<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!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>
<link href="../Styles/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>
<body>
<h1></h1>
<p>Although there are a number of ways to express "<b>it depends</b>" in Chinese, the most common ones in spoken Chinese involve the verb <span class="hanzi">看</span> (<span class="pinyin">kàn</span>). Some common expressions include:</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">要看</span> (<span class="pinyin">yào kàn</span>)</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">得看</span> (<span class="pinyin">děi kàn</span>)</li>
</ul>
<p>Both <span class="hanzi">得看</span> (<span class="pinyin">děi kàn</span>) and <span class="hanzi">要看</span> (<span class="pinyin">yào kàn</span>) mean "<b>depends on</b>." Literally, they both mean "<b>have to look at</b>," so the logic is not hard to understand. Both of them are informal spoken patterns. If you're looking for more formal language, consider <span class="hanzi">取决于</span> (<span class="pinyin">qǔjué yú</span>), "<b>to be dependent on</b>."</p>
<h2>Contents</h2>
<ol>
<li>Structure<br/></li>
<li>Examples<br/></li>
<li>See also<br/></li>
<li>Sources and further reading<br/></li>
<ol>
<li>Books<br/></li>
</ol>
</ol>
<h2 id="used-to-answer-a-question">Used to Answer a Question</h2>
<p>If you're answering a question with "<b>it depends on...</b>" then this is the pattern you want. It's a bit simpler than <span class="hanzi">取决于</span> (<span class="pinyin">qǔjué yú</span>).</p>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div>
<div class="deux">
<span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px;">这 / 那 + 要看 / 得看</span> + [Unclear Situation]
</div>
</div>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<p>Keep in mind that the "<b>answers</b>" below are meant to be an answer to some imaginary question that we don't include.</p>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">这 得看 你 的 时间 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Zhè děi kàn nǐ de shíjiān.</span><br/><span> This depends on when you are available.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">这 得看 天气 怎么样 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Zhè děi kàn tiānqì zěnmeyàng.</span><br/><span> It depends on how the weather is.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">那 得看 考试 结果 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Nà děi kàn kǎoshì jiéguō.</span><br/><span> That depends on whether the result of the test.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">那 要看 他 愿 不 愿意 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Nà yào kàn tā yuàn bu yuànyì.</span><br/><span> That depends on whether he feels like it or not.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">那 要看 孩子 怎么 想 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Nà yào kàn háizi zěnme xiǎng.</span><br/><span> It depends on what the child thinks.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="used-in-a-full-sentence">Used in a Full Sentence</h2>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<p>If you're going to write a full sentence explaining what "<b>it</b>" depends on, then you're going to need to lead off with some kind of explanation of the "<b>unknown outcome</b>" of what "<b>it depends</b>" on. So you'll start with the "<b>unknown outcome</b>" in the first part of the sentence (before <span class="hanzi">要看 / 得看</span>), and then end up with what "<b>it depends on</b>" (after <span class="hanzi">要看 / 得看</span>).</p>
<div>
<div class="deux">
[Unknown Outcome] + <span class="hanzist">要看 / 得看</span> + [Unclear Situation]
</div>
</div>
<p>The "<b>unknown outcome</b>" normally includes some kind of <a href="question_word" title="wikilink">question word</a>, meaning something like "<b>whether or not x happens</b>" or "<b>what x does</b>," etc.</p>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="exemple">
<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">去 不 去 要看 他 的 心情 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Qù bu qù yào kàn tā de xīnqíng.</span><br/><span> Whether he comes or not depends on his mood.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">让 谁 去 得看 老板 的 态度 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Ràng shéi qù děi kàn lǎobǎn de tàidu.</span><br/><span> Who to send there depends on the boss' attitude.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">能 不 能 留在 中国 要看 我 能 不 能 拿到 签证 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Néng bu néng liú zài Zhōngguó yào kàn wǒ néng bu néng nádào Qiānzhèng.</span><br/><span> Whether I can stay in China depends on whether or not I can get the visa.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">产品 开发 要看 客户 的 需求 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Chǎnpǐn kāifā yào kàn kèhù de xūqiú.</span><br/><span> Product development depends on the needs of the clients.</span></li>
<li><span class="hanzi">什么 时候 给 你 升职 得看 你 的 业绩 。</span> <span class="pinyin">Shénme shíhou gěi nǐ shēngzhí děi kàn nǐ de yèjì.</span><br/><span> When to give you the promotion depends on your performance.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li>Common Chinese Patterns 330 (<span class="hanzi">汉语常用格式330例</span>) (p. 168)</li>
</ul>
</body>
</html>