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Expressing "almost" using "chadian"
===================================
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- [Expressing "almost" using "chadian
mei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22almost%22_using_%22chadian_mei%22) (B2)
- [Expressing "nearly" with
"jihu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22nearly%22_with_%22jihu%22) (B2)
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Keywords
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[差点](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%B7%AE%E7%82%B9),
[了](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BA%86)
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[almost](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Almost)
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To say that something bad *almost* happened (but didn't), you can add
the word 差点 (chàdiǎn) before the verb. You will also hear 差点儿
(chàdiǎnr) in northern China. There is no difference in meaning between
差点 and 差点儿.
<div id="toc" class="toc">
<div id="toctitle">
Contents
--------
<span class="toctoggle"> [hide]([# "wikilink")\] </span>
</div>
- [<span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Literal
Meaning</span>](#Literal_Meaning "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">2</span>
<span class="toctext">Structure</span>](#Structure "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">3</span>
<span class="toctext">Examples</span>](#Examples "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">Using 差点
with 没</span>](#Using_.E5.B7.AE.E7.82.B9_with_.E6.B2.A1 "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">See
also</span>](#See_also "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">Sources and
further reading</span>](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">6.1</span>
<span class="toctext">Books</span>](#Books "wikilink")
- [<span class="tocnumber">6.2</span>
<span class="toctext">Dictionaries</span>](#Dictionaries "wikilink")
</div>
<span id="Literal_Meaning" class="mw-headline">Literal Meaning</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------
It might help to understand the literal meaning of the structure. The
word 差 has a lot of meanings. In this case, it means "to lack," or "to
be short." So in Chinese, the way to say "almost" is to say, "lacking
that little bit." If that "little bit" hadn't been lacking, it *would
have* happened. But it *was* lacking, so it didn't happen. Technically,
it *almost* happened. Just remember: the fact of what really happened is
always the opposite of the verb phrase after 差点(儿).
<span id="Structure" class="mw-headline">Structure</span>
---------------------------------------------------------
Note that the "Verb Phrase" part of the structure is usually something
bad or something you don't wish for, and that it **didn't happen**.
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 差点 + Predicate
</div>
You can put 了 at the end of the sentence for emphasis. In this case, 就
is often used and it's optional.
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 差点 (+就) + Predicate + 了
</div>
The
[predicate](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Predicate)
part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.
<span id="Examples" class="mw-headline">Examples</span>
-------------------------------------------------------
<div class="liju">
- 车 *差点* 撞到 我 。<span class="expl">The car didn't hit
me.</span><span class="pinyin">Chē *chàdiǎn* zhuàngdào
wǒ.</span><span class="trans">The car almost hit me.</span>
- 我们 *差点* 相信 他 。<span class="expl">We didn't believe
him</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen *chàdiǎn* xiāngxìn
tā.</span><span class="trans">We almost believed him.</span>
- 他们 *差点* 打 起来 。<span class="expl">They didn't start a
fight.</span><span class="pinyin">Tāmen *chàdiǎn* dǎ
qǐlái.</span><span class="trans">They almost started a fight.</span>
- 我 *差点* 忘 **了** 。<span class="expl">I didn't
forget.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ *chàdiǎn* wàng
**le**.</span><span class="trans">I almost forgot.</span>
- 我 今天 *差点* 迟到 **了** 。 <span class="expl">I wasn't
late</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān *chàdiǎn* chídào
**le**.</span><span class="trans">I was almost late today.</span>
- 她 *差点* 疯 **了** 。<span class="expl">She didn't go
crazy.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā *chàdiǎn* fēng
**le**.</span><span class="trans">She almost went crazy.</span>
- 他 *差点* **就** 死 **了** 。<span class="expl">He didn't
die.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā *chàdiǎn* **jiù** sǐ
**le**.</span><span class="trans">He almost died.</span>
- 菜 *差点* 糊 **了** 。<span class="expl">It wasn't
burned.</span><span class="pinyin">Cài *chàdiǎn* hú
**le**.</span><span class="trans">The food was almost burnt.</span>
- 我们 队 *差点* 输 **了** 。<span class="expl">the team didn't
lose</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen duì *chàdiǎn* shū
**le**.</span><span class="trans">Our team almost lost.</span>
- 我 *差点* **就** 做到 **了** 。<span class="expl">I didn't manage to
do it.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ *chàdiǎn* **jiù** zuòdào
**le**.</span><span class="trans">I almost did it.</span>
</div>
<span id="Using_.E5.B7.AE.E7.82.B9_with_.E6.B2.A1" class="mw-headline">Using 差点 with 没</span>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This can get confusing, even though it's really the same pattern (and
same logic) with a little added complexity. This pattern goes beyond the
difficulty level of the needs of the B1 learner, so to learn more about
this usage, see [expressing "almost" using "chadian
mei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22almost%22_using_%22chadian_mei%22).
<span id="See_also" class="mw-headline">See also</span>
-------------------------------------------------------
- ["Nearly" with
"jihu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Nearly%22_with_%22jihu%22)
- [Expressing "almost" using
"chadianmei"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22almost%22_using_%22chadianmei%22)
<span id="Sources_and_further_reading" class="mw-headline">Sources and further reading</span>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### <span id="Books" class="mw-headline">Books</span>
- [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D%EF%BC%88%E5%A2%9E%E8%AE%A2%E6%9C%AC%EF%BC%89) (pp.
112) \[ →buy\]
- [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course
(基础汉语40课下册）](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%8B%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89) (pp.
341)
[→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)
### <span id="Dictionaries" class="mw-headline">Dictionaries</span>
- [现代汉语词典（第5版）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%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) (pp.
145)
[→buy](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)
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