Difference between revisions of "Expressing "not often" with "bu zenme""

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{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{Grammar Box}}
  
When you use 不怎么 (bù zěnme) in front of a verb, it means "seldom" or "not often."
 
  
== Structure ==
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== 不怎么 with a verb ==
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When 不怎么 is used with a verb, it means that one does not put a lot of time or energy into doing it. In other words, the action is done "not often." When the verb is used with an object, it also means that the number (or quantity) is really small.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
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=== Examples ===
 
 
Some examples:
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* 我 老公 <em>不怎么</em> 做饭。
 
* 我 老公 <em>不怎么</em> 做饭。
 
* 中国 大学生 <em>不怎么</em> 学习。
 
* 中国 大学生 <em>不怎么</em> 学习。
* 最近 我们 <em>不怎么</em> 看 电视 。
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* 最近 我们 <em>没怎么</em> 看 电视 。
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</div>
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Note that the last example uses 没 instead of 不. This is because the verb uses or implies 有 it uses the same [[Negation_of_"you"| negation rules]].
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== 不怎么 with an adjective ==
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When used together with an adjective, 不怎么 becomes similar to [["Not_very"_with_"bu_tai"| 不太]], which means that the degree of the adjective is not very high.
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<div class="jiegou">
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Subject + 不怎么 + Adjective
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
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* 他 <em>不怎么</em> 帅。
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* 我 <em>不怎么</em> 高,我 很 矮。
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* 他们 <em>不怎么</em> 爱国。
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</div>
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== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)]] (pp. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00326U9MS →buy]
 
* [[Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)]] (pp. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00326U9MS →buy]
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* [[现代汉语八百词]] (p.652) [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001198GSW&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001198GSW →buy]
  
 
{{Basic Grammar|不怎么|B1|不怎么 + V|我 <em>不怎么 吃</em> 猪肉。|grammar point|ASG5BOGP}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|不怎么|B1|不怎么 + V|我 <em>不怎么 吃</em> 猪肉。|grammar point|ASG5BOGP}}

Revision as of 07:37, 12 March 2013


不怎么 with a verb

When 不怎么 is used with a verb, it means that one does not put a lot of time or energy into doing it. In other words, the action is done "not often." When the verb is used with an object, it also means that the number (or quantity) is really small.

Subject + 不怎么 + Verb

Examples

  • 不怎么 说话。
  • 不怎么 吃 猪肉。
  • 我 老公 不怎么 做饭。
  • 中国 大学生 不怎么 学习。
  • 最近 我们 没怎么 看 电视 。

Note that the last example uses 没 instead of 不. This is because the verb uses or implies 有 it uses the same negation rules.

不怎么 with an adjective

When used together with an adjective, 不怎么 becomes similar to 不太, which means that the degree of the adjective is not very high.

Subject + 不怎么 + Adjective

Examples

  • 不怎么 帅。
  • 不怎么 高,我 很 矮。
  • 他们 不怎么 爱国。


See also

Sources and further reading

Books