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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>Multitasking is everywhere in the modern world (what else are
you doing while you read this?), but you if can <em>focus</em> for
just a minute, you can learn a way to express simultaneous tasks in
Chinese! This can be done with 一边 (yībiān).</p>
<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
<p>To express that one thing is done <em>while</em> doing something
else, the word 一边 (yībiān) is used.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 一边 + Verb（，）+ 一边 + Verb</p>
</div>
<p>Note that you sometimes see 一边 (yībiān) shortened to 边 (biān) as
well, which has a less formal feel.</p>
<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>不要 <em>一边</em> 吃 东西，<em>一边</em> 说话。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào
<em>yībiān</em> chī dōngxi, <em>yībiān</em>
shuōhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't speak while
eating.</span></li>
<li>我 常常 <em>一边</em> 洗澡， <em>一边</em> 唱歌。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ
chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> xǐzǎo, <em>yībiān</em>
chànggē.</span><span class="trans">I often sing songs while I take
a shower.</span></li>
<li>孩子 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 吃饭， <em>一边</em> 玩。<span class="pinyin">Háizi
xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chīfàn, <em>yībiān</em>
wán.</span><span class="trans">Children like to play while
eating.</span></li>
<li>你 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 听 音乐， <em>一边</em> 做 作业 吗？<span class=
"pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> tīng yīnyuè, <em>yībiān</em> zuò
zuòyè ma?</span> <span class="trans">Do you like to listen to music
while doing homework?</span></li>
<li>我们 <em>一边</em> 走 <em>一边</em> 聊 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen
<em>yībiān</em> zǒu <em>yībiān</em> liáo ba.</span><span class=
"trans">Let's walk while we talk.</span></li>
<li>请 你 <em>一边</em> 读 <em>一边</em> 写。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng nǐ
<em>yībiān</em> dú <em>yībiān</em> xiě.</span><span class=
"trans">Please write as you read.</span></li>
<li>不要 <em>一边</em> 开车， <em>一边</em> 打电话。<span class="pinyin">Bùyào
<em>yībiān</em> kāichē, <em>yībiān</em> dǎ
diànhuà.</span><span class="trans">Don't talk on the phone while
you drive.</span></li>
<li>老板 喜欢 <em>一边</em> 抽烟，<em>一边</em> 工作。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn
xǐhuan <em>yībiān</em> chōuyān, <em>yībiān</em>
gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">The boss likes to smoke while
working.</span></li>
<li>很多 人 都 <em>一边</em> 上班， <em>一边</em> 玩 手机。<span class=
"pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu <em>yībiān</em> shàngbān, <em>yībiān</em>
wán shǒujī.</span><span class="trans">Many people play with their
cell phones while working.</span></li>
<li>她 常常 <em>一边</em> 做饭，<em>一边</em> 带 孩子。<span class="pinyin">Tā
chángcháng <em>yībiān</em> zuòfàn, <em>yībiān</em> dài
háizi.</span><span class="trans">She often looks after the baby
while cooking food.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>You'll notice that the order of the two actions is sometimes
different in the original Chinese and the English translations
above. This is because the "main" action usually comes second in
English (after the "while"), but first in Chinese. For example,
"take a shower while singing" sounds strange in English, but "sing
while taking a shower" doesn't.</p>
<p>Note that you must be actively doing both actions. That is, they
have to be intentional. If you want to say something happened while
another thing was happening, it would be better to use <a href=
"Expressing_&quot;when&quot;_with_&quot;de_shihou&quot;" title=
"wikilink">的时候 (de shíhou)</a>.</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"Expressing_simultaneous_actions_with_&quot;yimian&quot;" title=
"wikilink">Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"</a></li>
<li><a href=
"&quot;Along_with%E2%80%A6&quot;_using_&quot;suizhe&quot;" title=
"wikilink">"Along with…" using "suizhe"</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further
reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)" title=
"wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)</a> (p.
207) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276385">
→buy</a></li>
<li><a href=
"New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_3_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC3)"
title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)</a> (p.
17) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=756191251X">
→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide"
title="wikilink">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical
Guide</a> (p. 269) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0415700108">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title=
"wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>
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