。Yīxiē rén zǒngshì duì lìngwài yīxiē rén yǒu piānjiàn.Some people always have prejudices against the other people.
Expressing fractions with “fenzhi”
=》分之 (fēn zhī) is used to form a fraction in Chinese. When expressing a fraction, the denominator is always said before the numerator. This pattern is also the way percentages are expressed in Chinese.
》So a 1/2 is read 二分之一 (èr fēn zhī yī), not 一分之二 (yī fēn zhī èr). 5/6 is read 六分之五 (liù fēn zhī wǔ). To say a percentage, for example, 50 percent, you would say 百分之五十 (bǎi fēn zhī wǔshí).
Basic Pattern
% Structure = Denominator + 分之 + Numerator
Examples
我 的 手机 电量 只 有 百 分 之 五 了 。Wǒ de shǒujī diànliàng zhǐ yǒu bǎi fēn zhī wǔ le.My phone battery only has 30% left.
这个 文件 已经 下载 了 三 分 之 二 。Zhège wénjiàn yǐjīng xiàzǎi le sān fēn zhī èr.Two thirds of this document has been downloaded.
这 篇 文章 有 五 分 之 三 是 抄 别人 的 。Zhè piān wénzhāng yǒu wǔ fēn zhī sān shì chāo biérén de.Three fifths of this article is a copy from other people.
差不多 三 分 之 一 的 美国 人 有 护照 。Chàbuduō sān fēn zhī yī de Měiguó rén yǒu hùzhào.Almost one thirds of the population of America has passport.
我们 学校 四 分 之 三 的 老师 都 是 男 老师 。Wǒmen xuéxiào sì fēn zhī sān de lǎoshī dōu shì nán lǎoshī.Three fourths of the teachers at our school are male teachers.
Advanced Pattern
% Structure = A + 是 / 占 + B + 的 + Denominator + 分之 + Numerator
Examples
我们 公司 的 外国 员工 占 三 分 之 一 。Wǒmen gōngsī de wàiguó yuángōng zhàn sān fēn zhī yī.One third of our company are foreigners.
美国 人口 是 中国 的 五 分 之 一 。Měiguó rénkǒu shì Zhōngguó de wǔ fēn zhī yī.American population is one fifth of China’s.
押金 是 房租 的 百 分 之 二十 。Yājīnyào shì fángzū de bǎifēn zhī èrshí.The deposit is 20% of the rent.
期末 考试 成绩 占 总 成绩 的 百 分 之 三十 。 Qīmò kǎoshì chéngjì zhàn zǒng chéngjì de bǎi fēn zhī sānshí.The grade of the final exam is 30% of total score.
在 美国 ，全职 妈妈 差不多 占 五 分 之 二 。Zài Měiguó, quánzhí māma chàbuduō zhàn wǔ fēn zhī èr.In the US, two fifths of the mothers are full-time mother.
Indicating a number in excess
=》A number in excess of a certain amount is expressed by adding “多” (duō) to the end of a number. This is usually translated as “more than…” in English.
% Structure = Number + 多 + [Measure word] (+ Noun)
Examples
我 妈妈 已经 五十 多 岁 了。Wǒ māma yǐjīng wǔshí duō suì le.My mother is over fifty.
我们 走 了 两 个 多 小时 。Wǒmen zǒu le liǎng gè duō xiǎoshí.It took us more than two hours to walk here.
这个 班 有 两 百 多 个 学生 。Zhège bān yǒu liǎng bǎi duō gè xuéshēng.There are more than two hundred students in this class.
这个 包 三 万 多 块钱 。Zhège bāo sān wàn duō kuài qián.This bag costs more than thirty thousand kuai.
这 本 书 有 一 千 多 页 。Zhè běn shū yǒu yī qiān duō yè.This book has more than ten thousand pages.
他 在 国外 住 了 二十 多 年 了 。Tā zài guówài zhù le èrshí duō nián le.He has been living abroad for more than twenty years.
他 在 那儿 住 了 二十 多 天 了 。Tā zài nàr zhù le èrshí duō tiān le.He’s been staying there for over 20 days.
我 昨天 收到 了 三十 多 条 垃圾 短信 。Wǒ zuótiān shōudào le sānshí duō tiáo lājī duǎnxìn.I received more than thirty spam messages yesterday.
这个 城市 有 两 千 多 年 的 历史 。Zhège chéngshì yǒu liǎng qiān duō nián de lìshǐ.China has a history of more than two thousand years.
》In the above examples, 岁, 年 and 天 do not take a measure word. 》When the number is smaller than eleven, the 多 can be put after the measure word. However, if the number is bigger than eleven, the 多 has to be put before the measure word:
✓ - 五岁多
X - 五十岁多
✓ - 五十多 岁
X - 九十块钱多
✓ - 九十多 块 钱
