Difference between revisions of "Coincidence with "zhenghao""

Latest revision as of 04:46, 9 March 2019

Level

B1 / HSK4
Level

B1
Level

HSK4
Similar to
Similar to
Used for

Indicating conditions, Sequencing events in time
Keywords

好, 正, 正好

正好 (zhènghǎo) can be used as an adjective or adverb to help express a coincidence, and it could be related to time, size, volume, quantity, degree, etc. In English we might say something similar like, “oh, this shirt you gave me just happens to be in my favorite color."

Used as "happen to be"

You can also use 正好 to mean "happen to be."

Structure

Subj. + 正好 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

我正好要出去，垃圾我来扔吧。Wǒ zhènghǎo yào chūqù, lājī wǒ lái rēng ba.I'm just about to leave. I'll take out the trash.
你来了！我正好要找你。Nǐ lái le! Wǒ zhènghǎo yào zhǎo nǐ.You are here! I was just looking for you.
他正好问了我想问的问题。Tā zhènghǎo wèn le wǒ xiǎng wèn de wèntí.He happened to ask the question that I wanted to ask.
我正好也在这里实习。Wǒ zhènghǎo yě zài zhèlǐ shíxí.I happen to be interning here too.
正好你们都是单身。Zhènghǎo nǐmen dōu shì dānshēn.You both happen to be single.
我明天见他，正好可以问问他这件事。Wǒ míngtiān jiàn tā, zhènghǎo kěyǐ wènwen tā zhè jiàn shì.I'm going to meet with him tomorrow. I can just ask him about this matter.
我们正好也要去那儿，一起走吧。Wǒmen zhènghǎo yě yào qù nàr, yīqǐ zǒu ba.We just happen to be going there. Let's go together.
我敲门的时候，他正好出门。Wǒ qiāo mén de shíhou, tā zhènghǎo chūmén.He just happened to be leaving the house while I was knocking at the door.

Used as "just right"

You can also use 正好 by itself to mean "just right" or "just enough."

Examples of that usage:

这件衣服的大小正好。Zhè jiàn yīfu de dà xiǎo zhènghǎo.The size of these clothes is just right.
水温正好，不冷也不热。Shuǐwēn zhènghǎo, bù lěng yě bù rè.The temperature of the water is perfect, not too cold, not too hot.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK Standard Course 4上 (pp. 17) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 671) [ →buy]
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 90) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Grammar Box}}
-正好 (zhènghǎo) can be used as an adjective or adverb to help express a coincidence, and it could be related to size, volume, quantity, degree, time, etc. This is similar to how we say in English “Oh, this shirt I grabbed was just the right size." or something like that.
+正好 (zhènghǎo) can be used as an adjective or adverb to help express a coincidence, and it could be related to time, size, volume, quantity, degree, etc. In English we might say something similar like, “oh, this shirt you gave me just happens to be in my favorite color."
 == Used as "happen to be" ==
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 *你 来 了 ！我 <em>正好</em> 要 找 你 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ lái le! Wǒ <em>zhènghǎo</em> yào zhǎo nǐ.</span><span class="trans">You are here! I was just looking for you.</span>
 *他 <em>正好</em> 问 了 我 想 问 的 问题 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>zhènghǎo</em> wèn le wǒ xiǎng wèn de wèntí.</span><span class="trans">He happened to ask the question that I wanted to ask.</span>
-*我 <em>正好</em> 也 在 这里 实习 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhènghǎo</em> yě zài zhèlǐ shíxí.</span><span class="trans">I happened to do my internship there.</span>
+*我 <em>正好</em> 也 在 这里 实习 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>zhènghǎo</em> yě zài zhèlǐ shíxí.</span><span class="trans">I happen to be interning here too.</span>
 *<em>正好</em> 你们 都 是 单身 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Zhènghǎo</em> nǐmen dōu shì dānshēn.</span><span class="trans">You both happen to be single.</span>
-*我 明天 见 他 ，<em>正好</em> 可以 问问 他 这 件 事 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ míngtiān jiàn tā, <em>zhènghǎo</em> kěyǐ wènwen tā zhè jiàn shì.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to meet with him tomorrow. I can ask him about this piece of matter by the way.</span>
+*我 明天 见 他 ，<em>正好</em> 可以 问问 他 这 件 事 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ míngtiān jiàn tā, <em>zhènghǎo</em> kěyǐ wènwen tā zhè jiàn shì.</span><span class="trans">I'm going to meet with him tomorrow. I can just ask him about this matter.</span>
 *我们 <em>正好</em> 也 要 去 那儿 ，一起 走 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zhènghǎo</em> yě yào qù nàr, yīqǐ zǒu ba.</span><span class="trans">We just happen to be going there. Let's go together.</span>
-*我 敲门 的 时候 ，他 <em>正好</em> 出门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yào qiāo mén de shíhou, tā <em>zhènghǎo</em> chūmén.</span><span class="trans">He just happened to be leaving the house while I was knocking at the door.</span>
+*我 敲 门 的 时候 ，他 <em>正好</em> 出门 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ qiāo mén de shíhou, tā <em>zhènghǎo</em> chūmén.</span><span class="trans">He just happened to be leaving the house while I was knocking at the door.</span>
 </div>
@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 == Used as "just right" ==
-You can also use 正好 to mean "just right" or "just enough."
+You can also use 正好 by itself to mean "just right" or "just enough."
-==== Examples ====
+Examples of that usage:
 <div class="liju">
-*这 件 衣服 的 大小 <em>正好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu de dàxiǎo <em>zhènghǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The size of these clothes is just right.</span>
+*这 件 衣服 的 大 小 <em>正好</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu de dà xiǎo <em>zhènghǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">The size of these clothes is just right.</span>
 *水温 <em>正好</em>，不 冷 也 不 热 。<span class="pinyin">Shuǐwēn <em>zhènghǎo</em>, bù lěng yě bù rè.</span><span class="trans">The temperature of the water is perfect, not too cold, not too hot.</span>
 </div>
-== See also ==
 == Sources and further reading ==
@@ Line 47: / Line 45: @@
 === Books ===
-* [[现代汉语八百词（增订本）]] (pp. 671) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
+{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|17}}
-* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (p. 90) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
+{{Source|现代汉语八百词（增订本）|671}}
+{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|90}}
 [[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+{{HSK|HSK4}}
 {{Basic Grammar|正好|B1|Subj. + 正好 + Verb Phrase|他 <em>正好</em> 问 了 我 想 问 的 问题 。|grammar point|ASGUD25J}}
 {{Rel char|正}}