Questions tagged [grammar]
Questions about the grammatical rules governing Chinese structure and composition.
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I want to know the meaning of 而 which is used inside 公司一再宽容,而他却越来越过分了。
公司一再宽容,而他却越来越过分了。
My free translation: The company has tolerated him again and again, and he has been getting worse and worse.
I've interpreted the 而 as "but" however seems 却 also has the ...
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Differentiating the adverbs of frequency
I can't tell the difference in meaning between the following since to me they all define doing something frequently:
a)我经常在图书馆学习。
b)我一般在图书馆学习。
c）我总是在图书馆学习。
If I want to say,"I usually study at ...
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What is the difference between 所 and 被 in passive voice?
假如借走回家看，则每本每天2分钱，挑好书后交给摊主，摊主仔细地将租书人的姓名、地址和所借小人书的书名登记在本子上，收了租金就可以拿走了，...
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, section 20. What is the difference between 所 and 被 in passive voice? Some ...
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What is the difference between the classifiers 册 and 本?
租借小人书很便宜，在摊里看，每册1分钱，选好书坐下就看，看完连书带钱交给摊主；假如借走回家看，则每本每天2分钱，挑好书后交给摊主，...
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 20. What is the difference between the classifiers 册 and 本?
在摊里看，每册1分钱
在摊里看，...
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How to understand 不知其然而然?
At first glance, this appears to mean
Not knowing （one‘s) being (in) such (a situation), but still being (in) such (a situation).
I searched texts with translations and found this one, containing ...
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In 别人先代替他的工作, should we delete the 的?
鉴于他的身体还需要恢复一段时间，我们只好请别人先代替他的工作。
My textbook (《会通汉语 6读写》 p.11) contains the above sentence (photo). I'm confused about the last part 代替他的工作. I would expect a person (sb.) to replace (代替) a person (...
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Difference between 他给妈妈打电话” and “他打电话给妈妈”
I learned that the sentence pattern is A 给 B + something: "他给妈妈打电话”
but recently I saw this 他打电话给妈妈. Are both grammarly correct?
Thanks is advance!
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Placement of 了 in 停在了离小岛不太远的地方
The sentence is from Mandarin Companion's "Journey to the center of the Earth".
我们把船停在了离小岛不太远的地方，晚上我们还是在船上休息。
I know that the rules of 了 are tricky, but I dont understand what its doing ...
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Help understand this: 每本小人书都用牛皮纸加了层封皮，封皮上用毛笔写上书名
为了减少损坏程度，每本小人书都用牛皮纸加了层封皮，封皮上用毛笔写上书名，整齐漂亮的毛笔字能充分地显示出书摊主人的文化水平。
This is from the Standard Course Book of HSK5, chapter 20. I need your help in understanding this: 每本小人书都用牛皮纸加了层封皮，封皮上用毛笔写上书名,...
Actually ...
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Repetition of the first verb (separable verbs)
I am learning Chinese and I have a question about separable verbs. I understand that separable verbs are verbs that can be split by an object or a complement, such as 看书 (read a book) or 看见 (see). ...
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If A伴随着B, then is it true that B伴随着A?
CC-CEDICT: 伴随 (bànsuí) to accompany / to follow / to occur together with / concomitant
I saw on Tateoba the sentence
闪电常常伴随着雷鸣。
Lightning is usually followed by thunder.
The English sentence ...
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Meaning of 还 other than "still, also, even more"
I've got some sentences with 还. But I can't figure out the purpose of 还 in them.
你还出去做什么？
(Does it mean "still", or what?)
快下雪了，我还以为今天是好天气。
(I searched the Internet, and I found many ...
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Are "v. 不好 n." sentences inherently ambiguous in that 不好 could modify the verb or noun?
There's quite a few "v. 不好 n." phrases in Chinese, such as:
睡不好觉
写不好字
讲不好故事
唱不好歌
弹不好吉他
They all seem a bit ambiguous to me: the 不好 could modify the verb to imply the verb is performed ...
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What does 一抹 mean?
我看到他眼裡亮起一抹笑意。
First, what tone is "一" in 一抹 pronounced?
Second, what does it mean? It seems to be a quantity based on 一, but 抹 means mop/clean so I don't know what it means here and how that ...
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Is 很下面 in 它们静静地躺在身后很下面的地方 considered grammatical?
This is from a Chinese version of The Hobbit (here) when the dwarves have left Rivendell:
此时，他们回头���能看见已经离开的那片土地，它们静静地躺在身后很下面的地方。
[Google Translate] At this time, they could look back and see the land ...
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