Difference between revisions of "Emphatic adverb "ke""

Line 31: Line 31:
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==可 used to emphasize a verb==
+
==可 Used to Emphasize a Verb==
  
===Structure===
+
In these examples 可 is used with 别, and sounds a bit like "don't even think about..." in English.
  
<div class= "jiegou">
+
<div class="liju">
  
+ Verb
+
* 你 <em></em> 别 喝 太 多 酒。 <span class="expl">I'm not expecting you to drink a lot</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě</em> bié hē tài duō jiǔ.</span><span class="trans">Don't drink too much.</span>
 +
* 你 <em>可</em> 别 走! <span class="expl">I'm blocking your way, almost pleading with you, as I believe you are going to leave</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě</em> bié zǒu!</span><span class="trans">Don't go!</span>
 +
* 话 <em>可</em> 不 能 这样 说。 <span class="expl">What you said doesn't accord with my own beliefs</span><span class="pinyin">Huà <em>kě</em> bù néng zhèyàng shuō.</span><span class="trans">You really can't say that.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
===Examples===
+
==可 as "Finally"==
  
In these examples is used a bit like , and used to emphasize a verb.
+
Sometimes acts like 终于 (zhōngyú), meaning "finally."
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
 
* 你 <em>可</em> 来 了! <span class="expl">The speaker never expected it would take so long for you to get here</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě</em> lái le!</span><span class="trans">You are here!</span>
 
* 你 <em>可</em> 来 了! <span class="expl">The speaker never expected it would take so long for you to get here</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě</em> lái le!</span><span class="trans">You are here!</span>
* 你 <em>可</em> 别 喝 太 多 酒。 <span class="expl">I'm not expecting you to drink a lot</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě</em> bié hē tài duō jiǔ.</span><span class="trans">Don't drink too much.</span>
 
* 你 <em>可</em> 别 走! <span class="expl">I'm blocking your way, almost pleading with you, as I believe you are going to leave</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>kě</em> bié zǒu!</span><span class="trans">Don't go!</span>
 
* 话 <em>可</em> 不 能 这样 说。 <span class="expl">What you said doesn't accord with my own beliefs</span><span class="pinyin">Huà <em>kě</em> bù néng zhèyàng shuō.</span><span class="trans">You really can't say that.</span>
 
 
* <em>可</em> 做 完 了 所有 的 工作。<span class="pinyin"><em>Kě</em> zuò wán le suǒyǒu de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Finish all the work.</span>  
 
* <em>可</em> 做 完 了 所有 的 工作。<span class="pinyin"><em>Kě</em> zuò wán le suǒyǒu de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Finish all the work.</span>  
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
In two of the sentences above, 可 is used with 别, and sounds a bit like "don't even think about..." in English.
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Revision as of 02:04, 11 November 2020

Chinese-grammar-wiki-ke.jpg

可 (kě) can be used to intensify an adjective, or to add emphasis to a verb. It is stronger than other modifiers, as 可 compares the speaker‘s expectations with the actual situation. The meaning of 可 is very reliant on context.

可 is generally used by Northern speakers and is informal, generally only used in spoken Chinese.

可 used to intensify an adjective

Structure

可 + Adj. + 了

The 了 is almost always there, but it's not 100%.

Examples

In these examples, 可 is used a bit like 很, as it is used to intensify an adjective:

  • 这 只 小 狗 淘气 了!The speaker never expected puppies to be this naughtyZhè zhǐ xiǎo gǒu táoqì le!This puppy is so naughty!
  • 我 姐姐 好 了!有 什么 好吃 的 都 给 我 留着。Wǒ jiějie hǎo le! Yǒu shénme hǎochī de dōu gěi wǒ liúzhe.My sister is great! Any good food there is she saves some for me.
  • 优秀 了!你 不 想 见见 吗? yōuxiù le! Nǐ bù xiǎng jiàn jiàn ma?He is really excellent! Don't you want to meet him?
  • 这 个 游戏 好玩 了!推荐 给 你。Zhè gè yóuxì hǎowán le! Tuījiàn gěi nǐ.This game is really fun! I recommend it to you.
  • 哇 ,这 个 糖醋 里脊 好吃 了!The speaker never dreamt that sweet and sour pork could taste this goodWa, zhège tángcù lǐjí hǎochī le!Wow! This sweet and sour pork is delicious!

可 Used to Emphasize a Verb

In these examples 可 is used with 别, and sounds a bit like "don't even think about..." in English.

  • 别 喝 太 多 酒。 I'm not expecting you to drink a lot bié hē tài duō jiǔ.Don't drink too much.
  • 别 走! I'm blocking your way, almost pleading with you, as I believe you are going to leave bié zǒu!Don't go!
  • 不 能 这样 说。 What you said doesn't accord with my own beliefsHuà bù néng zhèyàng shuō.You really can't say that.

可 as "Finally"

Sometimes 可 acts like 终于 (zhōngyú), meaning "finally."

  • 来 了! The speaker never expected it would take so long for you to get here lái le!You are here!
  • 做 完 了 所有 的 工作。 zuò wán le suǒyǒu de gōngzuò.Finish all the work.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books