Difference between revisions of "Expressing "more and more" with "yuelaiyue""

Revision as of 09:38, 8 June 2013

Level

B1 / HSK3
Level

B1
Level

HSK3
Similar to
- Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…" (B2)
Similar to
- Expressing "the more... the more..." with "yue… yue…" (HSK3)
Used for

Expressing degree
Keywords

了, 越来越, 越

"越 ... 越..." (yuè... yuè...) is used frequently in Chinese to express that some quality or state is increasing with time, or in tune with another factor. There are two forms of this pattern, the "simple" one (using 来), and the more complex one (which uses two different adjectives/verbs).

Simple: 越来越 + Adjective

This structure expresses that something is becoming more and more adjective over time, with the latter adjective changing with the verb. The most common structure is:

Subject + 越来 + 越 + Adjective

Here are some examples:

汽油越来越贵。 Gasoline is getting more and more expensive.
美国的音乐越来越流行。American music is getting more and more fashionable.
她的数学成绩越来越好。Her math grade is getting better and better.

Complex: 越 + Adjective/Verb + 越 + Adjective/Verb

This structure can be expanded further by replacing 来 with another verb. This expresses that one change causes another change. (The examples make it clear how this works.)

Subject + 越 + Verb Phrase + 越 + Adjective

Here are some examples of this structure:

他越喝可乐越胖。The more he drinks soda, the fatter he gets.
她越说越生气。The more she talks, the angrier she gets.
啊，我越忙越不耐烦。Oh, the busier I am, the more impatient I am.

Sources and further reading

Books

Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例) (pp. 295) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 153-4) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 288-9) →buy
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 238-9) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 185) →buy

@@ Line 49: / Line 49: @@
 * [[Common Chinese Patterns 330 (汉语常用格式330例)]] (pp. 295) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7802006473/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7802006473 →buy]
-* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2]] (pp. 153-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
+* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 153-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
 * [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (pp. 288-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]
 * [[Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide]] (pp. 238-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108 →buy]