The particle 着 (zhe) is one way of indicating the *continuous aspect* in Mandarin Chinese (another common way is [using the adverb 在 in front of verbs](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress)). You may have heard that the Chinese particle 着 added onto the end of verbs is similar to the use of *-ing* in English. This isn't particularly helpful, however, because the use of 着 in Chinese is not nearly so frequent and can also be quite idiomatic. Basic Usage ------------------------------------------------------------- The idea here is that the action won't just happen and stop immediately; it will continue for a while. ### Structure ### Examples This basic pattern is often used with commands involving certain verbs where the action persists for a while. Used for Manner or State in which an Action is Performed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure Note that the **first verb** (followed by 着) describes the **state**; the second verb is the action verb. In this case, the "-ing" translation can be useful. ### Examples **Note:** If you want to make a sentence where both verbs are action verbs (neither is truly a state), then you don't want this pattern; you want [一边⋯⋯，一边⋯⋯](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Simultaneous_tasks_with_%22yibian%22). Used for Continuous State ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- While it's true that the "[full progressive pattern](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress_(full_form))" can make use of 着, this is not a pattern you're going to want to use all the time. The most commonly used verbs are the ones below: - 开 (kāi) alone can mean "to open" or "to turn on." Adding 着 allows one to express that something "is open" or "is on." - 关 (guān) alone can mean "to close" or "to turn off." Adding 着 allows one to express that something "is closed" or "is off." - 穿 (chuān) alone means "to wear." Adding 着 allows one to express that one "is wearing" or "has" something (on one's person). - 戴 (dài) alone means "to wear." Adding 着 allows one to express that one "is wearing" or "has" something (on one's person). - 躺 (tǎng) alone means "to lie on one's back." Adding 着 allows one to express that someone "is lying down." ### Examples Colloquial Saying ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Certain verbs tend to take 着 more frequently than others, and what the 着 exactly is *doing* might not be apparent at all. It's best to think of these usages as colloquialisms. You can even think of them as set phrases. Examples of this usage: There's also one colloquial usage of 着 that's been chosen by at least one textbook for special treatment, so we'll cover it here as well: This pattern may look like that "doing an action in a particular state" pattern already covered above, but in practice it doesn't really work that way. It just means "\[Verb\] for fun" or "\[Verb\] as a joke." Examples of this usage: See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Expressing actions in progress](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress) - [Expressing actions in progress (full form)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_actions_in_progress_(full_form)) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(%E5%A4%96%E5%9B%BD%E4%BA%BA%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95)) (pp. 414 - 423) [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA) - [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition) (pp. 89) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2h67UYa) - [Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Mandarin_Chinese:_A_Functional_Reference_Grammar) (pp. 217 - 225) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2yOtlXc) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed)) (pp. 242-3) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2femBuy) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2) (pp. 17) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ftpILV) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_2_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC2)) (pp. 238-9) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297) - [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8A%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89) (pp. 255) [→buy](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) ### Websites - About.com: [Mandarin Chinese Aspect](http://mandarin.about.com/od/grammar/a/aspect.htm) - ChinesePod: [Qing Wen - The 着 (zhe) Chronicles: How We Verb](http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-%E7%9D%80-zhe-chronicles-how-we-verb) (free content) - ChinesePod: [Qing Wen - The 着 (zhe) Chronicles: Actions in Progress](http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-%E7%9D%80-zhe-chronicles-actions-in-progress) (free content) - ChinesePod: [Qing Wen - The 着 (zhe) Chronicles: Verbs as States](http://chinesepod.com/lessons/the-%E7%9D%80-zhe-chronicles-verbs-as-states) (free content)