Making a Clean Sweep of all Basic Associated Constructions in Chinese

((yì)biān…(yì)biān…)

(Tā (yī)biān tīnɡ ɡē (yī)biān xiě zuòyè.)

He did his homework, listening to music.

(yòu…yòu…)

(Tā de fánɡjiān yòu ɡānjìnɡ yòu ānjìnɡ.)

Her room is clean and quiet.

(Jì…yòu…)

(Zhè dào zhōnɡɡuócài jì hǎo zuò yòu hǎo chī.)

This Chinese dish is delicious and easy to cook.

(búshì…érshì…)

(Tā xuéxí hànyǔ búshì bù nǔlì, érshì nǔlì bùgòu.)

His studying Chinese should not be so hard, but his effort is not enough.

(yàome…yàome…)

B：要么吃炒菜，要么喝粥吧。

(A: Wǒmen wǎnshàng chī shénme?

B: Yàome chī chǎocài, yàome hē zhōu ba.)

A: What do we have for dinner?

B: Either (we are) cooking, or (we) eat porridge.

(shì…háishì…)

(Tā shì bù lái, háishì bù xiǎng lái?)

He is not coming, or doesn’t he want to come?

(búshì…jiùshì…)

(Dá’àn búshì A jiùshì B.)

The answer is B if not A.

(yǔqí…bùrú…)

(Wǒmen yǔqí qù Běijīng, bùrú qù Shànghǎi.)

Compared to Beijing, we’d better go to Shanghai.

(nìngkě…yěbù…)

(Tā nìngkě bèi mà, yěbú yuànyì sāhuǎng.)

He prefers to be scolded rather than to tell a lie.

(yíhuìr…yíhuìr(yòu)…)

(Xiǎo bǎobɑo yíhuìr kū yíhuìr xiào.)

The baby cries for a while, then smiles for a wihle.

(yǒushí…yǒushí…)

(Zhōumò de shíhou,  tā yǒushí xǐhuɑn kàn diànshì, yǒushí xǐhuɑn kàn shū.)

During the weekend, he sometimes likes to watch TV-series, sometimes likes to read a book.

(Tā búdàn huì shuō yīnɡyǔ érqiě huì shuō hànyǔ.)

He not only can speak English, but (he) also can speak Chinese.

(búdànbù/méi…fǎn

ér…)

(Jiǎnféi yíduàn shíjiān hòu,  tā búdàn méi shòu,  fǎn ér pànɡ le.)

Trying to lose weight for some time, he hasn’t become thinner but fatter.

/可是…

(suīrán/jǐnɡuǎn… dànshì/kěshì…)

(Suīrán/Jǐnɡuǎn wàimian zài xiàyǔ,  dànshì/kěshì tā háishì qù pǎobù le.)

Though it is raining outside, he is still running.

(yīnwèi…suǒyǐ…)

(Yīnwèi tiān tài lěnɡ,  suǒyǐ wǒmen bù xiǎnɡ qù ɡuànɡjiē le.)

Because it is so cold, we don’t want to go shopping.

(zhī suǒyǐ… shì yīn

wèi…)

(Tā zhī suǒyǐ bù cānjiā bǐsài,  shì yīnwèi tā shēnɡbìnɡ le.)

He didn’t take part in the match, because he is sick.

(jì rán…jiù …)

(Jìrán nǐ lèi le,  jiù shuì bɑ.)

Since you’re tired, just go to sleep.

(rúɡuǒ/yàoshì…jiù…)

(Yàoshì/Rúɡuǒ nǐ měitiān dōu duànliàn shēntǐ, nǐ jiù huì hěn jiànkānɡ.)

If you exercise every day, you will be healthy.

(jíshǐ…yě…)

(Jíshǐ xià yǔ, wǒ yě yào qù bǐsài.)

Even if it rains, I have to take part in the game.

(zhǐyào…jiù…)

(Zhǐyào nǐ nǔlì,  nǐ jiù nénɡ chénɡɡōnɡ.)

As long as you work hard, you can succeed.

(zhǐyǒu…cái…)

(Zhǐyǒu jiānchí búxiè, cái nénɡ chénɡɡōnɡ.)

Only perseverance can ensure success.

(chúfēi…cái…)

(Chúfēi nǐ qù qǐnɡ tā,  tā cái huì lái cānjiā wǎnhuì.)

Unless you ask him, he will come to the party.

(chúfēi…fǒuzé…)

(Chúfēi nǐ qù qǐnɡ tā,  fǒuzé tā bú huì lái cānjiā wǎnhuì.)

Unless you ask him, he won’t come to the party otherwise.

/都…

(wúlùn/bùɡuǎn…yě

/dōu…)

(Wúlùn nǐ shuō shénme,  wǒ dōu bú huì tónɡyì.)

No matter what you say, I will not agree.

(fánshì…dōu…)

(Fánshì tā shuō de,  wǒ dōu xiānɡxìn.)

I believe everything he said.

(rènhé…yě/dōu…)

(Rènhé rén dū huì fàncuò.)

Anybody can make a mistake.

(yī…jiù…)

(2) The first part is the condition, and the second part is the result.

(Wǒ yì huíjiā jiù shuìjiào.)

I sleep as soon as I got home.

他一急，就写错了。

(Tā yì jí,  jiù xiě cuò le.)

He is anxious, so he writes incorrectly.

(lián…dài…)

(2)     To indicate both of the items are included.

(Tāmen lián shuō dài xiào de zǒu jìn jiàoshì.)

They enter the classroom, talking and laughing.

昨晚我连做作业带预习一共花了两个小时。

(Zuówǎn wǒ lián zuò zuòyè dài yùxí yíɡònɡ huā le liǎnɡ ɡè xiǎoshí.)

Last night, I took two hours to do my homework and review.

(行/成/可)…

(fēi (děi/yào)…bù( xínɡ/chénɡ/kě)…)

(Zhè jiàn shì fēi tā bàn bù kě.)

This is something he can do.

才(行/成)…

(fēi(děi/yào)…

cái(xínɡ/chénɡ)…)

(Wǒ fēiyào qīnzì qù yítànɡ cái xínɡ.)

I have to go by myself.

(lián…yě/dōu…)

(2) To conclude some comparison.

(Tā lián shū dōu/yě méi kàn.)

He didn’t even read the book.

这个问题连小孩儿都知道，他却不知道。

(Zhèɡe wèntí lián xiǎohái’r dōu zhīdào, tā què bù zhīdào.)

Even the children know this problem that he doesn’t know.

但是…)

(biékàn…(kěshì/

dànshì… ))

(Biékàn tā hànzì xiě de bù hǎo, kěshì tā de fāyīn hěn zhǔn.)

Don’t focus on that he writes Chinese characters badly, but actually his pronunciation is accurate.

(更)何况…

(shànɡqiě…,

(ɡènɡ)hé kuànɡ…)

(Yìjiārén shànɡqiě huì chǎnshēnɡ máodùn,  hékuànɡ shì ɡānɡ rènshí bù jiǔ de pénɡyou.)

Even a family will have disagreements, moreso with a friend.

(biéshuō…, jiùshì…yě…)

(Biéshuō zhè dào tí, jiùshì zài nán de tí wǒ yě huì zuò.)

Not to belittle this question, but I can also figure out one that is more difficult.

/不仅…，也/都/还…

(bùdān/búdàn/bùzhǐ

/bùjǐn…, yě/dōu/hái…)

(Tā bùdān zìjǐ zhùzhònɡ huánbǎo, hái quànshuō shēnbiān de pénɡyou yě lái ɡuānzhù huánbǎo.)

He not only pays attention to environmental protection, but also to persuading his friends to pay attention to environmental protection.

(yīlái…, èrlái…)

(Wǒ bù xiǎnɡ qù lǚyóu, yìlái méi shíjiān, èrlái méi qián.)

I don’t want to travel, because I don’t have time and money.

(yīzhě/yīzé…, èrzhě/èr zé…)

(Tā zuìjìn hěn mánɡ, yīzhě yào zhǔnbèi kǎoshì, èrzhě yào nǔlì ɡōnɡzuò.)

He has been busy recently, because he needs to prepare for the test and work hard at the same time.