Difference between revisions of "Negative adjectives with "-si le""
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* 这里 的 东西 <strong>贵</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "expensive to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngxī <strong>guì </strong><em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">The things here are criminally expensive! </span>
 
* 这里 的 东西 <strong>贵</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "expensive to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngxī <strong>guì </strong><em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">The things here are criminally expensive! </span>
 
*我们 都 <strong>急</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "anxious to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <Strong>jí</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span> <span class="trans">We are all so terribly anxious! </span>
 
*我们 都 <strong>急</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "anxious to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <Strong>jí</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span> <span class="trans">We are all so terribly anxious! </span>
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* 这 个 孩子 <strong>烦</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "annoying to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhè ge háizi <Strong>fán</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">This kid is so freaking annoying! </span>
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* 这 个 孩子 <strong>烦</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "annoying to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhège háizi <Strong>fán</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">This kid is so freaking annoying! </span>
  
 
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*哇，<strong>可爱</strong> <em>死了</em> ！ <span class="expl">Literally, "cute to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Wā, <strong>kě'ài</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">OMG, adorbs!</span>
 
*哇，<strong>可爱</strong> <em>死了</em> ！ <span class="expl">Literally, "cute to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Wā, <strong>kě'ài</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">OMG, adorbs!</span>
 
*<strong>漂亮</strong> <em>死了</em> ！ <span class="expl">Literally, "pretty to death"</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>Piàoliang</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">Drop-dead gorgeous!</span>
 
*<strong>漂亮</strong> <em>死了</em> ！ <span class="expl">Literally, "pretty to death"</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>Piàoliang</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">Drop-dead gorgeous!</span>
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*这 个 蛋糕 <strong>好吃</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "delicious to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhè ge dàngāo <strong>hǎochī</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">This cake is to die for!</span>
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*这 个 蛋糕 <strong>好吃</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "delicious to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhège dàngāo <strong>hǎochī</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">This cake is to die for!</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 01:39, 17 January 2017

In English, you might use the expression "you scared me to death!" In Chinese, 死了 (sǐ le) is used similarly to intensify an adjective with an unpleasant connotation.

Structure

The "Subject" part below is actually optional, you can still make your over-the-top exclamations without it.

Subj. + Negative Adj. + 死了

This structure is technically a kind of degree complement.

Examples

  • 我 饿 死了。Literally, "hungry to death"Wǒ è sǐ le! I'm starving!
  • 今天 累 死了。Literally, "tired to death"Jīntiān lèi sǐ le! Today was so exhausting!
  • 热 死了！Literally, "hot to death"Rè sǐ le! It's ridiculously hot!
  • 这 几 天 忙 死了。Literally, "busy to death" Zhè jǐ tiān máng sǐ le! It's been so terribly busy these days!
  • 这 件 衣服 丑 死了。Literally, "ugly to death"Zhè jiàn yīfu chǒu sǐ le! This piece of clothing is totally hideous!
  • 你 的 房间 脏 死了。Literally, "dirty to death"Nǐ de fángjiān zāng sǐ le! Your room is absolutely filthy!
  • 吵 死了！Literally, "noisy to death"Chǎo sǐ le! It's so terribly noisy!
  • 这里 的 东西 贵 死了。Literally, "expensive to death"Zhèlǐ de dōngxī guì sǐ le! The things here are criminally expensive!
  • 我们 都 急 死了。Literally, "anxious to death"Wǒmen dōu jí sǐ le! We are all so terribly anxious!
  • 这 个 孩子 烦 死了。Literally, "annoying to death"Zhège háizi fán sǐ le! This kid is so freaking annoying!

None of these sentences actually refer to someone dying, instead the word 死了 (sǐ le) and the structure is simply used to intensify an adjective. Notice how these are awkward to translate into English; the translations above took a number of different angles to create the same impact as -死了 (sǐ le) does in Chinese. You might say that -死了 (sǐ le) is much more versatile in Chinese than the English expression "to death."

For Positive Connotations

Traditionally, -死了 (sǐ le) is only for adjectives with negative connotations, while positive connotations use a similar degree complement, 极了 (jí le). In recent years, however, it's become quite popular to also use -死了 (sǐ le) with positive adjectives:

  • 哇，可爱 死了 ！ Literally, "cute to death"Wā, kě'ài sǐ le! OMG, adorbs!
  • 漂亮 死了 ！ Literally, "pretty to death"Piàoliang sǐ le! Drop-dead gorgeous!
  • 这 个 蛋糕 好吃 死了。Literally, "delicious to death"Zhège dàngāo hǎochī sǐ le! This cake is to die for!

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

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