<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops"> <head> <title>Expressing "simply" with "jianzhi"</title> <link href="../Styles/main.css" type="text/css" rel="stylesheet"/> </head> <body> <h1>Expressing "simply" with "jianzhi"</h1> <p>简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker.</p> <h2>Contents</h2> <div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Used as "simply" </span></li> <ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.1 Basic structure </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.2 Examples </span></li> </ul> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Used as "basically" </span></li> <ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.1 Structure </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.2 Examples </span></li> </ul> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 See also </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 Sources and further reading </span></li> <ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.1 Books</span></li> </ul> </ul> </div> <h2>Used as "simply"</h2> <h3>Basic structure</h3> <div class="deux">Subj. + 简直 + Predicate </div> <h3>Examples</h3> <div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 简直 是 个 魔鬼 ！ He is simply a monster! </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 唱歌 简直 难听 死了 ！ His singing is simply awful! </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 男 朋友 简直 太 帅 了 ！ Your boyfriend is simply so handsome! </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 简直 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 ！ I just don't understand why he's so stupid. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 简直 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 ！ I just don't know how I should teach such kind of students.</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <p>However, although it is possible in English to say something is "simply beautiful," in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. Check out the following examples:</p> <div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 简直 漂亮 ！ </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 简直 很 漂亮 ！ </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 简直 太 漂亮 了 ！ </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">她 简直 漂亮 极 了 !</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <h2>Used as "basically"</h2> <h3>Structure</h3> <div class="deux">Subj. + 简直 + 是(在) + Predicate</div> <h3>Examples</h3> <div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 简直 是 骗 人 。 He's just lying to you. </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他们 简直 就是 在 抄 我们 的 创意 。 They are basically stealing our creativity.</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> <h3>See also</h3> <h3>Sources and further reading</h3> <h4>Books</h4> <div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 115) →buy </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 134-6) [ →buy] </span></li> <li><span style="font-size: 20px;">New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 225) →buy</span><br/></li> </ul> </div> </body> </html>