Questions that concern the use of expressions, parts of speech, words, verbs, etc.
2
votes
2answers
114 views
What is the meaning and proper usage of 凭什么？
I was watching a TV show and heard them using the expression 凭什么 to say 'why' - I hadn't heard it with this exact meaning before, so I'm wondering what the proper meaning is in English, and what the ...
4
votes
1answer
68 views
What does 些 mean when it's combined with 什麼?
I found this sentence on tatoeba.org:
我就是不知道說些什麼。
I just don't know what to say.
I understand most of the sentence, but what is "些" doing there? I've always seen it used to mean "a few".
5
votes
1answer
86 views
How euphemistic is 傢伙?
傢伙 (an example of a Chinese lexeme that does not map bijectively between simplified and traditional characters, the simplified word being 家伙) is translated, in the only translation Wang Xiaobo's work ...
3
votes
2answers
70 views
Time periods relating to Chinese holidays (暑假, 寒假 etc.)
From my understanding most Chinese workers only have one major holiday around the time of Spring Festival.
So are holidays 暑假, 寒假 only for students? Roughly speaking how long are they and when do ...
5
votes
3answers
222 views
“小王” 和 “老王” how to determine which to use?
This is something I still haven't mastered and still just go with the flow.
If I wanted to call someone a nickname, say for Mr. Wang, which one should I choose? What defines whether I should call him ...
8
votes
1answer
138 views
When to use 了 and when to use 过 to express past actions or events
I kind of have an idea of when 了 and 过 should be used but it's mostly on a case by case basis, and I don't know the exact rules.
So if I want to express something that happened in the past, when ...
5
votes
3answers
138 views
Difference between 曾经 and 已经
In this question I was asking about 曾经 and one answer says it means 'already'.
What's the difference between 曾经 and 已经?
Do the two sentences below have the same meaning?
他曾经在北京学过两年汉语。
...
4
votes
3answers
88 views
Is 在瞬间 something like 'at some point'?
The phrase 在瞬间 zài shùnjiān seems literally to mean 'in an instant.' But usage-wise, is it more like 'at some point'? Or am I off the mark?
3
votes
3answers
61 views
When would 产生了 be used?
I don't really understand the meaning or usage of 产生了. Google translate gives 'had.' But it doesn't really seem to be widely-used. When would it be used, and why?
1
vote
1answer
72 views
What are the uses of 什会 and from which area?
In restaurants in Australia we quite often have Chinese dishes which are combination for example Combination Satay or Combination Fried Rice. These contain several types of meat as opposed to ...
3
votes
2answers
100 views
Why can't 了 be used to complement 到?
I have been taught that the sentence 我刚到了 (wǒ gāng dào le) is not correct because 了 cannot be used as a complement of 到. Is this true? If so, why?
2
votes
1answer
61 views
Is 搏杀 used in jest in this sentence?
In December, I read this as a social network post:
今年剩下一个星期了，继续努力搏杀！
In English slang, one might say "killing it" to mean performing well. Is this use of 搏杀 figurative, literal, or humorous?
13
votes
2answers
287 views
How do I decide whether to use 還是/还是 or 或者
還是/还是 (háishì) and 或者 (huòzhě) seem to have very similar meanings:
還是/还是: or; still; nevertheless
或者: or; possibly; maybe
When I want to say 'or', how to I choose which to use, and are there ...
3
votes
3answers
133 views
Sentence structure “I'm [doing something] because [reason]”?
I am familiar with the sentence structure "因为。。。所以。。。", but what is the correct way to say "I am [doing something] because [reason]"?
For example, "I am asking this question because I am clueless."
...
4
votes
2answers
153 views
What is the proper usage of 而已 in Chinese?
I always hear Chinese people making sentences using 而已 - but I've never quite 100% how to use this in sentences myself. What is the correct way to apply it, and what is the English equivalent?
7
votes
2answers
120 views
When do I use 着 to indicate action in progress?
It seems like for some verbs (正)在 is used to indicate action in progress, but I have also encountered 着 for some, like 穿着. When should it be used, is there a rule to follow?
12
votes
3answers
185 views
但是, 可是 and 不过 - how to know which one to use?
According to my dictionary, 但是, 可是 and 不过 all mean "but/however"? However is there any difference between them? Are there some cases, where one can be used but not another?
10
votes
2answers
142 views
How do I decide whether to use 可以, 会 or 能?
According to every dictionary I've seen so far, there is a big overlap in these:
可以 = can, may, be able to
会 = can, be able to, able
能 = can, may, able, capable
How do I properly choose which one ...
5
votes
2answers
98 views
Where is the correct place to use 您 when addressing others?
Almost every foreign text book I've seen mentions 您 as a polite or formal address to others, however I rarely hear it said and rarely see it written except when addressing customers and occasionally ...
