Difference between revisions of "Expressing "just" with "gang""
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* 我 <em>刚</em> 知道 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">I just found out.</span> | * 我 <em>刚</em> 知道 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> zhīdao.</span> <span class="trans">I just found out.</span> | ||
* 他 <em>刚</em> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> gōngzùo.</span> <span class="trans">He just started working.</span> | * 他 <em>刚</em> 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> gōngzùo.</span> <span class="trans">He just started working.</span> | ||
| + | * 她们 <em>刚</em> 走 。 <span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>gāng</em> zǒu.</span> <span class="trans">They just left.</span> | ||
| + | * 我 <em>刚</em> 吃 完 饭 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> chī wán fàn.</span> <span class="trans">I just finished eating.</span> | ||
| + | * 他 <em>刚</em> <strong>出去</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> <strong>chūqù</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just went out.</span> | ||
* 我 <em>刚</em> 买 了 很 多 水果 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> mǎi le hěn dūo shǔigǔo.</span> <span class="trans">I just bought a lot of fruit.</span> | * 我 <em>刚</em> 买 了 很 多 水果 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> mǎi le hěn dūo shǔigǔo.</span> <span class="trans">I just bought a lot of fruit.</span> | ||
| − | |||
* 我们 <em>刚</em> 下班 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> xiàbān.</span> <span class="trans">We just got off work.</span> | * 我们 <em>刚</em> 下班 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> xiàbān.</span> <span class="trans">We just got off work.</span> | ||
* 宝宝 <em>刚</em> 起床 。 <span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>gāng</em> qǐchuáng.</span> <span class="trans">The baby just woke up.</span> | * 宝宝 <em>刚</em> 起床 。 <span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>gāng</em> qǐchuáng.</span> <span class="trans">The baby just woke up.</span> | ||
* 老公 <em>刚</em> 回 家 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎogōng <em>gāng</em> húi jiā.</span> <span class="trans">The husband just came home.</span> | * 老公 <em>刚</em> 回 家 。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎogōng <em>gāng</em> húi jiā.</span> <span class="trans">The husband just came home.</span> | ||
| − | |||
* 我 <em>刚</em> 做 完 今天 的 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> zùo wán jīntiān de gōngzùo.</span> <span class="trans">I just finished today's work.</span> | * 我 <em>刚</em> 做 完 今天 的 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> zùo wán jīntiān de gōngzùo.</span> <span class="trans">I just finished today's work.</span> | ||
* 他 <em>刚</em> 来 我们 公司 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> lái wǒmen gōngsī.</span> <span class="trans">He just came to our office.</span> | * 他 <em>刚</em> 来 我们 公司 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> lái wǒmen gōngsī.</span> <span class="trans">He just came to our office.</span> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == | + | == "Just" happened, with a specific time period == |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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Subject + 刚 + VO + Duration | Subject + 刚 + VO + Duration | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Note that although we need to say "ago" in English, in this pattern there's no need for a word that means "ago." | ||
=== Examples === | === Examples === | ||
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* 我 <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>半 年</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> lái Zhōnggúo <strong>bàn nián</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just got to China six months ago.</span> | * 我 <em>刚</em> 来 中国 <strong>半 年</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> lái Zhōnggúo <strong>bàn nián</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just got to China six months ago.</span> | ||
* 我 <em>刚</em> 学 中文 <strong>两 个 星期</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> xué Zhōngwén <strong>liǎng gè xīngqī</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.</span> | * 我 <em>刚</em> 学 中文 <strong>两 个 星期</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gāng</em> xué Zhōngwén <strong>liǎng gè xīngqī</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.</span> | ||
| − | * 他 <em>刚</em> 走 <strong>十 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> zǒu <strong>shí fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just | + | * 他 <em>刚</em> 走 <strong>十 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> zǒu <strong>shí fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just left ten minutes ago.</span> |
* 我们 <em>刚</em> 认识 <strong>一 个 月</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> rènshi <strong>yī gè yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">We just knew each other for a month.</span> | * 我们 <em>刚</em> 认识 <strong>一 个 月</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>gāng</em> rènshi <strong>yī gè yuè</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">We just knew each other for a month.</span> | ||
* 他 <em>刚</em> 工作 <strong>一 年</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> gōngzùo <strong>yī nián</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just worked a year.</span> | * 他 <em>刚</em> 工作 <strong>一 年</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> gōngzùo <strong>yī nián</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just worked a year.</span> | ||
* 小心 点 ， 这 个 电脑 <em>刚</em> 买 <strong>两 天</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn diǎn, zhè gè diànnǎo <em>gāng</em> mǎi <strong>liǎng tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.</span> | * 小心 点 ， 这 个 电脑 <em>刚</em> 买 <strong>两 天</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn diǎn, zhè gè diànnǎo <em>gāng</em> mǎi <strong>liǎng tiān</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.</span> | ||
* 我 也 <em>刚</em> 知道 <strong>两 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě <em>gāng</em> zhīdao <strong>liǎng fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just found out two minutes ago.</span> | * 我 也 <em>刚</em> 知道 <strong>两 分钟</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ yě <em>gāng</em> zhīdao <strong>liǎng fēnzhōng</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">I just found out two minutes ago.</span> | ||
| − | |||
* 他 <em>刚</em> 去 美国 <strong>一 个 星期</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> qù Měigúo <strong>yī gè xīngqī</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just went to America for one week.</span> | * 他 <em>刚</em> 去 美国 <strong>一 个 星期</strong> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>gāng</em> qù Měigúo <strong>yī gè xīngqī</strong>.</span> <span class="trans">He just went to America for one week.</span> | ||
Revision as of 03:50, 16 November 2014
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Keywords
Sometimes things happen in a flash, or they happen a very short time before you talk about them. In English we use the word "just," and in Chinese we express that "just" with 刚 (gāng) or 刚刚 (gānggāng).
Contents
Expressing "just" happened
Structure
刚 (gāng) expresses that the action happened not long ago. 刚刚 (gānggāng) is used the same way, with the same meaning.
Subject + 刚 + Verb
or
Subject + 刚刚 + Verb
Examples
- 我 刚 知道 。 I just found out.
- 他 刚 工作 。 He just started working.
- 她们 刚 走 。 They just left.
- 我 刚 吃 完 饭 。 I just finished eating.
- 他 刚 出去 。 He just went out.
- 我 刚 买 了 很 多 水果 。 I just bought a lot of fruit.
- 我们 刚 下班 。 We just got off work.
- 宝宝 刚 起床 。 The baby just woke up.
- 老公 刚 回 家 。 The husband just came home.
- 我 刚 做 完 今天 的 工作 。 I just finished today's work.
- 他 刚 来 我们 公司 。 He just came to our office.
"Just" happened, with a specific time period
Structure
刚 (gāng) can also express "from the time an action happens until the present time".
Subject + 刚 + VO + Duration
Note that although we need to say "ago" in English, in this pattern there's no need for a word that means "ago."
Examples
- 我 刚 到 这里 五 分钟 。 I just got here five minutes ago.
- 我 刚 来 中国 半 年 。 I just got to China six months ago.
- 我 刚 学 中文 两 个 星期 。 I just started studying Chinese two weeks ago.
- 他 刚 走 十 分钟 。 He just left ten minutes ago.
- 我们 刚 认识 一 个 月 。 We just knew each other for a month.
- 他 刚 工作 一 年 。 He just worked a year.
- 小心 点 ， 这 个 电脑 刚 买 两 天 。 Be careful, I just bought that computer two days ago.
- 我 也 刚 知道 两 分钟 。 I just found out two minutes ago.
- 他 刚 去 美国 一 个 星期 。 He just went to America for one week.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 216)→buy
- 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (p. 239) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 81) →buy
