ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/Programmes/B1.old/Grammar-wiki-B1-18.txt.html

<p>When some action is mutual, you can use the word 互相 (hùxiāng). The word &quot;mutual&quot; feels formal in English, but in Chinese even everyday phrases such as &quot;learn from each other&quot; use the word 互相, which expresses this &quot;each other&quot; aspect.</p>
<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
<p>Usually 互相 (hùxiāng) is used with two-syllable words, and for one-syllable words some other information will be added after the verb to make it sound more natural (see below for examples of this.)</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>互相 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li><em>互相</em> 帮助 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> bāngzhù</span><span class="trans">Help each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 了解 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> liǎojiě</span><span class="trans">Know each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 伤害 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> shānghài</span><span class="trans">Hurt each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 尊重 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> zūnzhòng</span><span class="trans">Respect each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 支持 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> zhīchí</span><span class="trans">Support each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 鼓励 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> gǔlì</span><span class="trans">Encourage each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 影响 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> yǐngxiǎng</span><span class="trans">Influence each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 利用 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> lìyòng</span><span class="trans">Take advantage of each other</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Don't use 互相 (hùxiāng) with single-syllable verbs. If you really have to use 互相, you can make the verb longer by adding extra information after it.</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li><em>互相</em> 看<span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> kàn</span><span class="trans">look at each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 看 了 一 眼 <span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> kàn le yī yǎn</span><span class="trans">glanced at each other</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>Note that for some verbs which are inherently &quot;mutual,&quot; the use of 互相 (hùxiāng) is redundant and unnecessary. So the following phrases are not <em>wrong</em>, but a little strange.</p>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li><em>互相</em> 拥抱<span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> yōngbào</span><span class="trans">hug each other</span></li>
<li><em>互相</em> 交流<span class="pinyin"> <em>hùxiāng</em> jiāoliú</span><span class="trans">communicate with each other</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<p>  </p>
<p><a href="Category:B1_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:B1 grammar points</a></p>