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- === Sample Sentence Options === - Spaces -  Hide spaces between Chinese words - Pinyin -  Hide pinyin - Translations -  Hide translations

Expressing "it depends" with "kan" ==================================

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[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

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Used for

[Indicating cause and effect](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Indicating_cause_and_effect), [Adding more explanation](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Adding_more_explanation), [Indicating conditions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Indicating_conditions)

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Keywords

[看](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%9C%8B), [要看](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%A6%81%E7%9C%8B), [得看](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E5%BE%97%E7%9C%8B)

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Translations

[depend](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Depend), [depends](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Depends)

[{width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-kan.jpg)

Although there are a number of ways to express "it depends" in Chinese, the most common ones in informal spoken Chinese involve the verb 看 (kàn). Some common expressions include 要看 (yào kàn) and 得看 (děi kàn). Both mean "(it) depends (on)." Literally, they would translate as "have to look at," so the logic is not hard to understand. If you're looking for more formal language, consider 取决于 (qǔjué yú), "to be dependent on."

Contents --------  [hide]([# "wikilink")\] 

- [1 Basic Pattern](#Basic_Pattern "wikilink") - [1.1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [1.2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [2 Advanced Pattern](#Advanced_Pattern "wikilink") - [2.1 Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink") - [2.2 Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")

Basic Pattern ----------------------------------------------------------------- If you're answering a question with "it depends on..." then this is the pattern you want. ### Structure

这 / 那 + 要看 / 得看 + \[Unclear Situation\]

### Examples Keep in mind that the "answers" below are meant to be an answer to some imaginary question that we don't include.

- 这 *得 看* 你 的 时间 。Zhè *děi kàn* nǐ de shíjiān.This depends on when you are available. - 这 *得 看* 天气 怎么样 。Zhè *děi kàn* tiānqì zěnmeyàng.It depends on how the weather is. - 那 *得 看* 考试 结果 。Nà *děi kàn* kǎoshì jiéguǒ.That depends on whether the result of the test. - 那 *要 看* 他 愿 不 愿意 。Nà *yào kàn* tā yuàn bu yuànyì.That depends on whether he feels like it or not. - 那 *要 看* 老板 怎么 想 。Nà *yào kàn* lǎobǎn zěnme xiǎng.It depends on what the boss thinks.

Advanced Pattern ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Structure 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 (*before* 要看 / 得看) and then end up with what "it depends on" (*after* 要看 / 得看).

\[Unknown Outcome\] + 要看 / 得看 + \[Unclear Situation\]

The "unknown outcome" normally includes some kind of [question word](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Question_word), meaning something like "*whether or not* x happens" or "*what* x does," etc. ### Examples

- **去不去** *得 看* 我 的 心情 。**Qù bu qù** *de kàn* wǒ de xīnqíng.Whether or not I go depends on my mood. - **什么时候** 去 *要 看* 公司 的 安排 。**Shénme shíhou** qù *yào kàn* gōngsī de ānpái. Departure time depends on the company's arrangement. - 学 音乐 **还是** 学 画画 *要 看* 孩子 的 兴趣 。Xué yīnyuè **háishì** xué huàhuà *yào kàn* háizi de xìngqù.It depends on your child's interest when it comes to picking between studying music or painting. - **能不能** 留在 中国 *要 看* 我 能 不 能 拿到 签证 。**Néng bu néng** liú zài Zhōngguó *yào kàn* wǒ néng bu néng nádào qiānzhèng.Whether or not I can stay in China depends on whether or not I can get a visa. - **谁** 当 总统 *得 看* 大选 的 结果 。**Shéi** dāng zǒngtǒng *děi kàn* dàxuǎn de jiéguǒ.Who the next president will be depends on the result of the election.

See also ------------------------------------------------------- Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/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)) (pp. 168) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2zBMfhl)

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