Grammar set - 3 Flashcards
Expressing “already” with “yijing”
=》已经⋯⋯了 (yǐjīng… le) is the basic pattern used to express “already” in Chinese. It’s easy to forget the 了 (le) on the end, but using it will make your Chinese more natural.
% Structure = 已经 + Verb / [Verb Phrase] + 了
他们 已经 走 了。= They’ve already left.
我 已经 有 男朋友 了 。= I already have a boyfriend.
宝宝 已经 会 说话 了。= The baby can already speak.
妈妈 已经 回来 了。= Mom has already come back.
他 已经 上 飞机 了。= He’s already gotten on the plane.
已经 (yǐjīng) with Adjectives
% Structure = 已经 + (很 +) Adj. + 了
爸爸 妈妈 已经 老 了。= Mom and dad are already old.
已经 很 便宜 了。= It is already very cheap.
你 女朋友 已经 很 漂亮 了！= Your girlfriend is already very beautiful!
你 的 感冒 已经 好 了 吗 ？= Is your cold already better?
已经 很 晚 了，我们 走 吧。= It’s already really late. Let’s go.
已经 (yǐjīng) with Time Nouns
% Structure = 已经 + Time + 了
# 已经 11点 了，女儿 还 没 回来 。= It is already 11 o’clock, and my daughter has not returned.
爷爷 已经 八十五 岁 了 。= Grandpa is already eighty-five years old.
我 学习 中文 已经 一 年 了 。= I have already been studying Chinese for a year.
他 在 洗手间 里 已经 半 个 小时 了 。 = He has already been in the bathroom for half an hour.
爸爸 去 北京 出差 已经 两 天 了 。= It has already been two days since dad went to Beijing on business trip.
Negative Form
% Structure = 已经 + 不 + [Verb Phrase] + 了
我 已经 不 喜欢 你 了 。= I don’t like you anymore.
他 已经 不 爱 他 的 猫 了 。= He doesn’t love his cat anymore.
他们 已经 不 住 在 中国 了 。= They don’t live in China anymore.
我 已经 不 需要 父母 的 钱 了 。= I don’t need my parents’ money anymore.
你 已经 不 在 Google 工作 了 吗 ？ = You don’t work at Google anymore?
Expressing “always” with “zongshi”
=》If you are trying to describe a daily routine, a habit, or just something that consistently happens, you can use the word 总是 (zǒngshì). 总是 (zǒngshì) means “always,” and like other adverbs, comes before the verb in a sentence.
总是 (zǒngshì) with Verbs
=》总是 (zǒngshì) is an adverb that is often translated to English as “always.” It is placed before the verb that it modifies.
% Structure = Subj. + 总是 + Verb
Examples
他 总是 迟到。Tā zǒngshì chídào.He is always late.
我 总是 忘记 这 个 词。Wǒ zǒngshì wàngjì zhège cí.I always forget this word.
他 总是 一个人 吃饭。Tā zǒngshì yīgèrén chīfàn.He always eats alone.
你 男朋友 总是 说 脏话。Nǐ nánpéngyou zǒngshì shuō zānghuà.Your boyfriend always uses foul language.
我 的 学生 总是 问 我 很多 有意思 的 问题。Wǒ de xuéshēng zǒngshì wèn wǒ hěn duō yǒu yìsi de wèntí.My students always ask me lots of interesting questions.
总是 (zǒngshì) with Adjectives
% Structure = 总是 + Adv. + Adj.
=》When 总是 (zǒngshì) is used together with an adjective, you will need to add a modifier in the middle, such as 很 (hěn), 特别 (tèbié), 这么 (zhème), 那么 (nàme), etc.
Examples
他 总是 很 累。Tā zǒngshì hěn lèi.He is always tired.
你 为什么 总是 很 忙？Nǐ wèishénme zǒngshì hěn máng?Why are you always very busy?
你 家 总是 很 干净。Nǐ jiā zǒngshì hěn gānjìng.Your house is always very clean.
孩子们 总是 非常 开心。Háizi men zǒngshì fēicháng kāixīn.The children are always very happy.
我 的 学生 总是 特别 努力。Wǒ de xuéshēng zǒngshì tèbié nǔlì.My students are always very hard-working.
Expressing “and also” with “hai”
=》In English we use “and also” when we want to connect separate and different thoughts. We can do the same thing in Chinese by using 还 (hái).
》The adverb 还 (hái) can be used to link two phrases together, in a similar way to "and also" in English. In this case, 还 (hái) begins a new phrase or clause.
% Structure = Subj. + Verb + Obj. 1， 还 + Verb + Obj. 2
Examples
她 有 一 个 弟弟，还 有 一 个 妹妹。Tā yǒu yī gè dìdi, hái yǒu yī gè mèimei.She has a younger brother and also has a younger sister.
我 老板 会 说 法语，还 会 说 日语。Wǒ lǎobǎn huì shuō Fǎyǔ, hái huì shuō Rìyǔ.My boss can speak French and can also speak Japanese.
你 要 一 杯 咖啡，还 要 什么？ Nǐ yào yī bēi kāfēi, hái yào shénme?You want a cup of coffee, and what else do you want?
我 想 吃 冰淇淋，还 想 吃 汉堡。Wǒ xiǎng chī bīngqílín, hái xiǎng chī hànbǎo.I want to eat ice cream and I also want to eat a hamburger.
爸爸 有 一个 小米 手机，还 有 一个 iPhone。Bàba yǒu yī gè Xiǎomǐ shǒujī, hái yǒu yī gè iPhone.Dad has a Xiaomi phone and also has an iPhone.
你 晚上 在家 做 了 作业，还 做 了 什么？Nǐ wǎnshang zài jiā zuò le zuòyè, hái zuò le shénme? You did your homework at home tonight, and what else did you do?
他 结婚 的 时候，请 了 同事，还 请 了 谁？Tā jiéhūn de shíhou, qǐng le tóngshì, hái qǐng le shéi?When he got married, he invited his co-workers. Who else did he invite?
生日 的 时候，我们 会 吃 蛋糕，还 要 送 礼物。Shēngrì de shíhou, wǒmen huì chī dàngāo, hái yào sòng lǐwù.During a birthday, we eat cake and also give presents.
去 美国 要 带 钱、护照，还 要 带 什么？Qù Měiguó yào dài qián, hùzhào, hái yào dài shénme?To go to the USA, you need to take money and a passport. What else do you need to take with you?
The Difference Between 还 (hái) and 也 (yě)
=》It should be noted that another common way to express “also” is with the word 也 (yě). What’s the difference? With 还 (hái), ONE subject is doing TWO different things, whereas when 也 (yě) is used, TWO subjects are doing ONE thing.
It’s the difference between these two English sentences:
# He fixed dinner and also washed the dishes.
She washed the dishes too.
》If you translated these into Chinese, the first one (one subject, two actions) would use 还 (hái), and the second one (second subject, no new actions) would use 也 (yě). Let's do that!
Expressing “just” with “gang”
我们 刚 知道。Wǒmen gāng zhīdào. We just found out.
=》For events that happened in the immediate past, in English we use the word “just.” For example, if you pass a turn you were supposed to make, you might say, “I just passed it!” In Chinese, “just” can be expressed with 刚 (gāng) or 刚刚 (gānggāng).
Expressing “Just” Happened
=》刚 (gāng) expresses an action that happened not long ago. 刚刚 (gānggāng) is used the same way, with the same meaning.
% Structure = Subj. + 刚 + Verb （or） Subj. + 刚刚 + Verb
Examples
＃ 我 老婆 刚 生 完 孩子。Wǒ lǎopo gāng shēng wán háizi. My wife just finished giving birth to our baby.
＃ 你 刚刚 下班 吗？Nǐ gānggāng xiàbān ma? Did you just get off work?
“Just” Within a Specific Time Period
＝》刚 (gāng) can also express “from the time an action happens until the present time.”
％ Structure ＝ Subj. + 刚 + Verb (+ Obj.) + Duration
》Note that although we need to say “ago” in English, in this pattern there’s no need for a word that means “ago.”
Examples
＃我 刚 认识 她 十 天。Wǒ gāng rènshi tā shí tiān. I just met her ten days ago.
他 刚 来 中国 两 个 月。Tā gāng lái Zhōngguó liǎng gè yuè. He just got to China two months ago.
我 弟弟 刚 工作 半年。Wǒ dìdi gāng gōngzuò bàn nián . My younger brother just started working half a year ago.
她 刚 结婚 三 个 月 。Tā gāng jiéhūn sān gè yuè. She just got married three months ago.
我 的 车 刚 买 两 天，开 的时候 小心 点。Wǒ de chē gāng mǎi liǎng tiān, kāi de shíhou xiǎoxīn diǎn. I just bought the car two days ago. Be careful when you drive.
Expressing “only” with “zhi”
我 只 有 一 个 哥哥。Wǒ zhǐ yǒu yī gè gēge. I only have one older brother.
=》There are a number of different ways to express “only” in Chinese, but 只 (zhǐ) is the most basic one you need to learn first. It’s an adverb, so it normally comes before verbs.
》The adverb 只 (zhǐ) can come directly before a verb, or before an auxiliary verb like 会 (huì) or 能 (néng).
% Structure = 只 + Verb （or）只 + 会 / 能 + V
Examples
＃ 我们 只 有 十块 钱。Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu shí kuài qián. We only have ten RMB.
＃ 我们 公司 只 有 两个员工。Wǒmen gōngsī zhǐ yǒu liǎng gè yuángōng. Our company only has two employees.
＃ 你 只 爱 吃 肉 吗？Nǐ zhǐ ài chī ròu ma? Do you only like eating meat?
＃ 他们 只 会 说 英文。Tāmen zhǐ huì shuō Yīngwén. They can only speak English.
＃ 我 只 能 说 两 句 中文。Wǒ zhǐ néng shuō liǎng jù Zhōngwén. I can only say two sentences in Chinese.
＃ 我 老婆 只 要 一个 孩子。Wǒ lǎopo zhǐ yào yī gè háizi. My wife only wants one child.
＃ 宝宝 只 会 走，不 会 跑。Bǎobao zhǐ huì zǒu, bù huì pǎo. The baby can only walk. He can’t run.
＃ 我 只 想 跟 你 在 一起。Wǒ zhǐ xiǎng gēn nǐ zài yīqǐ. I only want to be with you.
Expressing actions in progress with “zai”
你 正在 开车，不 可以 玩 手机。Nǐ zhèngzài kāichē, bù kěyǐ wán shǒujī. You’re driving right now; you can’t play with your cell phone.
=》在 (zài) and 正在 (zhèngzài) can be used as auxiliary verbs to express that an action is ongoing or in progress. This is often the equivalent of present continuous in English, which is how we express that an activity is happening now.
》You can use 正在 (zhèngzài) instead of just 在 (zài) to put a little more emphasis on an action that is in progress right now.
％Structure ＝ Subj. + 在 + Verb + Obj.（or) Subj. + 正在 + Verb + Obj.
》There is no need to worry too much about when to use 在 (zài) or 正在 (zhèngzài), since they basically mean the same thing. 正在 (zhèngzài) usually shows that the action is in progress (right now). “在 (zài) + Verb” is more commonly used than “正在 (zhèngzài) + Verb,” but both are fine to use.
Examples
＃ 她 在 看 书。Tā zài kànshū. She is reading.
＃ 妈妈 在 打 电话。Māma zài dǎ diànhuà. Mom is making a phone call.
＃ 谁 在 里面 洗澡？Shéi zài lǐmiàn xǐzǎo? Who is taking a shower in there?
＃ 阿姨 正在 打扫 我们 的 房间。Āyí zhèngzài dǎsǎo wǒmen de fángjiān. The cleaning lady is cleaning our room right now.
# 昨天 晚上 七点，我们 在 吃饭。 Zuótiān wǎnshang qīdiǎn, wǒmen zài chīfàn.Yesterday at 7pm, we were eating dinner.
＃ 老板 在 开会，没有 时间 见 你。Lǎobǎn zài kāihuì, méiyǒu shíjiān jiàn nǐ. The boss is currently in a meeting. He doesn’t have time to see you.
＃ 我 现在 在 上班，不方便 离开。Wǒ xiànzài zài shàngbān, bù fāngbiàn líkāi. I am working now. It’s not convenient for me to leave.
我们 正在 上课，请 你 等 一会儿。Wǒmen zhèngzài shàngkè, qǐng nǐ děng yīhuìr. We are in class right now; please wait a moment.
＃ 你 给 我 打 电话 的时候，我 正在 跟 朋友 打 游戏 。Nǐ gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà de shíhou, wǒ zhèngzài gēn péngyou dǎ yóuxì. When you called me, I was playing video games with friends.
Simultaneous tasks with “yibian”
=》Multitasking is everywhere in the modern world (what else are you doing while you read this?), but you if can focus for just a minute, you can learn a way to express simultaneous tasks in Chinese! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).
》To express that one thing is done while doing something else, the word 一边 (yībiān) is used.
% Structure = Subj. + 一边 + Verb (，) + 一边 + Verb
》Note that you sometimes see 一边 (yībiān) shortened to 边 (biān) as well, which has a less formal feel.
Examples
不要 一边 吃 东西，一边 说话 。Bùyào yībiān chī dōngxi, yībiān shuōhuà.Don’t speak while eating.
我 常常 一边 洗澡， 一边 唱歌 。Wǒ chángcháng yībiān xǐzǎo, yībiān chànggē.I often sing songs while I take a shower.
孩子 喜欢 一边 吃饭， 一边 玩 。Háizi xǐhuan yībiān chīfàn, yībiān wán.Children like to play while eating.
你 喜欢 一边 听 音乐， 一边 做 作业 吗 ？Nǐ xǐhuan yībiān tīng yīnyuè, yībiān zuò zuòyè ma? Do you like to listen to music while doing homework?
我们 一边 走 一边 聊 吧 。Wǒmen yībiān zǒu yībiān liáo ba.Let’s walk while we talk.
请 你 一边 读 一边 写 。Qǐng nǐ yībiān dú yībiān xiě.Please write as you read.
不要 一边 开车， 一边 打电话 。Bùyào yībiān kāichē, yībiān dǎ diànhuà.Don’t talk on the phone while you drive.
老板 喜欢 一边 抽烟，一边 工作 。Lǎobǎn xǐhuan yībiān chōuyān, yībiān gōngzuò.The boss likes to smoke while working.
很多 人 都 一边 上班， 一边 玩 手机 。Hěn duō rén dōu yībiān shàngbān, yībiān wán shǒujī.Many people play with their cell phones while working.
她 常常 一边 做饭，一边 带 孩子 。Tā chángcháng yībiān zuòfàn, yībiān dài háizi.She often looks after the baby while cooking food.
Asking about degree with “duo”
=》How big? How busy? How cold? Ask questions like these regarding the degree of an adjective with 多 (duō). This is just one of the many uses of this word.
Examples
她 多 高？Tā duō gāo?How tall is she?
你家 多 大？Nǐ jiā duō dà?How large is your house?
你 的 孩子 多 大？Nǐ de háizi duō dà?How old is your child?
黄河 多 长？Huánghé duō cháng?How long is the Yellow River?
你 家 离 这儿 多 远？Nǐ jiā lí zhèr duō yuǎn?How far is your house away from here?
你 要 在 美国 待 多 久？Nǐ yào zài Měiguó dāi duō jiǔ? How long are you going to stay in the USA?
这些 东西 多 重？Zhèxiē dōngxi duō zhòng?How heavy are these things?
你 知道 我们 现在 多 胖 吗？Nǐ zhīdào wǒmen xiànzài duō pàng ma?Do you know how fat we are now?
你 知道 这里 的 冬天 多 冷 吗？Nǐ zhīdào zhèlǐ de dōngtiān duō lěng ma? Do you know how cold it is here in winter?
你 知道 上海 的 房子 多 贵 吗？Nǐ zhīdào Shànghǎi de fángzi duō guì ma?Do you know how expensive housing is in Shanghai?
》大 (dà) and 小 (xiǎo) can also be used to describe ages. The question phrase 多大 (duō dà) is often used to ask "how old." However, it is an informal way to ask, usually reserved for peers, close friends, or children. The phrase 几岁 (jǐ suì) is most often used for children young enough to display their ages on one hand. Adults do not normally directly ask each other's ages in a formal setting.
Basic comparisons with “yiyang”
=》Along with 比 (bǐ) and 没有 (méiyǒu), 一样 (yīyàng) is another way to make basic comparisons. However, 一样 (yīyàng) is used to express that two things are the same in some way.
% Structure = Noun 1 + 跟 / 和 + Noun 2 + 一样
我 和 你 一样。Wǒ hé nǐ yīyàng.I am the same as you.
他 的 性格 跟 他 妈妈 一样。 Tā de xìnggé gēn tā māma yīyàng.He has the same personality as his mom.
北京 的 天气 和 上海 不 一样。Běijīng de tiānqì hé Shànghǎi bù yīyàng.The weather in Beijing and the weather in Shanghai are not alike.
这 个 词 的 意思 和 那 个 词 一样 吗？Zhège cí de yìsi hé nàge cí yīyàng ma?Are the meanings of this word and that word the same?
美国 文化 跟 中国 文化 不 一样。Měiguó wénhuà gēn Zhōngguó wénhuà bù yīyàng.American culture and Chinese culture are not the same.
啤酒 和 葡萄酒 的 味道 一样 吗？Píjiǔ hé pútaojiǔ de wèidào yīyàng ma?Do beer and red wine taste the same?
一样 (yīyàng) with Adjectives
=》To add an adjective into the mix, just place it after 一样 (yīyàng)， this describes Noun 1 as being as adjective as Noun 2.
Examples
你家 跟 我家 一样 大。 Nǐ jiā gēn wǒ jiā yīyàng dà.Your house is just as big as mine.
她 和 她 哥哥 一样 高。 Tā hé tā gēge yīyàng gāo.She and her older brother are equally tall.
你 的 头发 和 我的 头发 一样 长。Nǐ de tóufa hé wǒ de tóufa yīyàng cháng.You hair is as long as mine.
这里 的 天气跟 我 老家 一样 舒服。Zhèlǐ de tiānqì gēn wǒ lǎojiā yīyàng shūfu.The weather here is just as comfortable as my hometown’s.
你 跟 老板 一样 忙 吗？Nǐ gēn lǎobǎn yīyàng máng ma?Are you as busy as the boss is?
Expressing “a little too” with “you dian”
=》At times you may want to politely diss something using the phrase “a little too.” For example, if you are getting lunch with a friend who wants to be seated outside, you might say, “It is a little too hot” to suggest you sit inside. In a case like this, you can use 有一点 (yǒuyīdiǎn) or 有点 (yǒudiǎn). The two are interchangeable.
Examples
》To say that something is “a little too…” or “a bit too…,” 有一点 (yǒuyīdiǎn) is often used. Its northern Chinese version is 有一点儿 (yǒuyīdiǎnr).
% Structure = Subj. + 有一点(儿) + Adj.
》In spoken Chinese, the 一 (yī) in 有一点 (yǒuyīdiǎn) is often dropped, leaving 有点 (yǒudiǎn). In northern China, that's usually pronounced 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr).
% Structure = Subj. + 有点(儿) + Adj.
我 有点 饿 。Wǒ yǒudiǎn è.I’m a little hungry.
这个 菜 有点 辣 。Zhège cài yǒudiǎn là.This dish is a little too spicy.
昨天 有一点 热 。Zuótiān yǒuyīdiǎn rè.Yesterday it was a little too hot.
上海 的 冬天 有一点 冷。 Shànghǎi de dōngtiān yǒuyīdiǎn lěng.Winter in Shanghai is a bit too cold.
我弟弟 有点 胖 。Wǒ dìdi yǒudiǎn pàng.My younger brother is a bit fat.
今天 有点 累 。Jīntiān yǒudiǎn lèi.Today I am a little bit tired.
这个 月 公司 有点 忙 。Zhège yuè gōgnsī yǒudiǎn máng.This month the company is a little bit busy.
这 个 地方 有点 吵 ，我们 走吧 。Zhège dìfang yǒudiǎn chǎo, wǒmen zǒu ba.This place is a little too noisy. Let’s go.
爸爸 回来 有点 晚 ，妈妈 有点 不高兴 。Bàba huílái yǒudiǎn wǎn, māma yǒudiǎn bù gāoxìng.Dad came back home a bit too late, so mom was a little unhappy.
老师 今天 有点 不 舒服 ，所以 没 来上课 。Lǎoshī jīntiān yǒudiǎn bù shūfu, suǒyǐ méi lái shàngkè.Today, the teacher felt a little unwell, so she didn’t come to class.
Negative Connotation
=》Note that for the speaker, the adjective after 有点 (yǒudiǎn) expresses an unpleasant or undesirable meaning, so you won’t hear things like 有点高兴 (yǒudiǎn gāoxìng), 有点舒服 (yǒudiǎn shūfu), 有点好玩儿 (yǒudiǎn hǎowánr), etc., because “happy,” “comfortable,” and “fun” are all adjectives with positive connotations.
Expressing “both A and B” with “you”
=》When you’re getting descriptive, you may find yourself wanting to use multiple adjectives at a time. The character 又 (yòu) can be used to give two qualities to something. Using the double 又 (yòu) structure is like saying that something is “both… and…” in English.
》The two words shouldn't contrast in feeling. It is important to note they must both be bad or both be good.
% Structure = Subj. + 又 + Adj. 1 + 又 + Adj. 2
Examples
她 男朋友 又 高 又 帅。Tā nánpéngyou yòu gāo yòu shuài.Her boyfriend is both tall and handsome.
这 个 房子 又 大 又 亮。Zhège fángzi yòu dà yòu liàng.This house is both big and bright.
妈妈 的 头发 又 黑 又 亮。Māma de tóufa yòu hēi yòu liàng.Mom’s hair is both black and shiny.
我 姐姐 又 聪明 又 漂亮。Wǒ jiějie yòu cōngming yòu piàoliang.My older sister is both smart and beautiful.
中国 菜 又 便宜 又 好吃。Zhōngguó cài yòu piányi yòu hǎochī.Chinese food is both cheap and good-tasting.
你们 老板 又 年轻 又 有钱。Nǐmen lǎobǎn yòu niánqīng yòu yǒuqián.Your boss is both young and rich.
这里 的 咖啡 又 贵 又 难喝。Zhèlǐ de kāfēi yòu guì yòu nánhē.The coffee here is both expensive and bad-tasting.
我 家 小狗 又 可爱 又 听话。Wǒ jiā xiǎogǒu yòu kě’ài yòu tīnghuà.My family’s dog is both cute and obedient.
上海 的 冬天 又 冷 又 湿。Shànghǎi de dōngtiān yòu lěng yòu shī.Winter here in Shanghai is both cold and humid.
她 小时候 又 矮 又 瘦。Tā xiǎoshíhou yòu ǎi yòu shòu.She was both short and thin when she was young.
Expressing “not very” with “bu tai”
=》You may be familiar with using 太 (tài) to express “too,” such as when something is “too expensive” or “too hot.” 不太 (bù tài) is a similar pattern for the negative, which just means “not very” or “not so” (literally “not too”). Note that this pattern does not normally use 了 (le).
》This pattern can also be used with non-adjectives.
% Structure = Subj. + 不太 + Adj.
Examples
我 家 不 太 大。Wǒ jiā bù tài dà.My house is not too big.
那 个 地方 不 太 远。Nàge dìfang bù tài yuǎn.That place is not very far away.
老板 今天 不 太 高兴。 Lǎobǎn jīntiān bù tài gāoxìng.The boss is not very happy today.
这 个 店 的 衣服 不 太 贵。Zhège diàn de yīfu bù tài guì. The clothes in this shop are not too expensive.
我 觉得 他 不 太 聪明。Wǒ juéde tā bù tài cōngming.I think he is not too smart.
不太 (bù tài) with Verbs
=》This pattern can be used with some psychological verbs (e.g. 喜欢 (xǐhuan), 想 (xiǎng), 明白 (míngbai)), as is the case with the next examples. These verbs are relatively limited.
% Structure = Subj. + 不太 + Verb
Examples
我 不 太 懂 。Wǒ bù tài dǒng.I don’t really understand.
我 不 太 会 说 英语 。Wǒ bù tài huì shuō Yīngyǔ.I can’t really speak English.
他们 不 太 想 去 。 Tāmen bù tài xiǎng qù.They don’t really want to go.
我 哥哥 不 太 喜欢 他 的 工作 。Wǒ gēge bù tài xǐhuan tā de gōngzuò.My older brother doesn’t really like his job.
他 不 太 明白 老板 的 意思 。Tā bù tài míngbai lǎobǎn de yìsi. He didn’t really understand what the boss meant.
Expressing “even more” with “geng”
=》To express “even more,” (as in “even more expensive,” “even more ridiculous,” “even more badass”), you can use 更 (gèng). 更 (gèng) generally comes before adjectives.
% Structure = 更 + Adj.
》Note that this pattern is not simply a way of adding "-er" to an adjective or a substitute for 比 (bǐ) comparisons. In each case, you're adding "even more" to an existing considerable amount, as in, "I'm already rich, but I want to be even richer."
Examples
这 两个 银行 哪 个 更 近 ？ Zhè liǎng gè yínháng nǎge gèng jìn? Between these two banks, which one is closer?
我 想 找 一 个 更 帅 的 男朋友。 It is implied that my boyfriend now is already handsome, but I want to find an even more handsome boyfriend.Wǒ xiǎng zhǎo yī gè gèng shuài de nánpéngyou.I want to find a more handsome boyfriend.
我 喜欢 在 网上 买书，因为 更 便宜。 Wǒ xǐhuan zài wǎngshàng mǎi shū, yīnwèi gèng piányi.I like buying books online because it’s cheaper.
不要 太 高兴，我们 还 有 更 多 的 工作 要 做。 It is implied that a lot of work has already been done but there is still “even more” work left.Bùyào tài gāoxìng, wǒmen hái yǒu gèng duō de gōngzuò yào zuò.Don’t get too excited. We still have more work to do.
结婚 以后， 她 变 得 更 漂亮 了。Jiéhūn yǐhòu, tā biàn de gèng piàoliang le.She’s become more beautiful after she got married.
Structure with 比 (bǐ)
=》While 更 (gèng) is not a substitute for 比 (bǐ) (the classic comparison word), the two can be used together.
% Structure = A 比 B + 更 + Adj.
》This expresses that "A is even more Adj. than B."
Examples
北京 的 房子 比 上海 更 贵。Běijīng de fángzi bǐ Shànghǎi gèng guì.The houses in Beijing are even more expensive than those in Shanghai.
春节 比中秋节更 热闹。 Chūnjié bǐ Zhōngqiūjié gèng rènao.Spring Festival is even more boisterous than Mid-autumn Festival.
汉字 比 声调 更 难。Hànzì bǐ shēngdiào gèng nán.Chinese characters are even more difficult than tones.
他 现在 的 女朋友 比 以前 的 更 漂亮。 Tā xiànzài de nǚpéngyou bǐ yǐqián de gèng piàoliang.His current girlfriend is even more beautiful than his previous one.
中国 的 高铁 比 飞机 更 方便。 Zhōngguó de gāotiě bǐ fēijī gèng fāngbiàn.China’s high-speed trains are even more convenient than airplanes.
Expressing “really” with “zhen”
=》As an adverb, the word 真 (zhēn) means “really” or “truly.”
真 (zhēn) Before an Adjective
=》真 (zhēn) is used only in exclamatory sentences and comes before an adjective.
% Structure = 真 + Adj.
Example # 你 真 好！Nǐ zhēn hǎo! You are so nice!
你 女朋友 真 漂亮！Nǐ nǚpéngyou zhēn piàoliang! Your girlfriend is really pretty!
他 家 真 有钱！Tā jiā zhēn yǒuqián! His family is really rich!
小狗 真 可爱！Xiǎogǒu zhēn kě’ài! This puppy is really cute!
今天 真 热！Jīntiān zhēn rè! It’s truly hot today!
真 (zhēn) Before Certain Verbs or 能 (néng) / 会 (huì)
=》There are certain other words that can be jazzed up with 真 (zhēn). One type of word is auxiliary verbs, like 能 (néng) and 会 (huì). The other type is psychological verbs like 喜欢 (xǐhuan).
% Structure = 真 + Verb
Example
你 妈妈 真 爱 你！Nǐ māma zhēn ài nǐ! Your mother really loves you!
我 真 喜欢 住 在 中国！Wǒ zhēn xǐhuan zhù zài Zhōngguó! I really like living in China!
我 真 讨厌 这 种 男人！Wǒ zhēn tǎoyàn zhè zhǒng nánrén! I really hate this kind of guy!
你 真 会 说话！Nǐ zhēn huì shuōhuà! You are so good with words!
你 真 能 吃！Nǐ zhēn néng chī! You ate so much!
Expressing distance with “li”
* 我 不想 去 离 家 很 远 的 地方 工作*。Wǒ bù xiǎng qù lí jiā hěn yuǎn de dìfang gōngzuò. I don’t want to go work at a place very far away from home.
=》One of the ways to express distance is to use 离 (lí). The word order might seem a little tricky at first, but once you get it down, you’ll be able to talk about distance with no problem.
Using 离 (lí) in a Statement
=》Unless you’re talking about a very specific distance, you’ll normally want to pair 离 (lí) with the adjective 近 (jìn) for “close,” or 远 (yuǎn) for “far.”
% Structure = Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + Adv. + 近 / 远
》So this pattern is normally used to simply express that one place is (not) close or (not) far from another place.
Examples
我 家 离 公司 很 近。Wǒ jiā lí gōngsī hěn jìn. My house is close to my office.
美国 离 中国 很 远。Měiguó lí Zhōngguó hěn yuǎn. The USA is far from China.
这 个 酒店 离 火车站 很 近。Zhège jiǔdiàn lí huǒchēzhàn hěn jìn. This hotel is very close to the train station.
那 个 酒吧 离 这儿 太 远 了， 我 不 想 去。Nàge jiǔbā lí zhèr tài yuǎn le, wǒ bù xiǎng qù. That bar is too far away from here. I don’t want to go.
Using 离 (lí) in a Question
=》These two sentence patterns are extremely common in everyday conversations when discussing distances.
% Structure = Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 (+ Adv.) + 近 / 远 + 吗？
% Structure = Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 (+ 有) + 多远？
》Note that in English, you can actually ask, "How close is it from here?" if the distance is obviously short. But in Chinese it's just, "How far is it from here?"
Examples
你家 离 超市 远 吗？Nǐ jiā lí chāoshì yuǎn ma? Is your house far away from the supermarket?
你 的 大学 离 你 老家 很 远 吗？Nǐ de dàxué lí nǐ lǎojiā hěn yuǎn ma? Is your college very far away from your hometown?
你们 公司 离 地铁站 近 吗？Nǐmen gōngsī lí dìtiězhàn jìn ma? Is your company close to the metro station?
你 家 离 学校 多远？Nǐ jiā lí xuéxiào duō yuǎn? How far is it from your home to school?
这个 酒店 离 机场 有 多远？Zhège jiǔdiàn lí jīchǎng yǒu duō yuǎn? How far is it from this hotel to the airport?
Expressing “Stay Away from Me” with 离 (lí)
=》One final example is a command, commonly heard in colloquial Chinese:
你 离 我 远 点 儿 ！ Nǐ lí wǒ yuǎn diǎnr!Stay away from me.
