Directional Complements ======================= 1. [Simple directional complement](../Text/Section0510.xhtml) 1. [What is the simple directional complement?](../Text/Section0511.xhtml) 2. [Verbs of motion that take a simple directional complement](../Text/Section0512.xhtml) 3. [Verbs that indicate the transporting of objects or people](../Text/Section0513.xhtml) 4. [The placement of the simple directional complement, the object and le 了](../Text/Section0514.xhtml) 2. [Compound directional complement](../Text/Section0520.xhtml) 1. [What is the compound directional complement?](../Text/Section0521.xhtml) 2. [The placement of the object and modal particle le 了in the sentence](../Text/Section0522.xhtml) 3. [Extended meaning of some directional complements](../Text/Section0530.xhtml) 1. [–qǐlai起来](../Text/Section0531.xhtml) 2. [–xiàqu下去](../Text/Section0532.xhtml) 3. [–chūlai出来](../Text/Section0533.xhtml) 4. [–shànglai上来](../Text/Section0534.xhtml) 5. [–shàng上](../Text/Section0535.xhtml) 6. [–xià下](../Text/Section0536.xhtml) Simple Directional Complements ============================== 1. [What is the simple directional complement?](../Text/Section0511.xhtml) 2. [Verbs of motion that take a simple directional complement](../Text/Section0512.xhtml) 3. [Verbs that indicate the transporting of objects or people](../Text/Section0513.xhtml) 4. [The placement of the simple directional complement, the object and le 了](../Text/Section0514.xhtml)
I. Simple Directional Complement
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A. What is the simple directional complement?
The verb lái 来 (come) or qù 去 (go) used after another verb as a complement to show the direction of an action is called the simple directional complement.
B. Verbs of motion taking a simple directional complement
Verbs of motion such as shàng 上, xià 下, jìn 进, chū 出, huí 回, guò 过, and qǐ 起 frequently take lái 来 and qù 去 as complements. Table 1 below shows lái 来 and qù 去 suffixed to verbs of motion to show whether the movement is toward the speaker or away from the speaker. In English, the direction of an action is usually indicated by the verbs 'come ' and 'go ', which are represented respectively by the verbs 'lái 来 ' and ‘qù 去 ' in Chinese. Note that as complements lái and qù have neutral tone when they are attached to verbs except for the verb dào 到. Table 1. Simple Directional Complements ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- verbs of motion\ shàng\ xià\ jìn\ chū\ huí\ guó\ qǐ\ dào\ \ 上\ 下\ 进\ 出\ 回\ 过\ 起\ 到\ simple directional\ to ascend to descend to enter to exit to return to cross to rise to reach complements ---------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- lái\ shànglai\ xiàlai\ jìnlai\ chūlai\ huílai\ guòlai\ qǐlai\ dào ...lái\ 来\ 上来\ 下来\ 进来\ 出来\ 回来\ 过来\ 起来\ 到 ...来\ action proceeding\ come up come down come in(to) come out come back come over get up come to toward the speaker qù\ shàngqu\ xiàqu\ jìnqu\ chūqu\ huíqu\ guòqu\ N./A. dào ...qù\ 去\ 上去\ 下去\ 进去\ 出去\ 回去\ 过去\ 到 ...去\ action moving away\ go up go down go in(to) go out go back go over go to from where the speaker is ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
The examples below show how these compounds are used in sentences:
1. 1.
shànglai 上来 (to come up)
\
![image1](Images/Quxiang1d1.jpg) Note: The speaker is upstairs. The listener is downstairs.
\ \ Wǒ zài lóushàng, qǐng nǐ **shàng**lai.\ 我在楼上，请你上来。\ I 'm upstairs. Please come up. 2.
shàngqu 上去 (to go up)
\
![Quxiang1d1](Images/Quxiang1d2.jpg) Note: Both the speaker and the listener are at the foot of the hill.
\ \ Tīngshuō shān-shang fēngjǐng hěn měi. Nǐ xiǎng bù xiǎng **shàng**qukàn kan.\ 听说山上风景很美。你想不想上去看看？\ I heard that the view on the top of the mountain was beautiful. Would you like to go up to take a look? 　 2. 1.
xiàlai 下来 (to come down)
\ ![Quxiang2d1](Images/Quxiang2d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker and the listener are downstairs. The speaker tells the listener that he is going upstairs.
　\ \ Tā zài lóushàng. Wǒ qù jiào tā **xià**lai.\ 他在楼上。我去叫他下来。\ He's upstairs. I 'll go to tell him to come down. 2.
xiàqu 下去 (to go down)
\ ![Quxiang2d2](Images/Quxiang2d2.jpg)
Note: The speaker and the listener are upstairs. The speaker asks the listener to go downstairs.
　\ \ Lóuxià yǒu rén jiào mén. Nǐ **xià**qu kànkan shì shéi.\ 楼下有人叫门。你下去看看是谁。\ Someone is knocking on the door. Go down to see who it is. 　 3. 1.
jìnlai 进 来 (to come in)
\ ![Quxiang3d1](Images/Quxiang3d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker is inside the house asking the listener to come inside.
　\ \ Wàitou nàme lěng, nǐ kuài **jìn**lai ba.\ 外头那么冷，你快进来吧。\ it's so cold outside. Quickly come in. 2.
jìnqu 进去 (to go in)
\ ![Quxiang3d2](Images/Quxiang3d2.jpg)
Note: Both the speaker and the listener are outside the house.
　\ \ Tài lěng le. Wǒmen kuài **jìn**qu ba.\ 太冷了，我们快进去吧。\ it's too cold. Let 's quickly go in.\ 　 4. 1.
chūlai 出来 (to come out)
\ ![Quxiang4d1](Images/Quxiang4d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker is outside the house. The listener is inside.
\ \ Fángzi-li tài rè le. Nǐ kuài **chū**lai ba.\ 房子里太热了，你快出来吧。\ it's too hot in the house. Quickly come out. 　 2.
chūqu 出去 (to go out)
\ ![Quxiang4d2](Images/Quxiang4d2.jpg)
Note: The speaker and the listener are inside the house.
\ Tiānqi zhēn hǎo! Wǒmen **chū**qu zǒu zou ba.\ 天气真好！我们出去走走吧。\ The weather is really nice! Let 's go out and take a walk. 　 5. 1.
huílai 回来 (to come back)
\ ![Quxiang5d1](Images/Quxiang5d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker and the listener are at the same place. The speaker is going to take a short trip. He tells the listener he 'll be back in the evening the next day.
\ \ Wǒ míngtiān wǎnshang h**uí**lai.\ 我明天晚上回来。\ I 'm coming back tomorrow. 2.
huíqu 回去 (to go back)
\ ![Quxiang5d2](Images/Quxiang5d2.jpg)
Note: The speaker and the listener are in Shanghai. The speaker tells the listener that he is returning to Beijing the next day.
\ Wǒ míngtiān **huí**qu.\ 我明天回去。\ I 'm going back tomorrow. 　 6. 1.
guòlai 过来 (to come over)
\ ![Quxiang6d1](Images/Quxiang6d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker asks the listener to come over to where he is.
\ \ **Guò**lai shì shi zhèi jiàn máoyī.\ 过来试试这件毛衣。\ Come over here and try this sweater on. 2.
guòqu 过去 (to go over)
\ ![Quxiang6d2](Images/Quxiang6d2.jpg)
Note: The speaker and the listener are not at the lake.
\ \ Tīngshuō nèibiān yǒu yí gè xiǎo hú. Wǒmen **guò**qu kànkan.\ 听说那边有一个小湖，我们过去看看。\ I heard there's a small lake over there. Let 's go over there to take a look. 7. 　 1.
qǐlai 起来 (to rise, to get up)
\ ![Quxiang7d1](Images/Quxiang7d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker asks the listener to get out of bed.
\ \ Yǐjīng bā diǎn le. Kuài **qǐ**lai ba.\ 已经八点了。快起来吧。\ it's already eight o 'clock. Get up quickly. 　 8. 1.
dào + place + lái 到 ...... 来 (to come to)
\ ![Quxiang8d1](Images/Quxiang8d1.jpg)
Note: The speaker is in Beijing. 　
\ \ Huānyíng nǐ **dào** Běijīng lái.\ 欢迎你到北京来。\ Welcome (you) to Beijing. 2.
dào + place + qù 到 ...... 去 (to go to)
\ ![Quxiang8d2](Images/Quxiang8d2.jpg)
Note: The speaker is not in France.
\ \ Wǒ hěn xiǎng **dào** Fǎguó qù.\ 我很想到法国去。\ I very much want to go to France. 　
C. Verbs indicating the transporting of objects or people.
Besides verbs of motion, verbs indicating moving objects from one place to another also take directional complements, such as ná 拿 (to take), dài 带 (take...along; bring; bear) and jì 寄 (to send by mail). The directional complement lái 来 and qù 去 keep their original tone. 1.
ná +lái 拿来 (to take to/to bring over to where the speaker is)
\ \ Jīntiān Lǎo Lǐ gěi wǒ **ná**lái–le yì píng Fǎguó jiǔ.\ 今天老李给我拿来了一瓶法国酒。\ Today Old Li brought me a bottle of French wine. Note: The speaker is now at the place where Old Li came with the wine. 2.
dài + qù 带去\
\ \ Zhèi bāo chá qǐng nǐ gěi Xiǎo Zhāng **dài**qù.\ 这包茶请你给小张带去。\ Please take this package of tea to Young Zhang. Note: The speaker and the listener are at Place A. The listener is going to Place B. The speaker wants the listener to take the tea to Young Zhang who is at Place B. 3.
sòng + lái 送来\
\ \ Jīntiān shàngwǔ Lǐ Xiānsheng gěi wǒmen **sòng**lái–le liǎng qiān kuài qián.\ 今天上午李先生给我们送来了两千块钱。\ This morning Mr. Li came here and gave us \$2,000 dollars. Note: The speaker is at the place where Mr. Li came to give the money. 4.
jì + qù 寄去\
\ \ Shàng gè yuè wǒ gěi tā **jì**qù–le liǎng bǎi kuài qián.\
上个月我给他寄去了两百块钱。
Last month I sent him \$200 dollars. Note: The speaker is at Place A while the receiver is at Place B. 5.
bān + lái 搬来\
\ \ Sān lóu **bān**lái–le yì jiā Fǎguó rén.\ 三楼搬来了一家法国人。\ A French family has moved in on the third floor. Note: The speaker is in the building where the French family has moved in.
D. The placement of the simple directional complement, the object and le 了.
    1\. If the verb does not take an object and the action has already been executed, the modal particle le 了 indicating accomplished fact is used at the end of the sentence.
    \ 1. \ Tā yǐjīng **huí**qu le.\ 他已经回去了。\ He has already gone back. 2. \ Xiǎo Wáng **jìn**lai le ma?\ 小王进来了吗？\ Has Young Wang come in yet? 3. \ Háizi-men dōu **qǐ**lai le.\ 孩子们都起来了。\ The children have all gotten up/out of bed. \
    2\. If the object refers to a place, it is usually placed between the verb and the simple directional complement. In such a sentence, if the action has already taken place, the modal particle le 了 is used to indicate that it is an accomplished fact. Le 了 is placed at the end of the sentence.
    \
    verb + place + simple directional complement + (le)
    \ 1. \ Tā huí lǎojiā qu le.\ 他回老家去了。\ He has returned to his hometown. 2. \ Xiǎo Wáng bú zài jiā. Tā **jìn**chéng qu le.\ 小王不在家。他进城去了。\ Young Wang is not home. He is gone to the city. 3. \ Qǐng nǐ **dào **lóushàng lái.\ 请你到楼上来。\ Please come upstairs. \
    3\. If the object is not a place, it is usually placed after the complement. When the aspect particle –le 了 occurs in this kind of sentence, it is usually placed immediately after the complement.
    \
    verb + simple directional complement + (-le 了) + (numerical measure word or other qualifier) + object
    \ 1. \ Tā **ná** lái-le liǎng zhāng diànyǐng piào.\ 他拿来了两张电影票。\ He came and gave us two movie tickets. 2. \ Qǐng gěi tā **dài** qù jǐ běn xiǎoshuō.\ 请给他带去几本小说。\ Please bring a few novels over to him.
Compound Directional Complements ================================ 1. [What is the compound directional complement?](../Text/Section0521.xhtml) 2. [The placement of the object and modal particle le 了in the sentence](../Text/Section0522.xhtml)
II\. Compound directional complements
A.
A. What is the compound directional complement?
When the combination of a verb of motion and lái 来 or qù 去 (see Table 2.) is suffixed to a verb to show the direction of the movement, it is called the compound directional complement. Compound directional complements are used in the same way as simple directional complements.
Table 2. Compound Directional Complements
Verb + Compound directional complements
Verbs that indicate moving or transporting objects, such as bān 搬 (to move), ná 拿 (to take or bring), or sòng 送 (to deliver, carry or escort), and body movements, such as zǒu 走 (to walk) or pǎo 跑 (to run) frequently take compound directional complements. shànglai\ 上来\ come up xiàlai\ 下来\ come down jìnlai\ 进来\ come in(to) chūlai\ 出来\ come out huílai\ 回来\ come back guòlai\ 过来\ come over qǐlai\ 起来\ get up dào ... lái\ 到 ... 来\ come to
shàngqu\ 上去\ go up xiàqu\ 下去\ go down jìnqu\ 进去\ go in(to) chūqu\ 出去\ go out huíqu\ 回去\ go back guòqu\ 过去\ go over N./A. dào ... qù\ 到 ... 去\ go to
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The examples below show how verbs take compound directional complements:
\ 1. \ Wǒ jiā mǎi-le yì suǒ xīn fángzi, kěshì wǒmen hái méiyǒu **bān**jìnqu.\ 我家买了一所新房子，可是我们还没有搬进去。\ My family bought a new house, but we have not moved in yet. 2. \ Tā **ná **chūlai yì běn shū.\ 他拿出来一本书。\ He took out a book. 3. \ Qǐng nǐ **zǒu **guòqu kàn kàn nà shì shénme dōngxi.\ 请你走过去看看那是什么东西。\ Please go over there to see what it is. 4. \ Tā **pǎo **guòlai bāng wǒ ná xíngli.\ 他跑过来帮我拿行李。\ He ran over to me to help me carry the luggage. 5. \ Zuótiān Xiǎo Lǐ **mǎi **huílai yì tái diànshì.\ 昨天小李买回来一台电视。\ Yesterday Young Li bought a TV set and brought it back with him.
B. The placement of the object and modal particle le 了 in the sentence
1.
If the verb takes an object which refers to a place, the object is inserted into the compound complement. In such a sentence, if the action has already taken place, the modal particle le 了 is used to indicate that it is an accomplished fact. le 了 is placed at the end of the sentence.
\ \ 1. \ Lǐ jiā **bān **huí  Běijīng qu le.\ 李家搬回北京去了。\ The Li family has moved back to Beijing. 2. \ Liǎng diǎnzhōng yí dào, xuéshēng-men jiù dōu **pǎo** jìn jiàoshì lái le.\ 两点钟一到，学生们就都跑进教室来了。\ As soon as it strikes two o 'clock, the students all ran into the classroom. 2.
If the object refers to something other than a place and it isa generic or indefinite object, it is usually placed after the compound directional complement. The aspect particle –le 了 and the modal particle le 了 are not commonly used in this kind of sentences.
\ \ 1. \ Tā **ná**chūlaièrshí kuài qián.\ 他拿出来二十块钱。\ He took out **\$20** dollars. 2. \ Tāmen **bān**jìnquyí gè dà xiāngzi.\ 他们搬进去一个大箱子。\ They moved **a** big crate inside. 3.
If the object refers to something other than a place and the object has been previously mentioned or is something both the speaker and the listener know, thebǎ把**construction** is most commonly used to displace the object to the pre-verbal position and comment on what has happened to the object. If the action is an accomplished fact, the modal particle le 了 should be used and placed at the end of the sentence.
\ \ 1. \ Tā **bǎ**nèièrshí kuài qián**ná**chūlaile.\ 他把那二十块钱拿出来了。\ He took out **the** \$20 dollars. 2. \ Tāmen **bǎ**nèi gèdà xiāngzi**bān**jìnqule.\ 他们把那个大箱子搬进去了。\ They moved **the** big crate inside. Extended meaning of some directional complements ================================================ 1. [–qǐlai起来](../Text/Section0531.xhtml) 2. [–xiàqu下去](../Text/Section0532.xhtml) 3. [–chūlai出来](../Text/Section0533.xhtml) 4. [–shànglai上来](../Text/Section0534.xhtml) 5. [–shàng上](../Text/Section0535.xhtml) 6. [–xià下](../Text/Section0536.xhtml)
III\. Extended meaning of some directional complements
Directional complements often work with verbs indicating physical movement. Typically, they are related to moving objects from one place to another or they indicate to what place the subject is moving or has moved. This is why these verbs often indicate moving something by hand or the subject 's own movement to a new place, such as bān 搬 (to move), ná 拿 (to take), fàng 放 (to put), dài 带 (to bring), tái 抬 (to lift), tuī 推 (to push), lā 拉 (to pull), zǒu 走 (to walk), pǎo 跑 (to run), and so on. When accompanied by directional complements, these verbs show the direction of the movement. However, many directional complements are stretched in meaning to make idiomatic expressions, so much so that when used with certain verbs they no longer indicate direction as in their original sense. For example, the complement chūlai 出来 (out), when used with the verb ná 拿 (to take) to form the combo 'náchūlai 拿出来 (to take out) ', indicates the direction of the movement; but when used with the verb kàn 看 (to look) to form the combo ‘kànchūlai 看出来 (to detect by looking) ', it no longer indicates direction . The way the complement ‘chūlai 出来 (out) ' is stretched to 'detect ' is perhaps based on the rationale that detection is the act of picking out something hidden. The following are examples of some directional complements used in their extended meanings. A.
–qilai 起来
\ \ 1.
indicating the beginning and continuation of an action or a state.
\ 1. \ Tiānqi **rè**qǐlaile.\ 天气热起来了。\ The weather is getting hotter. 2. \ Xiànzài xué Zhōngwén de xuésheng **duō**qǐlaile.\ 现在学中文的学生多起来了。\ (Now students who study Chinese are becoming more numerous.) 2.
indicating the result of recollection.
\ 1. \ Wǒ **xiǎng**qǐlaile, tā jiào Wáng Dàshān, duì bú duì? \ 我想起来了，他叫王大山，对不对？\ Now I remember. His name is Dashan Wang, right? 3.
indicating concentration from a scattered state.
\ 1. \ Zhuōzishang de shū dōu **shōu**qǐlaile ma?\ 桌子上的书都收起来了吗？\ Have the books on the desk been put away yet? 2. \ Rén zhǐyǒu **tuánjié**qǐlai, **zǔzhī**qǐlai, cái kěyi zuò dàshì. \ 人只有团结起来，组织起来，才可以做大事。\ Only when people are united and organized, can they do greater things.
B. –xiaqu 下去, indicating continuation of an action in the future.
1. \ Ràng tā **shuō**xiàqu. \ 让他说下去。\ Let him go on (talking). 2. \ Yàoshì zhèyàng **liàn**xiàqu, nǐ huì xué de hěn hǎo. \ 要是这样练下去，你会学得很好。\ If you keep practicing like this, you will study well.
C. –chulai 出来
1.
indicating identification, realization or detection of something through the action.
\ 1. \ Zhèlǐ yǒu yí ge cuò zì, nǐ **kàn**chūlaile ma?\ 这里有一个错字，你看出来了吗？\ There is a wrong character. Can you see it (tell which one it is)? 2. \ Tā-de Hànyǔ zhēn hǎo! Zuótiān tā gěi wǒ dǎ diànhuà de shíhòu, wǒ wánquán méi **tīng**chūlaitā shì gè wàiguó rén! \ 他的汉语真好！昨天他给我打电话的时候，我完全没听出来他是个外国人！\ His Chinese is really good! When he called me yesterday, I couldn't tell (from listening) that he was a foreigner at all. 3. \ Wǒmen yǐjīng èrshí nián méi jiàn le. Bù zhīdào tā hái néng bù néng **rèn**chūwǒlai.\ 我们已经二十年没见了。不知道他还能不能认出我来。\ We haven't seen each other for 20 years. I don't know if he could still recognize me. 2.
indicating having the knowledge to do something.
\ 1. \ Lǎoshī wèn wǒ dè wèntí wǒ dōu méi **huídá**chūlai.\ 老师问我的问题我都没回答出来。\ I failed to answer any of the teacher 's questions.
D. –shànglai 上来, indicating having the knowledge to do something.
\ 1. \ Lǎoshī wèn wǒ dè wèntí wǒ dōu méi **huídá**shànglai. \ 老师问我的问题我都没回答上来。\ I failed to answer any of the teacher 's questions. Note: 4.2.1 and 3.2.1 are the same in meaning. They are **interchangeable**.
E. –shang 上
1.
indicating attachment.
\ 1. \ Xiàyǔ le. Kuài **guān**shangchuānghu. \ 下雨了，快关上窗户！\ it's raining. Quickly close the windows! 2. \ Tiānqi zhème lěng, kuài **chuān**shangmáoyī. \ 天气这么冷，快穿上毛衣。\ The weather is so cold. Quickly put on a sweater. 2.
indicating attaining purpose through hardship.
\ 1. \ Tā nǔlì gōngzuò-le liǎng nián, zhōngyú **mǎ**ishang-le yí liàng xīn chē.\ 他努力工作了两年，终于买上了一辆新车。\ He worked hard for two years and at last bought a new car. 2. \ Zhèixiē qióng háizi zhōngyú **chī**shang-le fàn, **chuān**shang-le xīn yīfu. \ 这些穷孩子终于吃上了饭、穿上了新衣服。\ These impoverished children finally have got food to eat and new clothes to wear. 3.
indicating passing an entrance exam to a school.
\ 1. \ Wǒ dìdi **kǎo**shangdàxué le.\ 我弟弟考上大学了。\ My younger brother passed the entrance exam to college.
F.–xia下, indicating having space to accommodate someone or something.
1. \ Zhèi ge jiàoshì néng **zuò**xiaèrshí ge rén ma? \ 这个教室能坐下二十个人吗？ \ Can this classroom seat twenty people? 2. \ Wǒ jiā néng **zhù**xiashí ge rén.\ 我家能住下十个人。\ My house can accomodate ten people. The Complement Of Degree ======================== 1. [What is the complement of degree?](../Text/Section0610.xhtml) 2. [The structure of the complement of degree](../Text/Section0620.xhtml) 3. [The negative forms](../Text/Section0630.xhtml) 4. [The question forms](../Text/Section0640.xhtml) 5. [When to use the complement of degree?](../Text/Section0650.xhtml) 6. [Complement of degree vs. potential complement](../Text/Section0660.xhtml)
I. What is the complement of degree?
“A complement refers to a grammatical unit, generally made up of a verbal or an adjectival expression, that appears after the main verb in a sentence and enhances its meaning (Hung-nin Samuel. Cheung 1994: 177).” There are many different complements such as the complement of degree, the complement of result, the directional complement, the potential complement and so on. This chapter focuses on the complement of degree. Generally speaking, the complement of degree is a grammatical unit that describes the main verb of the sentence. Specifically, the complement of degree is an assessment of an action or a description of the consequential state of an action. It may also be a description of the degree of a state. A.
Assessment of an action
\
\ Tā **shuō** de hěn qīngchǔ.\ 他说得很清楚。\ He speaks very clearly.
B.
Description of the consequential state of an action
\
\ Tā **shuō** de wǒ gèng hútu le.\ 他说得我更糊涂了。\ He spoke only to make me even more confused.
C.
Description of the degree of a state
\
\ Tā **lèi** de dǎoxià le.\ 他累得倒下了。 \ He was so tired that he fell.
II\. The Structures of the Complement of Degree
The complement of degree is headed by a structural particle, de 得. De 得 and the complement are placed right after the main verb. The complement can be a stative verb modified by hěn 很 or other adverbs; it can also be a verbal expression, idiomatic expression or clause. The structure of a sentence with a complement of degree depends on the main verb and whether the verb takes an object or not. A.
When the main verb is an action verb or VV-compound (verb + verb compound, such as gōngzuò 工作, xiūxi 休息, and xuéxí 学习) and it does not take an object, the verb and its complement follow the structure below.
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verb + de 得 + complement (hěn 很/ adverb + stative verb, or verbal / idiomatic expression, or clause)
\ 1.
action verb + de + hěn 很 + stative verb
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\ Tā shuō de hěn hǎo.\ 他说得很好。\ He speaks well.
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Note that hěn 很 should be used unless a comparison is to be made. An adverb modifying the stative verb can replace hěn 很 to further emphasize the stative verb.
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action verb + de 得 + adverb + stative verb
\ 1. \ Tā shuō de fēicháng hǎo.\ 他说得非常好。\ He speaks very well. 2. \ Tā shuō de tèbié hǎo.\ 他说得特别好。\ He speaks unusually well. 2.
VV-verb +de得+hěn很+ stative verb
\ \ Tā **gōngzuò** de hěn hǎo\ 他工作得很好。\ He works well. 3.
action verb + de 得 + adverb + stative verb
\ \ Tā **chī** de tài duōle, suǒyǐ hěn pàng.\ 他吃得太多了，所以很胖。\ He eats too much, so he's fat. 4. action verb + de 得 + stative verb + reduplicated stative verb +de 的\ \ 1. \ Tā **zhǎng** de gāo gāo de.\ 他长得高高的。\ He has grown very tall. 2. \ Jīntiān tā **dǎbàn** de piàopiàoliàngliàng de.\ 今天她打扮得漂漂亮亮的。\ Today she is very beautifully dressed.\ \
Note that the stative verb in A 4.2 has two syllables, ‘piào 漂 ' and ‘liàng 亮 '. If P stands for the first syllable and L stands for the second one, the way to double the word is 'PPLL ', not 'PLPL '.
5. action verb + de 得+ verbal expression\ \ \ Tā **pǎo** de chuǎnbúshàng qì lái.\ 他跑得喘不上气来。\ He was out of breath from running. 6.
action verb + de 得+ idiomatic expression
\ \ \ Tā **xiào** de qiányǎnghòuhé.\ 他笑得前仰后合。\ He rocks back and forth with laughter. 7.
action verb + de 得 + clause
\ \ Tā **shuō** de wǒ gèng hútu le.\ 他说得我更糊涂了。\ He spoke to such an extent that he made me even more confused. B.
When the main verb is an action verb and it TAKES an object or when the verb is a VO-compound (verb + object compound, such as zǒulù 走路 and shuìjiào 睡觉), the verb must be reduplicated before taking de 得 and the complement. Let 's call the first verb 'verb 1.1 ' and the reduplicated verb, 'verb 1.2 '. The complement can be hěn 很 / adverb + stative verb, a verbal or idiomatic expression, or a clause.
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Verb 1.1 + object + Verb 1.2 + de 得 + complement
\ 1.
verb 1.1 + object + verb 1.2 + de 得 + hěn 很 + stative verb
\ \ Tā shuō Zhōngwén shuō de hěn hǎo\ 他说中文说得很好。\ He speaks Chinese well.\ \
Note that the verb and object before the reduplicated verb simply name the action. They point out what is to be commented on. The verb does not function as the main verb. The 'verb 1.1 + object expression ' can be understood as 'as far as speaking Chinese is concerned ' or 'as for speaking Chinese '. The reduplicated verb functions as the main verb. That is why the complement of degree is placed after it.
2.
VO-compound + verb 1.2 + de 得 + hěn 很 + stative verb
\ \ Tāzǒulùzǒudehěn kuài.\ 他走路走得很快。\ He walks fast. 3. VO-compound + verb 1.2 + de 得 + verbal expression\ \ \ Tāpǎobùpǎodechuǎnbúshàng qì lái.\ 他跑步跑得喘不上气来。\ He was out of breath from running. 4. verb 1.1 + object + verb 1.2 + de 得 + idiomatic expression\ \ \ Tāhējiǔhēdeyūntóu-zhuànxiàng.\ 他喝酒喝得晕头转向。\ He is dizzy and disoriented from drinking. 5. action verb + de 得 + clause\ \ \ Tāchuīiúchuīdeshéi dōu bù xǐhuan tā.\ 他吹牛吹得谁都不喜欢他。\ He boasts about himself to such an extent that no one likes him. C.
When the main verb is a stative verb, the complement can be a stative verb indicating degree such as lìhài 厉害 and duō 多, a verbal or idiomatic expression such as bù déliǎo 不得了 or a clause. Note that expressions such as de hěn 得很, de huang 得慌, bù déliǎo 不得了, and de duō 得多 have become idiomatic expressions. They are also called intensifiers by some scholars. So here we do not regard them as de 得 +adverb or de 得 +verbal expression. They will be regarded as idiomatic expressions. This is because they share the same properties as idiomatic expressions when they are negated. When the main verb is a stative verb, the stative verb and its complement follow the structure below.
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stative verb + de 得 + complement
\ 1. stative verb + de 得 + stative verb\ \ \ Jīntiān wǒ **kùn**delìhài.\ 今天我困得厉害。\ I am terrible sleepy today. 2. stative verb + de 得 + stative verb duō 多 used for comparison\ \ \ Běijīng bǐ Shànghǎi **lěng**deduō.\ 北京比上海冷得多。\ Beijing is much colder than Shanghai. 3. stative verb + de 得 + verbal expression\ \ \ Tā **è**dehūnguòqule.\ 他饿得昏过去了。\ He was so hungry that he fainted. 4. stative verb + de 得 + idiomatic expression\ \ 1. \ Tāmen **máng**debùkě kāijiāo.\ 他们忙得不可开交。\ They are extremely busy. 2. \ Yàoshì nǐ **è**dehuangjiù chī diǎnr dōngxi.\ 要是你饿得慌就吃点儿东西。\ If you are very hungry, snack on something. 5. stative verb + de 得 + clause\ \ \ Tiānqi **lěng**deshéi dōu bù xiǎng chūqū.\ 天气冷得谁都不想出去。\ It is so cold that no one wants to go out.
III\. The negative forms
A.
If the complement is a stative verb, replace hěn 很 with bù 不 or bù 不 and other elements modifying the stative verb, such as bú tài 不太, bù zěnme 不怎么, etc. If the complement takes the form of 'stative verb + reduplicated stative verb + de 的 ', the negative form uses bù 不, the stative verb is not reduplicated and de 的 is eliminated.
\ 1. \ Tā shuō de bù hǎo.\ 他说得不好。\ He does not speak well. 2. \ Tā shuō Zhōngwén shuō de bú tài hǎo.\ 他说中文说得不太好。\ He does not speak Chinese so well. 3. \ Tā zhǎng de bù gāo.\ 他长得不高。\ He has not grown very tall. 4. \ Jīntiān tā dǎbàn de bú piàoliàng.\ 今天她打扮得不漂亮。\ Today she is not dressed beautifully. \ B.
If the complement is a verbal or idiomatic expression, place méi 没 or méi yǒu 没有 before the main verb and eliminate the sentence-end le 了, if there is one.
\ 1. \ Tā méi è de hūnguòqu.\ 他没饿得昏过去。\ He was not so hungry as to faint. 2. \ Tā méi yǒu pǎo de chuǎnbúshàng qì lái.\ 他没有跑得喘不上气来。\ He did not run to the extent that he was out of breath. 3. \ Tāmen méi máng de bùkě kāijiāo.\ 他们没忙得不可开交。\ They are not extremely busy. 4. \ Wǒ méi è de bù dé liǎo, wǒ zhǐ shì yǒu yì diǎnr è. \ 我没饿得不得了，我只是有一点儿饿。\ I am not terribly hungry. I am just a little hungry.\ \
Because the hěn 很 and the huāng 慌 in the idiomatic expressions de hěn 得很 and de huang 得慌 are adverbs, the negative form for these two expressions uses bú 不 or bú tài 不太 before the main verb while de hěn 得很, de huang 得慌 and de duō 得多 are eliminated. Compare the positive and negative of de hěn 得很 and de huang 得慌.
5. 1.
Positive
\ Tiānqi lěng de hěn.\ 天气冷得很。\ it's terribly cold. 2.
Negative
\ Tiānqi bù lěng.\ 天气不冷。\ it's not cold. 6. 1.
Positive
\ Wǒ è de huāng, gěi wǒ diǎnr dōngxi chī.\ 我饿得慌，给我点儿东西吃。\ I 'm very hungry, give me something to eat. 2.
Negative
\ Wǒ bú tài è, nǐ zìjǐ chī ba.\ 我不太饿，你自己吃吧。\ I 'm not so hungry, YOU eat it. C.
If the complement is a clause, place méi 没 or méiyǒu 没有 before the main verb and eliminate the sentence-end le 了, if there is one.
\ 1. \ Tā méi shuō de wǒ gèng hútu.\ 他没说得我更糊涂。\ The way he said it did not make me even more confused. 2. \ Tiānqi méi yǒu lěng de shéi dōu bù xiǎng chūqù.\ 天气没有冷得谁都不想出去。 \ It is not so cold that no one wants to go out.
IV\. The question forms
A.
Stative verbs as complements.\ If the complement is a stative verb, it can be used in both ma-questions and choice-type questions.
\ 1.
Ma 吗 question
\ \ Tā shuō de hǎo ma?\ 他说得好吗？\ Does he speak well? 2.
Choice-type Question
\ \ Tā shuō de hǎo bù hǎo?\ 他说得好不好？\ Does he speak well, or not? B.
Other elements as complements.\ When the complement is a stative verb in its reduplicated form, such asgāogāo de高高的 orpiàopiàoliàngliàng de 漂漂亮亮的, the stative verb must be changed back into its original form, i.e.gāo 高 or piàoliàng 漂亮, and de must be removed before it can be used in a ma-question or choice-type question. Compare the following sentences.
\ 1.
Declarative sentences
\ \ Tā zhǎng de gāo gāo de.\ 他长得高高的。\ He has grown very tall. 2.
Ma-question
\ \ Tā zhǎng de gāo ma?\ 他长得高吗？\ Has he grown very tall? 3.
Choice-type question
\ \ Tā zhǎng de gāo bù gāo?\ 他长得高不高？\ Has he grown very tall, or not? C.
Other elements as complements.\ If the complement is a verbal or idiomatic expression or a clause, it can be used in a ma-question, but not in a choice-type question. However, such expressions can use 'shìbúshì 是不是 ' to form a tag question. 'Shìbúshì 是不是 ' can also be placed after the subject to form a question. The following are a few examples.
\ 1.
verbal expression as complement
\ \ Tā pǎo de chuǎnbúshàng qì lái, shì bú shì?\ 他跑得喘不上气来，是不是？\ He was out of breath from running, right? 2.
idiomatic expression as complement
\ \ Tā shì bú shì xiào de qiányǎnghòuhé?\ 他是不是笑得前仰后合？\ Is it the case that he is rocking back and forth with laughter? 3.
clause as complement
\ \ Tiānqi lěng de shéi dōu bù xiǎng chūqù, shì bú shì?\ 天气冷得谁都不想出去，是不是？\ It is so cold that no one wants to go out, right?
V. When to use the complement of Degree
The complement of degree is used in the following context: 1.
When commenting on an action. The comment is usually an assessment or evaluation of the action with a focus on its quality, demeanor, appearance, quantity, time, frequency or duration. It reflects the speaker 's opinion ABOUT the action.
\ A.
Quality
\ 1. \ Tā shuō de hěn qīngchǔ.\ 他说得很清楚。\ He speaks very clearly. 2. \ Tā pǎo de tài màn le.\ 他跑得太慢了。\ He runs too slowly. B.
Demeanor
\ 1. \ Tā xué de bú tài yònggōng.\ 他学得不太用功。\ He does not study so hard. 2. \ Tā shuō de fēicháng bú kèqi.\ 他说得非常不客气。He sounded very impolite. C.
Appearance
\ 1. \ Wáng xiǎojiě zhǎng de yòu gāo yòu shòu.\ 王小姐长得又高又瘦。Miss Wang is (or: has grown) tall and thin. 2. \ Tā zhǎng de xiàng tā mǔqīn.\ 他长得像他母亲。\ He looks like (has grown to look like) his mother. D.
Quantity
\ 1. \ Tā chī de tài duō le, suǒyǐ hěn pàng.\ 他吃得太多了，所以很胖。\ He eats too much, so he's fat. 2. \ Tā zuò fàn zuò de bú gòu.\ 他做饭做得不够。\ He did not make enough food. E.
Time, Duration and Frequency
\ 1. \ Tā měitiān dōu lái de hěn wǎn.\ 他每天都来得很晚。\ He comes late every day. 2. \ Wǒmen děng de tài jiǔ le.\ 我们等得太久了，\ We have waited too long. 3. \ Xǐ tóu xǐ de tài qín duì tóufa bù hǎo.\ 洗头洗得太勤对头发不好。\ Washing one's hair too often is not good for one's hair. 2.
When describing what state the action has caused someone or something to be in;
\ 1. \ Tā bìng de bù néng lái shàng bān le.\ 他病得不能来上班了。\ He is so sick that he can't come to work.\ \ The purpose of saying 'he can't come to work ' is to describe how sick 'he ' is. The focus of the sentence is still on the verb 'sick '. 2. \ Tā xiě de shǒu dōu suān le.\ 他写得手都酸了。\ He wrote so much that his hand ached.\ \ The purpose of saying 'his hand ached ' is to describe how much 'he ' has written or how long he has been writing. The focus is still on the verb 'write '. 3.
When describing how serious the situation is.
\ 1. \ Tā è de hūnguòqù le.\ 他饿得昏过去了。\ He was so hungry that he fainted.\ \
'He fainted ' describes how hungry 'he ' was. The message that 'he was hungry ' is still central to the remark.
2. \ Tiānqi lěng de shéi dōu bù xiǎng chūqù.\ 天气冷得谁都不想出去。\ It is so cold that no one wants to go out.\ \
'No one wants to go out ' is a description of how cold the weather is.
VI\. Potential Complement And Degree Complement In Contrast
\
What are the features that distinguish the complement of degree from the potential complement? Look at the following pairs of complements in their positive and negative forms and ask yourself what complements they are.
A. \ zuò de hěn hǎo 做得很好 and zuò de bù hǎo 做得不好 B. \ zuò de hǎo 做得好 and zuò bù hǎo 做不好 C. \ zuò hǎo 做好 and méi (yǒu) zuò hǎo 没(有)做好
Key:
A.
Complement of Degree: assessment of the action; description of the action or state
\ \ zuò de hěn hǎo 做得 很好 zuò de bù hǎo 做得 不好\ **negative**: negation on stative verb\ **stress**: on the complement - highlighted part B.
Potential Complement: can or can't do something in certain way; can or can't attain a purpose;
\ zuò de hǎo 做得好 zuò bù hǎo 做不好\ **negative**: replace de 得 with bù 不\ **stress**: on the verb - highlighted word C.
Complement of Result: the result of an action initiated by the verb. The complement announces the result of the action.
\ zuòhǎo 做好 méi (yǒu) zuòhǎo 没(有)做好\ **negative**: negation on the verb\ \ Among these, A and C can be hard to understand. The focus in A is on assessment. The speaker expresses his/her opinion ABOUT the action. The focus in C is on announcing the result of the action. Perhaps this analogy will help you to understand the difference. Example A is like the teacher telling his student whether she did well or not; example C is like the teacher telling his student the letter grade she received. The following table shows how different complements behave in positive, negative and interrogative sentences. Highlighted words are stressed in speech. Degree Complement Potential Complement Positive ----------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------- Positive xiě de hěn hǎo  写得很好 ...write well xiědehǎo  写得好 ...can write well Negative xiě de bù hǎo  写得不好 ...write badly xiěbùhǎo  写不好 ...cannot write well Ma吗Question xiě de hǎo ma?  写得好吗？ ...write well? xiědehǎo ma?  写得好吗？ ...can write well? Choice-type Question xiě de hǎo bù hǎo?  写得好不好 ？ ...write well? xiědehǎo xiěbùhǎo?  写得好写不好 ？ ...can write well? Verb taking an object xiě Hànzì xiě de hěn hǎo 写汉字写得很好 ...write characters well xiědehǎo Hànzì  写得好汉字 ...can write characters well 　\ xiě de hěn hǎo 写得很好 ...write well xiědehǎo 写得好 ...can write well Negative xiě de bù hǎo 写得不好 ...write badly xiěbùhǎo 写不好 ...cannot write well Ma吗Question xiě de hǎo ma? 写得好吗？ ...write well? xiědehǎo ma? 写得好吗？ ...can write well? Choice-type Question xiě de hǎo bù hǎo? 写得好不好 ？ ...write well? xiědehǎo xiěbùhǎo? 写得好写不好 ？ ...can write well? Verb taking an object xiě Hànzì xiě de hěn hǎo 写汉字写得很好 ...write characters well xiědehǎo Hànzì 写得好汉字 ...can write characters well\ 　
Degree Complement or Potential Complement? Try these two sentences.
\ 1. Zhèi ge zì zhème nán, tā xiědehǎo ma? 这个字这么难，他写得好吗？ 2. 2\. Lǎoshī shuō zhèi ge zì Xiǎo Wáng xiě de hěn hǎo. 老师说这个字小王写得很好。 \
Key
\ 1. 1\. This character is so difficult, can he write it well? (potential) 2. 2\. The teacher said that Young Wang wrote this character well. (degree) \
Note that when the complement of degree is a stative verb, it is often modified by an adverb, but the potential complement can never take any adjunct before or after it.
For example: Complement of Degree Lǎoshī shuō zhèi ge zì Xiǎo Lǐ xiě de fēicháng hǎo. (The stress is on the complement.) 老师说这个字小李写得非常好。 Remember that another difference between the potential and degree complements lies in the fact that the sentence stress falls on different elements in the two sentences, affected by the two kinds of complement: Potential Complement Tā xiě de hǎo. (The stress is on the verb.) 他写得好。 He can write well. Degree Complement Tā xiě de hěn hǎo. (The stress is on the complement.) 他写得很好。 He writes well.\ \
The potential complement has a fixed form; that is, it consists only of a single adjective or verb (or verbal construction, such as qǐlái起来, xiàqù下去etc.), such as tīngbùqīngchu听不清楚---can't hear clearly, chīdewán吃得完---can finish eating\\can eat up the food, xiǎngdeqǐlái想得起来---can remember. A verb with a potential complement can take an object (e.g. zuòbùwán gōngkè做不完功课cannot finish homework), but the degree complement cannot be followed by the object of the verb. (For example, you can't say 'Tā chàng de hěn hǎo gē他唱得很好歌He sings \[songs\] well ', you must say 'Tā chàng gē chàng de hěn hǎo他唱歌唱得很好---no objects can be placed after hǎo好.). Moreover, the degree complement has different forms---it may be a single word or a subject-predicate construction.
\
For example:
\
Degree Complement
\ Tā shuō de dàjiā dōu xiàoqǐlái le.\ 他说得大家都笑起来了。\ He spoke in such a way that everyone broke into laughter.
VI\. Potential Complement And Degree Complement In Contrast
src="potential-form-1.mp3" src="potential-form-2.mp3" src="potential-form-3.mp3" src="potential-form-4.mp3" src="potential-form-5.mp3" src="potential-form-6.mp3" src="potential-form-7.mp3" src="potential-form-8.mp3" src="copy.mp3" src="potential-form-10.mp3" src="VI-1.mp3" src="VI-2.mp3" src="VI-laoshishuo.mp3" src="VI-taxiedehao.mp3" src="VI-taxiedehenhao.mp3" src="VI-tashuodedajia.mp3" The **potential complement** and the **complement of degree** may sometimes look identical and cause confusion to non-native speakers of Chinese. The following two sentences are taken out of context. They look the same, but they could mean very different things. In sentence A, the stress is on the **complement** 'hǎo 好 (well) '. In sentence B, the stress is on the **predicate verb** 'chàng 唱 (to sing) '. Because the complement of degree focuses on the **quality of an action**, while the potential complement focuses on **whether the action can be carried out**, the complement in sentence A is a degree complement while the one in sentence B is potential. It would be hard to tell the difference if one read these sentences in characters and out of context. In real conversation, there is no confusion because of the context and the stress put on different words. Please see the following examples. Words highlighted in yellow are stressed. A. \ Tā chàng de hǎo ma? (degree complement; note there is space between the verb and the complement.)\ 她唱得好吗？\ Does she sing well? B. \ Tā chàng de hǎo ma? (potential complement; note that there is no space between the verb and the complement)\ 她唱得好吗？\ Can she sing well? A closer examination of these two complements reveals even more differences. The following chart shows their different forms. Highlighted words are stressed when spoken. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Degree Complement Potential Complement ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------- Positive xiě de hěn hǎo\ xiě de hǎo\  写得很好\  写得好\ ...write well ...can write well Negative xiě de bù hǎo\ xiě bù hǎo\  写得不好\  写不好\ ...write badly ...cannot write well Ma 吗 Question xiě de hǎo ma? \ xiě de hǎo ma? \ 写得好吗？\ 写得好吗？\ ...write well? ...can write well? Choice-type Question xiě de hǎo bù hǎo? \ xiě de hǎo xiě bù hǎo? \ 写得好不好 ？\ 写得好写不好 ？\ ...write well? ...can write well? Verb taking an object xiě Hànzì xiě de hěn hǎo\ xiě de hǎo Hànzì \ 写汉字写得很好\ 写得好汉字\ ...write characters well ...can write characters well --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- \ 1. The complement of degree is an assessment of an action or state. Therefore, the stress is on the complement, which comments on the action or state. The complement can be modified by adverbs such as hěn 很, fēicháng 非常, tèbié 特别. \ Tā xiě de fēicháng hǎo.\ 他写得非常好。\ He writes very well. 2. The potential complement expresses possibility. Therefore, the stress is on the action itself. This is why the predicate verb is stressed. No adverbs can modify the complement.\ \ Tā xiědehǎo.\ 他写得好。\ He can write well. 3. The negative form of the complement of degree keeps the particle de 得 and negates the stative verb with bù 不. The stress is on the negative adverb and the complement.\ \ Tā xiě de bù hǎo.\ 他写得不好。\ He writes badly. 4. The negative form of the potential complement replaces the particle de 得 with bù 不. The stress is on the predicate verb.\ \ Tā xiěbùhǎo.\ 他写不好。\ He can't write well. 5. The complement of degree and the potential complement look the same in ma 吗 question form, but the stress falls on different elements when spoken. Compare the following two sentences. - The complement of degree:\ \ Tā xiě de hǎo ma?\ 他写得好吗？\ Does he write well? - The potential complement:\ \ Tā xiědehǎo ma?\ 他写得好吗？\ Can he write well? 6. The complement of degree and the potential complement have different choice-type question forms. The complement of degree forms a choice-type question by juxtaposing the affirmative and negative forms of the stative verb; the potential complement forms a choice-type question by juxtaposing the affirmative and negative forms of the predicate verb and its complement. - The complement of degree:\ \ Tā xiě de hǎo bù hǎo?\ 他写得好不好？\ Does he write well? - \ The potential complement:\ \ Tā xiědehǎo xiěbùhǎo?\ 他写得好写不好？\ Can he write well? 7. A verb with a potential complement can take an object, but the degree complement cannot be followed by the object of the verb. - The potential complement:\ \ Tā xiěbùhǎo Hànzì.\ 他写不好汉字。\ He can't write characters well. - The complement of degree:\ \ ~~Tā xiě de bù hǎo Hànzì.~~ (ungrammatical) (The complement of degree can't take an object.)\ ~~他写得不好汉字。~~\ He does not write characters well.\ Tā xiě Hànzì xiě de bù hǎo. (grammatical)\ 他写汉字写得不好。\ He writes characters badly. 8. The complement of degree can be used in bǎ 把 - sentences, while the potential complement can't.\ \ Tā bǎ dìtú guà de gāogāode.\ 他把地图挂得高高的。\ He hung the map high up. The Complement Of Result ======================== 1. [What are resultative complements?](../Text/Section0710.xhtml) 2. [What can serve as a complement of result?](../Text/Section0720.xhtml) 3. [Sentence structures with resultative complements](../Text/Section0730.xhtml) 4. [Declarative sentences](../Text/Section0740.xhtml) 1. [When the main verb does not have an object](../Text/Section0740.xhtml) 2. [When the main verb takes an object which does not have a modifier](../Text/Section0740.xhtml) 3. [When the main verb takes an object which has a modifier](../Text/Section0740.xhtml) 5. [Negative sentences](../Text/Section0750.xhtml) 6. [Interrogative sentences](../Text/Section0760.xhtml) 7. [The complement of result used in bǎ把sentences](../Text/Section0770.xhtml) 8. [Stative verbs as complements](../Text/Section0780.xhtml) 9. [Verbs as complements](../Text/Section0790.xhtml)
I. What are resultative complements?
In English, the verb '**hear** ' has two semantic units, the sensory action '**to listen** ' and perception as a result of the action. The verb '**see** ' also has two semantic units with one indicating the action of looking and the other indicating perception as the result. Only a small number of Chinese verbs resemble such English verbs as '**hear** ' and '**see** '. Most Chinese verbs resemble the verb '**listen** ' and '**look** ' in English, which only indicate the sensory actions without a built-in semantic unit indicating result. Therefore, there are no such verbs as '**hear** ', '**see** ', '**find** ', '**kill** ' and so on in Chinese. For example, the verb tīng 听 (to listen) and kàn 看 (look) do not indicate whether the sound has been heard or whether the object has been seen. Not having a built-in semantic unit indicating result, Chinese verbs have to take an additional resultative unit to report whether the action is successful. This unit is what we call the resultative complement. It is placed immediately after the verb to indicate the result of the action. In the case of tīng 听 (to listen) and kàn 看 (to look), the verb jiàn 见 (to perceive) must be used as a complement to form combos that indicate perception, such as tīngjiàn 听见 for '**hear** ' and kànjiàn 看见 for '**see** ' .
II\. What can serve as a complement of result?
As seen earlier, the complement of result for sensory action verbs indicating perception is the verb jiàn 见 (perceive). If the result focuses on comprehension, the complement would be the verb dǒng 懂 (understand). So '**understand what one hears** ' would be tīngdǒng 听懂 and '**understand what one sees or reads** ' would be kàndǒng 看懂. If the result focuses on completion, the complement would use the verb wán 完 (finish). So '**finish listening** ' would be tīngwán 听完 and '**finish seeing or reading** ' would be kànwán 看完. These examples show that a variety of verbs can be suffixed to a verb to indicate a particular resultative aspect of an action. In addition, commendatory stative verbs can be used as complements indicating intended results while derogatory stative verbs are used for unintended results. For example, duì 对 is a stative verb meaning '**correct** ' and cuò 错 is one meaning '**wrong** '. So '**write correctly** ' is xiěduì 写对 while '**write incorrectly** ' is xiěcuò 写错. Duì 对 is the intended result while cuò 错 is not.
III\. Sentence structures with resultative complements
The resultative complement is a verb or stative verb suffixed to the main verb. A few things to remember when constructing a sentence in which the verb takes a resultative complement are: 1.
Nothing can be placed between the verb and the complement.
\
\ Wǒ kànjiàn tā le.\ 我看见她了。\ I saw her.
2.
If le 了 is used, it should be placed at the end of the sentence.
3.
If the object has a modifier, the object is often placed at the beginning of the sentence.
\
\ Nà gè wèntí wǒ huídá duì le.\ 那个问题我回答对了。\ I answered that question correctly.
\ The following examples show how resultative complements are used in declarative, negative, interrogative and bǎ 把 sentences.
IV\. Declarative sentences
A.
When the main verb does not have an object.
\
subject + verb + complement + le 了
\
\ Wǒ chīwán le.\  我吃完了。\ I finished eating. I ate.
B.
When the main verb takes an object which does not have a modifier.
\
subject + verb + complement + simple object + le 了
\
\ Wǒ chīwán fàn le. \ 我吃完饭了。\ I finished eating (the food/meal). I ate (the food/meal).
C.
When the main verb takes an object which has a modifier.
\
modifier + object + subject + verb + complement + le 了
\
\ Nèi gè wèntí wǒ huídáduì le. \ 那个问题我回答对了。\ I answered that question correctly.
V. Negative sentences
Negative sentences are formed by placing méi 没 or méi yǒu 没有 in front of the main verb and dropping the le 了.
\ Nèi gè wèntí wǒ méi huídáduì. \ 那个问题我没回答对。\ I did not answer that question correctly.
The negative form may also use bù 不 instead of méi yǒu 没有, but this commonly occurs only in conditional clauses describing actions that have not been carried out. Compare the highlighted parts in the following sentences. One uses bù 不 while the other uses méi 没.
Negative form using bù 不 implying a condition.
\
\ Wǒ bú zuòwán zuòyè jiù bú shuìjiào.\ 我不做完作业就不睡觉。\ If I don't finish doing my homework, I will not go to bed.
\
Comparison with méi 没 or méiyǒu 没有, which does not imply a condition.
\
\ Wǒ méi zuòwán zuòyè. \ 我没做完作业。\ I did not finish doing my homework.
VI\. Interrogative sentences
\
Interrogative sentences are formed by using ma 吗 or méi yǒu 没有 at the end of the sentence.
A. \ Nǐ zuòwán zuòyè le ma? or: Nǐ zuòwán zuòyè le méiyǒu?\ 你做完作业了吗？ 你做完作业了没有？\ Have you finished doing your homework?\ \
Positive answer
B. \ Zuòwán le. \ 做完了。\ Yes, I have.\ \
Negative answer
C. \ Méi zuòwán.\ 没做完。\ I haven't.
VII\. The complement of result used in bǎ 把 sentences
Because bǎ 把 sentences are used to point out what has happened to the object as the result of an action, the verb always has to take an element to indicate specifically how the object is consequentially affected or how someone intends to affect it. Therefore, the resultative complement is often used in bǎ 把 sentences. 1. \ Wǒ bǎ nǐ-de mén xiūhǎo le.\ 我把你的门修好了。\ I fixed your door.\ \ The desired result of‘**repairing** ' is to make something work again --- to be as good as before. The stative verb hǎo 好 is used here to indicate the result of the action xiū 修 (to fix).\ \ 2. \ Wǒ bǎ jīntiān de zuòyè zuòwán le.\ 我把今天的作业做完了。\ I finished today 's homework.\ \ The desired result of doing homework is to finish it. Zuò 做 indicates the action of '**doing** ' and wán 完 indicates **completion**. With the modal particle le 了 indicating accomplished fact, this sentence indicates that the subject (agent), wǒ 我, has brought “**today 's homework**” to the stage of **completion** as a result of doing it. VIII. Stative verb as the complement Only stative verbs and verbs can be used as resultative complements. Stative verbs, such as duì 对 correct, cuò 错 wrong, hǎo 好 good, huài 坏 broken, bǎo 饱 full, qīngchu 清楚 clear, etc, can be used as resultative complements. Most stative verbs are monosyllabic, only a few are disyllabic. These stative verbs are suffixed to verbs to emphasize different resultative aspects of the action. 1. -duì 对 correct\ \ 1. huídáduì 回答对 answer correctly 2. cāiduì 猜对 guess correctly 3. shuōduì 说对 speak correctly 4. xiěduì 写对 write correctly 5. zuòduì 做对 do correctly 6. etc. \
**Example**:\
huídáduì 回答对 (huídá 回答 to answer + duì 对 correct): answer correctly\ \ Nèixiē wèntí tā dōu huídáduì le.\ 那些问题她都回答对了。\ She answered all of the questions correctly.
2. -cuò 错 incorrect, wrong\ \ 1. huídácuò 回答错 answer incorrectly 2. cāicuò 猜错 guess incorrectly 3. shuōcuò 说错 speak/say incorrectly 4. xiěcuò 写错 write incorrectly 5. kàncuò 看错 see/read incorrectly 6. tīngcuò 听错 hear incorrectly 7. zuòcuò 做错 do incorrectly 8. etc. \
**Example**:\
xiěcuò 写错: xiě 写 to write + cuò 错 incorrect ⇒ write incorrectly\ \ Zhèi ge zì nǐ xiěcuò le. Yīnggāi xiě 'tiān ', kěshì nǐ xiě de shì 'fū '.\ 这个字你写错了。应该写‘天 '，可是你写的是‘夫 '。\ You wrote this character incorrectly. You should have written tiān 天, but you wrote fū 夫 instead.
3. -hǎo 好 achieve completion/achieve an adequate result \ \ 1. zuòhǎo 做好 done; finish doing\ 2. zhǔnbèihǎo 准备好 finish preparing\ 3. xiěhǎo 写好 finish writing\ 4. xiūhǎo 修好 fixed; repaired\ 5. xuéhǎo 学好 study well\ 6. shuìhǎo 睡好 sleep well\ 7. etc.\ \
**Example 1:**\ zuòhǎo 做好 (zuò 做 to do/to cook + hǎo 好 done) done; finish doing\ \ Wǎnfàn zuòhǎo le.\ 晚饭做好了。\ Dinner is ready.
\
**Example 2:**\ \ xiūhǎo 修好 (xiū 修 fix/repair + hǎo 好 good): fixed; repaired\ Wǒ-de chē hái méi xiūhǎo ne. 我的车还没修好呢。 My car is not yet fixed.
\
**Example 3:**\ shuìhǎo 睡好 (shuì 睡 sleep + hǎo 好 well): sleep well\ \ Zuótiān wǎnshàng wǒ méi shuìhǎo jiào, suǒyǐ jīntiān juéde hěn lèi.\ 昨天晚上我没睡好觉，所以今天觉得很累。\ Last night I did not sleep well, so I feel tired today.\
\ 4. -huài 坏 bad; broken nònghuài 弄坏 break; cause something to break \ \
**Example:**\ nònghuài 弄坏 (nòng 弄 to cause + huài 坏 broken): break\ \ Tā bǎ wǒ-de diànnǎo nònghuài le.\ 他把我的电脑弄坏了。\ He broke my computer.
5. -bǎo 饱 full (often suffixed to chī 吃) chībǎo 吃饱 full (as a result of eating)\
**Example:**\ \ chībǎo 吃饱 (chī 吃 eat + bǎo 饱 full): full as a result of eating\ Wǒ chībǎo le, bù néng zài chī le.\ 我吃饱了，不能再吃了。\ I 'm full, I can't eat any more.
6. -qīngchu 清楚 clear\ \ 1. kànqīngchu 看清楚 see clearlybr/> 2. tīngqīngchu 听清楚 hear clearly\ 3. shuōqīngchu 说清楚 speak clearly\ 4. xiěqīngchu 写清楚 write clearly\ 5. etc.\ \
**Example:**\ tīngqīngchu 听清楚(tīng 听 listen + qīngchu 清楚 clear) hear clearly\ \ Duìbùqǐ, wǒ méi tīngqīngchu. Qǐng zài shuō yí biàn.\ 对不起，我没听清楚，请再说一遍。\ Sorry, I didn't hear clearly. Please say it again.
IX. Verbs as complements Only stative verbs and verbs can be used as resultative complements. Verbs are often used as complements to indicate different resultative aspects of an action, such as wán 完 finish, jiàn 见, dào 到, zháo 着, liǎo 了, zhù 住, dǒng 懂, dòng 动, kāi 开, huì 会, zài 在, gěi 给, chéng 成, zuò 作, wéi 为, zǒu 走, pǎo 跑, sǐ 死, tòu 透, etc. -wán 完 finish (can go with many verbs to indicate that someone has finished doing the action) 1. kànwán 看完 finish (reading/watching/seeing) 2. shuōwán 说完 finish (speaking/talking) 3. xuéwán 学完 finish (studying) 4. zuòwán 做完 finish (doing) 5. xiěwán 写完 finish (writing) 6. etc.
**Example**:\
kànwán 看完 (kàn 看 read + wán 完 finish) finish reading\ \ Zhèi běn shū nǐ kànwán le méi yǒu?\ 这本书你看完了没有？\ Have you finished reading the book?
-jiàn 见 perceive (jiàn 见 indicates perception) 1. kànjiàn 看见 see 2. tīngjiàn 听见 hear 3. pèngjiàn 碰见 bump into 4. yùjiàn 遇见 run into 5. etc.
**Example**:\
kànjiàn 看见 (kàn 看 look + jiàn 见 perceive) see\ \ Zuótiān wǒ méi (yǒu) kànjiàn Lǎo Wáng.\ 昨天我没(有)看见老王。\ Yesterday I did not see Old Wang.
-dào 到 (1). implying that an action has attained the expected aim or result 1. kàndào 看到 see 2. tīngdào 听到 hear 3. yùdào 遇到 run into 4. jiēdào 接到 receive 5. shōudào 收到 receive 6. zhǎodào 找到 find 7. mǎidào 买到 succeed in buying 8. etc.
**Example 1**:\
zhǎodào 找到 (zhǎo 找 to look for + dào 到 \[attain the expected result\]) find\ \ Wǒ zhǎodào Lǐ Xiānsheng le.\ 我找到李先生了。\ I have found Mr. Li.
**Example 2**:
mǎidào 买到 (mǎi 买 to buy + dào 到 \[attain the expected result\]) succeed in buying\ \ Wǒ qùwǎn le. Méi yǒu mǎidào diànyǐng piào. \ 我去晚了。没有买到电影票。\ I was late./ I got there late. \[So,\] I did not manage to get the movie tickets.
-dào 到 (2) : reach or arrive at (a place or a point of time) 1. zǒudào 走到 walk to /until/up to 2. pǎodào 跑到 run to /until/up to 3. xuédào 学到 study until/up to, 4. shuìdào 睡到 sleep until/up to 5. mángdào 忙到 be busy until/up to 6. kàndào 看到 read or watch until/up to 7. tīngdào 听到 listen until/up to 8. etc.
**Example 1**:
xuédào 学到 (xué 学 to study + dào 到 until/up to) study until/up to\ \ Wǒmen xuédào Dì Bā Kè le\ 我们学到第八课了。\ We have studied up to Lesson 8 so far.
**Example 2**:
\ Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒmen xué Zhōngwén xuédào shíyī diǎn.\ 昨天晚上我们学中文学到十一点。\ We studied Chinese until 11 o 'clock last night.
-zhá 着 implying that an action has attained the expected aim or result 1. zhǎozháo 找着 find (找着 is the same as zhǎodào 找到.) 2. shuìzháo 睡着 fall asleep (not the same as 睡到) 3. etc.
**Example**:
shuìzháo 睡着 (shuì 睡 to sleep + zháo 着\[attain the expected result\]) fall asleep\ \ Háizi-men dōu shuìzháo le.\ 孩子们都睡着了。\ The children have all fallen asleep.
-zhù 住 has the meaning of retaining or keeping something at a certain place as the result of the action 1. jìzhù 记住 remember; learn by heart; bear in mind 2. názhù 拿住 hold in place by hand(s) 3. etc.
**Example**:\
jìzhù 记住 (jì 记 to remember + zhù 住 retain/keep) learn by heart, bear in mind\ \ Tā-de dìzhǐ wǒ méi jìzhù. \ 他的地址我没记住。\ I did not learn his address by heart.
-dǒng 懂 understand; comprehend 1. kàndǒng 看懂 understand by reading/looking 2. tīngdǒng 听懂 understand by listening 3. etc.
**Example**:\
tīngdǒng 听懂 (tīng 听 to listen + dǒng 懂 understand) understand by listening \ \ Nǐ-de huà wǒ méi tīngdǒng. Néng bù néng zài shuō yí biàn.\ 你的话我没听懂。能不能再说一遍？\ I did not understand what you said. Can you say it again?
-kāi 开 to be open as a result of opening\ 1. dǎkāi 打开 to open 2. kāikāi 开开 to open 3. etc.
**Example**:\
kāikāi 开开 (kāi 开 to open + kāi 开 being open) to make ... open \ Qǐng bǎ mén kāikāi. \ \ 请把门开开。\ Please open the door.
-huì 会 know how to do something/master a skill through the action\ xuéhuì 学会 learn; master
**Example**:
xuéhuì 学会 (xué 学 to learn + huì 会 know how to) learn; master\ \ Wǒ xuéhuì kāichē le.\ 我学会开车了。\ I have learnt how to drive a car.
-zài 在 located at a place as a result of the action\ 1. fàngzài 放在 put at; to be put at 2. zhùzài 住在 to live at ... 3. zuòzài 坐在 to sit at 4. zhànzài 站在 stand at 5. xiězài 写在 write on 6. guàzài 挂在 hang on 7. etc.
**Example**:\
zhànzài 站在 (zhàn 站 to stand + zài 在 at) to stand at a place\ \ Tiānqi zhème lěng, bié zhànzài wàitou.\ 天气这么冷，别站在外头。\ It is so cold, don't stand outside.
-gěi 给 to (pointing out the recipient)\ 1. sònggěi 送给 to give to 2. jìgěi 寄给 to send to 3. jiègěi 借给 to lend to 4. màigěi 卖给 to sell to 5. etc.
**Example**:\
jiègěi 借给 (jiè 借 to lend + gěi 给 to) to lend to \ Tā jiègěi wǒ yì běn shū.\ \ 他借给我一本书。\ He lent me a book.
-chéng 成 become; as\ 1. fānyìchéng 翻译成 to translate into 2. biànchéng 变成 to change into 3. kànchéng 看成 to regard as; to recognize ... mistakenly as ... 4. tīngchéng 听成 to hear ... mistakenly as ... 5. xiěchéng 写成 to write ... mistakenly as ...; to adapt...into 6. etc.
**Example**:\
xiěchéng 写成 (xiě 写 to write + chéng 成 become) to write ... mistakenly as ...; to adapt...into\ \ Wǒ bǎ “tiān” xiěchéng “fū” le.\ 我把“天”写成“夫”了。\ I wrote 夫 instead of 天.
1. -zuò 作 2. kànzuò 看作 to regard as ... 3. dāngzuò 当作 to regard as ... 4. etc.
**Example**:\
dāngzuò 当作 to regard as ...\ \ Wáng tàitai bǎ wǒ dāngzuò zìjǐ-de érzi.\ 王太太把我当作自己的儿子。\ Mrs. Wang regards me as her own son.
-zǒu 走 away\ 1. názǒu 拿走 to take away 2. bānzǒu 搬走 to move away 3. sòngzǒu 送走 to see off 4. dàizǒu 带走 to take away 5. etc.
**Example**:\
bānzǒu 搬走 (bān 搬 to move + zǒu 走 away) to move away \ \ Lǎo Zhāng jiā bānzǒu le.\ 老张家搬走了。\ The Old Zhangs moved away.
-sǐ 死 death; (exaggeration indicating extreme)\ 1. lèisǐ 累死 extremely tired; tired to death 2. rèsǐ 热死 extremely hot; deathly hot 3. èsǐ 饿死 starving; extremely hungry 4. etc.
**Example**:\
rèsǐ 热死 (rè 热 hot + sǐ 死 death) extremely hot\ \ Tiānqi rèsǐ le. \ 天气热死了。\ The weather is extremely hot.
The Potential Complement ======================== 1. [What is the potential complement? II.](../Text/Section0810.xhtml) 2. [The structure and features of the potential complement](../Text/Section0820.xhtml) 3. [The potential complement and the complement of degree in contrast](../Text/Section0830.xhtml) 4. [The potential complement in idiomatic expressions](../Text/Section0840.xhtml)
I. What is the potential complement?
The potential complement indicates whether an action can or cannot be carried out. The positive form uses de 得 between the verb and the complement; the negative form uses bù 不 between the verb and the complement. The complement can be a verb (e.g. kàndedǒng 看得懂 can understand by reading) or a stative verb (e.g. kànbùqīngchu 看不清楚 can't see clearly).
II\. The structure and features of the potential complement
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Positive form predicate verb + de 得 + verb/stative verb\ \ zuòdewán 做得完 can finish doing ... Negative form predicate verb + bù 不 + verb/stative verb\ \ zuòbùwán 做不完 can't finish doing ... Ma 吗 question form predicate verb + de 得 + verb/stative verb + ma 吗?\ \ zuòdewán ma? 做得完吗？can finish doing? Choice-type question form predicate verb + de 得 + verb/stative verb + predicate verb + bù 不 + verb/stative verb\ \ zuòdewán zuòbùwán? 做得完做不完？can finish doing? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. The negative form uses bù 不 to replace de 得. 2. Potential complements do not take le 了, because they express possibility, not an accomplished fact or completion of an action. 3. Potential complements are not used in bǎ 把-Sentences because bǎ 把-sentences focus on result, not possibility. 4. The positive form and the ma 吗 -question form can use néng 能 before the predicate verb. It does not change the meaning of the sentence. 5. Potential complements cannot be modified by adverbs such as hěn 很, fēicháng 非常, etc. Before you move on, study some examples of these forms in complete sentences. 1. Positive form \ 1. \ Jīntiān de gōngzuò bù duō, liǎng diǎn yǐqián yídìng gàndewán.\ 今天的工作不多，两点以前一定干得完。\ There is not much work today. We can definitely finish it before two o 'clock. 2. \ Zhèi zhāng zhuōzi bú zhòng, wǒ yí ge rén bāndedòng.\ 这张桌子不重，我一个人搬得动。\ This table is not heavy. I can move it by myself. 3. \ Bú yòng kāi dēng, wǒ kàndeqīngchu.\ 不用开灯，我看得清楚。\ No need to turn on the light. I can see clearly. 4. \ Tā zhème yònggōng, yídìng kǎodeshàng dàxué.\ 他这么用功，一定考得上大学。\ He's so hardworking. He will definitely be able to pass the college entrance exam. 2. Negative form \ \ 1. \ Zhèixiē Hànzì zhēn nán xiě, wǒ zǒngshì xiěbùhǎo.\ 这些汉字真难写，我总是写不好。\ These characters are really hard to write. I can never write them well. 2. \ Wǒ-de Yīngwén shū zhǎobúdào le.\ 我的英文书找不到了。\ I can't find my English book any more. 3. \ Hē-le chá wǒ jiù shuìbùzháo jiào le.\ 喝了茶我就睡不着觉了。\ After drinking tea, I won't be able to fall asleep. 4. \ Shuōbúduì kěyǐ zài shuō yí biàn.\ 说不对可以再说一边。\ If you can't say it correctly, you may say it again. 3. Ma question form\ \ 1. \ Yì tiān xué liù ge Hànzì, nǐ jìdezhù ma?\ 一天学六个汉字，你记得住吗？\ You study six characters a day. Can you remember them? 2. \ Tā shuō de zhème kuài, nǐ tīngdedǒng ma?\ 他说得这么快，你听得懂吗？\ He speaks so fast. Can you understand? 3. \ Zuòzài hòubiānr de tóngxué kàndeqīngchu ma?\ 坐在后边儿的同学看得清楚吗？\ Can students sitting in the back see clearly? 4. \ Nǐ yí ge rén chīdeliǎo zhème duō fàn ma?\ 你一个人吃得了这么多饭吗？\ Can you alone eat so much food? 4. Choice-type question form\ \ 1. \ Shān hěn gāo, nǐ shàngdeqù shàngbúqù?\ 山很高，你上得去上不去？\ The mountain is high. Can you climb it? 2. \ Nǐ míngtiān láideliǎo láibùliǎo?\ 你明天来得了来不了？\ Can you come tomorrow? 3. \ Tā pǎodekuài pǎobúkuài?\ 他跑得快跑不快？\ Can he run fast? 4. \ Zhèi jiān jiàoshì zuòdexià zuòbúxià èrshí ge rén?\ 这间教室坐得下坐不下二十个人？\ Can this classroom seat twenty people? 5. used with néng 能\ \ 1. \ Zhème duō gōngzuò nǐ néng gàndewán ma?\ 这么多工作你能干得完吗？\ Can you finish so much work? 2. \ Wǒ néng tīngdedǒng shōuyīnjīli de Zhōngwén jiémù.\ 我能听得懂收音机里的中文节目。\ I can understand the Chinese programs on the radio.
III\. The potential complement and the complement of degree in contrast
The potential complement and the complement of degree may sometimes look identical and cause confusion to non-native speakers of Chinese. The following two sentences are taken out of context. They look the same, but they could mean very different things. In sentence A, the stress is on the complement ‘hǎo 好(well) '. In sentence B, the stress is on the predicate verb ‘chàng 唱 (to sing) '. Because the complement of degree focuses on the quality of an action, while the potential complement focuses on whether the action can be carried out, the complement in sentence A is a degree complement while the one in sentence B is potential. It would be hard to tell the difference if one read these sentences in characters and out of context. In real conversation, there is no confusion because of the context and the stress put on different words. Please see the following examples. Words highlighted in yellow are stressed. A. \ Tā chàng de hǎo ma? (degree complement; note there is space between the verb and the complement.)\ 她唱得好吗？\ Does she sing well? B. \ Tā chàng de hǎo ma? (potential complement; note that there is no space between the verb and the complement)\ 她唱得好吗？\ Can she sing well? A closer examination of these two complements reveals even more differences. The following chart shows their different forms. Highlighted words are stressed when spoken. +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+ | | Degree Complement | Potential Complement | +==========================+==========================+==========================+ | Positive | | | | | \ | \ | | | xiě | xiě | | | de hěn hǎo\ | de hǎo\ | | | 写得很好写得好 | | | >\ | \ | | | ...write well | ...can write well | +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+ | Negative | | | | | \ | \ | | | xiě | xiě | | | de bù hǎo\ | bù hǎo\ | | | 写得不好写不好 | | | >\ | \ | | | ...write badly | ...cannot write well | +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+ | Ma | ential-potential-form-5. | ential-potential-form-6. | | 吗 | > | > | | Question | | | | | \ | \ | | | xiě | xiě | | | de hǎo ma?\ | de hǎo ma?\ | | | 写得好吗？写得好吗？\ | n>\ | | | ...write well? | ...can write well? | +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+ | Choice-type Question | | | | | \ | \ | | | xiě | xiě | | | de hǎo bù hǎo?\ | de hǎo xiě bù | | | \ | | | class="hanzi">写得好不好 | \ | class="hanzi">写得好写不好 | | | ...write well? | | | | | ？\ | | | | ...can write well? | +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+ | Verb taking an object | | "> | | | \ | | | | xiě | \ | | | Hànzì xiě de hěn | xiě | | | hǎo\ | de hǎo Hànzì\ | | | 写汉字写得很好写得好汉字\ | n>\ | | | ...write characters well | ...can write characters | | | | well | +--------------------------+--------------------------+--------------------------+ 1.
The complement of degree is an assessment of an action or state. Therefore, the stress is on the complement, which comments on the action or state. The complement can be modified by adverbs such as hěn 很, fēicháng 非常, tèbié 特别.
\ \ Tā xiě de fēicháng hǎo.\ 他写得非常好。\ He writes very well.
2.
The potential complement expresses possibility. Therefore, the stress is on the action itself. This is why the predicate verb is stressed. No adverbs can modify the complement.
\
\ Tā xiě de hǎo.\ 他写得好。\ He can write well.
3.
The negative form of the complement of degree keeps the particle de 得 and negates the stative verb with bù 不. The stress is on the negative adverb and the complement.
\ \ Tā xiě de bù hǎo.\ 他写得不好。\ He writes badly.
4.
The negative form of the potential complement replaces the particle de 得 with bù 不. The stress is on the predicate verb.
\
\ Tā xiěbùhǎo.\ 他写不好。\ He can't write well.
5.
The complement of degree and the potential complement look the same in ma 吗 question form, but the stress falls on different elements when spoken. Compare the following two sentences.
**The complement of degree:**
\ Tā xiě de hǎo ma?\ 他写得好吗？\ Does he write well?
**The potential complement:**
\ Tā xiě de hǎo ma?\ 他写得好吗？\ Can he write well?
6.
The complement of degree and the potential complement have different choice-type question forms. The complement of degree forms a choice-type question by juxtaposing the affirmative and negative forms of the stative verb; the potential complement forms a choice-type question by juxtaposing the affirmative and negative forms of the predicate verb and its complement.
**The complement of degree:**
\ Tā xiě de hǎo bù hǎo?\ 他写得好不好？\ Does he write well?
**The potential complement:**
\ Tā xiědehǎo xiěbùhǎo?\ 他写得好写不好？\ Can he write well?
7.
A verb with a potential complement can take an object, but the degree complement cannot be followed by the object of the verb.
**The potential complement:**
\ Tā xiěbùhǎo Hànzì.\ 他写不好汉字。\ He can't write characters well.
**The complement of degree:**
Tā xiě de bù hǎo Hànzì. (ungrammatical) (The complement of degree can't take an object.)\ 他写得不好汉字。\ He does not write characters well.
\
\ Tā xiě Hànzì xiě de bù hǎo. (grammatical)\ 他写汉字写得不好。\ He writes characters badly.
8.
The complement of degree can be used in bǎ 把-sentences, while the potential complement can't.
\
\ Tā bǎ dìtú guà de gāogāode.\ 他把地图挂得高高的。\ He hung the map high up.
IV\. The potential complement in idiomatic expressions
1.
-de 得, expressing whether “it is O.K. to...”, is commonly used in its negative form; the verb preceding it must be a monosyllabic verb. -de 得 when used as a complement has unique positive and negative forms. For example:
\
**positive:** chīde 吃得 okay to eat/can be eaten/edible\ **negative:** chībùde 吃不得 not okay to eat/cannot be eaten/not edible
\
\ Zhèi zhǒng mógu chīde, nèizhǒng chībùde.\ 这种蘑菇 (mógu, mushroom) 吃得 ，那种吃不得。\ This kind of mushroom is edible, the other isn't.
\
\ Zhèi zhāng huàr jiànbùde guāng.\ 这张画儿见不得光。\ This painting cannot/is not okay to be exposed to sunlight.
\
\ Tā zuò de shì jiànbùde rén.\ 他做的事见不得人。\ His doings cannot be made known/are not okay to be presented (to people).
2.
Liǎo 了 is a verb often used as a potential complement, expressing whether or not an action can be carried on, or whether an action can achieve a positive result---due to the ability or circumstances of the person acting. However, liǎo matches only certain verbs such as zuò 做, gàn 干, bàn 办, qù 去, lái 来, zǒu 走, dào 到, ná 拿, bān 搬, chī 吃, hē 喝, xué 学, xiě 写, kàn 看, tīng 听, shuō 说, etc. Below are a few examples.
\
\ Zhèi zhǒng gōngzuò tā zuòdeliǎo ma?\ 这种工作他做得了吗？\ Can he do this kind of work?
\
\ Míngtiān wǒ hěn máng, qùbùliǎo.\ 明天我很忙，去不了。\ I 'll be busy tomorrow. I cannot go.
\
\ Dōngxi tài duō le, nǐ yí ge rén nádeliǎo ma?\ 东西太多了，你一个人拿得了吗？\ There are so many things. Can you carry them alone?
\
\ Wǒ chībùliǎo zhème duō fàn.\ 我吃不了这么多饭。\ I cannot eat so much food.
\
\ Wǒ-de péngyǒu dāngzhōng méi yǒu yí ge rén xiědeliǎo zhème piàoliang de Hànzì.\ 我的朋友当中没有一个人写得了这么漂亮的汉字。\ None of my friends can write such beautiful characters.
3.
tándelái 谈得来 can get along with tánbùlái 谈不来 cannot get along with
\
\ Nǐ gēn Xiǎo Wáng tándelái tánbùlái?\ 你跟小王谈得来谈不来？ \ Can you and Xiao Wang get along with each other?
4.
qǐ 起: affordability
\
\ Jìnkǒu de dōngxi tài guì le, wǒ mǎibùqǐ.\ 进口的东西太贵了，我买不起。\ Imported things are too expensive. I can't afford them.
5.
duìdeqǐ 对得起 not let (someone) down duìbuqǐ 对不起 let (someone) down; sorry
\
\ Nǐ duìdeqǐ fùmǔ ma?\ 你对得起父母吗？\ Aren't you letting your parents down?
Bǎ “把” Construction =========================================================================== 1. [What is the bǎ 把 construction?](../Text/Section0910.xhtml) 2. [When to use the bǎ 把 construction](../Text/Section0920.xhtml) 3. [The object after bǎ 把](../Text/Section0930.xhtml) 4. [The elements after the predicate verb](../Text/Section0940.xhtml) 1. [S + bǎ 把 + O + V + resultative complement (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0941.xhtml) 2. [S + bǎ 把 + O + V + directional complement (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0942.xhtml) 3. [+ zài 在 + noun 2 (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0943.xhtml) 4. [+ gěi 给 + indirect object (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0944.xhtml) 5. [+ chéng 成/zuò 作 + indirect object (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0945.xhtml) 6. [+ le 了](../Text/Section0946.xhtml) 7. [+ noun 2 /pronoun + (le 了)](../Text/Section0947.xhtml) 8. [+ de 的 + complement of degree](../Text/Section0948.xhtml) 9. [+ (yī 一) + reduplicated verb](../Text/Section0949.xhtml) 10. [+ (-le 了) + complement of frequency + (le 了)](../Text/Section0940-10.xhtml) 11. [+ (-le 了) + complement of quantity + (le 了)](../Text/Section0940-11.xhtml) 12. [+ zhe 着](../Text/Section0940-12.xhtml) 13. [(–le 了) + durational complement + (le 了)](../Text/Section0940-13.xhtml) 5. [Modal verbs and adverbials in bǎ 把 sentences.](../Text/Section0950.xhtml) 6. [Verbs which may not be used as the predicate verb in a bǎ 把 sentence.](../Text/Section0960.xhtml) 7. [Potential complements cannot be used in the bǎ 把 construction](../Text/Section0970.xhtml) 8. [The structure of bǎ 把 sentences](../Text/Section0980.xhtml)
I. What is the bǎ 把 construction?
As a coverb, bǎ 把 has no equivalent in English. It is simply a means by which the direct object is displaced to a position before the verb. Bǎ 把 construction is a 'disposal form ' (Wang Li 1947: 160ff.) It states “how a person is handled, manipulated or dealt with; how something is disposed of; or how an affair is concluded” (translation by Charles N. Li 1974: 200-201). A sentence with the bǎ 把 construction follows the basic pattern below.
subject bǎ 把 + direct object verb + complementary element
\
\ Lǐ Míng bǎ nǐ-de zìdiǎn názǒu le.\ 李明 把你的字典 拿走了。\ Ming Li has taken your dictionary away.
\
subject bǎ 把 + direct object verb + complementary element
\
\ Bǎ shū dǎkāi.\ 把书 打开。\ Open the book.
II\. When to use the bǎ 把 construction
Since the bǎ 把 construction is used to point out what action has been carried out upon a particular object and how the object has consequently been disposed of, it is usually used when stating what one has done to something, what one has accomplished (the verb must take an object) or what has happened to something as a result of an action. It is also often used in imperative sentences such as commands, requests or instructions asking someone to move, change, deal with, handle or manipulate something and affect it in a specific way. The following are a few examples. A. \ Wǒ bǎ nǐ-de mén xiūhǎo le.\ 我把你的门修好了。\ I fixed your door. B. \ Wǒ bǎ jīntiān de zuòyè zuòwǎn le.\ 我把今天的作业做完了。\ I finished today 's homework. C. \ Wáng xiānsheng bǎ tā-de chē màigěi wǒ le.\ 王先生把他的车卖给我了。\ Mr. Wang sold his car to me. D. \ Qǐng nǐ bǎ lājī náchūqu.\ 请你把垃圾拿出去。\ Please take out the garbage. E. \ Bǎ chuānghu dǎkāi yìdiǎnr, hǎo bù hǎo? \ 把窗户打开一点儿，好不好？\ Open the window a little bit, all right? There are two conditions under which the bǎ 把 constructions is more likely to be used. First, “the more prominent the referent of the direct object is, the more appropriate it is to use a bǎ 把 noun phrase to refer to it.” Second, “the more the verb elaborates or specifies how the direct object is being handled or dealt with, the more appropriate it is to use bǎ 把 (Charles Li 1981:483-484).” The bǎ 把 construction is also sometimes structurally required.
III\. The object after bǎ
The object following bǎ 把 is the recipient of the action and it must be a definite or specific thing or person or a known entity. It usually has been mentioned earlier or is known to those engaged in the discourse, otherwise the listener would not understand which thing or person the speaker is talking about. 1. \ Tā bǎ nèi liàng jiù chē mài le.\ 她把那辆旧车卖了。\ She sold that old car.\ \
'That old car ' is one that is known to both parties in the discourse.
2. \ Jīntiān wǒ bù xiǎoxīn bǎ yí ge nánde zhuàngdǎo le. \ 今天我不小心把一个男的撞倒了。\ Today I knocked down a man by accident.\ \
'A man ' here refers to a specific one, the one that 'I ' knocked down.
3. \ Qǐng bǎ táng dìgěi wǒ.\ 请把糖递给我。\ Please pass me the sugar.\ \
'Sugar ' here refers to something in the presence of both parties. It is something that they both can see.
The elements after the predicate verb ===================================== 1. [S + bǎ 把 + O + V + resultative complement (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0941.xhtml) 2. [S + bǎ 把 + O + V + directional complement (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0942.xhtml) 3. [+ zài 在 + noun 2 (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0943.xhtml) 4. [+ gěi 给 + indirect object (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0944.xhtml) 5. [+ chéng 成/zuò 作 + indirect object (+ le 了)](../Text/Section0945.xhtml) 6. [+ le 了](../Text/Section0946.xhtml) 7. [+ noun 2 /pronoun + (le 了)](../Text/Section0947.xhtml) 8. [+ de 的 + complement of degree](../Text/Section0948.xhtml) 9. [+ (yī 一) + reduplicated verb](../Text/Section0949.xhtml) 10. [+ (-le 了) + complement of frequency + (le 了)](../Text/Section0940-10.xhtml) 11. [+ (-le 了) + complement of quantity + (le 了)](../Text/Section0940-11.xhtml) 12. [+ zhe 着](../Text/Section0940-12.xhtml) 13. [(–le 了) + durational complement + (le 了)](../Text/Section0940-13.xhtml)
IV\. The elements after the predicate verb
The predicate verb, except for some disyllabic verbs with built-in resultative components such as qǔxiāo 取消(to cancel) and suōxiǎo 缩小 (to reduce), must take a complementary element such as a complement, a locative phrase, an indirect object, and so on. The following shows what elements usually follow the verb. 1.
**RESULTATIVE** + resultative complement (+ le 了) Stating what result has been accomplished or is anticipated
\ 1. \ Wǒmen bǎ Zhōngwén zuòyè zuòwán le.\ 我们把中文作业做完了。\ We have finished our Chinese homework. 2. \ Qǐng bǎ mén dǎkāi.\ 请把门打开。\ Please open the door. 3. \ Zhèi liǎng tiān kě bǎ wǒmen mánghuài le.\ 这两天可把我们忙坏了。\ We were terribly busy the last few days. Note 1: Though stative verbs such as huài 坏, tòu 透, sǐ 死 show degree when placed after a stative verb or verb of mental activity, they are considered complements of result due to the structure.) Note 2: Since the function of the bǎ 把 sentence is to show what has happened to the direct object as a result of the action, the predicate verb and its complement must comment on the direct object, not on the subject or any other element. There is still a verb-object relationship even though the object has been displaced to a position before the verb. Such a relationship can be seen in Sentences 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3 above. \
VERB + COMPLEMENT + OBJECT
\
---------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Zuòwán 做完 Zhōngwén zuòyè 中文作业 Dǎkāi 打开 mén 门 Mánghuài 忙坏 wǒ 我 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------ A. \ Wǒ bǎ fàn chīwán le. (Grammatical)\ 我把饭吃完了。\ I finished the meal/food.\ \
This sentence shows what has happened to the food---it has been finished.
B. ~~Wǒ bǎ fàn chībǎo le.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~我把饭吃饱了。~~ (doesn't make sense) The verb takes a resultative complement bǎo 饱 '**full**', which comments on the subject, wǒ 我 '**I**', instead of the object fàn 饭 '**food** '.Since '**full**' is not what has happened to the '**food** ' but rather how '**I**' has been affected as a result of '**eating**', this sentence is not grammatical. It should be changed to 'Wǒ chībǎo le. 我吃饱了' I'm full.
2\. DIRECTIONAL
\
+ directional complement (+ le 了) Stating in which direction the object has been moved or is anticipated to move.
1. \ Zuótiān tā bǎ háizi cóng Běijīng dàilai le.\ 昨天她把孩子从北京带来了。\ She brought her child here from Beijing yesterday. 2. \ Qǐng bǎ nǐ-de zìxíngchē bānchūqu.\ 请把你的自行车搬出去。\ Please move out your bicycle. 3. \ Tā bǎ yǐzi bāndào lóushàng qu le.\ 他把椅子搬到楼上去了。\ He moved the chair upstairs. 4. \ Qǐng nǐ bǎ Kělè cóng bīngxiāng-li náchūlai.\ 请你把可乐从冰箱里拿出来。\ Please take the Coke out of the refrigerator. Note: The coverb cóng 从 with a locative word or phrase points out the object 's original place before its displacement. The cóng 从 phrase must be placed after the object and before the verb. It is an adverbial. See examples 2.1 and 2.4. Dào 到 with a locative word or phrase introduces the new location to which the object has been moved. The dào 到 phrase must be placed after the verb. See 2.3. It is a verb complement. The dào 到 phrase must follow the verb immediately. When cóng 从 and dào 到 phrases are used, bǎ 把 construction must be used. The following example is ungrammatical. A. ~~Tā bān yǐzi dào lóushàng qù le.~~\ ~~他搬椅子到楼上去了。~~\ (He moved the chair upstairs.)\ \
To point out the original location of the object, follow this pattern:
\
subj. + bǎ 把 + obj. + cóng 从 + locative word/phrase + verb + directional complement + (le了)
\
To point out the new location to which the object has been moved, follow this pattern:
\
subject + bǎ 把 + object + verb + dào 到 + locative word/phrase + (lái 来/ qù 去) + (le 了)
\
To point out both the original place and the destination, follow this pattern:
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subject + bǎ 把 + object + cóng 从 + locative word/phrase + verb + dào 到 + locative word/phrase + ( lái 来/qù 去)+( le了)
3\. LOCATIONAL
\
+ zài 在 + noun 2 (+ le 了) Stating where the object ends up or where it is anticipated to end up as a result of the action.
1. \ Tā bǎ yǔsǎn wàngzài túshūguǎn le.\ 他把雨伞忘在图书馆了。\ He left the/his umbrella in the library. 2. \ Bǎ dāozi fàngzài yòubiān.\ 把刀子放在右边。\ Put the knife on the right. Notē: The post-verbal locative phrase indicates where an object ends up as a result of an action. When a post-verbal locative phrase is used, the sentence usually uses the b\[a construction. How does a pre-verbal locative phrase differ from a post-verbal one in its role in the sentence? Compare the following two sentences. A. \ Bǎ dāozi fàngzài yòubian.\ 把刀子放在右边。\ Put the knife on the right. B. \ Qǐng zài yòubiān fàng yì bǎ dāozi.\ 请在右边放一把刀子。\ Please put a knife on the right. In Sentence 3A, the object, dāozi 刀子, is one that both the speaker and the listener know, not a generic reference. It may be right in front of them. In Sentence 3B, it is not important which knife is to be placed on the right. The speaker only wants a knife to be placed on the right. The knife may not be in the presence of the speaker and the listener. The example shows that **‘the more prominent the referent of the direct object is the more appropriate it is to use a bǎ noun phrase to refer to it '**(Charles Li 1981: 484). Below are examples of common errors associated with the locative phrase in this type of bǎ 把 sentences. C. ~~Tā wàng yǔsǎn zài túshūguǎn le.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~他忘雨伞在图书馆了。~~\ (He left his umbrella in the library.)\ \
The locative phrase must follow the verb immediately and the sentence must use the bǎ 把 construction. The correct sentence is:
D. \ Tā bǎ yǔsǎn wàngzài túshūguǎn le. (Grammatical)\ 他把雨伞忘在图书馆了。\ (He left his umbrella in the library.) E. \ Wǒ bǎ zuòyè xiězài zhǐ shàng. (Grammatical)\ 我把作业写在纸上。\ I wrote my homework on the paper.\ \
The post-verbal locative phrase indicates where an object ends up as a result of the action.
F. ~~Wǒ bǎ zuòyè xiězài sùshè.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~我把作业写在宿舍~~\ (I wrote my homework in the dormitory.)\ \
The locative phrase may not refer to the location of the subject or other elements. The correct sentence should be:
G. \ Wǒ zài sùshè xiě zuòyè. (Grammatical)\ 我在宿舍写作业。\ I wrote my homework in the dormitory.
4\. DATIVE
\
+ gěi 给 + indirect object (+ le 了) Pointing out the recipient of the direct object as a result of the action.
\ 1. \ Wǒ bǎ zuòyè jiāogěi lǎoshī le.\ 我把作业交给老师了。\ I have turned in my homework to the teacher. 2. \ Bǎ zhèxiē shū màigěi jiù shūdiàn ba.\ 把这些书卖给旧书店吧。\ Let 's sell these books to the used-book store. 3. \ Tā bǎ nèi jiàn hóng máoyī sònggěi wǒ le.\ 她把那件红毛衣送给我了。\ She gave that red sweater to me. Note 1: If a sentence is to state that the object has been passed to a new recipient, the predicate verb must take gěi 给 or a similar verb capable of introducing the recipient of the object. The Bǎ 把 construction is required in such a sentence. See 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3. Only verbs that imply 'transfer' or 'transaction', such as jiāo 交, sòng 送, mài 卖, jiè 借, huán 还, jì 寄, dài 带, chuán 传, etc. can be used with gěi 给 and an indirect object in a bǎ 把 sentence. Other verbs taking gěi 给 may not be used in a bǎ 把 sentence. \ A. ~~Wǒ bǎ xìn xiěgěi wǒ péngyou le.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~我把信写给我朋友了。~~\ (I wrote the letter to my friend.)\ \
If the direct object is not definite, specific or known to the listener, and the speaker intends to simply point out what it is that has been transferred or to narrate what someone has done as one of the events that has happened, bǎ 把 may not be necessary.
B. \ Wǒ sònggěi Xiǎo Wáng yì zhī bǐ.\ 我送给小王一支笔。\ I gave Young Wang a pen.\ \
If the direct object is definite, specific or something that the listener knows or understands, bǎ 把 construction must be used.
C. \ ~~Wǒ sònggěi Xiǎo Wáng nàxiē bǐ le.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~我送给小王那些笔了。~~\ (I gave those pens to Young Wang.)
5\. TRANSFORMATIONAL/JUDGMENTAL
\
+ chéng 成 / zuò 作 + indirect object (+ le 了) Stating how the object has been or is anticipated to be changed, regarded, compared or judged.
\ 1. \ Qǐng nǐ bǎ zhèi ge gùshi fānyìchéng Yīngwén.\ 请你把这个故事翻译成英文。\ Please translate this story into English. 2. \ Tā bǎ wǒ dāngzuò zìjǐ-de háizi.\ 她把我当作自己的孩子。\ She regards me as her own child. Note: Verbs such as chéng 成, wéi 为, zuò 作 or zuò 做 following the predicate verb take an object to indicate how the direct object has been transformed, regarded, compared, labeled, judged and so on. They all require the bǎ 把 construction. A common error students tend to make is to forget to use the bǎ 把 construction. 3. ~~Qǐng nǐ fānyì zhèi gè gùshì chéng Yīngwén.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~请你翻译这个故事成英文。~~\ (Please translate this story into English.)
6\. ACCOMPLISHED FACT
\
+ le 了 Stating what has happened to the object or how one anticipates it to be dealt with.
\ 1. \ Tā bǎ nèi ge hóng píngguǒ chī le. \ 他把那个红苹果吃了。\ He ate the red apple. 2. \ Bié bǎ yàoshi diū le.\ 别把钥匙丢了。\ Don't lose the key.\ Note: The modal particle le here has the underlying notion of liǎo 了 'to finish' (Po-Ching Yip and Don Rimmington 2004: p. 200). Only a special class of verbs can take nothing but le in bǎ 把 sentences. These are verbs with a built-in terminal point. They are mostly verbs indicating actions which finish as soon as they begin, such as diū 丢(lose), wàng 忘(forget), rēng 扔 (throw away), sī 撕(tear up), mǒ 抹 (wipe off), shuā i摔 (break), hē 喝(drink), qǔxiāo 取消 (abolish), huán 还(return), and so on.
7\. DATIVE
\
+ noun 2 / pronoun + (le 了) Specifying the recipient of the object as the result of the action.
1. \ Wǒ yǐjīng bǎ zìxíngchē gěi Lǎo Wáng le.????????????????\ 我已经把自行车给老王了。\ I have already given the bicycle to Old Wang. 2. \ Tā bǎ jiù yīfu sòng rén le.\ 她把旧衣服送人了。\ She gave away her old clothes. 3. \ Wǒ bù xiǎng bǎ zhè jiàn shì gàosù tā.\ 我不想把这件事告诉她。\ I don't want to tell her about it. 4. \ Tā bǎ shèng fàn wèi gǒu le.\ 她把剩饭喂狗了。\ She fed the dog with the leftover food. 5. \ Wǒ bǎ shuǐ jiāo huār le.\ 我把水浇花儿了。\ I water the plant with the water. Note: Not all verbs can take these elements in bǎ 把 sentences. Only verbs such as gěi 给, sòng 送, gàosù 告诉, wèi 喂, jiāo 浇, tōngzhī 通知, zhuǎngào 转告 and so on can take a noun or pronoun as the indirect object to point out the recipient of the direct object in bǎ 把 sentences. These verbs usually imply transferring or passing something to someone else.
8\. EVALUATIVE/DESCRIPTIVE
\
+ de 的 + complement of degree Specify the degree or extent to which the object has been affected as a result of the action.
1. \ Lǎoshī bǎ wèntí jiěshi de hěn qīngchu.\ 老师把问题解释得很清楚。\ The teacher has explained the question very clearly. 2. \ Gōngzuò hé jiāwù bǎ tā lèi de bìngdǎo le.\ 工作和家务把她累得病倒了。\ Work and household chores have exhausted her so much that she has fallen ill. Note: It is important to remember that the complement comments on the object, not the subject. See the following examples.\ \ A.
~~Wǒmen bǎ diànyǐng kànde hěn gāoxìng.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~我们把电影看得很高兴。~~\ (We enjoyed the film very much.)
Note that hěn gāoxìng 很高兴 in 8A comments on how the subject feels, not on to what extent the object has been affected. Therefore, this sentence should not use the bǎ 把 construction. The correct sentence should be:\ B.
\ Wǒmen kàn diànyǐng kànde hěn gāoxìng. (Grammatical)\ 我们看电影看得很高兴。\ We enjoyed the film very much.
9\. BRIEF DURATIONAL
\
+ (yī 一) + reduplicated verb Stating how one anticipates the object will be dealt with. Completed action uses –le 了 instead of yī 一. The sentence may need to take a clause.
\ 1. \ Qǐng bǎ zhèi kài biǎo xiūxiu.\ 请把这块表修修。(same in meaning as + yī 一 + reduplicated verb)\ Please fix this watch. 2. \ Qǐng bǎ zhèi kài biǎo xiū yi xiū.\ 请把这块表修一修。(same in meaning as + reduplicated verb)\ Please fix this watch. 3. \ Tā bǎ zhèi kài biǎo xiū-le xiū, xiànzài yòu néng zǒu le.\ 她把这块表修了修, 现在又能走了。(-le 了 + verb)\ She fixed the watch a little bit and now it's working again. Note: Monosyllabic verbs when reduplicated can take yī 一 or le 了 inbetween, as in 9.2 and 9.3. Disyllabic verbs when reduplicated may not do the same. So it would be wrong to say jiěshì yi jiěshì 解释一解释 'explain' or jiěshì le jiěshì 解释了解释.
10\. FREQUENCY
\
+ (-le 了) + complement of frequency + (le 了) Specifying how many times the object has been or is to be dealt with.
1. \ Tā bǎ zhèi ge zì chāo-le shí biàn, háishì jìbúzhù.\ 她把这个字抄了十遍，还是记不住。\ She copied this character ten times, but she still can't remember it. 2. \ Wǒmen yǐngjīng bǎ zhèi ge wèntí tǎolùn-le sān cì le.\ 我们已经把这个问题讨论了三次了。\ We have already discussed this issue three times up to now. 3. \ Bǎ zhè piān kèwén niàn sān biàn.\ 把这篇课文念三遍。\ Read the text aloud three times. 4. \ Bǎ zuòyè jiǎnchá yíxià.\ 把作业检查一下。\ Check your homework. Note: Yíxià 一下(a little bit) is a special verbal measure word. It is generally used to soften the tone in imperative sentences. It is not used to indicate the frequency of an action. So it is wrong to say, 'bǎ zuòyè jiǎnchá liǎng xià' 把作业检查两下(check the homework twice).
11\. QUANTITY
\
+ (-le 了) + complement of quantity + (le 了) Specifying the quantity that has been or will be added to or removed from the object as a result of the action.
1. \ Shāngdiàn bǎ diànshì de jiàgé jiàngdī-le yí bàn. \ 商店把电视的价格降低了一半。\ Stores have lowered the price of televisions by half. 2. \ Wǒmen yídìng yào bǎ chǎnliàng tígāo-le bǎi fēn zhī èr. \ 我们一定要把产量提高百分之二。\ We must increase the output by two percent. 3. \ Tā yǐjīng bǎ cài qiē-le yí bān le. \ 他已经把菜切了一半了。\ He has already cut half of the vegetables up to now.
12\. CONTINUOUS STATE
\
+ zhe 着 Stating how the object has been dealt with or how one anticipates it will be dealt with.
1. \ Jīntiān yào xià yǔ, bǎ sǎn dàizhe.\ 今天要下雨，把伞带着。\ it's going to rain. Take the umbrella (with you.) 2. \ Nǐ shuìjiào zěnme hái bǎ dēng kāizhe? Tài fèi diàn le. \ 你睡觉怎么还把灯开着？太费电了！\ Why do you sleep with the light on? What a waste of electricity?
13\. DURATIONAL
\
(–le 了) + durational complement + (le 了) Stating how long the object has been being dealt with as a result of the action or how long one anticipates it will be being dealt with.
1. \ Tāmen bǎ zhèi ge wèntí yánjiū-le wǔ nián duō.\ 他们把这个问题研究了五年多。\ They studied this problem for over five years. 2. \ Wǒ yǐjīng bǎ ròu kǎo-le wǔ fēnzhōng le. Zài kǎo jiù gāi kǎohú le.\ 我已经把肉烤了五分钟了，再烤就该煳了。\ I have grilled the meat for five minutes so far. If I continue, I will burn it. 3. \ Bǎ shuǐ rè wǔ fēnzhōng. \ 把水热五分钟。\ Heat the water for five minutes. 4. \ Wǒ bǎ miàntiáo zhǔ-le yì huǐr, ránhòu cái wàng lǐ fàng cài. \ 我把面条煮了一会儿，然后才往里放菜。\ I boiled the noodles for a little while before putting vegetables in it.\ \
Note: Only verbs that imply certain forms of processing, such as shāo 烧 (to heat), kǎo 烤 (to bake/to roast), rè 热 (to heat). zhǔ 煮 (to boil), lěngquè 冷却 (to cool off), can take a durational complement in bǎ sentences. This is why the following example is ungrammatical.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ A. ~~Wǒ bǎ shū kàn-le sān ge xiǎoshí.~~ (Ungrammatical)\ ~~我把书看了三个小时~~。\ (I read the book for three hours.)\ \
If the speaker intends to state how long the action kàn 看‘reading ' lasted, the bǎ construction should not be used.
B. \ Wǒ kàn shū kàn-le sān gè xiǎoshí. (Grammatical)\ 我看书看了三个小时。\ I read the book for three hours.
V. Modal verbs and adverbials in bǎ 把 sentences.
In a bǎ 把 sentence, modal verbs and adverbs are usually placed before the coverb bǎ 把. Adverbs denoting inclusion or scope such as dōu都or quán全are placed before bǎ 把 if they are about the subject or after the object before the predicate verb if they are about the object. An adverb modifying the verb can be placed before bǎ 把 or before the verb. --------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Modal verbs,\ néng 能\ kěyǐ 可以\ nénggòu 能够\ huì 会\ yīnggāi 应该\ Optative verbs\ bìxū 必须\ gǎn 敢\ xiǎng 想\ yào 要\ yuànyì 愿意\ Dispositional verbs kěn 肯 děi 得 xǐhuan 喜欢 ài 爱 etc. Adverbs bù 不\ méi 没\ jiù 就\ cái 才\ zhǐ 只\ zài 再\ yòu 又\ hái 还\ biàn 便\ zǒngshì 总是\ chángcháng 常常 yǐjīng 已经 yídìng 一定 etc. ---- --------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. \ Tā méi bǎ chē mài gěi tā-de péngyou.\ 他没把车卖给他的朋友。\ He did not sell his car to his friend. 2. \ Wǒ bù xiǎng bǎ zhè jiàn shì gàosù tā. \ 我不想把这件事告诉她。\ I don't want to tell her about it. 3. \ Wǒmen dōu bǎ Zhōngwén zuòyè zuòwán le.\ 我们都把中文作业做完了。\ We have all finished our Chinese homework. 4. \ Wǒmen bǎ Zhōngwén zuòyè dōu zuòwán le.\ 我们把中文作业都做完了。\ We have finished all of our Chinese homework. 5. \ Tā bǎ kǎoshì juàn fēicháng rènzhēn de jiǎnchá-le liǎng biàn. \ 他把考试卷非常认真地检查了两遍。\ He very carefully checked the test paper twice. 6. \ Tā rèqíng de bǎ wǒmen ràng jìn wūzili.\ 她热情地把我们让进屋子里。\ She warmly ushered us into the room. 7. \ Wǒ bǎ mén yòng lì tuī-le jǐ xiàr, háishì méi yǒu tuīkāi. \ 我把门用力推了几下儿，还是没有推开。\ I pushed the door hard a few times, but I still couldn't open it.
VI\. Verbs which may not be used as the predicate verb in a bǎ 把 sentence.
\ I.
modal verbs:
i. some modal verbs denoting wish, desire or aspiration (表示意愿的): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- yào 要 wish/want (to) xiǎng 想 wish (to) yuànyì 愿意 willing (to) kěn 肯 willing (to) gǎn 敢 dare (to) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ii. modal verbs denoting reasoning (表示对情理、事理判断的): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- yīnggāi 应该 ought to yīngdāng 应当 ought to yīng 应 ought to gāi 该 ought to děi 得 have to/must ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii. modal verbs denoting judgement of possibilities (表示对主客观条件判断的): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- néng 能 an/be able to kěyǐ 可以 can nénggòu 能够 can ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- iv. modal verbs denoting permission (表示准许、允许的): ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- néng 能 can kě 可 may kěyǐ 可以 may zhǔn 准 allow/permit xǔ 许 allow/permit bùdé 不得 may not ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- v. modal verbs denoting evaluation/assessment (表示评价的): ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- pèi 配 be worthy of zhídé 值得 deserve ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- vi. modal verbs denoting possibility/probability (表示可能的): ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- kěnéng 可能 possible huì 会 be likely/sure to yào 要 be about to děi 得 have to/must néng 能 can ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. intransitive verbs (不及物动词 verbs which do not take objects) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ lǚxíng 旅行 to travel hézuò 合作 to cooperate bìyè 毕业 to graduate xiūxi 休息 to rest jiéhūn 结婚 to marry etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ III. some verbs of cognition, mentality or the senses (表示认知、心理活动或感官知觉的) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- zhīdào 知道 know tóngyì 同意 agree juéde 觉得 feel xīwàng 希望 to hope yāoqiú 要求 to request kànjiàn 看见 see tīngjiàn 听见 hear etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- IV. some verbs of direction (表示动作方向的) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ lái 来 to come shàng 上 go up jìn 进 to enter qù 去 to go xià 下 go down chū 出 to exit huí 回 to return dào 到 arrive; go to guò 过 to cross qǐ 起 to rise etc. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ V. some verbs of judgement, existence or state and ownership (表示判断 、存在和领有的) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- shì 是 to be yǒu 有 to have xiàng 象 resemble zài 在t o be at... děngyú 等于 equal to chéngwéi 成为 to become jiào 叫 be called xìng 姓 be surnamed etc. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VII\. The potential complement cannot be used in the bǎ 把 construction
The potential complement is used for possibility, not disposal. Therefore, it does not occur in the bǎ 把 construction.
~~Nǐ bǎ gōngzuò zuòdewán.~~\ ~~你把工作做得完。~~(ungrammatical)\ (You can finish the work.)
VIII\. The structure of bǎ 把 sentences
\
➀ ➁ ➂ ➃ ➄ ➅ ➆
subject adverbial bǎ\ object adverbial predicate consequential elements
李明\ Lǐ Míng\ 已经\ yǐjīng\ 把\ bǎ\ 你的书\ nǐ-de shū\ 都\ dōu\ 拿\ ná\ 走了。\ zǒu le.\
subject adverbial bǎ object adverbial predicate consequential elements
↑\ 1. n./n. \ 2. eq.;  3. p. pron. ↑\ 1. adv.;\ 2. adj. + (de 地); \ 3. v. phrase;\ 4. cover + n.\ ↑\ coverb\ ↑\ 1. n./n. eq.;\ 2. p. pron.\ ↑\ 1. adv.; \ 2. adj. +(de 地); \ 3. v. phrase;\ 4. cover+n.\ ↑\ 1. v.;\ 2. stative v.\ ↑\ 1. complement+(locative phrase/N 2) + (le了);\ 2. reduplicated verb or its variations; \ 3. le 了;\ 4. noun 2 + le 了\ 5. zhe 着\
Notes: 1. n\. = noun 2. n\. eq. = noun equivalent, etc. 3. p.pron. = personal pronoun, such as wǒ 我, nǐ 你, tā 他, wǒmen 我们, nǐmen 你们, tāmen 他们, etc. 4. adv. = adverb, such as mǎshàng 马上, méi 没, bù 不, etc. 5. adj. = adjective.\ (e.g.\ kuài bǎ 快把 + noun + verb + ...;\ bǎ 把 + noun + zǎodiǎnr 早点儿 + verb + ...;\ rènzhēn de bǎ 认真地把 + noun + verb + ...;\ bǎ 把 + noun + rènzhēn de 认真地 + verb + ...;\ etc.) 6. v\. = verb 7. N 2 = Noun 2 (usually the indirect object)
**The Complement Of Degree**   **I.** [What is the complement of degree?](Degree-1.htm) **II.** [The structure of the complement of degree](Degree-2.htm) **III.** [The negative forms](Degree-3.htm) **IV.** [The question forms](Degree-4.htm) **V.** [When to use the complement of degree?](Degree-5.htm) **VI.** [Complement of degree vs. potential complement](Degree-6.htm)
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