Difference between revisions of "Expressing "enough" with "gou""

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== Good enough with 够 ==
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In Chinese the word for "enough" is 够 (gòu). It also combines with other words and most often comes before [[verb]]s and [[adjective]]s, but there are a limited number of verbs that it can follow as well.
  
In Chinese the word for "enough" often comes before a verb, rather than after an adjective.
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== Affirmative Form ==
  
==== Structure ====
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=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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够 + Verb / Adj. + 了
Subj. + 够 + Verb  
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Sometimes you'll see a added after the verb for emphasis (as in "''no, really, it's enough!''").
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The [[]] is not strictly required, but it adds a sense of emphasis.
  
==== Examples ====
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=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
In these examples, 够 (gòu) comes before verbs. You'll notice that ''who'' is doing the verb to ''what'' is normally just understood in context.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*我们 买 了 很 多 菜,肯定 <em>够</em> 吃。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen mǎi le hěnduō cài, kěndìng <em>gòu</em> chī.</span> <span class="trans">We bought a lot of food. It must be good enough to eat.</span>
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*他 带 了 好 多 衣服 ,应该 <em>够</em> 换。<span class="pinyin">Tā dài le hǎo duō yīfu, yīnggāi <em>gòu</em> huàn.</span> <span class="trans">He brought a lot of clothes. It should be enough to change.</span>
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*我们 买 了 很 多 菜 ,<em>够</em> 吃 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen mǎi le hěn duō cài, <em>gòu</em> chī <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We bought a lot of food. It's enough for us to eat.</span>
*我们 只 有 三 个 人,你 的 车 肯定 <em>够</em> 坐。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zhǐ yǒu sān gè rén, nǐ de chē kěndìng <em>gòu</em> zuò.</span> <span class="trans">We only have three people. I'm sure your car is big enough to sit in.</span>
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*这些 <em>够</em> 用 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē zhǐ <em>gòu</em> yòng ma?</span><span class="trans">Is this paper enough for us to use?</span>
*这些 <em>够</em> 吃 <em>了</em>,不要 再 买 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē cài <em>gòu</em> chī <em>le</em>, bù yào zài mǎi le.</span> <span class="trans">This food is enough to eat. Don't buy more.</span>
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*放心 吧 ,我 带 的 钱 <em>够</em> 花 。<span class="pinyin">Fàngxīn ba, wǒ dài de qián <em>gòu</em> huā.</span><span class="trans">Don't worry. I've brought enough money to spend.</span>
*带 的 钱 <em>够</em> 用 <em>了</em> ,你 不用 带 了。<span class="pinyin">dài de qián <em>gòu</em> yòng <em>le</em>, nǐ bù yòng dài le.</span> <span class="trans">I've brought enough money to spend. You don't need to  bring any.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Not enough with 不够 ==
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When it comes before an adjective, 了 is needed at the end of the sentence.
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<div class="liju">
  
==== Structure ====
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*我 对 你 <em>够</em> 好 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ duì nǐ <em>gòu</em> hǎo <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">I've been good enough to you.</span>
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*别 抱怨 了 ,你 <em>够</em> 幸运 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Bié bàoyuàn le, nǐ <em>gòu</em> xìngyùn <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Stop complaining. You've been lucky enough.</span>
  
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subj. + 不够 + Verb
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==== Examples ====
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== Negative Form ==
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In the negative form, you're not going to need a 了 (le).
  
<div class="liju">
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=== Structure ===
*你 家 太 小 了,恐怕 <em>不够</em> 住。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā tài xiǎo le, kǒngpà <em>bùgòu</em> zhù.</span> <span class="trans">Your house is too small. I'm afraid it's not big enough to live in.</span>
 
*你 的 包 太 小 了,这些 东西 肯定<em>不够</em> 放。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de bāo tài xiǎo le, zhème duō dōngxi kěndìng <em>bùgòu</em> fàng.</span> <span class="trans">You bag is too small. This stuff definitely can't fit in it.</span>
 
*办公室 的 纸 <em>不够</em> 用 了,你 明天 去 买 一些 吧。<span class="pinyin">Bàngōngshì de zhǐ <em>bùgòu</em> yòng le, nǐ míngtiān qù mǎi yīxiē ba.</span> <span class="trans">The paper in the office is not enough to use. You should go buy some tomorrow.</span>
 
*我 的 钱 <em>不够</em> 花 了,你 能 不 能 再 给 我 五 百?<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de qián <em>bùgòu</em> huā le, nǐ néng bu néng zài gěi wǒ wǔ bǎi?</span> <span class="trans">I don't have enough money to spend. Can you give me another five hundred kuai?</span>
 
  
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<div class="jiegou">
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Subj. + 不 + 够 + Adj. / Verb
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Expressing "had enough of it" with 够了 ==
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Note that 了 can't be used when it's negated.
  
When a verb is followed by "够了", it means the speaker is "getting sick of [doing] something" or "done with [doing] something".
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=== Examples ===
 
 
==== Structure ====
 
  
<div class="jiegou">
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<div class="liju">
  
Subj. + Verb + (+ )
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*他 觉得 他 女朋友 <em>不 够</em> 漂亮 。<span class="pinyin">Tā juéde tā nǚpéngyou <em>bù gòu</em> piàoliang.</span><span class="trans">He thinks his girlfriend is not pretty enough.</span>
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*你 说 得 <em>不 够</em> 清楚 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō de <em>bù gòu</em> qīngchǔ.</span><span class="trans">You didn't speak clearly enough.</span>
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*这些 菜 <em>不 </em> 吃 ,再 点 几 个 菜 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē cài <em>bù gòu</em> chī, zài diǎn jǐ gè cài.</span><span class="trans">This food is not enough for us to eat. Let's order a few more dishes.</span>
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*这里 太 小 ,<em>不 够</em> 坐 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ tài xiǎo le, <em>bù gòu</em> zuò.</span><span class="trans">It's too cramped here. There's not enough room to sit.</span>
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*你 的 包 太 小 了,这些 东西 肯定 <em>不 够</em> 放 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de bāo tài xiǎo le, zhèxiē dōngxi kěndìng <em>bù gòu</em> fàng.</span><span class="trans">Your bag is too small. There's definitely not enough room to hold this stuff.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==== Examples ====
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Translations feel looser here, as the Chinese frequently omits the details about what's not enough for what. The verb and the context makes it clear enough.
 +
 
 +
== Colloquial Saying ==
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 +
Literally, 够了 means "it's enough." When the speaker is getting sick of doing something or feeling fed up, 够了 can be applied after a limited number of verbs.
 +
 
 +
A few common examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
*别 说 了! 这些 话 已经 听 <em>够</em> 了!<span class="pinyin">Bié shuō le, zhèxiē huà wǒ yǐjīng tīng <em>gòu</em> le.</span> <span class="trans">Stop talking! I've heard enough of it!</span>
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*你 今天 玩 游戏 已经 玩 了 三 个 小时 了,玩 <em></em> 了 没有?!<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān wán yóuxì yǐjīng wǎn le sān gè xiǎoshí le, wán <em>gòu</em> le méiyǒu?!</span> <span class="trans">You've been playing games for three hours today. Are you not done yet?</span>
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*我 <strong>受</strong> <em>够 </em> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>shòu</strong> <em>gòu le</em>!</span><span class="trans">I've had enough!</span>
*我 受 <em>够</em> 了!我 一定 要 跟 他 离婚!<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shòu <em>gòu</em> le! Wǒ yīdìng yào gēn tā líhūn!</span> <span class="trans">I had enough of him. I'm definitely going to divorce him.</span>
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*天天 吃 外卖 ,我们 都 <strong></strong> <em>够 了</em> <span class="pinyin">Tiāntiān chī wàimài, wǒmen dōu <strong>chī</strong> <em>gòu le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We eat take-out every day. We're sick of eating it.</span>
*你 天天 都 叫 外卖,还没 吃 <em>够</em> 吗?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ tiāntiān dū jiào wàimài, hái méi chī <em>gòu</em> ma?</span> <span class="trans">You order takeout every day. Haven't you gotten sick of eating it?</span>
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*你 <strong>玩</strong> <em>够 </em> 没有 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>wán</strong> <em>gòu le</em> méiyǒu?</span><span class="trans">Are you done playing?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==See also==
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== See also ==
 +
 
 
*[[The "zui" superlative]]
 
*[[The "zui" superlative]]
 
*[[Expressing "excessively" with "tai"]]
 
*[[Expressing "excessively" with "tai"]]
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
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 +
{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4下|45}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|够|B1|Subj. + 够 + Verb|我们 买 了 很 多 菜,肯定 <em>够</em> 吃。|grammar point|ASG49BE6}}
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
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{{Basic Grammar|够|B1|Subj. + 够 + Predicate (+ 了) |我们 买 了 很 多 菜 ,<em>够</em> 吃 <strong>了</strong> 。|grammar point|ASG49BE6}}
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{{Rel char|了}}
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{{Rel char|够了}}
 
{{Used for|Describing degree}}
 
{{Used for|Describing degree}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing attitude}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{Translation|enough}}
 
{{Translation|enough}}

Latest revision as of 04:50, 9 March 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-le.jpg

In Chinese the word for "enough" is 够 (gòu). It also combines with other words and most often comes before verbs and adjectives, but there are a limited number of verbs that it can follow as well.

Affirmative Form

Structure

够 + Verb / Adj. + 了

The is not strictly required, but it adds a sense of emphasis.

Examples

In these examples, 够 (gòu) comes before verbs. You'll notice that who is doing the verb to what is normally just understood in context.

  • 我们 买 了 很 多 菜 ,Wǒmen mǎi le hěn duō cài, gòu chī le.We bought a lot of food. It's enough for us to eat.
  • 这些 纸 用 吗 ?Zhèxiē zhǐ gòu yòng ma?Is this paper enough for us to use?
  • 放心 吧 ,我 带 的 钱 花 。Fàngxīn ba, wǒ dài de qián gòu huā.Don't worry. I've brought enough money to spend.

When it comes before an adjective, 了 is needed at the end of the sentence.

  • 我 对 你 Wǒ duì nǐ gòu hǎo le.I've been good enough to you.
  • 别 抱怨 了 ,你 幸运 Bié bàoyuàn le, nǐ gòu xìngyùn le.Stop complaining. You've been lucky enough.

Negative Form

In the negative form, you're not going to need a 了 (le).

Structure

Subj. + 不 + 够 + Adj. / Verb

Note that 了 can't be used when it's negated.

Examples

  • 他 觉得 他 女朋友 不 够 漂亮 。Tā juéde tā nǚpéngyou bù gòu piàoliang.He thinks his girlfriend is not pretty enough.
  • 你 说 得 不 够 清楚 。Nǐ shuō de bù gòu qīngchǔ.You didn't speak clearly enough.
  • 这些 菜 不 够 吃 ,再 点 几 个 菜 。Zhèxiē cài bù gòu chī, zài diǎn jǐ gè cài.This food is not enough for us to eat. Let's order a few more dishes.
  • 这里 太 小 了 ,不 够 坐 。Zhèlǐ tài xiǎo le, bù gòu zuò.It's too cramped here. There's not enough room to sit.
  • 你 的 包 太 小 了,这些 东西 肯定 不 够 放 。Nǐ de bāo tài xiǎo le, zhèxiē dōngxi kěndìng bù gòu fàng.Your bag is too small. There's definitely not enough room to hold this stuff.

Translations feel looser here, as the Chinese frequently omits the details about what's not enough for what. The verb and the context makes it clear enough.

Colloquial Saying

Literally, 够了 means "it's enough." When the speaker is getting sick of doing something or feeling fed up, 够了 can be applied after a limited number of verbs.

A few common examples:

  • 够 了shòu gòu le!I've had enough!
  • 天天 吃 外卖 ,我们 都 够 了Tiāntiān chī wàimài, wǒmen dōu chī gòu le.We eat take-out every day. We're sick of eating it.
  • 够 了 没有 ?wán gòu le méiyǒu?Are you done playing?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books