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<p>Although there are a number of ways to express "it depends" in
Chinese, the most common ones in spoken Chinese involve the verb 看
(kàn). Some common expressions include:</p>
<ul>
<li>要看 (yào kàn)</li>
<li>得看 (děi kàn)</li>
</ul>
<p>Both 得看 (děi kàn) and 要看 (yào kàn) mean "depends on." Literally,
they both mean "have to look at," so the logic is not hard to
understand. Both of them are informal spoken patterns. If you're
looking for more formal language, consider 取决于 (qǔjué yú), "to be
dependent on."</p>
<h2 id="used-to-answer-a-question">Used to Answer a Question</h2>
<p>If you're answering a question with "it depends on..." then this
is the pattern you want. It's a bit simpler than 取决于 (qǔjué
yú).</p>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>这 / 那 + 要看 / 得看 + [Unclear Situation]</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<p>Keep in mind that the "answers" below are meant to be an answer
to some imaginary question that we don't include.</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>这 <em>得看</em> 你 的 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè <em>děi kàn</em>
nǐ de shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">This depends on when you
are available.</span></li>
<li>这 <em>得看</em> 天气 怎么样 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè <em>děi kàn</em>
tiānqì zěnmeyàng.</span><span class="trans">It depends on how the
weather is.</span></li>
<li>那 <em>得看</em> 考试 结果 。<span class="pinyin">Nà <em>děi kàn</em>
kǎoshì jiéguō.</span><span class="trans">That depends on whether
the result of the test.</span></li>
<li>那 <em>要看</em> 他 愿 不 愿意 。<span class="pinyin">Nà <em>yào
kàn</em> tā yuàn bu yuànyì.</span><span class="trans">That depends
on whether he feels like it or not.</span></li>
<li>那 <em>要看</em> 孩子 怎么 想 。<span class="pinyin">Nà <em>yào kàn</em>
háizi zěnme xiǎng.</span><span class="trans">It depends on what the
child thinks.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="used-in-a-full-sentence">Used in a Full Sentence</h2>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<p>If you're going to write a full sentence explaining what "it"
depends on, then you're going to need to lead off with some kind of
explanation of the "unknown outcome" of what "it depends" on. So
you'll start with the "unknown outcome" in the first part of the
sentence (<em>before</em> 要看 / 得看), and then end up with what "it
depends on" (<em>after</em> 要看 / 得看).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>[Unknown Outcome] + 要看 / 得看 + [Unclear Situation]</p>
</div>
<p>The "unknown outcome" normally includes some kind of <a href=
"question_word" title="wikilink">question word</a>, meaning
something like "<em>whether or not</em> x happens" or
"<em>what</em> x does," etc.</p>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>去 不 去 <em>要看</em> 他 的 心情 。 <span class="pinyin">Qù bu qù
<em>yào kàn</em> tā de xīnqíng.</span><span class="trans">Whether
he comes or not depends on his mood.</span></li>
<li>让 谁 去 <em>得看</em> 老板 的 态度 。<span class="pinyin">Ràng shéi qù
<em>děi kàn</em> lǎobǎn de tàidu.</span><span class="trans">Who to
send there depends on the boss' attitude.</span></li>
<li>能 不 能 留在 中国 <em>要看</em> 我 能 不 能 拿到 签证 。<span class=
"pinyin">Néng bu néng liú zài Zhōngguó <em>yào kàn</em> wǒ néng bu
néng nádào Qiānzhèng.</span><span class="trans">Whether I can stay
in China depends on whether or not I can get the visa.</span></li>
<li>产品 开发 <em>要看</em> 客户 的 需求 。<span class="pinyin">Chǎnpǐn kāifā
<em>yào kàn</em> kèhù de xūqiú.</span><span class="trans">Product
development depends on the needs of the clients.</span></li>
<li>什么 时候 给 你 升职 <em>得看</em> 你 的 业绩 。<span class="pinyin">Shénme
shíhou gěi nǐ shēngzhí <em>děi kàn</em> nǐ de
yèjì.</span><span class="trans">When to give you the promotion
depends on your performance.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further
reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"Common_Chinese_Patterns_330_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%B8%B8%E7%94%A8%E6%A0%BC%E5%BC%8F330%E4%BE%8B)"
title="wikilink">Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)</a> (p.
168)<a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=7802006473">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:B1_grammar_points" title=
"wikilink">Category:B1 grammar points</a></p>
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