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- {{Grammar Box}}
- The particle 嘛 (ma) is a sentence-final particle identical in pronunciation to the simple [[Yes - no questions with ma|"yes/no question" particle 吗 (ma)]] you learned back in the day, but with a rather different function. It can be used when the speaker feels what he is saying is obvious (from his point of view).
- == Sentence-Final Structure ==
- <div class="jiegou">
- Statement + 嘛
- </div>
- === Examples ===
- <div class="liju">
- * 你的 妹妹 很 漂亮 <em>嘛</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de mèimei hěn piàoliang <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your sister is pretty.</span>
- * 中国 人口 很 多 <em>嘛</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu hěn duō <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">The Chinese population is huge.</span>
- * 美国人 很 开放 <em>嘛</em>。<span class="pinyin">Měiguó rén hěn kāifàng <em>ma</em>.</span><span class="trans">Americans are very open-minded.</span>
- </div>
- == Topic-Marking Structure ==
- An alternate form is:
- <div class="jiegou">
- Topic + 嘛， + Statement
- </div>
- This basically allows the speaker to state the topic, then gather his thoughts before making a comment on it. In this pattern, the following comment may or may not be one the speaker feels is obvious.
- === Examples ===
- <div class="liju">
- * 大熊猫<em>嘛</em>，孩子们都很喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Dà xióngmāo <em>ma</em>, háizimen dōu hěn xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">Pandas. All children like them.</span>
- * 男人 <em>嘛</em>，总是要喝点酒，抽点烟。<span class="pinyin">Nánrén <em>ma</em>, zǒng shì yào hē diǎn jiǔ, chōu diǎn yān.</span><span class="trans">Men. They're always going to drink and smoke.</span>
- </div>
- ==See also==
- *[[Yes-no questions with "ma"]]
- == Sources and further reading ==
- === Books ===
- *[[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)]] (pp. 225) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473 →buy] [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp/ref=as_li_ss_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B002ZNK7JE&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B002ZNK7JE →买]
- * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 19) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
- * [[Intermediate Chinese - A Grammar and Workbook]] (Unit 23) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415160391/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=0415160391 →buy]
- === Websites ===
- *[http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2012/01/31/the-other-ma-on-a-bag/ Three Simple Uses of the Other “Ma” on a Bag]
- [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
- [[Category:Particles]]
- {{Similar|Yes-no questions with ma}}
- {{Basic Grammar|嘛|B1|⋯⋯嘛|她 是 女孩子 <em>嘛</em>。当然 喜欢 花。|grammar point|ASGVMC4B}}
- {{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
- {{Used for|Exclaiming}}
- {{POS|Particles}}
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