Page(s) Lessons Basic Chinese Grammar

2 1 Basic Units of Word Structure in Chinese

2 2 Morpheme
2 3 Word
2 4 Compounds
3 5 Compound Types I
Hny
3 6 Compound Types II
3 7 Reduplication

3 8 Affixed
4 9 Word Classes I
4 10 Word Classes II
4 11 Nouns
Hny Yf 4 12 Verbs
Basic Chinese Grammar 5 13 Adjectives: Stative Verbs
5 14 Numerals & Measures
http://mementolangues.com/
5 15 Pronouns
5 16 Adverbs I
6 17 Prepositions & Conjunctions
6 18 Particles
6 19 The Chinese Sentence
6 20 Sentence Structures I
7 21 Subject-Predicate I
7 22 Subject-Predicate II
7 23 Copular Sentence
7 24 Sentence Structures II
8 25 Sentence Structures III
8 26 Complements I
8 27 Complements II
8 28 Prepositional: use Coverbs
9 29 Aspect
9 30 Adverbs II
10-11 1 Nouns
11-13 2 Verbs
13-15 3 Auxiliary Verbs
15-18 4 Adjectives
19-27 - Grammar Index

26.04.2007
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 Basic Chinese Grammar
A Review in Slides
Author: Richard VanNess Simmons
http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~rsimmon/chingram/

Shxizh Le bloc-notes

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 1.
Zu zhy.
As a subject.

Bijng sh Zhnggu de shud.
Beijing is the capital of China.
Zhngwn shng wng xux
Learning Chinese On the Net
Xitin r.
http://chineseon.net/course/grammar/list.php In summer it is hot.
Chinese Grammar

K Lesson Biot Title Xbin sh cochng.
One Mngc Nouns The playground lies in the west.

Two Dngc Verbs

Losh gi wmen shngk.
Three Zhdngc Auxiliary Verbs
The teacher gave us a course.
Four Xngrngc Adjectives 2.
Zu bny.
D y k: Mngc As an object.
Lesson One: Nouns

A word denoting the name of a person or a thing is called a noun. Generally a noun can
be preceded by a numeral-measure word combination, but can't be modified by Xio Yn kn sh.
adverbs. Some monosyllabic nouns can be reduplicated to express the meaning of Xiao Yun reads books.
"every". For example, "" rnrn (everyone), "" tintin (everyday) and so

on. The suffix "" men can be added to a personal noun to express the plural. For Xinzi sh w din.
example, "" loshmen (teachers). However, if before the noun there are Now it is five o'clock.

numeral-measure words or other words implying the plural, the suffix "" men can't be
added to the noun. For example, we can't say "" w ge loshmen, but Wmen ji zi dngbin.

should say "" w ge losh (five teachers).

Our house is located in the east.

Generally a noun can serve as a subject, an object or an attributive in a sentence.

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 Please come in.

W xi zuy.
I do my homework. Wmen wibian tn.
Let's talk outside.
3.
Zu dngy.
As an attributive. D r k: Dngc

Lesson Two: Verbs

Words indicating actions, behavior, mental activities, changes and development, etc.
Zh sh Zhnggu cq. are called verbs. Verbs can be grouped into transitive verbs and intransitive verbs
This is a Chinese porcelain. according to whether they take an object. Verbs that can be followed immediately by an
object are called transitive verbs. Verbs that can't immediately take an object are called
intransitive verbs.
W xhun xitin de ywn. Verbs are negated by the negative adverbs"" b or "()" mi(yu).
I like the night in summer.
.
Dngc de yngt:
Yngy yf bjio jindn. Functions:
The grammar of English is comparatively simple.
1.
Zu wiy.
Mma de yfu zi nr. As a predicate.
Mother's dress is there.

Time nouns (nouns indicating date, times of the clock, seasons, etc.) and nouns of
locality (nouns showing direction an location) can also serve as adverbial adjuncts, W xhun Bijng.
whereas nouns of other kinds cannot. For example: I like Beijing.

T hutin li. W zhn zi Chngchng shng.
He will come here the day after tomorrow. I am standing on the Great Wall.
2.
Wmen wnshng shngk. Zu zhy.
We have classes in the evening. As a subject.
A verb can be used as a subject on the condition that the predicate of the sentence is
an adjective or a verb expressing the ideas of "stop, start or judge".
Nn lbian qng.
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 As a complement.

Lngfi kch.
Waste is disgraceful. W tng de dng.

I can understand.

Bsi jish le.

The match ended. T kn b jin.
He can't see it.
3.
Zu dngy. 6.
As an attributive. Zu zhungy.

de must be added to a verb used as an attributive. As an adverbial adjunct.

de must be added to a verb used as an adverbial adjunct.

N yu ch de dngxi ma?
Do you have something to eat ? T fm rqng de jidi le w.

His parents welcomed me with open arms.

T shu de hu hn zhngqu.
What he said is correct. Xushengmen rnzhn de tng losh jingk.
The students listen to the teacher attentively.
4.
Zu bny. .
As an object. Shyng dngc sh, yo zhy ximin j ge wnt.

Points that merit special attention.

1. Chinese verbs have no morphological changes whatsoever resulting from person,
W xhun xux. gender, number, time, etc.. For example:
I like studying.

W sh xusheng.
Wmen sh din jish le toln. I am a student.
We ended the discussion at 10 o'clock.
5. T sh losh.
Zu by. She is a teacher.

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 4. The particle "" guo is suffixed to a verb to place special stress on a certain
Tmen sh gngren. experience in the past. For example:

They are workers.

W q guo Bijng
I have been to Beijing.
W zhngzi xi zuy.
I am doing my homework.
W cngjng kn guo zh bn sh.
I have read this book.
W mitin xiw xi zuy.
I do my homework every afternoon.
D sn k: Zhdngc
Lesson Three: Auxiliary Verbs
W xi le zuy.
Verbs that "help" other verbs to express necessity, possibility and willingness are called
I did my homework. auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs are often used to modify verbs or adjectives. A noun
2. The particle "" le is suffixed to a verb to emphasize a completed action. cannot immediately follow them. They are negated by b.
For example:

Zhdngc yu yxi j li:
W d le y bn sh.
Auxiliary verbs include the following kinds:
I finished reading a book.

Biosh yu mu zhng jnng, nngl de:
T zu le.
1. Those expressing capability:
He left.

3. The particle "" zhe is suffixed to a verb to show a progressive action or continuous
nng
state. For example:
can/may/is capable of

Wmen zhng shng zhe k.

nnggu
We are having classes.
can/is capable of/is able to

Mn ki zhe ne.

hu
The door is opening.

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 can/be able to

gi
Biosh knng de: should/ought to
2. Those expressing possibility:

yo
nng must
can/may/is capable of

Biosh byo de:
nnggu 4. Those expressing obligation:
can/is capable of/is able to

bx
hu to have to/must
can/be able to

di
ky to have to/must/to need to
can/may/is able to

Biosh zhgun yunwng de:
knng 5. Those expressing willingness:
might happen/is possible/is probable

: yo
Biosh qngl shng xyo de: to want to
3. Those expressing necessity by reason:

xing
ynggi to wish to/to want to
ought to/should/must

yuny
yngdng to wish to/to want to/to be willing to
should/ought to
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 i

short (not tall)
gn
to dare to
hng

red
kn
to be willing to/to be ready to
l

green
D s k: Xngrngc
Lesson Four: Adjectives
Words that describe the shape or property of a person or thing, or the state of a q
movement or action, are called adjectives. The negative adverb b is placed before even
an adjective for the negative form.

. mil
Xngrngc yu yxi j li: beautiful
Adjectives include the following kinds:
2.
1. Biosh rn hu shw de xngzh de:
Biosh rn hu shw de xngzhung de: Describing property or quality:
Describing shape:

ho
d good/well
big/large/wide/old

hui
xio bad/spoiled
small/young

lng
go cold
high/tall

r
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 warm

jnzhng
du nervous/strained/tense
rignt

lil
cu fluent
wrong

rnzhn
zhngqu earnest/serious
correct

shlin
wid proficient/skilled
great/large

cnk
yuxi cruel
outstanding/excellent
.
Xngrngc de yngt:
ynzhng Functions:
serious/critical/grave/severe
1.
3. Zu dngy:
Biosh dngzu hu xngwi dng de zhungti de: As an attributive:
Describing the state of a movement or action:

Xngrngc zu zhyo de yngt sh xish zhngxn y. Lr:
kui Adjectives are mainly used as modifying attributive. For example:
fast/quick/swift

hng qnzi
mn a red skirt
slow
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l mozi Xngrngc de yge zhngyo yngt sh zi dngc qin zu zhungy. Lr:
a green cap One of the important use of adjectives is to be placed before a verb as an adverbial
adjunct. For example:

4.
kungung de yuny
Zu by:
vast expense of open country
As a complement:


mngmi de ynggung
Xngrngc chng zu wiy dngc de by. Lr:
bright sunshine
Adjectives often serve as complements to predicate verbs. For example:
2.

Zu wiy:
Xinzi zh shng hu t xng, zi xun ho sh y
As a predicate:
First, drew a pattern on a piece of paper and then select some leaves.


Shjin jnp.
B nzj de yfu x gnjng.
Someone is being pressed for time.
Clean your clothes.


T hn pioling.
Yshu d sh le tde tuf.
She is very beautiful.
The rainwater wet her hair.


Mlhu hn xing.
Fng chu gn le yfu.
Jasmine is very fragrant.
The wind dried the clothes.

5.
T hn go.
Zu zhy:
He is very tall.
As a subject:
3.

Zu zhungy:
Qinx sh Zhnggu chuntng de mi d.
As an adverbial adjunct:
Modesty is a traditional virtue of China.

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Jio'o sh rn luhu.
Proud will make you drop behind.

6.
Zu bny:
As an object:

N hizi i pioling.
Girls love being pretty.

T xhun njng.
He likes quietness.

Shxizh Le bloc-notes

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 Centre for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language
University of Oxford T sh losh.
He is a teacher.

Nijn dxu hny jioxu zhngxn W sh xusheng.
http://www.ctcfl.ox.ac.uk/Chinese/grammarlist.htm I am a student.
Co-Verbs
Grammar Index
This term refers to a verb when its function, used together with its own object, is to
Stative Verbs
A stative verb expresses quality or conditions. In Chinese a stative verb is used where modify the main verb of a sentence. An example is zi, which can be used as a co-
in English one would use the verb to be with an adjective. For instance, in: verb meaning to be located in, on or at a place. Please note in this context that
sequence and background are important in Chinese when it comes to describing
actions. The first action in a sequence should come first in an utterance. In:
T hn mng.
He is very busy.
Xio Dng zi ji kn sh.
mng is a stative verb and means to be busy. Xiao Ding is reading a book at home.
the first action in the sequence could be described as the background to the main
Possessive de
action, but it still has to come first, with the co-verb zi followed by the noun ji
This construction indicates that the noun after de belongs to the noun that comes forming a co-verb clause. In the example given here Xiao Ding would have had to be at
home before he started reading the book
before de, as in Xio Wng de yupio Xiao Wangs stamp.
The particle ba
Verb + yxi
The particle ba is placed at the end of a sentence to indicate a suggestion.
When yxi is preceded by a verb, it has two functions.
Modal Verbs
1. It is used as a time measure to imply that the action lasts for a little while.
2. It is used to soften the tone of voice. Modal verbs are like auxiliary verbs and are placed before main verbs. Examples are:

The Verb zi
ynggi should, to be obliged; di to have to; ky to be permitted;
nng to be able; xing to want, to intend and i to like, to be fond of.
When zi is used as the main verb in a sentence, it means to be located, to be in,
Choice type questions
on, or at a place, as in zi zhr to be here: One type of choice type questions is formed by following an affirmative verb with a
negative verb as in: V b V or V mi V. The following patterns are those most
T zi zhr. commonly used:
He is here.
Subject Verb b Verb Object
The Linking Verb sh

The linking verb sh is used to link nouns or pronouns, as in:
N sh b sh xusheng ?

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 Are you a student or not ? A mi A B
Subject Verb Object Verb
Xu mi xu x ?
N zu linx bu zu ? Did learn (it) or not ?
Are you going to do the exercises (or not) ? Measure words

Verb mi Verb
Subject Object The word cup in a cup of tea and the word bottle in a bottle of beer are measure
words'. In Chinese a measure word is used when quantifying or specifying a noun. A
measure word is preceded by one of the following:
a number word;
N zu mi zu linx ?
a specifier such as zh this, n that , or mi every;
Did you do the exercises or not ?
or a question word such as n Which ? or j How many ?
subject verb le object mi verb
ti expresses excessiveness

The affirmative form of the ti construction is ti [stative verb] le, which
N zule linx mi zu ?
Did you do the exercises (or not) ? means extremely [stative verb] as in ti ho le extremely good. The negative
If a verb has a double syllable it can be used in the following ways: form is b ti [stative verb] without le, which means that something is not
A B b A B very [stative verb], as in b ti ho not very good.

The question particle ne

X hun b x hun ?
ne is placed at the end of a sentence. It can be used in the following situations:
Like (it) or not ? 1. To bounce a question or statement back to the person you are having a conversation
with, as in:
A b A B
A: N ho ma ?
How are you ?
X b x hun ? B: W hn ho. N ne ?
Like (it) or not ? I am very well, and you ?
2. To ask the question Where ? as in:
A B mi A B
W de sh ne ?
Where is my book ?
3. To reinforce questions formed with a question-word [Who ? What ? Which ? When ?
Xu x mi xu x ? Why ? Where ?] and to show that a speaker really wants to know the answer, as in:
Did learn (it) or not ?
T sh n gu rn ne ?
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What nationality IS he ?
n is a short for nme . If ()n(me) is placed at the beginning of a
sentence it implies if this is the case
N kn de sh shnme sh ne ? Giving the day, month and/or year
What book ARE you reading ?
When you ask for the time or the date, sh is omitted, as in:
N q nr ne ?
Where ARE you going ?
Jntin j ho ?
What date is it today ?

......bshshsentence construction
Jntin shw ho.
The ......bshshsentence construction is used to deny one Today is the 15th.
statement and confirm another, as in: But the sh in hish choice-type questions cannot be omitted.
, Topic
Bsh w de yf b ho, sh yf ti nn le.
The object of a sentence is called a topic if it is placed before the verb. It can be a noun,
It is not that my grammar is weak, it is that the grammar is too difficult.
or a noun-functioned phrase in list form. The subject of a sentence in this pattern can be
Use of yhu placed either before the topic or before the verb.

Pronoun or Name + zhr or nr

yhu is used to form time clauses. So, if yhu is placed after a noun or
phrase to form a time clause, it defines a time after the action indicated by the noun or When zhr and nr are placed after a pronoun or a name, they identify
predicate, as in: wfn yhu after having lunch. However, if
a place associated with that person. zhr implies that the speaker is actually in
yhu is placed at the beginning of a phrase and used as a time word, it means later, in
the future, as in: the place to which he refers, while nr implies that the speaker is not in the
place to which he refers:
Yhu w xing q Zhnggu. w nr my place (though I am not in my place as I speak)
Later/one day I would like to go to China.
Telling the time
w zhr my place (I am in my place as I speak).
Duplicate verbs
The linking verb sh to be is not needed when giving the time or the date:
A verb is duplicated to soften the tone of voice, especially when used at the end of a
sentence, as in:
Jntin xngq tin.
Today is Sunday. Qng n gi t jishaojishao.
Please tell him about it.
Xinzi ling din lng w fn. Resultative verb phrases
It is five past two. A resultative verb phrase is used to describe the result of an action. It is formed by an
action verb and its result, as in:
The adverb ()n(me)

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W ch wn le. Position words
I have finished eating.
The verb is to eat, the result of the eating is finished, so the resultative verb phrase is Position words are qin front, hu back, png beside, yu to the right,
eating to a finish.
zu to the left, shng above, xi beneath and zhng middle/inside.
Attributive clause with de
These position words can all be followed by bin side. The exception is zhng
An attributive clause is used to modify a noun preceded by de. The clause can be
middle/inside, which cannot be used with bin, but instead is used with jin .
formed from a word or a phrase, as in:
When position words are used to describe nouns they are placed after the noun, as in
fngjin l bin inside the room.
y ge hn ho de pngyou
a very good friend Complement of degree construction
A complement of degree construction is used to describe how an action is habitually
carried out, as in:
w cng Xio Wng nr ji li de sh
the book which I borrowed from Xiao Wang
Combined directional verb phrases T ch de hn kui.
A combined directional verb phrase is formed from a verb of action with a directional He eats very fast.

word such as jn in, ch out, shng up or xi down and is followed by The verb is placed before de, while the elements which follow de are usually
adverbs describing the outcome of the action.
li or q (indicating the position of the speaker). li indicates that the This construction can also be used to describe a particular action. For example, in:

action is moving towards the speaker, and q indicates that the action is moving
Zutin wnshang w zu fn zu de hn ho.
away from the speaker, for instance, zu jn li to walk in (the speaker is Last night I cooked the meal very well.
inside). A simple object is placed between jn and li, as in: hn ho describes the outcome of the cooking.
Potential verb phrases
zu jn tshgun li A potential verb phrase is used to indicate that an action can or cannot be achieved. It is
to walk into the library
formed from a verb of action with de [for affirmative] or b [for negative] and is
The object tshgun library is placed between the directional word and followed by a resultative or directional word, as in:
li or q. ch de wn to be able to finish eating;
... sh...de construction zu bu jnq to be unable to walk in.
Most resultative or directional verb phrases can be turned into potential verb phrases by
The ... sh...de construction is used to emphasise the state or situation of the
inserting de or b between the verb and its resultative or directional word. But
noun. The emphasised statement is placed between sh and de, as in:
some potential verb phrases such as dubq are only used as idiomatic
expressions.
W de sh sh xn de.
My book is the new one.
k
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 k can be used as an adverb to reinforce a statement or to emphasise desires and 5. T zhngzi kn zhe dinsh. (without ne)

feelings. k can precede the linking verb sh as in: 6. T zi kn dinsh ne. (without zhng and zhe)

7. T kn dinsh ne. (without zhng , zi and zhe)

Xio Wng k sh y ge d mng rn.
Xiao Wang is a really busy person. Aspectual marker le with verbs

A stative verb such as ho good or mng busy, or a modal verb such as When placed after the main verb of a sentence the aspectual marker le is used to
xing intend to or xhun like to can be placed between k...le to indicate that an action has been completed, as in:

form an affirmative construction. The negative form is k b, but le is not

used. For instance:
Jntin k lng le.
Today is really cold.
W k xing q Zhnggu le.
I really want to go to China.
W k b xhun ch Ynggu ci.
I really dont like eating English food.
The conditional construction with ......yoshiji...
The ......yoshiji...construction is used to form a conditional
sentence. The condition is placed after the yoshi clause, and the consequence
is placed after ji.
Use of the V O zhnzi V zhe O ne sentence pattern
This sentence pattern indicates that an action is under way. Note that some of the
elements of this pattern can be omitted.
All the following sentences mean: He is watching TV.
1. T zhnzi kn zhe dinsh ne. (full version)
2. T zhng kn zhe dinsh ne. (without zi)
3. T zi kn zhe dinsh ne. (without zhng)
4. T zhngzi kn dinsh ne. (without zhe)
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W mi le y ling zxngch.
I bought a bike.
The aspectual marker le is not used in the following situations:
1. The aspectual marker le is not used in the negative form, but ()mi(yu)
is placed instead before the main verb:
w mi mi xn ch, ksh w mile y ling ji ch.
I didnt buy a new bike, but I bought an old one.
2. When sh to be, zi to be in or yu to have are used as the main verbs
of a sentence, the aspectual marker le is not used with them:
Qnin w yu y ling hn ho de ch.
Last year I had a very good bike.
3. If a sentence contains a modal verb, the aspectual marker le is not used:
Qnin w xing mi y ling ch.
Last year I wanted to buy a bike.
4. The aspectual marker le is not used in the complement of degree construction:
Zu wn t fn zu de hn ho.
Last night he cooked very well.
5. The aspectual marker le is not used for those verbs which indicate direct and
indirect speech:
T shng ge yu shu yo li kn w. T goxng de chngle y ge g.
He said last month that he would visit me. She happily sang a song.
6. The aspectual marker le is not used in attributive clauses:
Xushengmen du y ge y ge de hu ji le.
The students went home one by one.
W zutin mi de ch.
The bike which I bought yesterday. V zhe O

The modal particle le implying a change of situation The V zhe O pattern can be used in the following two situations:
1. It is used to describe how something has been left, as in:
le can be placed at the end of a sentence to imply a change of situation or to imply
that something is no longer in the same state as it was:
Zhu shng fng zhe y bn sh.
there is a book left on the table.
W b sh losh le.
I am no longer a teacher.
Qing shng xi zhe sn ge z.
There are three characters written on the wall.
Xitin le.
Its summer now.
Mn ki zhe.
The door has been left open.
T ho du le. 2. It can also be used to make this action simultaneous with the main verb in the
He is much better now. sentence, as in:
Imminent actions

The following sentence patterns are used to indicate that an action is about to take T chng zhe g hu ji.
place or that a particular time is approaching. She went home singing.
1. ... yole Time measures
2. ... kuiyole A time measure quantifies duration or length of time. A time measure is placed after the
verb in an affirmative sentence, as in:
3. ... jiyole
Elements which can be placed between yo and le are V-O patterns; and time W xu hny xu le ling ge yu le.
I have been learning Chinese for two months.
words such as snyu March, chntin spring, zhngw noon
le at the end of the sentence marks a stage in a progressing action.
and ling din 2 oclock. When describing a future action the time measure is placed after the verb, as in:

The adverbial marker de

The adverbs or phrases which are placed before de describe the intention, manner
or method with, in or by which an action is carried out, as in:
Mngnin w yo zi Bijng xux sn ge yu hny.
I will study three weeks of Chinese in Beijing next spring.
The following three sentence patterns for I learnt Chinese for three years are all
acceptable:

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 S V O V () tm c is used as an action measure in sentences. Like a time measure, an action
measure is placed after the verb in an affirmative sentence and before the verb in a
negative sentence, as in:
W xu hny xu le sn nin.
I learnt Chinese for three years. W qguo y c Zhnggu.
I have been to China once.
S O V () tm
zi used in a resultative verb phrase

zi can be used as a verb or co-verb. It can also be placed after a verb of action to
W hny xu le sn nin. form a resultative verb phrase, so that the action has a direct effect on the object. For
I learnt Chinese for three years. instance, in fng zi zhu shng to put (it) on the table, the item is on
S V () tm O
the table as a result of the action to put. However, in zi Zhnggu
xux to study in China the action to study does not have a direct effect on China,

meaning that zi Zhnggu to be in China is a co-verb clause which gives
W xu le sn nin de hny.
the background to an action and/or indicates the sequence of action.
I learnt Chinese for three years.
A time measure is placed near the beginning of a negative sentence, as in: Use of the V O zhnzi V zhe O ne sentence pattern

This sentence pattern indicates that an action is under way. Note that some of the
elements of this pattern can be omitted. All the following sentences mean:
W sn nin mi knjin t le. He is watching TV.
I havent seen her for three years.
1. T zhnzi knzhe dinsh ne.(full version)
The le at the end of the sentence marks a stage in a continuing situation.
2. T zhng knzhe dinsh ne.(without zi)
The particle guo
3. T zi knzhe dinsh ne.(without zhng)
The particle guo is placed after a verb and is used in the following two situations.
4. T zhngzi kn dinsh ne.(without zhe)
1. It is used to indicate that a particular action has been experienced, as in:
5. T zhngzi knzhe dinsh.(without ne)
W ch guo Ynggu ci. 6. T zi kn dinsh ne.(without zhng and zhe)
I have eaten English food.
2. It can also to be used to indicate that a regular action such as the daily eating of a 7. T kn dinsh ne.(without zhng , zi and zhe)
meal has been completed, as in:
V zhe O

N ch guo fn le ma ? The V zhe O pattern can be used in the following two situations:
Are you finished eating ?
1. It is used to describe how something has been left, as in:
The action measure c
Zhu shng fngzhe y bn sh.
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There is a book left on the table.

T gn w ch de yyng du.
Qing shng xi zhe sn ge z.
There are three characters written on the wall. He and I eat the same amount.
3. The yu construction implies that A is as [stative verb] as B.
Mn ki zhe.
The door has been left open. A () B Stative Verb
2. It can also be used to make this action simultaneous with the main verb in the
sentence, as in:
T yu w d ma ?
T chng zhe g hu ji.
Is he as old as me ?
She went home singing.
Comparatives A () B Complement of Degree
The following constructions are used to compare one item or action with another.

1. The b construction is used to indicate whether A is better or worse than B.
T yu w ch de du ma ?
A B (Stative) Verb + Quantity
Does he eat as much as I do ?

... sh...de construction

T b w d ling su.
He is (two years) older than me.
A B Complement of Degree +
[]
T b w ch de du [du le].
He eats (much) more than I do.
2. The gn yyng construction indicates that A is in the same state as B.
A () B () Stative Verb
T gn w yyng d.
He and I are the same age.
A B Complement of Degree ()
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The ... sh...de construction is used to emphasise the state or situation of the
noun. The emphasised statement is placed between sh and de, as in:
W de sh sh xn de.
My book is the new one.
The word order in Chinese corresponds to the sequence of action.
1. Sentence with a co-verb clause:
W zu ch q xuxio .
I go to school by car.
The action of sitting in a car happens before going to school, so:
zu ch is placed before q xuxio.
2. Sentence with a complement of degree construction:
Fngjin dso de gngnjngjng.
The room [has been cleaned so that it] is spotless.
The outcome of the cleaning is that the room is spotless, so:
 gngnjngjng is placed after dso de. inserting de or b between the verb and its resultative or directional word.

3. Sentence with an adverbial marker de: But some potential verb phrases such as dubq are only used as idiomatic
expressions.

T yjyj de shu. The b construction

He said it sentence by sentence.
Sentence by sentence is the manner in which he said what he had to say, so: The b construction is used to indicate what one does to a particular object, or how
yjyj de is placed before shu. one does it. Verbs used in the b construction take complex forms, and are verbs
4. Sentence with a resultative verb phrase of action attached to resultative words, directional words or other elements. The
attached elements refer to the direct object of the sentence. For instance, in:
W kn dng le.
I have understood it [by reading]. W b ji h wn le.
I understood it because I read it first, so: I have finished the wine.
kn should be placed before dng. The resultative word finish refers to the wine, but not to the action of drinking.
So I have finished drinking would be expressed by the simple utterance:
Complement of degree construction
A complement of degree construction is used to describe how an action is habitually

carried out, as in: W h wn ji le.
I have finished drinking.

T ch de hn kui. Passive construction with bi

He eats very fast.
The verb is placed before de, while the elements which follow de are usually
adverbs describing the outcome of the action.
This construction can also be used to describe a particular action. For example, in:
The passive construction with bi indicates how a particular object (abstract or
physical) is dealt with or disposed of by somebody or something. The verbs in these
constructions take complicated forms. They are verbs of method of action, plus other
elements. Most of the elements that are attached to the main verbs in bi

Zutin wnshang w zu fn zu de hn ho. sentences are similar to those used in the b construction. For instance:
Last night I cooked the meal very well.
hn ho describes the outcome of the cooking. Sh yjng bi t ji zu le.
The book has been borrowed by him.
Potential verb phrases
A potential verb phrase is used to indicate that an action can or cannot be achieved. It is In b sentences this will be:

formed from a verb of action with de [for affirmative] or b [for negative] and is
followed by a resultative or directional word, as in: T yjng b sh ji zu le.
He has already borrowed the book.
ch de wn to be able to finish eating,
zu bu jnq to be unable to walk in.
Most resultative or directional verb phrases can be turned into potential verb phrases by

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 Les jours, les mois et les saisons en chinois Les nombres cardinaux

30 snsh 110 () ybiy(sh)

y (1) r (2) sn (3) s (4) w (5) li (6) q (7) 40 ssh 200 rbi
50 wsh 300 snbi
xngqy xngq'r xngqsn xngqs xngqw xngqli xngqr
lundi mardi mercredi jeudi vendredi samedi dimanche 60 lish 400 sbi

70 qsh 500 wbi

dngtin (hiver) chntin (printemps) zutin (H)
80 bsh 600 libi
90 jish 700 qbi
yyu (Janvier) ryu (Fvrier) snyu (Mars) syu (Avril) wyu (Mai) liyu (Juin) jntin (A)
99 jishji 800 bbi

xitin (t) qitin (automne) mngtin (D) 100 ybi 900 jibi

101 ybilngy 999 jibijishji

qyu (Juillet) byu (Aot) jiyu (Sept) shyu (Oct) shyyu (Nov) sh'ryu (Dc) hutin (AD)

Les nombres cardinaux (Forme simple/Forme complexe) Les nombres cardinaux

0 / lng 10 / sh 20 rsh 1 000 yqin 50 000 wwn

1 / y 11 shy 21 rshy 1 001 yqinlngy 60 000 liwn

2 / r 12 sh'r 22 rshr 1 100 yqinybi 70 000 qwn

3 / sn 13 shsn 23 rshsn 9 000 jiqin 80 000 bwn

4 / s 14 shs 24 rshs 10 000 ywn 90 000 jiwn

5 / w 15 shw 25 rshw 10 001 ywnlngy 100 000 shwn

6 / li 16 shli 26 rshli 11 000 ywnyqin 900 000 jishjiwn

7 / q 17 shq 27 rshq 20 000 rwn 1 million ybiwn

8 / b 18 shb 28 rshb 30 000 snwn 100 millions yy

9 / ji 19 shji 29 rshji 40 000 swn 1000 milliards yzho

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