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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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  <h1>Adjective: <span class="hanzist">那么</span> (<span class="pinyinst">nàme</span>) and <span class="hanzist">这么</span> (<span class="pinyinst">zhème</span>)</h1>

  <p>In English, the words "<b>that</b>" and "<b>so</b>" are often used to increase the extent of an adjective (ex. "he is <b>so</b> tall" or "this food is <b>so</b> good"). In Chinese, <span class="hanzi">那么</span> (<span class="pinyin">nàme</span>) and <span class="hanzi">这么</span> (<span class="pinyin">zhème</span>) serve the same function.</p>

  <h2>Contents</h2>

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

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

    <li>When to use which one<br/></li>

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

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

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

  <div>
    <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>

    <p>All you have to do to use this grammar structure is put the <span class="hanzi">那么</span> or <span class="hanzi">这么</span> in front of the adjective.</p>

    <div>
      <div class="deux">
        Subj. + <span class="hanzist">那么</span> / <span class="hanzist">这么</span> + Adj.
      </div>
    </div>

    <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>

    <div class="exemple">
      <ul>
        <li><span class="hanzi">你 说得 这么 快，我 怎么 能 听懂？</span><br/> <span class="pinyin"> Nǐ shuōde zhème kuài, wǒ zěnme néng tīngdǒng ?</span> <br/><span> You speak so fast. How could I understand you?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">你 怎么 那么 忙？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme nàme máng?</span><br/><span> How come you are so busy?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">雨 这么 大，明天 再 去 吧。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"> Yǔ zhème dà, míngtiān zài qù ba.</span><br/><span> It's raining so heavily. How about we go tomorrow?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">你 那么 有钱 ，为什么 还 要 工作 ？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"> Nǐ nàme yǒuqián, wèishénme hái yào gōngzuò.</span><br/><span> You are so rich. Why are you still working?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">中国 人口 这么 多 ，当然 会 有 很 多 社会 问题。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu zhème duō, dāngrán huì yǒu hěn duō shèhuì wèntí.</span><br/><span> China has such a big population. Of course there will be many social problems.</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">我 没 想到 这个 考试 这么 难。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi xiǎng dào zhège kǎoshì zhème nán.</span><br/><span> I didn't expect this exam is so difficult.</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">你 怎么 有 这么 多 问题 要 问？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme yǒu zhème duō wèntí yào wèn?</span><br/><span> How come you have so many questions to ask?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">这个 老外 怎么 会 了解 那么 多 中国 历史？</span><br/><span class="pinyin"> Zhège lǎowài zěnme huì liǎojiě nàme duō Zhōngguó lìshǐ?</span><br/><span> How come this foreigner knows so much about Chinese history?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">今天 这么 冷，你 怎么 穿 那么 少？</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Jīntiān zhème lěng, nǐ zěnme chuān nàme shǎo?</span><br/><span> It's so cold today. How come you wear so little?</span></li>

        <li><span class="hanzi">科技 那么 发达 ，什么 都 是 有 可能 的。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Kējì nàme fādá, shénme dōu shì yǒu kěnéng de.</span><br/><span> Science and technology is so developed. Nothing is impossible.</span></li>
      </ul>
    </div>

    <h2 id="when-to-use-which-one">When to use which one</h2>

    <p>You might be thinking <span class="hanzi">那</span> and <span class="hanzi">这</span> have different meanings. “How can they be used the same way?” Well, there are some differences. "<span class="hanzi">这么</span>" is used when the thing you are talking about is close by, when you would say "<b>this</b>" or "<span class="hanzi">这个</span>." On the other hand, if the object is far away, you would use "<span class="hanzi">那么</span>." Furthermore, this distance doesn't have to be physical, it can also refer to time, so you would use "<span class="hanzi">那么</span>" with things like "<b>yesterday</b>" or "<b>tomorrow</b>."</p>

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

    <ul>
      <li><a href="The_&quot;zui&quot;_superlative" title="wikilink">The "zui" superlative</a></li>

      <li><a href="Expressing_&quot;excessively&quot;_with_&quot;tai&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing "excessively" with "tai"</a></li>
    </ul>

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

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

    <ul>
      <li>Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (<span class="hanzi">汉语口语速成基础篇</span>) (pp. 15)</li>

      <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 71 - 2)</li>

      <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本4</span>) (pp. 103)</li>
    </ul>
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