Difference between revisions of "Potential complement "-bu dong" for not understanding"
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== Structure == | == 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). | + | The [[potential complement]] 不懂 (bù dǒng) 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 (bù dǒng) can also be swapped out with 不明白 (bù míngbai). |
Revision as of 09:26, 15 October 2014
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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 (bù dǒng) 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 (bù dǒng) 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。(Literally: I see-not-understand Chinese newspapers.)I don't understand Chinese newspapers.
- 我 听 不懂 南方人 说 的 话。(Literally: I hear-not-understand Southerners' talk.)I don't understand Southerners' talk.
- 很 多 人 读 不懂 这本书。(Literally: Many people read-not-understand this book.)Many people don't understand this book.
- 你 想 不 懂 她 为什么 这样 做。(Literally: You think-not-understand why she did this.)I don't understand why she did this?
- 我 现在 看 不 懂 这 些 汉字。(Literally: Right now I look-not-understand these characters)Right now I don't understand these characters.
- 我 也听 不 懂 中文。 (Literally: I also listen-not-understand Chinese)I also don't understand Chinese.
- 我 读 不 懂 你 写 的 什么。(Literally: I read-not-understand what you write.)I don't understand what you wrote.
- 我 想 不 懂 他 为什么 这么 做。(Literally: I think-not-understand why he made this that way.)I don't think I understand why he made it like this.
- 我们 都 搞 不 懂 他 在 想 什么。(Literally: We all make-not-understand what he wants)We all don't understand what he is thinking.
- 我 真 搞 不 懂 这 个 人。
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 242-3, 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. 87-8) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 97-9) →buy
- Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp, 186-7) →buy
Websites
- Wikipedia: Complement (linguistics)
- Baidu Baike (Chinese): 补语
- Blog entry (Chinese): 状态补语
