ChineseGrammarWiki/Programmes/B1.old/Grammar-wiki-B1-132.txt

{{Grammar Box}} 

一点 (yīdiǎn) and 有点 (yǒudiǎn), usually pronounced 一点儿 (yīdiǎnr) and 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr) in northern China, all mean pretty much the same thing, "a little" or "a bit," but they have different uses in sentences.

== Used with Nouns ==

一点 (yīdiǎn) can be placed before a noun to mean "small quantity," like 一点水，一点钱 while 有点 (yǒudiǎn) can't be used this way. Note that 有点 is also a shortened form of 有一点，which means "there is a little something. A few examples to help you understand: 

<div class="liju">

*你 脸上 <em>有一点</em> <strong>灰</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ  <em>yǒu yīdiǎn</em> <strong>huī</strong>.</span><span class="trans">There's a little dirt on your face.</span>
*你 碗里 还 <em>有 一点</em> <strong>饭</strong> ，吃 完 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ wǎn lǐ hái <em>yǒu yīdiǎn</em> <strong>fàn</strong>, chī wán ba.</span><span class="trans">There's still a little rice in your bowl. Finish eating it.</span>

</div>

== Used with Adjectives ==
 
有点 (also 有点儿) is placed before an adjective, and it usually expresses something that the speaker doesn't want or his own negative feelings about something. 

一点 (also 一点儿) cannot be placed before an adjective. Instead, it is placed ''after'' adjectives. The adjectives that can be used are particularly limited. 一点 is often used when comparing, or expressing speaker’s wish or expectation.

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*房间 里 <em>有点</em> <strong>热</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Fángjiān lǐ <em>yǒudiǎn</em> <strong>rè</strong>.</span><span class="trans">It is a little hot inside the room.</span>
*我 今天 <em>有点</em> <strong>累</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǒmen <em>yǒudiǎn</em> <strong>máng</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I am a little busy today.</span>
*这个 菜 <em>有点</em> <strong>咸</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège cài <em>yǒudiǎn</em> <strong>xián</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The dish is a little salty.</span>
*老板 ，<strong>便宜</strong>  <em>一点儿</em> 吧。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn, <strong>piányi</strong> <em>yīdiǎnr</em> ba.</span><span class="trans">Sir, a little cheaper please. (directed to the owner of a shop)</span>
*请 说 <strong>慢</strong> <em>一点儿</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng shuō <strong>màn</strong> <em>yīdiǎnr</em>.</span><span class="trans">Please speak a little more slowly.</span>
*<strong>快</strong> <em>点儿</em>，要 迟到 了。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Kuài</strong> <em>diǎnr</em>, yào chídào le.</span><span class="trans">A bit faster, we will be late.</span>

</div>

== Negative Forms ==

You can use 不 or 没 after 有点 and before the adjective, however the following adjective should have a positive connotation, like 高兴 (gāoxìng), 舒服 (shūfu), 喜欢(xǐhuan) etc. This makes the overall emotion expressed feel negative still. 

一点 cannot be linked together directly, but can be used in the 一点都(也) 不 / 没 structure to mean "not at all."

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*我 今天 <em>有点儿</em>  <strong>不 舒服</strong> 。<span class="expl">lit :"a little not comfortable"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ jīntiān <em>yǒudiǎnr</em> <strong>bù shūfu</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Today I don't feel very good.</span>
*我们 还是 <em>有点儿</em> <strong>不 明白</strong> 。<span class="expl">lit: "a little not understand"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen háishì <em>yǒudiǎnr</em> <strong>bù míngbai</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We still don't really understand.</span>
*孩子们 <em>有点儿</em> <strong>不 喜欢</strong> 这 个 地方 。<span class="pinyin">Háizi men <em>yǒudiǎnr</em> <strong>bù xǐhuan</strong> zhège dìfang.</span><span class="trans">Kids kind of don't like this place.</span>
*这 是 四川 菜 吗？<em>一点儿 都</em> <strong>不 辣</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì Sìchuān cài ma? <em>Yīdiǎnr dōu</em> <strong>bù là</strong>.</span><span class="trans">This is Sichuan food? It is not spicy at all.</span>
*这些 钱 你 <em>一点儿 也</em> <strong>没 花</strong> ？<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē qián nǐ <em>yīdiǎnr yě</em> <strong>méi huā</strong>?</span><span class="trans">You didn't spend the money at all?</span>

</div>

== Right and Wrong ==

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">我 <em>有点</em> <strong>饿</strong> 。<span class="trans">I'm a bit hungry.</span></li>
<li class="x">我 <em>一点</em> 饿 。<span class="trans">I'm a little hungry.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">老板 <em>有点</em> <strong>生气</strong> 。<span class="trans">The boss is a bit angry.</span></li>
<li class="x">老板 <em>一点</em> 生气 。<span class="trans">The boss is a little angry.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">这 件 衣服 <strong>贵</strong> 了 <em>一点儿</em> 。<span class="trans">This piece of clothing is a bit expensive.</span></li>
<li class="x">这 件 衣服 贵 了 <em>有点儿</em> 。<span class="trans">This clothing expensive a little.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="o">老板，<strong>便宜</strong>  <em>一点</em> 吧 。<span class="trans">Sir, how about a bit cheaper?</span></li>
<li class="x">老板，便宜  <em>有点</em> 吧 。<span class="trans">Sir, how about a little cheaper?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>

== Example Dialog ==

<div class="liju">

*A: 这 件 衣服 <em>有点儿</em><strong>贵</strong>啊 。<span class="trans">This piece of clothing is a bit expensive.</span>
*B: 是 <strong>贵</strong> 了 <em>一点儿</em>，但是 很 好看，我 很 喜欢。<span class="trans">It's a bit expensive, but it looks really good, I like it.</span>
*A: 服务员，这 件 衣服 能 不 能 <strong>便宜</strong> <em>一点</em>？<span class="trans">Attendant, could we get this a little cheaper?</span>
*C: 不好意思 ，不能 还价 ，所以 <em>一点</em> <strong>也 不 能 便宜</strong> 。<span class="trans">I'm sorry, no haggling. It can't be a little bit cheaper. Not even a bit.</span>

</div>

== See Also ==

* [[Expressing "A bit too"]]
* [[Expressing "a little too" with "you dian"]]
* [["Not at all"]]
* [[Expressing "a bit too"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

*[[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (“一点儿”p. 602) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
*[[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (“有点儿”p. 633) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
*[[对外汉语教学语法释疑201例]] (p.172) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
* [[Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)]] (pp. 43) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001N6R7DI&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001N6R7DI →buy]
* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] (pp. 63) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]

=== Websites ===
* Chinesegrammar.info: [http://chinesegrammar.info/general/yi-dianr-placement/ Where to place 一点儿 (yī diǎnr) in a sentence]

[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|有点儿|B1|有点 vs 一点|这 衣服 <em>有点</em> 贵 ， 便宜 <em>一点</em> 吧。|grammar point|ASGV55Y4}}
{{Rel char|有点}}
{{Rel char|一点}}
{{Rel char|点}}
{{Similar|Expressing "A bit too"}}
{{Similar|Expressing "a little too" with "you dian"}}
{{Similar|"Not at all"}}
{{Used for|Expressing degree}}
{{Used for|Adding more explanation}}
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
{{Comparison|Adverbs}}