For some learners, these can present a challenge as it’s not always clear which preposition should be used in each unique situation. Though they might seem tricky at first, this article is here to guide you. Chinese prepositional phrases are generally formed by placing a preposition before nouns, pronouns, or corresponding phrases.

They often function as adverbials in a sentence, conveying aspects of time, location, targets, reasons, and more. It’s a little overwhelming!

To make things easier, we’ve gathered a collection of the most common and most useful prepositions to help you gain a clear understanding. Ready to go? Let’s get started!

• When? Chinese Prepositions for Time
• Where? Chinese Prepositions for Location and Direction
• What About? Chinese Prepositions For Targets and Recipients
• How? Chinese Prepositions for Methods
• Why? Chinese Prepositions for Reason and Purpose
• What’s Different? Chinese Prepositions For Exclusion and Comparison

When? Chinese Prepositions for Time

自 vs 从 vs 自从

自(zì)，从(cóng), and 自从(zìcóng) are like the English words “from” or “since”. They tell us when something started. These three terms are rather similar, but their usage differs slightly.

1. 自(zì) is commonly found in written Chinese. It expresses that something has been happening for some time now and is still going on. It can be combined with other words like 起(qǐ), 至今(zhìjīn), 以来(yǐlái) and 以后(yǐhòu), and so on. We also see it in phrases like 自始至终(zì shǐ zhì zhōng) and 自古以来(zì gǔ yǐlái).

For example:

自古以来大家都在这一天出去放鞭炮。(Zì gǔ yǐlái dàjiā dōu zài zhè yī tiān chūqù fàng biānpào.)
Since ancient times, everyone has gone out on this day to set off firecrackers.

他们自2008年以后就再也没见过面了。(Tāmen zì èr líng líng bā nián yǐhòu jiù zàiyě méi jiànguo miàn le.)
They haven’t seen each other since 2008.

自下个月起我们将调整上班时间。(Zì xià gè yuè qǐ wǒmen jiāng tiáozhěng shàngbān shíjiān.)
Starting from next month, we will adjust our working hours.

2. 从(cóng) is a versatile preposition used in various contexts. When used with time words, it tells us when something began. 从(cóng) is often paired with words like 起(qǐ), 到(dào), 以后(yǐhòu), and so on.

For example:

从明天起我要开始打太极拳。(Cóng míngtiān qǐ wǒ yào kāishǐ dǎ tàijíquán.)
Starting tomorrow, I will start practicing Tai Chi.

从8点到11点，他们一直在上汉语课。(Cóng bā diǎn dào shíyī diǎn, tāmen yīzhí zài shàng Hànyǔ kè.)
They have been attending Chinese class from 8 to 11 am.

我们从现在开始要改变作息时间。(Wǒmen cóng xiànzài kāishǐyào gǎibiàn zuòxī shíjiān.)
Starting now, we need to change our work and rest time.

3. 自从(zìcóng), the combination of 自(zì) and 从(cóng), is used to describe when something started in the past. It can be used with 后(hòu), 之后(zhīhòu), or 以后(yǐhòu).

For example:

自从去年见过一面后，我们再也没见过了。(Zìcóng qùnián jiànguò yīmiàn hòu, wǒmen zài yě méi jiànguò le.)
Since we met last year, we haven’t met again.

自从他出国以后，我们就断了联系。(Zìcóng tā chūguó yǐhòu, wǒmen jiù duànle liánxì.)
Since he went abroad, we’ve lost contact.

自从他来了后，大家都变得很开心。(Zìcóng tā lái le hòu, dàjiā dōu biàn de hěn kāixīn.)
Since he arrived, everyone has become very happy.

当

当(dāng) means “when,” “while,” or “during” in English. It can be used with 时(shí) or 的时候(de shíhòu).

For example:

当你不想吃了，就别吃了。(Dāng nǐ bù xiǎng chī le, jiù bié chī le.)
When you don’t want to eat anymore, then don’t eat.

当太阳升起的时候，就是我们出发的时间。(Dāng tàiyáng shēngqǐ de shíhòu, jiù shì wǒmen chūfā de shíjiān.)
When the sun rises, it’s time for us to depart.

当她爱你时，你是她的一切。(Dāng tā’ài nǐ shí, nǐ shì tā de yīqiè.)
When she loves you, you are her everything.

趁

趁(chèn) means to use a special opportunity or chance to do something. It can be combined with a variety of other words, including 时(shí), 的时候(de shíhòu), 期间(qījiān), 工夫 (gōngfu), 空挡(kòngdǎng), 前/后(qián/hòu), and so on.

For example:

趁他们还没回来，我们先吃点儿零食。(Chèn tāmen hái méi huílái, wǒmen xiān chī diǎnr língshí.)
While they haven’t come back yet, let’s eat some snacks first.

他们趁有人在的空挡帮忙打扫了房间。(Tāmen chèn yǒurén zài de kòngdǎng bāngmáng dǎsǎo le fángjiān.)
While someone was present, they helped clean the room.

最近这里有很多人被枪杀了，趁天黑前赶紧回家。(Zuìjìn zhèlǐ yǒu hěn duō rén bèi qiāngshā le, chèn tiānhēi qián gǎnjǐn huí jiā.)
Many people have died in shootings recently, so hurry back home before it gets dark.

在

在(zài) indicates the time at which an action or event occurs. It can be combined with words like 时(shí), 的时候(de shíhòu), 前 (qián), 之前(zhīqián), 后(hòu), 之后(zhīhòu), and so on.

For example:

他们会在这个月底举办婚礼。(Tāmen huì zài zhège yuèdǐ jǔbàn hūnlǐ.)
They will hold a wedding at the end of this month.

我们在妈妈回来前要把这里打扫干净。(Wǒmen zài māmā huílái qián yào bǎ zhèlǐ dǎsǎo gānjìng.)
We need to clean up here before Mom returns.

小华在家里休息的时候，把《红楼梦》读完了。(Xiǎo Huá zài jiālǐ xiūxí de shíhòu, bǎ Hónglóumèng dú wán le.)
While resting at home, Xiao Hua finished reading Dream of the Red Chamber.

Where? Chinese Prepositions for Location and Direction

从

As mentioned above, 从(cóng) is quite a versatile preposition. So, when it is followed by a location, it can tell us where something starts. The most commonly used structure is 从(cóng)……到(dào)…….

For example:

我们从这里走。(Wǒmen cóng zhèlǐ zǒu.)
Let’s walk from here.

从我家到学校开车要一个小时。(Cóng wǒ jiā dào xuéxiào kāichē yào yī gè xiǎoshí.)
It takes an hour to drive from my house to school.

从我们公司去图书馆很远。(Cóng wǒmen gōngsī qù túshūguǎn hěn yuǎn.)
Our company is very far from the library.

在

In addition to indicating time, 在(zài) can also tell us where someone is or where something happens, not just when.

For example:

小华现在在家里洗衣服。(Xiǎo Huá xiànzài zài jiā lǐ xǐ yīfú.)
Xiao Hua is currently washing clothes at home.

我们在图书馆复习汉语。(Wǒmen zài túshūguǎn fùxí hànyǔ.)
We are studying Chinese at the library.

这个桌子放在哪里？(Zhège zhuōzi fàng zài nǎlǐ?)
Where should this table be placed?

往 vs 向 vs 朝

往(wǎng), 向(xiàng) and 朝(cháo) all show which direction something is moving towards, and they can be used interchangeably in this context.

For example:

这条河往/向/朝东流。(Zhè tiáo hé wǎng/xiàng/cháo dōng liú.)
This river flows to the east.

我们往/向/朝前走，再往/向/朝左转。(Wǒmen wǎng/xiàng/cháo qián zǒu, zài wǎng/xiàng/cháo zuǒ zhuǎn.)
Let’s go straight and then turn left.

这边很危险，往/向/朝里靠。(Zhè biān hěn wēixiǎn, wǎng/xiàng/cháo lǐ kào.)
It’s very dangerous over here, so please move inside.

However, there are some small distinctions to pay attention to.

往(wǎng) and 向(xiàng) can be used after motion words, like 开(kāi), 驶(shǐ), 飞(fēi), 送(sòng), and 运(yùn) while 朝(cháo) can’t be used this way.

For example:

这辆车开往昆明。(Zhè liàng chē kāi wǎng Kūnmíng.)
This car is driving towards Kunming.

这些快递要运向北方。(Zhèxiē kuàidì yào yùn xiàng běifāng.)
These parcels need to be transported to the north.

我看到那只鸟飞向了蓝天。(Wǒ kàn dào nà zhī niǎo fēi xiàngle lán tiān.)
I saw that bird flying toward the blue sky.

向(xiàng) and 朝(cháo) can indicate the goal of an action, whereas 往(wǎng) doesn’t have this particular usage.

For example:

小华朝我笑了笑。（Xiǎo Huá cháo wǒ xiàole xiào.）
Xiao Hua smiled at me.

看到妈妈回家了，他朝妈妈走了过去。（Kàndào māmā huí jiāle, tā cháo māmā zǒu le guòqù.）
When he saw Mom coming home, he walked over to her.

你不应该向小孩子发火。（Nǐ bù yīnggāi xiàng xiǎoháizi fā huǒ.）
You shouldn’t get angry with children.

沿着 vs 顺着 vs 沿

沿着(yán zhe) and 顺着(shùn zhe) tell us the path someone or something takes. However, 沿着(yán zhe) often implies moving alongside something that doesn’t move and is sometimes even used in an abstract context. 顺着(shùn zhe) is used to describe actions that follow something already in motion or the path along which things naturally move.

For example:

你顺着/沿着这条路走就能看食堂了。(Nǐ shùn zhe/yán zhe zhè tiáo lù zǒu jiù néng kàn shítáng le.)
You walk along this road and then you will see the cafeteria.

汗水顺着他的头发流了下来。(Hànshuǐ shùn zhe tā de tóufa liú le xiàlái.)
Sweat flowed down his hair.

就让小船自己顺着河流走吧。(Jiù ràng xiǎo chuán zìjǐ shùn zhe hé liú zǒu ba.)
Let the little boat go along with the river on its own.

晚上他喜欢沿着小溪散步。(Wǎnshàng tā xǐhuān yán zhe xiǎoxī sànbù.)
He enjoys walking along the stream in the evening.

他们沿着昨晚得出的新思路继续做实验。(Tāmen yán zhe zuówǎn dé chū de xīn sīlù jìxù zuò shíyàn.)
They are continuing the experiment following the new idea they came up with last night.

Furthermore, 沿(yán) can be used with monosyllabic words such as 路(lù), 河(hé), 岸(àn), 线(xiàn), and 途(tú) to indicate a place. In this case, 着(zhe) can be omitted.

For example:

沿路都是电动车。(Yán lù dōu shì diàndòng chē.)’
Along the road, there are electric vehicles everywhere.

这条河沿岸开了很多酒店。(Zhè tiáo hé yán‘àn kāi le hěnduō jiǔdiàn.)
Many hotels have been opened along the bank of this river.

今年去旅游，发现这里沿途种了很多树。(Jīnnián qù lǚyóu, fāxiàn zhèlǐ yán tú zhòng le hěnduō shù.)
When I traveled this year, I noticed that many trees have been planted along the road here.

What About? Chinese Prepositions For Targets and Recipients

给

给(gěi) as a preposition is used to indicate the recipient of an action, similar to “to” or “for” in English. It can be used with a verb, such as 送(sòng), 递(dì), 寄(jì), etc..

For example:

他给我买了一件外套。(Tā gěi wǒ mǎi le yī jiàn wàitào.)
He bought a coat for me.

把这些橘子寄给他。(Bǎ zhèxiē júzi jì gěi tā.)
Send these oranges to him.

妹妹生日的时候，我送给她一本书。(Mèimei shēngrì de shíhòu, wǒ sòng gěi tā yī běn shū.)
I gave my younger sister a book on her birthday.

对 vs 对于

对(duì) and 对于(duìyú) both show the target of an action. The structure  “对/对于(duì/duìyú)……来说(láishuō)” is commonly used to stress a point or opinion.

For example:

对/对于这件事你有什么看法？(Duì / Duìyú zhè jiàn shì, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?)
What is your take on this matter?

对大多数人来说，找个稳定的工作非常重要。(Duì dà duōshù rén lái shuō, zhǎo ge wěndìng de gōngzuò fēicháng zhòngyào.)
For most people, getting a stable job is very important.

对于你来说，现在最重要的是学习本领。(Duìyú nǐ lái shuō, xiànzài zuì zhòngyào de shì xuéxí běnlǐng.)
For you, the most important thing right now is to acquire skills.

However, there are a few differences between them:

1. 对(duì) can be used to stress a unidirectional action, impact or relationship between the subject and object. It can be thought of as the equivalent of  “to” in English. Modal verbs or adverbs can be placed before it.

Modal Verb / Adverb + 对

For example:

我想对他表示感谢。(Wǒ xiǎng duì tā biǎoshì gǎnxiè.)
I want to express my gratitude to him.

这次的失误对我们的项目影响很大。(Zhè cì de shīwù duì wǒmen de xiàngmù yǐngxiǎng hěn dà.)
This mistake has a significant impact on our project this time.

他对数字非常敏感。(Tā duì shùzì fēicháng mǐngǎn.)
He is very good with figures.

2. 对于(duìyú) often introduces a particular topic and stresses the subject’s opinions and attitudes about that topic. It can be translated as “regarding,” “with respect to,” or “as for.”. 对于(duìyú)  can be placed before or after the subject but cannot be used after modal verbs or adverbs. When it’s put before the subject, a comma is required.

对于 + Subject， ……
Subject + 对于 ……
 Modal Verb / Adverb + 对于

For example:

对于去不去敦煌，他们还在考虑。(Duìyú qù bù qù Dūnhuáng, tāmen hái zài kǎolǜ.)
They are still considering whether or not to go to Dunhuang.

对于这个语法的用法，大家还不太明白。(Duìyú zhège yǔfǎ de yòngfǎ, dàjiā hái bù tài míngbai.)
Regarding the usage of this grammar point, people still don’t quite understand it.

对于持有不同意见的成员，我们应该要积极去听取各方意见。(Duìyú chíyǒu bùtóng yìjiàn de chéngyuán, wǒmen yīnggāi yào jījí qù tīngqǔ gèfāng yìjiàn.)
For members who hold different opinions, we should actively listen to their views.

关于

关于(guānyú) is quite similar to 对于(duìyú). Both of them can introduce a particular topic, and both can generally be translated to “regarding” or “with respect to” in English.

However, there is a slight difference in how they are used. 关于(guānyú) usually starts with the topic, then adds more info. It’s closer to “about” in English.

Additionally, 关于(guānyú) can be combined with 的(de), forming the structure “关于……的” (guānyú……de), which provides more information about the object. This structure functions as an attributive in a sentence, something 对于(duìyú) cannot do.

For example:

关于玩手机游戏，他比我厉害。(Guānyú wán shǒujī yóuxì, tā bǐ wǒ lìhài.)
He is better than me at playing mobile games.

我买了一本关于中国夏朝的书。(Wǒ mǎi le yī běn guānyú Zhōngguó Xiàcháo de shū.)
I bought a book about the Chinese Xia Dynasty.

我想知道关于他的一切。(Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào guānyú tā de yīqiè.)
I want to know everything about him.

和 vs 跟

The prepositions 和(hé) and 跟(gēn) both mean “with” in English. Most of the time, they are interchangeable. 一起(yìqǐ) and 一样(yíyàng) are often used with them to form the structures “跟/和……一起”(together with) and “跟/和……一样”(same as). Additionally, when you need to introduce the target or recipient of a separable verb, then和(hé) or 跟(gēn) should be used.

For example:

我跟/和你说一句话。(Wǒ gēn/hé nǐ shuō yī jù huà.)
I’ll have a word with you.

他不想跟/和我们一起去沙漠。(Tā bù xiǎng gēn/hé wǒmen yīqǐ qù shāmò.)
He doesn’t want to go to the desert with us.

你说的跟/和他说的是一样的意思。(Nǐ shuō de gēn/hé tā shuō de shì yīyàng de yìsi.)
What you said has the same meaning as what he said.

昨天他跟/和小华见面了。(Zuótiān tā gēn/hé Xiǎo Huá jiànmiàn le.)
He met up with Xiao Hua yesterday.

我明年要和/跟小明结婚。(Wǒ míngnián yào hé/gēn Xiǎo Míng jiéhūn.)
I will get married to Xiao Ming next year.

However, if you want to show a clear order or direction, only use 跟(gēn).

For example:

跟我读！(Gēn wǒ dú!)
Read after me!

弟弟跟我借了两本书。(Dìdi gēn wǒ jiè le liǎng běn shū.)
My younger brother borrowed two books from me.

你一直跟我说你的想法也没用。(Nǐ yīzhí gēn wǒ shuō nǐ de xiǎngfǎ yě méiyòng.)
It’s useless to keep telling me your ideas.

把 vs 被

把(bǎ) and 被(bèi) are vital prepositions in Chinese, but they’re often quite challenging for learners to master.

1. 把(bǎ) is one of the most common Chinese prepositions. It is used to place emphasis on the object, the recipient of an action. The most basic structure is:

Subject(Doer) + 把 + Object(Receiver) + Verb + Other elements

 It’s important to note that since 把(bǎ) shifts the focus of the sentence onto the object, usually noting the effect of the verb or a change of state, the object cannot be abstract. When using this structure, any negation words, modal verbs, or other adverbs should be placed before 把(bǎ).

For example:

可以把书放在墙边。(Kěyǐ bǎ shū fàng zài qiáng biān.)
You can place the book by the wall.

请把灯关掉。(Qǐng bǎ dēng guān diào.)
Please turn off the light.

你把这些水果都吃了吧。(Nǐ bǎ zhèxiē shuǐguǒ dōu chī le ba.)
Go ahead and eat all these fruits.

他们没有把房间打扫干净。(Tāmen méiyǒu bǎ fángjiān dǎsǎo gānjìng.)
They didn’t clean the room well.

我想把这个小电风扇送给你。(Wǒ xiǎng bǎ zhège xiǎo diànfēnshàn sòng gěi nǐ.)
I want to give you this small electric fan.

2. The preposition 被(bèi) is a little different from 把(bǎ) because it is used to form the passive voice and places the object at the very beginning of the sentence, even before the subject. See here:

Object (Receiver) + 被 + Subject (Doer) + Verb + Other elements

The 被(bèi) sentence structure stresses that an action was done to the object by the subject, usually having a notable and definite result.. The marker 被(bèi) can be used alone because in some cases the subject is unimportant, obvious, or unclear for both the speaker and the listener Similar to 把(bǎ) sentences, any negation words, modal verbs, or other adverbs should be put before被(bèi).

For example:

杯子被妹妹打碎了。(Bēizi bèi mèimei dǎ suì le.)
The cup was broken by the younger sister.

我的饺子全被他吃了。(Wǒ de jiǎozi quán bèi tā chī le.)
He ate all of my dumplings.

听说他的车被偷了。(Tīngshuō tā de chē bèi tōu le.)
I heard that his car was stolen.

小偷被人抓到了。(Xiǎotōu bèi rén zhuā dào le.)
The thief was caught by someone.

小华没有被选为班长。(Xiǎo Huá méiyǒu bèi xuǎn wéi bānzhǎng.)
Xiao Hua was not chosen to be the class monitor.

他们都想被邀请参加晚会。(Tāmen dōu xiǎng bèi yāoqǐng cānjiā wǎnhuì.)
They all want to be invited to the party.

How? Chinese Prepositions for Methods

靠

The preposition 靠(kào) is used to express that something relies on someone or something else in order to happen. It can also be used to indicate that something is close to or adjacent to something else.

For example:

这件事就靠你们去解决了。(Zhè jiàn shì jiù kào nǐmen qù jiějué le.)
It’s relying on you to resolve this matter.

在家靠父母，出门靠朋友。(Zài jiā kào fùmǔ, chūmén kào péngyǒu.)
We rely on our parents while at home but rely on our friends while away..

你们靠墙站好。(Nǐmen kào qiáng zhàn hǎo.)
You stand by the wall.

通过

通过(tōngguò) as a preposition emphasizes the manner or method used to achieve something, and it can be put before or after the subject in a sentence.

For example:

我们通过小华联系到了他。(Wǒmen tōngguò Xiǎo Huá liánxì dào le tā.)
We contacted him through Xiao Hua.

通过他的视频，我们了解了这次事的起因。(Tōngguò tā de shìpín, wǒmen liǎojiě le zhè cì shì de qǐyīn.)
We knew the cause of this incident after watching his video.

这份文件不能通过私人邮箱发送。(Zhè fèn wénjiàn bùnéng tōngguò sīrén yóuxiāng fāsòng.)
This file cannot be sent via a personal email.

按照 vs 根据 vs 据

按照(ànzhào) and 根据(gēnjù) can both be translated to “according to” in English, and most time they are interchangeable. But take note of these differences between them:

1. 按照(ànzhào) stresses that someone is explicitly following what someone else said, a procedure, or formula. There is no need for the speaker to express their own point of view.

For example:

我是按照你说的做的，为什么错了？(Wǒ shì ànzhào nǐ shuō de zuò de, wèishéme cuò le?)
I did as you said, but why is it wrong?

你要按照学校的要求去完成实习。(Nǐ yào ànzhào xuéxiào de yāoqiú qù wánchéng shíxí.)
You should complete the internship according to the school’s requirements.

这件事你们想按照什么原则去处理？(Zhè jiàn shì nǐmen xiǎng ànzhào shénme yuánzé qù chǔlǐ?)
What principles do you want to follow to handle this matter?

2. 根据(gēnjù) allows the speaker to make a judgement, conclusion, or decision based on something.

For example:

做事情的方法要根据情况去变化。(Zuò shìqíng de fāngfǎ yào gēnjù qíngkuàng qù biànhuà.)
The method of doing things should change according to the situation.

我们会根据大家的意见总结出最好的方法。(Wǒmen huì gēnjù dàjiā de yìjian zǒngjié chū zuì hǎo de fāngfǎ.)
We will summarize the best method based on everyone’s opinions.

根据公司的规定，明天可以穿汉服上班。(Gēnjù gōngsī de guīdìng, míngtiān kěyǐ chuān Hànfú shàngbān.)
According to the company’s regulations, we can wear traditional Chinese clothing to work tomorrow.

3. Another thing about 根据(gēnjù) is that it can be shortened to 据(jù) alone, but its usage differs slightly from 根据(gēnjù). Generally speaking, 据(jù) should be followed by monosyllabic words, including说(shuō), 闻(wén), 悉(xī), 传(chuán) or 报道(bàodào, which is an exception), while 根据(gēnjù) should be used with words that have two or more syllables. 据(jù) is also more frequently used in written Chinese.

For example:

据说，他们后天要结婚啦。(Jù shuō, tāmen hòutiān yào jiéhūn la.)
It is said that they are going to get married the day after tomorrow.

据报道这次的比赛将推迟到下周。(Jù bàodào zhè cì de bǐsài jiāng tuīchí dào xiàzhōu.)
According to reports, this competition will be postponed to next week.

据悉，这是此公司第一次获得该奖项。(Jù xī, zhè shì cǐ gōngsī dìyī cì huòdé gài jiǎngxiàng.)
It is known that this is the first time this company has received this award.

凭借

凭借(píngjiè) is an advanced word to express relying on something, which is usually used in written Chinese. We can opt to place 着(zhe) after it, and there is no impact on the meaning.

For example:

他凭借勇气和经验获得了这次机会。(Tā píngjiè yǒngqì hé jīngyàn huòdé le zhècì jīhuì.)
He obtained this opportunity by his courage and experience.

小华凭借着自己的才华赢得了评委的认可。(Xiǎo Huá píngjiè zhe zìjǐ de cáinéng yíngdéle píngwěi de rènkě.)
Xiao Hua won the recognition of the judges because of her talent.

小明凭借以前学到的知识解决了这个问题。(Xiǎo Míng píngjiè yǐqián xué dào de zhīshi jiějuéle zhège wèntí.)
Xiao Ming solved this problem by using the knowledge he had learned before.

Why? Chinese Prepositions for Reason and Purpose

因为 vs 因 vs 由于

因为(yīnwèi) and 由于(yóuyú) both can be used to describe the reason for an action or event, similar to “because” in English, but in fact, their usage differs quite a bit.

1. Compared to “because” in English, 由于(yóuyú) is closer in meaning to “due to.” It can be used in conjunction with 因此(yīncǐ), 因而(yīn’ér) and 所以(suǒyǐ), while 因为(yīnwèi) can only be used with 所以(suǒyǐ). When 由于(yóuyú) is used, it implies that the situation is unfortunate, while 因为(yīnwèi) doesn’t have any negative connotation.

For example:

由于天气的原因，航班取消了。(Yóuyú tiānqì de yuányīn, hángbān qǔxiāole.)
The flight was canceled due to the weather.

由于时间紧张，因此他们要加班完成这个项目。(Yóuyú shíjiān jǐnzhāng, yīncǐ tāmen yào jiābān wánchéng zhège xiàngmù.)
Due to the insufficient time, they have to work overtime to complete this project.

因为他不喜欢吃鱼，所以我们打算去吃烤羊。(Yīnwèi tā bù xǐhuān chī yú, suǒyǐ wǒmen dǎsuàn qù chī kǎo yáng.)
Because he doesn’t like to eat fish, we plan to go and have roasted lamb.

2. A clause introduced by 由于(yóuyú) cannot be positioned after the result in a sentence, whereas clauses introduced by 因为(yīnwèi) offer more flexibility. Additionally, when responding to a WHY question using the term 为什么(wèishéme), we should use 因为(yīnwèi)  rather than 由于(yóuyú).

For example:

（√）由于他们的失误，我们的计划不得不推迟。(Yóuyú tāmen de shīwù, wǒmen de jìhuà bùdé bù tuīchí.) Due to their mistake, our plan had to be postponed.

（×）我们的计划不得不推迟，由于他们的失误。(Wǒmen de jìhuà bùdé bù tuīchí, yóuyú tāmen de shīwù)

（√）因为外面下雨了，我们就没去爬山。 (Yīnwèi wàimiàn xiàyǔ le, wǒmen jiù méi qù pá shān.) Because it was raining outside, we didn’t go mountain climbing.

（√）我们就没去爬山，因为外面下雨了。 (Wǒmen jiù méi qù pá shān, yīnwèi wàimiàn xiàyǔ le)
We didn’t go mountain climbing because it was raining inside.

A：为什么迟到了？(Wèishéme chídào le?) Why are you late?

（√）B：因为路上堵车了。(Yīnwèi lùshang dǔ chē le) Because there was a traffic jam on the way.
（×）B：由于路上堵车了。(Yóuyú lùshang dǔ chē le)

2. 因(yīn) is a shortened form of 因为(yīnwèi) which is used to introduce reasons with a somewhat formal tone. It’s commonly used  in written Chinese in fixed expressions, and it can be combined with 而(ér) or 故(gù) to convey a result.

For example:

这个世界因你而精彩。(Zhège shìjiè yīn nǐ ér jīngcǎi.)
You make this world wonderful.

这件事因人而异。(Zhè jiàn shì yīn rén ér yì.)
This matter varies from person to person.

因设备故障，故本次直播取消。(Yīn shèbèi gùzhàng, gù běncì zhíbò qǔxiāo.)
Due to equipment failure, this livestream has been canceled.

为了 vs 为

When expressing the purpose of an action, 为了(wèi le) and 为(wèi) are typically interchangeable , similar to “for” or “for the sake of” in English. Words, phrases, and clauses can all be placed after 为了(wèi le), whereas 为(wèi) is generally followed by nouns or nominal phrases. They can both be combined with 而(ér) to form “为了/为……而……” (wèi le/wèi… ér). Following this structure, 为了(wèi le) can be used to connect two verbs with opposite meanings, but 为(wèi) cannot be used in the same context.

For example:

为了赚学费，他每天打三份工。(Wèile zhuàn xuéfèi, tā měitiān dǎ sān fèn gōng.)
To earn tuition money, he works three jobs every day.

人人都想为/为了理想而奋斗。(Rénrén dōu xiǎng wèi/wèile lǐxiǎng ér fèndòu.)
Everyone wants to strive for their ideals.

他为了了解中国文化而学习中文。(Tā wèile liǎojiě zhōngguó wénhuà ér xuéxí zhōngwén.)
He studies Chinese in order to understand Chinese culture.

为了尽快把这个地方建设好，他们想尽了办法。(Wèile jǐnkuài bǎ zhège dìfang jiànshè hǎo, tāmen xiǎng jìnle bànfǎ.)
In order to develop this place quickly, they have gone to every possible length.

为了进攻而先后退是一种有用的战术。(Wèile jìngōng ér xiān hòutuì shì yīzhǒng yǒuyòng de zhànshù.)
Retreating before attacking is a useful tactic.

What’s Different? Chinese Prepositions For Exclusion and Comparison

除了

The preposition 除了(chúle) can be used to show what is included or excluded much like “except for” or “besides” in English. It can be paired with 以外(yǐwài) or 之外(zhīwài), and its meaning varies depending on the information that follows it.

Structure 1: 除了……(以外/之外)，Subject + 都(dōu)……

This structure points out a single exception within a larger group or scope, while the rest share a common feature. It’s more like “except for” in English.

For example:

除了小华，大家都去游泳。(Chúle Xiǎo Huá, dàjiā dōu qù yóuyǒng.）
Everyone will go swimming except for Xiao Hua.

除了我哥哥以外，其他人都不喜欢吃这个蛋糕。(Chúle wǒ gēge yǐwài, qítā rén dōu bù xǐhuān chī zhège dàngāo.)
Except for my older brother, no one else likes to eat this cake.

除了这三本书，其他的书都不是我的。(Chúle zhè sān běn shū, qítā de shū dōu bù shì wǒ de.)
Besides these three books, the others are not mine.

Structure 2: 除了……(之外/以外），Subject + 也(yě)/还(hái)……

This structure indicates that besides a particular person or thing, there are other elements that the subject is concerned about. It’s more like “besides” or “in addition” in English.

For example:

除了橘子，我还喜欢吃葡萄。(Chúle júzi, wǒ hái xǐhuan chī pútao.)
Besides oranges, I also like to eat grapes.

除了历史类的书之外，我也有很多语言方面的书。(Chúle lìshǐ lèi de shū zhīwài, wǒ yě yǒu hěn duō yǔyán fāngmiàn de shū.)
Besides the books related to history, I also have many books on language.

除了说“不知道”，他还喜欢说“不明白”。(Chúle shuō “bù zhīdào,” tā hái xǐhuan shuō “bù míngbái”.)
Besides “I don’t know”, he also likes to say, “I don’t understand.”

比

When talking about making comparisons in Chinese, it’s impossible to overlook the essential preposition 比(bǐ). It is used to note a difference between two objects. Translating 比(bǐ) directly into English is a little tricky because it is similar to “than,” but that’s not the full story. Let’s look at some examples to better explain how 比(bǐ) is used.

Structure 1: A + 比 + B + Adjective

For example:

他比我高。(Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.)
He is taller than me.

今天比昨天热。(Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān rè.)
Today is hotter than yesterday.

苹果比西瓜贵。(Píngguǒ bǐ xīguā guì.)
Apples are more expensive than watermelons.

If we want to use a specific number when describing the difference between two objects, we have another structure:

Structure 2: A + 比 + B + Adjective + Specific Number

For example:

他比我高五厘米。(Tā bǐ wǒ gāo wǔ límǐ.)
He is five centimeters taller than me.

苹果比西瓜贵八毛。(Píngguǒ bǐ xīguā guì bā máo.)
Apples are eight cents more expensive than watermelons.

哥哥比弟弟大三岁。(Gēge bǐ dìdi dà sān suì.)
The older brother is three years older than the younger brother.

If we just want to express an approximate degree, we can use:

Structure 3: A + 比 + B + Adjective + 一点儿(yīdiǎnr )/一些(yīxiē)/得多(de duō)/多了(duō le)

For example:

红色的裙子比蓝色的裙子贵一点儿。(Hóngsè de qúnzi bǐ lán sè de qúnzi guì yīdiǎnr.)
The red dress is a little more expensive than the blue one.

这个饭店比旁边的饭店安静一些。(Zhège fàndiàn bǐ pángbiān de fàndiàn ānjìng yīxiē.)
This restaurant is somewhat quieter than the one next door.

今天比昨天热得多。(Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān rè de duō.)
Today is much hotter than yesterday.

他说汉语比之前流利多了。(Tā shuō Hànyǔ bǐ zhīqián liúlì duō le.)
He speaks Chinese much more fluently than he did before.

If we want to express the degree of A is even higher than that of B, we can use:

Structure 4: A + 比 + B + 更(gèng) + Adjective

For example:

我很高，我哥哥比我更高。(Wǒ hěn gāo, wǒ gēge bǐ wǒ gèng gāo.)
I am tall, and my older brother is even taller than me.

昨天很冷，今天比昨天更冷。(Zuótiān hěn lěng, jīntiān bǐ zuótiān gèng lěng.)
It was very cold yesterday, and today is even colder than that.

左边的人很帅，右边的人比他更帅。(Zuǒbiān de rén hěn shuài, yòubiān de rén bǐ tā gèng shuài.)
The person on the left is handsome, and the person on the right is even more handsome.

Final words

As we wrap up our journey through this collection of Chinese prepositions it’s clear that these small words play a big role in shaping the meaning of sentences. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, understanding these prepositions can unlock deeper insights into the Chinese language and help you express your ideas with more precision. Keep practicing, stay curious, and soon you’ll find these words becoming second nature in your conversations.

The post Chinese Grammar Survival Guide: A Comprehensive Overview of Chinese Prepositions appeared first on .

Grammatical particles in Chinese don’t have a meaning on their own but are attached to words, phrases, or sentences to serve specific functions. Nouns, verbs, and adjectives have concrete meanings, making them easier to understand and memorize. However, particles can be challenging for Chinese learners since they come in various forms that help with different functions. Some particles express tone, while others help with sentence formation or indicate tense.

Despite their challenging nature, particles are essential and practical to learn since they have fixed patterns and uses, making them convenient to use. Once learners become familiar with them, it instantly raises their ability to understand and express more complex ideas. So let’s take a look at the most common Chinese grammar particles to help boost your fluency.

• Chinese Aspect Particles 动态助词
  • 着 (zhe)
  • 了 (le)
  • 过 (guò)
• Chinese Structural Particles 结构助词
  • 的 (de)
  • 地 (de)
  • 得 (de)
• Chinese Modal Particles 语气助词
  • 吗 (ma)
  • 呢 (ne)
  • 吧 (ba)

Chinese Aspect Particles 动态助词

Chinese expresses tense differently from English. Instead of changing the form of verbs, particles are used to indicate tense. Aspect particles are added after verbs or adjectives to show the state of an action or change. The three most common particles used for this are 着, 了, and 过.

着 (zhe)

To show the continuation of an action or state in Chinese, 着 is added after the verb. The usual structure is Subject + Verb + 着（+ Object）.

e.g.

门开着。(Mén kāizhe.) The door is open.

地上坐着一只狗。(Dìshàng zuòzhe yī zhī gǒu.) A dog is sitting on the ground.

他穿着一件长袖。(Tā chuān zhe yī jiàn cháng xiù.) He is wearing long sleeves.

When 着 is used with words like 在 or 正在, it indicates the present progressive tense .

e.g.

我正在做着饭，他就来了。(Wǒ zhèngzài zuòzhe fàn, tā jiù láile.) I was cooking when he came.

他在公园里听着歌呢。(Tā zài gōngyuán lǐ tīngzhe gē ne.) He was listening to music in the park.

我们正在思考着这件事。( Wǒmen zhèngzài sīkǎo zhe zhèjiàn shì .) We are thinking about this.

了 (le)

As a tense particle, 了 indicates the completion of an action and is often put after the verb.

e.g.

昨天我买了两件衣服。(Zuótiān wǒ mǎile liǎng jiàn yīfu.) I bought two pieces of clothing yesterday.

早上我喝了一杯咖啡。(Zǎoshang wǒ hēle yībēi kāfēi.) I had a cup of coffee in the morning.

我中午去了公园，没去图书馆。(Wǒ zhōngwǔ qùle gōngyuán, méi qù túshū guǎn.) I went to the park at noon and didn’t go to the library.

过 (guò)

To show the past tense in Chinese, use 过 after the verb to indicate that the action has happened before. However, there are certain limitations to the verbs that can be used with 过. Verbs of recognition and verbs that only happen once cannot be used with 过.

e.g.

我去过北京。(Wǒ qùguò běijīng.) I have been to Beijing.

你吃过饺子吗？(Nǐ chīguò jiǎozi ma?) Have you ever eaten dumplings?

我们学过这本书。(Wǒmen xuéguò zhè běn shū.) We have studied this book.

Chinese Structural Particles 结构助词

Structural particles in Chinese are placed before or after certain words to create specific sentence structures. In modern Chinese, 的, 地, and 得 are the most commonly used structural particles. These three words all share the same pronunciation but have distinct uses and associated structures.

的 (de)

的 is one of the first Chinese characters taught to new learners and is also the first grammatical particle introduced. As a structural particle, 的 is used after an attribute and before a noun to serve as an attributive marker. In more simple terms, it can show possession or mark that an adjective describes the noun that follows.

…… + 的 +Noun

e.g.

• 我的口红 (Wǒ de kǒuhóng) my lipstick
• 学校的书 (xuéxiào de shū) the school’s book
• 漂亮的鸟 (piàoliang de niǎo) beautiful bird
• 吃的东西 (chī de dōngxi) things to eat
• 妈妈做的饭 (māma zuò de fàn) mom’s cooking    

地 (de)

Even native Chinese speakers sometimes misuse 的 and 地, both of which can be structural particles. When used as a structural particle, 地 is often placed after adjectives and adverbs to serve as an adverbial marker.

Adjective / Adverb + 地 + Verb phrase / Adjective

e.g.

学生们努力地学习。(Xuéshēngmen nǔlì de xuéxí.) The students study hard.

老师认真地上课。(Lǎoshī rènzhēn de shàngkè.) The teacher takes the class seriously.

我早早地去学校了。 (Wǒ zǎozǎo de qù xuéxiàole.) I went to school early.

得 (de)

When used as a structural particle, 得 is commonly inserted between a verb and its complement.

Verb + 得 + Complement

e.g.

他总是回来得很晚。(Tā zǒng shì huílái de hěn wǎn.) He always comes back late.

她写字写得不错。(Tā xiězì xiě de bùcuò.) She writes well.

你的话我听得很清楚。(Nǐ dehuà wǒ tīng de hěn qīngchǔ.) I heard your words very clearly.

现在的孩子懂得很多。(Xiànzài de háizi dǒngde hěnduō.) Today’s children know a lot.

Chinese Modal Particles 语气助词

Modal particles are used to express tone of voice in Chinese. They are usually placed in the middle or at the end of a sentence. Sometimes, they can even be used independently. One modal particle can express multiple tones, so it’s important to understand the context. There are five Chinese modal particles used in daily life that we will introduce here.

吗 (ma)

The modal particle 吗 indicates an interrogative tone and is used to create yes-no or rhetorical questions.

e.g.

这是你的书吗？(Zhè shì nǐ de shū ma?) Is this your book?

我可以借一点儿钱吗？(Wǒ kěyǐ jiè yīdiǎnr qián ma?) Can I borrow a little money?

那家饭店便宜吗？(Nà jiā fàndiàn piányi ma?) Is that hotel cheap?

这不是我的家吗？你怎么在这儿？(Zhè bùshì wǒ de jiā ma? Nǐ zěnme zài zhèr?) Isn’t this my home? Why are you here?

他难道不是你的朋友吗？(Tā nándào bùshì nǐ de péngyǒu ma?) Isn’t he your friend?

你认真的吗？那首歌好听吗？(Nǐ rènzhēn de ma? Nà shǒu gē hǎotīng ma?) Are you serious? Is that song good?

呢 (ne)

Unlike 吗, 呢 cannot be used for yes-no questions. However, it is still commonly used to indicate questions in alternative, positive-negative, and specific question structures.

e.g.

谁能帮我拿东西呢？(Shéi néng bāng wǒ ná dōngxī ne?) Who can help me carry something?

你在这喝酒，你妻子在哪儿呢？(Nǐ zài zhè hējiǔ, nǐ qīzi zài nǎr ne?) You are drinking here, where is your wife?

你想吃苹果还是葡萄呢？(Nǐ xiǎng chī píngguǒ háishì pútáo ne?) Would you like to eat apples or grapes?

他爱你。你爱不爱他呢？(Tā ài nǐ. Nǐ ài bù ài tā ne?) He loves you. Do you love him or not?

Additionally, 呢 can be used in declarative sentences with 在, 正在, and 正 to indicate an ongoing action or situation.

e.g.

我正在洗澡呢，你等一下。(Wǒ zhèngzài xǐzǎo ne, nǐ děng yīxià.) I’m taking a shower, wait a minute.

他正睡觉呢，小声点。(Tā zhèng shuìjiào ne, xiǎoshēng diǎn.) He’s sleeping, so be quiet.

我们在开会呢。(Wǒmen zài kāihuì ne.) We are in a meeting.

吧 (ba)

Using 吧 at the end of an interrogative sentence shows a tone of guessing or estimation when the speaker is unsure.

e.g.

我们好像见过面吧？(Wǒmen hǎoxiàng jiànguò miàn ba?) Looks like we’ve met, right?

你的工作都完成了吧？(Nǐ de gōngzuò dōu wánchéngle ba?) Is your work done?

这次考试不难吧？(Zhè cì kǎoshì bù nán ba?) This exam is not difficult, is it?

飞机大概九点到上海吧？(Fēijī dàgài jiǔ diǎn dào Shànghǎi ba?) The plane arrives in Shanghai at about nine o’clock, right?

Additionally, 吧 is commonly used in imperative sentences to indicate a softer tone when making a request or suggestion.

e.g.

我们结婚吧。(Wǒmen jiéhūn ba.) Let’s get married.

你们去玩吧，我不去了。(Nǐmen qù wán ba, wǒ bù qùle.) Go and play, I’m not going.

你快去道歉吧。(Nǐ kuài qù dàoqiàn ba.) Go and apologize.

啊 (a)

啊 is a common modal particle used to emphasize the tone of a sentence when placed at the end. In spoken language, it can also be inserted after the subject to indicate a pause.

e.g.

你儿子啊，总是不写作业。(Nǐ érzi a, zǒng shì bù xiě zuòyè.) Your son, he never does his homework.

你家人也来啊？太好了！(Nǐ jiārén yě lái a? Tài hǎole!) Is your family coming too? Great!

谁在敲门啊？(Shéi zài qiāo mén a?) Who is knocking at the door?

这个地方真漂亮啊！(Zhègè dìfāng zhēn piàoliang a!) This place is so beautiful!

Conclusion

In conclusion, these particles are some of the foundational building blocks of Chinese grammar. Aspect and structural particles, such as 了, 过, 的, 地, and 得, play critical roles in expressing verb tense, forming special sentence structures, and emphasizing tone.

Modal particles, including 吗, 呢, 吧, 啊, and 呀, help to convey various emotions and attitudes. With continued practice, mastering these particles can significantly improve your Chinese language skills and help you communicate more effectively in a wide range of settings.

The post Commonly Used Chinese Grammar Particles – Aspect, Structural, and Modal Particles appeared first on .

1. For food
2. For fruit and seasoning
3. For people
4. For relationships
5. For feelings and characteristics

For food

• 猪肉 /zhūròu/ pork
• 牛肉 /niúròu/ beef
• 鸡肉 /jīròu/ chicken
• 羊肉 /yángròu/ lamb
• 肉食动物 /ròushí dòngwù/ carnivorous animal

Note that when you say “肉” without specifying the type of meat, most people will assume you mean “猪肉” (pork) because it’s the most commonly consumed meat in China. But what about other types of meat? If you want to order beef, chicken, lamb, or other meats in a restaurant, simply use the appropriate attribute words like “牛” (niú) for beef, “鸡” (jī) for chicken, and “羊” (yáng) for lamb before the character “肉” to form “牛肉” (niúròu), “鸡肉” (jīròu), “羊肉” (yángròu), and so on.

When discussing a specific dish, you may be familiar with the famous food “烤鸭” (kǎo yā) roasted duck, but you won’t hear “duck meat” in Chinese as often. Instead, people usually refer to the meat as “鸭” (yā) alone, without adding “肉” after it. This practice is not unique to duck meat. People also use “鱼” (yú) to refer to fish meat without adding “肉”. Furthermore, for carnivorous animals, you can simply say “肉食动物” (ròushí dòngwù) to describe them.

For example:

早点儿去菜市场，早上的猪肉会新鲜点儿。(Zǎo diǎn’r qù càishìchǎnɡ, zǎoshɑnɡ de zhūròu huì xīnxiān diǎn’r.) Go to the market early because the pork in the morning is fresher.

吃火锅的时候，他特别喜欢吃牛肉。(Chī huǒɡuō de shíhou, tā tèbié xǐhuɑn chī niúròu.) He likes eating beef while eating hotpot.

这碗米线的浇头是鸡肉做的。(Zhè wǎn mǐxiàn de jiāotóu shì jīròu zuò de.) The topping of this rice noodle dish is made of chicken.

For fruit and seasoning

• 果肉 /guǒròu/ pulp
• 肉桂 /ròuguì/ cinnamon

As its name suggests, “果肉” (guǒròu) literally refers to the “meat” of a fruit, which is actually the pulp. When discussing “肉桂” (ròuguì), it’s important to first mention its counterpart “桂皮” (guìpí). In China, “桂皮” is not only a popular seasoning in cooking, but also a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. “肉桂” is a species in the Lauraceous family, and it’s named so because it’s thicker than “桂皮”.

e.g.

这个饮料里真的有果肉吗？(Zhèɡe yǐnliàolǐ zhēnde yǒu ɡuǒròu mɑ?) Does this drink really have pulp in it?

他喝咖啡的时候喜欢加肉桂。(Tā hē kāfēi de shíhou xǐhuɑn jiā ròuɡuì.) He likes to add cinnamon when drinking coffee.

For people

• 肌肉 /jīròu/ muscle
• 肉眼 /ròu yǎn/ unaided eye
• 肉身 /ròu shēn/ mortal body
• 血肉 /xuè ròu/ blood and flesh
• 有血有肉 /yǒuxuè yǒuròu/ true to life
• 行尸走肉 /xíng shī zǒu ròu/ an utterly useless person
• 肉票 /ròu piào/ hostages

People often use “肉” to describe human attributes. For muscles, we use “肌肉” (jīròu), which sounds similar to “鸡肉” (jīròu) but uses a different character. “肉眼” (ròuyǎn) and “肉身” (ròushēn) emphasize the use of our eyes and body alone, without any external help. “血肉” (xiěròu) emphasizes our blood and flesh. The phrase “有血有肉” (yǒu xiě yǒu ròu) means to be “real” or “true to life,” and is often used in literary works.

There are two interesting expressions to describe people: “行尸走肉” (xíngshīzǒuròu) and “肉票” (ròupiào). “行尸走肉” literally means “walking corpse and running flesh,” but it’s a metaphor for a person who doesn’t use their brain, doesn’t work, and lives a confused life. “肉票” means “meat tickets” literally, but it usually refers to hostages who are taken for ransom.

e.g.

刚运动完要拉伸一下肌肉。(Gānɡ yùndònɡ wán yào lāshēn yí xià jīròu.) You need to stretch your muscles after exercising.

这里太脏了，桌子上的灰都肉眼可见。(Zhèlǐ tài zānɡ le, zhuōzishànɡ de huī dōu ròu yǎn kě jiàn.) It’s so dirty here that the ashes on the table are visible to my naked eye.

我太喜欢这本小说里的主角了，有血有肉很生动。(Wǒ tài xǐhuɑn zhè běn xiǎoshuōlǐ de zhǔjué le, yǒu xuè yǒu ròu hěn shēnɡdònɡ.) I like the protagonists in this novel so much because he is true to life and very vivid.

能不能多思考一下，别像个行尸走肉一样。(Nénɡ bu nénɡ duō sīkǎo yí xià, bié xiànɡ ɡè xínɡ shī zǒu ròu yíyànɡ.) Can you think about it a little more? Don’t act like an utterly useless person.

他被绑了，会被当作肉票向他家里要赎金。(Tā bèi bǎnɡ le, huì bèi dànɡzuò ròupiào xiànɡ tā jiālǐ yào shújīn.) He was kidnapped and would be used as a hostage to ask his family for ransom.

For relationships

• 眼中钉，肉中刺 /yǎn zhōng dīng, ròu zhōng cì/ (of someone) to be hated very much
• 手心手背都是肉 /shǒuxīn shuǒbèi dōu shì ròu/ to value both equally
• 骨肉 /gǔròu/ blood relation

The word “骨肉” is used to express blood relation and means bones and flesh literally. The saying “眼中钉，肉中刺” literally translates to “a sting in the eye and a thorn in one’s flesh” and means a person is extremely hated in the heart of another. “手心手背都是肉”, literally meaning “the palms and backs of the hands are meat,” means all things involved are relative, so they should be treated equally, and you can’t choose to abandon anyone.

e.g.

她就是我的“眼中钉，肉中刺”，我永远都不会原谅她的。(Tā jiù shì wǒde “yǎn zhōnɡ dìnɡ, ròu zhōnɡ cì“, wǒ yónɡyuǎn dōu bú huì yuánliànɡ tā de.) She is a thorn in my eye, and I will never forgive her.

你们都是她的女儿，手心手背都是肉，你让她帮谁？(Nǐmen dōu shì tā de nǚ’r, shǒuxīn shǒubèi dōu shì ròu, nǐ rànɡ tā bānɡ shuí?) You are all her daughters, so she should be equal to you all, and she will help nobody.

因为一场意外，王先生一家骨肉离散，直到五年后大家才相聚。(Yīnwèi yì chǎnɡ yìwài,Wánɡ xiānshenɡ yì jiā ɡǔròu lísàn, zhídào wǔ nián hòu dàjiā cái xiānɡjù.) Because of an accident, Mr. Wang’s family was separated and did not get together until five years later.

For feelings and characteristics

• 肉麻 /ròu má/ cheesy
• 性格很肉 /xìnggé hěn ròu/ introversion and reticence

“肉麻,” literally meaning numb flesh, means someone is excessively romantic to the point of making others feel uncomfortable and creeped out. “性格很肉” originates from a dialect and means someone is unresponsive and slow, causing others to feel anxious

e.g.

看他们俩在那里互相喂东西就觉得肉麻。(Kàn tāmenliǎnɡ zài nàlǐ hùxiānɡ wèi dōnɡxi jiù juéde ròu má.) Watching the two of them feed each other there gave me goosebumps.

她性格很肉，你跟她说十句话，她才会回你一句。(Tā xìnɡɡé hěn ròu, nǐ ɡēn tā shuō shí jù huà, tā cái huì huí nǐ yí jù.) She is reticent, and if you say ten words to her, she will just reply with one.

The word “肉” forms many words and expressions, which are practical and useful in daily life. They can improve your spoken language and help you understand Chinese dramas and literature, so don’t underestimate their utility.

The post Meat is not always meat – The most common expressions with “肉” in Chinese appeared first on .

Besides the most common definition (the large flat object that you open and close at the entrance of a building or a room), “门” (door) in Chinese has several other meanings that you should know.

1. Door-like things or objects:

• 冰箱门 (bīng xiāng mén) Fridge door
• 柜门 (guì mén) Cupboard door
• 心门 (xīn mén) This word refers to the ostium. It also refers to the metaphorical door of one’s heart.

e.g.

为了打开她的心门，我每天都陪她散步，送她回家。但为什么她还是不能告诉我她的秘密？(Wèile dǎkāi tā de xīn mén, wǒ měitiān dōu péi tā sànbù, sòng tā huí jiā. Dàn wèishénme tā háishì bùnéng gàosù wǒ tā de mìmì?) In order to open her heart, I walk with her every day and take her home. But why can’t she still tell me her secret?

2. Entrance or doorway:

• 门可罗雀 (mén kě luó què) This idiom indicates a place where it is rare that people or guests come, very desolate.
• 门庭若市 (méntíng ruò shì) This idiom indicates a place that is very lively and bustling. There are many people. It’s often used in family and business situations.  

e.g.

这家饭店20年前门庭若市，很多人排队来这吃饭。但是后来换了一批厨师，生意就慢慢不好了，现在门可罗雀。可惜呀！(Zhè jiā fàndiàn 20 nián qián méntíngruòshì, hěnduō rén páiduì lái zhè chīfàn. Dànshì hòulái huànle yī pī chúshī, shēngyì jiù mànman bù hǎole, xiànzài ménkěluóquè. Kěxī ya!) 20 years ago, this restaurant was very popular, and many people lined up to eat here. But then a group of chefs were replaced, and the business slowly deteriorated, and now there is rare guests. What a pity!

3. Describing a certain family:

• 豪门 (háo mén) refers to a family with power and influence.
• 朱门 (zhū mén) refers to a family with great power and fortune.
• 名门 (míng mén) refers to a famous family. There are usually one or more celebrities who come from this family.  
• 寒门 (hán mén) Contrary to the words above, this word refers to a poor family without fortune or influence.
• 门风 (mén fēng) The ethics and moral standards that a family / clan has kept for generations.
• 门当户对 (mén dāng hù duì) A marriage between families that are of equal social standing.
• 双喜临门 (shuāng xǐ lín mén) It indicates that two joyous events come simultaneously.

e.g.

他家大儿子马上要和一位门当户对的姑娘结婚，小女儿又考上了全国最好的大学，真是双喜临门啊！(Tā jiā dà érzi mǎshàng yào hé yī wèi méndānghùduì de gūniáng jiéhūn, xiǎo nǚ’ér yòu kǎo shàngle quánguó zuì hǎo de dàxué, zhēn shì shuāngxǐlínmén a!) The eldest son of his family is about to marry a well-matched girl, and the youngest daughter has been admitted to the best university in the country. It is double happiness!

4. A certain school of thought or religious sect, sometimes referring to a teacher’s or master’s entrance hall:

• 佛门弟子 (fó mén dì zǐ) Buddhist disciple
• 门生(mén shēng) / 门徒(mén tú)  Disciple, follower of a famous master
• 同门（弟子）(tóng mén dì zǐ) Disciples / pupils of the same master
• 关门弟子 (guān mén dì zǐ) refers to the last student or disciple that the master enrolled.
• 入门 (rù mén) indicates that one knows the basic principles and knowledge when learning an art form or technology.
• 门外汉 (mén wài hàn) layman, outsider

e.g.

我来介绍一下，这位是李先生的得意门生小张，这一位是赵先生的关门弟子小陈。两位的老师原来也是同门师兄弟，你们可以互相认识一下。(Wǒ lái jièshào yīxià, zhè wèi shì Lǐ xiānsheng de déyì ménshēng xiǎo Zhāng, zhè yī wèi shì Zhào xiānsheng de guānmén dìzǐ xiǎo Chén. Liǎng wèi de lǎoshī yuánlái yěshì tóngmén shī xiōngdì, nǐmen kěyǐ hùxiāng rènshi yīxià.) Let me introduce, this is Mr. Li’s favorite student Xiao Zhang, and this one is Mr. Zhao’s close disciple Xiao Chen. The two teachers turned out to be fellow apprentices from the same master, so you can get to know each other.

音乐方面，我只是个门外汉，还没有入门，请各位老师多多指教。(Yīnyuè fāngmiàn, wǒ zhǐshì gè ménwàihàn, hái méiyǒu rùmén, qǐng gèwèi lǎoshī duōduō zhǐjiào.) In terms of music, I’m just a layman, and I haven’t gotten started yet. Please give me more advice, teachers.

5. A measurement word, usually for subjects of study or branches of science, a marriage, or relatives:

• 一门外语 (yì mén wài yǔ) A foreign language
• 一门亲戚 (yì mén qīn qi) A set of relatives
• 一门技术 (yì mén jìshù) A kind of skills
• 一门艺术 (yì mén yìshù) A type of arts

e.g.

你必须要学会一门外语或者一门技术，这样找工作更容易。(Nǐ bìxū yào xuéhuì yī mén wàiyǔ huòzhě yī mén jìshù, zhèyàng zhǎo gōngzuò gèng róngyì.) You have to learn a foreign language or technology to make it easier to find a job.

6. A way to do something:

• 窍门 (qiào mén) Knack or key to a problem
• 门路 (mén lù) The way to do something
• 没门儿 (méi ménr) No way!

e.g.

A: 你能告诉我打开这个盒子的窍门吗？(Nǐ néng gàosù wǒ dǎkāi zhège hézi de qiàomén ma?) Can you tell me the trick to open this box?

B: 没门儿！(méi ménr) No way!

7. The categories or arrangements of things or objects:

• 五花八门 (wǔ huā bā mén) many and manifold; all kinds of things
• 分门别类 (fēn mén bié lèi) be divided into classes and divisions; classify according to subject

e.g.

这个书店的书五花八门的，你们能帮我把这边的书分门别类放在书架上吗？(Zhège shūdiàn de shū wǔhuābāmén de, nǐmen néng bāng wǒ bǎ zhè biān de shū fēnménbiélèi fàng zài shūjià shàng ma?) This bookstore has a variety of books, can you help me sort the books here and put them on the shelves?

8. As a suffix, indicating a negative event that got public attention:

• 水门事件 (Shuǐmén shìjiàn) Watergate scandal
• 艳照门 (Yànzhào mén) Sexy Photo Gate (China’s first big internet celebrity sex scandal)

Bonus word:

• 走后门 (zǒu hòu mén) Originally, this term refers to going through the back door. Now it also often indicates that someone secures advantages through pull or influence.

e.g.

A：他的能力那么差，为什么可以当领导？(Tā de nénglì nàme chà, wèishénme kěyǐ dāng lǐngdǎo?) His ability is so poor, why can he be a leader?

B：走后门呗。(Zǒu hòumén bei.) By the back door.

There is a famous story related to门 (mén) – 程门立雪 (chéng mén lì xuě). It is the story of Yang Shi and You Zuo, two students in the Song Dynasty. Patiently and respectfully, they waited in the snow outside the house of their teacher, Cheng Yi, until the snow piled one-chi deep. This phrase now means to revere a teacher and respect his or her teachings, with 门 (mén) referring to the door of someone’s house.

Do you have any questions about the various uses of门 (mén)? Are there any other Chinese characters you want to see a deep dive for? Let me know in the comments!

The post The Uses of “Door” in Chinese – All about “门” appeared first on .

In this article, we will explore the nuances of these expressions and how they are commonly used in conversations.

好的(hǎo de)

When you add ‘的(de)’ at the end of a sentence, it indicates a confirmation. ‘好的’ means ‘sure’ or ‘ok’ and shows agreement. It’s commonly used to accept a request or suggestion quickly and express understanding.

Example

经理：你明天9点前到公司吧！(Jīnglǐ: nǐ míngtiān 9 diǎn qián dào gōngsī ba!)
Manager: Arrive at the company by 9 tomorrow.

小刚：好的。(Xiǎogāng: hǎo de.)
Xiaogang: Sure.

妈妈：你能帮我买点儿鸡蛋吗？(Māma: nǐ néng bāng wǒ mǎi diǎnr jīdàn ma?)
Mum: Can you help buy some eggs for me?

儿子：好的，没问题。(érzi: hǎo de, méi wèntí.)
Son: Sure, no problem.

好啊 (hǎo a)

When you put ‘啊 a’ at the end of a sentence, it expresses excitement and enthusiasm. So, ‘好啊’ means ‘yes’ or ‘okay’ with a keen tone.

Example

A：你想去那家饭馆吗？ (Nǐ xiǎng qù nà jiā fànguǎn ma?)
Do you want to go to that restaurant?

B：好啊！(Hǎo a!) 
Sure!

 A：我们一起踢足球，怎么样？(Wǒmen yìqǐ tī zúqiú, zěnmeyàng?)
Let’s play football together. How about it?

B：当然 ， 好啊！(Dāngrán， hǎo a!)
Of course, great!

好吧 (hǎo ba)

People often use ‘好吧’ to show they agree with a request or suggestion, but they might not feel very excited about it. This is similar to how English speakers might use ‘ok…’, ‘fine’, or ‘all right.’ For example, if someone suggests going to a restaurant and you reply ‘好吧’, it means you agree but you aren’t very enthusiastic about it.

Example

妈妈：你先把作业写好才可以出去玩。(Mama: nǐ xiān bǎ zuòyè xiě hǎo cái kěyǐ chūqù wán.
Mum: You can go out to play only after you finish your homework first.

儿子：好吧！(ér zǐ: hǎo ba!)
Son: Ok, fine.

老师：下个星期我们有考试，大家请记得。(Lǎoshī : xià ge xīngqī wǒmen yǒu kǎoshì, dàjiā qǐng jìdé.)
Teacher: There’s an exam next week. Please keep it in mind.

学生：好吧！(Xuéshēng: hǎo ba!)
Students: Fine.

好嘛 (hǎo ma)

‘嘛 ma’ can make your tone sound more ‘cute’ when stating your expectations or request. That’s why ‘好嘛’ is often used when you’re asking for help and hoping someone will say ‘yes’. It’s similar to saying ‘please’ or ‘say yes, please’. For example, if you ask your friend to lend you a book and they hesitate, you might say ‘好嘛’ to try to convince them.

Example

儿子：我真的很喜欢这个电脑游戏，你买给我吧！(érzi: wǒ zhēnde hěn xǐhuān zhè ge diànnǎo yóuxì, nǐ mǎi gěi wǒ ba!)
Son: I really like this computer game. Buy it for me!

妈妈：走吧，别看了。(Māma: zǒu ba, bié kàn le.)
Mum: Let’s go, stop looking.

儿子：妈，好嘛！就买给我嘛！(érzi: mā, hǎo ma! jiù mǎi gěi wǒ ma!)
Son: Mum, please! Just buy it for me.

妈妈：不行。(Māma: bù xíng.)
Mum: No.

同学：小丽，借我看一下你的作业，行吗？(Tóng xué: Xiǎolì, jiè wǒ kàn yíxià nǐ de zuòyè, xíng ma?)
Classmate: Xiaoli, can I take a look at your homework real quick, is that ok?

小丽：这个啊，让我想想。(Xiǎolì: zhè ge a, ràng wǒ xiǎng xiǎng.)
Xiaoli: well …let me think.

同学：好嘛！(Tóngxué: hǎo ma!)
Classmate: Please!

小丽：那好吧！看完了马上还我。(Xiǎolì: nà hǎo ba! kàn wán le mǎshang huán wǒ.)
Xiaoli: Fine, then! Give it back when you’re done

好啦 (hǎo la)

People use ‘好啦’ to show they agree to a request, but they might not feel very enthusiastic about it. It shows dissent. This is similar to how English speakers might use ‘fine’, ‘ok…’, or ‘alright then’ when they are really against an idea. ‘好啦’ is similar to ‘好吧’ but with a stronger sense of reluctance. For example, if someone asks you to clean your room and you reply ‘好啦’, it means you will do it, but you really don’t want to.

Example

朋友：好啦，别哭了，我们出去散散步吧！(Péngyǒu: hǎo la, bié kū le, wǒmen chūqù sàn sàn bù ba!)
Friend: Fine, stop crying. Let’s go out for a walk!

小红：好吧！(Xiǎohóng: hǎo ba!)
Xiaohong: Ok.

女儿：爸，可以带我去逛商场吗？(Nǚér: bà, kěyǐ dài wǒ qù guàng shāngchǎng ma?)
Daughter: Dad, can you take me to the mall to go shopping?

爸爸：好啦，好啦！(Bàba: hǎo la, hǎo la!)
Dad: Ok, fine, fine!

Conclusion

By simply adding a character after ‘好(hǎo)’, you can add nuance to the meaning of “ok”, “fine,” or “all right” in different ways.

Learning these different words will help you express yourself more clearly when you say “ok” in Chinese and help you understand what native Chinese speakers really mean when they say “ok” to you. For example, if someone says ‘好的(hǎo de)’ instead of ‘好(hǎo)’, it means they are acknowledging what you said and are ready to move on.

Mastering this skill can make you both a better speaker and listener of Chinese.

The post Responding with ‘好的’(hǎo de), ‘好啊’(hǎo a), ‘好吧’(hǎo ba), ‘好嘛’(hǎo ma), ‘好啦’(hǎo la) appeared first on .

There are three frequently used auxiliary words in Chinese, and one of them is ‘了’(le). This word is used in both spoken and written Chinese to indicate grammatical features, unlike in English where word forms are changed for the same effect. Many foreign learners struggle with when and where to use ‘了’(le) because of this difference. While its usage can be complex, we will focus on the basics in this article.(You can also find a video summary and more HSK1-related grammar tutorials here.)

1. Verb + 了

‘了’ denotes the completion or achievement of an action and should be placed directly after the verb.

E.g.

我去看了那部电影。(Wǒqùkànlenàbùdiànyǐnɡ.)
I have seen that movie.

他买了一部新手机。(Tāmǎileyíbùxīnshǒujī.)
He bought a new mobile phone.

The action can be done in the past or in the future.

我明天下了课就去找你。(Wǒ míngtiān xiàle kè jiù qù zhǎo nǐ.)
I’ll see you after class tomorrow.

我洗了澡就睡觉。(Wǒ xǐle zǎo jiù shuìjiào.)
I’ll go to sleep after taking a shower.

The negative form of this structure involves placing ‘没有’/‘没’ before the verb, but then leaving out ‘了’.

E.g.

他没有去公园。(Tā méiyǒu qù ɡōnɡyuán.)
He did not go to the park.

妹妹没买那条裙子。(Mèimei méi mǎi nà tiáo qúnzi.)
Younger sister didn’t buy that skirt.

2. Sentence + 了

‘了’ functions as a modal particle here, and it’s placed at the end of a sentence.

• It can be used to confirm certain facts.
• It indicates something new will appear.
• It shows that a change or something has happened or occurred. Note that there is usually a time word in the sentence, but if not, it indicates that something happened just now.

E.g.

周末他去逛街了。(Zhōumò tā qù ɡuànɡjiē le.)
He went shopping this weekend.

我刚刚发现我的电脑被偷了。(Wǒ ɡānɡɡānɡ fāxiàn wǒde diànnǎo bèi tōu le.)
I just discovered that my computer has been stolen.

上课了，上课了。(Shànɡkè le，shànɡkè le.)
Class has begun, class has begun.

下雪了。(Xiàxuě le.)
It’s snowy.
(Change of weather. It wasn’t snowy before, but now it is.)

五点了。(Wǔdiǎn le.)
It’s 5 o’clock.
(Change of time)

今天天晴了。(Jīntiān tiānqínɡ le.)
It’s sunny today.
(Change of weather. It wasn’t sunny before, but now it is.)

To make the negative form, add ‘没有’ or ‘没’ before the verb and leave out ‘了’.

E.g.

上课了。→没上课。((Shànɡkè le → Méi shànɡkè)
Class has begun. → Class hasn’t begun.

昨天我的自行车坏了。→昨天我的自行车没坏。
(Zuótiān wǒde zìxínɡchē huàile. → Zuótiān wǒde zìxínɡchē méi huài.)
My bike broke yesterday.→ My bike did not break yesterday.

—你吃饭了吗？(Nǐ chīfàn le mɑ?) Did you eat already/Have you eaten?
—没吃。(Méichī.) Did not eat yet/Haven’t eaten yet.

3. Using two “了” in one sentence

To indicate the completion of an action and something has happened, use ‘了’ after the verb and at the end of a sentence at the same time.

E.g.

他去了医院了。(Tā qù le yīyuàn le.)
He has gone to the hospital.

我唱了一首歌了。(Wǒ chànɡ le yìshǒu ɡē le.)
I sang a song.

To negate this structure, use ‘没有’/ ‘没’ before the verb and exclude ‘了’. If there’s a numerical word, it’s usually omitted.

E.g.

他没去医院。(Tā méiqù yīyuàn.)
He didn’t go to the hospital.

我没唱歌。(Wǒ méi chànɡɡē.)
I haven’t sung.

Notes:

1. If words indicating frequency, like ‘每天’(měitiān), ‘经常(jīnɡchánɡ)’, ‘常常’(chánɡchánɡ), or ‘总是’(zǒnɡshì) are used, there is no need to use ‘了’.

E.g.

我常常去图书馆看书。(Wǒ chánɡchánɡ qù túshūɡuǎn kànshū.)
I often go to the library to read.

2. Verbs that indicate mental activities like ‘想’(xiǎnɡ), ‘要’(yào), ‘打算’(dǎsuɑn), ‘希望’(xīwànɡ), ‘喜欢’(xǐhuɑn), ‘讨厌’(tǎoyàn) cannot be followed by  ‘了’.

E.g.

我打算去云南旅游。(Wǒ dǎsuɑn qù Yúnnán lǚyóu.)
I plan to go to Yunnan to travel.
*我打算去了云南旅游。(Wǒ dǎsuɑn qùle Yúnnán lǚyóu.) （×）

3. To emphasize the continuity or compactness of an ongoing action, it’s common to leave out ‘了’ (le).

E.g.

我起床穿好衣服打开门，走了出去。
((Wǒ qǐchuánɡ chuān hǎo yīfu dǎkāi mén，zǒu le chūqu.)
I got up and put on my clothes, then opened the door and walked out.

4. ‘了’ can also be omitted if the speaker wants to emphasize certain adverbs

E.g.

前天吃面，昨天吃面，今天我不想吃面。
(Qiántiān chīmiàn，zuótiān chīmiàn，jīntiān wǒ bùxiǎnɡ chīmiàn.)
I don’t want to eat noodles today because I had them yesterday and the day before that.

5. If a sentence contains a modal verb before the main verb, ‘了’ can only be added at the end of the sentence.

E.g.

我能说汉语。(Wǒ nénɡ shuō hànyǔ.)I can speak Chinese.（√）
*我能说了汉语。(Wǒ nénɡ shuō le hànyǔ.)（×）
我能说汉语了。((Wǒ nénɡ shuō hànyǔ le.)I can speak Chinese.（√）

6. If a sentence contains a repeated monosyllabic verb, ‘了’ should be placed between the repeated verbs.

E.g.

我闻了闻这盒牛奶。(Wǒ wén le wén zhè hé niúnǎi.)
I smelled this box of milk.

他想了想我的话。(Tā xiǎnɡ le xiǎnɡ wǒde huà.)
He thought about my words.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the usage of “了” in Chinese grammar can be complex, but by understanding its basic functions, you can start to use it correctly in your daily communication.

Remember, “了” is an auxiliary word or modal particle that can indicate completion or change, and its position in the sentence can affect its meaning.

With practice and patience, you can improve your Chinese language proficiency and confidently express yourself using this essential word.

The post A Comprehensive Guide to Using “了” Correctly in Chinese appeared first on .

1. Using “和” to connect everything
2. Using “是” with adjectives 
3. Using “吗” for all Yes/No questions
4. Confusing “不” with “没”
5. The use of “的”
6. Using “个” for all nouns
7. Adding “们” after all nouns
8. Improper use of  “二” “两” and “俩”
9. Confusing “就” with “才”
10. Confusing “会” and “能”
11. Confusing “差点儿” and “差点儿没”
12. Sentence order
13. Placement of Adverbial Words
14. Directional Complements: “来” and “去”
15. Comparative sentences with “比”
16. Existence Sentences
17. “把” sentence
18. Using “了” to indicate all past tense situations
19. Improper use of approximate numbers
20. Errors with Chinese Punctuation

1. Using “和” to connect everything

One of the most common English words is the word “and,” which we use to connect nouns, verbs, phrases and sentences. “And” is often translated to “和(hé)” in Chinese. However, in Chinese, you cannot use “和” to connect sentences – the result would sound very awkward!

For example:

I live in Beijing, and I have a dog.
✘ 我住在北京和我有一只狗。
√ 我住在北京，（还有）我有一只狗
(“还有(hái yǒu)” translates to “also.” Here “还有”could be omitted.)

You now might be wondering when we can use “和”. The answer is simple – we can use “和” to connect nouns, verbs, and short non-sentence phrases.

For example:

I have two older brothers and a younger sister.
√ 我有两个哥哥和一个妹妹。”

He likes swimming and playing basketball.
√ 他喜欢游泳和打篮球。

Exercise:

Put “和” in the appropriate place.

1. A 早上 B 常常吃 C 包子 D 鸡蛋。
2. A 喜欢 B 逛街 C 玩游戏 D 聊天。

(Reference: The Complete Guide to Using “和” in Chinese)

2. Using “是” with adjectives 

You may know that the word for “is / are” in Chinese is “是 (shì)”. Another tricky aspect of adjectives in Chinese, though, is that we never use “是” to modify a noun.

For example:

He is tall.
✘ 他是高。
√ 他很高。

Beijing is big.
✘ 北京是大。
√ 北京很大。

As you can see, we usually use the word “很(hěn)”, which literally means “very,” instead of “是.”Note that here “很” purely serves a grammatical purpose in the sentence of “Subject + 很 + Adjective”.

Exercise:

True or false.

1. 她是漂亮。
2. 猫很可爱。
3. 中国菜是很好吃。

(Reference: How to use 在、有 and 是 Express Existence)

3. Using “吗” for all Yes/No questions

Asking a question in Chinese is one of the things many students stumble over. In Chinese, you typically put the character “吗(ma)” at the end of the sentence to function as a question marker. Using this word can transform almost any statement into a question.

Quick question: how do you translate “Are you an American?”

What about this “你是不是美国人吗?”

Is this your answer too? Then you are WRONG. Besides “吗”, Yes/No questions can also follow the format “是不是” or “有没有”, a format which we call positive-negative inversion. It is the equivalent of saying “Are you or are you not…?” When using this format, you do not also use “吗”, as the positive-negative inversion already marks the sentence as a question.

√ 你是不是美国人？
√ (using “吗”): 你是美国人吗？

One more example:

Do you have Chinese book?
✘ 你有没有汉语书吗?
√ 你有没有汉语书?
√ (using “吗”): 你有汉语书吗?

Exercise:

Put the words in order.

1.  过  你  吗  去  (Have you been to Shanghai?)
2.  是  他  不是 (Is he your classmate?)
3.  没有  你  钱  有 (Do you have ten yuan?)

Reference: The Summary of Yes/No Questions in Chinese

4. Confusing “不” with “没”

As we all know, the translation of the English word “not / no” in Chinese is “不(bù)” or “没(méi)”. Some learners are not familiar with their differences, so they use them interchangeably, which is a common error. “不” is generally used to negate an action that you “don’t want to do” or “don’t plan to do in the future”. And when it comes to negation of adjectives, we also use “不”. Opposed to “不”, “没” can both be used to negate an action that happened in the past or indicate that something hasn’t occurred yet.

For example:

He dislikes eating banana.
✘ 他没喜欢吃香蕉。
√ 他不喜欢吃香蕉。

The film isn’t good.
✘ 这个电影没好看。
√ 这个电影不好看。

We didn’t go to that store yesterday.
✘ 我们昨天不去那个商店。
√ 我们昨天没去那个商店。

Note that for “是” we only use the negation word “不” to mean “isn’t,” and for “有” we only use “没” to mean “don’t have”. For example, “We aren’t teachers.” would be “我们不是老师” and “She doesn’t have money.” is “她没有钱” in Chinese.

Exercise:

Choose “不” or “没” to fill in the blanks.

1. ___ 办法。
2. ___ 冷。
3. ___ 是我们的东西

(Reference: The difference between 不(bù) and 没(méi))

5. The use of “的”

If you have been learning Chinese for a while, you might notice that “的 (de)” is one of the most frequently used characters in Chinese. So why do so many learners, especially English speakers forget to use it or misuse it?

Well, the main reason why this mistake is so common is because there isn’t an equivalent of “的” in English. The closest equivalent is “’s” like in the phrase, “the dog’s voice,” which shows that the voice belongs to the dog. In Chinese, we use “的(de)” to show that the voice belongs to the dog – directly translated, this would be “狗的声音”.

“的” can also attribute certain characteristics to a noun. For example, “a white dog” would be “白色的狗.” “白色狗” is a grammatically incorrect expression in Chinese. But you can say “白狗”.

Confusing already, right? No worries, you can check out the description down below to get the full explanation.

When expressing possession, we can use the structure “Noun/Pronoun + 的 + Noun”.

For example:

我听见了狗的声音。(I’ve heard the voice of the dog.)
这是我的书。(This is my book.)

But when the noun after “的” is kinship term or a person, the “的” can be omitted.

For example:

她不是我朋友，她是我姐姐。(She isn’t my friend; she is my elder sister.)

As mentioned above, we can also use “的” to attribute certain characteristics. In this case, we usually use the pattern “Noun/Adjective + 的 + Noun”.

For example:

我喜欢那只白色的狗。(I like that white dog.)
她有一双漂亮的眼睛。(She has a beautiful pair of eyes

Note that if the adjective has two characters, like “漂亮” “高兴” “干净” etc., “的” is generally required. But when the adjective is monosyllabic, “的” generally isn’t necessary, and that’s why “白狗” is reasonable.

Exercise:

Translate the sentence

1. He isn’t my father.
2. We want to eat that green noodle.
3. His question is very difficult.

(Reference: How to Use the Structural Particle “的”)

6. Using “个” for all nouns

Please say the following in Chinese.

1. 一个人 a person
2. 一个菜 a dish
3. 一个狗 a dog
4. 一个水 a water
5. 一个书 a book
6. 两个鞋 two shoes

……

Wait! It’s getting weird. Do Chinese people say “一个狗”“一个水”“一个书”？

There are tons of measure words in the Chinese language, and this becomes a quite big barrier for Chinese learners because the concept doesn’t’ exist in English. To begin with, almost every learner was told that “个(gè)” can be used for almost every noun. It is very versatile, though some learners will accept it as an infallible law to apply it in every situation. But “almost” is just “almost” which means it doesn’t work in every situation. For example, “a glass of water” is “一杯水” instead of “一个水”. This is because the measure words for “牛奶” “酒” “水” etc. are often decided by the names of certain containers or vessels. “Glass” is the container  here, so “杯” is the proper measure word.

Besides the situation above, some nouns have their own unique measure words, and “个” isn’t usually suitable. For example, “a pair of shoes” is “一双鞋” in Chinese, and we generally can’t say “两个鞋” . The measure word “双” is used to refer to a pair of things and is suitable for things like “鞋” “手套” and so on.

Then, when can we use “个”? Generally speaking, “个” is used with nouns that don’t have a set measure word, which can be divided into five types:

Type 1: for individual people, like

“一个人(a person)” “一个学生(a student)” “一个孩子(a child)”

Type 2: for dates, seasons, etc., like

“一个星期(a week)” “一个月(a month)” “一个小时(an hour)” “一个春天(a spring)”

Type 3: for abstract things, like

“一个问题(a question)” “一个办法(a way)” “一个好主意(a good idea)”

Type 4: for an area, country, a unit, a facility, etc., like

“一个国家(a country)” “一个教室(a classroom)” “一个车站(a station)”

Type 5: other things without a set measure word, like

“一个鸡蛋(an egg)” “一个杯子(a cup)” “一个节日(a festival)”

Exercise:

Choose the appropriate measure word: 个 / 条 / 口 / 件

1. ___ 很大的游泳池。
2. ___ 人。
3. ___ 衬衫有蓝色的吗？
4. ___ 裙子好看吗？ 

(Reference: Chinese Measure Words List)

7. Adding “们” after all nouns

As we all know, in English a singular noun plus the plural suffix will transform it into a plural form, and plural nouns can also be quantified by a number, like “five books”. However, in the Chinese language, a plural word is formed by adding the suffix “们(men)” and can’t be modified by number words. For example, “五个学生们在教室里”, “学生们” can’t be qualified by “五个”, so it’s wrong and it should be corrected as “五个学生在教室里”.

Note that adding “们” to form a plural word is for personal pronouns or nouns only. The example above “five books” can’t be translated into “五本书们” because “书” isn’t people, instead “五本书” is enough. Other words like “几” “成千上万” “很多” etc. all imply quantity, so we don’t need “们” after the noun or pronoun. For example, “这里有几个同学们在写作业” is wrong due to adding “们”, so we should remove it to make it “这里有几个同学在写作业”.

Exercise:

True or false.

1. 我买了两个西瓜们。
2. 他们都不是我朋友。
3. 每次放假，成千上万的人们都会去北京玩。

(Reference: All About Chinese Prefixes and Suffixes)

8. Improper use of  “二” “两” and “俩”

There are three ways to say “two” in Chinese, which are “二(èr)” “两(liǎng)” and “俩(liǎ)”. They are similar in meaning but different in use, which isa point that drives learners, especially elementary level learners, crazy sometimes. When used purely as a number or in ordinal, decimal, fractional，mathematical situations or in multi-digit numbers, we prefer “二” rather than “两”.

For example:

I have twelve kuai.
✘ 我有十两块钱。
√ 我有十二块钱。

He is the second person who entered.
✘他是第两个进来的人。
√ 他是第二个进来的人。

And “两” is often used when followed by measure words (except for Chinese traditional units).

For example:

It’s two o’clock now.
✘现在二点。
√ 现在两点。

I bought two books.
✘ 我买了二本书。
√我买了两本书。

Note that for Chinese traditional units, like “斤” “里” etc. both of them can be used .

For example:

I bought two jin of bananas.
Translation: 我买了二斤香蕉。or 我买了两斤香蕉。

An exception is when “两” appears as a measurement unit, only “二” can be used.

“He drank two liang of white wine.”
✘ 他喝了两两白酒。
√ 他喝了二两白酒。

By the way, “俩” is totally different from the other two. “俩” means “两个” when following a noun or pronoun and cannot be followed by any other measure word.

For example:

“The two of them want to go to travel this summer.”
✘他们俩个今年夏天想去旅行。
√ 他们俩今年夏天想去旅行。 or 他们两个今年夏天想去旅行。

Exercise:

True or false.

1. 他今年二十两岁了。
2. 请给我二瓶白酒。
3. 教室里还有三十二个学生。

(Reference: The Major Differences between 二 and 两)

9. Confusing “就” with “才”

Quick quiz first. Which one is the correct translation?

1) I worked until 11 p.m. because there was so much work yesterday.

(?) 昨天的工作很多，我一直工作到晚上11点就做完。

(?) 昨天的工作很多，我一直工作到晚上11点才做完。

2) He arrived at the classroom at 6 a.m. even though the Chinese class starts at 9 a.m.

(?) 汉语课9点上课，他早上6点才到教室了。

(?) 汉语课9点上课，他早上6点就到教室了。

“才”(cái) and “就”(jiù) are adverbs expressing time, and they are both put before verbs. Due to this similarity, some learners don’t know how to separate them.  In fact, “才” indicates that the speaker feels that something happened later than expected with a tone of anxiety, impatience, tiredness or other related emotions, while “就” indicates something occurred earlier than expected with a feeling of surprise or amazement sometimes.

So, do you know the correct answers for the quiz now?

Correct translation:

1. 昨天的工作很多，我一直工作到晚上11点才做完。
2. 汉语课9点上课，他早上6点就到教室了。

“工作很多” can lead to a negative feeling and “晚上十一点” is pretty late, so “才” is used. However, in the second example, compared to “9点上课”, “6点” is quite early, so “就” is correct.

But “才” doesn’t always imply lateness, for example “It’s only 7 o’clock.” can be translated to “现在才7点” in Chinese, where “才” follows a time word to express the idea of “just, only”.

Exercise:

Fill in the blanks with “才” or “就”.

1. ___ 给我打电话。
2. ___ 看完了。
3. ___ 7点，你不吃早饭了吗？
4. ___ 要亮了，我们再等一会儿。

(Reference: The difference between 才 and 就)

10. Confusing “会” and “能”

 “能(néng)” and “会(huì)”, as we all know, can indicate someone has the ability to do something in Chinese. However, there are slight differences between them in use.

“会” tends to indicate people have obtained an ability through learning, while “能” stresses inherent ability. Sometimes we can also understand them as “会” is “to know how to do something” and “能” is “to be able to do something”.

For example:

Can you see that tree over there?
✘ 你会看见那边的那棵树吗?
√你能看见那边的那棵树吗? (The inherent ability; be able to)

How would you translate “你能吃掉所有的饺子吗?” in English?   

 “能” is used to indicate possibility and can be combined with “吗” in interrogative sentences, for example “你一个人能去学校吗?”(Is it possible for yourself to go to the school?)  While “会” can indicate something will happen in the future, which is closer to “will” in English, for example “今天会下雨” means “It will rain today.”

Exercise:

Translate the sentence (会vs能)

1. May I come in?
2. I can write ten Chinese characters.
3. Can you see that picture?

(Reference: Translating “can” into Chinese: 可以, 会  and能)

11. Confusing “差点儿” and “差点儿没”

A: 我差点儿迷路。

B: 我差点儿没迷路。

Question：Did A and B get lost or not?

Answer: Both A and B didn’t get lost.

C: 我差点儿考上了大学。

D: 我差点儿没考上大学。

Question：Did C and D get in the university or not?

Answer: C didn’t get in the university, but D got it!

You might be confused now. Actually, when expressing something undesired that almost occurred (but actually didn’t) we use “差点儿(chà diǎn’r)” in Chinese. For example, “I almost forgot.” is “我差点儿忘了” in Chinese with the implication “I didn’t forget.” Sometimes the predicate can also be something desired, and then “差点儿” implies a regretful tone as it can’t come true. For example, “I almost got that money.” is “我差点儿就拿到那些钱了” in Chinese with the implication “I didn’t get that money.”

“差点儿没(chà diǎn’r méi)” seems just like an negative form of “差点儿”since “没” is added. In fact, you’d better think of “差点儿没” as a chunk so that it makes more sense. The patterns of “差点儿” and “差点儿没” are identical, but their usage doesn’t overlap at all. “差点儿” and “差点儿没” are only equivalent when there is something undesired and “没” appears meaningless. For example, “我差点儿没迷路” and “我差点儿迷路” have the same meaning of “I didn’t get lost.” Otherwise, if there is a desired result after “差点儿没”, it indicates a totally different idea than that of “差点”.  For instance, “我差点儿没考上大学” means “I was admitted by the university.” while “我差点儿考上了大学” means “I wasn’t admitted by the university.”

Exercise:

1. 昨天太冷了，我们差点儿感冒了。 Q：我们感冒了吗？
2. 我差点儿没买笔。 Q：我们买笔了吗？
3. 这次他们差点儿得了冠军。 Q：这次他们得冠军了吗？
4. 她差点儿没迟到。 Q：她迟到了吗？

(Reference: Using “差点儿”,“几乎”and“差不多”)

12. Sentence order

Some Chinese learners are not familiar or well acquainted with the sentence order rules of the Chinese language, so they are prone to translating word by word but ignore order. And the result most often turns out to be wrong. For example, “We go to the school with him.” may be written like “我们去学校和他”. But “和他” is the target of the action, which should be placed before the verb and after the subject in Chinese, so the correct sentence would be “我们和他去学校”.

So what is the correct sentence order in Chinese? At the very beginning, you may have already seen this basic order, that’s “SVO” which stands for “Subject + Verb +Object”, like “我爱你” “他去学校” or “我喝茶”. For these simple sentences, the Chinese sentence order can match that of English word by word. Although you should also realize that there are quite a few forms that don’t match，like “他是我朋友” or “小狗很可爱”.

Here is more information on this basic order.

Adding time：

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Verb + Object

“我明天去学校。” Or “明天我去学校。”

Adding manner:

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Manner + Verb + Object

“他昨天高兴地回家了。”

Adding place：

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Place + Manner + Verb + Object

“我刚刚在办公室开会。”

Adding Negation:

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Negation + Place + Manner + Verb + Object

“今天他不在家吃饭。”

Adding Auxiliary words:

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Negation + Auxiliary + Place + Manner + Verb + Object

“你们不可以在这里吸烟。”

Adding Complement：

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Negation + Auxiliary + Place + Manner + Verb + Complement + Object

“现在吃不完这些菜。”

Adding Target:

(Time) + Subject + (Time) + Negation + Auxiliary + (Target) + Place + (Target) + Manner + Verb + Complement + Object

“不想和他在路上大声地吵架。”

Keep in mind the order above is a general structure, which isn’t fixed forever. Some parts are flexible, and once you change the place, the meaning changes too. For example: “我们不都是学生” and “我们都不是学生” are quite distinct in meaning. “我们不都是学生” means “We are not all students.” while “我们都不是学生” is “We all aren’t students.”

Exercise:

Put the words in order.

1. 那里 买 在 牛奶 想 不 We don’t want to buy milk there.
2. 小猫 开心地 跑 The kitty run away happily.
3. 给我 打电话 在外面 He called me outside.

(Reference: The Basic Sentence Structure in Chinese)

13. Placement of Adverbial Words

Adverbial words indicate place, way, status, manner, frequency, target, etc. which serve to add details to a sentence. Adverbials by themselves isn’t too tough, but the placement of adverbial words is one of most common errors in syntactic structure in Chinese. In some languages, taking English for example, adverbials are mainly tacked on at the end of the sentence, but they need to be placed before the predicate and after the subject in Chinese.

For example:

I eat noodles in that restaurant.
✘ 我吃面条在那个饭馆。
√ 我在那个饭馆吃饭。

We will go to China at 4 p.m.
✘ 我们要去中国下午4点。
√ 我们下午4点要去中国。

She dislikes to work by mobile phone.
✘ 她不喜欢工作用手机。
√ 她不喜欢用手机工作。

Note that when the time adverbial is a noun, like “明天” “晚上” “下个星期” and so on, it can also be placed before the subject. For example: “He will come here tomorrow.” can be “他明天来这里” or “明天他来这里”.

Exercise:

True or false.

1. 他想去逛街和你。
2. 他和我说话哭着。
3. 那个人一直在说话。

(Reference: Tell Tenses in Chinese -Use the Adverbs and Nouns of Time Correctly)

14. Directional Complements: “来” and “去”

You might already know that “来” means “come” and describes an action moving towards the place where the speaker is; “去” means “go” and indicates an action moving away from the place where the speaker is. And you may have also learned “来/去” can follow a verb, like “上/下” “进/出” “过” “回” “拿” “寄” “送” etc. to indicate the speaker’s position in a directional complement. Some learners might be confused when it comes to directional complements, since there is no such concept of using a word to indicate direction in English.

For example:

I sent a box of oranges to my younger brother.
✘ 我给我弟弟寄来了一箱桔子。
√ 我给我弟弟寄去了一箱桔子。

From “I” to “my younger brother” is moving away from where “I” am, so we should use “去”.

She is still outside and hasn’t come in.
✘ 她还在外面，还没有进去。
√ 她还在外面，还没有进来。

Here the speaker is inside, and “她” is outside, so movement from outside to inside is coming towards the speaker, so here we should use “来”.

The sentence position for objects in directional complements is another problem for learners, especially when the object is a place. For example, “We enter the room.” should be “我们进房间去” but someone may instead say “我们进去房间” which is absolutely wrong since place objects should be placed between the verb and “来/去”.

Exercise:

Translate the sentence.

1. He doesn’t want to go back home now.
2. You two can go upstairs.

Put the words in order.

1. 跑 他们 下 去 山 还没
2. 书 把 你 拿 教室 进 来

(Reference: the Simple Directional Complement verb 来，去)

15. Comparative sentences with “比”

“比” is used to form a comparison in Chinese.

The basic structure: “A 比 B + Adjective”

For example,

He is taller than me.
他比我高。

What about “He is much taller than me.”

他比我很高。Is this correct?

Pay attention that adverbs like “很” can’t be placed before adjectives in comparative sentences, so it should be translated into “他比我高得多” instead of “他比我很高” in Chinese.

The opposite of “比” is “没有”(not as… as…). But you might have also learned another tricky negative comparison “不比”(not more… than…) which is a direct negation of “比” and much easier for learners to accept mentally. However, the fact is that they’re indeed the negative forms but not exactly the same thing! Such as the following:

Today isn’t as hot as yesterday.
今天没有昨天热。
(It indicates yesterday is definitely hotter than today and they are not the same)

Today isn’t hotter than yesterday.
今天不比昨天热。
(It indicates today isn’t hotter than yesterday, but they might be equally hot.)

Exercise:

Translate the sentence

1. She is cuter than my younger sister.
2. He isn’t smarter than me.
3. This watermelon isn’t as expensive as that one.

(Reference: The Comparative Sentence “比(bǐ)” Sentence)

16. Existence Sentences

Translation practice:

1. There are two books on the table.
2. There is a girl looking for you outside the office.

Many learners would put them like this:

1. 有两本书在桌子。
2. 一个女孩找你在办公室外面。

But are they correct? Definitely NOT.

To express existence and appearance in a place, we can use existence sentences in Chinese, which follow the form of “Place + Verb + Someone/Something”. In existence sentences, the first part usually is “Noun/ Pronoun + Location Words”, like “家里” “教室外面” etc., prepositions such as “在” “从” and so on cannot be used. It is quite clear, but leaving out location words or adding redundant prepositions is a frequent error among learners.

Correct translation:

1. 卓子上放着两本书。
2. 办公室外面有个女孩找你。

Exercise：

Translate the sentence

1. There is nobody in the classroom.
2. There sits a dog under the tree.
3. There are ten tables and ten chairs in the library.

(Reference: How to use 在、有 and 是 Express Existence in Chinese)

17. “把” sentence

There are several special sentence structures in the Chinese language. To emphasize initiative of an action, we use “把(bǎ)”, which has no equivalent in other languages, including English. Without a doubt, it is one of the most difficult parts for learners not only because of the headache-inducing rules but the timing to use it.

As we all know, the basic structure is

“Doer + 把 + Receiver + Verb + Other elements”

The Doer performs an action while the Receiver is influenced by it. But the placement is misused at times.

For example:

The elder brother closed the computer.
哥哥把电脑关了。

Here “哥哥” is the agent and “电脑” is the recipient of the action “关”.

Using “把” for all verbs is a common error of many learners. And main reason is probably that the user doesn’t know clearly what the right situation is to use “把” in.

For example:

He has known that thing.
Incorrect expression: 他把那件事知道了。
Correct expression: 他知道那件事了。

Intellectual and mental state verbs, like “喜欢” “知道” “认识” etc. can’t be used in “把” sentences. So here the pattern SVO would be better. Then comes the question when we should use “把”? Briefly speaking, when “把” is used, the doer must make some change or have some influence on the receiver. For example, “I put your book on the table.” Here the doer is “I”, the receiver is “your book”, and “I” makes the position of “your book” change, so we should use “把”. The whole sentence would be “我把你的书放在桌子上了”.

What’s more, “other elements” is easy to overlook too. For example, “上午我要把这篇文章写” lacks some “other elements”, making the sentence incomplete. And the complete form would be “上午我要把这篇文章写完” (I will write and finish this article this morning.). “完” is the complement of “写” to show the change made by “写” on “文章”.

Another thing we should keep an eye on is the placement for the negation word “没”.

For example,

He didn’t finish the homework.
他把作业没写完。 X

This is a pretty typical error where “没” is misplaced. Actually, the negation word should precede “把”, so the correct version is “他没把作业写完”.

Furthermore, the parts following “把” should be taken into account too.

For example,

我把一本书扔了。X

 “一本书” is indefinite, which contradicts the rule that receiver is normally definite. So this sentence can be changed into “我把那本书扔了” (I threw that book.)

or “我把这本书扔了” (I threw this book.).

Exercise:

Put the words in order.

1. 我的 你 把 哪里 放在 了
2. 把 门 没 打开
3. 我们 把 房间 干净 了

(Reference:  把(ba) Sentence)

18. Using “了” to indicate all past tense situations

Unlike in English, changing tenses in Chinese is done by using time markers, like “昨天” “明天” etc. or adding a particle, like “了”.

For example,

I will go to school tomorrow.
我明天去学校。

“明天” implies the future tense. “他吃了午饭”(He ate lunch.) where “了” after the verb “吃” expresses that this action has been done in the past. Adding time markers can easily be mastered by learners, but “了” is quite tough for some people even if they have reached a fairly high level in Chinese. One of the biggest problems is that some learners would add “了” after all verbs to express past tense, which is an absolute misunderstanding.

Back to “了”, it can be used after a verb to indicate an action has been completed, but it doesn’t mean it is equivalent to past tense. As a matter of fact, it can be used in any tense, no matter what time frame we’re talking about.

For example:

I went to that store.
我去了那个商店。(the past)

I will play the game after eating next time.
下次我吃了饭再玩游戏。 (the future)

You may be confused by the second example as to how it implies future tense with “了” in the sentence? That’s because the speaker intends to finish the first action “吃饭” and then continue the second action “玩游戏”, so the speaker uses an aspect particle “了” to show the completion of the first action. However, the thing is, when the speaker is saying this sentence, these actions all haven’t finished yet and they will actually happen next time instead, so it is future tense but still includes “了”.

And if the action is habitual or continuous, we also don’t use “了” even it occurred in the past.

For example:

He often studied Chinese in the morning before.
✘ 他以前常常在早上学了中文。
√ 他以前常常在早上学中文。

He works overtime every night.
✘ 他每天晚上加了班。
√ 他每天晚上加班。

Exercise:

Translate the sentence

1. He often went to the hospital last year.
2. I have been to Beijing twice.
3. I have my hands washed before dinner.

(Reference: The use of ‘了’（le）in Chinese)

19. Improper use of approximate numbers

Could you try to translate “There are thirteen or fourteen students in the classroom.” into Chinese? Let’s take a closer look.

In Chinese, there are many ways to present approximate numbers, but here we are going to just focus on three ways you may frequently use. One of them, as shown above, is to use two adjacent digits together. For example, “三四个人” means “three or four people”, “十一二本书” means “eleven or twelve books”, “四五十岁” means “forty or fifty years old”. So “There are thirteen or fourteen students in the classroom” is “教室里有十三四个学生” in Chinese. Note that “九” and “十” are seldom used together to express an approximate number in order to not be confused with “九十”(ninety).

Another frequently used way is adding “多(duō)”.

For example,

I bought over five jin of apples.
我买了多五斤苹果。✘
我买了五多斤苹果。✘

In Chinese, we usually use “多” in the structure “Number + Measure + 多” where usually the number is a single unit or multi-digit with single units, or we use the pattern “Number + 多 + Measure” when the number is ten or integers that ends with a zero.

For example,

一个多月 (over one month),
三千多个人 (over three thousand people),
十多件衣服 (over ten clothes).

So the sentence “I bought over five jin of apples.” should be “我买了五斤多苹果” in Chinese.

Sometimes you may see this kind of sentence “我这里只有几十多块钱”  from some Chinese learners. You may be surprised to see “几” used to express an approximate number. “几” can be substituted for numbers less than ten followed by a measure word.

For example,

I have several Chinese friends.
我有几个中国朋友。

“我这里只有几十多块钱” doesn’t exist because “几” and “多” cannot be used together to indicate an approximate number. So, it can be changed to “我这里只有几十块钱” or “我这里只有十多块钱”.

Another error that may occur is combining “几” with a definite number, such as “这里有几十九本书。” “九” is a definite number which cannot be used with “几” here. So the sentence should be “这里有几十本书”(There are dozens of books.)

Exercise:

True or false.

1. 爸爸给了我三十块多钱。
2. 我看到外面有几多个人在说话。
3. 他今年十一多岁了。
4. 这张桌子有十几多斤重。

(Reference: Expressing an “Approximate Number” in Mandarin)

20. Errors with Chinese Punctuation

Now let’s take a look at one thing which is almost ignored by most instructors, that’s Chinese punctuation. Chinese punctuation marks are similar in function to those in English, but some of them differ in form. Because of this subtle relationship, there are always mistakes happening with punctuation, even for advanced learners.

To begin with, in English people are used to using “.” to end a statement, so some learners will continue to use “.” In Chinese, which is absolutely wrong because we only use “。” to mark a full stop in Chinese.  

For example:

We are Japanese.
✘ 我们是日本人.
√ 我们是日本人。

In addition, commas are another one lots of learners struggle with. Just like the comma in English, it’s used to separate clauses and indicate pauses. For example, “因为外面下雨了，所以我不想出去”(I don’t want to go out because it’s raining outside.) Then, you may wonder what about enumeration commas? Are they the same? The answer is no, though their function is similar. In fact, the enumeration comma is used to separate words in a list. For example, “我买了蛋糕、糖和水果”(I bought cake, sugar and fruit.).

Some learners will omit them or confuse the regular comma with the enumeration comma or put them in a wrong position.

For example:

Her face is red and looks like a red apple.
✘ 她的脸很红和像一个红苹果。
√ 她的脸很红, 像一个红苹果。

Here, we don’t need “和” to connect because it’s just a pause, the connection is continuous. So, a regular comma is enough.

There is milk, fruit, vegetables, notebooks etc. in the supermarket.
✘ 超市里有牛奶，水果，蔬菜，本子等等。
√ 超市里有牛奶、水果、蔬菜、本子等等。

Here, it’s stating a list and there is only a slight pause between “牛奶” “水果” “蔬菜” and “本子” in coordination. So, the enumeration comma is used.

Exercise:

True or false.

1. 他们在吃饭我们在看书。
2. 姐姐不喜欢吃面包.
3. 他买了两双鞋，三双袜子，五条裤子，一件衬衫和一件大衣。
4. 8点了，但是外面还是很亮。

So, there are the top 20 most frequent mistakes we see made by Chinese learners. I hope this article helped you confirm what you already knew and even taught you something new that you can now apply in your studies. If you’re paying attention to all of these points, it will really take your Chinese to the next level.

If you’re hoping to get even more information about these topics, be sure to check out the links provided in each section, and if you can’t find an answer to your questions there, leave us a comment down below!

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An interjection is an exclamation, especially as a part of speech. An example of an interjection in English would be “Ah!” or “Oh!” Many of you may already know it’s a common phenomenon for Chinese sentences to end with interjections, which serve to express one’s tone or emotion.

However, are you familiar with how and in what situations they’re used? In this article, we’ll have a closer look at 5 common Chinese interjections, and discuss how they are applied.

1. 啊 (a)

Expressing exclamation in statements

• This is placed at the end of statements when one intends to show your exclamation or enthusiasm.

Example:

(Nǐ de jiā zhēn dà a!)
你的家真大啊！
Your home is really big!

(Nǐ bié chídào a!)
你别迟到啊！
Don’t be late!

(Jīntiān de tiānqì duō hǎo a!)
今天的天气多好啊！
Today’s weather is so nice!

Expressing the feeling of surprise in questions

• This is placed at the end of questions when there’s a need to emphasize your being surprised or suddenly curious.

Example:

(Zěnme tā jīntiān méi shàngxué a?)
怎么他今天没上学啊？
How come he didn’t go to school today?

(Zhè ge rén shì shéi a?)
这个人是谁啊？
Who’s this person?

(Wǒmen xiànzài zài nǎli a?)
我们现在在哪里啊？
Where are we now?

2. 吧 (ba)

Soften the tone when giving commands, requests, or suggestions in statements

• This is placed at the end of statements to soften the tone when giving a command, request, or suggestion
• It can also act as ‘let me’ or ‘let’s’

Example:

(Nǐ bāng wǒ ná bēi shuǐ ba!)
你帮我拿杯水吧！
Help me to get a cup of water.

(Nǐ chūqù ba! wǒ bù xiǎng zài gēn nǐ shuō le.)
你出去吧！我不想再跟你说了。
Get out! I don’t want to talk to you anymore.

(Wǒmen yì qǐ qù tī zúqiú ba!)
我们一起去踢足球吧！
Let’s go play football together!

(Wǒ sòng nǐ huíjiā ba!)
我送你回家吧！
Let me send you home.

Seek for confirmation in questions

• This is placed at the end of questions when you’re not 100% sure of your thoughts and are seeking for confirmation
• It is therefore equivalent to ‘right?’ or ‘isn’t it?’

Example:

(Tāmen bú zài jiā ba?)
他们不在家吧？
They aren’t at home, right?

(Tā bú huì gàosu nǐ ba?)
他不会告诉你吧？
He won’t tell you, will he?

(Tā chángcháng kàn zhe nǐ, shì xǐhuān nǐ ba?)
他常常看着你，是喜欢你吧？
He often looks at you, he likes you, right?

3. 呢 (ne)

Produce a casual tone in both statements and questions

• This is placed at the end of both statements and questions, which helps to express a casual, relaxed but friendly tone

Example:

(Nǐ de xīn qúnzi hěn piàoliang ne!)
你的新裙子很漂亮呢！
Your new dress is very pretty!

(Tā huì bú huì wàngjì wǒ de shēngrì ne?)
他会不会忘记我的生日呢？
Will he or or won’t he forget my birthday?

(Wǒmen zěnme qù túshūguǎn ne?)
我们怎么去图书馆呢？
How do you go to the library?

Ask the same question back in return

• This is placed at the end of a subject, to suggest ‘what about that subject?’

Example:

(Wǒ jīntiān wǔ diǎn xiàbān, nǐ ne?)
我今天五点下班，你呢？
I get off work at five today, what about you?

(Wǒ ài pǎobù, tā ne?)
我爱跑步，他呢？
I love running, what about him?

Short version of ‘where?’

• This is placed at the end of an object, to create a short version of ‘where’s that object?’
• This application is often used when you’re in a rush or urgently seeking something

Example:

(Wǒ de qiánbāo ne?)
我的钱包呢？
Where’s my wallet?

(Wǒ de shǒujī ne?)
我的手机呢？
Where’s my mobile phone?

4. 啦 (la)

Replace the ending了(le) in both statements and questions to produce a relaxed tone

• You can substitute 啦(la) at the end of any statement or question that originally ends with了(le), to make the sentence sound relaxed or delightful
• It even has the function of creating a ‘cute’ tone if you extend the vowel

Example:

(Wǒ yǐjīng bānjiā la!)
我已经搬家啦！
I already moved home.

(Wǒ xiànzài lái la!)
我现在来啦！
I’m coming now!

(Nǐ bú yào zài kū la!)
你不要再哭啦！
Don’t cry anymore.

(Nǐ gāngcái mǎi shénme la?)
你刚才买什么啦？
What did you just buy?

(Nǐ jīnnián duō dà la?)
你今年多大啦？
How old are you?

5. 嘛 (ma)

Emphasize an obvious fact in statements

• It can be considered as ‘as you know’, ‘obviously’, ‘as a reminder’
• It also has the function of creating a ‘cute’ tone if you extend the vowel

Example:

(Tā háishì xiǎo háizi, bù dǒngshì ma, bié jièyì.)
他还是小孩子，不懂事嘛，別介意。
He’s still a child, therefore not very sensible. Please don’t mind him.

(Wǒ kàn bu dǒng yīngwén ma!)
我看不懂英文嘛！
(You know,) I can’t read English.

(Tā hěn máng ma, suǒyǐ méiyǒu shíjiān fā nǐ duǎnxìn.)
他很忙嘛，所以没有时间发你短信。
(You know,) he’s very busy, so doesn’t have time to send you texts.

Add ‘cute’ element to state an expectation in statement

• It makes the tone sound more ‘cute’ when specifying your expectation
• It’s close to the meaning ‘you should’
• It’s specifically useful when you want to blame someone, however, with a ‘cute or soft’ tone

Example:

(Nǐ zěnme bù zǎo shuō ma!)
你怎么不早说嘛！
How come you didn’t say so earlier!

(Nǐ zìjǐ zuò ma!)
你自己做嘛！
Do it yourself.

(Nǐ zǒu màn diǎn ma!)
你走慢点嘛！
Walk slower.

(Tā wèishénme yào zhèyàng zuò ma!)
他为什么要这样做嘛！
Why did he have to do this!

As a Topic Marker

• This is placed at the end of a topic – often a subject or object, followed by further information or comment
• It’s similar to the meaning: ‘about the topic’, ‘regarding the topic’
• It serves to give a pause before giving further information or feedback on the topic, hence it’s particularly useful when you’d like to sound patient or gentle

Example:

(Zhè jiàn shìqíng ma, wǒ yě bù qīngchǔ.)
这件事情嘛，我也不清楚。
About this matter, I’m also not sure.

(Nǐ ma, zuò shì zǒngshì bú rènzhēn.)
你嘛，做事总是不认真。
You’re just not serious when doing work all the time.

Interjections are a great way to add flavor and character to your sentences. They make you sound informal, and show that you are becoming more comfortable with the Chinese language. Once you master when and how to use these interjections, it will also make you sound more like a native speaker.

The post 5 Common Chinese Interjections to Add Tonal Color -啊(a) 吧(ba) 呢(ne) 啦(la) 嘛(ma) appeared first on .

In Chinese the sentence words order is especially important, partly as a consequence of its lack of case endings for nouns. There are no special endings of noun in Chinese to indicate adjectives, adverbs and etc. like in English.

Although Chinese is not the only language where the sentence words order is important, it is extremely important to take care of the right Chinese Sentence order. A slight difference in the words order may result in a completely different sentence and meaning. For example:

Some person/people have come
来人了
lái rén Le

The person/people (we expecting to) have come
人来了
rén lái Le

The meanings are different in the two sentences. Also, the Chinese sentence words order is very different from English, like this example:

English: who are you?
Chinese: 你是谁？（nǐ shì shéi?）

So a word-by-word translation from English to Chinese would result in meaningless sentences in Chinese. There is no way to make sense of the Chinese words order from English. The aim of this article is to explain clearly and intuitively the rules of the Chinese sentence structure and point out some important exceptions. Let’s take a look.

The basic sentence pattern in Chinese is similar to English and it follows this:

Subject + Verb + Object (S-V-O)

Here is an example of what this would look like:

He read Chinese book.
他        看               中文书
tā       kàn         zhōng wén shū
S          V                    O

If there is also an indirect object, it always precedes the direct object. It will look like this structure followed by good sentence examples.

Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (S-V-O-O)

He bought me a dog.
他    给我         买了       一只狗
tā    gěi wǒ    mǎi Le    yī zhī gǒu
S        IO            V                O

He smiled to me.
他   对我       笑了       一笑
tā   duì wǒ  xiào le    yī xiào
S       IO           V             O

He send me a book.
他   送           我           一 本 书
tā   sòng       wǒ          yī běn shū
S     V             IO                O  

Differences from Chinese and English:

The Location of Prepositions

Now we will look into differences in the Chinese grammar compared to English. Prepositions (介词) are words that come before nouns and pronouns to expressing time, place, direction, objective, reason, means, dependence, passivity, comparison, etc. Common prepositions in Chinese are:

在zài (in/on)， 从còng (from)，向xiàng(towards)，跟gēn(with)，往wǎng(to, towards)，到dào (to a place, until a certain time)，对duì(for)，给gěi (to, for)，对于duìyú(regarding )，关于guānyú(concerning ,about)，把bǎ(to hold)，被bèi(by)，比bǐ(particle used for comparison )， 根据gēnjù (based on)，为了wèile (in order to )，除了chúle (except for)……

Preposition always occur right before the verb and its objects:

Subject + preposition + verb + direct object

Here are a couple examples of preposition in Chinese:

Add milk to the flour.
往               面粉里                 加             牛奶
wǎng       miàn fěn lǐ           jiā            niú nǎi
Prep.            Place                 V                O

A flight from Beijing to Chengdu takes 2.5 hours.
从           北京        到           成都             坐飞机      要           两 个半小时
Cóng   běi jīng    dào       chéng dū    zuòfēi jī   yào  liǎng gè bàn xiǎoshí  
Prep     Place      Prep         Place          

The Adverb Placement

Adverbs (describes the verb) in Chinese typically occur at the beginning of the predicate before an adjective, verb and preposition. Here are examples of adverbs:

只zhǐ(only)，才cái (only ,only then)，都dōu (all)，肯定kěn dìng (sure)， 一定yīdìng (surely, certainly), 很hěn (very)，太tài (too much, very)，够gòu(enough)，非常fēicháng (extremely)， 已经yǐjīng (already)，经常jīng cháng(frequently)， 将要jiāngyào(will, shall)， 最后zuìhòu(finally)，当初dāng chū(at that time / originally)，可能kěnéng (maybe)， 大概dàgài(approximate)， 或许huòxǔ(perhaps , maybe)，几乎jīhū(almost)

Here are a few ways of how it would be used in Chinese:

They all can speak Japanese.
他们            都            会说             日语
tāmen       dōu        huìshuō         rì yǔ
S                 Adv           V                   O

That tall man goes away in a hurry.
那个很高的男人                          匆匆地                     走了
nàgè hěn gāo de nán rén        cōng cōng de           zǒu Le
S                                                      Adv                            V

He likes the cat very much.
他      非常             喜欢             猫。      
Tā    fēicháng    xǐhuān        māo.  
S         Adv               V                 O

The Location Word

The location word almost always occurs before the verb in Chinese. There are exceptions we will discuss them in a next lesson. Here is the structure frame and an example of how it is used.

Subject + location + verb

I work in Beijing.
我     在           北京             工作
wǒ    zài        běi jīng      gōng zuò
S      prep       place               V

If the description of the place contents several places, then the order in Chinese is always from the biggest place to the smallest. It would look like the following sequence.

China,                      Beijing University,        Department of Mathematic

中国                                北京 大学                          数学 系

zhōng guó                 běi jīng dà xué                   shù xué xì

the biggest place      smaller place                the smallest place

The Placement of ‘time when’

Unlike English, a word that indicates the ‘time when’ a situation in Chinese is placed at the beginning of the predicate.

Subject + time when + predicate

For a few examples:

I had a dinner yesterday.
我      昨天                 吃了晚饭
wǒ   zuótiān           chīle wǎn fàn
S      time when            predicate

I will go to Shanghai tomorrow.
我         明天         要去上海。
Wǒ   míngtiān     yào qù shànghǎi.
S     time when      predicate

I will send it via email this afternoon.
我          今天下午             用电邮发。
Wǒ       jīntiān xiàwǔ       yóng  diànyóu fā.
S          time when            predicate

With time and location, which comes first?

When a sentence includes both a ‘time when’ and a location, ‘time when’ generally occurs before location. Both of them will come before the verb in the sentence frame like the examples given.

Subject + time when + location + verb

I swim in swimming pool every day.
我       每天         在              游泳池                  游泳 
wǒ   měi tiān    zài           yóu yǒng chí        yóuyǒng
S     Time         Prep          Place                         V

I eat in the cafeteria at school every day.
我      每 天        在         学 校 食 堂              吃饭
wǒ   měi tiān    zài     xué xiào shí tang     chīfàn
S         Time                    Place                           V

The Time Duration Words

Duration of time word indicates the length of time that an action occurs. Time duration directly follow the verb. Unlike English no preposition is associated with it. See the following structure and examples

Subject + verb + time duration

I slept two hours yesterday afternoon.
我          昨天下午                睡了    两个小时。
wǒ     zuótiān xià wǔ     shuìle    liǎng gè xiǎo shí
S           Time                        V          time duretion

I run every day.
我       每天             跑步
wǒ     měitiān      pǎobù   
S        Time            V

Yesterday I bought several books                         
昨天             我           买了       几本书。
zuótiān      wǒ          mǎile      jǐběnshū
Time              S               V            O

In summary, The Chinese sentence structure is as follows:

Subject + time preposition + Time + location preposition + Location (from the biggest to the smallest) + how (can be adverb or a phrase containing a preposition.) + Verb + time duration + indirect object + Object

Here are some tips you can follow to better remember the sentence structure.

1. The subject can be located after the time.
2. Sometime the duration of time word is an adverb phrase, which describes a verb or an adjective phrase describing a noun. In this case it is located before the verb (or noun) and not after it. Pay attention not to let it confuse you. (Look at examples)

Since coming to China, I learnt Chinese very hard for three hours every day with my sister in Beijing University.
自从来到中国，我和妹妹每天在北京大学努力学三个小时的中文
Time                    S                      Location   Adv.V.    O                 
zì cóng lái dào zhōng guó，wǒ hé mèi mei měi tiān zài běi jīng dà xué   nǔ lì xué xí sān gè xiǎo shí de zhōng wén

My dog lies in the couch of living room all day.
我的狗             整天       在客厅的沙发上             躺着       睡懒觉。
S                     Time          Location                       How          V
wǒ de gǒu zhěng tiān zài kè tīng lǐ de shā fā shàng tǎng zhe      shuì lǎn jiào

Important Exceptions in the Chinese sentence order

As we know the basic Chinese sentence order is: Subject + Time (when) + Place + verb. There are some special verbs, which seem to be allowed to break the rules. These verbs are put before the place and not after it as usual. For these verbs we have the structure:

Subject + Time (when) + verb + Place 

Which verbs are breaking the rules? There are two kinds of these verbs:

1. Verbs implying movement or location:

住(zhù/live), 放 (fàng/put), 坐 (zuò/sit), 站 (zhàn/stand)，走 (zǒu/walk)，去 (qù/go)，达到 (dá dào/arrive)，来 (lái/come)，飞 (fēi/fly)，扔 (rēng/throw)，待 (dāi/stay), etc.

2. Verbs that express variability from one situation to another in this place:

结 (jiē/ bear fruit )，积累/积 (jī lěi / accumulate) , 生长 (shēng zhǎng/ grow )，烹饪(pēng rèn/cooking), etc.

Here are several exception examples:

The food is put in the stove
食物放在炉子上 (type 2)
(shí wù fàng zài lú zi shàng)

Banana grow on the tree.
香蕉结在树上 (type 2)
(xiāng jiāo jiē zài shù shàng)

Don’t throw on the ground.
不要扔在地上 (type 1)
(bú yào rēng zài di shàng)

Kids always like sitting on the ground.
孩子 总是 喜欢 坐 在 地 上 (type 1)
(hái zi zǒng shì xǐ huan zuò zài dì shàng)

This may be a lot of information to take in and may be overwhelming but don’t fret. If you continue to listen and read as much real Chinese as you can, it will let you get a natural feel for these exceptions and put them before the place word naturally. These verbs can be also used in the normal order (after the place) in case we want to emphasize the place. For example:

I live in US
我在美国住。
(wǒ zài měi guó zhù) (not in china).

Conclusion

Chinese grammar is not difficult; I believe learning the grammar of any language is usually done by repetition. However I still want to suggest a way to make the use of the correct sentence words order easier for Dig Mandarin audiences. Take an easy Chinese sentence, which still contains most of the sentence grammatical words (like subject, object, verb, prepositions and etc.) and say it to yourself for some days until you will be able to recite it fluently. Then, whenever you need to compose a sentence in Chinese only check the situation in this sentence frame.

I can also promise you this: as you progress in Chinese, you will feel you are grasping the sense of the language. The more you listen to Chinese speaking (don’t give up if you don’t understand every sentence) the more you will get an understanding of the language. Then you will not need to recite the grammar anymore and instead know it by your inner feeling and intuition. You will notice that your mistakes are less and less without thinking. So listen to Chinese as much as you can. You will then see miracles!

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When delving into the world of Chinese language and texts, you’ll often come across different expressions that seemingly translate to the same word in English. But here’s the thing: every language has its own unique charm, and some expressions simply can’t be translated one-to-one. Chinese is no exception. In particular, three commonly used words – 差点儿 (chà diǎnr), 几乎 (jīhū), and 差不多 (chà bù duō) – all convey the idea of “almost” or “nearly.” Today, we’re here to unravel the intricacies and differences between these three words, which can sometimes be puzzling. So, let’s dive in and shed some light on these commonly used, yet occasionally confusing, expressions.

1. 差点儿 and 几乎

(1) Close Calls

Big goals and achievements are often difficult to reach. Along the way, we may face failure and lose hope. Luckily, we can still make it and feel grateful for our good fortune. When expressing happiness and thankfulness for narrowly succeeding, we use 差点儿 (chà diǎnr) and 几乎 (jīhū) with a negative form. Both words mean ‘almost,’ and the sentence conveys the idea of ‘almost failing to succeed.’

For example:

他差点儿/几乎没考上北京大学。(Tā chà diǎnr/ jī hū méi kǎo shànɡ Běijīnɡ dà xué.)
He almost failed to enter Peking University.

我差点儿/几乎没赶上火车。(Wǒ chà diǎnr/ jī hū méi ɡǎn shànɡ huǒchē.)
I almost failed to catch the train.

(2) Missed Opportunities

Sometimes we succeed, but other times we come so close yet unfortunately fail. In these situations, we add 差点儿 (chà diǎnr) and 几乎 (jīhū) to make the sentence negative, expressing the idea that something almost happened but didn’t in the end. Such sentences often convey a sense of regret and disappointment. When describing something we wanted to happen, 差点儿 (chà diǎnr) is used more frequently.

For example:

我差点儿买到那个限量款手表。(Wǒ chà diǎnr mǎi dào nà ɡè xiànliànɡ kuǎn shóubiǎo.)
I almost bought that limited edition watch.

我们差点儿/几乎赢了足球比赛。(Wǒmen chà diǎnr yínɡ le zúqiú bǐsài.)
We almost won the football match.

事情差点儿/几乎没办成。(Shìqínɡ chà diǎn r / jīhū méi bàn chénɡ.)
The thing almost failed.

(3) Near Misses

At times, we only narrowly avoid disaster and fortunately come out unscathed. In this case, both the affirmative and negative forms have the same meaning. That means 差点儿 (chà diǎnr), 差点儿没 (chà diǎnr méi), 几乎 (jīhū), and 几乎没 (jīhū méi) all convey the same idea.

For example:

我差点儿/几乎(没)丢了钱包。(Wǒ chà diǎnr / jī hū méi diū le qiánbāo.)
I almost lost my wallet.

她差点儿/几乎迟到了。(Tā chà diǎnr / jī hū chídào le.)
She was almost late.

In summary, 差点儿 (chà diǎnr) and 几乎 (jīhū) can be used interchangeably to mean ‘almost.’ However, in everyday conversations, 差点儿 (chà diǎnr) is more commonly used.

2. 几乎 and 差不多

We can use 几乎 (jī hū) or 差不多 (chà bù duō) to talk about something that is very close to a certain amount or degree. They both mean ‘almost’ or ‘nearly,’ but there are subtle differences between them. Let’s explore their meanings and usage.

(1) Minor Differences

As adverbs, 几乎 (jī hū) and 差不多 (chà bù duō) indicate a small difference or something quite close. They can be combined with verbs, adjectives, and nouns.

For example:

我差不多/几乎睡了两个小时。(Wǒ chàbùduō / jīhū shuì le liǎnɡ ɡè xiǎoshí.)
I’ve slept for almost two hours.

i. Please note that when the quantity is small, the degree is low, or the time is short, use 差不多, not 几乎.

For example:

飞机差不多要起飞了。(Fēijī chà bù duō yào qǐfēi le.)
The plane is about to take off.

ii. In addition, when indicating a quantity, 几乎 expresses subjective feelings, while 差不多 is more objective.

For example:

这次聚会差不多有三十个人。(Zhè cì jùhuì chà bù duō yǒu sān shí ɡè rén.) There were almost thirty people at the party.
-> This is an objective estimation.

他上大学的时候几乎30岁了。(Tā shànɡ dàxué de shíhou jīhū 30 suì le.) He was almost 30 when he was in college.
-> Here his age is a little bit old from a subjective perspective.

iii. When combined with adjectives or adjective phrases, 差不多 is more flexible than 几乎. 几乎 has more restrictions.

For example:

The two books are about the same thickness.
这两本书差不多厚。(Zhè liǎnɡ běn shū chà bù duō hòu.)
✘ 这两本书几乎厚。(Zhè liǎnɡ běn shū jī hū hòu.)
这两本书几乎一样厚。(Zhè liǎnɡ běn shū jī hū yíyànɡ hòu.)

iv. 差不多 can be a complete sentence by itself.

For example:

A: 你的作业写完了吗？(Nǐ de zuòyè xiě wán le mɑ?)
Have you finished your homework?

B: 差不多了。(Chà bù duō le.)
Almost.

To summarize, 几乎(jī hū) and 差不多(chà bù duō) can be used as adverbs with nouns as well as adjectives and verbs that contain quantifiers. But when the degree is low, the time is short or the number is small, we only use 差不多.

(2) 差不多 as an adjective

差不多(chà bù duō) can also be used as an adjective to indicate that the difference between two things is very small, but 几乎(jī hū) cannot.

For example:

今年的收入和去年差不多。(Jīnnián de shōurù hé qùnián chà bù duō.)
This year’s income is about the same as last year.

饭做得差不多了，可以洗手准备吃饭了。(Fàn zuò dé chà bù duō le, kě yǐ xǐshǒu zhǔnbèi chīfàn le.)
The meal is almost ready. Wash your hands and get ready to eat.

差不多(chà bù duō) also means ‘generally,’ ‘mostly,’ or ‘the majority.’ Simply add 的(de) to modify nouns.

For example:

差不多的广东菜他都会做。(Chàbùduō de ɡuǎnɡdōnɡ cài tā dōu huì zuò.)
He can cook most Cantonese dishes.

差不多的人都知道明天放假。(Chàbùduō de rén dōu zhīdào mínɡtiān fànɡjià.)
Most people know that there will be a holiday tomorrow.

Conclusion

In conclusion, mastering the various translations of “almost” in Chinese is a valuable skill for any language learner. By understanding the distinctions between 差点儿(chà diǎnr), 几乎(jī hū), and 差不多(chà bù duō), you can effectively convey different nuances of “almost” in different contexts.

So, whether you’re expressing relief for narrowly avoiding a failure, expressing regret for a missed opportunity, or describing a close approximation, these three words will serve you well. Remember, 差点儿(chà diǎnr) and 几乎(jī hū) share similar meanings when expressing, while 差不多(chà bù duō) adds a touch of flexibility and can even be used as an adjective to describe similarities.

Now armed with this knowledge, go forth and keep practicing and refining your usage. Soon you’ll find yourself effortlessly incorporating these expressions into your everyday conversations.

The post “Almost” The Same – A Comparison of 差点儿, 几乎, and 差不多 appeared first on .