Chinese grammar mistakes 7

  When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False:     亲,找您两块两毛两。     Qīn, zhǎo nín liǎnɡkuài liǎnɡmáo liǎnɡ True:     亲,找您两块两毛二。     Qīn, zhǎo nín liǎnɡkuài liǎnɡmáo èr   人民币的计量单位是块、毛、分(或元、角、分)。在“两块两毛两”中,最后一个数词“两”后带有量词“分”,可以说“两块两毛两分”。“两”后省去量词“分”,则只能用“二”,在对话中,这种省说“分”的说法更常用。 Renminbi is counted in Continue Reading

Chinese grammar mistakes 6

  When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False:     这件艺术品做得细细致致。     Zhè jiàn yìshùpǐn zuò dé xìxì zhìzhì. True:     这件艺术品做得细致。     Zhè jiàn yìshùpǐn zuò dé xìzhì   联合式的合成形容词用来表示事物的性质,一般不能重叠,应改“细细致致”为“细致”。 An incorporate adjective Continue Reading

Chinese grammar mistakes 5

  When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False:     他的房间收拾得干干净净极了     Tā de fánɡjiān shōushi dé ɡānɡān jìnɡjìnɡ jíle True:     他的房间收拾得干干净净。     Tā de fánɡjiān shōushi dé ɡānɡān jìnɡjìnɡ. 重叠形式的“干干净净”用作程度补语时,它的后面不能再跟表示程度的词语,去掉“极了”。 When the Continue Reading

Chinese grammar mistakes 4

  When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False: 他们很高高兴兴地走了 Tāmen hěn ɡāoɡāo xìnɡxìnɡ de zǒu le True: 他们高高兴兴地走了。 Tāmen ɡāoɡāo xìnɡxìnɡ de zǒu le “高高兴兴”是“高兴”的重叠形式,用作状语,表示动作(“走”)的状态。重叠以后的形容词含有程度加深的意味,不能再接受程度副词“很”的修饰。应删去“很”。 高高兴兴 is the reduplicative form of 高兴 serving Continue Reading

Chinese grammar mistakes 3

  When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False:     男要长得好的女朋友。      Nán yào zhǎnɡ dé hǎo de nǚ pénɡyou. True:     男的要长得好的女朋友。     Nánde yào zhǎnɡ dé hǎo de nǚ pénɡyou。 “男”通常不单独做主语,汉语的表示法是在“男”的后边加上“的”,构成“的”字词组,即“男的”。 Continue Reading

Chinese grammar mistakes 2

  When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False: 他的丈夫很私人。 Tā de zhànɡfu hěn sīrén. True: 他的丈夫很自私。   Tā de zhànɡfu hěn zìsī. 因为要表示她丈夫只顾自己的利益,不考虑别人的这一层意思,用“私人”作谓语,句子讲不通,应改“私人”为“自私”。 The sentence does not make sense with 私人 as the Continue Reading

Chinese grammar mistakes 1

When communicating in Chinese you may often make mistakes using Chinese grammar like: False:     今天小下雨。     Jīntiān xiǎo xiàyǔ True:     今天下小雨。     Jīntiān xià xiáoyǔ 形容词“小”主要作定语。误用作状语的“小”应移到谓语动词“下”的后边。“小雨”指雨量不大的雨。 The main function of adjective 小 is to be an attributive. 小 Continue Reading

Meaning: official under a feudal ruler Origin: 本义是“奴隶”。他们在主人面前往往不敢抬头,而当人低下头的时候,眼睛看起来成了竖立的样子。古人就用眼睛的这个状态造了“臣”字。 The character’s original meaning is “slave.” Slaves dared not raise their heads in front of their masters, and their eyes pointed straight ahead when they lowered their heads. Thus, ancient writers created Continue Reading

Meaning: to examine, to check, to inspect Origin: 本义是“老”。字形像一个头上有几根稀疏头发、后背稍驼的老人,再加上声符“丂”构成。后多用于“考察”、“考核”义。 This character’s original meaning was “old.” It used to look like an old hunchback with just a few hairs. Its phonetic element was “丂.” Later, its definition extended to “investigate,” “examine,” Continue Reading

Meaning: hand over; give up; mutual; reciprocal; Origin: “交”的字形像一个人两腿交叉的样子,本义是“交叉”或者“交错”,后来引申为“给”或者“联系”。 On ancient oracle bone inscriptions, “交” looks like a person with crossed legs. Its original meaning is “cross” or “staggered,” which then extended to “give” and “contact.” Words:    风雨交加 :fēngyǔ Continue Reading