Difference between revisions of "Expressing "simply" with "jianzhi""
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简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker. | 简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker. | ||
| − | == Used as " | + | == Used as "Simply" == |
| − | === | + | ===Structure=== |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | *这里 <em>简直</em> 是 天堂！<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> shì tiāntáng!</span><span class="trans">This place is simply heaven.</span> | |
| − | *这里 <em>简直</em> 是 天堂！ | + | *他 唱歌 <em>简直</em> 难听 死了 ！<span class="pinyin">Tā chànggē <em>jiǎnzhí</em> nántīng sǐ le!</span><span class="trans">His singing is simply awful!</span> |
| − | *他 唱歌 <em>简直</em> 难听 死了 ！<span class="pinyin">Tā chànggē <em>jiǎnzhí</em> nántīng | + | *你 男 朋友 <em>简直</em> 太 帅 了 ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou <em>jiǎnzhí</em> tài shuài le!</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend is simply gorgeous!</span> |
| − | *你 男 朋友 <em>简直</em> 太 帅 了 ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ | + | *我 <em>简直</em> 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 ！<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù míngbái tā wèishénme zhème shǎ!</span><span class="trans">I just don't understand why he's so stupid.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>简直</em> 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 ！<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù míngbái tā | + | *我 <em>简直</em> 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 ！<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù zhīdào zěnme jiào zhèyàng de xuéshēng!</span><span class="trans">I just don't know how I am supposed to teach such kinds of students.</span> |
| − | *我 <em>简直</em> 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 ！<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bù zhīdào zěnme jiào zhèyàng de xuéshēng!</span><span class="trans">I just don't know how I | + | *妈妈 做 的 蛋糕 好吃 极了， <em>简直</em> 比 商店 卖 的 蛋糕 还 好吃！<span class="pinyin">Māma zuò de dàngāo hǎochī jíle, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> bǐ shāngdiàn mài de dàngāo hái hǎochī!</span><span class="trans">The cake mom made is delicious, compared to the cake you can buy in stores it is still better.</span> |
| − | *妈妈 | + | *我 听到 这个 消息， <em>简直</em> 像 吃 了 一 块 非常 甜的 糖。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ tīng dào zhège xiāoxī, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> xiàng chī le yīkuài fēicháng tián de táng.</span><span class="trans">I heard this news and it was like eating a super sweet piece of candy.</span> |
| − | *我 听到 这个 消息， <em>简直</em> 像 吃 了 一 块 非常 甜的 糖。 | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
| − | However, although it is possible in English to say something is "simply beautiful," | + | However, although it is possible in English to say something is "simply beautiful," in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. 很 is also not used after 简直. Check out the following examples: |
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
<ul> | <ul> | ||
| − | <li class="o">她 <em>简直</em> 太 漂亮 了 ！<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiǎnzhí</em> tài piàoliangle!</span><span class="trans">She is simply too | + | <li class="o">她 <em>简直</em> 太 漂亮 了 ！<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiǎnzhí</em> tài piàoliangle!</span><span class="trans">She is simply too pretty!</span></li> |
| − | <li class="o">她 <em>简直</em> 漂亮 极 了 !<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiǎnzhí</em> piàoliang jíle!</span><span class="trans">She is just so | + | <li class="o">她 <em>简直</em> 漂亮 极 了 !<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiǎnzhí</em> piàoliang jíle!</span><span class="trans">She is just so pretty!</span></li> |
</ul> | </ul> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | == Used as " | + | == Used as "Basically" == |
| − | When followed immediately by 是, the word 简直 takes on a meaning similar to "basically." | + | When followed immediately by 是, the word 简直 takes on a meaning similar to "basically." |
=== Structure === | === Structure === | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | + | *他 <em>简直</em> <strong>是</strong> 骗 人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>jiǎnzhí</em> <strong>shì</strong> piàn rén.</span><span class="trans">He's just lying to you.</span> | |
| − | *他 <em>简直</em> 是 骗 人 。<span class="trans">He's just lying to you.</span> | + | *你 <em>简直</em> <strong>是</strong> 多管闲事 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>jiǎnzhí</em> <strong>shì</strong> duō guǎn xiánshì.</span><span class="trans">You are simply too nosy.</span> |
| − | *你 <em>简直</em> 是 多管闲事 。 | + | *这 个 小狗 <em>简直</em> <strong>是</strong> 可爱 极了，越 看 越 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Zhège xiǎo gǒu <em>jiǎnzhí</em> <strong>shì</strong> kě'ài jí le, yuè kàn yuè xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">This puppy is just too cute, the more you look at him the more you like him.</span> |
| − | *他们 <em>简直</em> | + | *他们 <em>简直</em> 就 <strong>是</strong> 在 抄 我们 的 创意 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>jiǎnzhí</em> jiù <strong>shì</strong> zài chāo wǒmen de chuàngyì.</span><span class="trans">They are basically stealing our creativity.</span> |
| − | *我 一 个 月 没 吃 肉 了，<em>简直</em> | + | *你这样做，<em>简直</em> <strong>是</strong> 在 破坏 气氛。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhèyàng zuò, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> <strong>shì</strong> zài pòhuài qìfēn.</span><span class="trans">What you are doing is basically destroying the atmosphere.</span> |
| − | + | *他 是 羽毛球 冠军，和 你 打 羽毛球 <em>简直</em> <strong>是</strong> 太 简单 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì yǔmáoqiú guànjūn, hé nǐ dǎ yǔmáoqiú <em>jiǎnzhí</em> <strong>shì</strong> tài jiǎndān le.</span><span class="trans">He is a badminton champion, and playing badminton against you is simply too easy.</span> | |
| − | + | *我 一 个 月 没 吃 肉 了，<em>简直</em> <strong>是</strong> 在 挑战 我 自己。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ yī gè yuè méi chī ròu le, <em>jiǎnzhí</em> <strong>shì</strong> zài tiǎozhàn wǒ zìjǐ.</span><span class="trans">I didn't eat meat for a month just to challenge myself.</span> | |
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</div> | </div> | ||
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== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
Latest revision as of 09:21, 18 January 2021
简直 (jiǎnzhí) is similar to "simply" or "completely" in English, and can be used to modify adjectives or verbs, adding a tone of amazement on the part of the speaker.
Contents
Used as "Simply"
Structure
Subj. + 简直 + Predicate
Examples
- 这里 简直 是 天堂！This place is simply heaven.
- 他 唱歌 简直 难听 死了 ！His singing is simply awful!
- 你 男 朋友 简直 太 帅 了 ！Your boyfriend is simply gorgeous!
- 我 简直 不 明白 他 为什么 这么 傻 ！I just don't understand why he's so stupid.
- 我 简直 不 知道 怎么 教 这样 的 学生 ！I just don't know how I am supposed to teach such kinds of students.
- 妈妈 做 的 蛋糕 好吃 极了， 简直 比 商店 卖 的 蛋糕 还 好吃！The cake mom made is delicious, compared to the cake you can buy in stores it is still better.
- 我 听到 这个 消息， 简直 像 吃 了 一 块 非常 甜的 糖。I heard this news and it was like eating a super sweet piece of candy.
However, although it is possible in English to say something is "simply beautiful," in Chinese, 简直 cannot be followed directly by an unmodified adjective. 很 is also not used after 简直. Check out the following examples:
- 她 简直 漂亮 ！
- 她 简直 很 漂亮 ！
- 她 简直 太 漂亮 了 ！She is simply too pretty!
- 她 简直 漂亮 极 了 !She is just so pretty!
Used as "Basically"
When followed immediately by 是, the word 简直 takes on a meaning similar to "basically."
Structure
Subj. + 简直 + 是 + Predicate
Examples
- 他 简直 是 骗 人 。He's just lying to you.
- 你 简直 是 多管闲事 。You are simply too nosy.
- 这 个 小狗 简直 是 可爱 极了，越 看 越 喜欢。This puppy is just too cute, the more you look at him the more you like him.
- 他们 简直 就 是 在 抄 我们 的 创意 。They are basically stealing our creativity.
- 你这样做，简直 是 在 破坏 气氛。What you are doing is basically destroying the atmosphere.
- 他 是 羽毛球 冠军，和 你 打 羽毛球 简直 是 太 简单 了 。He is a badminton champion, and playing badminton against you is simply too easy.
- 我 一 个 月 没 吃 肉 了，简直 是 在 挑战 我 自己。I didn't eat meat for a month just to challenge myself.
Sources and further reading
Books
- Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 115) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 134-6) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 225) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 67) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
