{{Grammar Box}} Two of the most common result complements in Chinese are 到 (dào) and 见 (jiàn). On this page we're only going to be talking about verbs related to the senses ("see," "hear," etc.), and for this usage, the two are interchangeable. == Verbs with 到 (dào) and 见 (jiàn) == === Structure === [[Result complement]]s are a huge topic in Chinese grammar, but you can approach them in stages. The structure you come across the most is a verb with 到 (dào):
Subj. + Verb + 到 + Obj.
What 到 (dào) does is indicate that the outcome of the verb is achieved - what its ''result'' is. Without a result complement, the sentence would describe only the action itself. To illustrate, 看 (kàn) "to look" is the action of turning your head in a particular direction and focusing your eyes, whereas 看到 (kàndào), "to see," is the result of your brain taking in the visual input. It may sound a little hokey, but it really is possible to "look but not see," and Chinese makes a clear distinction between the action and the result. The complement 见 (jiàn) is very similar to 到 (dào), and it is used in the same way:
Subj. + Verb + 见 + Obj.
However, there is a difference. 见 (jiàn) is generally ''only'' used after verbs involving one of the senses, like 听 (tīng) and 看 (kàn), whereas 到 (dào) can be attached to a large variety of verbs, which we will discuss [[Tricky uses of "dao"|at a higher level later]]. === Examples ===
* 你 看 见 那 个 帅哥 了 吗 ？ Nǐ kànjiàn nàge shuàigē le ma? * 你 看到 那 个 帅哥 了 吗 ？ Nǐ kàndào nàge shuàigē le ma?Did you see that handsome guy?
* 我 看 见 了 。 We didn't say what "I" saw; you have to infer it from the context.Wǒ kànjiàn le. * 我 看 到 了 。 Wǒ kàndào le.I saw it.
* 你 听 见 了 吗 ？ Nǐ tīngjiàn le ma? * 你 听 到 了 吗 ？ Nǐ tīngdào le ma?Did you hear it?
== Negative Forms == === Structure ===
Subj. + 没 + Verb + 到 / 见 + Obj.
This structure can be negated using 没 (méi) on 没有 (méiyǒu). This is because if there is a result, then it already happened. And you need to [[Negation of "you" with "mei"|use 没 (méi) to negate past events]], not 不 (bù). === Examples ===
* 你 没 看 到 那 个 帅哥 吗 ？ Nǐ méi kàndào nàge shuàigē ma? * 你 没 看 见 那 个 帅哥 吗 ？ Nǐ méi kànjiàn nàge shuàigē ma?You didn't see that handsome guy?
* 我 没有 看 到 。 Wǒ méiyǒu kàndào. * 我 没有 看 见 。 We didn't say what "I" didn't see; you have to infer it from the context.Wǒ méiyǒu kànjiàn.I didn't see it.
* 你 没 听 到 吗 ？ Nǐ méi tīngdào ma? * 你 没 听 见 吗 ？ Nǐ méi tīngjiàn ma?You didn't hear it?
[[Category:A2 grammar points]] [[Category:Result complement]] ==See also== * [[Result complement "-wan" for finishing]] * [[Result complement "-qilai"]] * [[Result complement "-cuo"]] == Sources and further reading == === Books === * [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Threshold Vol. 2 (汉语口语入门篇下)]] (p. 92) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913656/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913656 →buy] * [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (p. 109) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy] *[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）]] (pp. 205-6)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy] {{Basic Grammar|到|A2|Verb + 到 / 见|听 到 了 吗？|grammar point|ASGWNGEP}} {{Rel char|见}} {{Similar|Further Uses of Resultative Complement "qilai"}} {{Similar|"-wan" result complement}} {{Similar|Result complement "-qilai"}} {{Similar|Result complement "-cuo"}} {{Similar|Tricky uses of "dao"}} {{Used for|Expressing result}} {{Structure|Complements}} {{Subprop|Result complement}}