{{Grammar Box}} 


白 (bái) doesn't only mean "white." When added before a verb it means to do that verb "in vain" or "with no effect." In a certain way, you can think of 白 as not being just "white" but also "blank," like when you do something for a long time without thinking, and you're just going through the motions. It's like doing something with a "blank" mind.

== Structure with just 白 ==

All you have to do is but 白 before the verb.One important thing to note is that 白 is usually used with mono-syllabic words, like 帮, 做, 学 etc. You cannot put a 地 after 白.

<div class="jiegou">

白 + Verb + 了

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* <em>白</em> 花 了 一 百 块 钱，这 件 衣服 不 能 穿。<span class="trans">I just wasted a hundred kuai. I can't even wear these clothes.</span>
* 他 不 回来 吃饭 了？！我 这些 菜 <em>白</em> 做了。<span class="trans">He's not coming back to eat？！I made all this food for nothing.</span>
* 你 一 句 汉语 都 不 会 说，<em>白</em> 学 了 这么 长 时间。<span class="trans">You can't speak even one sentence in Chinese, wasting all of that time studying.</span>
* 我 去 的 时候 他 不 在 家， 所以 我 白 跑 了 一 趟。<span class="trans">He wasn't home when I got there, so I wasted all of that time going over there.</span>
* 不好意思， 让 你 <em>白</em> 忙 了 一 个 早上，我们 老板 今天 来 不了 了。<span class="trans">Sorry to make you work this whole morning for nothing. Our boss just said that he couldn't come today.</span>

</div>

== Structure with 白白 ==

白 can also be replaced with 白白, and they are basically the same, though 白白 has a stronger emphasis on the "wasted effort." 白白 also is usually paired with a disyllabic word, like 帮助, 准备, 学习 etc. Unlike 白, 白白 can be used with a 地.

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 明天 不 考 中文， 小王 <em>白白</em> 准备 了 一 天。<span class="trans">There's not a Chinese test tomorrow. Little Wang studied the whole day in vain.</span>
* 他 没有 来，我 在 飞机场 <em>白白</em> 等 了 他 四 个 小时。<span class="trans">He hasn't come. I wasted four hours at the airport waiting for him.</span>
* 她 <em>白白</em> 学 了 十 年 的 英语， 她 看得懂 英文，但是 连 简单 的 对话 都 不 会 说！<span class="trans">She spent ten years fruitlessly studying English. She can read English, but she can't even speak a simple sentence.</span>

</div>

== Sources and further reading ==

* [[现代汉语八百词]] (p.58) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001198GSW&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001198GSW →buy]
* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] (p.160-161) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]

[[Category:B2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|白|B2|白 + Verb|<em>白</em> 花 了 一 百 块 钱，这 件 衣服 不 能 穿。|grammar point|ASGTIMTS}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
{{POS|Adverbs}}