Difference between revisions of "Adjective"

Latest revision as of 04:05, 25 April 2017

Also known as: 形容词 (xíngróngcí).

Adjectives are the "describing" words of a language. In Chinese, they have some characteristics that they don't have in English.

Characteristics

The majority of adjectives can be modified by both the adverb "不" and the adverb "很".
In sentences, adjectives are generally predicates, attributes, or complements.
Adjectives do not take objects.
Adjectives can be reduplicated.

Notes

Reduplication

Adjective reduplication is a common phenomenon in Chinese, usually used to emphasize the quality of the adjective. There are many different patterns for reduplicating adjectives, including AABB (e.g. 干干净净), ABB (e.g. 红通通) or BABA (e.g. 雪白雪白). When adjectives are reduplicated, they must be followed by a "的."

Predicates

Adjectives can function as predicates. However, 是 is not used with adjectives. Instead, you have to use "很". This is another common beginning mistake. In order to connect a noun to its adjective, use 很, not 是. In terms of pronunciation, a neutral 很 just indicates the predicate， but a 很 in third tone adds emphasis to the adjective. Some adjectives are not preceded by 很, but are followed by 了: 饿, 渴, 病. These adjectives often describe a change of state, explaining the different grammar.

If the adjective is only a single character, it can directly modify the noun, (e.g. 新书). 的 can optionally be inserted to emphasize the adjective: 新的书. On the other hand, if the adjective has two characters, and the noun it modifies only has one, the 的 is required, (e.g. 好看的画). If both have two characters, the 的 is optional just as it is with single character adjectives. These rules also apply to 地 when modifying verbs.

Special adjectives 多 and 少

These two adjectives must be combined with 很 or 不 in order to form attributives for nouns. However, 的 is not necessary with 多 and 少.

Further notes

Adjectives can form affirmative-negative questions by placing the adjective and the negated adjective next to each other (e.g. 他高不高?)
Adjectives can be followed by complements such as "budeliao." These complements usually express degree.

Types adjectives

Grammar Patterns for Adjectives

A2 Adjectives

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Negative adjectives with "-si le"	Adj. + 死了	我今天累死了。

B1 Adjectives

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Adjectives with "-ji le"	Adj. + 极了	这个主意好极了。
Expressing "not very" with "bu zenme"	不怎么 + Adj.	这里的菜他不怎么好吃！
Indicating the whole with "quan"	全 + Noun	我们全家都去旅游了。
Reduplication of adjectives	Adj. + Adj.	你应该慢慢地走。
Turning adjectives into adverbs	Adj. + 地 + Verb	你要认真地学习。

B2 Adjectives

Grammar Point (English)	Pattern	Examples
Adjectival complement "de budeliao"	Adj. + 得不得了	爸爸气得不得了，你要倒霉啦。
Adjectival complement "de hen"	Adj. + 得很	这个题目简单得很。
Expressing "a bit too"	Adj. + 了 + (一) 点儿	那个地方离我家远了点儿。
Saying "a lot" with "youdeshi"	Subj. + 有的是 + Noun	川菜上海有的是。

Sources and further reading

Books

外国人实用汉语语法(中英文对照) (pp. 48 - 57)4
Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 56 - 64)
实用汉语语法 (pp. 52 - 54)
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 56 - 68)
汉语常用格式330例

Websites

Wikipedia: Chinese adjectives

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{stub}}
+{{AKA|形容词 (xíngróngcí)}}
+Adjectives are the "describing" words of a language. In Chinese, they have some characteristics that they don't have in English.
+==Characteristics==
+# The majority of adjectives can be modified by both the [[Standard negation with "bu"|adverb "不"]] and the [[Simple "noun + adjective" sentences|adverb "很"]].
+# In sentences, adjectives are generally predicates, attributes, or complements.
+# Adjectives do not take objects.
+# Adjectives can be [[Reduplication of adjectives|reduplicated]].
 == Notes ==
-* Adjectives negated with 不
+===Reduplication===
-* Adjectives can form [[Affirmative-negative questions|positive-negative questions]].
+[[Adjective reduplication]] is a common phenomenon in Chinese, usually used to emphasize the quality of the adjective. There are many different patterns for reduplicating adjectives, including AABB (e.g. 干干净净), ABB (e.g. 红通通) or BABA (e.g. 雪白雪白). When adjectives are reduplicated, they must be followed by a "的."
-* [[Adjective reduplication]]
-** Some adjectives can be reduplicated for emphasis.
+===Predicates===
-*** They are reduplicated AABB e.g. 干干净净, ABB e.g. 红通通 or BABA e.g. 雪白雪白
+Adjectives can function as predicates. However, 是 is not used with adjectives. Instead, you have to [[simple "noun + adjective" sentences|use "很"]]. This is another common beginning mistake. In order to connect a noun to its adjective, use 很, not 是. In terms of pronunciation, a neutral 很 just indicates the predicate， but a 很 in third tone adds emphasis to the adjective. Some adjectives are not preceded by 很, but are followed by 了: 饿, 渴, 病. These adjectives often describe a change of state, explaining the different grammar.
-*** 的 must be used with reduplicated adjectives.
-* Can be followed by complements
+If the adjective is only a single character, it can directly modify the noun, (e.g. 新书). 的 can optionally be inserted to emphasize the adjective: 新的书. On the other hand, if the adjective has two characters, and the noun it modifies only has one, the 的 is required, (e.g. 好看的画). If both have two characters, the 的 is optional just as it is with single character adjectives. These rules also apply to 地 when modifying verbs.
-* Can function as predicate. 是 is not used with adjectives.
-** 很 can be used with adjectives
+===Special adjectives 多 and 少===
-*** 很 in neutral tone just indicates the predicate.
-*** 很 in third tone adds emphasis to the adjective.
+These two adjectives must be combined with 很 or 不 in order to form attributives for nouns. However, 的 is not necessary with 多 and 少.
-** Some adjectives are not preceded by 很, but are followed by 了: 饿, 渴, 病
-* Single character adjectives can modify directly, e.g. 新书. 的 can optionally be inserted to emphasise the adjective: 新的书.
+===Further notes===
-* A two character adjective modifying a single character noun has to have 的, e.g. 好看的画.
+* Adjectives can form [[affirmative-negative questions]] by placing the adjective and the negated adjective next to each other (e.g. 他高不高?)
-* If the adjective and noun are both two characters, 的 is optional as with single character adjectives.
+* Adjectives can be followed by complements such as "[[budeliao]]." These complements usually express degree.
-* Rules for 的 for modifying nouns also apply to 地 for modifying verbs.
-* 多 and 少 are special
+==Types adjectives==
-** Must be combined with 很 or 不 to form attributives for nouns
-** 的 is not necessary with 多 and 少.
-* Different ways to say:
-** Bad
-** Nice
-** Beautiful
-* Patterns
-** 半 ... 不 ...
-** 甭提多 / 别提多
-**
 * [[Stative verbs]]
@@ Line 35: / Line 33: @@
 * [[Attributive adjectives]]
 * [[Qualitative adjectives]]
+== Grammar Patterns for Adjectives ==
+{{POS Page|Adjectives}}
 == Sources and further reading ==
+===Books===
 * [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA 外国人实用汉语语法(中英文对照) (pp. 48 - 57)]4
@@ Line 43: / Line 46: @@
 * [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide] (pp. 56 - 68)
 * [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 汉语常用格式330例]
+===Websites===
+* Wikipedia: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_adjectives Chinese adjectives]
 [[Category:Parts of speech]]
 [[Category:Content words]]