Questions tagged [usage]
Questions about the use of expressions, parts of speech, words, verbs, etc.
659
questions
4
votes
2answers
94 views
In a 还是 question, do I need to repeat the verb?
I'm learning Chinese from a book, and there are some examples regarding the use of 还是. In some cases, the verb is repeated, like in 你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ (note the two 喝 here). In other places, the second ...
4
votes
5answers
996 views
Outside of Chinese class, do people ask 你家有几口人？
Among one of the earliest questions people learn to answer when studying Chinese is
你家有几口人？
How many people are in your household?
However, despite living in China for years, I don't recall a ...
2
votes
1answer
150 views
How do you know when will the verb be paired with 对?
For example:
我对父母很体贴（✓）
我很体贴我的父母（x）
我很关心我的父母（✓）
(The example is given by my teacher but i don't know the reason)
Hope you understand my question 🥺
0
votes
1answer
55 views
In 林业、农业、草原、海洋、资源、环境等行业, what industries does 草原 (“grassland”) and 海洋 (“ocean”) refer to, and why not use 农业 (“agriculture”) and 渔业 (“fishing”)?
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海上飞天！一箭九星！我国首次海上商业化应用发射成功！，2020年09月15日
...
6
votes
2answers
276 views
What's the difference between 让, 令 and 使?
I am in doubt whether 让, 令 and 使 are interchangeable, and if not, how to differentiate their use.
What I understood so far:
让 tends to be used in spoken language and it's pretty universal, meaning to ...
1
vote
1answer
34 views
What's the difference between 一下子，一刹那，and 一时
I know the usage of 一下子 but I don't really understand about 一刹那 and 一时
1
vote
2answers
108 views
Why "我想了退这件新买的毛衣。” is wrong?
The correct sentence is "我想退了这件新买的毛衣。" But why?
Please do not use grammar jargon because I seldom understand them.
I have been teaching Mandarin with grammar included but never mention and ...
1
vote
2answers
75 views
Why can some words such as 安宁 be either a noun or a adjective?
This is just one of the many examples where I noticed this, but with these words, does that mean I can say something like:
我找到我心里的安宁 or something along those lines and treat it as if it were a noun, ...
3
votes
4answers
91 views
Why does 中 come first in order when it is in the middle (i.e.: 中小、中前)?
The following phrases sometimes give me pause:
中小学
中前期
The first phrase, 中小学, is a backwards(?) combination of elementary and middle school. The second phrase is seemingly another backwards(?) ...
2
votes
1answer
63 views
What are some examples of stative -le and iterative aspect in Mandarin?
I'm a graduate student studying how bilinguals interpret certain aspectual expressions in Mandarin. I'm currently preparing all of my stimuli, but I'm hoping for some help from native speakers since I'...
1
vote
2answers
57 views
Why is 都 placed after a verb in “什么时候还都可以”?
I found this example:
你拿着用吧，什么时候还都可以。
Nǐ ná zheyòng ba, shénme shíhòu huán dōu kěyǐ.
You can have it as long as you want.
I am confused about the grammar structure behind 什么时候还都可以 (literally: any ...
0
votes
3answers
92 views
What is the difference between 还是 and 还?
What is the difference between 还是 and 还? Is 还 the short of 还是 and, consequently, they are interchangeable in every situation, only in some cases or never?
For reference, I will list the different ...
1
vote
2answers
63 views
Is it possible to combine 起来 and 住在？
I came across the following sentence:
这个房子住起来不舒服。
Zhège fángzi zhù qǐlái bu shūfú.
This house seems uncomfortable to live.
I think in this sentence, 起来 indicates an initial judgement, i.e. like in ...
2
votes
2answers
76 views
Differences between “Verb + Adj”, “Adj + Verb”, “Verb + 得 + Adj” and “Adj + 地 + Verb”?
I am having some difficulties understanding the differences in meaning between the following structures (the examples are from Line dictionary):
Verb + Adj
e.g:
走快了她会累。
Zŏu kuài le tā huì lĕi.
...
3
votes
5answers
213 views
Difference between using 被 and the object in the topic position?
I just learned about the preposition 被 bèi to express passive voice. If we have a S-V-O sentence, we can reexpress it using the 被 structure as O-被-(S)-V. This introduces a passive voice into the ...
2
votes
1answer
74 views
When does 一会儿 go before / after the verb?
I have seen some sentences where 一会儿 (yīhuìr), meaning in a while / in a moment, is placed before the verb and in some others, after the verb.
Is there some rule for deciding the position, are both ...
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Why 这么 / 那么 are placed before the action verb?
I have some confusion with the use of 这么 (this, so) and 那么 (that, so). I found these examples (from Pleco):
大家都这么说。
Dàjiā dōu zhème shuō.
Everyone says this / so.
你不该那么做。
Nǐ bù gāi nàme zuò.
You ...
0
votes
3answers
63 views
What's the difference between 开 and 举办 when used for the meaning “to hold an event”?
What is the difference between 开 and 举办 in the following sentence?
They both mean "to hold". Can you use both for big events like 奥运会 or little events like 派对 or 聚会 ?
每年开两次运动会，一次是水上运动会，...
3
votes
4answers
110 views
What is the function of 一次 in “去一次”?
I came across these translated examples:
[Talking about a place]:
明年夏天我打算去一次。
Mínɡnián xiàtiān wǒ dǎsuàn qù yí cì。
I plan to go there next summer.
三年以前我去过上海，去年我又去了一次，明年我想再去一次。
Sān nián yǐqián wǒ ...
0
votes
2answers
52 views
What's the difference between 检测 and 检查?
Google translate gives "discover" and "detect" for "检测" as well as "examination" and "checking" for "检查".
When talking about COVID-19, ...
1
vote
2answers
60 views
When to use 很 vs 非常？
What is the difference between using 很 and 非常？
For example:
猫和狗都非常可爱 and 猫和狗都很可爱。Is there any difference? Which one should I use with 漂亮？
2
votes
2answers
99 views
What is the difference between 几月几号 and 几号?
What is the difference between 几月几号 and 几号, when asking about the date?
Like 今天几月几号？ or 今天几号？
3
votes
8answers
704 views
吃 Vs. 喝 in this sentence: 既然敬酒不吃那就吃罚酒
So I watched a movie, in this sentence why did they use 吃 rather than 喝?
7
votes
11answers
2k views
What is the purpose of 是 in “我应该是感冒了”?
I came across the following translated example:
我应该是感冒了，耳朵也有点儿疼，不过没发烧。
Wǒ yīnɡɡāi shì ɡǎnmào le，ěrduo yě yǒudiǎnr ténɡ，búɡuò méi fāshāo 。
I think I caught a cold, and my ears are a little painful, ...
1
vote
2answers
96 views
When can 要 replace 需要?
In an answer to the post 要 to indicate "will [verb]" vs "need", it is argued that
要；yào；want to, need to, going to
is actually the short form of either
需要；xūyào；to need, to want
...
8
votes
6answers
2k views
How to understand “你怎么了？”
I understand 怎么 generally means "how".
However, I came across the following translated example:
你怎么了？ 说话声音这么小!
Nǐ zěnme le ？ Shuōhuà shēnɡyīn zhème xiǎo!
What happened to you? You are ...
3
votes
4answers
183 views
Difference between 以前 and 前 to indicate past time?
I wanted to express in Mandarin:
Three months ago I started yoga classes.
I thought about whether to use 前 or 以前 to express "ago":
三个月以前我开始了上瑜伽课。
Sān gè yuè yǐqián wǒ kāishǐ le shàng ...
3
votes
3answers
302 views
Difference between “believe” 认为 and 相信?
This question is related to:
Is there any difference between 想, 觉得 and 以为?
What are the difference between e.g. 想, 觉得 and 认为 when expressing opinion?
In there, they mentioned both 认为 rènwèi and 相信 ...
3
votes
6answers
173 views
Does the word '县子‘ exist？
I wonder if the word "县子" colloquially exists in the Chinese language.
I’ve probably heard this word before, and I‘m not exactly sure, but I blurrily remember it was from a conversation ...
1
vote
5answers
192 views
Where is the verb in reduplication of adjectives “Noun + Adj + Adj + 的”?
I understand the 的 from the structure:
Adj + 的
Example: 高的。
as attaching the Adj to an omitted Noun. This omitted Noun can either be a general noun such as "one/s" (高的 can mean the tall ...
1
vote
4answers
207 views
What's the difference between 是不是 and 对不对？
Can you use both of these interchangeably? Is one more common than the other? I also haven't seen this pattern used with other verbs. Are there other verbs where this is commonly used as well?
2
votes
2answers
391 views
What is 要 doing in 每天她要慢跑?
In an exercise, I came across this sentence with the translation:
每天早上她都要慢跑一个小时。
Měi tiān zǎoshɑnɡ tā dōu yào màn pǎo yí ɡè xiǎoshí.
She goes to jog every morning for an hour.
What is the meaning of ...
3
votes
4answers
91 views
Can you still use “Number + MW + 多” when the Number can be more than one MW larger?
I have a doubt related to these questions: Does 多 always come after the measure word？, How to correctly use "多" to say "more than"?
In the answers, they explain you can give an ...
2
votes
2answers
106 views
To make friends: 交朋友 vs 认识朋友?
I have come across some sentences where both 认识朋友 and 交朋友 were translated as to make friends (even though typically 认识 is translated in English as to know). Is there a difference between them?
...
2
votes
2answers
175 views
Is 各式各样 Taiwanese version of 各种各样?
I know that 各式各样 = 各种各样, but is one Taiwanese version of the other one? What I mean is: is one more frequently used in China and the other is more frequently in Taiwan?
3
votes
3answers
114 views
Why is 很早 after the verb in 我起床很早?
I came across the following sentence:
今天我起床很早。
Jīntiān wǒ qǐchuáng hěn zǎo.
Today I wake up very early.
I am confused about 很早 appearing after the verb. I think here 很早 (very early) indicates the ...
7
votes
3answers
939 views
What is 吗 doing in 你有什么事吗？
In a Chinese lesson, I came across these sentences:
你有什么事吗？
Nǐ yǒu shénme shì mɑ?
你有什么事？
Nǐ yǒu shénme shì?
And both were translated as:
What's the matter?
I don't understand 1. Without 吗, I ...
4
votes
3answers
567 views
Can an adverb modify another adverb in Chinese?
I was wondering if an adverb in Chinese can be used to modify another adverb. I looked some resources but I could not find it. For example, in Adverb in resources.allsetlearning, they just say "...
1
vote
7answers
200 views
How to translate “something separates me from other people” in Chinese?
I'm trying to translate a song lyric that reads "something separates me from other people".
My translation is " 我从别人点儿什么分开“.
Is this correct? Thanks in advance for your help!
0
votes
2answers
98 views
Difference between 问 and 让 “to ask”
How do 问 and 让 differ in meaning and in what sort of situations would you use either of them?
In chinese.yabla.com there are a lot of different verbs with the meaning 'to ask'.
5
votes
4answers
220 views
Trust/Believe : “信任” vs “相信”
How is the usage of 信任 and 相信 different ？ According to my understanding the scope of 信任 is more than the scope of 相信 . For example if we are talking about a person or a few people , we might say 我相信你 ...
1
vote
1answer
31 views
Placement of duration complement 很长时间 before a negated verb 没看?
I found the following sentence:
我很长时间没看电影了。
Wǒ hěn cháng shíjiān méi kàn diànyǐngle.
I haven't watched a movie in a very long time.
I believe 很长时间 (very long time) is the duration of the action 没看 (...
1
vote
3answers
97 views
Passive object position in 是…的 structure?
I came across the following sentences:
1.
电话是谁打来的?
Diànhuà shì shuí dǎlái de?
Who was calling?
晚饭是妈妈做的。
Wǎnfàn shì māma zuò de.
Mom made dinner.
Which literally is something like:
The phone call ...
1
vote
1answer
58 views
If I go to a store and the cashier asks “有會買嗎?” what does that mean?
For example, if a cashier rings me up and says "這樣一共是五百元, 有會買嗎?" What does the "有會買嗎" mean and how would I respond? Thank you.
2
votes
2answers
65 views
Is it okay to use stative verbs in Topic-Comment?
In the topic-comment structure, I notice that action verbs and adjectival verbs often appear in the comment part. This makes sense because the topic is typically an object: with action-verbs, you can ...
3
votes
4answers
124 views
Why 了 in 走+time+就到了？
I came across the following sentence:
她的家很近，走五分钟就到了。
Tā de jiā hěn jìn, zǒu wǔ fēnzhōnɡ jiù dào le.
Her house is very close, only need to walk for five minutes to arrive.
Question: Why is there a ...
3
votes
3answers
134 views
Meaning of 的 in 真的?
Question:
Is the 的 in 真的 a modal 的 [see resources.allsetlearning.com]?
How does 的 change 真? Does it bring some emphasis?
I guess the purpose of 的 in 真的 is the same as in 好的 or 有的? See Is each 的 in 有的 ...
1
vote
1answer
40 views
可以 altering time words order?
In this site they say time words can only appear in two possible positions in a sentence, either before or after the subject:
Time + Subj. + Verb + Obj.
Subj. + Time + Verb + Obj.
But I came across ...
1
vote
2answers
62 views
How to proceed after forgetting to include time-when/location/adverb phrase before main verb?
In English (and other languages), I commonly do this in conversations: I'll say a short + simple sentence (subject-verb-object), but moments later, I'll want to add a detail to the statement.
...
2
votes
2answers
60 views
播出，廣播，轉播 ：哪裡不一樣？
So I'm studying the translation for broadcasting and three terms (well, excluding one, which I'll mention at the end) are given to me by a textbook. They are 播出, 廣播 and 轉播.
For the life of me I ...
