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

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
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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.
  
 
== Affirmative Form ==
 
== Affirmative Form ==
 
In Chinese the word for "enough" comes before a verb more often than after an adjective. When it comes before an adjective, 了 is needed at the end of the sentence.
 
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 够 + Predicate (+ 了)
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够 + Verb / Adj. + 了
 
</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 ===
 
=== Examples ===
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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">
  
*他 对 你 <em>够</em> 好 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā duì nǐ <em>gòu</em> hǎo <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">He's been good enough to you.</span>
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*我们 买 很 多 菜 ,<em>够</em> <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>
*别 抱怨 ,你 已经 <em>够</em> 幸运 <strong>了</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Bié bàoyuàn le, nǐ yǐjīng <em>gòu</em> xìngyùn <strong>le</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Stop complaining. You've been lucky enough.</span>
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*这些 纸 <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>
*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>
 
*这些 纸 <em>够</em> 用 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Zhèxiē zhǐ <em>gòu</em> yòng ma?</span><span class="trans">Are these paper good enough to use?</span>
 
 
*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>
 
*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>
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</div>
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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">
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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>
 
</div>
  
 
== Negative Form ==
 
== Negative Form ==
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In the negative form, you're not going to need a 了 (le).
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + 不够 + Predicate
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Subj. + + 够 + Adj. / Verb
 
</div>
 
</div>
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 +
Note that 了 can't be used when it's negated.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*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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*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>
*你 说 得 <em>不够</em> 具体 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shuō de <em>bù gòu</em> jùtǐ.</span><span class="trans">You didn't speak very specifically.</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>
*这些 菜 <em>不够</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">These dishes are not enough to eat. Let's order some more.</span>
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*这些 菜 <em>不 够</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>
*这里 太 小 了 ,<em>不够</em> 坐 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ tài xiǎo le, <em>bùgòu</em> zuò.</span><span class="trans">It's too small here. It's not big enough to sit.</span>
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*这里 太 小 了 ,<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>
*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. These stuff definitely can't fit in it.</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>
  
== Colloquial Saying 够了 ==
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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.
  
Literally 够了 means "it's enough." the speaker is "getting sick of [doing] something" or "done with [doing] something."
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== 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:
 
A few common examples:
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*天天 吃 外卖,我们 都 吃 <em>够了 </em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tiāntiān chī wàimài, wǒmen dōu chī <em>gòu le</em>.</span><span class="trans">We eat take-away every day. We're sick of eating it.</span>
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*<strong></strong> <em>够 了</em> <span class="pinyin"><strong>shòu</strong> <em>gòu le</em>!</span><span class="trans">I've had enough!</span>
*别 说 了! 这些 话 我 已经 听 <em>够了</em> !<span class="pinyin">Bié shuō le, zhèxiē huà wǒ yǐjīng tīng <em>gòu le</em>.</span><span class="trans">Stop talking! I've heard enough of it!</span>
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*天天 吃 外卖 ,我们 都 <strong>吃</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 今天 玩 游戏 已经 玩 了 三 个 小时 了 ,玩 <em>够了</em> 没有 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jīntiān wán yóuxì yǐjīng wán le sān gè xiǎoshí le, wán <em>gòu le</em> méiyǒu?</span><span class="trans">You've been playing games for three hours today. Are you not done yet?</span>
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*你 <strong>玩</strong> <em>够 了</em> 没有 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <strong>wán</strong> <em>gòu le</em> méiyǒu?</span><span class="trans">Are you done playing?</span>
*我 受 <em>够 了</em> !我 一定 要 跟 他 离婚 !<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shòu <em>gòu le</em> ! Wǒ yīdìng yào gēn tā líhūn!</span><span class="trans">I had enough of him. I'm definitely going to divorce him.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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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 + Predicate (+ 了) |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