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  <h1><span class="hanzi">差点 </span>(<span class="pinyin">chàdiǎn</span>)</h1>

  <p>To say that something bad <b>almost</b> happened (<b>but didn't</b>), you can add the word <span class="hanzi">差点 </span>(<span class="pinyin">chàdiǎn</span>) before the verb. You will also hear <span class="hanzi">差点儿</span> (<span class="pinyin">chàdiǎnr</span>) in northern China. There is no difference in meaning between <span class="hanzi">差点</span> and <span class="hanzi">差点儿</span>.</p>

  <h2>Contents</h2>

  <ol>
    <li>Structure<br/></li>

    <li>Examples<br/></li>

    <li>See also<br/></li>

    <li>Sources and further reading<br/></li>

    <ol>
      <li>Books<br/></li>
    </ol>
  </ol>

  <h2 id="literal-meaning">Literal Meaning</h2>

  <p>It might help to understand the literal meaning of the structure. The word <span class="hanzi">差</span> (<span class="pinyin">chà</span>) has a lot of meanings. In this case, it means "<b>to lack</b>," or "<b>to be short</b>." So in Chinese, the way to say "<b>almost</b>" is to say, "<b>lacking that little bit</b>." 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 is always opposite with the verb phrase after "<span class="hanzi">差点(儿)</span>," whether the verb phrase contains "<span class="hanzi">没</span>" or not.</p>

  <h2 id="pattern-without-了">Pattern without <span style="hanzi">了</span></h2>

  <p>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.</p>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <div>
    <div class="deux">
      Subj. + <span class="hanzist">差点(儿)</span> + [Verb Phrase]
    </div>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 今天 差点儿 迟到 。</span> <br/><span class="vert">I wasn't late</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Wǒ chàdiǎnr chídào.</span><br/><span> I was almost late.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">他们 差点 打 起来 。</span> <br/><span class="vert">They didn't start a fight.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Tāmen chàdiǎn dǎ qǐlái.</span><br/><span> They almost started a fight.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 差点 笑 出来。</span> <br/><span class="vert">I didn't laugh.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Wǒ chàdiǎn xiào chūlái.</span><br/><span> I almost laughed.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">车 差点 撞到 我 。</span><br/> <span class="vert">The car didn't hit me.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Chē chàdiǎn zhuàngdào wǒ.</span><br/><span> The car almost hit me.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">手机 差点 掉进 水 里 。</span><br/> <span class="vert">The cell phone didn't fall into the water</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Shǒujī chàdiǎn diào jìn shuǐ. lǐ.</span><br/><span> The cell phone nearly fell into the water.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="pattern-with-了">Pattern with<span class="hanzist">了</span></h2>

  <p>You can put <span class="hanzi">就</span> after <span class="hanzi">差点(儿)</span> when <span class="hanzi">了</span> is used <span class="hanzi">了</span>. In this case, <span class="hanzi">就</span> can be omitted. <span class="hanzi">了 </span>comes right before the object if an object is included in the verb phrase.</p>

  <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>

  <div>
    <div class="deux">
      Subj. + <span class="hanzist">差点(儿)</span> + (<span class="hanzist">就</span>) + [Verb Phrase] / Adj. + <span class="hanzist">了</span>
    </div>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 差点 忘 了 今天 要 开会 。</span><br/> <span class="vert">I didn't forget.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Wǒ chàdiǎn wàng le .</span><br/><span> I almost forgot we need to have a meeting today.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 差点儿 错过 了 最后 一 班 地铁。</span> <br/><span class="vert">We didn't miss it.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen chàdiǎnr cuòguò le zuìhòu yī bān dìtiě.</span><br/><span> We almost missed the last metro.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">菜 差点 就 糊 了。</span><br/> <span class="vert">It wasn't burned.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Cài chàdiǎn jiù hú le.</span> <span> almost .</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我们 队 差点儿 就 输 了。</span><br/> <span class="vert">the team didn't lose</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Wǒmen duì chàdiǎnr jiù shū le.</span><br/><span> Our team almost lost.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">这个 东西 差点 就 丢 了 。</span> <br/><span class="vert">I did't lost it.</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Zhège dōngxi chàdiǎn jiù diū le.</span><br/><span> I almost lost the thing.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="using-差点-with-没">Using <span class="hanzist">差</span>点 with <span style="hanzi">没</span></h2>

  <p>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 <a href="expressing_&quot;almost&quot;_using_&quot;chadian_mei&quot;" title="wikilink">expressing "almost" using "chadian mei"</a>.</p>

  <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="&quot;Nearly&quot;_with_&quot;jihu&quot;" title="wikilink">"Nearly" with "jihu"</a></li>

    <li><a href="Expressing_&quot;almost&quot;_using_&quot;chadianmei&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing "almost" using "chadianmei"</a></li>
  </ul>

  <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>

  <h3 id="books">Books</h3>

  <ul>
    <li><span class="hanzi">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</span> (pp. 112)</li>

    <li>40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (<span class="hanzi">基础汉语40课下册</span>） (p. 341)</li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="dictionaries">Dictionaries</h3>

  <ul>
    <li><span class="hanzi">现代汉语词典（第5版）</span> (pp. 145)</li>
  </ul>


Expressing "almost" using "chadian"

(Redirected from ASG6ESWW)

Level B1
Similar to
Expressing "almost" using "chadian mei" (B2)
Expressing "nearly" with "jihu" (B2)
Used for
Describing actions
Keywords
差点, 了
Translations
almost

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.

Contents

  
1 Literal Meaning
2 Structure
3 Examples
4 Using 差点 with 没
5 See also
6 Sources and further reading
6.1 Books
6.2 Dictionaries
Literal Meaning

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).

Structure

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.

Subj. + 差点 + Predicate

You can put 了 at the end of the sentence for emphasis. In this case, 就 is often used and it's optional.

Subj. + 差点 (+就) + Predicate + 了

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

Examples

车 差点 撞到 我 。The car didn't hit me.
Chē chàdiǎn zhuàngdào wǒ.
The car almost hit me.
我们 差点 相信 他 。We didn't believe him
Wǒmen chàdiǎn xiāngxìn tā.
We almost believed him.
他们 差点 打 起来 。They didn't start a fight.
Tāmen chàdiǎn dǎ qǐlái.
They almost started a fight.
我 差点 忘 了 。I didn't forget.
Wǒ chàdiǎn wàng le.
I almost forgot.
我 今天 差点 迟到 了 。 I wasn't late
Wǒ jīntiān chàdiǎn chídào le.
I was almost late today.
她 差点 疯 了 。She didn't go crazy.
Tā chàdiǎn fēng le.
She almost went crazy.
他 差点 就 死 了 。He didn't die.
Tā chàdiǎn jiù sǐ le.
He almost died.
菜 差点 糊 了 。It wasn't burned.
Cài chàdiǎn hú le.
The food was almost burnt.
我们 队 差点 输 了 。the team didn't lose
Wǒmen duì chàdiǎn shū le.
Our team almost lost.
我 差点 就 做到 了 。I didn't manage to do it.
Wǒ chàdiǎn jiù zuòdào le.
I almost did it.
Using 差点 with 没

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".

See also

"Nearly" with "jihu"
Expressing "almost" using "chadianmei"
Sources and further reading

Books

现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 112) [ →buy]
40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 341) →buy
Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 145) →buy
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