Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding

Chinese learners often have to express that they don't understand something, especially in the beginning when they start learning. One of the ways to express that is to use the 不懂 (bù dǒng) verb complement.

Structure

The potential complement 不懂 is used to talk about things that can't be understood. Note that this is about potential - the subject doesn't have the ability to understand. The 不懂 can also be swapped out with 不明白 (bù míngbai).

Subject + Perception verb + 不懂

Examples

• 我 看 不懂 中文 的 报纸。I don't understand Chinese newspapers. (Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.)
• 我 听 不懂 南方人 说 的 话。I don't understand Southerners' talk. (Literally: I hear-not-understand Southerners' talk.)
• 很 多 人 读 不懂 这本书。Many people don't understand this book. (Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)
• 你 想 不 懂 她 说 的 话 吗？Do you not understand what she said? (Literally: You think-not-understand her words?)
• 我 现在 看 不 懂 这 些 汉字。Right now I don't understand these characters. (Literally: Right now I look-not-understand these characters))
• 我 也听 不 懂 中文。I also don't understand Chinese. (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)
• 我 读 不 懂 你 写 的 什么。I don't understand what you wrote. (Literally: I read-not-understand what you write)
• 我 想 不 懂 他 为什么 这么 做。I don't think I understand why he made it like this. (Literally: I think-not-understand why he made this that way.)
• 我们 都 搞 不 懂 他 在 想 什么。We all don't understand what he is thinking. (Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants)

See also

• Potential complement "bu xia"
• Positive and negative potential complements

Sources and further reading

Books

• A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 242 - 243, pp. 271 - 329) →buy
• Chinese Grammar Without Tears (简明汉语语法学习手册) (Chapter 6: Complements) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 200 - 201) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 87 - 88) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 97-9) →buy
• Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp, 186-187) →buy

Websites

• Wikipedia: Complement (linguistics)
• Baidu Baike (Chinese): 补语
• Blog entry (Chinese): 状态补语