Difference between revisions of "Moderating positive adjectives with "hai""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
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Whenever you want to imply that something is "good," but also kind of "meh," you can use 还 (hái) in front of the "good" adjective.
  
Whenever you want to imply that something is "meh", you can use 还(hái).
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== Commonly Used Expressions ==
  
== Commonly used expressions ==
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Besides expressing [[Continuation with "hai"|continuation]], 还 (hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. Used with the adjective "good," this is similar to saying "fairly good" or "pretty good" in English. It's also sometimes used by a speaker to be more modest. Below are some of the most common adjectives that get "toned down" by 还 (hái) in this structure.
  
=== Structure ===
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== Structure ==
 
 
As well as [[Continuation with "hai"|continuation]], 还 (hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. This is similar to saying "quite" or "reasonably" in English. Stated underneath is the most common ways to express "hai".
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + 还 好
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Subj. + 还 + / 可以 / 行 / 不错
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
<div class="jiegou">
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In this pattern, 好 (hǎo), 可以 (kěyǐ), 行 (xíng), and 不错 (bùcuò) combined with 还 ()hái can all be taken to mean "pretty good" or "all right" or "decent" (but also kind of ''meh''... not ''great''). As in English, intonation and facial expressions help convey the meaning. If expectations were already low to begin with, 还可以 (hái kěyǐ) can have the sense of "pretty darn good;" it all depends on context and tone of voice.
  
Subject + 还 可以
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== Examples ==
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
Subject + 还 行
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
 
Subject + 还 不错
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>还</em> 好。<span class="trans">I'm OK.</span>
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* 我 <em>还 </em>。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>hái hǎo</em>.</span><span class="trans">I'm OK.</span>
* 这 个 地方 <em>还</em> 好。<span class="trans">This place is OK.</span>
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* 爸爸 做 的 菜  <em>还 可以</em>。<span class="pinyin">Bàba zuò de cài <em>hái kěyǐ</em>.</span><span class="trans">The food that dad cooks is OK.</span>
* 我 觉得 <em>还</em> 好,没有 那么 难吃。<span class="trans">I think it's OK, it is not so bad-tasting.</span>
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* 我们 老板 <em>还 不错</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen lǎobǎn <em>hái bùcuò</em>.</span><span class="trans">Our boss is not too bad.</span>
* 啤酒 <em>还</em> 行。<span class="trans">Beer is decent.</span>
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* 这 家 店 <em>还 行</em>,不太 贵。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jià diàn <em>hái xíng</em>, bù tài guì.</span><span class="trans">This shop is OK. It's not too expensive.</span>
* 这 个 店 衣服 <em>还</em> 行。<span class="trans">The clothes in this shop are alright.</span>
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* 我 男朋友 工资 <em>还 可以</em><span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou de gōngzī <em>hái kěyǐ</em>.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend's salary is OK.</span>
* 质量 <em></em> 行。<span class="trans">The quality is OK.</span>
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* 新 的 办公室 <em>还 不错</em>。<span class="pinyin">Xīn de bàngōngshì <em>hái bùcuò</em>.</span><span class="trans">The new office is OK.</span>
* 那 个 乐队 <em>还</em> 可以。<span class="trans">That band is so-so.</span>
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* 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 <em>还 可以</em>,没有 那么 难吃。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài <em>hái kěyǐ</em>, méiyǒu nàme nánchī.</span><span class="trans">I think the food here is OK, it is not too bad-tasting.</span>
* 这里 的 菜 <em>还</em> 可以。<span class="trans">Here the food is so-so.</span>
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* 这 个 牌子  <em>还 不错</em>,很 多 年轻 人 喜欢。<span class="pinyin">Zhège páizi <em>hái bùcuò</em>,hěn duō niánqīng rén xǐhuan.</span><span class="trans">This brand is not too bad. Many young people like it.</span>
* 房子 <em>还</em> 不错,但是 有 点 贵。<span class="trans">The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive.</span>
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* 房子 <em>还 可以</em>,但是 有 点 贵。<span class="pinyin">Fángzi <em>hái kěyǐ</em>, dànshì yǒudiǎn guì.</span><span class="trans">The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive.</span>
* 我们 老板 <em>还</em> 不错。<span class="trans">Our boss is not too bad.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== “还” used as an adjective ==
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== See also ==
Besides these common used fixed expressions, "还" can also be used together with an adjective. This structure can be used to weaken a positive adjective. "还" is similar to saying "reasonably" or "quite" in English.
 
In addition to the above-mentioned commonly used expressions, “还” can also be used together with an adjective, expressing the degree to which one does something. However we will often add "算" between “还” and the adjective in order to add a syllable and make the expression sound more authentic.
 
As well as continuation,"还"(hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. This is similar to saying "quite" or "reasonably" in English.
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
  
<div class="jiegou">
 
 
Subject + 还 算 + Adj.
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
=== Examples ===
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
* 房间 <em>还 算</em> 大。<span class="trans">The room is fairly big.</span>
 
* 这 个 女 孩子<em>还 算</em> 漂亮。<span class="trans">This girl is fairly beautiful.</span>
 
* 我们 公司 <em>还 算</em> 好。<span class="trans">Our office is fairly good.</span>
 
* 工作 <em>还 算</em>顺利。<span class="trans">The work is fairly smooth.</span>
 
* 这 里 <em>还算</em> 安静。<span class="trans">This place is fairly quiet.</span>
 
* 这 个 城市 的 <em>还算</em> 干净。<span class="trans">This city is fairly clean.</span>
 
* 我 家 的 宝宝 <em>还算</em> 听话。<span class="trans">My baby fairly does what it's told.</span>
 
* 这 家 店 的 东西 <em>还算</em> 便宜。<span class="trans">The things in this shop are fairly cheap.</span>
 
* 这 个 人 <em>还算</em> 诚实。<span class="trans">This person is fairly honest.</span>
 
* 你 <em>还算</em> 聪明。<span class="trans">You are fairly clever.</span>
 
 
</div>
 
 
==See also==
 
 
*[[Continuation with "hai"]]
 
*[[Continuation with "hai"]]
 
*[[Expressing "rather" with "bijiao"]]
 
*[[Expressing "rather" with "bijiao"]]
* [[The "zui" superlative]]
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*[[The "zui" superlative]]
  
</div>
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
 +
=== Books ===
  
== Sources and further reading ==
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 2|36}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|302}}
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{{Source|Exemplification of Common Sentence Patterns in Spoken Chinese 汉语口语常用句式例解|106-7}}
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{{Source|Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide|366}}
  
=== Books ===
 
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 302) [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]
 
* [[Exemplification of Common Sentence Patterns in Spoken Chinese 汉语口语常用句式例解]] (pp. 106-7) [http://www.amazon.co.uk/Exemplification-Common-Sentence-Patterns-Chinese/dp/7301075405 →buy]
 
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|还|A2|还|<em>还</em> 可以。<em>还</em> 好。|grammar point|ASGAY164}}
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{{HSK|HSK2}}{{2021-HSK|HSK2}}
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{{Basic Grammar|还|A2|还 + Adj.|<em>还</em> 可以。<em>还</em> 好。|grammar point|ASGAY164}}
 
{{Similar|Continuation with "hai"}}   
 
{{Similar|Continuation with "hai"}}   
 
{{Similar|Expressing "rather" with "bijiao"}}   
 
{{Similar|Expressing "rather" with "bijiao"}}   

Latest revision as of 08:57, 21 April 2021

Whenever you want to imply that something is "good," but also kind of "meh," you can use 还 (hái) in front of the "good" adjective.

Commonly Used Expressions

Besides expressing continuation, 还 (hái) can also be used to weaken positive adjectives. Used with the adjective "good," this is similar to saying "fairly good" or "pretty good" in English. It's also sometimes used by a speaker to be more modest. Below are some of the most common adjectives that get "toned down" by 还 (hái) in this structure.

Structure

Subj. + 还 + 好 / 可以 / 行 / 不错

In this pattern, 好 (hǎo), 可以 (kěyǐ), 行 (xíng), and 不错 (bùcuò) combined with 还 ()hái can all be taken to mean "pretty good" or "all right" or "decent" (but also kind of meh... not great). As in English, intonation and facial expressions help convey the meaning. If expectations were already low to begin with, 还可以 (hái kěyǐ) can have the sense of "pretty darn good;" it all depends on context and tone of voice.

Examples

  • 还 好hái hǎo.I'm OK.
  • 爸爸 做 的 菜 还 可以Bàba zuò de cài hái kěyǐ.The food that dad cooks is OK.
  • 我们 老板 还 不错Wǒmen lǎobǎn hái bùcuò.Our boss is not too bad.
  • 这 家 店 还 行,不太 贵。Zhè jià diàn hái xíng, bù tài guì.This shop is OK. It's not too expensive.
  • 我 男朋友 的 工资 还 可以Wǒ nánpéngyou de gōngzī hái kěyǐ.My boyfriend's salary is OK.
  • 新 的 办公室 还 不错Xīn de bàngōngshì hái bùcuò.The new office is OK.
  • 我 觉得 这里 的 菜 还 可以,没有 那么 难吃。Wǒ juéde zhèlǐ de cài hái kěyǐ, méiyǒu nàme nánchī.I think the food here is OK, it is not too bad-tasting.
  • 这 个 牌子 还 不错,很 多 年轻 人 喜欢。Zhège páizi hái bùcuò,hěn duō niánqīng rén xǐhuan.This brand is not too bad. Many young people like it.
  • 房子 还 可以,但是 有 点 贵。Fángzi hái kěyǐ, dànshì yǒudiǎn guì.The apartment is not too bad, but it is a bit expensive.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books