Chinese-all-day-breakfast/Temp/grammaire2.txt

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== Grammar notes ==

=== 嗎? ===

One of the most common ways of forming a question in Chinese is to add 嗎 at the end of a statement. Hence 你好! (Hi!) becomes 你好嗎? (How are you?) 

=== 你呢? ===

This is to be used to redirect the question originally addressed to you. Its meaning is equivalent to "and you?" "what about you?" or "how about you?" 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你好嗎?</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">How are you? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我很好, 你呢?</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I am fine, and you? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你忙嗎?</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Are you busy? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我不忙, 你呢?</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I am not busy, what about you? </div>

=== 很, 也, 都 ===

All three are adverbs, which should be placed ''before'' what they modify in Chinese. E.g., 很好, 也好, 都好. 

Sometimes 很 is not really employed to mean "very" if it is modifying a monosyllabic adjective such as 好. It is simply because to say 我好 is a bit abrupt and hence awkward with only a monosyllabic adjective as the predicate of the sentence. Therefore people usually add 很 before 好 to make the sentence sound natural: 我很好 in this case does not necessarily mean "I am ''very'' well", it may simply convey the meaning of "I am fine". 

''The order of these words:'' If all three adverbs occur in the same sentence, their order is 也 -- 都 -- 很: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我很好.我也很好.我們也都很好.</div>

N.B. 都 (both/all) is only used to refer to the items to the ''left'' of it. Hence it is wrong to say 都他們很好 ("all of them are fine"). One should say 他們都很好. 

=== 都不 vs. 不都 ===

都不 indicates a complete negation whereas 不都 shows a partial negation: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們都不忙</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">None of them is busy. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們不都忙</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Not all of them are busy. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們都不是大夫</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">None of us is a doctor. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們不都是大夫</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Not all of us are doctors.</div>

=== 的 ===

As an auxiliary word, 的 is used to indicate possession. It comes between the subject and the noun it modifies: 我的書, 我媽媽的車 etc. 

In the case of kinship or as a reference to people, however, the possessive marker 的 can be omitted. ''Otherwise it cannot''. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 你弟弟 = 你的弟弟, 我爸爸 = 我的爸爸 </div>

=== 我很好 -- Adjectival sentence without verb "to be". ===

Unlike English, Chinese sentences can sometimes go without a verb. In the sentence 我很好, the adjectival phrase 很好 serves as the predicate for the sentence. No verb "to be" is needed as in English (I ''am'' very well). This is generally true of a sentence that has an ''adjective'' as its predicate, even in negative sentences. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 他們很忙, 我們不忙</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">They are very busy, we are not.</div>

Notice that in other types of sentences, however, verb 是 should still be retained: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他是我朋友</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">He is my friend.</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我不是她的哥哥</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I am not her elder brother.</div>

=== Proper Response ===

Study the following two dialogues: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你媽媽是大夫嗎?</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Is your mother a doctor? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 是, 她是大夫.</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Yes, she is a doctor.</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你媽媽忙嗎?</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Is your mother busy? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 忙, 她很忙.</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Yes, she is very busy.</div>

To respond positively to a yes/no question, we often repeat the verb -- in the above case 是 and 忙 respectively -- as an equivalent to the English "yes" before making the statement itself. Note therefore that the response is not always 是. 

== Questions with interrogative words 誰, 哪, 什麼 ==

Unlike English which has to move such interrogative words as "what", "when", "who" etc to the beginning of the sentence to form a question, Chinese leaves the word order unchanged when forming questions using such interrogative words as 誰, 哪, 什麼, etc: # 他是我弟弟. (He is my younger brother.)他是誰? (Who is he?) 
# 他是我們老師. (He is our teacher.)誰是你們老師? (Who is your teacher?) 
# 他是中國人. (He is Chinese.)他是哪國人? (What is his nationality?) 
# 這是中國地圖. (This is a map of China.)這是什麼地圖? (What map is this?) 
# 那是書. (That is a book.)那是什麼? (What is that?) 
# 這是她的車. (This is her car.)這是誰的車? (Whose car is this?) 



As is obvious, one simply replaces the relevant words, which are what one wants to ask about, with the interrogative words to form questions. No change of word order takes place. 

== Asking a person's name ==

There are several ways of asking a person's name, depending on who that person is. # 您貴姓﹖ <br/>This is a very polite way of asking someone's name, literally "What is your honourable surname?". It is usually used to address one's elders or superiors, or someone of one's own age but to whom one wants to be polite. Notice, however, that the expression 貴姓 cannot be used when asking about a third person's name, or when referring to oneself. <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 您/你貴姓﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">What is your name?</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我姓丁。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">My name is Ding.</div>
# 你叫什麼﹖ <br/>This is a plain form of asking a person's name. It is usually used to address people of one's own age or younger, or one's inferiors. If one wants to be a bit polite, 請問 can be added to the question: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">請問﹐你叫什麼﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">May I ask, what's your name?</div><br/>Unlike 貴姓, which is only used in the second person, 叫什麼 can be employed for all persons: <br/>她叫什麼﹖我們叫什麼﹖我哥哥叫什麼﹖etc. 



When asked 你姓什麼﹖you are supposed to give your last name first, and then as an option you can add your full name afterwards. But when asked 你叫什麼﹖you can give either your given name or your full name. 

== Word usage: 學習﹐ 學 ==

Both words mean "to study" or "to learn". Whereas 學習 can be used both transitively and intransitively, 學 is normally reserved for transitive use. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 我學(習)漢語﹐她學(習)法語。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I study Chinese, she studies French. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我學習﹐我弟弟不學習。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I study, my younger brother doesn't study.</div>

In the second sentence, the word 習 cannot be omitted. 

== Grammar notes ==

# 在 (to be at/in...) functions as a verb. <br/>To express the location or existence of something or somebody, use the following pattern: <br/>S + 在 + place/location word or phrasee.g. A: 你的地圖在哪兒﹖B: 我的地圖在那兒。A: 你爸爸媽媽在哪兒﹖B: 他們在中國。 <br/>If the location or place is known or obvious, it can be omitted: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 古波在嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Is Gubo in [or: here]?</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 他不在﹐他在學生宿舍。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">He is not here. He is at the students' dormitory.</div><br/>

# Nouns / personal pronouns + 這兒/那兒 as place words. <br/>e.g. A: 地圖在哪兒﹖B: 在我這兒。(or 在我那兒)A: 你的車在哪兒﹖B: 我的車在學生宿舍那兒。 <br/>The choice of 這兒 and 那兒 depends on the distance between the object and the speaker. If it is close to the speaker, use 這兒; if not, use 那兒. 
# The word order for Chinese place words <br/>Unlike English, Chinese place words start with the larger ones and proceed to the smaller ones. Hence the sentence "She lives in room 423, 4th floor at the student dorm at the college" will be 她住學院學生宿舍四層四二三號。 Notice the exactly reverse order here, which is applicable to the address used when writing letters as well. 
# To live (stay) at a place <br/>Most often one uses 住 to indicate that one lives or stays at a certain place. There are several patterns for the use of 住. For example, to say "I live here", one can have the following: <br/>S + 住 + place word (我住這兒)S + 住在 + place word (我住在這兒)S + 在 + place word + 住 (我在這兒住)<br/>All three sentences have the same meaning. 
# Reading numbers for phone, room, building, ID, etc <br/>Unlike English, these sorts of Chinese numbers are read out digit by digit: <br/>English: # 1452 (number fourteen fifty-two)Chinese: # 1452 (一四五二號) 



== The use of 還 (to return something to someone) ==

When using 還 to indicate "return", use the following pattern: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">S + 還 + (sb.) + sth.e.g. 我還他畫報你還丁云的車。(Notice here sb. is omitted.)</div>

This pattern is ''only'' used for simple objects, i.e. the object to be returned is not a complex one such as 她媽媽的日本車, etc. Notice in the second example above, sb. is omitted because it would be awkward to say 你還丁云丁云的車, although grammatically it is correct. We will later learn the ways to express something more complicated. 

== 用一下兒 ==

In this phrase, 用 is a verb which can be used both transitively and intransitively (i.e. it can be used either with or without an object). 一下兒 is an adverbial of time indicating "a short while, a little while". If an object is to be used for 用 in the above phrase, it should be placed after 一下兒: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我用一下兒你的書﹐好嗎﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Is it all right for me to use your book for a short while? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們用一下兒你爸爸的車。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">They want to use your dad's car for a little while.</div>

== Time Word 現在 ==

Time words in Chinese are normally placed in one of two positions in a sentence: ''before'' or ''after'' the subject. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">現在她去學院還書。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Now she is going to the college to return books. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or 她現在去學院還書。</div>

== 常 and 常常 ==

常 in the sense of "often" can often be reduplicated as 常常 without a change of meaning. Thus, 他常喝茶 = 他常常喝茶, 我們常去看書 = 我們常常去看書.

In making negative sentences, however, 常 is normally ''not'' reduplicated. Hence 他不常喝茶, 我們不常去看書.

== Affirmative-Negative questions ==

An alternative way of forming a question is to juxtapose the affirmative and negative forms of the predicative verb or adjective: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她是中國人嗎﹖becomes 她是不是中國人﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你忙嗎﹖becomes 你忙不忙﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你認識他嗎﹖becomes 你認識不認識他﹖</div># If the verb or adjective is composed of a single word, then repeat the single word; if two or more words, then repeat them all: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">忙不忙, 認識不認識, 介紹不介紹</div>
# If the predicative verb takes an object, it is usually only the verb that gets repeated, not the noun following it: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你喝不喝茶﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你去不去中國﹖</div>
# Sometimes if the object of the verb is not long, one can use the form of "V + object + 不 + V ?" as well, although this is not as common: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你喝茶不喝茶﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她去中國不去﹖</div>
# As in questions with interrogative words (誰, 什麼, etc), affirmative-negative questions do not take 嗎 at the end.
# If an adverb such as 常, 都, 也 or 很 comes ''before'' the predicative verb or adjective, do not use the affirmative-negative form but use 嗎 instead: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你們都去中國嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 你們都去不去中國﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他常喝咖啡嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 他常喝不喝咖啡﹖</div><br/>Notice, however, that this rule applies only when those adverbs come ''before'' the predicative verbs or adjectives. Compare:
## 她很忙嗎﹖ but not 她很忙不忙﹖
## 她是很好大夫嗎﹖ 她是不是很好的大夫﹖

The second instance is acceptable because 很 comes ''after'' the predicative verb 是.
# If there is more than one verb in a sentence, usually only the ''first'' verb gets the affirmative-negative form in the question: <br/>你去商店買紙嗎﹖becomes 你去不去商店買紙﹖他們歡迎我來嗎﹖ becomes 他們歡迎不歡迎我來﹖



== 和 and 都 ==

In Chinese, 和 as a conjunction is normally used to connect two words or phrases, ''never'' two clauses or sentences: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">中國和美國我的爸爸和媽媽她學習漢語和英語。你認識我爸爸和弟弟嗎﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 我弟弟是學生﹐和我哥哥也是學生。nor 你學習法語﹐和我也學習法語。</div>

The adverb 都 is placed between the subject and the predicative verb or adjective. It governs only the elements ''before'' it: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們都去中國。 (All of us go to China: 都 modifies 我們.)but not 都我們去中國。</div>

This is also wrong: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我都學漢語和法語。</div>

because 都 modifies 我 and not 漢語和法語. If "both Chinese and French" is intended in the above sentence, the objects 漢語和法語 should be placed before 都: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我漢語和法語都學。or 漢語和法語都我學。</div>

== The verb 有 expressing possession and existence ==

The verb 有 in Chinese can mean both possession and existence, like the English "to have" and "there is" or "there are": 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她有漢語詞典。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She has a Chinese dictionary. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們學院有多外國學生。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">There are a lot of foreign students in our college.</div>

N.B.: # To negate 有, one uses 沒 instead of 不: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我有哥哥﹐我沒有姐姐。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I have an elder brother, but no elder sister.</div>
# Informally in a negative sentence, 有 can sometimes be omitted: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我朋友沒(有)書﹐也沒(有)筆。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">My friend does not have books, nor pens. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">現在我們的宿舍沒(有)人。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">There is no one in our dorm now.</div>
# The affirmative-negative question form is "... 有沒有 ... ?" <br/>她有沒有妹妹﹖呢﹐你們的宿舍有沒有人﹖<br/>Sometimes, if the object of 有 is not long, one can use the form "... 有 + object + 沒有 ?" as well, although this form is not as common as the previous one. <br/>她有妹妹沒有﹖這宿舍有人沒有﹖



== Prepositional construction with 在 (in, at) and 給 (for, to) ==

The object of 在 is often a place-word and the object of 給 is often the beneficiary of the action expressed by the predicative verb. In Chinese, a prepositional construction comes ''before'' the verb it modifies: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他在銀行工作。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She works in a bank. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 她工作在銀行。</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我給你們介紹一下兒。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Let me introduce you to one another. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 我介紹一下兒給你們。</div>

To form a negative sentence, 不 is placed ''before'' the prepositional construction: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他不在銀行工作。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我不給你們介紹。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I am not going to introduce you.</div>

Adverbs such as 常, 都, 也 are also placed ''before'' the prepositional construction: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們都在 City Lit 學院學習漢語。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">We all study Chinese at the City Lit. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你常給你媽媽信嗎﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do you often write to your mother? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我爸爸也常給我寫信。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">My dad also often writes to me.</div>

== Word usage: 想 ==

The word 想 in Chinese carries various meanings: # 想 + noun/noun-phrase = to miss somebody/something: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">丁雲很想家。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Ding Yun misses her family very much. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我很想我的爸爸媽媽。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I miss my parents very much. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你不想你的男朋友嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Don't you miss your boyfriend? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你想不想她﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do you miss her?</div>
# 想 + verb/verb-phrase = to want to do something: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你想去商店嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do you want to go to the shop? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我不想去。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I don't want to go.</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你想不想學法語﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do you want to study French? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我也想學法語。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I also want to study French.</div>
# 想 + clause = to think/suppose something: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我想她是中國人。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I think she is Chinese. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我想她爸爸媽媽都是大夫。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I think her parents are both doctors.</div><br/>N.B. to negate a sentence with 想 in this capacity, put the negative adverb in the ''subordinate clause'', not in the main clause as in English: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我想她不是中國人。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I don't think she is Chinese. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 我不想她是中國人。</div>



N.B. 想 as a verb can use the affirmative-negative question form ''only'' in senses 1 and 2 above, not in 3. 

== Word usage: 告訴 ==

告訴 means "to tell". In English, the verb "tell" can mean to tell somebody something, or to tell somebody ''to do'' something. The Chinese verb 告訴 can only be applied to the first of these patterns. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 她告訴我她的工作。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She told me her work. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我告訴媽媽你是我的好朋友。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I'll tell mother you are a good friend of mine. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 我告訴他給我寫信。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I told him to write to me.</div>

Notice the element following the indirect object (i.e. 我, 媽媽) of 告訴 in the first and second sentences is either a noun, a noun-phrase or a clause, but never a verb-phrase. The last sentence is wrong because it uses the pattern "to tell somebody to do something" and hence uses a verb-phrase for its direct object. In this case, we should use 叫 or 請 in place of 告訴 to make a correct sentence: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我請他給我寫信。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I asked him to write to me.</div>

== The Numbers in Chinese ==

For Arabic numerals 0 to 10, the Chinese equivalents are: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">○ (or 零), 一, 二, 三, 四, 五, 六, 七, 八, 九, 十</div>

Further on, they are: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">十一 = 11, 十二 = 12, 十九 = 19二十 = 20, 二十一 = 21, 二十八 = 28三十 = 30, 四十 = 40, 九十 = 90, 九十九 = 99</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">一百 = 100一百零一 = 101, 一百十 = 110, 一百十一 = 111三百二十七 = 327, 九百零九 = 909</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">一千 = 1000一千零一 = 1001, 五千零四十 = 5040, 八千七百二十五 = 8725</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">一萬 = 10,000四萬零八百零一 = 40,801</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">一億 = 100,000,000 </div>

N.B.: # Numbers like 15 are written e.g. 十五, not 一十五.
# A zero is pronounced or written when sandwiched by two digits: 101 is 一百零一, and 3020 is 三千零二十. Notice the last zero in 3020 is ''not'' pronounced because it is not between two other digits. <br/>If there are two or more zeroes in succession between two non-zero digits, as in 1001, only one is pronounced: 一千零一. However, if the two or more zeroes are separate and also sandwiched, as in 40,801, each is read as normal: 四萬零八百零一.



== Grammar notes ==

# Measure words <br/>In Chinese, when a noun is modified by numerals, demonstrative pronouns such as 這 or 那, or interrogative pronouns such as 哪 or 幾, a specific measure word should be placed between the noun and its modifier(s): <br/>三本書, 十五個學生, 那個老師, 哪個圖書館, 幾本詞典
# 幾 and 多少 <br/>Both of these can be used to mean "how many" or "how much". Whereas 幾 should be used with a measure word, 多少 can be used either with or without a measure word for the noun it modifies. <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你有幾本詞典﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你有多少(本)詞典﹖</div><br/>The measure word 本 is a must for the first sentence, but only optional in the second. <br/>Also, when 幾 is used, the expected answer is usually under 10, whereas 多少 can be used whether one expects a large or small answer. <br/>你們大學有多少學生﹖你家有幾個人﹖
# Chinese verbs that take direct and indirect objects <br/>As in English, some verbs in Chinese can take two objects: direct object (usually a thing) and indirect object (usually a person). <br/>王老師教我們語法。<br/>In this sentence, 教 is a verb that takes 我們 as the indirect object and 法語 as the direct object. Generally the indirect goes before the direct object. Some other verbs that work the same way include 還, 告訴 and 問. <br/>Not all Chinese verbs can take two objects: it would be wrong to say 他買我一本書 (He bought me a book), or 她寫我一封信 (She wrote me a letter). The correct way of saying these would be to use 給, as in 他給我買一本書 and 她給我寫一封信. 
# Adjectives as modifiers <br/>When an adjective modifies a noun, it is placed directly before the noun as in English: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">新書</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">new book </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">好朋友</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">good friend</div><br/>However, when the adjective modifier is made up of two or more syllables, the particle 的 is usually inserted between the modifier and the noun it modifies: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">很新的書 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">very new book </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">很好的朋友 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">very good friend</div>



== Word usage: 也 and 還 ==

也 is used to mean "the same" as the previous statement. Hence the relationship between the statement introduced by 也 and the previous one is a ''parallel'' relationship. 還, on the other hand, introduces an ''additional'' element to the previous statement. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 你有一個問題﹐我也有一個問題。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">You have a question; I also have a question. The two are parallel here. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我還有一個問題。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I have already had some questions, but I still have one more. This is ''in addition to'' the previous ones.</div>

Under certain circumstances, 也 and 還 are interchangeable, but with different emphasis: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">王老師教我們漢字和語法﹐他還教我們口語。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">王老師教我們漢字和語法﹐他也教我們口語。</div>

Although both sentences can be roughly translated as "Professor Wang teaches us Chinese characters and grammar; he also teaches us conversation", their emphasis is different: the first sentence stresses the fact that Wang teaches conversation ''in addition to'' the other subjects he teaches, whereas the second simply enumerates the three subjects he teaches without prioritization. 

== Grammar notes ==

# 的 construction <br/>A modifier (normally either a noun, a pronoun, a verb or an adjective) with the word 的 can function as a noun or noun-phrase in a sentence, and can stand by itself if the context is clear: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這條裙子是我姐姐的。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">This skirt is my sister's. Noun + 的) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">哪本詞典是你的﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Which dictionary is yours? Pronoun + 的 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你爸爸的車是白的嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Is your father's car a white one? Adjective + 的 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你喝的是什麼茶﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">What sort of tea do you drink? Verb + 的</div><br/>These constructions normally involve the verb 是 (or 不是). 
# Usage of 從 <br/>從 + place word + 去 = to go from; 從 + place word + 來 = to come from. <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 你從哪兒來﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Where did you come from? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我從圖書館來。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I came from the library. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們晚上從我家去劇場。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">We are going from my home to the theatre tonight.</div>
# Noun/Pronoun + 這兒 / 那兒 = over here/there at ...'s place <br/>When a noun or pronoun is added to 這兒 or 那兒, they function as a place word or expression. Since one cannot say 我去她 (I went to her), one can say instead 我去她那兒 (I went to her place), because 她那兒 is now regarded as a place expression. Similarly one cannot say 你的裙子在我 (Your skirt is with me), but one can say 你的裙子在我這兒 (Your skirt is with me). More examples: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你的書在他那兒。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Your book is at his place. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們都去姐姐那兒。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">We all went to my sister's place. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">老師來我這兒找她。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The teacher is coming to my place to look for her.</div><br/>As is obvious, if the place or the person is away from the speaker, use 那兒; if the place is near the speaker or refers to the speaker himself or herself, use 這兒. 
# 太 + adjective + 了 <br/>This pattern is often used for emphatic purposes. An adjective is used between 太 and 了: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">太忙了﹗</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Too busy! </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">太大了﹗</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Too big!</div><br/>The expression 太好了﹗, however, has a positive meaning, expressing satisfaction or admiration. 



== Word study: 二 vs. 兩 ==

These both mean "two", and are used as follows. # When "2" is followed by a measure word, use 兩: <br/>兩個人, 兩本書, 增加了兩倍, 去了兩次 
# 二 should be used in a number greater than 10, even if it is followed by a measure word: <br/>二十二, 一百零二次, 十二個人, 五千八百六十二元 <br/>There are some more restrictions, though:
## Only 二 can be used before the character 十; before the character 百, 二 is usually employed but 兩 may also be used: <br/>二十, 二百二十五, 二百五十元 or 兩百五十元 
## For numbers like 千, 萬 or 億, 兩 is used more often than 二: <br/>兩千元 (also 二千元), 兩萬三千八, 兩億人口 
## If the number is greater than 百, 千, 萬, ''i.e.'' if there are more digits before 百, 千 or 萬, then put 二 instead of 兩 in front: <br/>四億二千萬, 三萬二千人, 五千二百元 



== Time ==

The following are ways of telling the time in Chinese: 

A: 現在幾點﹖B: 現在...


{| style="border-spacing:0;width:6.765cm;"
|-
|| 兩點
|| 2:00
|-
|| 十點半 (or 十點三十分)
|| 10:30
|-
|| 三點一刻 (or 三點十五分)
|| 3:15
|-
|| 十二點三刻 (or 十二點四十五分)
|| 12:45
|-
|| 兩點差五分 (or 差五分兩點)
|| 1:55
|-
|| 五點二十分
|| 5:20
|-
|| 六點零五分
|| 6:05
|-
|| 七點三十五分
|| 7:35
|-
|}
Some notes: # When zero is flanked by two digits, it is normally read as 零, as in 三點零八分 (3:08) or 十二點零三分 (12:03).
# When the minutes are greater than 10, the word 分 is optional: <br/>七點十五 or 七點十五分
# "This morning" is 今天上午, not for example 這個上午; "every afternoon" is 每天下午, not 每下午.



== Placement of time-words ==

A time-word or -expression is normally placed either after the subject or at the beginning of a sentence: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們十點半上中文課十點半我們上中文課</div>

Some notes: # A time-word does not take a preposition: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我三點下課</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 我在三點下課</div>
# A time-word should not be placed at the end of a sentence: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她晚上來 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She came in the evening.</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or 晚上她來</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 她來晚上</div>
# If you have more than one time-word, the bigger unit goes before the smaller: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">今天晚上八點 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">at 8 o'clock this evening</div>
# If you have both time-word and place-word, usually the time-word goes first: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我晚上八點在圖書館等你 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你哥哥現在在哪兒工作﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">明天你幾點在哪兒上課﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">When and where are you going to have your class tomorrow?</div>
# Time-word + 的 + noun (time-words modifying nouns) <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你想看幾點的電影﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">What show do you want to see? ''literally'' What time's film do you want to see? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我想看中午十二點半的(電影)。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I want to see the film at 12:30 at noon.</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 這是今天的報嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Is this today's paper? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 不是今天的報﹐是昨天的。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">It isn't today's paper, it's yesterday's. </div>



== The use of the time-words 以前 and 以後 ==

When used by itself, 以前 means "previously" or "before" and 以後 means "later", "afterwards" or "in the future": 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我以前是學生﹐現在是老師。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I was a student before; now I am a teacher. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你以前在哪兒工作﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Where did you work before? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">以前我不住宿舍﹐現在住宿舍。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I did not live in a dormitory before, but now I do.</div>

When used together with a time-word or verb phrase, 以前 means "before..." and 以後 means "after...": 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">十點以前我不回家。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I won't go home before 10. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">回家以前我在閱覽室看書。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I read books in the reading-room before I go home. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">來美國以後他在這兒工作。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">He has been working here after he came to America. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">十點半以後你在宿舍作什麼﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">What do you do in your dorm after 10:30?</div>

N.B. When 以前 or 以後 is used together with a time-word or verb phrase to mean "before" or "after", the word order is exactly the opposite of the English equivalent: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">四點以前</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">before 4 o'clock </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">下課以前</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">before the class is over </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">明天晚上以後</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">after tomorrow evening (or night) </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">回宿舍以後</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">after returning to the dormitory</div>

== A 跟 B (一起) + verb/verb-phrase ==

跟 as a preposition means "with", and 一起 means "together". This pattern is used to indicate that A and B do something together. Here 跟 can be replaced with 和 without changing the meaning; and the phrase 一起 is optional. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 我跟 (or 和) 她去看電影。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I go to see a film with her. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我跟她一起去看電影。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She and I go to see a film together.) </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">晚上你們跟誰一起去劇場﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">With whom are you going to the theatre tonight? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 晚上你有事兒嗎﹖跟我一起去看京劇﹐好嗎﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do you have anything to do tonight? Come with me to the Beijing opera! </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我不想跟你去﹐我想跟我男朋友一起去。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I don't want to go with you, I want to go with my boyfriend.</div>

N.B. This pattern of A 跟 B (一起) is always placed ''before'' the main verb in the sentence. Hence the following sentence, with English word order, is wrong: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我想去跟我男朋友一起。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I want to go together with my boyfriend.</div>

== Alternative Questions using 還是 ==

In Chinese, an alternative question is formed by using 還是 to connect two choices, which can be nouns, noun phrases, verbs, verb phrases, or clauses: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你喜歡紅茶還是綠茶﹖ (nouns)這本書是你的還是她的﹖ (noun phrases)下午你來還是不來﹖ (verbs)你要聽古典音樂還是聽現代音樂﹖ (verb phrases)今天晚上你來我這兒還是我去你那兒﹖ (clauses)</div>

Note:# the two items connected by 還是 are normally parallel in structure; and
# as with affirmative-negative questions and questions with interrogative words, alternative questions do not have 嗎 at the end. 



== Pivotal Sentences with 請, 讓, 叫 ==

In Chinese a sentence can contain several verbs. A pivotal sentence is one in which the object of the first verb is at the same time the subject of the following verb. This object therefore functions as a pivot, connecting the two verb clauses in the sentence. 

The first verb in a pivotal sentence is often a causative verb (to cause something to happen) such as 請, 讓 or 叫. All three carry the meaning of asking somebody to do something. Of the three, 請 is the most polite; 讓 is less so, and 叫 is the least polite. So watch out for the occasions when these verbs can be used appropriately. Observe: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">學生請王老師介紹中國音樂。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The students asked Professor Wang to introduce Chinese music. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">老師讓學生每天寫漢字。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The teacher asked students to write Chinese characters every day. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">爸爸叫孩子學中文。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Dad asked his child to study Chinese.</div>

Notice that although the English equivalents all employ "to ask", the Chinese sentences use different words to indicate various degrees of politeness. 

Note:# Besides the use of 請 above (meaning "to ask someone to do something"), 請 can also be used to mean "to invite": <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們請他來吃晚飯。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">We invited him to dinner. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你想請他今天晚上去看電影嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do you want to invite him to a movie tonight?</div>
# To negate a pivotal sentence, put the negative adverb 不 ''before the first verb'': <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我的大夫不讓我喝酒。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">My doctor doesn't let me drink alcohol.</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們不叫我去看電影。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">They did not invite me to go to the pictures.</div>



== Word usage: 別 and 不要 ==

別 and 不要 both mean "do not". They can be used in negative ''imperative'' sentences with or without a subject. They are placed between the subject (if present) and the verb or adjective: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">(你) 別 (or 不要) 告訴他﹗別喝酒﹗ 別去那兒﹗不要吸煙﹗ 下午不要去﹗</div>

Neither of these can be used to indicate negation in declarative sentences. It is wrong to say 爸爸別請他走. One can say instead 爸爸不請他走. 

== Expressions for the date, week, month and year ==

# 年, year 
## 去年 = last year; 今年 = this year; 明年 = next year
## 一九九七年, 一九九八年, ...
## 一年 = one year; 兩年 = two years (not 二年); 三年 = three years每年 = every year; 五年半 = five-and-a-half years
# 月, month 
## 上個月= last month; 這個月 = this month; 下個月 = next month
## 一月 = January; 二月 = February (not 兩月); ... 二十月 = December
# 星期, week 
## 上 (個) 星期 = last week; 這 (個) 星期 = this week; 下 (個) 星期 = next week
## 星期一 = Monday; 星期二 = Tuesday; ... 星期六 = Saturday; 星期日 or 星期天 = Sunday
## 一 (個) 星期 = one week; 兩 (個) 星期 = two weeks (not 二 (個) 星期); 三 (個) 星期 = three weeks; 四個半星期 = four-and-a-half weeks; ... 每 (個) 星期 = every week 
# 日 / 號 / 天 date <br/>Use 日 or 號 for a ''specific'' date. Usually 日 is used in written and formal language and 號 is used in conversation. The word 天 should be used in ''counting'' the number of days: 
## 作天 = yesterday; 今天 = today; 明天 = tomorrow
## 一號; 二號 (not 兩號); ... 三十一號四月六號; 十月二十五日; ...
## 一天 = one day; 兩天 = two days (not 二天); ... 半天 = half a day; 每天 = every day



Some notes: # When there are several units, the bigger comes first and the calendar date comes before the day of the week: <br/>一九九六年十一月二十五號星期一一七八九年七月十四日
# Notice the following special ways of expressing the date and month: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">今年五月</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the May of this year (whether it has passed or not) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">去年八月 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the August of last year </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">明年二月 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the February of next year</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這 (個) 星期五 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the Friday of this week (whether it has passed or not) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">上 (個) 星期一 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the Monday of last week </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">下 (個) 星期四 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the Thursday of next week</div><br/>Note the English phrase "last Monday" may therefore be rendered as 這個星期一, if Monday has already passed and the phrase is therefore referring to Monday of this week. The same applies for future days, and for months. 



== Verb or verb-phrase as a modifier for a noun ==

Two points need to be observed when using a verb or verb-phrase as a modified to form a relative clause: # Unlike in English, all modifiers go ''before'' the element they modify in Chinese: <br/>他喝的水不很乾淨這是我朋友送我的禮物
# The word 的 has to be inserted between the modifier and the element it modifies: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我下午看的電影很有意思。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The film I saw this afternoon was very interesting. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">給你開門的那個人是我妹妹。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The person who opened the door for you was my younger sister. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">跟他跳舞的姑娘是我的同學。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The girl who danced with him was my classmate.</div>



== Other grammar notes ==

# Sentences with an adjectival predicate <br/>The verb 是 is not normally used in the predicate for a sentence where the main element of the predicate is an adjective: <br/>我們今天很高興。她的絲線衫太小。那個服務員非常年輕。<br/>In an affirmative sentence of this type, if the adjective is not preceded by adverbs such as 真, 太, 非常 or 更, it is usually qualified by the adverb 很. In such cases, 很 does not really mean "very"; 他很忙 and 他忙 mean virtually the same. <br/>Also, adverbs such as 很, 常, 也, 非常, 太 or 更 ''cannot'' be used in affirmative-negative sentences of this type: <br/>你高興不高興﹖ but not 你很高興不很高興﹖她年輕不年輕﹖ but not 她非常高興不非常高興﹖你去不去﹖ but not 你也去不去﹖
# 祝你 vs 祝賀你 <br/>In general, 祝你 is used to extend well-wishes ''in advance'' whereas 祝賀你 is used to congratulate someone on something ''already accomplished'': <br/>祝你生日好﹗ (One can say this on the day, or in advance.)祝賀你﹗ (Say this only when something has already been accomplished.)
# Reduplication of verbs <br/>To indicate that an action is only of a short duration or to soften the tone of a sentence in order to make it less formal, a verb can be repeated: <br/>我給你們介紹介紹。 (Notice the pattern is ABAB, not AABB.)你們想去看看她嗎﹖讓我想想。<br/>In the case of a monosyllabic verb, the character 一 can be inserted: <br/>讓我想一想。我們都想看一看她。<br/>Repeating a verb has the same effect as using the adverb 一下兒 after the verb: <br/>用一下兒 = 用用 = 用一用看一下兒 = 看看 = 看一看介紹一下兒 = 介紹介紹



== Position words ==

Words such as 上邊, 左邊, 前邊, 中間, 對面 are position words. Some of the basic syllables are: 


{| align="center" style="border-spacing:0;width:5.614cm;"
|- style="border:none;padding:0.049cm;"
|| &nbsp;
|| 上 - up
|| &nbsp;
|- style="border:none;padding:0.049cm;"
|| 左 - left&nbsp;
|| 中 - middle
|| &nbsp;右 - right
|- style="border:none;padding:0.049cm;"
|| &nbsp;
|| 下 - down
|| &nbsp;
|- style="border:none;padding:0.049cm;"
| colspan="3" | &nbsp;
|- style="border:none;padding:0.049cm;"
|| 前 - front
|| &nbsp;
|| &nbsp;裡 - in
|- style="border:none;padding:0.049cm;"
|| 後 - back
|| &nbsp;
|| &nbsp;外 - out
|-
|}
Usually, add 邊 to make "on the left", "above", "outside" etc. 

Position words can be used in two ways. Compare: # Noun (+ 的) + position word: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">車(的)外邊</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">outside the car </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">房子(的)後邊</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">behind the house </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">桌子(的)對面</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">opposite the table </div>
# Position word + 的 + noun (here the 的 is ''mandatory''). <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">外邊的車</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the car outside (i.e. the car which is outside) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">後邊的房子</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the house behind (the house which is behind) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">對面的桌子</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">the opposite table (the table which is opposite / across the way) </div>



Notes:# When 上邊, 下邊, 裡邊 and 外邊 are modified by other nouns, the character 邊 can be omitted: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">房子(的)裡(邊)</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">inside the house </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">桌子(的)上(邊)</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">on the table </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">教室(的)外(邊)</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">outside the classroom</div>
# Do ''not'' use 裡邊 in the following two cases:
## After geographical names such as 中國, 北京 etc: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她在北京學習漢語。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She studies Chinese in Beijing. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 她在北京裡邊學習漢語。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">美國有很多大學。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">There are many universities in America. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 美國裡邊有很多大學。</div>
## In a phrase of the form "在 + place, building or organisation": <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我在銀行工作。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">I work in a bank. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 我在銀行裡邊工作。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們在閱覽室看書。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">They are reading books in the reading-room. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 他們在閱覽室裡邊看書。</div>



== Patterns for Location ==

There are three ways to indicate the location of something, using 在, 有 and 是 respectively and with different meanings: # To show that there is something in a certain place: 有 <br/>Position word + 有 + indefinite noun: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">後邊有什麼﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">What is behind? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">後邊有一個車房。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">There is a garage behind. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們家對面有一個公園。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Across from our home, there is a park. </div>
# To show that certain things exist in certain places: 在 <br/>Definite noun + 在 + position word: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">花園在哪兒﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Where is the garden? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">花園在我們家後邊。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The garden is behind our house. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">花園在車房 (的) 右邊。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The garden is to the right of the garage. </div>
# To identify something that is known to exist at a certain place: 是 <br/>Position word + 是 + definite/indefinite noun: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你們家後邊是什麼﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">What's behind your house? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們家後邊是一個花園。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Behind our house is a garden. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們家前邊是學院的圖書館。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">In front of their house is the college library. </div>



== Progressive aspect of an action ==

To show an action which is, was or will be going on, use one of the following patterns: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她在休息。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She is resting. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她正休息。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她正在休息。</div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她休息呢。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她在休息呢。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她正休息呢。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她正在休息呢。 </div>

Notes: # All the above sentences mean the same, stylistic differences excepted. 
# The progressive aspect can be applied not only to the present, but also to past and future actions: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她現在正在休息。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She is resting now. ''present progressive'' </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我去的時候﹐她正在休息。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">When I went there, she was resting. ''past progressive'' </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我明天去看她的時候﹐她一定正在休息。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">When I go to see her tomorrow, she will surely be resting. ''future progressive'' </div>
# As shown above, either 在, 正 or 正在 can be placed before a verb to indicate the progressive aspect of an action. 
# Alternatively, 呢 can be placed at the end of the sentence to perform the same function. Sometimes 呢 can be used together with 在, 正 or 正在. 
# The negative form of the progressive aspect is indicated by 沒有, not 不, before the verb; and it can be shortened to 沒 alone if it is not at the end of a sentence or a short answer. Otherwise the full form of 沒有 must be used: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她沒(有)休息﹐她在看報。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她在休息嗎﹖沒有﹐她在看報。(or simply 沒有) </div>
# If both the 在 of the progressive aspect and the 在 of location exist in a sentence, only one should be used: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她正在房間里休息。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 她正在在房間里休息。 </div>



== Subject-predicate constructions as modifiers ==

An entire subject-predicate construction (a sentence or clause) such as 我給她打電話, 他今天買, 我們去北京參觀 can be used as a modifier for a noun. When used this way, there must be a 的 inserted between the construction and the noun it modifies: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我給她打電話的時候﹐她正在吃飯。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">When I called her, she was eating. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他今天買的花兒很漂亮。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">The flowers he bought today are very pretty. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">請你們看我們去北京參觀的照片。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Please take a look at the pictures we took while visiting Beijing. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這是誰給你寫的信﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Who wrote this letter to you? </div>

The subject-predicate construction always goes immediately before the 的, which goes immediately before the noun to be modified.

== Word usage: 參觀 vs. 訪問 ==

Both terms can be translated as "to visit" in English. However, while 參觀 implies 觀 (to see), 訪問 stresses 問 (to ask). Hence 參觀 really implies observation while visiting and 訪問 means to visit people with specific purpose such as interviews. 參觀 can be followed by places but not people; whereas 訪問 can take either, but most commonly people. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">參觀/訪問學校 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">訪問他/這個國家的總統 </div>

== Grammar Notes ==

# Measure word 些 <br/>些 is a measure word showing indefinite quantity. It is usually used after demonstrative pronouns such as 這, 那, 哪 and after the numeral 一: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">一些</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">some </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這些</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">these </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">那些</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">those </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">哪些</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">which (plural) </div><br/>Don't attempt to mix 些 with definite measures. It is wrong to say 這些三本詞典 (these three dictionaries); one can only say 這三本詞典. 
# 是 . . . 的 construction <br/>Earlier we saw the construction with simple nouns, pronouns or adjectives: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這本書是中文的。= 這本書中文的書。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">那條裙子是妹妹的。= 那條裙子是妹妹的裙子。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">姐姐的大衣是黑的。= 姐姐的大衣是黑的大衣。 </div><br/>But the 是 . . . 的 construction can also be used with prepositional phrases and even whole verbal constructions: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">那些點心是給丁雲的。= 那些點心是丁雲的點心。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Those pastries are for Ding Yun. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這束花兒是我給她買的。= 這束花兒我給她買的花兒。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">This bunch of flowers is the one I bought for her. </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">這本書是我在大學的圖書館借的。= 這本書是我在大學的圖書館借的書。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">This book is the one I borrowed from the university library. </div>



== The use of the Complement of Degree ==

=== What is a complement? ===

A complement is a word or phrase attached after a verb to explain or complete the meaning of the action. Complements are used to show duration, extent, quantity, degree, result, direction or possibility of an action. Complements always appear '''after''' the verbs they modify. 

We know that in Chinese modifiers are generally placed before the words they modify; so why do complements appear after? It's because Chinese word order often observes the time sequence in which an action occurs. Notice, for example: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">昨天晚上我們從書店去電影院。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Yesterday evening we went to the cinema from the bookshop. </div>

Since one has to leave the bookshop before going to the cinema, the Chinese sentence follows this time sequence. Similarly, since a verbal action has to take place first, before one can see its extent or result, the complement placed after the verb observes this time sequence. 

=== The complement of degree ===

This is used to show the extent or degree of an action. Normally adjectives are used for the complement, and the structural particle 得 is used to connect the verb and its complement: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他學習得怎麼樣﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">How is he studying? </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他學習得很好。</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">He's studying very well.</div>

The basic patterns for the complement of degree are as follows: # Verb without object: V + 得 + adjective <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你工作得不錯。</div>
# Verb with object: V + O + V + 得 + adjective <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我妹妹唱民歌唱得很好。</div>
# Verb with preposed object: O + V + 得 + adjective <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們中文學得很好。</div>



Place 不 ''before the adjective'' to make the negative: # V + 得 + 不 + adjective <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她歌唱得不好﹐ 舞也跳得不好。 </div>



Questions are formed as follows: # . . . 得 adjective 不 adjective? <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你開車開得快不快﹖</div>
# . . . 得怎麼樣﹖ <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你中文學得怎麼樣﹖</div>
# . . . 得 adjective 嗎﹖ <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你游泳游得好嗎﹖</div>



Note that the complement of degree cannot be used with verbs such as 有, 在 or 是, since those verbs normally do not denote actions. 

== The difference between 呢 and 吧 as sentence-ending particles ==

Either term can be used to soften the tone when placed at the end of a question. However, they differ in usage. 

=== In questions ===

呢 is primarily used to indicate a mood of enquiry. It may appear in questions with interrogative words such as 什麼 or 哪兒; affirmative-negative questions such as 有沒有呢﹖好吃不好吃呢﹖; or alternative questions with 還是, such as 吃面包還是火腿呢﹖ 

吧, on the other hand, is employed at the end of a question to indicate a mood of uncertainty or speculation on the part of the speaker: 在這兒停車吧﹖ 你不知道吧﹖ 

=== In affirmative statements ===

呢 in this case is used to indicate the progressive aspect of an action (e.g. 她學中文呢), or to affirm some fact, sometimes with exaggeration (e.g. 晚上電影九點才開始呢。 從這兒去要走三天呢。) 

吧 is often added at the end of an imperative sentence to soften the tone, as in 我們走吧。 你再想想吧。 

== The use of optative verbs ==

Optative or auxiliary verbs are those placed before other verbs to express intention, wishes, possibility etc. # To express ''subjective wish'', ''desire'' or ''request'': 
## 要 + verb = to want to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我要喝橘子水。</div>
## 想 + verb = would like to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你想看電影嗎﹖</div>
# To express ''objective necessity'': 
## 要 + verb = to have to (especially in questions) <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我明天要來嗎﹖</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Do I have to come tomorrow? </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們要去了。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">We have to go. </div>
## 不用 + verb = don't have to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你明天不用來。</div><br/><div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">You don't have to come tomorrow.</div>
# To express ''ability'' or ''skill acquired'': 
## 能 + verb = can, be able to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你現在能看中文報紙嗎﹖</div>
## 可以 + verb = can, be able to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你們一個星期可以學幾課﹖</div>
## 會 + verb = can, be able to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們都會游泳嗎﹖</div>
# To express ''ability depending on circumstances'': 
## 能 + verb = can, be able to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你明天能來嗎﹖</div>
## 可以 + verb = can, be able to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你今天晚上可以1給他打電話嗎﹖</div>

Note, in both cases use 不能 for negative sentences. 
# To express ''permission'': 
## 能 + verb = may, be permitted to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我能在這兒停車嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你不能 (or 不可以) 在這兒停車。 </div>
## 可以 + verb = may, be permitted to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我可以在這兒吸煙嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你不可以 (or 不能) 在這兒吸煙。</div>
# To express ''possibility'' or ''probability'': 
## 會 + verb = be likely to, will probably <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你明天會再來嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">今天晚上不會下雨。 </div>
# To express ''need arising from moral or factual necessity'': 
## 應該 + verb = should, ought to <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你們學得不錯﹐應該去中國。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們不應該翻譯那本書。</div>



Note: # To make a negation, put the negative word 不 or 沒有 before the optative verb: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們不想給圖書館打電話。</div>
# To form an affirmative-negative question, alternate the optative verb instead of the main verb in the sentence: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你會不會唱中國民歌﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not 你會唱不唱中國民歌﹖</div>
# It is possible to use more than one optative verb in a sentence: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你是北京人﹐應該會唱京劇。</div>



== The use of adverbs 就 and 才 ==

就 and 才 are often used before the main verb to indicate the speaker's attitude as to whether the action expressed by the main verb is earlier (就) or later (才) than expected: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們三點就來了﹐可是你們現在才來。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">They came as early as 3 o'clock, but you came as late as now. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們是老朋友﹐我們十年前就認識了。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">We are old friends, and we came to know each other as early as ten years ago. </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她不是我的同學﹐我上個星期才認識她。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">She is not a classmate of mine. I just got to know her a week ago. </div>

Compare the following sentences: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">今年我們就想去中國學習。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">(The speaker indicates their eagerness in going to China as soon as this year.) </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">今年我們才想去中國學習。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">(The speaker indicates that, although going to China this year, they should have gone earlier.) </div>

As shown in the above sentences, when there is a time-word in a sentence, 就 and 才 should be placed after it; when there is an optative verb, on the other hand, 就 and 才 should be placed before it. Here is the pattern: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Time-word + 就/才 + optative verb + main verb </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她今年就可以去中國﹐我明年才可以去中國。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們今天下午三點就能出發﹐我們要晚上八點才能走。 </div>

== Word usage: 或者, 還是 ==

Both of these conjunctions can be translated as "or" in English, but they differ in usage: in general, 或者 is used in non-interrogative sentences to indicate a choice: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我妹妹想研究音樂或者文學。</div>

還是, on the other hand, is more often than not reserved for alternative questions: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你上午去﹐還是下午去﹖</div>

It can also be used in subordinate clauses with verbs such as 知道, 告訴 etc: 

<div style="margin-left:0cm;margin-right:0cm;">請告訴我這個人是老師還是學生﹖ </div>

我不知道她是老師還是學生。

In cases in which both 或者 and 還是 can appear in questions, there are some subtle differences in their anticipations and tones: # A: 你想去中國還是日本﹖B: 我想去中國。
# A: 你想去中國或者日本嗎﹖B: 我想去﹐我兩個地方都想去。



In dialogue 1, A asks an alternative question which anticipates a choice from the answer. The two terms with 還是 are mutually exclusive. In dialogue 2, the question is a general one using 嗎 at the end. It does not anticipate a strict choice from the answer, so B can give a general answer: 我想去 -- yes, I do -- and then add his more specific thought: 我兩個地方都想去. The two items with 或者 in the question are therefore not mutually exclusive. 

Sometimes, however, 還是 can also be used in a non-interrogative sentence. For instance: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">去看朋友﹐還是去看電影﹐他一時(??)不定主意。</div>

Notice in the sentence the tone is still somehow interrogative, compelling 他 to make a choice. In contrast, 或者 in this case can only convey a sort of explanatory note: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你去﹐還是她來﹐你明天一定要作決定。 (interrogative) </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">或者你去﹐或者她來﹐沒有其他選擇。 (explanatory)</div>

== 了解, 知道, 認識 and 懂 ==

The meanings of the four terms here overlap. 

Both 了解 and 知道 can mean "to know". However, 了解 implies some level of understanding and comprehension of what one knows. Therefore 了解 can be understood as a deeper or better knowing than 知道. Compare: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你了解 (or 知道) 這個學校嗎﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我不知道他是誰的孩子。(Here one can not use 了解.) </div>

認識 is used to indicate that one can recognise this as this and not others. It can also involve the process of acquiring such an ability. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 哦﹐我認識她﹗</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Oh, I know her! </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 你是在哪兒認識她的﹖</div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">Where did you get to know her? </div>

懂, on the other hand, is a direct equivalent of "to understand". Its definition is not as broad as that of 了解 (to know and understand) and is different from that of 知道 (to know). 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">1. 你懂他說的漢語嗎﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">2. 你知道他叫甚麼名字嗎﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">3. 你了解他嗎﹖ </div>

Of these, sentence 3 wants to know more detailed information about him than sentence 2, and sentence 2 wants more detailed information than sentence 1. 

== The use of the Perfect Aspect ==

=== Basic concept ===

The aspect particle 了 is added to the end of a verb to indicate the completion of an action. In general, Chinese perfect aspect is equivalent to perfect tenses (present perfect, past perfect or future perfect) in English. So, the completion of an action can take place in the past or in the future. For instance: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你下了課去哪兒﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我下了課去圖書館。 </div>

On the other hand, a past action is not always followed by the aspect particle 了, if it is a simple statement or a habitual action and there is no need to emphasise its completion: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">去年他常常去書店。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">以前我住在學生宿舍。 </div>

=== Basic patterns ===

# Affirmative sentence <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + verb + 了 (+ object) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 電影開始了。 我買了兩本書。</div>
# Negative sentence (note 了 is dropped here) <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + 沒(有) + verb (+ object) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or subject + 還沒(有) + verb (+ 呢) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 我沒有買書。 電影還沒開始呢。 </div>
# Interrogative sentence <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + verb + 了 (+ object) + 沒有﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or Subject + verb + 了嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or Subject + verb + 沒 + verb (+ object)﹖ (here the verb is usually monosyllabic) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 你今天買了詞典沒有﹖ 她來了嗎﹖ 你們談沒談這個問題﹖ </div>



=== Notes ===

# If the verb has an object and there is no adverbial in the sentence, the object should normally carry some modifiers (e.g. numeral + measure-word or other attributives). Otherwise the sentence sounds incomplete: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我買了三本書。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我在書店里買了書。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">but not simply 我買了書。 </div>
# If a sentence carries several verbs and the actions indicated by those verbs are related, then the perfect aspect particle 了 is usually placed after the ''last'' verb. <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">a. 我用中文給媽媽寫了一封信。 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">b. 他們昨天進城買了一些中文詞典。 </div><br/>In sentence a, "write" is related to "use" because the letter is written by using Chinese; in sentence b, similarly, "buy" is related to "enter the city" because the purpose of entering the city is to buy the dictionaries. Compare the above sentences with the following, with a different structure: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我下了課去圖書館。 </div><br/>Here "class is over" (下課) and "go to the library" are unrelated. They are contained in the sentence simply to indicate their sequence. Hence it is wrong to say <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我下課去了圖書館。 </div>
# When the verb is reduplicated, the perfect aspect particle 了 is placed ''before'' the reduplicated verb: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我試了試那條裙子﹐真漂亮﹗ </div>



== 又, 再 and 還 ==

All three of these adverbs indicate the repetition of an action, like the English "again". They differ in usage, however: 

Whereas 又 indicates a repetition of an action that has already taken place, 再 implies a repetition of an action in the future. Also, 再 is only used in ''declarative'' sentences, plus questions ending in 好嗎: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">昨天他來晚了﹐今天他又來晚了。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">(repetition in the past) </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你今天來晚了﹔明天再來晚﹐我們就不讓你進來了。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:2cm;margin-right:1cm;">(repetition in the future) </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你再喝一點兒橘子水﹐好嗎﹖ </div>

Also, 又 can be used for the repetition of a periodic action or occurrence, even though it has not yet taken place: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">明天又是星期一﹐我們又要上課。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">新年又要來了。 </div>

還, on the other hand, usually expresses a future repetition: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">你明天還來嗎﹖</div>

It can also be used in an interrogative or declarative sentence with an optative verb. In this situation, it is placed before the optative verb and an optional 再 can be placed after: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">A: 你明年還能(再)教我們嗎﹖ </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">B: 我明年還可以(再)教你們。</div>

== Use of the modal particle 了 ==

=== Basic concept ===

The modal particle 了 is placed at the end of a sentence to indicate that the event referred to took place in the past. The difference between 了 as modal particle and 了 to indicate perfect aspect is that the latter only shows the completion of the verb, whereas the former shows the completion of the whole sentence or event, implying some ''change of situation''. 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他買了書了。</div>

The first 了 in the sentence above indicates only the completion of the action of 買書, whereas the second 了 marks some change of situation on the part of 他 as a result of the completion of the book-buying process: originally he did not have the book, but now he has. 

=== Basic patterns ===

(Please compare against the patterns for the perfect aspect in the previous section.) # Affirmative sentence <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + verb (+ object) + 了 </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 他們看足球賽了。</div>
# Negative sentence (note 了 is dropped here) <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + 沒 (有) + verb (+ object) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 他們沒看足球賽。</div>
# Interrogative sentence <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + verb + object + 了沒有﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or Subject + verb + object + 了嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">or Subject + verb + 沒 + verb + object﹖ (here the verb is usually monosyllabic) </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 他們看足球賽了沒有﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們看足球賽了嗎﹖ </div><br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們看沒看足球賽﹖</div>



=== Notes ===

# As is obvious, when there is no object, one cannot tell the perfect aspect 了 from the modal particle 了. In such a case, 了 can be regarded as fulfilling both functions: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">她來了。 我們懂了。</div>
# A simple statement about events that happened in the past does not require a 了 at the end of the sentence: <br/><div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我昨天下午看足球賽﹐晚上沒出去。</div>



== Sequential actions ==

To indicate that two actions take place, one immediately after the other, we use the pattern 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">Subject + verb + 了 (以後) 就 + verb ... </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">e.g. 我們辦了簽証(以後)就回家。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">明天吃了早飯(以後)我們就出發。 </div>

The above pattern can be used for ''future'' actions as well. To indicate that both actions took place in the past, the particle 了 has to be inserted at the end of the sentence: 

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">我們辦了簽証以後就回家了。 </div>

<div style="margin-left:1cm;margin-right:1cm;">他們早上沒吃早飯就走了。 </div>



{| align="center" style="border-spacing:0;width:31.06cm;"
|-
| colspan="4" | '''Word list'''
|-
|| [[Image:Image1.png|top]]
| colspan="3" | [[Image:Image2.png|top]]
|-
|| 嗎&nbsp;
|| ma3 / ma5
|| &nbsp;
|| morphine / (question tag)
|-
|| 你好&nbsp;
|| ni3hao3
|| &nbsp;
|| hello, how are you
|-
|| 你&nbsp;
|| ni3
|| &nbsp;
|| you
|-
|| 呢&nbsp;
|| ne5 / ni2
|| &nbsp;
|| (question particle) / woolen material
|-
|| 我&nbsp;
|| wo3
|| &nbsp;
|| I, me, myself
|-
|| 很好&nbsp;
|| hen3hao3
|| &nbsp;
|| well
|-
|| 忙&nbsp;
|| mang2
|| &nbsp;
|| busy
|-
|| 不忙&nbsp;
|| bu4mang2
|| &nbsp;
|| theres no hurry, take ones time
|-
|| 很&nbsp;
|| hen3
|| &nbsp;
|| very, extremely
|-
|| 也&nbsp;
|| ye3
|| &nbsp;
|| also, too
|-
|| 都&nbsp;
|| dou1 / du1
|| &nbsp;
|| all, both (if two things are involved), entirely (due to)each, even, already / (surname), metropolis, capital city
|-
|| 好&nbsp;
|| hao3 / hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| good, well / be fond of
|-
|| 我們&nbsp;
|| wo3men5
|| &nbsp;
|| we, us, ourselves
|-
|| 他們&nbsp;
|| ta1men5
|| &nbsp;
|| they
|-
|| 他們都&nbsp;
|| ta1men5dou1
|| &nbsp;
|| all of them
|-
|| 不&nbsp;
|| bu4
|| &nbsp;
|| (negative prefix), not, no
|-
|| 不是&nbsp;
|| bu2shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| (n) blame or fault
|-
|| 大夫&nbsp;
|| dai4fu5
|| &nbsp;
|| doctor
|-
|| 是&nbsp;
|| shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| is, are, am, yes, to be
|-
|| 的&nbsp;
|| de5 / di2 / di4
|| &nbsp;
|| (possessive particle), of / really and truly / aim, clear
|-
|| 我的&nbsp;
|| wo3de5
|| &nbsp;
|| my, mine
|-
|| 書&nbsp;
|| shu1
|| &nbsp;
|| book, letter
|-
|| 媽媽&nbsp;
|| ma1ma5
|| &nbsp;
|| mama, mommy
|-
|| 車&nbsp;
|| che1 / ju1
|| &nbsp;
|| car, a vehicle, machine, to shape with a lathe / vehicle on land
|-
|| 弟弟&nbsp;
|| di4di5
|| &nbsp;
|| younger brother
|-
|| 爸爸&nbsp;
|| ba4ba5
|| &nbsp;
|| (informal) father
|-
|| 他&nbsp;
|| ta1
|| &nbsp;
|| he, him
|-
|| 朋友&nbsp;
|| peng2you5
|| &nbsp;
|| friend
|-
|| 她&nbsp;
|| ta1
|| &nbsp;
|| she
|-
|| 哥哥&nbsp;
|| ge1ge5
|| &nbsp;
|| older brother
|-
|| 誰&nbsp;
|| shei2 / shui2
|| &nbsp;
|| who / who
|-
|| 哪&nbsp;
|| na3 / na5 / nei3 / nei3
|| &nbsp;
|| how, which / (final part. preceded by N) / which (followed by M or Num) / which (followed by M or Num)
|-
|| 什&nbsp;
|| shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| tenth
|-
|| 麼&nbsp;
|| me5 / mo2
|| &nbsp;
|| (interrog. suff.) / dimi.
|-
|| 老師&nbsp;
|| lao3shi1
|| &nbsp;
|| teacher
|-
|| 你們&nbsp;
|| ni3men5
|| &nbsp;
|| you (plural)
|-
|| 中國人&nbsp;
|| zhong1guo2ren2
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese person, Chinese people
|-
|| 國&nbsp;
|| guo2
|| &nbsp;
|| country, state, nation
|-
|| 人&nbsp;
|| ren2
|| &nbsp;
|| man, person, people
|-
|| 這&nbsp;
|| zhe4 / zhei4
|| &nbsp;
|| this, these / this, these
|-
|| 中國&nbsp;
|| zhong1guo2
|| &nbsp;
|| China, Chinese
|-
|| 地圖&nbsp;
|| di4tu2
|| &nbsp;
|| map
|-
|| 那&nbsp;
|| na3 / na4 / nei4
|| &nbsp;
|| how, which / that, those / that, those
|-
|| 您&nbsp;
|| nin2
|| &nbsp;
|| you (formal)
|-
|| 貴姓&nbsp;
|| gui4xing4
|| &nbsp;
|| what is your name?
|-
|| 姓&nbsp;
|| xing4
|| &nbsp;
|| surname, family name, name
|-
|| 丁&nbsp;
|| ding1
|| &nbsp;
|| (surname), 4th heavenly stem, a Chinese surname
|-
|| 叫&nbsp;
|| jiao4
|| &nbsp;
|| to (be) call(ed)
|-
|| 請問&nbsp;
|| qing3wen4
|| &nbsp;
|| may I ask...
|-
|| 學習&nbsp;
|| xue2xi2
|| &nbsp;
|| to learn, to study
|-
|| 學&nbsp;
|| xue2
|| &nbsp;
|| learn, study, science, -ology
|-
|| 習&nbsp;
|| xi2
|| &nbsp;
|| to practice, to study, habit
|-
|| 漢語&nbsp;
|| han4yu3
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese language
|-
|| 法語&nbsp;
|| fa3yu3
|| &nbsp;
|| French (language)
|-
|| 不學&nbsp;
|| bu4xue2wu2shu4
|| &nbsp;
|| have neither learning nor skill, be ignorant and incompetent
|-
|| 在&nbsp;
|| zai4
|| &nbsp;
|| (located) at, in, exist
|-
|| 哪兒&nbsp;
|| na3er5
|| &nbsp;
|| where
|-
|| 那兒&nbsp;
|| nar3 / nar4
|| &nbsp;
|| where / there
|-
|| 古波&nbsp;
|| gu3bo1
|| &nbsp;
|| Gubo (a personal name)
|-
|| 不在&nbsp;
|| bu4zai4
|| &nbsp;
|| not be in, be out
|-
|| 學生&nbsp;
|| xue2sheng5
|| &nbsp;
|| student
|-
|| 宿舍&nbsp;
|| su4she4
|| &nbsp;
|| dormitory, living quarters
|-
|| 這兒&nbsp;
|| zher4
|| &nbsp;
|| here
|-
|| 住&nbsp;
|| zhu4
|| &nbsp;
|| to live, to dwell, to reside, to stop
|-
|| 學� / &nbsp;
|| xue2yuan4
|| &nbsp;
|| college, educational institute, school, faculty
|-
|| � / &nbsp;
|| si4
|| &nbsp;
|| four
|-
|| 層&nbsp;
|| ceng2
|| &nbsp;
|| a measure word for layers, laminated, repeated, floor, story (of a building), layer
|-
|| 二&nbsp;
|| er4
|| &nbsp;
|| two
|-
|| 三&nbsp;
|| san1
|| &nbsp;
|| three
|-
|| 號&nbsp;
|| hao2 / hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| roar, cry / day of a month, (suffix used after) name of a ship, (ordinal) number
|-
|| 在這&nbsp;
|| zai4zhe4qi1jian1
|| &nbsp;
|| during time, in this time
|-
|| 兒&nbsp;
|| er2 / er5
|| &nbsp;
|| son / non-syllabic dimi. suff.
|-
|| 一&nbsp;
|| yi1
|| &nbsp;
|| one, single, a(n)
|-
|| 五&nbsp;
|| wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| five, 5
|-
|| 二號&nbsp;
|| er4hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| 2nd day of the month
|-
|| 還&nbsp;
|| hai2 / huan2
|| &nbsp;
|| also, in addition, more, still, else, still, yet, (not) yet / (surname), pay back, return
|-
|| 畫報&nbsp;
|| hua4bao4
|| &nbsp;
|| pictorial (magazine)
|-
|| 云&nbsp;
|| yun2
|| &nbsp;
|| say
|-
|| 日本&nbsp;
|| ri4ben3
|| &nbsp;
|| Japan, Japanese
|-
|| 用&nbsp;
|| yong4
|| &nbsp;
|| to use
|-
|| 一下兒&nbsp;
|| yi2xiar4
|| &nbsp;
|| a little bit, a little while
|-
|| 現在&nbsp;
|| xian4zai4
|| &nbsp;
|| modern, current, present, at present, now, nowadays
|-
|| 去&nbsp;
|| qu4
|| &nbsp;
|| to go, to leave, to remove
|-
|| 常&nbsp;
|| chang2
|| &nbsp;
|| always, ever, often, frequently, common, general, constant
|-
|| 常常&nbsp;
|| chang2chang2
|| &nbsp;
|| frequently, usually, often
|-
|| 喝&nbsp;
|| he1 / he4
|| &nbsp;
|| my goodness, to drink / shout applause
|-
|| 茶&nbsp;
|| cha2
|| &nbsp;
|| tea, tea plant
|-
|| 看&nbsp;
|| kan1 / kan4
|| &nbsp;
|| to look after, to take care of, to watch, to guard / it depends, think, to see, to look at
|-
|| 是不是&nbsp;
|| shi4bu4shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| is or isnt, yes or no, whether or not
|-
|| 認識&nbsp;
|| ren4shi5
|| &nbsp;
|| be acquainted with (a person), to know, to be familiar with, to recognize
|-
|| 介紹&nbsp;
|| jie4shao4
|| &nbsp;
|| to present, introduction, to introduce
|-
|| 咖啡&nbsp;
|| ka1fei1
|| &nbsp;
|| coffee
|-
|| 商店&nbsp;
|| shang1dian4
|| &nbsp;
|| store, shop
|-
|| 買&nbsp;
|| mai3
|| &nbsp;
|| buy
|-
|| 紙&nbsp;
|| zhi3
|| &nbsp;
|| paper
|-
|| 歡迎&nbsp;
|| huan1ying2
|| &nbsp;
|| to welcome, welcome
|-
|| 來&nbsp;
|| lai2
|| &nbsp;
|| to come
|-
|| 不歡&nbsp;
|| bu4huan1er2san4
|| &nbsp;
|| part on bad terms, (of a meeting, etc, ) break up in discord
|-
|| 迎&nbsp;
|| ying2
|| &nbsp;
|| to welcome
|-
|| 和&nbsp;
|| he2 / he4 / huo2 / huo4
|| &nbsp;
|| and, together with, with, peace, harmony, union / cap (a poem), respond in singing / soft, warm / mix together, to blend
|-
|| 美國&nbsp;
|| mei3guo2
|| &nbsp;
|| America, American, United States, USA
|-
|| 英語&nbsp;
|| ying1yu3
|| &nbsp;
|| English (language)
|-
|| 有&nbsp;
|| you3
|| &nbsp;
|| to have, there is, there are, to exist, to be
|-
|| 詞典&nbsp;
|| ci2dian3
|| &nbsp;
|| dictionary
|-
|| 多&nbsp;
|| duo1
|| &nbsp;
|| many, much, a lot of, numerous, multi-
|-
|| 外國&nbsp;
|| wai4guo2
|| &nbsp;
|| foreign (country)
|-
|| 沒&nbsp;
|| mei2 / mo4
|| &nbsp;
|| (negative prefix for verbs), have not, not / drowned, to end, to die, to inundate
|-
|| 沒有&nbsp;
|| mei2you3
|| &nbsp;
|| havent, hasnt, doesnt exist, to not have, to not be
|-
|| 姐姐&nbsp;
|| jie3jie5
|| &nbsp;
|| older sister
|-
|| 筆&nbsp;
|| bi3
|| &nbsp;
|| pen, pencil, writing brush, to write or compose, the strokes of Chinese characters
|-
|| 妹妹&nbsp;
|| mei4mei4 / mei4mei5
|| &nbsp;
|| (informal) younger sister / younger sister
|-
|| 沒有人&nbsp;
|| mei2you3ren2
|| &nbsp;
|| nobody
|-
|| 有人&nbsp;
|| you3ren2qing2
|| &nbsp;
|| humane
|-
|| 給&nbsp;
|| gei3 / ji3
|| &nbsp;
|| to, for, for the benefit of, to give, to allow, to do sth (for sb), (passive particle) / to supply, provide
|-
|| 銀行&nbsp;
|| yin2hang2
|| &nbsp;
|| bank
|-
|| 工作&nbsp;
|| gong1zuo4
|| &nbsp;
|| job, work, construction, work, task
|-
|| 信&nbsp;
|| xin4
|| &nbsp;
|| letter, true, to believe, sign, evidence
|-
|| 寫信&nbsp;
|| xie3xin4
|| &nbsp;
|| to write a letter
|-
|| 想&nbsp;
|| xiang3
|| &nbsp;
|| to think, to believe, to suppose, to wish, to want, to miss
|-
|| 丁雲&nbsp;
|| ding1yun2
|| &nbsp;
|| Ding Yun (a personal name)
|-
|| 想家&nbsp;
|| xiang3jia1
|| &nbsp;
|| homesick
|-
|| 男朋友&nbsp;
|| nan2peng2you5
|| &nbsp;
|| male friend, boyfriend
|-
|| 告訴&nbsp;
|| gao4su5
|| &nbsp;
|| to tell, to inform, to let know
|-
|| 好朋友&nbsp;
|| hao3peng2you5
|| &nbsp;
|| good friend
|-
|| 請&nbsp;
|| qing3
|| &nbsp;
|| to ask, to invite, please (do sth), to treat (to a meal, etc), to request
|-
|| 零&nbsp;
|| ling2
|| &nbsp;
|| remnant, zero
|-
|| 六&nbsp;
|| liu4
|| &nbsp;
|| six
|-
|| 七&nbsp;
|| qi1
|| &nbsp;
|| seven, 7
|-
|| 八&nbsp;
|| ba1
|| &nbsp;
|| eight, 8
|-
|| 九&nbsp;
|| jiu3
|| &nbsp;
|| nine, 9
|-
|| 十&nbsp;
|| shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| ten
|-
|| 十一&nbsp;
|| shi2yi1
|| &nbsp;
|| eleven
|-
|| 十二&nbsp;
|| shi2er4
|| &nbsp;
|| 12, twelve
|-
|| 十九&nbsp;
|| shi2jiu3
|| &nbsp;
|| nineteen
|-
|| 二十&nbsp;
|| er4shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| twenty, 20
|-
|| 二十一&nbsp;
|| er4shi2yi1
|| &nbsp;
|| twenty-one
|-
|| 二十八&nbsp;
|| er4shi2ba1hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| 28th day of the month
|-
|| 三十&nbsp;
|| san1shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| thirty, 30
|-
|| � / 十&nbsp;
|| si4shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| forty, 40
|-
|| 九十&nbsp;
|| jiu3shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| ninety
|-
|| 一百&nbsp;
|| yi1bai3
|| &nbsp;
|| a hundred
|-
|| 三百&nbsp;
|| san1bai3
|| &nbsp;
|| three hundred
|-
|| 二十七&nbsp;
|| er4shi2qi1
|| &nbsp;
|| twenty-seven
|-
|| 百&nbsp;
|| bai3
|| &nbsp;
|| hundred
|-
|| 一千&nbsp;
|| yi1qian1
|| &nbsp;
|| one thousand
|-
|| 一千零&nbsp;
|| yi1qian1ling2wu3shi2yi4
|| &nbsp;
|| 105 billion
|-
|| 五千&nbsp;
|| wu3qian1dun1
|| &nbsp;
|| 5000 tons
|-
|| 八千&nbsp;
|| ba1qian1
|| &nbsp;
|| eight thousand, 8000
|-
|| 七百&nbsp;
|| qi1bai3wan4
|| &nbsp;
|| seven million
|-
|| 二十五&nbsp;
|| er4shi2wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| twenty five
|-
|| 一萬&nbsp;
|| yi1wan4
|| &nbsp;
|| ten thousand
|-
|| 萬&nbsp;
|| wan4
|| &nbsp;
|| (surname), ten thousand, a great number
|-
|| 一億&nbsp;
|| yi1yi4
|| &nbsp;
|| 1 00 million
|-
|| 十五&nbsp;
|| shi2wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| fifteen
|-
|| 三千&nbsp;
|| san1qian1wu3bai3
|| &nbsp;
|| 3 500
|-
|| 幾&nbsp;
|| ji1 / ji3
|| &nbsp;
|| almost / how much, how many, several, a few
|-
|| 本&nbsp;
|| ben3
|| &nbsp;
|| roots or stems of plants, origin, source, this, the current, root, foundation, basis, (a measure word)
|-
|| 個&nbsp;
|| ge4
|| &nbsp;
|| (a measure word), individual
|-
|| 那個&nbsp;
|| nei4ge4
|| &nbsp;
|| that one
|-
|| 哪個&nbsp;
|| na3ge5
|| &nbsp;
|| which, who
|-
|| 圖書館&nbsp;
|| tu2shu1guan3
|| &nbsp;
|| library
|-
|| 多少&nbsp;
|| duo1shao3
|| &nbsp;
|| how much, how many, which (number)
|-
|| 大學&nbsp;
|| da4xue2
|| &nbsp;
|| university
|-
|| 家&nbsp;
|| jia1
|| &nbsp;
|| -ist, -er, -ian, home, family, a person engaged in a certain art or profession
|-
|| 幾個&nbsp;
|| ji3ge5
|| &nbsp;
|| several
|-
|| 王&nbsp;
|| wang2
|| &nbsp;
|| king, Wang (proper name)
|-
|| 教&nbsp;
|| jiao1 / jiao4
|| &nbsp;
|| teach / religion, teaching
|-
|| 語法&nbsp;
|| yu3fa3
|| &nbsp;
|| grammar
|-
|| 問&nbsp;
|| wen4
|| &nbsp;
|| to ask
|-
|| 寫&nbsp;
|| xie3
|| &nbsp;
|| to write
|-
|| 封&nbsp;
|| feng1
|| &nbsp;
|| to confer, to grant, to seal, (a measure word)
|-
|| 新書&nbsp;
|| xin1shu1
|| &nbsp;
|| new book
|-
|| 新&nbsp;
|| xin1
|| &nbsp;
|| meso- (chem.), new, newly
|-
|| 有一&nbsp;
|| you3yi1xie1
|| &nbsp;
|| somewhat, rather
|-
|| 問題&nbsp;
|| wen4ti2
|| &nbsp;
|| problem, issue, topic
|-
|| 漢字&nbsp;
|| han4zi4
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese character
|-
|| 口語&nbsp;
|| kou3yu3
|| &nbsp;
|| spoken language
|-
|| 條&nbsp;
|| tiao2
|| &nbsp;
|| measure word for long, thin things (i.e. ribbon, river, etc.), a strip, item, article
|-
|| 裙子&nbsp;
|| qun2zi5
|| &nbsp;
|| skirt
|-
|| 白&nbsp;
|| bai2
|| &nbsp;
|| white, snowy, empty, blank, bright, clear, plain, pure, gratuitous
|-
|| 從&nbsp;
|| cong1 / cong2 / zong4
|| &nbsp;
|| lax, yielding, unhurried / from, obey, observe, follow / second cousin
|-
|| 晚上&nbsp;
|| wan3shang5
|| &nbsp;
|| in the evening
|-
|| 劇場&nbsp;
|| ju4chang3
|| &nbsp;
|| theater
|-
|| 找&nbsp;
|| zhao3
|| &nbsp;
|| to try to find, to look for, to call on (sb), to find, to seek, to return, to look for
|-
|| 太&nbsp;
|| tai4
|| &nbsp;
|| highest, greatest, too (much), very, extremely
|-
|| 了&nbsp;
|| le5 / liao3
|| &nbsp;
|| (modal particle intensifying preceding clause), (past tense marker) / to know, to understand, to know
|-
|| 太忙&nbsp;
|| tai4mang2
|| &nbsp;
|| too busy
|-
|| 大&nbsp;
|| da4 / dai4
|| &nbsp;
|| big, huge, large, major, great, wide, deep, oldest, eldest / doctor
|-
|| 太好了&nbsp;
|| tai4hao3le5
|| &nbsp;
|| very good
|-
|| 兩&nbsp;
|| liang3
|| &nbsp;
|| both, two, ounce, some, a few, tael
|-
|| 兩個&nbsp;
|| liang3ge4zhong1guo2
|| &nbsp;
|| two-China (policy)
|-
|| 增加&nbsp;
|| zeng1jia1
|| &nbsp;
|| to raise, to increase
|-
|| 倍&nbsp;
|| bei4
|| &nbsp;
|| (two, three, etc) -fold, times (multiplier), double, to increase or multiply
|-
|| 兩次&nbsp;
|| liang3ci4
|| &nbsp;
|| twice
|-
|| 二十二&nbsp;
|| er4shi2er4hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| 22nd day of a month
|-
|| 二次&nbsp;
|| er4ci4da4zhan4
|| &nbsp;
|| World War Two
|-
|| 個人&nbsp;
|| ge4ren2
|| &nbsp;
|| individual, personal, oneself
|-
|| 六十&nbsp;
|| liu4shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| sixty, 60
|-
|| 元&nbsp;
|| yuan2
|| &nbsp;
|| (dynasty), dollar, primary, first
|-
|| 二百&nbsp;
|| er4bai3
|| &nbsp;
|| two hundred, 200
|-
|| 五十&nbsp;
|| wu3shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| fifty
|-
|| 兩百&nbsp;
|| liang3bai3
|| &nbsp;
|| two hundred
|-
|| 千&nbsp;
|| qian1
|| &nbsp;
|| thousand
|-
|| 億&nbsp;
|| yi4
|| &nbsp;
|| a hundred million, calculate
|-
|| 兩千&nbsp;
|| liang3qian1
|| &nbsp;
|| two thousand
|-
|| 人口&nbsp;
|| ren2kou3
|| &nbsp;
|| population
|-
|| 千萬&nbsp;
|| qian1wan4
|| &nbsp;
|| ten million, millions and millions, very many
|-
|| 三萬&nbsp;
|| san1wan4
|| &nbsp;
|| 30 thousand
|-
|| 點&nbsp;
|| dian3
|| &nbsp;
|| (downwards-right convex character stroke), oclock, (a measure word), point, dot, (decimal) point)
|-
|| 兩點&nbsp;
|| liang3dian3shi2jiu3fen1
|| &nbsp;
|| 2 :1 9 (time of day)
|-
|| 半&nbsp;
|| ban4
|| &nbsp;
|| half, semi-, incomplete, (after a number) and a half, half
|-
|| 分&nbsp;
|| fen1 / fen4
|| &nbsp;
|| to divide, minute, (a measure word), (a unit of length = 0.33 centimeter) / part
|-
|| 刻&nbsp;
|| ke4
|| &nbsp;
|| quarter (hour), (a measure word), to carve, to engrave, to cut, oppressive
|-
|| 五分&nbsp;
|| wu3fen1mei3jin1
|| &nbsp;
|| nickel
|-
|| 差&nbsp;
|| cha1 / cha4 / chai1 / ci1
|| &nbsp;
|| difference, error, discrepancy, to differ, to err, to make a mistake, to lack / different, short of, poor, to lack / send, a messenger, a mission, to commission / uneven
|-
|| 六點&nbsp;
|| liu4dian3liu4
|| &nbsp;
|| 6.6
|-
|| 七點&nbsp;
|| qi1dian3er4
|| &nbsp;
|| 7.2
|-
|| 三十五&nbsp;
|| san1shi2wu3yi4
|| &nbsp;
|| 3.5 billion
|-
|| 八分&nbsp;
|| ba1fen1yin1fu2
|| &nbsp;
|| quaver, eighth note
|-
|| 三分&nbsp;
|| san1fen1zhi1yi1
|| &nbsp;
|| one third
|-
|| 今天&nbsp;
|| jin1tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| today, at the present, now
|-
|| 上午&nbsp;
|| shang4wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| morning
|-
|| 這個&nbsp;
|| zhe4ge4
|| &nbsp;
|| this
|-
|| 每天&nbsp;
|| mei3tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| every day, everyday
|-
|| 下午&nbsp;
|| xia4wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| afternoon
|-
|| 每&nbsp;
|| mei3
|| &nbsp;
|| each, every
|-
|| 上&nbsp;
|| shang4
|| &nbsp;
|| on, on top, upon, first (of two parts), previous or last (week, etc.), upper, higher, above, previous, to climb, to go into, above, to go up
|-
|| 中文&nbsp;
|| zhong1wen2
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese language
|-
|| 課&nbsp;
|| ke4 / ke4
|| &nbsp;
|| subject, class, lesson / class, lesson
|-
|| 下課&nbsp;
|| xia4ke4
|| &nbsp;
|| class is over
|-
|| 等&nbsp;
|| deng3
|| &nbsp;
|| class, rank, grade, equal to, same as, wait for, await, et cetera, and so on
|-
|| 明天&nbsp;
|| ming2tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| tomorrow
|-
|| 上課&nbsp;
|| shang4ke4
|| &nbsp;
|| to attend class
|-
|| 電影&nbsp;
|| dian4ying3
|| &nbsp;
|| movie, film
|-
|| 中午&nbsp;
|| zhong1wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| noon, midday
|-
|| 報&nbsp;
|| bao4
|| &nbsp;
|| to announce, to inform, report, newspaper, recompense, revenge
|-
|| 昨天&nbsp;
|| zuo2tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| yesterday
|-
|| 以前&nbsp;
|| yi3qian2
|| &nbsp;
|| before, formerly, previous
|-
|| 以後&nbsp;
|| yi3hou4
|| &nbsp;
|| after, later, afterwards, following, later on, in the future
|-
|| 不住&nbsp;
|| bu2zhu4
|| &nbsp;
|| repeatedly, continuously, constantly
|-
|| 住宿&nbsp;
|| zhu4su4
|| &nbsp;
|| lodging
|-
|| 舍&nbsp;
|| she3 / she4
|| &nbsp;
|| to abandon, to give up / residence
|-
|| 回家&nbsp;
|| hui2jia1
|| &nbsp;
|| homeward
|-
|| 閱覽室&nbsp;
|| yue4lan3shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| reading room
|-
|| 美國以&nbsp;
|| mei3guo2yi3wai4
|| &nbsp;
|| outside of the U.S.
|-
|| 後&nbsp;
|| hou4
|| &nbsp;
|| back, behind, rear, afterwards, after, later
|-
|| 半以&nbsp;
|| ban4yi3shang4
|| &nbsp;
|| more than half
|-
|| 作&nbsp;
|| zuo4
|| &nbsp;
|| to regard as, to take (somebody) for, to do, to make
|-
|| 回&nbsp;
|| hui2
|| &nbsp;
|| (a measure word for matters or actions) a time, to circle, to go back, to turn around, to answer, to return, to revolve
|-
|| 跟&nbsp;
|| gen1
|| &nbsp;
|| to follow, to go with, heel, with, and
|-
|| 一起&nbsp;
|| yi4qi3
|| &nbsp;
|| together
|-
|| 事兒&nbsp;
|| shir4
|| &nbsp;
|| business, thing
|-
|| 京劇&nbsp;
|| jing1ju4
|| &nbsp;
|| Beijing opera
|-
|| 還是&nbsp;
|| hai2shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| or, still, nevertheless
|-
|| 喜歡&nbsp;
|| xi3huan5
|| &nbsp;
|| to like, to be fond of
|-
|| 紅茶&nbsp;
|| hong2cha2
|| &nbsp;
|| black tea
|-
|| 綠茶&nbsp;
|| lu:4cha2
|| &nbsp;
|| green tea
|-
|| 要&nbsp;
|| yao1 / yao4
|| &nbsp;
|| demand, ask, request, coerce / important, vital, to want, to be going to, must
|-
|| 聽&nbsp;
|| ting1 / ting4
|| &nbsp;
|| listen, hear, obey / let, allow
|-
|| 古典音樂&nbsp;
|| gu3dian3yin1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| classical music
|-
|| 現代音樂&nbsp;
|| xian4dai4yin1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| modern music, contemporary music
|-
|| 讓&nbsp;
|| rang4
|| &nbsp;
|| to ask, to let, permit, have (someone do something), to yield, to allow
|-
|| 音樂&nbsp;
|| yin1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| music
|-
|| 孩子&nbsp;
|| hai2zi5
|| &nbsp;
|| child
|-
|| 吃&nbsp;
|| chi1 / ji2
|| &nbsp;
|| eat, eradicate, destroy, receive / stammer
|-
|| 晚飯&nbsp;
|| wan3fan4
|| &nbsp;
|| supper
|-
|| 酒&nbsp;
|| jiu3
|| &nbsp;
|| wine, liquor, spirits
|-
|| 別&nbsp;
|| bie2 / bie4
|| &nbsp;
|| leave, depart, separate, distinguish, classify, other, another, do not, must not, to pin / contrary, difficult, awkward
|-
|| 不要&nbsp;
|| bu4yao4
|| &nbsp;
|| dont!, must not
|-
|| 吸煙&nbsp;
|| xi1yan1
|| &nbsp;
|| to smoke
|-
|| 走&nbsp;
|| zou3
|| &nbsp;
|| to walk, to go, to move
|-
|| 年&nbsp;
|| nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| year
|-
|| 去年&nbsp;
|| qu4nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| last year
|-
|| 今年&nbsp;
|| jin1nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| this year
|-
|| 明年&nbsp;
|| ming2nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| next year
|-
|| 一九九七&nbsp;
|| yi1jiu3jiu3qi1nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| the year 1997
|-
|| 一九九&nbsp;
|| yi1jiu3jiu3qi1nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| the year 1997
|-
|| 八年&nbsp;
|| ba1nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| eight years
|-
|| 一年&nbsp;
|| yi1nian2ban4
|| &nbsp;
|| a year and a half
|-
|| 三年&nbsp;
|| san1nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| three years
|-
|| 每年&nbsp;
|| mei3nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| every year, each year, yearly
|-
|| 五年&nbsp;
|| wu3nian2ji4hua4
|| &nbsp;
|| Five-Year Plan
|-
|| 月&nbsp;
|| yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| moon, month
|-
|| 上個月&nbsp;
|| shang4ge4yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| last month
|-
|| 這個月&nbsp;
|| zhei4ge4yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| this (current) month
|-
|| 下個月&nbsp;
|| xia4ge4yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| next month
|-
|| 一月&nbsp;
|| yi1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| first month, January
|-
|| 二月&nbsp;
|| er4yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| February, second month
|-
|| 星期&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1
|| &nbsp;
|| week
|-
|| 下&nbsp;
|| xia4
|| &nbsp;
|| under, second (of two parts), next (week, etc.), lower, below, underneath, down(wards), to decline, to go down, latter
|-
|| 星期一&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1yi1
|| &nbsp;
|| Monday
|-
|| 星期二&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1er4
|| &nbsp;
|| Tuesday
|-
|| 星期六&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1liu4
|| &nbsp;
|| Saturday
|-
|| 星期日&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1ri4
|| &nbsp;
|| Sunday
|-
|| 星期天&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| Sunday
|-
|| � / 個&nbsp;
|| si4ge4xiao3shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| four hours
|-
|| 日&nbsp;
|| ri4
|| &nbsp;
|| Japan, day, sun, date, day of the month
|-
|| 天&nbsp;
|| tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| day, sky, heaven
|-
|| 一號&nbsp;
|| yi1hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| first day of the month
|-
|| � / 月&nbsp;
|| si4yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| April, fourth month
|-
|| 六號&nbsp;
|| liu4hao4
|| &nbsp;
|| 6th day of the month
|-
|| 十月&nbsp;
|| shi2yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| October
|-
|| 一天&nbsp;
|| yi1tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| one day
|-
|| 半天&nbsp;
|| ban4tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| half of the day, a long time, quite a while
|-
|| 十一月&nbsp;
|| shi2yi1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| eleventh month, November
|-
|| 八九&nbsp;
|| ba1jiu3bu4li2shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| pretty close, very near, about right
|-
|| 七月&nbsp;
|| qi1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| July, seventh month
|-
|| 十� / &nbsp;
|| shi2si4
|| &nbsp;
|| fourteen, 14 
|-
|| 五月&nbsp;
|| wu3yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| May, fifth month
|-
|| 八月&nbsp;
|| ba1yue4
|| &nbsp;
|| eighth month, August
|-
|| 星期五&nbsp;
|| xing1qi1wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| Friday
|-
|| 星期� / &nbsp;
|| xing1qi1si4
|| &nbsp;
|| Thursday
|-
|| 水&nbsp;
|| shui3
|| &nbsp;
|| water, river
|-
|| 不很&nbsp;
|| bu4hen3
|| &nbsp;
|| not very
|-
|| 乾淨&nbsp;
|| gan1jing4
|| &nbsp;
|| clean, neat
|-
|| 送&nbsp;
|| song4
|| &nbsp;
|| to deliver, to carry, to give (as a present), to present (with), to see off, to send
|-
|| 禮物&nbsp;
|| li3wu4
|| &nbsp;
|| gift, present
|-
|| 有意思&nbsp;
|| you3yi4si5
|| &nbsp;
|| interesting
|-
|| 開門&nbsp;
|| kai1men2
|| &nbsp;
|| open (the) door
|-
|| 跳舞&nbsp;
|| tiao4wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| to dance
|-
|| 姑娘&nbsp;
|| gu1niang5
|| &nbsp;
|| girl
|-
|| 同學&nbsp;
|| tong2xue2
|| &nbsp;
|| (fellow) classmate
|-
|| 高興&nbsp;
|| gao1xing4
|| &nbsp;
|| happy, glad, willing (to do sth), in a cheerful mood
|-
|| 絲&nbsp;
|| si1
|| &nbsp;
|| silk, thread, trace
|-
|| 線&nbsp;
|| xian4
|| &nbsp;
|| thread, string, wire, line
|-
|| 衫&nbsp;
|| shan1
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese gown (unlined)
|-
|| 小&nbsp;
|| xiao3
|| &nbsp;
|| small, tiny, few, young
|-
|| 服務員&nbsp;
|| fu2wu4yuan2
|| &nbsp;
|| waiter, waitress, server
|-
|| 非常&nbsp;
|| fei1chang2
|| &nbsp;
|| unusual, extraordinary, extreme, very, exceptional
|-
|| 年輕&nbsp;
|| nian2qing1
|| &nbsp;
|| young
|-
|| 真&nbsp;
|| zhen1
|| &nbsp;
|| real, true, genuine
|-
|| 更&nbsp;
|| geng1 / geng4
|| &nbsp;
|| to change / more, even more, further, still, still more
|-
|| 祝&nbsp;
|| zhu4
|| &nbsp;
|| invoke, pray to, wish, to express good wishes
|-
|| 祝賀&nbsp;
|| zhu4he4
|| &nbsp;
|| to congratulate, congratulations
|-
|| 生日&nbsp;
|| sheng1ri4
|| &nbsp;
|| birthday
|-
|| 上邊&nbsp;
|| shang4bian5
|| &nbsp;
|| upside
|-
|| 左邊&nbsp;
|| zuo3bian1
|| &nbsp;
|| left
|-
|| 前邊&nbsp;
|| qian2bian1
|| &nbsp;
|| (n) the area in front of sth
|-
|| 中間&nbsp;
|| zhong1jian4
|| &nbsp;
|| betwixt, intermediate, mid, middle
|-
|| 對面&nbsp;
|| dui4mian4
|| &nbsp;
|| opposite
|-
|| 左&nbsp;
|| zuo3
|| &nbsp;
|| left
|-
|| 中&nbsp;
|| zhong1 / zhong4
|| &nbsp;
|| within, among, in, middle, center, while (doing sth), during, China, Chinese / hit (the mark)
|-
|| 右&nbsp;
|| you4
|| &nbsp;
|| right (-hand)
|-
|| 前&nbsp;
|| qian2
|| &nbsp;
|| before, in front, ago, former, previous, earlier, front
|-
|| 裡&nbsp;
|| li3
|| &nbsp;
|| li, a Chinese unit of length = 1, 2 kilometer, village, within, inside
|-
|| 外&nbsp;
|| wai4
|| &nbsp;
|| outside, in addition, foreign, external
|-
|| 邊&nbsp;
|| bian1
|| &nbsp;
|| side, edge, margin, border, boundary
|-
|| 外邊&nbsp;
|| wai4bian5
|| &nbsp;
|| (n) outside, (n) exterior surface, (n) place other than ones home town
|-
|| 房子&nbsp;
|| fang2zi5
|| &nbsp;
|| house
|-
|| 後邊&nbsp;
|| hou4bian1
|| &nbsp;
|| behind
|-
|| 桌子&nbsp;
|| zhuo1zi5
|| &nbsp;
|| table, desk
|-
|| 下邊&nbsp;
|| xia4bian1
|| &nbsp;
|| (n) under
|-
|| 教室&nbsp;
|| jiao4shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| classroom
|-
|| 北京&nbsp;
|| bei3jing1
|| &nbsp;
|| Beijing (capital of mainland China)
|-
|| 很多&nbsp;
|| hen3duo1
|| &nbsp;
|| very many, very much, great (quantity)
|-
|| 房&nbsp;
|| fang2
|| &nbsp;
|| house
|-
|| 公園&nbsp;
|| gong1yuan2
|| &nbsp;
|| a public park
|-
|| 花園&nbsp;
|| hua1yuan2
|| &nbsp;
|| garden
|-
|| 在車&nbsp;
|| zai4che1
|| &nbsp;
|| aboard
|-
|| 右邊&nbsp;
|| you4bian1
|| &nbsp;
|| right (as opposed to left)
|-
|| 一個&nbsp;
|| yi1ge4
|| &nbsp;
|| a, an
|-
|| 休息&nbsp;
|| xiu1xi5
|| &nbsp;
|| rest, to rest
|-
|| 正&nbsp;
|| zheng1 / zheng4
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese 1st month of year / just (right), main, upright, straight, correct, principle
|-
|| 正在&nbsp;
|| zheng4zai4
|| &nbsp;
|| in the process of (doing something or happening), while (doing)
|-
|| 的時候&nbsp;
|| de5shi2hou4
|| &nbsp;
|| when, during, at the time of
|-
|| 一定&nbsp;
|| yi1ding4
|| &nbsp;
|| surely, certainly, necessarily, fixed, a certain (extent, etc.), given, particular
|-
|| 房間&nbsp;
|| fang2jian1
|| &nbsp;
|| room
|-
|| 里&nbsp;
|| li3
|| &nbsp;
|| Chinese mile, neighborhood
|-
|| 打電話&nbsp;
|| da3dian4hua4
|| &nbsp;
|| to make a telephone call
|-
|| 參觀&nbsp;
|| can1guan1
|| &nbsp;
|| to look around, to inspect, visit and observe
|-
|| 吃飯&nbsp;
|| chi1fan4
|| &nbsp;
|| to eat a meal
|-
|| 花兒&nbsp;
|| huar1
|| &nbsp;
|| flower
|-
|| 漂亮&nbsp;
|| piao4liang5
|| &nbsp;
|| pretty, beautiful
|-
|| 照片&nbsp;
|| zhao4pian4
|| &nbsp;
|| photograph, picture
|-
|| 訪問&nbsp;
|| fang3wen4
|| &nbsp;
|| pay a visit (to), to access, to interview
|-
|| 觀&nbsp;
|| guan1 / guan4
|| &nbsp;
|| to look at, to watch, to observe, to behold / Taoist monastery
|-
|| 學校&nbsp;
|| xue2xiao4
|| &nbsp;
|| school
|-
|| 國家&nbsp;
|| guo2jia1
|| &nbsp;
|| country, nation
|-
|| 總統&nbsp;
|| zong3tong3
|| &nbsp;
|| president (of a country)
|-
|| 些&nbsp;
|| xie1
|| &nbsp;
|| some, few, several, (a measure word)
|-
|| 一些&nbsp;
|| yi1xie1
|| &nbsp;
|| some, a few, a little
|-
|| 這些&nbsp;
|| zhe4xie5
|| &nbsp;
|| these
|-
|| 那些&nbsp;
|| na4xie1
|| &nbsp;
|| those
|-
|| 哪些&nbsp;
|| na3xie1
|| &nbsp;
|| which, who, what
|-
|| 大衣&nbsp;
|| da4yi1
|| &nbsp;
|| overcoat, topcoat, cloak
|-
|| 黑&nbsp;
|| hei1
|| &nbsp;
|| black, dark
|-
|| 點心&nbsp;
|| dian3xin1
|| &nbsp;
|| light refreshments, pastry
|-
|| 束&nbsp;
|| shu4
|| &nbsp;
|| bunch, (a measure word), to bind, to control
|-
|| 在大&nbsp;
|| zai4da4duo1shu4qing2kuang4xia4
|| &nbsp;
|| in most instances
|-
|| 借&nbsp;
|| jie4
|| &nbsp;
|| to lend, to borrow, excuse, pretext, by means of
|-
|| 書店&nbsp;
|| shu1dian4
|| &nbsp;
|| bookstore
|-
|| 電影� / &nbsp;
|| dian4ying3yuan4
|| &nbsp;
|| cinema, movie theater
|-
|| 得&nbsp;
|| de2 / de5 / dei3
|| &nbsp;
|| obtain, get, gain, proper, suitable, proud, contented, allow, permit, ready, finished / a sentence particle used after a verb to show effect, degree or possibility / to have to, must, ought to, to need to
|-
|| 怎麼樣&nbsp;
|| zen3me5yang4
|| &nbsp;
|| how about, (used in the negative)(not) so good
|-
|| 得很&nbsp;
|| de5hen3
|| &nbsp;
|| very (much, good etc.)
|-
|| 得不&nbsp;
|| de2bu4dao4
|| &nbsp;
|| cannot get, cannot obtain
|-
|| 錯&nbsp;
|| cuo4
|| &nbsp;
|| mistake, error, blunder, fault, cross, uneven, wrong
|-
|| 唱&nbsp;
|| chang4
|| &nbsp;
|| sing, to call loudly, to chant
|-
|| 民歌&nbsp;
|| min2ge1
|| &nbsp;
|| folk song
|-
|| 歌唱&nbsp;
|| ge1chang4
|| &nbsp;
|| sing
|-
|| 舞&nbsp;
|| wu3
|| &nbsp;
|| to dance, to wield, to brandish
|-
|| 跳&nbsp;
|| tiao4
|| &nbsp;
|| jump, hop, skip (a grade), to leap, to bounce, to beat
|-
|| 開車&nbsp;
|| kai1che1
|| &nbsp;
|| to drive a car
|-
|| 開&nbsp;
|| kai1
|| &nbsp;
|| open, operate (vehicle), start
|-
|| 快&nbsp;
|| kuai4
|| &nbsp;
|| fast, quick, swift
|-
|| 不快&nbsp;
|| bu4kuai4
|| &nbsp;
|| be unhappy, be displeased, be in low spirits, be indisposed, feel under the weather, be out of sorts
|-
|| 游泳&nbsp;
|| you2yong3
|| &nbsp;
|| swim
|-
|| 游&nbsp;
|| you2
|| &nbsp;
|| to walk, to tour, to roam, to swim, to travel
|-
|| 吧&nbsp;
|| ba1 / ba5
|| &nbsp;
|| (onomat.), dumb / (modal particle indicating polite suggestion), ...right?, ...OK?
|-
|| 好吃&nbsp;
|| hao3chi1
|| &nbsp;
|| tasty, delicious
|-
|| 不好&nbsp;
|| bu4hao3
|| &nbsp;
|| no good
|-
|| 面&nbsp;
|| mian4
|| &nbsp;
|| fade, side, surface, aspect, top, face, flour, noodles
|-
|| 包&nbsp;
|| bao1
|| &nbsp;
|| to cover, to wrap, to hold, to include, to take charge of, package, wrapper, container, bag, to hold or embrace, bundle, packet, to contract (to or for)
|-
|| 火腿&nbsp;
|| huo3tui3
|| &nbsp;
|| ham
|-
|| 停車&nbsp;
|| ting2che1
|| &nbsp;
|| to stop, to park
|-
|| 不知&nbsp;
|| bu4zhi1
|| &nbsp;
|| unknowing(ly)
|-
|| 道&nbsp;
|| dao4
|| &nbsp;
|| direction, way, method, road, path, principle, truth, reason, skill, method, Tao (of Taoism), a measure word, to say, to speak, to talk
|-
|| 才&nbsp;
|| cai2
|| &nbsp;
|| ability, talent, endowment, gift, an expert, only (then), only if, just
|-
|| 開始&nbsp;
|| kai1shi3
|| &nbsp;
|| begin, beginning, start, initial
|-
|| 三天&nbsp;
|| san1tian1
|| &nbsp;
|| three days
|-
|| 再&nbsp;
|| zai4
|| &nbsp;
|| again, once more, re-, second, another
|-
|| 橘子&nbsp;
|| ju2zi5
|| &nbsp;
|| orange
|-
|| 不用&nbsp;
|| bu4yong4
|| &nbsp;
|| need not
|-
|| 能&nbsp;
|| neng2
|| &nbsp;
|| can, may, capable, energy, able
|-
|| 報紙&nbsp;
|| bao4zhi3
|| &nbsp;
|| newspaper, newsprint
|-
|| 可以&nbsp;
|| ke3yi3
|| &nbsp;
|| can, may, possible, able to
|-
|| � / &nbsp;
|| hui4 / kuai4
|| &nbsp;
|| can, be possible, be able to, to assemble, to meet, to gather, to see, union, group, association / to balance an account, accounting
|-
|| 不能&nbsp;
|| bu4neng2
|| &nbsp;
|| cannot, must not, should not
|-
|| 不可&nbsp;
|| bu4ke3
|| &nbsp;
|| cannot, should not, must not
|-
|| 以&nbsp;
|| yi3
|| &nbsp;
|| to use, according to, so as to, in order to, by, with, because
|-
|| 不� / &nbsp;
|| bu4hui4
|| &nbsp;
|| improbable, unlikely, will not (act, happen, etc, ), have not learned to, be unable to
|-
|| 下雨&nbsp;
|| xia4yu3
|| &nbsp;
|| rainy
|-
|| 應該&nbsp;
|| ying1gai1
|| &nbsp;
|| ought to, should, must
|-
|| 翻譯&nbsp;
|| fan1yi4
|| &nbsp;
|| translate
|-
|| � / 不� / &nbsp;
|| hui4bu4hui4
|| &nbsp;
|| (posing a question: whether someone, something) can or not, is able to or not
|-
|| 中國民&nbsp;
|| zhong1guo2min2hang2
|| &nbsp;
|| General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC)
|-
|| 歌&nbsp;
|| ge1
|| &nbsp;
|| song
|-
|| 北京人&nbsp;
|| bei3jing1ren2
|| &nbsp;
|| person from Beijing, Peking Man (Sinanthropus pekinesis)
|-
|| 就&nbsp;
|| jiu4
|| &nbsp;
|| at once, then, right away, only, (emphasis), to approach, to move towards, to undertake
|-
|| 可是&nbsp;
|| ke3shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| but, however
|-
|| 老&nbsp;
|| lao3
|| &nbsp;
|| (a prefix used before the surname of a person or a numeral indicating the order of birth of the children in a family to indicate affection or familiarity), old (of people)
|-
|| 十年&nbsp;
|| shi2nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| ten years
|-
|| 上個星期&nbsp;
|| shang4ge4xing1qi1
|| &nbsp;
|| last week
|-
|| 出發&nbsp;
|| chu1fa1
|| &nbsp;
|| to start out, to set off
|-
|| 才能&nbsp;
|| cai2neng2
|| &nbsp;
|| talent, ability, capacity
|-
|| 或者&nbsp;
|| huo4zhe3
|| &nbsp;
|| or, possibly, maybe, perhaps
|-
|| 研究&nbsp;
|| yan2jiu1
|| &nbsp;
|| research
|-
|| 文學&nbsp;
|| wen2xue2
|| &nbsp;
|| literature
|-
|| 知道&nbsp;
|| zhi1dao5
|| &nbsp;
|| know, be aware of
|-
|| 地方&nbsp;
|| di4fang5
|| &nbsp;
|| area, place, local
|-
|| 一時&nbsp;
|| yi4shi2
|| &nbsp;
|| temporary, momentary
|-
|| 不定&nbsp;
|| bu4ding4
|| &nbsp;
|| indefinite, adventitious, indeterminate
|-
|| 主意&nbsp;
|| zhu3yi5
|| &nbsp;
|| plan, idea, decision
|-
|| 一定要&nbsp;
|| yi1ding4yao4
|| &nbsp;
|| must
|-
|| 決定&nbsp;
|| jue2ding4
|| &nbsp;
|| to decide (to do something), to determine, to resolve
|-
|| 其他&nbsp;
|| qi2ta1
|| &nbsp;
|| other, else
|-
|| 選擇&nbsp;
|| xuan3ze2
|| &nbsp;
|| to select, to pick, to choose, to make a choice
|-
|| 了解&nbsp;
|| liao3jie3
|| &nbsp;
|| understand, come to understand, find out
|-
|| 懂&nbsp;
|| dong3
|| &nbsp;
|| to understand, to know
|-
|| 哦&nbsp;
|| e2 / o2
|| &nbsp;
|| to chant / oh is that so
|-
|| 說&nbsp;
|| shui4 / shuo1
|| &nbsp;
|| persuade (politically) / to speak, to say
|-
|| 甚麼&nbsp;
|| shen2me5
|| &nbsp;
|| what
|-
|| 名字&nbsp;
|| ming2zi5
|| &nbsp;
|| (a persons) name
|-
|| 談&nbsp;
|| tan2
|| &nbsp;
|| to speak, to talk, to converse, to chat, to discuss, (surname)
|-
|| 進&nbsp;
|| jin4
|| &nbsp;
|| advance, enter, to come in
|-
|| 城&nbsp;
|| cheng2
|| &nbsp;
|| city walls, city, town
|-
|| 試&nbsp;
|| shi4
|| &nbsp;
|| to test, to try, experiment, examination, test
|-
|| 又&nbsp;
|| you4
|| &nbsp;
|| (once) again, also, both... and..., again
|-
|| 晚&nbsp;
|| wan3
|| &nbsp;
|| evening, night, late
|-
|| 進來&nbsp;
|| jin4lai2
|| &nbsp;
|| (v) come in
|-
|| 一點兒&nbsp;
|| yi1dianr3
|| &nbsp;
|| a bit, a little
|-
|| 新年&nbsp;
|| xin1nian2
|| &nbsp;
|| New Year
|-
|| 足球&nbsp;
|| zu2qiu2
|| &nbsp;
|| football (British English), soccer (American English)
|-
|| 賽&nbsp;
|| sai4
|| &nbsp;
|| to compete, competition, match
|-
|| 出去&nbsp;
|| chu1qu4
|| &nbsp;
|| (v) go out
|-
|| 辦&nbsp;
|| ban4
|| &nbsp;
|| to do, to manage, to handle, to go about, to run, to set up, to deal with
|-
|| 簽&nbsp;
|| qian1
|| &nbsp;
|| sign ones name
|-
|| 証&nbsp;
|| zheng4
|| &nbsp;
|| (translation unavailable)
|-
|| 早飯&nbsp;
|| zao3fan4
|| &nbsp;
|| breakfast
|-
|| 早上&nbsp;
|| zao3shang5
|| &nbsp;
|| early morning
|-
|| 沒吃&nbsp;
|| mei2chi1mei2chuan1
|| &nbsp;
|| (idiom) to be without food and clothing; be very poor
|-
|| 隊&nbsp;
|| dui4
|| &nbsp;
|| squadron, team, group
|-
|| 贏&nbsp;
|| ying2
|| &nbsp;
|| to beat, to win, to profit
|-
|}