<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>Both 显得 (xiǎnde) and 看起来 (kànqǐlái) have meanings in English like "to appear to be" or "seems like," but their connotations are pretty different.</p> <h2 id="显得-emphasizes-objectivity">显得 emphasizes objectivity</h2> <p>显得 is used for objective descriptions and comparisons. Therefore, if you want to say that something is not very good, you can use 显得 to emphasize your objectiveness. It can be a "tactical" way to talk.</p> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>A + 显得 + B + Predicate</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>这样 穿 <em>显得</em> 我 比较 成熟 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèyàng chuān <em>xiǎnde</em> wǒ bǐjiào chéngshú.</span><span class= "trans">Dressing like this makes me look more mature.</span></li> <li>那样 吃 <em>显得</em> 你 很 没 礼貌 。 <span class="pinyin">Nàyàng chī <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ hěn méi lǐmào.</span><span class="trans">Eating like that makes you look not very polite.</span></li> <li>这么 做 会 <em>显得</em> 你 很 小气 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhème zuò huì <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ hěn xiǎoqì.</span><span class="trans">Doing it like this makes you seem stingy.</span></li> <li>那样 说 <em>显得</em> 她 很 笨 。 <span class="pinyin">Nàyàng shuō <em>xiǎnde</em> tā hěn bèn.</span><span class="trans">Talking like that makes her look stupid.</span></li> <li>这 种 颜色 的 衣服 <em>显得</em> 你 的 脸色 不 好看 。 <span class="pinyin">Zhè zhǒng yánsè de yīfu <em>xiǎnde</em> nǐ de liǎnsè bù hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">This color of clothing doesn't go well with your complexion.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="看起来-emphasize-subjectivity">看起来 emphasize subjectivity</h2> <p>看起来 is the opposite in that it emphasizes subjectivity, paying close attention to how the observer feels.</p> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 看起来 + Predicate</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>你 今天 <em>看起来</em> 很 高兴 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān <em>kànqǐlái</em> hěn gāoxìng.</span><span class="trans">You seem very happy today.</span></li> <li>这个 餐厅 <em>看起来</em> 不错，我们 可以 试试。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège cāntīng <em>kànqǐlái</em> bùcuò, wǒmen kěyǐ shìshi.</span><span class="trans">This restaurant doesn't seem too bad, let's try it out.</span></li> <li>她 <em>看起来</em> 有 点 生气 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kànqǐlái</em> yǒu diǎn shēngqì.</span><span class="trans">She seems a little angry.</span></li> <li>你 的 衣服 <em>看起来</em> 挺 贵 的 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de yīfu <em>kànqǐlái</em> tǐng guì de.</span><span class="trans">Your clothes seems expensive to me.</span></li> <li>你 女朋友 <em>看起来</em> 像 我 的 中文 老师 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐ nǚpéngyou <em>kànqǐlái</em> xiàng wǒ de Zhōngwén lǎoshī.</span><span class="trans">Your girlfriend seems like my Chinese teacher.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="example-dialog">Example Dialog</h2> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>A: 你 今天 <em>看起来</em> 很 苗条。<span class="pinyin">A- : Nǐ jīntiān <em>kànqǐlái</em> hěn miáotiáo.</span><span class="trans">You seem very slim today.</span></li> <li>B: 可能 是 这 件 衣服 <em>显得</em>我 很 苗条 。 <span class="pinyin">B: Kěnéng shì zhè jiàn yīfu <em>xiǎnde</em> wǒ hěn miáotiáo.</span><span class="trans">It's probably these clothes that makes me seem that way.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="dictionaries">Dictionaries</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC5%E7%89%88%EF%BC%89" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语词典（第5版）</a> (显得 p. 1477) <a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1"> →buy</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:grammar_comparison" title= "wikilink">Category:grammar comparison</a></p> </body> </html>