Difference between revisions of "Negative adjectives with "-si le""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
In English, you might use or hear the expression "you scared me to death!" In Chinese,  死了 (sǐle) is used similarly to intensify a negative adjective.  
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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 ===
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 +
== Structure ==
  
 
The "Subject" part below is actually optional, you can still make your over-the-top exclamations without it.
 
The "Subject" part below is actually optional, you can still make your over-the-top exclamations without it.
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Adj. + 死了
 +
</div>
 +
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This structure is technically a kind of [[degree complement]].
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== Examples ==
  
Subj. + Negative adj. + 死了
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<div class="liju">
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 +
*我 <strong>饿</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "hungry to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>è </strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">I'm starving! </span>
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*今天 <strong>累</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "tired to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <strong>lèi </strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">Today was so exhausting!</span>
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*<strong>热</strong> <em>死了</em>!<span class="expl">Literally, "hot to death"</span><span class="pinyin"><Strong>Rè </strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's ridiculously hot! </span>
 +
*这 几 天 <strong>忙</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "busy to death"</span><span class="pinyin"> Zhè jǐ tiān <strong>máng </strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's been so terribly busy these days! </span>
 +
*这 件 衣服 <strong>丑</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "ugly to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <strong>chǒu</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">This clothing is totally hideous! </span>
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*你 的 房间 <strong>脏</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">Literally, "dirty to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Nǐ de fángjiān <strong>zāng</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">Your room is absolutely filthy! </span>
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*<strong>吵</strong> <em>死了</em>!<span class="expl">Literally, "noisy to death"</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>Chǎo</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's so terribly noisy! </span>
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*这里 的 东西 <strong>贵</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl pdf-short-expl">Literally, "expensive to death"</span><span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngxi <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>
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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>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that this structure is a [[degree complement]] (called 程度补语 (chéngdù bǔyǔ) in Chinese).
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None of these sentences actually refers 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."
  
=== Examples ===
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== For Positive Connotations ==
 +
 
 +
Traditionally, -死了 (sǐ le) is only for adjectives with negative connotations, while positive connotations use a similar degree complement, [[Positive adjectives with "-ji le"|极了 (jí le)]]. In recent years, however, it's become quite popular to also use -死了 (sǐ le) with positive adjectives:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <strong>饿</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'hungry to death'</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>è </strong> <em>sǐle</em>. </span><span class="trans">I'm so/terribly hungry! </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>'ài</strong> <em>sǐ le</em>! </span><span class="trans">OMG, adorbs!</span>
* 今天 <strong>累</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'tired to death'</span> <span class="pinyin">Jīntiān <strong>lèi </strong> <em>sǐle</em>. </span><span class="trans">I'm so/terribly tired today! </span>
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*<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>热</strong> <em>死了</em>!<span class="expl">It could be read as 'hot to death'</span> <span class="pinyin"><Strong>Rè </strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's so/terribly hot! </span>
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*这 个 蛋糕 <strong>好吃</strong> <em>死了</em> 。<span class="expl pdf-short-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>
* 这 几 天 <strong>忙</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'busy to death'</span><span class="pinyin"> Zhè jǐ tiān <strong>máng </strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span> <span class="trans">It's been so/terribly busy these days! </span>
 
* 这 件 衣服 <strong>丑</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'ugly to death'</span> <span class="pinyin">Zhè gè yīfu <strong>chǒu</strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span><span class="trans">This piece of clothes is so/terribly ugly! </span>
 
* 你 的 房间 <strong>脏</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'dirty to death'</span> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ de fángjiān <strong>zāng</strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span><span class="trans">Your room is so/terribly dirty! </span>
 
* <strong></strong> <em>死了</em>!<span class="expl">It could be read as 'noisy to death'</span> <span class="pinyin"><strong>Chǎo</strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's so/terribly noisy! </span>
 
* 这里 的 东西 <strong>贵</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'expensive to death'</span> <span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngxī <strong>guì </strong><em>sǐle</em>! </span><span class="trans">The things here are so/terribly expensive! </span>
 
*我们 都 <strong>急</strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'anxious to death'</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <Strong>jí </strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span> <span class="trans">We are all so/terribly anxious!</span>
 
* 这 个 小孩 <strong></strong> <em>死了</em>。<span class="expl">It could be read as 'annoying to death'</span> <span class="pinyin">Zhè gè xiǎohái <Strong>fán</strong> <em>sǐle</em>! </span><span class="trans">This kid so/terribly annoying! </span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
None of these sentences actually refer to someone dying, instead the word 死了 (sǐle) and the structure is simply used to intensify an adjective. Notice how these are awkward to translate into English - 死了 (sǐle) is much more versatile than the English expression "to death."
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (p. 104) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|104}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (p. 139) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|139}}
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (p. 105) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|105}}
*[[Yufa!]] (p. 106) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
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{{Source|Yufa!|106}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
 
[[Category:Adjectives]]
 
[[Category:Adjectives]]
  
{{Basic Grammar|死|A2|Adj + 死了|我 今天 累 <em>死 了</em>。|grammar point|ASGLEVUV}}
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{{Basic Grammar|死|A2|Adj. + 死了|我 今天 累 <em>死了</em> 。|grammar point|ASGLEVUV}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Rel char|了}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing degree}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing degree}}
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{{Similar|Adjectival Complement "de hen"}}
 
{{Similar|Adjectival Complement "de hen"}}
 
{{Similar|Positive adjectives with "-ji le"}}
 
{{Similar|Positive adjectives with "-ji le"}}
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{{Similar|Degree complement}}
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{{Similar|Advanced degree complements}}
 
{{Similar|Resultative Complement "huai"}}
 
{{Similar|Resultative Complement "huai"}}
 
{{Translation|very}}
 
{{Translation|very}}
 
{{Translation|really}}
 
{{Translation|really}}

Latest revision as of 08:59, 28 November 2020

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.

Adj. + 死了

This structure is technically a kind of degree complement.

Examples

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

None of these sentences actually refers 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